Game system, method of operating the game system, and program

Abstract

To provide a number of users with motivation to play a game while maintaining fairness among the users.SOLUTION: A game system includes: a game control unit for controlling a game which uses a first electronic game medium and a second electronic game medium as a counter value for play; and a deadline management unit for managing an effective period where the first electronic game medium is available and an effective period where the second electronic game medium is available. The effective period of the first electronic game medium is extendible, while the effective period of the second electronic game medium is not extendible.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a game using electronic game media.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Conventionally, game systems that use electronic game media such as electronic medals instead of tangible physical game media such as token coins (medals) have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an electronic game medium providing system in which a user plays a game by using electronic game media.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0003]

PATENT DOCUMENT 1

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0004] In order to make a large number of users play the game, an operation that temporarily relaxes the conditions related to the acquisition or use of game media is effective. For example, by adopting an operation of providing game media to users at low cost or free of charge, or an operation of increasing the winning probability in a lottery game, it is possible to give an incentive to users with little game experience to play the game. However, if the game media acquired during the period with relaxed conditions can be used in the game without limitation even after the period elapses, there is a problem that fairness cannot be maintained with users who acquire game media outside the period.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0005] To solve the above problems, a game system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a game control unit that controls a game in which a first electronic game medium and a second electronic game medium are used as payment for playing, and an expiration date management unit that manages the expiration dates for which the first electronic game medium can be used and the expiration dates for which the second electronic game medium can be used, wherein the expiration date of the first electronic game medium is extendable, and the expiration date of the second electronic game medium is not extendable.

[0006] The operation method of a game system according to one aspect of the present invention controls a game in which a first electronic game medium and a second electronic game medium are used as payment for playing, while managing the expiration dates for which the first electronic game medium and the second electronic game medium can be used, wherein the expiration date of the first electronic game medium can be extended, and the expiration date of the second electronic game medium cannot be extended.

[0007] A program according to one aspect of the present invention is a program that causes a computer system to function as a game control unit that controls a game in which a first electronic game medium and a second electronic game medium are used as payment for playing, and as an expiration date management unit that manages the expiration dates of the first electronic game medium and the expiration dates of the second electronic game medium, wherein the expiration date of the first electronic game medium is extendable, and the expiration date of the second electronic game medium is not extendable. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a game system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a management system. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of user data. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart illustrating the specific steps involved in the preparation process. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a game device. [Figure 6]This is a flowchart illustrating the specific steps of the control process. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart illustrating the specific steps of the control process. [Figure 8] This flowchart illustrates some of the preparation steps in a modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below include various technically preferred limitations. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated below.

[0010] [First Embodiment] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the game system 1 according to the first embodiment. The game system 1 of the first embodiment is installed, for example, in an amusement facility. An amusement facility is, for example, an entertainment facility such as an arcade or a commercial facility such as a shopping center. A user (i.e., a player) P who plays a game in the amusement facility possesses a recording medium 30. The recording medium 30 is a portable medium (e.g., an IC card) that stores identification information U for identifying the user P.

[0011] As illustrated in Figure 1, the game system 1 of the first embodiment comprises a management system 10 and a plurality of game devices 20. Each of the plurality of game devices 20 is a computer system that provides games to users P. The management system 10 communicates with each of the plurality of game devices 20 via a communication network 2. The communication network 2 is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) built within a gaming facility. The communication between the management system 10 or each game device 20 and the communication network 2 may be either wired or wireless. The communication network 2 may also include, for example, the Internet.

[0012] The management system 10 manages the electronic medals used in the games played by each of the multiple game machines 20. Electronic medals are electronic game media (i.e., electronic data) used as payment for playing games, and are distinct from physical game media, which are tangible media such as physical medals (token coins), coins (real money), or tickets.

[0013] In the game system 1 of the first embodiment, two types of electronic medals (first electronic medal and second electronic medal) are used. The first electronic medal is the electronic medal that each user P normally uses. The second electronic medal is a special electronic medal used to facilitate game play by a large number of users P.

[0014] Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the management system 10. As illustrated in Figure 2, the management system 10 comprises a control device 11, a storage device 12, a communication device 13, a display device 14, an operating device 15, a reading device 16, a detection device 17, and a receiving device 18. The management system 10 can be implemented as a single device or as a collection of multiple devices configured separately from each other.

[0015] The control device 11 is composed of, for example, one or more processors and controls each element of the management system 10. Specifically, the control device 11 is composed of one or more types of processors, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The communication device 13 communicates with each of the multiple game devices 20 via the communication network 2 under the control of the control device 11.

[0016] The display device 14 displays an image under the control of the control device 11. For example, a display panel such as a liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL (ElectroLuminescence) display panel is used as the display device 14. For example, an operation screen for guiding the operation of the user P in a preparation process Sa described later is displayed on the display device 14. The operation device 15 is an input device that receives an instruction from the user P. A plurality of operators operated by the user P, or a touch panel that detects contact by the user P, is used as the operation device 15.

[0017] The storage device 12 stores programs executed by the control device 11 and various data used by the control device 11. For example, a known recording medium such as a semiconductor recording medium and a magnetic recording medium, or a combination of a plurality of types of recording media is adopted as the storage device 12. The storage device 12 of the first embodiment stores user data Q. The user data Q is stored in the storage device 12 for each of a plurality of users P.

[0018] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the user data Q. As illustrated in Figure 3, the user data Q of each user P includes the identification information U and biometric information Bref of the user P, and management data A for managing the electronic medals of the user P. As described above, the identification information U is a code string assigned in advance to each user P. Note that other identification information associated with the identification information U recorded in the recording medium 30 may be registered in the user data Q. The biometric information Bref is biometric information unique to the user P, and is used for biometric authentication of the user P. The biometric information Bref included in the user data Q is registered in advance by the authorized user P. The biometric information Bref of the first embodiment is face image data representing the face image of the user P. That is, face authentication using the biometric information Bref is performed.

[0019] The management data A is data representing an account used for managing the electronic medals held by each user P (hereinafter referred to as "electronic medal account"). Specifically, the management data A represents the holding amount X1 and expiration date E1 related to the first electronic medal, and the holding amount X2 and expiration date E2 related to the second electronic medal.

[0020] The possession amount X1 is the quantity (i.e., balance) of first electronic medals possessed by the user P. The expiration date E1 is the date and time of the end point of the period during which the user P can effectively use their own first electronic medals. That is, when the expiration date E1 has passed, the user P enters a state in which they cannot use their own first electronic medals. The possession amount X2 is the quantity (i.e., balance) of second electronic medals possessed by the user P. The expiration date E2 is the date and time of the end point of the period during which the user P can effectively use their own second electronic medals. That is, when the expiration date E2 has passed, the user P enters a state in which they cannot use their own second electronic medals.

[0021] The reading device 16 in Figure 2 acquires the identification information U from the recording medium 30 held by the user P through communication with the recording medium 30. In addition to non-contact type reading equipment that acquires the identification information U via short-range wireless communication with the recording medium 30, contact type reading equipment that acquires the identification information U via a terminal that contacts the recording medium 30 is used as the reading device 16.

[0022] The detection device 17 acquires the biometric information B of the user P. The detection device 17 of the first embodiment is an imaging device that captures an image of the face of the user P to generate face image data of the user P as the biometric information B. The imaging device includes, for example, an optical system such as an imaging lens, and an imaging element that converts incident light from the optical system into an electrical signal.

