Game device, program, and game system

Abstract

[Problem] To ensure that communication elements are amusing. [Solution] A game device comprising: a storage means for storing information of a character group; an evaluation means for receiving evaluation, by a user, of each character in the character group the information of which has been stored in the storage means; an accumulation means for accumulating the evaluations concerning the character group received by the evaluation means; and a first transmission means for collectively transmitting the evaluations accumulated in the accumulation means to a server.

Description

Game device, program and game system

[0001] The present invention relates to a game device, a program, and a game system, and more particularly to an electronic game that involves the display of a character.

[0002] There is a system that provides a function for other users to vote for an avatar image associated with a user who has entered a contest (Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent No. 6290505

[0004] The system described in Patent Document 1 is implemented via a server connectable via a network to enable voting with the participation of a large number of users. The larger the expected number of users participating in the vote, the larger the scale of such a server is set. In particular, in a system like the one described in Patent Document 1, in which a list of multiple avatar images is presented, votes are accepted for each image at any time, and the information on the number of votes managed for each avatar image is updated each time a vote is cast, API calls to the server provided for voting are frequently made, and therefore a server large enough to accommodate this is required to be introduced into the system.

[0005] However, the larger the server, the higher the installation costs.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a game device, a program, and a game system that ensure the interest of communication elements.

[0007] A game device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a storage means for storing information about a group of characters, an evaluation means for receiving a user's evaluation of each character in the group of characters whose information is stored in the storage means, a storage means for storing the evaluations received by the evaluation means about the group of characters, and a first transmission means for transmitting the evaluations stored in the storage means to a server in a batch.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a game device, a program, and a game system that ensure the interest of communication elements.

[0009] A diagram illustrating the configuration of a game system relating to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention. A diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a game device 100 relating to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention. A diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a server 200 relating to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention. A diagram for explaining an interaction game relating to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention. Another diagram for explaining an interaction game relating to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention. A diagram illustrating the data configuration of various information used in a game system relating to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention. A diagram illustrating an evaluation menu screen displayed when using an evaluation function relating to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention. A diagram illustrating an evaluation screen and a list display screen displayed when using an evaluation function relating to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention. A flowchart illustrating evaluation function processing executed on a game device 100 relating to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention.

[0010] [Embodiments] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention as claimed, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be combined in any desired manner. Furthermore, identical or similar configurations will be assigned the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0011] In the embodiment described below, the present invention is applied to a game device capable of executing a game in which a character associated with a user is trained (hereinafter referred to as a training game), as an example of a game device. However, the present invention can be applied to any device that has a communication function and is capable of receiving evaluations of characters and transmitting the evaluations to a server.

[0012] <Gaming System Configuration> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a gaming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, in the gaming system, a gaming device 100 is configured to be capable of wireless communication with other gaming devices 100 and a server 200. As will be described in detail below, the gaming device 100 is configured to be capable of communication using two types of communication methods, and different communication methods are used to transmit and receive information when communicating with other gaming devices 100 and when communicating with the server 200. As shown in the figure, communication between the gaming device 100 and the server 200 is performed via an access point (AP) 300 and a network 400, which differs from communication performed directly between the gaming devices 100. In this embodiment, the network 400 is described as a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet to enable interaction between users located in various regions, but in another embodiment, it may be a LAN.

[0013] In this embodiment, the game device 100 is configured as a portable toy and operates using power supplied from a battery (not shown). Therefore, information is transmitted and received between the game device 100 and the server 200 via the AP 300 by wireless communication. The game device 100 is equipped with a terminal (not shown) that can be connected to a power source, and is configured to be able to charge the battery by electrically connecting a commercial power source or the like to the terminal via a power supply cable.

[0014] <Hardware Configuration of Game Device> Next, the hardware configuration of the game device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of the game device 100.

[0015] The control unit 101 is a processor such as a CPU, and performs various controls including operational control of each piece of hardware included in the game device 100. Specifically, the control unit 101 performs the relevant controls by, for example, reading out a necessary program stored in the storage device 102, expanding it into the memory 103, and executing it. The control unit 101 also has a built-in clock and is configured to be able to obtain the current time.

[0016] The storage device 102 is a device capable of permanently storing information, such as a non-volatile memory. The storage device 102 stores programs related to the operation of the game device 100, programs for the training game executed on the game device 100, and information on parameters required for implementing various controls. The storage device 102 also functions as a database of various data related to the training game (character DB 121 and item DB 122). The memory 103 is a storage device used for temporary data storage, such as a volatile memory. The memory 103 may be used not only as a development area for each program, but also as a storage area for temporarily storing data output during the operation of various hardware and various controls.

