Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To provide an information processing device, information processing method and program for constructing a game environment in which substitution of raising of a game object can be positively used.SOLUTION: An information processing device includes a request reception part receiving a request from a first player to substitute raising of a game object, a substitution processing part causing a second player to raise the game object, and a return processing part, when a completion condition is satisfied, executing first return processing of returning to the first player, the game object with a parameter to be set based on the raising executed by the second player, and when an interruption condition is satisfied, executing second return processing of returning the game object to the first player before the raising is completed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program. [Background Art]

[0002] Conventionally, games are known in which players grow game objects such as characters to have them participate in in-game events. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a game in which a player trains (trains) an owned racehorse to improve its abilities, and has the trained racehorse participate in a race to compete for rankings.

[0003] In a game of breeding racehorses as in Patent Document 1, breeding of the racehorse is repeated multiple times to bring the racehorse's abilities to a desired level. However, as the number of breeding operations increases, more effort such as operational work is required. In particular, a player may own many racehorses to be bred. If a player owns many racehorses to be bred, the effort required for breeding becomes even more enormous, and it may become difficult for the player to personally perform all the breeding work. To address such situations, there do exist games in which a computer (game system) automatically performs breeding on behalf of the player. However, when breeding is left to the computer, it is rare for the breeding result to meet the player's expectations, and it is often the case that better results are obtained when the player performs breeding themself, which has caused dissatisfaction among players.

[0004] On the other hand, among games played by communicating with other players via a network, there exist games where, instead of the player playing an in-game event, another player can play the event as a proxy. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a game in which a player asks another player to proxy play an in-game mission, and if the mission is cleared, a predetermined reward is provided to the other player.

[0005] While Patent Document 2 describes a system where other players complete in-game missions on behalf of the player, and does not involve the player raising game objects, if the play proxy system described in Patent Document 2 is applied to a game where objects are raised, a player who owns a game object to be raised can request other players to raise the game object on their behalf. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-198231 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-011632 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, if a player who owns a game object to be trained requests another player to train it for them, that player may be dissatisfied with the results. For example, the success or failure of training a game object depends heavily on the player's skills and playing environment, so depending on the skills and playing environment of the other player who accepts the training request, the results may not be as desirable. Also, training game objects is perceived as a less interesting, more mundane, and tedious task compared to playing and completing missions, so there is a risk that the other player who accepts the training request may not take it seriously or may cut corners. Because of these risks, players who own game objects to be trained cannot confidently request training services and may hesitate to use them.

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program for constructing a game environment in which the surrogate development of game objects can be actively utilized. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] An information processing device according to one aspect of the present invention includes: a request receiving unit that receives a request from a first player to raise a game object on behalf of the player; a proxy processing unit that causes a second player to raise the game object; and a return processing unit that, if the completion conditions are met, executes a first return processing to return the game object with parameters set based on the raising performed by the second player to the first player, and if the interruption conditions are met, executes a second return processing to return the game object to the first player before the raising is completed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to construct a game environment in which the surrogate development of game objects can be actively utilized. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a diagram illustrating an example of a game screen, specifically an example of a screen for selecting a training course. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing an example of a game screen, specifically an example of a screen for requesting a training service. [Figure 3] This is a diagram illustrating an example of a game screen, specifically an example of the screen showing the list of horses requested for training. [Figure 4] This is a diagram showing an example of a game screen, specifically an example of a screen displaying a list of potential contractors. [Figure 5] This is a diagram showing an example of a game screen, specifically an example of a screen used to confirm the training service. [Figure 6A] This diagram illustrates an example of the condition of a horse that will be returned during the second return process. [Figure 6B] This diagram illustrates an example of the condition of a horse that will be returned during the second return process. [Figure 6C] FIG. 1 is a diagram explaining an example of a state of a target horse returned in a second return process. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an information processing apparatus system according to the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing functions of an information processing apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of player information stored in a storage unit. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of racehorse information stored in a storage unit. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of training delegation request information stored in a storage unit. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of training delegation status information stored in a storage unit. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 (Part 1) is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 (Part 2) is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 1 (Part 3) is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiment described below is merely an example provided for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention. That is, the present invention can be altered or improved from the embodiment described below without departing from the spirit thereof. Also, it goes without saying that equivalents thereof are included in the present invention.

[0013] Further, the screen examples described in the present specification and drawings are also merely examples, and the screen configuration and design, the content of displayed information, a GUI (Graphical User Interface), and the like can be freely designed and can be appropriately changed according to system design specifications, player preferences, and the like.

[0014] [Regarding games to which this invention applies] In describing the information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program of the present invention, we will first describe a game to which the present invention applies (hereinafter referred to as "the present game"). The present game is a genre of game in which players cultivate "game objects" within the game and use the cultivated game objects to play "events" within the game.

[0015] "Game Objects" are virtual characters used by players of this game to play through various events within the game, and are the objects that players cultivate in this game. "Characters" include living things such as people, animals and plants, machines such as vehicles and robots, non-machine objects, fictional characters such as monsters, or other characters similar to these.

[0016] An "event" refers to events such as accidents that occur during gameplay, quests, stages, and missions played with the objective of completion, and in-game competitions in which game objects participate. Examples of in-game competitions include races where players compete for finishing order, and matches or battles where players compete for victory or defeat.

[0017] In this embodiment, a simulation game based on horse racing, in which the goal is to own excellent racehorses and win major races or numerous races, will be used as an example for explanation. Specifically, the player acquires racehorses, which are representative examples of game objects, through "breeding," "lottery," or purchase, and then "trains" those racehorses to compete in various "races." Furthermore, the player can own multiple racehorses simultaneously and train them in parallel. In addition, retired racehorses can be used as home-bred stallions or broodmares to produce the next generation of racehorses. In the following explanation, we will use racehorses as an example of game objects, but the present invention is also applicable to games that involve raising objects other than racehorses.

[0018] "Breeding" refers to the process of breeding a stallion and broodmare of the player's choice to produce a racehorse for training. Stallions and broodmares can be acquired through lotteries or purchases, or players can use racehorses they have bred themselves as stallions or broodmares after their retirement to continue the lineage. In this game, the abilities of the stallions and broodmares used as parents tend to be inherited by the racehorses produced. Therefore, using stallions or broodmares with high abilities as parents makes it easier to produce racehorses with high abilities. As will be explained later, this game supports online play, so players can also use stallions, broodmares, or racehorses owned by other players for breeding.

[0019] A "lottery" is a type of event in which players can acquire game objects or items such as racehorses, stallions, or broodmares by spending a predetermined amount of "value" they possess within the game. The lottery is conducted during gameplay in response to lottery applications from players. In the lottery, multiple game objects with different winning probabilities are prepared as candidates, and one or a predetermined number of game objects are selected from these candidates. The player can then acquire the selected game objects as a lottery result.

[0020] "Value" refers to the value of an item that increases or decreases in quantity within the game. Specifically, this includes "in-game currency," which is the currency usable within the game, or "items," which provide advantages in the game the more you possess them.

[0021] "In-game currency" refers to items that have a monetary aspect within the game, such as medals or coins, and is included in the broad definition of items. In-game currency is used, for example, to exchange for characters or other items, or to play designated in-game events (races, lotteries, etc.). The amount of in-game currency a player possesses can increase, for example, when the player logs into the game and starts playing, or when they win a race, while it decreases when they participate in a lottery, register to enter a race, or perform training (training) as described below.

[0022] "Items" are used to gain an advantage in the game, and players can use them in situations such as breeding, lottery, training, and racing. Examples of items include feed that restores a racehorse's fatigue or weight, horse tack that changes a racehorse's appearance or abilities, riding request tickets that allow a highly skilled jockey to ride in a race, lottery tickets that allow special lotteries to be held, stallions or broodmares that increase the probability of producing a highly skilled racehorse, or talismans that increase the probability of producing a highly skilled racehorse.

[0023] "Training" refers to changing the parameters of a racehorse through actions that consume in-game value, and in this game, "training" is provided as a form of training. Racehorse parameters are a numerical or symbolic evaluation of the racehorse's characteristics that relate to the progress of the game, i.e., the racehorse's abilities, and specifically include things that affect the outcome of races, such as stamina, speed, power, distance suitability, track suitability, horse weight, and fatigue level. Racehorse parameters also include past race performance (race record), such as the number of past races participated in, the number of races won, and the winning percentage. Racehorse parameters may include items that the player can see and items that the player cannot see (masked items).