[0023] The reception device 18 is a mechanism that receives currency from the user P. Specifically, for example, an insertion mechanism that receives the insertion of currency such as banknotes or coins from the user P is suitably used as the reception device 18. Note that a reader that communicates with the recording medium 30 such as an IC card used for electronic settlement may be used as the reception device 18.

[0024] A user P who visits the amusement facility operates the control device 15 of the management system 10 before starting to play a game on the desired game machine 20. Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the specific steps of the process (hereinafter referred to as "preparation process Sa") that the control device 11 executes in response to instructions from user P to the control device 15. For users P who have already created an electronic medal account, the following preparation process Sa is executed. For users P who have not yet created an electronic medal account, a predetermined process for creating a new electronic medal account is executed, and then the preparation process Sa in Figure 4 is executed.

[0025] When the preparation process Sa is started, the control device 11 acquires identification information U from the user P's recording medium 30 by controlling the reading device 16 (Sa1). The control device 11 also acquires the user P's biometric information B by controlling the detection device 17 (Sa2). The control device 11 uses the identification information U and biometric information B acquired in the above procedure to execute an authentication process Sa3 to authenticate the legitimacy of user P. Specifically, it searches the storage device 12 for user data Q containing the identification information U acquired from the recording medium 30, and determines the legitimacy of user P depending on whether the biometric information Bref in the user data Q is similar (or matches) to the biometric information B detected by the detection device 17. That is, if the biometric information Bref and biometric information B are similar or match, the legitimacy of user P is affirmed (authentication successful), and if the biometric information Bref and biometric information B are not similar, the legitimacy of user P is denied (authentication failed). If user P succeeds in the authentication process Sa3, data indicating successful authentication (hereinafter referred to as "authenticated data") is registered in the user data Q. Authenticated data is reset (e.g., deleted) periodically, for example, every day. Periodic resetting of authenticated data allows for a reasonable level of security to be maintained without requiring users P to undergo overly cumbersome authentication.

[0026] When user P successfully completes authentication process Sa3, the control device 11 executes an invalidation process (Sa4) to invalidate electronic medals whose expiration dates E(E1,E2) have expired. Specifically, the control device 11 adds invalidation data (hereinafter referred to as "invalidation data") to management data A for electronic medals whose expiration dates E have expired. For example, if expiration date E1 has expired, invalidation data is added to the first electronic medal, and if expiration date E2 has expired, invalidation data is added to the second electronic medal. Alternatively, the electronic medals may be invalidated by initializing the amount of electronic medals held X(X1,X2) whose expiration dates E have expired to zero.

[0027] If the expiration date E1 of the first electronic medal has not expired, the control device 11 extends the expiration date E1 of the first electronic medal held by user P (Sa5). Specifically, the control device 11 updates the expiration date E1 to a date and time a predetermined period (for example, one month) after the current time. As illustrated above, in the first embodiment, the expiration date E1 of the first electronic medal is extended on the condition that user P visits the gaming facility and successfully completes the authentication process Sa3. On the other hand, the expiration date E2 of the second electronic medal is not extended. The authentication process Sa3 is performed only once a day for each user P. Therefore, the number of times the expiration date E1 is extended (Sa5) is also limited to once a day.

[0028] User P selects either the first electronic medal or the second electronic medal by operating the operating device 15, and then inserts currency into the receiving device 18. User P can arbitrarily select the amount of currency (hereinafter referred to as "input amount") M to be consumed in order to obtain the electronic medal they have selected. The control device 11 determines whether or not it has received the selection of the electronic medal and the insertion of currency from User P (Sa6). If the selection of the electronic medal and the insertion of currency have not been received (Sa6: NO), the control device 11 terminates the preparation process Sa. On the other hand, if the selection of the electronic medal and the insertion of currency have been received (Sa6: YES), the control device 11 sets the amount of electronic medals (hereinafter referred to as "amount granted") to be granted to User P according to the amount of currency (M) received from User P (Sa7-Sa11).

[0029] If user P selects the first electronic medal (Sa7:YES), the control device 11 calculates the amount of the first electronic medal to be awarded G1 by multiplying the amount of currency M by a predetermined conversion rate α1 (G1 = α1 × M). The control device 11 adds the awarded amount G1 to the amount of the first electronic medal held X1, which is represented by user P's management data A (Sa8). In other words, the first electronic medals awarded at amount G1 are deposited into user P's electronic medal account. The control device 11 also sets an expiration date E1 for the first electronic medal (Sa9). Specifically, when the first electronic medal is awarded to user P for the first time, the control device 11 sets the expiration date E1 to a predetermined date and time. For example, the expiration date E1 is set to a date and time a predetermined period (e.g., one month) after the current time. On the other hand, if an expiration date E1 has already been set, the control device 11 maintains the set expiration date E1.

[0030] If user P selects the second electronic medal (Sa7:NO), the control device 11 calculates the amount of the second electronic medal to be awarded G2 by multiplying the amount of currency M by a predetermined conversion rate α2 (G2 = α2 × M). The control device 11 adds the awarded amount G2 to the amount of the second electronic medal held X2, which is represented by user P's management data A (Sa10). In other words, the awarded amount G2 of the second electronic medal is deposited into user P's electronic medal account. The control device 11 also sets the expiration date E2 of the second electronic medal (Sa11). Specifically, when the second electronic medal is first awarded to user P, the control device 11 sets the expiration date E2 to a predetermined date and time. For example, the expiration date E2 is set to the closing time of the gaming facility on that day. On the other hand, if the expiration date E2 has already been set, the control device 11 maintains the set expiration date E2. As can be understood from the above explanation, the control device 11 functions as an expiration date management unit that manages the expiration date E1 of the first electronic medal and the expiration date E2 of the second electronic medal. Furthermore, the control device 11 functions as an account management unit that manages electronic medal accounts for each user P.

[0031] The conversion rate α1 for the first electronic medal to currency and the conversion rate α2 for the second electronic medal to currency are set to predetermined positive numbers. Conversion rate α2 is greater than conversion rate α1. Therefore, the quantity of second electronic medals given to user P in exchange for a predetermined amount of currency is greater than the quantity of first electronic medals given to user P in exchange for the same amount of currency. In other words, user P can acquire the same quantity of second electronic medals with a smaller amount of currency than is required to acquire a predetermined quantity of first electronic medals.

[0032] As illustrated above, in the first embodiment, the expiration date E1 of the first electronic medal can be extended, while the expiration date of the second electronic medal cannot. In other words, the conditions for using the second electronic medal are stricter than those for using the first electronic medal. Therefore, by granting the second electronic medal with a smaller amount of currency than the first electronic medal, it is possible to provide an incentive for a large number of users P to play the game while maintaining fairness between users P who use the first electronic medal and users P who use the second electronic medal.

[0033] Figure 5 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of each of the multiple game devices 20. As illustrated in Figure 5, the game device 20 of the first embodiment comprises a control device 21, a storage device 22, a communication device 23, a display device 24, an operating device 25, a reading device 26, and a dispensing device 27. Although not shown in Figure 5, the game device 20 is actually equipped with mechanisms according to the content of the game. For example, a game device 20 for a lottery game that includes a physical draw is equipped with a lottery mechanism for the physical draw (e.g., a roulette). Similarly, a game device 20 for a pusher game that drops multiple physical tokens is equipped with a pusher mechanism for moving and dropping the physical tokens. Furthermore, each game device 20 can be realized as a single device, or as a collection of multiple devices configured separately from each other (i.e., a system).

[0034] The control device 21 is composed of, for example, one or more processors and controls each element of the game device 20. Specifically, the control device 21 is composed of one or more types of processors, such as a CPU, GPU, DSP, FPGA, or ASIC. The communication device 23 communicates with the management system 10 via the communication network 2 under the control of the control device 21.

[0035] The storage device 22 stores the program executed by the control device 21 and various data used by the control device 21. For example, known recording media such as semiconductor recording media and magnetic recording media, or a combination of multiple types of recording media, may be used as the storage device 22.

[0036] The display device 24 displays an image under the control of the control device 21. For example, a display panel such as a liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL display panel is used as the display device 24. For example, a game screen showing the game status is displayed on the display device 24. The operating device 25 is an input device that receives instructions from the user P. Multiple controls operated by the user P, or a touch panel that detects contact by the user P, are used as the operating device 25. For example, by operating the operating device 25, the user P can play a game or instruct the transfer of electronic medals to an electronic medal account (withdrawal or deposit).

[0037] Withdrawing electronic tokens means transferring electronic tokens from the electronic token account to each game machine 20. Electronic tokens withdrawn from the electronic token account to each game machine 20 are converted into credits. Credits are the value used in games (game value). On the other hand, depositing electronic tokens means transferring electronic tokens from each game machine 20 to the electronic token account. Specifically, electronic tokens converted from credits are deposited from each game machine 20 into the electronic token account.

[0038] User P plays the game by consuming credits converted from electronic medals. The amount of credits increases or decreases as the game progresses. For example, if User P wins a lottery within the game, or if User P achieves a goal in various events such as battles, the amount of credits increases. Conversely, if User P loses a lottery, or if User P fails to achieve a goal in various events, the amount of credits decreases.

[0039] The storage device 22 of the first embodiment stores a first credit and a second credit. The first credit is a credit converted from a first electronic medal. The second credit is a credit converted from a second electronic medal. User P selects either the first credit or the second credit to spend in the game.

[0040] The reader 26 in Figure 5, similar to the reader 16 described above, obtains identification information U from the recording medium 30 held by the user P through communication with the recording medium 30. For example, the contactless or contact type reader described above can be used as the reader 26.

[0041] The dispensing device 27 is a mechanism that dispenses physical tokens (physical game media). For example, the dispensing device 27 comprises a counting mechanism for counting physical tokens and a transport mechanism for transporting physical tokens from the counting mechanism to the discharge port. In the first embodiment, the dispensing device 27 dispenses a quantity of physical tokens corresponding to the quantity of the first credit, triggered by an instruction from the user P to the operating device 25. For example, the same number of physical tokens as the first electronic tokens corresponding to the quantity C1 of the first credits are dispensed from the dispensing device 27. In other words, the dispensing device 27 in the first embodiment is a mechanism that dispenses physical tokens corresponding to the first electronic tokens. The dispensing device 27 may be omitted in some or all of the multiple game devices 20.

[0042] Figures 6 and 7 are flowcharts illustrating the specific steps of the process (hereinafter referred to as "control process") Sb executed by the control device 21 of each game device 20. The control process Sb is initiated by an instruction from the user P to the operating device 25. Figures 6 and 7 also show the process executed by the control device 11 of the management system 10 in conjunction with the control process Sb.

[0043] When control processing Sb is started, the control device 21 obtains identification information U from the user P's recording medium 30 by controlling the reading device 26 (Sb1). The control device 21 sends an authentication request containing the identification information U obtained from the recording medium 30 from the communication device 23 to the management system 10 (Sb2).

[0044] When the communication device 13 receives an authentication request (Sc11), the control device 11 of the management system 10 determines whether the authentication process Sa3 has been successful for user P indicated by the identification information U in the authentication request (Sc12). Specifically, the control device 11 determines whether authenticated data is registered for user data Q containing the identification information U among the multiple user data Q stored in the storage device 12. The control device 11 transmits the result of the determination described above (hereinafter referred to as the "inquiry result") from the communication device 13 to the requesting game device 20 (Sc13).

[0045] When the control device 21 receives a result notification via the communication device 23 (Sb3), it determines whether the query result is positive or negative (Sb4). If the query result is negative (Sb4: NO), the control device 21 displays an error image on the display device 24, for example, indicating a failure of authentication process Sa3, and then terminates control process Sb. If the query result is negative (Sb4: NO), the control device 21 may allow user P to play the game by inserting physical medals, for example, without using an electronic medal account.

[0046] On the other hand, if the inquiry result is positive (Sb4: YES), the control device 21 determines whether or not the user P has instructed the withdrawal of electronic medals (Sb5). If the user P has instructed the withdrawal of electronic medals (Sb5: YES), the control device 21 receives from the user P the selection of the type of electronic medal to be withdrawn (hereinafter referred to as "withdrawal target") and the specification of the quantity of electronic medals (hereinafter referred to as "withdrawal amount") Y (Sb6). The withdrawal amount Y may be a fixed value unrelated to the instruction from the user P.

[0047] The control device 21 transmits a withdrawal request from the communication device 23 to the management system 10 (Sb7). The withdrawal request includes the user P's identification information U, the item to be withdrawn (first electronic medal / second electronic medal), and the withdrawal amount Y.

[0048] When the communication device 13 receives a withdrawal request (Sc21), the control device 11 of the management system 10 refers to the management data A of user P indicated by the identification information U to determine whether the current time is within the expiration date E (E1, E2) of the electronic medal to be withdrawn (Sc22). Specifically, if the target of the withdrawal is the first electronic medal, the control device 11 determines whether the current time is within the expiration date E1. On the other hand, if the target of the withdrawal is the second electronic medal, the control device 11 determines whether the current time is within the expiration date E2. The control device 11 determines that the expiration date E has expired for electronic medals to which the aforementioned invalid data has been attached.

[0049] If the current time is within the validity period E (Sc22: YES), the control device 11 executes the withdrawal process Sc23. The withdrawal process Sc23 is a process that subtracts the withdrawal amount Y from the amount X (X1, X2) of the electronic medals to be withdrawn. Specifically, if the target of the withdrawal is the first electronic medal, the control device 11 subtracts the withdrawal amount Y from the amount X1 of the first electronic medal represented by user P's management data A. That is, the first electronic medal with a withdrawal amount of Y is withdrawn from user P's electronic medal account. On the other hand, if the target of the withdrawal is the second electronic medal, the control device 11 subtracts the withdrawal amount Y from the amount X2 of the second electronic medal represented by user P's management data A. That is, the second electronic medal with a withdrawal amount of Y is withdrawn from user P's electronic medal account. If the withdrawal amount Y exceeds the amount X, the withdrawal amount Y is updated to the amount X before the withdrawal process Sc23 is executed. On the other hand, if the current time is not within the expiration period E (Sc22:NO), the withdrawal process Sc23 is not executed. For electronic medals whose expiration period E has expired, the invalidation process to invalidate the electronic medal is executed as described above (not shown in the diagram).

[0050] Once the above processes are complete, the control device 11 sends a withdrawal notification from the communication device 13 to the requesting game device 20 (Sc24). If the withdrawal process Sc23 is executed, a withdrawal notification including the withdrawal target and the withdrawal amount Y is sent. On the other hand, if the withdrawal process Sc23 is not executed, a withdrawal notification indicating that the withdrawal is not possible is sent.