[0024] In this embodiment, each racehorse has a set training period, and the player can train racehorses that still have a training period remaining. The training period is a number of days set as in-game time, for example, N weeks in the game (where N is any natural number). Here, in-game time is the time that passes within the game, and it passes at a faster rate than real time. For example, when the player performs a predetermined operation (hereinafter referred to as a weekly operation), it takes only a few minutes in real time, but one week passes in the game. Racehorses that have exceeded their training period will retire, but as described above, they can be used for breeding as stallions or broodmares.

[0025] In this game, players can perform one training session per weekly task, that is, per week of in-game time. Normally, the parameters of a racehorse gradually increase as the number of weeks of training (hereinafter referred to as "training weeks") increases. However, certain events (accidents), such as injuries, may occur in the game while a racehorse is being trained. In such cases, the horse's parameters may decrease or revert to their pre-training state. The number of training sessions that can be performed in a single weekly task is not particularly limited; it may be possible to perform two or more training sessions.

[0026] When training is performed, a menu list ML for training courses is displayed on the screen, as shown in Figure 1. A training course is an example of how racehorses are trained. This game offers multiple types of courses, and the content of the training changes depending on the type of course. The player selects one of the multiple training courses listed in the menu list ML to perform training. The type and amount of change of parameters that are changed by training varies depending on the selected training course and intensity. For example, "Course A" allows for a focus on increasing stamina, while "Course B" allows for a focus on increasing speed. Also, the degree to which parameters increase differs depending on the intensity (light, normal, strong, etc.). Note that parameters do not necessarily have to increase in a single training session; for example, when training using a certain type of training course, certain parameters may increase while others decrease, and the changes do not always have to be regular. Furthermore, the amount of parameter increase due to training may change depending on the amount of value consumed.

[0027] Furthermore, in this game, racehorses are trained in stables (hereinafter referred to as "farms") owned by the player within the game. Farms have grades (ranks), and the higher the grade of the farm where the racehorse being trained is located, the more training facilities are available, and the greater the increase in parameters through training. The grade of a farm can be changed, and for example, a player can upgrade their farm by paying for in-game purchases or by performing certain actions (for example, spending in-game currency within the game).

[0028] "Races" are the main events of this game and are held weekly in game time according to the race calendar. When a player wishes to enter racehorses they have trained (including racehorses still in training) into these races, they must select which racehorses to enter from their owned horses (if they own multiple horses), register them for the desired race, and then enter the registered racehorses into the race on the race day in game time. The outcome of a race is determined based on the parameters of each horse participating in the race, including the horse in question, the weather on the race day, and environmental conditions such as the ground conditions of the racetrack.

[0029] When a racehorse owned by a player wins a race (finishes first) or places within a certain rank, the player who trained the racehorse is awarded a predetermined amount of in-game currency or items as prize money or a bonus. The amount of in-game currency or the type of items awarded is determined, for example, based on the type of race entered and the finishing position (result). In addition to the above value, the player may also be granted the right to participate in special races (limited races) that are not normally available. In this embodiment, participating in a race does not constitute training a racehorse (parameters such as fatigue level change, but parameters such as stamina, speed, and power do not improve), however, race participation may be included as a form of training.

[0030] Incidentally, this game is a multiplayer game, and multiple players can play it together via communication networks such as the internet and mobile communication lines. For example, in this game, multiple players can enter their racehorses into the same races, in addition to races held weekly in in-game time, and also in online races where players can compete against each other's horses.

[0031] Furthermore, in this game, one player can have another player take over the training of a racehorse they own (hereinafter referred to as "training proxy").

[0032] "Breeding agency" refers to a player requesting breeding agency services granting breeding rights for a racehorse owned by that player to another player who accepts (undertakes) the breeding agency service. In terms of gameplay, this involves depositing the racehorse involved in the breeding agency service at the other player's farm and changing the horse's parameters based on the other player's actions. Furthermore, in this game, the player who requested the breeding agency service cannot train the racehorse involved in the service while it is in operation. However, this is not limited to this, and the player who requested the breeding agency service may train the racehorse involved in the service even during the service period. Moreover, even if the player who requested the breeding agency service progresses through the game during the service period, that is, even if they advance the in-game time by performing weekly tasks, that game progress will not affect the racehorse involved in the breeding agency service.

[0033] The following provides a further explanation of the horse training service. In the following, the player requesting the training service will be referred to as "Player 1," the player accepting the training service will be referred to as "Player 2," and the racehorse involved in the training service requested by Player 1 will be referred to as the "Target Horse."

[0034] When the first player requests the horse to be trained on behalf of the target horse, they specify various request details through the game screen, as shown in Figure 2. The specified request details include the training period and training conditions. The training period (training period) is the period during which the first player requests the horse to be trained on behalf of the target horse, and is expressed in real time (specifically, real-world dates), not in-game time. The training conditions are the conditions for the training that the first player requests from the second player, and specifically, they are the details that the first player specifies as the training policy regarding the training methods during the training period. Examples of training methods include the number of training weeks to be reached during the training period, the training course, the types of parameters to be increased, the amount of increase or target value of those parameters, the timing of the race debut during the training period, and the number of races (including 0) or the number of races won during the training period. Furthermore, since the in-game time for the first player and the second player are fundamentally different (for example, the first player's in-game time might be the first week of April, while the second player's is the fourth week of December), depending on when the training service is requested, the horse may be unable to participate in races that have age restrictions based on when it enters the stable. Therefore, some first players may have a need to specify when their training character enters the stable, and to meet this need, it would be good to allow them to specify the timing of the race debut (the week in the second player's in-game time when the horse is entered into the stable).

[0035] Furthermore, in order to synchronize the in-game time of the first and second players, the second player may be allowed to begin training the target horse when their in-game time reaches the same time as the first player's in-game time at the time the second player accepted the training assignment (or the first player requested the training assignment). For example, if the first player's in-game time is the first week of April and the second player's in-game time is the fourth week of December at the time the second player accepts the training assignment, the second player may be required to advance their own in-game time to the first week of April before they can begin training the target horse.

[0036] Horses for which the above conditions have been set by the first player are listed on the Training Service Request List HL shown in Figure 3, and this information is shared among multiple players who are candidates to be trainers (strictly speaking, players other than the first player). The scope of sharing of this information may be limited to players who have been registered in advance as having the intention to undertake the training of the target horses. If a player who is a candidate to be trainer finds a target horse they wish to train from among the multiple target horses listed on the Training Service Request List HL, they select the relevant target horse and register as a prospective trainer for that horse. In addition, by tapping the details button on the Training Service Request List HL, players can also check the abilities and requests for each target horse.

[0037] After the first player specifies the request, if other players have entered entries expressing their desire to take on the responsibility for their target horse, information about those multiple prospective takers will be posted to the prospective taker list JL shown in Figure 4. The prospective taker list JL includes the name or ID of the player who wishes to take on the responsibility, as well as the farm grade and the number of times the taker has previously undertaken training as proof of their training experience. The first player selects one of the multiple prospective takers listed in the prospective taker list JL whom they deem suitable to entrust with training. In this embodiment, the number of players that can be selected is limited to one, but it is also possible to select multiple players.

[0038] After the selection of a prospective trainer, the selected player will be notified of the training request from the first player. Upon receiving the notification, the player will decide whether or not to accept the training of the target horse through the confirmation screen CS shown in Figure 5. If the player decides to accept the training of the target horse, they will act as the second player and be able to train the target horse under their own control during the training period specified by the first player. Specifically, they can train the target horse at their own farm.

[0039] Furthermore, restrictions may be placed on the number of horses that a second player can take on simultaneously (including cases where part of the training period overlaps). For example, the number of horses that can be taken on simultaneously may be limited to one, and it may not be possible to take on multiple horses at the same time. Alternatively, it may be permitted to take on multiple horses from other players (players other than the first player), but not from the same player at the same time, or it may be possible to take on multiple horses from the same player, but not from other players at the same time.

[0040] When the training service by the second player is successfully completed and meets the "completion conditions," the training service authority granted to the second player is released / invalidated, the horse's parameters are modified based on the training results, and the training authority for the horse is returned to the first player (first return process). In the game, the horse that was deposited in the second player's farm is returned to the first player's farm, so below, the return of the training service authority for the horse from the second player to the first player is also referred to as "the horse being returned to the first player." When the training service is completed and the horse is returned to the first player, the second player is granted a "reward."

[0041] "Completion conditions" are the conditions required to successfully complete the training service and execute the first return process. For example, completion conditions include when the training period specified by the first player expires, or when the training conditions specified by the first player are achieved (such as when parameters reach the target value or when a specified race is won).

[0042] "Reward" refers to the value or right granted to the second player as compensation for providing training services. The type (content) or amount of the reward may be changed depending on the results of the second player's training services, specifically the number of weeks of training during the training period, or the amount of parameter increase achieved through the training services. Multiple types of rewards may also be combined. By changing the type (content) or amount of the reward, or by combining multiple types of rewards, it is possible to create a reward that is advantageous to the second player.

[0043] The rewards include in-game currency or items transferred from the first player to the second player as a token of appreciation (the amount of in-game currency or items held by the first player will decrease depending on the amount transferred), in-game currency or items given to the second player as a bonus regardless of the first player (the amount of in-game currency or items held by the first player will not decrease depending on the amount transferred), as well as the rights listed below. (a) The right of the second player to use the horse in question in the game after it has been returned. Specifically, this includes the right for the second player to borrow the horse in question from the first player after it has been returned and use it in in-game events such as races, or the right for the second player to borrow the horse in question from the first player after it has been returned and use it to breed other racehorses, that is, the right to use the horse in question as a stud horse or broodmare. (b) The right of the second player to receive at least a portion of the value that the first player earned by racing the horse after it was returned. Specifically, this includes the second player receiving X percent (for example, 10%) of the in-game currency acquired by the horse in question, the same item or a related item as the acquired item (for example, if the acquired item fully restores fatigue, an item that restores 30%), or, if the horse acquired the right to participate in a special race, the right to participate in that special race. (c) The right to have the second player's name and other information registered to the attributes of the horse after it is returned. Specifically, this includes cases where the name of the second player is listed as the trainer of the horse in question.

[0044] On the other hand, if the training service provided by the second player meets the "interruption conditions," the training authority granted to the second player will be revoked / invalidated, even if the training service is still in progress, and the training authority for the target horse will be returned to the first player (second return process). Note that if the training service ends after meeting the interruption conditions, unlike the first return process, the above reward will not be granted to the second player.

[0045] "Interruption conditions" are the conditions under which the training of the target horse is interrupted and the second return process is executed before the completion conditions are met. For example, this may be based on the intention of the first player who requested the training, or it may be determined whether the interruption conditions are met based on the "training progress" or "level of training" of the target horse. If the training progress or level of training of the target horse meets the interruption conditions (for example, if any one of the conditions defined here is met), the second return process may be executed automatically. Alternatively, even if any one of the conditions defined based on the training progress or level of training is met, the second return process may not be executed unless the first player requests a return and expresses their intention to interrupt the training.

[0046] "Training progress" refers to the in-game time spent by a second player training the target horse. Specifically, it is the number of training weeks (weeks completed by performing weekly tasks and advancing in-game time) that have elapsed up to a certain point in the training period.

[0047] "Degree of Training" is an indicator showing how much a target horse has been trained during the training period. For example, it is calculated based on the increase in parameter values ​​since the start of training (including past race performance such as the number of races participated in and the number of wins), the rate of increase in parameters (current parameter value / parameter value at the start of training), or the amount of value consumed during the training period, i.e., the quantity and quality of in-game currency or items spent on training. The degree of training may or may not be visible to both the first and second players. It may also be visible to only one of the players. Note that, as mentioned above, some parameter values ​​may not be visible to the player. In that case, the player will naturally not be able to see the degree of training for that parameter. On the other hand, since the amount of value consumed is measurable, it is advisable to use a degree of training calculated based on the amount of value consumed as a degree of training that the player can see.

[0048] The following explains each case in which the interruption conditions are met. If the first player requests the return of the horse in question (a return request), that is, if the first player cancels the horse's training service based on their own will, the suspension condition is met. In this case, the first player may be allowed to request the return of the horse unconditionally at any time, or they may be allowed to request the return only if the training progress or level of training meets the suspension condition. The second player may also cancel the training service they are currently undertaking.

[0049] Furthermore, in cases where the training service is interrupted based on the training progress of the target horse, if the training progress of the target horse does not meet the first condition within a predetermined period from the start of the training service, the interruption condition is met. Specifically, if the number of training weeks in game time at a certain time (e.g., one week) after the second player starts training the target horse falls below the predetermined number of weeks set as the first condition, the interruption condition is met. The first condition here may be the number of training weeks set by the first player when requesting the training service or at any time, or it may be the number of training weeks that is automatically set in advance. It may also be the number of training weeks specified based on the training period (real time) set when requesting the training service. In this embodiment, if the training progress does not meet this first condition, the first player will receive a notification to that effect, and upon receiving the notification, the first player can decide whether or not to return the target horse. It may also be pre-set so that if the training progress does not meet this first condition, the target horse being trained will be automatically returned to the first player.

[0050] Upon receiving the above notification, the first player may choose not to request the return of the horse and continue the training at their own discretion. In other words, even if the training progress by the second player does not meet the first condition within the specified period, the training can continue with the same second player. In this case, if the number of training weeks in game time falls below the specified number of weeks set as the second condition before the continuation period set after the specified period in real time (for example, another week after the specified period has elapsed), the suspension condition will be met again. The second condition may be the number of training weeks set by the first player when requesting the training service or at any time (for example, at the start of the continuation period), or it may be the number of training weeks that is automatically set in advance. Alternatively, it may be the number of training weeks determined based on the training period (in real time) set when requesting the training service, or the period that has been used or is remaining within that training period.

[0051] In this embodiment, the second condition set as the interruption condition during the continuous period is set to be stricter than the first condition set as the interruption condition during a predetermined period. An example of such a stricter condition would be, for example, if the first condition is to advance the number of training weeks by 30 weeks in one week, then the following conditions would apply. (a) Advance the training period by 40 weeks in one week. In other words, the second condition sets a stricter quota for the number of training weeks to be completed than the training period within the given timeframe. (b) Advance the training period by 60 weeks in one week. In other words, the second condition is set strictly to make up for any training delays that occurred within the given period. (c) Advance the training period by 30 weeks in three days. In other words, the second condition sets the period during which the same amount of training as in the specified period can be performed to be shorter than the specified period (the deadline is set more strictly).

[0052] Furthermore, when the training service is interrupted based on the horse's training progress, the interruption condition is met if the horse's training progress does not fall below the "standard value" from the start of the training service until a predetermined event occurs, that is, until a certain period of time has elapsed since the start of the training service. For example, if the parameter values ​​fall below the standard value before a certain number of training weeks have passed, the interruption condition will be met. Also, if the amount of value consumed by the second player falls below the standard value before a predetermined race is held, the interruption condition will be met.

[0053] The "benchmark value" is a value used as a standard to determine whether the training progress meets the interruption conditions. Specifically, it defines the value of the parameters that have increased since the start of the training service (including race results such as the number of races participated in and the number of wins), the rate of increase in the parameters, or the amount of value consumed during the training service period. The benchmark value differs for each training service or for each target horse. It may be a value set by the first player when requesting the training service or at any time, or it may be a value that is automatically set based on the training conditions and other requests specified by the first player, or the target horse's ability (including potential ability) or personality estimated based on the horse's background such as its pedigree or age. If it is set based on pedigree, for example, if the target horse's parent horse has a record of winning a G1 race, the benchmark value may be set to be that the target horse also wins a G1 race of the same grade. Alternatively, the parameters of the target horse's parent horse at a certain point in time (for example, parameters at 3 years and 12 months old) may be stored as a baseline value, and the parameters of the target horse up to the same point in time (parameters up to 3 years and 12 months old) may be compared to that baseline value. Note that, similar to the training level, the baseline value may or may not be viewable by both the first and second players. Furthermore, it may be possible to allow only either the first or second player to view it.

[0054] As described above, if the interruption conditions are met, the second return process will be executed. However, in the second return process, the parameters of the horses to be returned will differ depending on the interruption status, i.e., the timing at which the second return process is executed.