[0051] When the communication device 23 receives a withdrawal notification (Sb8), the control device 21 refers to the withdrawal notification to determine whether or not the withdrawal process Sc23 has been executed (Sb9). If the withdrawal process Sc23 has been executed (Sb9: YES), the control device 21 increases the credits by an amount corresponding to the withdrawal amount Y in the withdrawal notification. Specifically, if the item to be withdrawn is the first electronic medal, the control device 21 adds an amount (β1 × Y) obtained by multiplying the withdrawal amount Y by the conversion rate β1 to the first credit. That is, the first electronic medal is transferred from user P's electronic medal account to the game device 20, and the first electronic medal is converted into the first credit. On the other hand, if the item to be withdrawn is the second electronic medal, the control device 21 adds an amount (β2 × Y) obtained by multiplying the withdrawal amount Y by the conversion rate β2 to the second credit. That is, the second electronic medal is transferred from user P's electronic medal account to the game device 20, and the second electronic medal is converted into the second credit. The conversion rates β1 and β2 (so-called credits / medals) are set to a predetermined positive number (for example, 1). On the other hand, if the withdrawal process Sc23 is not performed (Sb9: NO), the credit addition (Sb10) is not performed. As described above, user P can use electronic medals in games at the game machine 20 by transferring them from their electronic medal account to the desired game machine 20 (i.e., withdrawing electronic medals). It should also be noted that configurations in which the conversion rates β1 and β2 are different, or configurations in which the conversion rates β1 and β2 are set individually for each game machine 20, are also conceivable.

[0052] If the process for withdrawing electronic medals (Sb6-Sb10) is executed, or if the withdrawal of electronic medals is not instructed (Sb5:NO), the control device 21 determines whether or not the user P has instructed to deposit electronic medals, as illustrated in Figure 7 (Sb11). If the user P has instructed to deposit electronic medals (Sb11:YES), the control device 21 accepts the user P's selection of the type of electronic medal (hereinafter referred to as "deposit target") (Sb12).

[0053] The control device 21 transmits a deposit request from the communication device 23 to the management system 10 (Sb13). The deposit request includes the user P's identification information U, the deposit item (first electronic medal / second electronic medal), and the deposit amount Z. The deposit amount Z is a quantity corresponding to the amount of credits associated with the deposit item. Specifically, if the deposit item is the first electronic medal, the control device 21 calculates the deposit amount Z1 by multiplying the quantity C1 of the first credit by the conversion rate γ1 (Z1 = γ1 × C1). On the other hand, if the deposit item is the second electronic medal, the control device 21 calculates the deposit amount Z2 by multiplying the quantity C2 of the second credit by the conversion rate γ2 (Z2 = γ2 × C2). The conversion rates γ1 and γ2 are set to predetermined positive numbers (for example, 1). Alternatively, the conversion rate γ1 may be set to the reciprocal of the conversion rate β1, 1 / β1, and the conversion rate γ2 may be set to the reciprocal of the conversion rate β2, 1 / β2. The conversion rates γ1 and γ2 may be different.

[0054] When the communication device 13 receives the deposit request described above (Sc31), the control device 11 of the management system 10 executes the deposit process Sc32. The deposit process Sc32 is the process of adding the deposit amount Z to the amount X(X1,X2) of the electronic medal to be deposited. Specifically, if the target of the deposit is the first electronic medal, the control device 11 adds the deposit amount Z1 to the amount X1 of the first electronic medal represented by user P's management data A. That is, the first electronic medal with a deposit amount Z1 is deposited into user P's electronic medal account. On the other hand, if the target of the deposit is the second electronic medal, the control device 11 adds the deposit amount Z2 to the amount X2 of the second electronic medal represented by user P's management data A. That is, the second electronic medal with a deposit amount Z2 is deposited into user P's electronic medal account. When deposit processing Sc32 is executed, the control device 11 sends a deposit notification from the communication device 13 to the requesting game device 20 indicating the completion of deposit processing Sc32 (Sc33).

[0055] When the communication device 23 receives a deposit notification (Sb14), the control device 21 updates the quantity of credits corresponding to the deposit to zero (Sb15). That is, if the deposit is a first electronic medal, the control device 21 updates the quantity C1 of the first credit to zero. On the other hand, if the deposit is a second electronic medal, the control device 21 updates the quantity C2 of the second credit to zero. In the above explanation, the entire quantity of the first or second credit is deposited into the electronic medal account as electronic medals, but configurations in which a portion of the first credit (for example, the quantity instructed by user P) of the first electronic medal is deposited into the electronic medal account, or configurations in which a portion of the second credit (for example, the quantity instructed by user P) of the second electronic medal is deposited into the electronic medal account are also conceivable.

[0056] As explained above, withdrawal of electronic medals from the electronic medal account and deposit of electronic medals into the electronic medal account are performed at each game machine 20. Therefore, for example, if we focus on the first game machine 20 and the second game machine 20 among the multiple game machines 20, the first game machine 20 will deposit electronic medals into the electronic medal account and the second game machine 20 will withdraw electronic medals from the electronic medal account. In other words, electronic medals are transferred from the first game machine 20 to the second game machine 20 via the electronic medal account (management system 10).

[0057] If the process for depositing electronic medals (Sb11-Sb15) is executed, or if no instruction is given to deposit electronic medals (Sb11: NO), the control device 21 determines whether or not the user P has instructed the withdrawal of the first electronic medal (Sb16). If the withdrawal of the first electronic medal is instructed (Sb16: YES), the control device 21 executes the withdrawal process Sb17. The withdrawal process Sb17 is the process of dispensing a quantity of physical medals corresponding to the quantity C1 of the first credit using the dispensing device 27. The second electronic medal is not permitted to be dispensed as a physical medal. Specifically, the control device 21 does not accept an instruction to withdraw the second electronic medal, and the withdrawal process Sb17 is not executed for the second electronic medal. On the other hand, if no instruction is given to withdraw the first electronic medal (Sb16: NO), the control device 21 does not execute the withdrawal process Sb17.

[0058] In a configuration where the second electronic medal can be dispensed as a physical medal, the restriction on the expiration date E2 of the second electronic medal can be easily circumvented by dispensing the second electronic medal as a physical medal and then using that physical medal in the game. In other words, the purpose of making the expiration date E2 of the second electronic medal non-extendable is diminished. In the first embodiment, since the second electronic medal cannot be dispensed as a physical medal, the purpose of limiting the expiration date E2 of the second electronic medal can be effectively maintained.

[0059] Upon executing the above process, the control device 21 advances the game in exchange for the consumption of credits (Sb18). Specifically, the control device 21 starts the game by consuming a predetermined amount of credits and advances the game by consuming credits as needed in response to instructions from user P to the operation device 25. The control device 21 also grants user P a predetermined amount of credits as a reward according to the results of various events in the game. As can be understood from the above description, the control device 21 of the first embodiment functions as a game control unit that controls a game in which the first electronic medal and the second electronic medal are used as payment for playing.

[0060] The control device 21 determines whether or not it has received a command from user P to end the game (Sb19). If it has not received a command to end the game (Sb19: NO), the control device 21 proceeds to step Sb5 in Figure 6. That is, the control device 21 selectively executes the following processes in response to the command from user P: the process for withdrawing electronic medals (Sb5-Sb10), the process for depositing electronic medals (Sb11-Sb15), and the process for dispensing physical medals (Sb16-Sb17). If it has received a command to end the game from user P (Sb19: YES), the control device 21 terminates the control process Sb.