[0055] For example, as shown in Figure 6A, if the second return process is performed before the predetermined period has elapsed, the target horse will be returned to the first player with the parameters (P0) at the start of the training service, that is, with the parameters unchanged from when the training service was requested, rather than the parameters (P1) that have changed due to the training service performed by the second player between the start of the training service and the execution of the second return process (the point at which the training service is interrupted). In this way, if it is within the period shortly after the start of the training service, the second return process will return the parameters to the state they were in when the training service was requested. The predetermined period here may be a certain amount of time in real time (for example, one week), or it may be a period specified based on the training period set at the time of the training service request. Alternatively, it may be a predetermined number of weeks in game time. If it is in game time, it may be the number of training weeks specified based on the training period (real time) set at the time of the training service request, or it may be the number of training weeks set based on the number of training weeks set as a training condition (for example, if the number of training weeks set as a training condition is 120 weeks, then it may be 30 weeks).

[0056] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6B, if the second return process is performed after a predetermined period has elapsed, the target horse will be returned to the first player with the parameters (P2) that have changed due to the second player's training from the start of the training to the time of the second return process, i.e., with the latest parameters at the time of the second return process. In this case, the target horse may be returned to the first player not only in the state of the latest parameters at the time of the second return process, but also in any state between the start of training and the time of the second return process (any state between P0 and P2), for example, in the state of the parameters at the end of a predetermined period (P3). Furthermore, the target horse may be returned to the first player in the state of the parameters at any point in time specified by the first player. When returning the target horse with the parameters at any point in time, the first player may be allowed to specify any point in time on the condition that a predetermined item is consumed. In this case, the amount of the predetermined item consumed may be changed according to the length of time that has elapsed since the start of training. In other words, the closer the specified arbitrary point in time is to the start of training (the longer the period of return), the more of the predetermined item may be consumed.

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6C, if a predetermined event (such as an injury or a direct reason for interrupting training) occurs during the training process due to a weekly task operation in a particular week, the target horse's parameters may decrease significantly. In this case, the target horse will be returned to the first player not with the parameters (P4) at the time of the second return process, but with the parameters (P5) at the stage of training during the weekly task operation in the week immediately preceding the week in which the predetermined event occurred (for example, if the injury occurred due to a weekly task operation in the second week of April, then the first week of April). In other words, the target horse will be returned in a state that is more advantageous to the first player. In this case, it may be permitted to return the horse to the state before the predetermined event occurred, on the condition that a predetermined item is consumed. At this time, the amount of the predetermined item consumed may be changed depending on the type of predetermined circumstance (such as splints, fracture, or tendonitis), or depending on the amount of parameter decrease due to the predetermined event (such as minor injury, serious injury, or poor prognosis). In other words, the greater the impact of the predetermined event (the greater the amount of parameter recovery), the greater the amount of the predetermined item consumed may be.

[0058] During the horse training process, the first player can check the status of the horse's training by the second player, specifically the training progress and level of development. This allows the first player to periodically check whether the training is progressing smoothly (whether the training quota can be met). This information can then be used to decide whether to interrupt the training or continue under the current conditions (for example, whether the training course should be changed).

[0059] [Configuration of an information processing device and user terminal according to one embodiment of the present invention] Next, the configuration of the information processing device and user terminal 12 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. The information processing device according to the first embodiment consists of a computer for games, more precisely a server computer (hereinafter referred to as server 10). As shown in Figure 7, server 10 is connected to user terminal 12 via a network 14 so as to be able to communicate, and together with user terminal 12, it constructs an information processing system S for games. Server 10 may consist of a single computer, or it may consist of multiple computers arranged in parallel and distributed.

[0060] As shown in Figure 7, Server 10 has a processor 21, memory 22, a communication interface 23, and storage 24, and these devices are electrically connected via a bus 25. Server 10 also has an operating system (OS) and a dedicated program for processing information related to the game installed as software. These programs correspond to the "program" of the present invention. By operating the processor 21 according to the above program, Server 10 functions as an information processing device of the present invention and executes a series of processes related to the progress of the game.

[0061] The processor 21 may consist of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), etc.

[0062] The memory 22 may be composed of semiconductor memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory).

[0063] The communication interface 23 may be configured, for example, by a network interface card or a communication interface board. The data communication standard using the communication interface 23 is not particularly limited and may include communication via Wi-Fi®-based wireless LAN, communication via 3G to 5G or later generations of mobile communication systems, or communication based on LTE (Long Term Evolution).

[0064] The storage 24 may consist of flash memory, HDD (Hard Disc Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), FD (Flexible Disc), MO disk (Magneto-Optical disc), CD (Compact Disc), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), SD card (Secure Digital card), or USB memory (Universal Serial Bus memory), etc. The storage 24 may be built into the server 10 or attached to the server body as an external device. Furthermore, the storage 24 may consist of an external computer (e.g., a database server) connected to the server body in a communicative manner. In addition, distributed ledger technology such as blockchain may be used as the technology for recording various types of data to prevent unauthorized data tampering.

[0065] Server 10 distributes information necessary for the game's progress to each player and also collects and stores information from each player. The information stored by Server 10 includes information about each player's gameplay history, such as the number of racehorses each player has owned and their current parameters, the amount of in-game currency and items they possess, and the number of times they have undertaken horse training services. In addition, for players who have requested horse training services, information about the training services, such as the training conditions and the current status of the training services, is stored in Server 10.

[0066] Furthermore, Server 10 performs various information processing related to the progress of this game, including the processes described below. (a) Process to change the parameters of a racehorse being trained. (b) A process to have the second player take over the training of the target horse of the first player. (c) The process of completing or interrupting the training of the target horse by the second player. (d) A process to set the first condition, second condition, or threshold value which are conditions for interrupting the training service. (e) The process of returning the horse whose training has been completed to the first player (first return process). (f) The process of returning the horse whose training has been interrupted to the first player (second return process). (g) The process of awarding a reward to the second player. (h) A process to identify the time (training time) during which the second player performed the training of the target horse. (i) A process to identify the type and amount of value spent by the second player on training the target horse. (j) The process of changing the amount of value each player possesses (such as the amount of in-game currency or items they own). (k) Processes that cause or hold various in-game events, including races. (l) A process that assigns value to players whose racehorses win races or achieve other victories in those races.

[0067] The user terminal 12 is a client terminal operated by the player to play the game, and specifically consists of a personal computer, smartphone, mobile phone, tablet, game console, television receiver capable of inputting information, and wearable device. Although only two user terminals 12 are shown in Figure 7 for illustrative purposes, the number of user terminals 12 can be any number of two or more.

[0068] The user terminal 12 receives information necessary for the game to progress from the server 10, and displays the video contained in that information on a screen such as a display, and outputs the audio from a speaker or similar device. In addition, the user terminal 12 receives player input during gameplay and transmits information corresponding to that input to the server 10.

[0069] For example, when a player raises a racehorse in this game, they perform training operations on the user terminal 12. Training operations are operations related to raising a racehorse, such as inputting necessary information for training or selecting from multiple training-related items. For example, the player specifies a training course in the menu list ML in Figure 1 and performs the operation to register the racehorse to participate in the desired race through a registration screen (not shown).

[0070] Furthermore, the player requesting the training of a target horse, i.e., the first player, performs the training request operation on the user terminal 12. For example, they specify various request items on the training request screen IS in Figure 2 and select one prospective trainer from the prospective trainer list JL in Figure 4. Meanwhile, other players select a target horse they wish to have trained from among the multiple target horses listed on the training request horse list HL in Figure 3 and register. The player who accepts the training request, i.e., the second player, indicates their willingness to accept the first player's training request through the confirmation screen CS in Figure 5, and then trains the racehorse (target horse) related to the training request by performing the same training operations as usual on the user terminal 12.

[0071] Furthermore, during the horse training process, the first player can continuously monitor the status of the horse's training by the second player through communication between the user terminal 12 and the server 10. For example, the user terminal 12 can display the number of training weeks and the horse's parameters at each point during the training process.

[0072] [Functions of the information processing device in the case of the data controller of the model arm of the United Nations] The configuration of the server 10, which is an information processing device according to the first embodiment, will now be explained again from a functional standpoint. As shown in Figure 8, the server 10 has an operation reception unit 30, a distribution unit 40, a storage unit 50, and an information processing unit 60. Of these, the storage unit 50 is realized by memory 22 or storage 24, and the other functional units are realized by the cooperation of the hardware equipment constituting the server 10 and the program installed on the server 10. The following sections will provide a detailed explanation of each functional component.