[0061] The control of the game by the control device 21 (Sb18) is described in detail below. The control device 21 of the first embodiment advances the game using one of a plurality of operation modes, including a first operation mode and a second operation mode. The first operation mode is an operation mode in which user P plays the game by consuming a first credit, and the second operation mode is an operation mode in which user P plays the game by consuming a second credit. The game executed in the first operation mode can also be described as a game played using a first electronic medal. Similarly, the game executed in the second operation mode can also be described as a game played using a second electronic medal. The control device 21 selects one of the plurality of operation modes in response to instructions from user P to the operation device 25. The content of the lottery game is the same in the first operation mode and the second operation mode.

[0062] User P can acquire predetermined items (hereinafter referred to as "collectible items") by playing the game. Specifically, the control device 21 grants collectible items to User P when various conditions are met, such as winning a lottery or achieving a goal. Collectible items are objects (so-called steps) that serve as conditions for starting a special event. That is, when the number of collectible items acquired by User P reaches a predetermined amount, the control device 21 starts a special event in which User P participates. The special event is a game event in which, for example, a large reward (so-called jackpot) is awarded to User P upon success.

[0063] There are two types of collectible items: first collectible items and second collectible items. First collectible items are those that user P can acquire in the first operation mode. Second collectible items are those that user P can acquire in the second operation mode. The control device 21 counts the number of first collectible items N1 and the number of second collectible items N2 independently of each other. That is, the number of first collectible items N1 is the number of first collectible items acquired by user P in the game in the first operation mode, and is counted independently of the number of second collectible items N2 in the second operation mode. Similarly, the number of second collectible items N2 is the number of second collectible items acquired by user P in the game in the second operation mode, and is counted independently of the number of first collectible items N1 in the first operation mode. The counts N1 and N2 are maintained before and after the switch between operation modes.

[0064] The control device 21 initiates a special event in exchange for the use of a predetermined number of first collectible items when the number of first collectible items N1 reaches a predetermined number in the first operating mode. Similarly, the control device 21 initiates a special event in exchange for the use of a predetermined number of second collectible items when the number of second collectible items N2 reaches a predetermined number in the second operating mode. As can be understood from the above explanation, user P cannot acquire or use second collectible items in the first operating mode where first electronic medals are used, and cannot acquire or use first collectible items in the second operating mode where second electronic medals are used. Note that the content of the special event in the first operating mode and the content of the special event in the second operating mode are not considered to be the same or different.

[0065] In a configuration where the number of collectible items awarded to user P in games played using the first electronic medal and the number of collectible items awarded to user P in games played using the second electronic medal are counted without distinction, the purpose of operating with different values ​​for the first and second electronic medals is diminished. In the first embodiment, the number of first collectible items N1 and the number of second collectible items N2 are counted individually. With this configuration, it is prohibited to use collectible items acquired in a game played using either the first or second electronic medal in a game played using the other. Therefore, the purpose of operating with different values ​​for the first and second electronic medals can be effectively maintained.

[0066] [Second Embodiment] A second embodiment of the present invention will now be described. For elements whose function is the same as in the first embodiment in each of the embodiments described below, the reference numerals used in the description of the first embodiment will be reused, and detailed descriptions of each will be omitted as appropriate.

[0067] In the first embodiment, the conversion rate α2 for the second electronic medal is set to be higher than the conversion rate α1 for the first electronic medal, thereby providing an incentive for many users P to play the game using the second electronic medal. In the second embodiment, when the second electronic medal is used, the game progresses more favorably for users P compared to when the first electronic medal is used, thereby providing an incentive for many users P to play the game using the second electronic medal. In the second embodiment, a configuration in which the conversion rate α2 is higher than the conversion rate α1 may be adopted, similar to the first embodiment, or a configuration in which the conversion rates α1 and α2 are equal may be adopted.

[0068] The game provided by the game device 20 of the second embodiment is a lottery game in which the win / loss of user P is probabilistically determined according to the result of a lottery, such as a physical lottery or an electronic lottery. Good examples of lottery games include slot games in which wins / losses are determined by combinations of multiple symbols, or racing games in which players predict the ranking of multiple elements such as racehorses. In addition to the lottery, games in which factors other than the lottery (such as operations by user P) are reflected in the game result are also included in the definition of a lottery game.

[0069] The control device 21 of the second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, selects one of a plurality of operation modes, including a first operation mode playable using a first electronic medal (first credit) and a second operation mode playable using a second electronic medal (second credit). The content of the lottery game is the same in the first and second operation modes.

[0070] The control device 21 sets the winning probability in the lottery game so that the winning probability L2 in the lottery game played using the second electronic medal is greater than the winning probability L1 in the lottery game played using the first electronic medal (L2 > L1). In other words, the winning probability L2 in the second operating mode is greater than the winning probability L1 in the first operating mode. Therefore, in the second operating mode, users P are more likely to win. That is, according to the second embodiment, an incentive to play the lottery game using the second electronic medal can be provided to a large number of users P.

[0071] [Third Embodiment] In the first embodiment, both the first electronic medal and the second electronic medal can be deposited into the electronic medal account. In this configuration, both the first electronic medal and the second electronic medal are transferred between the first game device 20 and the second game device 20.

[0072] In contrast to the first embodiment, in the third embodiment, the first electronic medal can be deposited into the electronic medal account, while the second electronic medal cannot be deposited into the electronic medal account. Specifically, the control device 21 accepts only instructions from user P to deposit the first electronic medal (Sb11), but does not accept instructions to deposit the second electronic medal. It is also conceivable that, if the control device 21 receives an instruction from user P to deposit the second electronic medal, it may, for example, display on the display device 24 that the instruction is invalid and not execute the deposit processing (Sb13-Sb15) corresponding to that instruction. The processing for depositing the first electronic medal (Sb13-Sb15) is the same as in the first embodiment. As described above, since the deposit of the second electronic medal is not permitted in the third embodiment, user P can only use the second credit generated by withdrawing the second electronic medal at the game device 20 to which it was withdrawn.

[0073] The first electronic medal can be deposited into an electronic medal account. Therefore, by transferring the first electronic medal between multiple game machines 20, it is possible to use the first electronic medal in various game machines 20. Since acquiring the first electronic medal requires a larger amount of currency compared to the second electronic medal, there is no particular problem with the first electronic medal being used in various game machines 20.

[0074] In a configuration where the transfer of the second electronic medal between multiple game devices 20 is permitted (for example, the first embodiment), user P can increase their second electronic medals by playing low-difficulty games in which the second electronic medals are awarded as rewards, and then transfer the increased second electronic medals to other game devices 20 to play games. Therefore, there is a possibility that user P may play games for an excessively long time at the destination game device 20. Since the second electronic medal can be obtained at a lower cost than the first electronic medal, there is a problem that the revenue of the amusement facility will decrease if the second electronic medal is used for a long time at various game devices 20.

[0075] Considering the above circumstances, the third embodiment adopts a configuration in which the second electronic medal cannot be deposited into the electronic medal account, as described above. That is, the use of the second electronic medal is limited to the game machine 20 to which the second electronic medal is withdrawn, and the transfer of the second electronic medal between multiple game machines 20 is prohibited. With this configuration, the possibility of the second electronic medal being used for a long period of time in various game machines 20 is reduced. Therefore, there is an advantage in that it is easier to secure profits for the amusement facility.

[0076] [Differentiation] Each of the forms exemplified above can be modified in various ways. Specific examples of modifications that can be applied to each of the aforementioned forms are given below. Two or more forms arbitrarily selected from the following examples may be merged to the extent that they do not contradict each other.

[0077] (1) Either the first electronic medal or the second electronic medal may be converted to the other. For example, a configuration is envisioned in which the control device 21 converts the first electronic medal withdrawn from the electronic medal account to the game device 20 into a second electronic medal, or a configuration in which the control device 21 converts the second electronic medal withdrawn from the electronic medal account to the game device 20 into a first electronic medal.

[0078] Furthermore, in a configuration where the deposit of second electronic tokens is prohibited, as in the third embodiment, for example, user P must either use up the entire quantity of second electronic tokens withdrawn to the game device 20, or end the game with some second electronic tokens remaining (i.e., forfeit the remaining second electronic tokens). Considering these circumstances, a configuration in which the control device 21 converts the second electronic tokens withdrawn from the electronic token account to the game device 20 into first electronic tokens is preferred. The converted first electronic tokens are deposited into the electronic token account by the process illustrated in Figure 7 (Sb13-Sb15). With this configuration, the second electronic tokens remaining in the game device 20 can be converted into first electronic tokens and then deposited into the electronic token account. Therefore, there is an advantage in that it is possible to provide user P with an incentive to return to the amusement facility. There is also an advantage in that user P does not need to use up the entire quantity of second electronic tokens withdrawn to the game device 20.

[0079] In the above configuration, the second electronic medal is converted into the first electronic medal, for example, at a predetermined conversion rate ρ. That is, the second electronic medal is converted into a quantity of first electronic medals equal to the quantity of the second electronic medal multiplied by the conversion rate ρ. The conversion rate ρ is a predetermined positive number.

[0080] Here, considering that the currency is converted to a first electronic medal at a conversion rate α1 and to a second electronic medal at a conversion rate α2, a configuration is envisioned in which the conversion rate ρ is set to the product of the reciprocal of the conversion rate α2 (1 / α2) and the conversion rate α1 (α1 / α2). With this configuration, the second electronic medal is converted to the first electronic medal without a decrease in its value relative to the currency. However, allowing a conversion without a decrease in value as described above would negate the purpose of the third embodiment, which prohibits the deposit of the second electronic medal. Therefore, it is desirable that the conversion rate ρ from the second electronic medal to the first electronic medal be set to a value lower than the product of the reciprocal of the conversion rate α2 (1 / α2) and the conversion rate α1 (α1 / α2). For example, the conversion rate ρ is set to a value of about 1 / 10 of the multiplication value α1 / α2. That is, user P accepts the decrease in value and converts the second electronic medal to the first electronic medal, and deposits the first electronic medal into the electronic medal account.

[0081] Furthermore, since the value of the first electronic medal and the second electronic medal differs relative to currency, a configuration in which conversion between the first and second electronic medals is not permitted is preferable. Specifically, a configuration in which the first electronic medal cannot be converted to the second electronic medal is preferable. A configuration in which the second electronic medal cannot be converted to the first electronic medal is also conceivable. For example, mutual conversion between the first and second electronic medals is prohibited.

[0082] In the above explanation, we have illustrated a configuration in which the control device 21 of the game device 20 performs the conversion from one of the first electronic medals to the other. However, a configuration in which the control device 11 of the management system 10 converts the first electronic medals held in the electronic medal account to the second electronic medals, or vice versa, is also conceivable.

[0083] (2) In the third embodiment, a configuration in which the second electronic medal cannot be deposited into the electronic medal account was illustrated, but the configuration for restricting the use of the second electronic medal to a specific game machine 20 is not limited to the above examples. For example, while depositing the second electronic medal into the electronic medal account is permitted, withdrawals of the second electronic medal deposited into the electronic medal account by a deposit request transmitted by a specific game machine 20 may be permitted only to the same type of game machine 20. That is, withdrawals of the second electronic medal deposited into the electronic medal account from a specific game machine 20 from other types of game machines 20 are prohibited.

[0084] For example, the control device 11 registers information to identify the model of the game machine 20 that is the source of the deposit request (hereinafter referred to as "model information") in management data A, corresponding to the amount X2 of the second electronic medals to be deposited. When the control device 11 receives a withdrawal request for the second electronic medals from the game machine 20, it compares the model information corresponding to the second electronic medals with the model information of the game machine 20 that sent the request. If the model information matches, the control device 11 transfers the second electronic medals to the game machine 20 that sent the withdrawal request; if the model information does not match, it does not transfer the second electronic medals. The amount X2 and expiration date E2 of the second electronic medals may be managed individually for each model of game machine 20. With this configuration, in which the second electronic medals are dedicated to a specific game machine 20, user P can interrupt a game using the game machine 20 by depositing the second electronic medals into the electronic medal account.

[0085] (3) The users P to whom the second electronic medal is awarded may be limited to users P who meet certain conditions. For example, from the perspective of providing an incentive for users P who have little experience playing the game to play, the second electronic medal may be awarded only to users P who have little experience playing the game, as shown in the following example.

[0086] Each user P's user data Q includes the user P's play history for each game. The history includes, for example, the number of times each game has been played in the past (hereinafter referred to as "play count").

[0087] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating a part of the preparation process Sa in this embodiment. When user P selects the second electronic medal (Sa7: NO), the control device 11 determines whether the number of plays included in user data Q falls below a predetermined threshold (Sa20). If the number of plays falls below the threshold (Sa20: YES), it can be evaluated that user P has little experience playing the game. Therefore, the control device 11 grants a second electronic medal of grant amount G2, similar to the first embodiment (Sa10, Sa11). On the other hand, if the number of plays exceeds the threshold (Sa20: NO), the granting of the second electronic medal to user P (Sa10, Sa11) is not performed. For example, as illustrated in Figure 8, instead of granting the second electronic medal, the control device 11 grants user P a first electronic medal in a quantity (grant amount G1) corresponding to the currency received from user P (Sa8, Sa9).

[0088] With the above configuration, the range of users P who play the game can be effectively expanded by awarding a second electronic medal to users P with little game experience. Note that the conditions for awarding a second electronic medal to a user P are not limited to having a play count below a threshold. For example, a user P whose amount X1 of first electronic medals in their electronic medal account falls below a predetermined threshold is presumed to be a user P with little game experience. Therefore, if the amount X1 falls below the threshold, the awarding of a second electronic medal to the user P may be permitted.

[0089] (4) In each of the above-described embodiments, the dispensing device 27 is installed on the game machine 20, but the dispensing device 27 may also be installed on the management system 10. Alternatively, the dispensing device 27 may be installed as a separate device from the management system 10 and the game machine 20.