[0073] (Operation reception desk) The operation reception unit 30 receives operations performed by the player on the user terminal 12 while playing the game, and more precisely, receives data from the user terminal 12 indicating the content of said operations. As shown in Figure 8, the operation reception unit 30 includes a training operation reception unit 31, a request reception unit 32, a candidate selection reception unit 33, a commission confirmation reception unit 34, and a race registration reception unit 35.

[0074] The training operation reception unit 31 accepts training operations for racehorses from the player. Training operations are designated operations for training, or more precisely, for the training of racehorses, and the player specifies the racehorse to be trained, the training course, and the value to be spent on training. The training operation reception unit 31 receives data from the user terminal 12 indicating the above specified details.

[0075] The request receiving unit 32 receives a designation operation performed by the first player to request the training of a target horse, specifically an operation to specify the request items such as the training period and training conditions mentioned above, and more specifically receives data indicating the training request including the specified request items from the user terminal 12. It also receives a designation operation performed by the first player to interrupt the training of a target horse and have it returned, specifically an operation to request the return of the target horse during the training period, and more specifically receives data indicating the return request from the user terminal 12. It also receives an operation performed by the first player to set interruption conditions (first condition, second condition, or baseline value), specifically an operation to specify the above interruption conditions when requesting training or during the training period, and more specifically receives data indicating the specified interruption conditions from the user terminal 12.

[0076] The candidate selection reception unit 33 accepts the operation by the first player to select one candidate from the list of prospective trainers JL when a training service request is made, and in detail receives data indicating the selection result from the user terminal 12. In addition, the unit accepts the operation by the second player to select a target horse from the list of horses to be trained HL, and in detail receives data indicating the selection result from the user terminal 12.

[0077] The contract confirmation reception unit 34 receives the contract confirmation operation performed when a player of a prospective contract holder selected by the first player decides to accept the training agency contract through the confirmation screen CS in Figure 5. Specifically, it receives data indicating whether the contract has been accepted or rejected from the user terminal 12.

[0078] The race registration reception unit 35 accepts registration operations performed by players to enter racehorses in races of their choice. During the registration operation, the player specifies the desired race, the date of the race, and the racehorses to be entered, and the race registration reception unit 35 receives data indicating this information from the user terminal 12.

[0079] (Distribution Department) The distribution unit 40 distributes information necessary for the progress of the game to each player's user terminal 12, and as shown in Figure 8, it has an event information distribution unit 41, an information presentation unit 42, and an inquiry unit 43.

[0080] The event information distribution unit 41 distributes information related to various events such as races. Upon receiving the information distributed by the event information distribution unit 41, the user terminal 12 outputs (displays and plays, etc.) video and audio of the event's presentation.

[0081] The information presentation unit 42 corresponds to the "information presentation processing unit" of the present invention and distributes information of multiple players (more precisely, multiple players other than the first player), including the second player who is registered as a prospective contractor, to the first player. The information presentation unit 42 also distributes information of target horses registered by the first player to multiple players, including the second player who is registered as a candidate contractor.

[0082] The inquiry unit 43 distributes inquiry information regarding specified matters to designated players. For example, it distributes inquiry information to a player selected by the first player as a prospective trainer, regarding whether or not they will accept the training assignment. It also distributes inquiry information to the second player, who is currently performing the training assignment, regarding whether or not they wish to continue the training assignment. Furthermore, if the training progress does not meet the first condition, it notifies the first player and distributes information inquiring whether or not the horse in question needs to be returned.

[0083] (Storage part) The memory unit 50 stores information necessary for game progression and includes, as shown in Figure 8, a player information memory unit 51, a racehorse information memory unit 52, a training service request memory unit 53, and a training service status memory unit 54.

[0084] The player information storage unit 51 stores player information for each player of the game. As shown in Figure 9, the player information includes each player's name or identification ID, game account name, total play time of the game, identification ID of owned racehorses (owned horse ID), grade of owned farm, number of times training services have been undertaken so far, training service flag indicating whether or not training services are currently requested, and candidate flag indicating whether or not the player is currently a candidate for training services. The player information also includes information (not shown) regarding the amount of in-game currency or items the player possesses. In addition, other player information, such as the names or identification IDs of other players that the player has registered as friends, may also be included in the player information.

[0085] The racehorse information storage unit 52 stores racehorse information for each racehorse owned by each player. As shown in Figure 10, the racehorse information includes the name of each racehorse, an identification ID, the account name of the player who owns the racehorse, current parameters (specifically ability values ​​such as stamina, speed, and power, as well as past race results such as the number of races participated in and the number of wins), the current number of weeks of training, and the remaining number of weeks of training. In addition, other information about the racehorse, such as pedigree information such as the name or ID of the parent horse, and trainer information such as the name or ID of the trainer, may also be included in the racehorse information. Furthermore, the information about the racehorse may include masked information that is not displayed on the user terminal 12, etc., and cannot be confirmed by the player.

[0086] The training agency request storage unit 53 stores training agency request information for each request. As shown in Figure 11, the training agency request information includes an identification ID for the training agency request (request ID), the account name of the player who requested the training agency, the training period, the identification ID of the racehorse (target horse) to which the training agency request pertains, the training conditions (specifically, the number of training weeks to be achieved during the training agency, the training course, and the types of parameters to be increased by the training agency and their target values), and the account name of the player who accepted the training agency request.

[0087] The training support status memory unit 54 stores training support status information for each training support currently underway. As shown in Figure 12, the training support status information includes the request ID, the start date of the training support in real time, the number of training weeks from the start of the training support to the present in in-game time, the current values ​​of the desired training parameters, the number of medals given as the training budget, and the number of medals consumed for the training support up to the present.

[0088] (Information Processing Department) The information processing unit 60 performs the information processing necessary for the progress of the game, and as shown in Figure 8, it includes a parameter change unit 61, a proxy processing unit 62, a reference value setting unit 63, a proxy completion unit 64, a proxy interruption unit 65, a proxy time specification unit 66, a consumption value specification unit 67, a return processing unit 68, a reward granting unit 69, a race result determination unit 70, and a value granting unit 71.

[0089] When the training operation reception unit 31 receives a training operation from the player, the parameter modification unit 61 executes a process to change the parameters of the racehorse being trained, specifically ability values ​​such as stamina, speed, and power, stored in the racehorse information storage unit 52, according to the content of the operation. In this case, the amount of change (increase) of each parameter varies depending on the training course specified by the player in the training operation and the amount of value consumed. Furthermore, the parameter modification unit 61 also appropriately changes the parameters if the interruption conditions are met during training and it becomes necessary to change the parameters of the target horse.

[0090] When the acceptance confirmation unit 34 receives a response from a prospective trainer selected by the first player indicating their acceptance of the training assignment, the proxy processing unit 62 designates the prospective trainer as the second player and executes a process to have the second player take over the training of the target horse. Specifically, the proxy processing unit 62 sets the authority for the second player to train the target horse and stores the second player's account name in the training assignment request storage unit 53, linking it to the training assignment request ID.

[0091] The standard value setting unit 63 sets standard values ​​based on the training conditions and other requests specified by the first player, or based on the horse's abilities (including potential) or personality, which are estimated based on the horse's pedigree, age, and other background information. The standard value setting unit 63 may set standard values ​​when a training service request is made, or it may set them at appropriate intervals from the start of the training service. The standard value setting unit 63 can also change standard values ​​once they have been set.

[0092] The service completion unit 64 completes the horse training by the player who accepted the training service when the completion conditions for the training service are met. The completion conditions are, for example, when the training conditions specified by the first player at the time of the training service request are met. In other words, when the number of training weeks in the horse training service by the second player reaches the number of training weeks specified by the first player, or when the horse's parameters rise to the target value specified by the first player, the service completion unit 64 releases / invalidates the training service authority set for the second player and completes the horse training service by the second player.

[0093] The proxy interruption unit 65 interrupts the horse training by the player who accepted the training assignment if the above interruption conditions are met. Specifically, the proxy interruption unit 65 interrupts the training assignment by releasing / invalidating the training assignment authority set for the second player. When the proxy interruption unit 65 interrupts the training assignment, it may either maintain or modify the parameters of the target horse that have changed due to the training assignment by the second player up to the point of interruption, as described above, based on the interruption situation. For example, depending on the interruption situation, it may change the parameter values ​​to the state at the time of the training assignment request, any state between the time of the training assignment request and the point of interruption (excluding the state at the point of interruption), or the state before a predetermined event occurred, and then interrupt the horse training by the second player. The proxy interruption unit 65 also sets the first and second conditions as appropriate interruption conditions. As stated above, the second condition for the continuous period that occurs after the predetermined period will be set more strictly than the first condition for the predetermined period.

[0094] The proxy time identification unit 66 identifies the in-game time spent on training the target horse (hereinafter referred to as "proxy time"). The proxy time corresponds, for example, to the number of training weeks from the start of the proxy training to the present. In other words, when the proxy time identification unit 66 identifies the proxy time for the training of the target horse by the second player, it identifies the number of training weeks reached from the start of the second player's training of the target horse to the present as the proxy time. The identified proxy time, i.e., the number of training weeks, is also used as a criterion for the proxy interruption unit 65 when determining whether the interruption condition has been met.

[0095] The Value Consumption Identification Unit 67 identifies the amount of value, such as in-game currency, consumed for the horse training service. For example, when the completion conditions are met for the horse training service performed by the second player, the Value Consumption Identification Unit 67 identifies the amount of value consumed up to the point when the completion conditions are met. The Value Consumption Identification Unit 67 can also identify the amount of value consumed for the training service up to any point during the training service, and the amount of value identified therein is also used by the Interruption Service Unit 65 to determine whether the interruption conditions have been met.

[0096] The return processing unit 68 returns the target horse from the second player to the first player if the predetermined return conditions (completion conditions or interruption conditions) are met. This returns the horse training rights from the second player to the first player. Specifically, if the completion conditions are met and the proxy completion unit 64 completes the proxy training of the target horse by the second player, the first return process returns the target horse to the first player with its parameters changed based on the proxy training performed by the second player. On the other hand, if the interruption conditions are met and the proxy interruption unit 65 interrupts the proxy training of the target horse by the second player, the second return process returns the target horse to the first player in the same state as when the proxy training was requested, in any state between when the proxy training was requested and the time of interruption, or in the state before the predetermined event occurred.

[0097] The reward granting unit 69 grants the above reward to the second player when the second player completes the training of the target horse and the first return process is executed. When the reward is granted, the content of the granted reward is reflected in the player information of each player stored in the player information storage unit 51, or in the racehorse information of the target horse stored in the racehorse information storage unit 52. On the other hand, if the training is interrupted and the second return process is executed, the second player is not granted the reward.

[0098] The race result determination unit 70 determines the win / loss result of each race in the game, that is, the finishing order of each horse in the race, based on parameters, and generates event animation data corresponding to the determined race result. The generated event animation data is distributed by the event information distribution unit 41 to the player who entered the racehorse in that race.

[0099] The value-granting unit 71 grants the player who entered the racehorse a value equivalent to in-game currency or items as prize money or a supplementary prize, depending on the result of the race in which the racehorse was entered. When value is granted, the value equivalent to the prize money in in-game currency, etc. is added to the player information of each player stored in the player information storage unit 51. In addition, if a second player enters the target horse in a race while training it and wins the race, a predetermined value is also granted. In this case, the recipient of the value may be the second player who is training the target horse, or the first player who owns the target horse.

[0100] The configurations of server 10 and user terminal 12 have been described above. While server 10 and user terminal 12 generally possess various other functions, only the characteristic functions that contribute to the effectiveness of the information processing system S in this invention will be described here. Other known functions will not be illustrated or described.

[0101] [Information processing flow related to one embodiment of the present invention] Next, we will explain the information processing flow related to horse training outsourcing (hereinafter referred to as the horse training outsourcing flow) within the information processing flow of the information processing system S. The horse training outsourcing flow employs the information processing method of the present invention; in other words, each step in the horse training outsourcing flow corresponds to a component of the information processing method of the present invention. In the following, in order to explain the horse training outsourcing flow in an easy-to-understand manner, we will give a specific case, with the first player requesting horse training outsourcing being Player X, the second player accepting the horse training outsourcing being Player Y, and the racehorse (target horse) involved in the horse training outsourcing being Racehorse Z.

[0102] In order to execute the horse training service flow, players X and Y log in to the game and begin playing. Within the game, players X and Y each own at least one racehorse and possess the value of in-game currency or items necessary for training. In addition, for the horse training service flow, multiple players, including player Y (more precisely, multiple players other than player X), are registered in advance as potential contractors.

[0103] The horse training service flow proceeds as shown in Figures 13-15, for example, starting with Player X operating User Terminal 12 to specify the details of the training service for Racehorse Z, specifically the training period and training conditions (S001). Server 10 receives Player X's training service request through communication with Player X's User Terminal 12 and obtains data indicating the details of the request (S002).

[0104] Next, when player Y operates user terminal 12 to select a horse for which they wish to have their training entrusted (S003), server 10 receives player Y's selection result through communication with player Y's user terminal 12, and more specifically, obtains data indicating the horse selected by player Y (S004). Incidentally, in this case, racehorse Z is the horse selected by player Y.

[0105] Next, the server 10 presents player X with information about multiple players, including player Y, who is a prospective contractor (S005). When player X operates the user terminal 12 and selects a prospective contractor (S006), the server 10 receives the selection result from player X through communication with player X's user terminal 12, and more specifically, obtains data indicating the prospective contractor selected by player X (S007). Incidentally, in this case, there are multiple prospective contractors in addition to player Y, and player Y is the prospective contractor selected from among these multiple prospective contractors.

[0106] Subsequently, Server 10 communicates with Player Y's user terminal 12 to inquire whether or not Player Y will accept the training service requested by Player X (S008). Player Y responds via the confirmation screen CS in Figure 5 whether or not they will accept the training service, and if they intend to accept it, they respond accordingly (S009). The following steps will be explained assuming that Player Y has responded that they will accept the training service.

[0107] Server 10 executes a process to allow Player Y to take over the training of Racehorse Z, that is, it grants Player Y the authority to train Racehorse Z on their behalf (S010). As a result, Player Y can now train Racehorse Z on their own farm, or in other words, Server 10 will accept Player Y's training operations related to Racehorse Z.

[0108] When player Y performs training operations on user terminal 12 to train racehorse Z on behalf of player Y (S011), server 10 receives the training operations through communication with player Y's user terminal 12, and specifically receives data indicating the training course and the in-game currency or items consumed (S012). Accordingly, server 10 changes the parameters of racehorse Z stored in racehorse information storage unit 52, specifically stamina, speed, and power (S013). At this time, each parameter is changed according to the content of the training operations received from player Y (training course and the amount of in-game currency or type of items consumed). However, the changes are not necessarily always regular, and even if the content of the training operations is the same, the amount of change may be changed randomly.

[0109] Then, during the training period, Server 10 periodically determines whether the completion conditions for Player Y's training of Racehorse Z have been met (S014). For example, the completion conditions are met when the number of training weeks during the training period reaches the value specified by Player X, or when the parameters of Racehorse Z desired by Player X reach the target value. When the completion conditions are met, Server 10 completes Player Y's training of Racehorse Z (S015).

[0110] Once the training of racehorse Z is complete, server 10 revokes the training authority for racehorse Z that was set for player Y, returns racehorse Z to player X with its parameters modified according to the training performed up to that point, i.e., performs the first return process (S016), grants player Y the training service reward (S017), and ends the training service flow.

[0111] On the other hand, if the completion conditions are not met during the training period, Server 10 appropriately determines whether the interruption conditions are met for Player Y's training of Racehorse Z (S018). For example, the interruption conditions are met if the training progress does not meet the first or second conditions, or if the training level does not meet the standard value. When the interruption conditions are met, Server 10 interrupts Player Y's training of Racehorse Z and releases the training authority for Racehorse Z that was set for Player Y (S019). Based on the timing when the interruption conditions were met, Server 10 returns Racehorse Z to Player X in the same state as when the training request was made, in any state between when the training request was made and when the interruption occurred, or in the state before a predetermined event occurred, i.e., it performs the second return process (S020), and terminates the training flow.

[0112] On the other hand, as long as neither the completion conditions nor the interruption conditions are met, steps S011-S014 and S018 of the training agency flow are repeatedly performed. In other words, as long as the completion conditions and interruption conditions are not met, player Y can repeatedly perform training and registration operations, and change the parameters of racehorse Z each time a training operation is performed.

[0113] [Other embodiments] To date, the information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program of the present invention have been described with specific examples. However, the above embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments; other embodiments are also conceivable.