[0090] (5) In each of the above embodiments, the management system 10 is equipped with a function (hereinafter referred to as the "issuance function") that grants electronic medals corresponding to the currency received by the reception device 18 to the user P. However, the reception device 18 and the granting function may be installed in each game device 20. In the third embodiment in which the deposit of the second electronic medal is prohibited, there is little need for the management system 10 to grant the second electronic medal to the user P. Therefore, the reception device 18 and the granting function may be installed in the game device 20, and the granting of the second electronic medal to the user P may be performed solely by the game device 20. In other words, each game device 20 may manage the electronic medal account for the second electronic medal. Furthermore, the configuration in which the reception device 18 and the granting function are installed in the game device 20 has the advantage that withdrawal of the second electronic medal via the management system 10 can be omitted. As can be understood from the above examples, the reception device 18 and the granting function are installed in any element that constitutes the game system 1 (for example, the management system 10 or the game device 20).

[0091] (6) In each of the above-described forms, facial recognition using user P's facial image data as biometric information B was given as an example, but the type of biometric information B is not limited to the above examples. For example, any biometric authentication such as iris recognition using user P's iris pattern as biometric information B, fingerprint recognition using user P's fingerprint pattern as biometric information B, vein recognition using user P's vein pattern as biometric information B, or voice recognition using user P's voiceprint pattern as biometric information B will be executed as the authentication process Sa3 in each of the above-described forms. The detection device 17 is comprehensively represented as an element that acquires each of the biometric information B examples above (e.g., facial image data, iris pattern, fingerprint pattern, vein pattern, or voiceprint pattern).

[0092] (7) Although the example illustrates a configuration for dispensing physical medals, the dispensing device 27 may also dispense tickets or currency. As can be understood from the above examples, the objects of dispensing by the dispensing device 27 are comprehensively represented as physical game media.

[0093] (8) In each of the above-described forms, the second electronic medal was given to user P in exchange for currency (Sa10), but the conditions for giving the second electronic medal to user P are not limited to the above examples. For example, if user P obtains the first electronic medal in exchange for currency, the second electronic medal may be given to user P. That is, the second electronic medal may be given to user P free of charge on the condition that user P obtains the first electronic medal. For example, user P may be given a quantity of second electronic medals equal to the amount of first electronic medals given G1 multiplied by a predetermined coefficient.

[0094] (9) In each of the above-described forms, both the number of first collectibles N1 and the number of second collectibles N2 were counted, but only one of the numbers N1 or N2 may be counted. For example, in the first operating mode, the control device 21 counts the number of first collectibles N1 and does not count the number of second collectibles N2. When the operating mode is changed from the first to the second operating mode, the control device 21 initializes the number of first collectibles N1 to zero and then counts the number of second collectibles N2. When the operating mode is changed from the second to the first operating mode, the control device 21 initializes the number of second collectibles N2 to zero and then counts the number of first collectibles N1.

[0095] (10) In each of the above-described forms, an example was given in which a first credit corresponding to the first electronic medal and a second credit corresponding to the second electronic medal coexist in the game device 20. However, a configuration in which only one of the first credit or the second credit is counted in the game device 20 is also conceivable. For example, if there is a balance remaining in the first credit and the user P instructs to withdraw the second electronic medal, the first electronic medal (deposit amount Z1) corresponding to the quantity C1 of the first credit may be automatically deposited into the electronic medal account. Similarly, if there is a balance remaining in the second credit and the user P instructs to withdraw the first electronic medal, the second electronic medal (deposit amount Z2) corresponding to the quantity C2 of the second credit may be automatically deposited into the electronic medal account.

[0096] (11) In each of the above-described forms, the expiration date E1 of the first electronic medal was extended for each successful authentication process Sa3, but the conditions for extending the expiration date E1 are not limited to the above examples. For example, the expiration date E1 may be extended when the reader 16 of the management system 10 obtains identification information U from the recording medium 30 of user P (i.e., when user P's visit is confirmed). The expiration date E1 may also be extended when the amount of electronic medals held X1 is increased by the amount of medals given (Sa8). The expiration date E1 may also be extended when the first electronic medal is withdrawn from the electronic medal account.

[0097] (12) In each of the above configurations, an expiration date E2 is set for the second electronic medal, but the registration of the expiration date E2 in the user data Q is omitted. For example, in a configuration in which the quantity of second electronic medals for each user P is updated to zero when a predetermined expiration date (e.g., the closing time of the gaming facility) for the second electronic medal arrives, it is not necessary to set the expiration date E2 for the second electronic medal for each user data Q.

[0098] (13) In each of the above-described forms, the management system 10 within the gaming facility manages each user P's electronic medal account. However, a separate device (hereinafter referred to as the "account management system") may manage each user P's electronic medal account. The account management system may be implemented, for example, by a server device outside the gaming facility, and may store and update, for example, each user P's management data A. As can be understood from the above examples, the relationship between the functions of the game system 1 and the devices (which devices are equipped with each function) is arbitrary.

[0099] (14) The functions of the management system 10 in each of the above-described forms are realized through the cooperation of one or more processors constituting the control device 11 and the program, as described above. Similarly, the functions of the game device 20 in each of the above-described forms are realized through the cooperation of one or more processors constituting the control device 21 and the program. The programs in each of the above forms can be provided in a form stored on a computer-readable recording medium and installed on a computer. The recording medium is, for example, a non-transitory recording medium, and optical recording media such as CD-ROMs (optical discs) are good examples, but any known form of recording medium such as semiconductor recording media or magnetic recording media is also included. Note that a non-transitory recording medium includes any recording medium except transient propagation signals (transitory, propagating signals), and volatile recording media are not excluded. Furthermore, in a configuration in which a distribution device distributes programs via a communication network, the storage device that stores the programs in the distribution device corresponds to the non-transitory recording medium described above.

[0100] [Note] From the above description, preferred embodiments of the present invention can be understood, for example, as follows. For the sake of ease of understanding each embodiment, the reference numerals in the drawings are conveniently included in parentheses below, but this does not mean that the present invention is limited to the illustrated embodiments.

[0101] [Note 1] A game system (1) according to one aspect of the present invention (Appendix 1) comprises a game control unit (21) that controls a game in which a first electronic game medium and a second electronic game medium are used as payment for playing, and an expiration date management unit (11) that manages the expiration date (E1) for which the first electronic game medium can be used and the expiration date (E2) for which the second electronic game medium can be used, wherein the expiration date (E1) of the first electronic game medium is extendable, and the expiration date (E2) of the second electronic game medium is not extendable.

[0102] In the above embodiment, the expiration date (E1) of the first electronic game medium is extendable, while the expiration date (E2) of the second electronic game medium is not extendable. That is, the conditions for using the second electronic game medium are stricter than those for using the first electronic game medium. Therefore, for example, by providing the second electronic game medium to users (P) under less stringent conditions than the first electronic game medium, it is possible to provide an incentive for a large number of users (P) to play the game while maintaining fairness between users (P) who use the first electronic game medium and users (P) who use the second electronic game medium.

[0103] An "electronic gaming medium" is an electronic medium (i.e., electronic data) that has value as payment to be consumed by the user (P) in order to play a game. "Use of an electronic gaming medium" means that the user (P) uses the electronic gaming medium for some action related to playing a game. For example, using an electronic gaming medium to start playing, or using an electronic gaming medium for various actions such as participating in a specific event in the game or acquiring an item are typical examples of "use of an electronic gaming medium".

[0104] The "expiration date" of an electronic gaming medium is the period during which the medium can be used effectively in a game. Once the expiration date has passed, the electronic gaming medium becomes unusable (i.e., invalid). For example, invalidating an electronic gaming medium can be achieved by, for instance, assigning data indicating invalidity to the electronic gaming medium, or by erasing the electronic gaming medium.