[0114] In the above embodiment, a server computer for game data distribution (i.e., server 10) functions as the information processing device of the present invention, but the invention is not limited to this, and some of the functions of server 10 may be provided on the user terminal 12. For example, the functions of the proxy processing unit 62 may be provided on the user terminal 12.

[0115] Furthermore, in this embodiment, player information and racehorse information are stored and held in a server computer for game data distribution (i.e., server 10). However, a separate database server (not shown) may be provided to store the information collectively in that database server, or the information may be stored on the user terminal 12 side.

[0116] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a player who is a candidate for a trustee makes an entry expressing their desire to take on the responsibility of raising the target horse, and the first player who requested the horse's training is selected from among the multiple candidates for a trustee. After confirming the selected candidate's willingness to take on the training, if the candidate responds that they will take on the training, that candidate becomes the second player, and the second player is entrusted with raising the target horse. However, this is not the only way to do this. For example, the first player may specify training conditions when requesting the horse's training, the candidate for a trustee sets the conditions, the conditions of both parties are compared, and the candidate for a trustee who sets conditions that match the training conditions is designated as the second player, and the second player is entrusted with raising the target horse.

[0117] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first return process is executed when the training service is completed and the completion conditions are met. However, in addition to the above completion conditions, the first return process may also be executed and the target horse returned to the first player when a period equivalent to the in-game time (training weeks) consumed by the second player during the training service has elapsed from the start of the training service in the first player's in-game time. For example, if the training condition is set to 120 weeks of training to be reached during the training service (assuming one year in in-game time is 52 weeks), and the first player's in-game time at the start of the training service is the first week of January 2000, if the first player has not progressed 120 weeks of their in-game time by playing the game (e.g., training other racehorses they own) and reached the third week of April 2002, the first return process may not be executed even if the completion conditions are met. This prevents discrepancies in age and other characteristics between the target horse and other racehorses, even if the first player is training a racehorse other than the one being trained. Furthermore, when the completion conditions are met, the first player will receive a notification that the second player has completed the training service. At that time, if the first player's in-game time has progressed to less than 120 weeks since the start of the training service, the first player may choose to forcibly advance their in-game time to 120 weeks since the start of the training service. In this case, the first player's in-game time may be advanced on the condition that a predetermined item is consumed, and the amount of the predetermined item consumed may be changed depending on the length of time to be advanced.

[0118] Furthermore, even if the first return process is executed when the training service is completed and the completion conditions are met, the first player may be required to temporarily own the returned horse for a certain period, preventing them from using it. In other words, the returned horse may be prevented from being entered into races or trained by the first player until a period equivalent to the in-game time (training weeks) spent by the second player during the training service has elapsed in the first player's in-game time, from the start of the training service. This also effectively prevents discrepancies in age, etc., between the target horse and other racehorses when the first player is training other racehorses.

[0119] Furthermore, even if the training service ends after meeting the interruption conditions and the second return process is carried out, if the horse is returned to the first player with its parameters unchanged since the training service request, the first player's in-game time may be reset to the time the training service request was made. On the other hand, if the horse is returned to the first player in any state between the start of training and the execution of the second return process (including the state in the week immediately preceding the week in which a predetermined event occurred), the horse may be returned at a time when the first player's in-game time has advanced by a period (number of weeks) corresponding to the number of weeks spent on training the horse. For example, if the horse is returned 50 weeks after the start of training, the first player's in-game time will have advanced 50 weeks since the start of training. Conversely, if the first player's in-game time has only advanced 50 weeks since the start of training at the time of the execution of the second return process, the horse may also be returned in a state of 50 weeks since the start of training.

[0120] In this embodiment, players can, in principle, enjoy all functions free of charge. However, some functions may be limited, and these limited functions may be available upon payment of a predetermined fee. Furthermore, for players who pay a predetermined fee, various conditions may be set to give them an advantage in gameplay, such as an increased number of training sessions per weekly task, easier farm grade upgrades, the ability to acquire specific items, or a larger change in parameters during training. This fee may be based on a pay-per-use system, or it may be a one-time payment that is effective for a certain period (for example, one month or one year) for that player (subscription).

[0121] [summary] The main features of the information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program according to the above embodiment are as follows.

[0122] [1] The information processing device according to this embodiment includes: a request receiving unit that receives a request from a first player to raise a game object on behalf of the player; a proxy processing unit that causes a second player to raise the game object; and a return processing unit that, if the completion conditions are met, executes a first return processing to return the game object with parameters set based on the raising performed by the second player to the first player, and if the interruption conditions are met, executes a second return processing to return the game object to the first player before the raising is completed. According to the above information processing device, when the first player has the second player cultivate a game object, it performs a first return process that returns the game object to the first player if the completion condition is met, and a second return process that returns the game object to the first player if the interruption condition is met. Therefore, for the first player, who is the client, it is possible to save the trouble of cultivating the game object, and even while the cultivation is being requested, in the unlikely event that the cultivation is not completed, the game object can be returned, thus reducing the risk when requesting cultivation assistance and allowing the user to use the service with peace of mind. In addition, the second player, who is the contractor, will work on cultivating the game object in a way that prevents it from being returned before the cultivation is completed, thus improving the quality of the cultivation assistance and benefiting the first player. In other words, the probability of the first player being able to cultivate the game object to have better abilities than if they were cultivating it themselves increases. From the above, an environment can be created in which game object cultivation assistance can be actively used.

[0123] [2] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the request receiving unit receives a request from the player to return a game object, and the return processing unit executes a second return process when it receives a return request. This allows the first player to interrupt the training service and have the game object returned at any time they wish. Therefore, the risk of requesting training services is further reduced, making it possible to use the service with greater peace of mind, and the probability of having the game object trained to have superior abilities than if the player were to train it themselves is further increased. Thus, an environment is created that is even more favorable for actively utilizing game object training services.

[0124] [3] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the return processing unit executes a second return process if the progress of the game object's development does not meet the first condition within a predetermined period from the start of the development service. This allows the first player to interrupt the training service and have the game object returned if the second player's training is insufficient or of poor quality, or if the game object's training progress does not meet the first condition within a predetermined period from the start of the training service. Therefore, the risk of requesting training services is further reduced, allowing users to use the service with greater peace of mind, and the probability of having the game object trained to have superior abilities than if the user were to train it themselves is further increased. Thus, an environment is created that is even more favorable for the active use of game object training services.

[0125] [4] In the above-mentioned information processing device, if the progress of the game object's development does not meet the first condition within a predetermined period from the start of development assistance, and the development assistance of the game object is to be continued, the return processing unit will execute a second return process if the progress of the game object's development does not meet the second condition, which is stricter than the first condition, within a predetermined period of continuation. This means that even if the first player continues the training service when the game object's training progress does not meet the first condition within a predetermined period from the start of the training service, if the game object's training progress still does not meet the second condition, which is set more strictly than the first condition (e.g., the number of training sessions by the second player is insufficient or the quality of training is poor), the first player can interrupt the training service and have the game object returned. Therefore, the risk of requesting training services is further reduced, allowing users to use the service with greater peace of mind, and the probability of having the game object trained to have superior abilities than if the user were to train it themselves is further increased. Thus, an environment is created that is even more favorably conducive to the active use of game object training services.

[0126] [5] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the return processing unit executes a second return process if the growth level of the game object does not reach a standard value before a predetermined event occurs. This allows the first player to interrupt the training process and have the game object returned if the game object's development level does not reach a certain threshold by the time a predetermined event occurs, and the desired training results are not achieved. Therefore, the risk of requesting training assistance is further reduced, allowing users to utilize the service with greater peace of mind, and the probability of having the game object trained to have superior abilities than if the user were to train it themselves is further increased. Consequently, an environment is created that is even more favorable for the active use of game object training assistance.

[0127] [6] The above-described information processing device further includes a reference value setting unit that sets a reference value based on parameters specified by the first player. This allows the first player to interrupt the training process and have the game object returned if the game object's development level does not reach the standard value set based on the parameters they specified, and the desired training results are not achieved. Therefore, especially when there is a request to focus on developing a specific ability, the risk of requesting training assistance is further reduced, allowing for safer use of the service, and increasing the probability of the game object being trained to have superior abilities than if it were trained by the player themselves. Thus, an environment is created that is even more favorably conducive to the active use of game object training assistance.