[0105] [Note 2] In the specific example of Appendix 1 (Appendix 2), the first electronic game medium and the second electronic game medium are provided to the user (P) in exchange for currency, and the conversion rate of the second electronic game medium to the currency (α2) is higher than the conversion rate of the first electronic game medium to the currency (α1). In this embodiment, the second electronic game medium is provided to the user (P) under more favorable conditions than the first electronic game medium. Therefore, an incentive to play games using the second electronic game medium can be provided to a large number of users (P).

[0106] The "conversion rate of electronic game media to currency" refers to the quantity of electronic game media given to the user (P) in exchange for a predetermined amount of currency. Therefore, "the conversion rate of the second electronic game media to currency (α2) is higher than the conversion rate of the first electronic game media to currency (α1)" means that the quantity of the second electronic game media given to the user (P) for a predetermined amount of currency is greater than the quantity of the first electronic game media given to the user (P) for the same predetermined amount.

[0107] [Note 3] In the specific example of Appendix 1 (Appendix 3), the game is a lottery game in which winning / losing is determined probabilistically, and the probability of winning (L2) in the lottery game played using the second electronic game medium is higher than the probability of winning (L1) in the lottery game played using the first electronic game medium. In the above embodiment, the probability of winning is higher in the lottery game using the second electronic game medium compared to the lottery game using the first electronic game medium. Therefore, an incentive to play the game using the second electronic game medium can be provided to a large number of users (P). Note that the "lottery game" may be either a physical lottery using a lottery object such as a sphere, or an electronic lottery realized by computational processing by a computing device.

[0108] [Note 4] A game system (1) relating to any specific example (Note 4) of Notes 1 to 3 comprises a dispensing device (27) that dispenses a physical game medium corresponding to the first electronic game medium, and the second electronic game medium is not permitted to be dispensed as a physical game medium. In a configuration in which the second electronic game medium is permitted to be dispensed as a physical game medium, the restriction on the expiration date (E2) of the second electronic game medium can be easily avoided by dispensing the second electronic game medium as a physical game medium and then using the physical game medium in the game. In other words, the purpose of making the expiration date (E2) of the second electronic game medium non-extendable is negated. According to the above-described embodiment in which the second electronic game medium is not permitted to be dispensed as a physical game medium, the operation of restricting the expiration date (E2) of the second electronic game medium can be effectively maintained.

[0109] A physical game medium is a tangible medium that has value as payment to be consumed by the user (P) in order to play a game. Examples of "physical game mediums" include physical medals (token coins), real money (cash), or tickets.

[0110] With respect to the second electronic game medium, "dispensing as a physical game medium is not permitted" means that the process of dispensing the second electronic game medium as a physical game medium is not only prohibited in the game device (20), but is also not permitted in any device within the game system (1).

[0111] [Note 5] In any specific example of Appendix 1 to Appendix 4 (Appendix 5), the game control unit (21) initiates a special event upon acquisition of a predetermined number of items, and the number of items (N1) acquired by the user (P) in the game played using the first electronic game medium and the number of items (N2) acquired by the user (P) in the game played using the second electronic game medium are counted independently of each other. In the above embodiment, it is possible to prohibit the application of items acquired in the game played using the second electronic game medium to the game played using the first electronic game medium.

[0112] [Note 6] A game system (1) relating to any specific example (Note 6) of Notes 1 to 5 comprises an account management unit (11) that manages an account for electronic game media for each user (P), and electronic game media withdrawn from the account can be used in each of a plurality of game devices (20) that provide different games, the first electronic game media can be deposited into the account, and the second electronic game media cannot be deposited into the account. In the above embodiment, the first electronic game media used in a game device (20) can be used in other game devices (20) by depositing it into the account. On the other hand, since the second electronic game media cannot be deposited into the account, the second electronic game media withdrawn from the account to a game device (20) cannot be used in other game devices (20). In other words, the use of the second electronic game media can be restricted to multiple game devices (20).

[0113] [Note 7] In any specific example from Appendix 1 to Appendix 6 (Appendix 7), the second electronic gaming medium is provided exclusively to users (P) who satisfy certain conditions. In the above embodiment, since the second electronic gaming medium is provided exclusively to users (P) who satisfy certain conditions, the range of users (P) who play the game can be effectively expanded by, for example, providing the second electronic gaming medium to users (P) with little gaming experience.

[0114] [Note 8] In any of the specific examples in Appendix 1 to Appendix 7, the first electronic game medium is not convertible to the second electronic game medium.

[0115] [Note 9] In the specific example of Appendix 8 (Appendix 9), the second electronic game medium is not convertible to the first electronic game medium.

[0116] [Note 10] The operation method of a game system (1) according to one aspect of the present invention (Appendix 10) controls a game in which a first electronic game medium and a second electronic game medium are used as payment for playing, while managing the expiration date (E1) for which the first electronic game medium can be used and the expiration date (E2) for which the second electronic game medium can be used, wherein the expiration date (E1) for the first electronic game medium can be extended, and the expiration date (E2) for the second electronic game medium cannot be extended.

[0117] [Note 11] A program according to one aspect of the present invention (Appendix 11) is a program that causes a computer system to function as a game control unit (21) that controls a game in which a first electronic game medium and a second electronic game medium are used as payment for playing, and an expiration date management unit (11) that manages the expiration date (E1) for which the first electronic game medium can be used and the expiration date (E2) for which the second electronic game medium can be used, wherein the expiration date (E1) for the first electronic game medium is extendable, and the expiration date (E2) for the second electronic game medium is not extendable. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0118] 1...Game system, 2...Communication network, 10...Management system, 11...Control device, 12...Storage device, 13...Communication device, 14...Display device, 15...Operation device, 16...Reading device, 17...Detection device, 18...Reception device, 20...Game device, 21...Control device, 22...Storage device, 23...Communication device, 24...Display device, 25...Operation device, 26...Reading device, 27...Dispensing device, 30...Recording medium.

Claims

1. A first electronic game medium whose validity period for use in games can be extended and a second electronic game medium whose validity period cannot be extended, comprising a management unit for managing the validity period, The system comprises a game control unit that controls a game played by a player using the first electronic game medium or the second electronic game medium, The game control unit, The number of first items acquired by the player in the first game played using the first electronic game medium and the number of second items acquired by the player in the second game played using the second electronic game medium are counted separately. A special event is initiated upon acquisition of a predetermined number of the first item or a predetermined number of the second item. Game system.

2. A game system that manages the expiration dates of a first electronic game medium whose expiration date for use in a game can be extended and a second electronic game medium whose expiration date cannot be extended, and controls a game played by a player using the first electronic game medium or the second electronic game medium, The number of first items acquired by the player in the first game played using the first electronic game medium and the number of second items acquired by the player in the second game played using the second electronic game medium are counted separately. A special event is initiated upon acquisition of a predetermined number of the first item or a predetermined number of the second item. How the game system works.

3. A first electronic game medium whose validity period for use in games can be extended and a second electronic game medium whose validity period cannot be extended, wherein a management unit for managing the validity period, A program that causes a computer to function as a game control unit that controls a game played by a player using the first electronic game medium or the second electronic game medium, The game control unit, The number of first items acquired by the player in the first game played using the first electronic game medium and the number of second items acquired by the player in the second game played using the second electronic game medium are counted separately. A special event is initiated upon acquisition of a predetermined number of the first item or a predetermined number of the second item. program.

Images