[0128] [7] The above-mentioned information processing device further includes a reference value setting unit that sets a reference value based on the performance or parameters of other game objects used to generate the game object. This allows the first player to interrupt the training process and have the game object returned if the game object's development level does not reach the standard value set based on the game object's individual characteristics, such as its potential abilities, and a certain level of development results are not achieved. Therefore, especially when entrusting the training of a game object with high potential abilities, the risk of requesting training assistance is further reduced, allowing users to use the service with greater peace of mind, and the probability of the game object being trained to have superior abilities than if it were trained by the user themselves is further increased. Thus, an environment is created that is even more favorably conducive to the active use of game object training assistance.

[0129] [8] In the above-described information processing device, when the return processing unit executes the second return processing, it returns the game object to the first player in one of the following states: the state of the parameters at the time of the training request, or the state of the parameters that has changed based on the training provided up to the time of the execution of the second return processing. This allows the first player, when interrupting the training service and requesting the return of the game object, to have the game object returned in any state from the parameter state at the time of the training service request to the parameter state that has changed based on the training service performed up to the time of the second return process, thus increasing the options for handling the game object after its return. As a result, the risk of requesting a training service is further reduced, allowing users to use the service with greater peace of mind, and the probability of being able to train the game object to have superior abilities than if the user were to train it themselves is further increased. Therefore, an environment can be more favorably constructed in which the training service for game objects can be actively utilized.

[0130] [9] In the above-mentioned information processing device, if the return processing unit performs the second return processing within a predetermined period from the start of the training service, it returns the game object to the first player in the state of the parameters at the time of the training service request. This allows the first player to interrupt the training service and request the return of the game object, as long as a predetermined period has elapsed, to have the game object returned with the parameters it had at the time of the training request, and to start training the returned game object again from an early stage. Therefore, the risk of requesting training services is further reduced, allowing users to use the service with greater peace of mind, and the probability of training the game object to have superior abilities than if the user were to train it themselves is further increased. Thus, an environment that encourages the active use of game object training services can be more favorably constructed.

[0131]

[10] In the above-described information processing device, if a predetermined event occurs during the training service, the return processing unit executes the second return processing and returns the game object to the first player in the state of the parameters at the time before the predetermined event occurred, after the parameters have changed based on the training service up to the time the second return processing is executed. This means that if the first player interrupts the training service and requests the return of the game object, even if a predetermined event such as an accident occurs and the parameters that were improved through training decrease, the game object will be returned with the parameters in the state they were in before the predetermined event occurred, and the training results up to that point will not be wasted. Therefore, the risk of requesting training services is further reduced, allowing users to use the service with greater peace of mind, and the probability of training the game object to have superior abilities than if the user were to train it themselves is further increased. Consequently, an environment can be more favorably created in which game object training services can be actively utilized.

[0132]

[11] Furthermore, according to the information processing method of the present invention, a computer receives a request from a first player to raise a game object on behalf of the first player, the computer has a second player perform the raising of the game object, and if the completion conditions are met, the computer performs a first return process to return the game object with parameters set based on the raising performed by the second player to the first player, and if the interruption conditions are met, the computer performs a second return process to return the game object to the first player before the raising is completed. According to the above information processing method, when the first player has the second player cultivate a game object, a first return process is performed, which returns the game object to the first player if the completion condition is met, and a second return process is performed, which returns the game object to the first player if the interruption condition is met. Therefore, for the first player, who is the client, it is possible to save the trouble of cultivating the game object, and even while the cultivation service is in progress, the game object can be returned before the cultivation service is completed in case of any unforeseen circumstances, thus reducing the risk when requesting cultivation services and allowing the service to be used with peace of mind. In addition, the second player, who is the contractor, will work on cultivating the game object in a way that prevents it from being returned before the cultivation service is completed, thus improving the quality of the cultivation service and benefiting the first player. In other words, the probability of the first player being able to cultivate the game object to have better abilities than if they were cultivating it themselves increases. From the above, an environment can be created in which game object cultivation services can be actively used.

[0133] The information processing method of the present invention can be implemented using the information processing device alone, or in combination with other terminals such as a user terminal. Here, the information processing device may be a server computer for ASP (Application Service Provider), SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), or IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). In this case, since the above series of information processing (excluding information input and display) is performed by the server computer, the user terminal only needs to input information to be handed over to the server computer and display the information distributed from the server computer.

[0134]

[12] Furthermore, according to the program of the present invention, the computer receives a request from the first player to raise a game object, has the second player perform the raising of the game object, and if the completion conditions are met, it performs a first return process to return the game object with parameters set based on the raising performed by the second player to the first player, and if the interruption conditions are met, it performs a second return process to return the game object to the first player before the raising is completed. According to the program described above, when the first player has the second player cultivate a game object, a first return process is executed, which returns the game object to the first player if the completion condition is met, and a second return process is executed, which returns the game object to the first player if the interruption condition is met. Therefore, for the first player, who is commissioning the work, it is possible to save the effort of cultivating the game object, and even while the cultivation is being commissioned, the game object can be returned before the cultivation is completed in case of any unforeseen circumstances, thus reducing the risk of commissioning cultivation and allowing the service to be used with peace of mind. In addition, the second player, who is commissioning the work, will work to ensure that the game object is not returned before the cultivation is completed, so the quality of the cultivation improves, which benefits the first player. In other words, the probability of the first player being able to cultivate the game object to have better abilities than if they were cultivating it themselves increases. From the above, an environment can be created in which the game object cultivation service can be actively used.

[0135] The program of the present invention may be obtained by reading it from a computer-readable recording medium, or by obtaining it (downloading) it via a network such as the Internet or an intranet. [Explanation of symbols]

[0136] 10 servers 12 User terminals 14 Networks 21 processors 22 memory 23 Communication Interfaces 24 storage 25 buses 30 Operation reception unit 31 Training Operation Reception Department 32 Request Reception Department 33 Candidate Selection Reception Department 34. Contract Confirmation and Reception Department 35 Race Registration Department 40 Distribution Department 41 Event Information Distribution Department 42 Information Provision Department 43 Inquiry Department 50 Storage section 51 Player Information Storage Unit 52 Racehorse Information Memory Department 53 Training Proxy Request Memory Department 54 Training Substitute Status Memory Unit 60 Information Processing Section 61 Parameter Change Section 62 Proxy Processing Unit 63 Reference Value Setting Section 64. Completion of the proxy service 65 Agency interruption part 66. Specific Time of Substitute Service 67 Consumer Value Specific Section 68 Return Processing Unit 69 Reward Distribution Department 70 Race Result Determination Department 71 Value-Adding Section CS Confirmation Screen HL List of horses requested for training / training services IS Training Proxy Request Screen JL List of Prospective Contractors ML Menu List S Information Processing System

Claims

1. A processor is provided, and the processor is Based on the request from the first player to cultivate a game object, the second player is instructed to cultivate the said game object. The status of the training performed by the second player, including the parameters of the game object, is displayed on the first player's terminal. If a predetermined event occurs during the training by the second player and the parameters of the game object decrease, the system will execute a process to restore the parameters of the game object to the state before the event occurred, based on an operation received from the first player via the terminal, in accordance with the consumption of a predetermined item by the first player. Information processing device.

2. The processor, Based on the request from the first player to cultivate a game object, the second player is instructed to cultivate the said game object. The status of the training performed by the second player, including the parameters of the game object, is displayed on the first player's terminal. If a predetermined event occurs during the training by the second player and the parameters of the game object decrease, the system will execute a process to restore the parameters of the game object to the state before the event occurred, based on an operation received from the first player via the terminal, in accordance with the consumption of a predetermined item by the first player. Information processing methods.

3. Based on a request from the first player to cultivate a game object, the second player is made to cultivate the game object. The status of the training performed by the second player, including the parameters of the game object, is displayed on the first player's terminal. If a predetermined event occurs during the training by the second player and the parameters of the game object decrease, the system will execute a process to restore the parameters of the game object to the state before the event occurred, based on an operation received from the first player via the terminal, in accordance with the consumption of a predetermined item by the first player. A program that instructs the processor to perform a task.

4. Equipped with a server and terminals, The aforementioned server, Based on the request from the first player to cultivate a game object, the second player is instructed to cultivate the said game object. The status of the training performed by the second player, including the parameters of the game object, is displayed on the first player's terminal. If a predetermined event occurs during the training by the second player and the parameters of the game object decrease, the terminal, based on an operation received from the first player, executes a process to restore the parameters of the game object to the point before the event occurred, in accordance with the consumption of a predetermined item by the first player. system.

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