[0017] The character DB 121 is a database that manages, as records, information (character information) about characters that can be trained in a training game. In the training game executed on the game device 100 of this embodiment, a user can train a character that grows through multiple growth stages. The character is configured so that its appearance changes with each growth stage. The character DB 121 manages, as records, various information about each possible appearance that a character can have at each growth stage. As shown in FIG. 6A , for example, the character information for one record is associated with a character ID 601 that uniquely identifies the character (its appearance), and includes graphics information 602 for drawing the character's appearance, a growth stage 603 indicating the growth stage at which the character will have that appearance, and growth destination information 604 indicating the possible appearances the character can grow from that appearance. The growth destination information 604 may store information about the corresponding character ID 601.

[0018] The item DB 122 is a database that manages, as records, information (item information) related to items that can be worn by characters in a character training game. In the character training game executed on the game device 100 of this embodiment, items can be equipped to characters being trained. The items may be, for example, items that can be acquired within the character training game or may be acquired as DLC or the like by purchasing a specific product. As described above, the appearance of a character changes with each growth stage, and the number of items that can be equipped increases as the character progresses through the growth stage. As shown in FIG. 6B , for example, the item information for one record in the item DB 122 includes, in association with an item ID 611 that uniquely identifies the item, graphics information 612 for depicting the appearance of the item, an attachment location 613 indicating the part of the character on which the item can be worn, an attachment stage 614 indicating the growth stage at which the item can be worn, and item attributes 615 indicating the attributes attached to the item.

[0019] The GPU 104 is a drawing device that executes various drawing processes related to the generation of display screens for the game device 100. The GPU 104 includes a GPU memory (not shown), expands various graphics data read from the storage device 102, and performs predetermined calculations to generate various images (screens) related to the training game. The screens and images generated by the GPU 104 are presented to the user by being displayed on, for example, a display 110 provided in the game device 100. The display 110 is a device provided in the game device 100 that displays information, such as a liquid crystal display.

[0020] Operation I / F 105 is a user interface provided in game device 100 that accepts operation input. When operation I / F 105 detects that an operation input has been made, it outputs a control signal corresponding to the operation input to control unit 101. In one aspect, operation I / F 105 includes, for example, operation members such as buttons provided on the exterior of game device 100, various sensors, etc. Furthermore, in an aspect in which display 110 is configured to be able to detect touch input, operation I / F 105 includes a touch input detection sensor provided on display 110.

[0021] The communication I / F 106 is a communication interface provided to the game device 100 for communication with external devices. As described above, the game device 100 of this embodiment communicates wirelessly with other devices using two communication methods. One communication method is ad hoc mode communication (hereinafter referred to as ad hoc communication), in which one of the game device 100 and another game device 100 acts as a host and the other device connects to it, and information is exchanged directly between the devices, without the need for the game device 100 to be connected to an AP 300. The other communication method is infrastructure mode communication (hereinafter referred to as infrastructure communication), in which each game device 100 connects to its associated AP 300, and information is exchanged between the game device 100 and the server 200 via the AP 300 and the network 400. Note that in this embodiment, the two communication methods available to the communication I / F 106 are described as ad hoc communication and infrastructure communication, but the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this and may, of course, include other types of communication.

[0022] 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the server 200 according to this embodiment. In the following description, the hardware configuration that realizes the same functions as the game device 100 will be prefixed with the word "server" to clearly distinguish it from the configuration of the game device 100.

[0023] The server control unit 201 is a processor such as a CPU, and controls the operation of each piece of hardware included in the server 200, and performs control related to the realization of various functions including user management and interaction functions related to the training game. Specifically, the server control unit 201 performs the relevant control by, for example, reading out necessary programs stored in the server storage device 202, expanding them into the server memory 203, and executing them.

[0024] The server storage device 202 is a device capable of permanently storing information, such as a non-volatile memory or HDD. The server storage device 202 stores an operating system for operating the server 200 and matching-related programs, as well as parameter information and various necessary data required to realize various controls. The server storage device 202 also functions as a database for various data related to users of the game device 100. The server memory 203 is a storage device used for temporary data storage, such as a volatile memory. The server memory 203 may be used not only as a development area for each program, but also as a storage area for temporarily storing data output during the operation of various hardware and various controls.

[0025] In the server 200 of this embodiment, the server storage device 202 also functions as a user DB 211, which is a database that manages information (user information) about each user who uses the game device 100, and a rating DB 212, which is a database that manages information (rating information) about ratings given to each user by other users. Details of the information managed in these databases will be described later in association with descriptions of functions that utilize each piece of information.

[0026] The server communication I / F 204 is a communication interface with an external device provided in the server 200. Information communication between the server communication I / F 204 and the external device may be performed via a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, or via a LAN or the like. Information communication performed by the server communication I / F 204 may be performed either wired or wirelessly.

[0027] <<Game Overview>> An overview of a game that provides a play experience on the game device 100 of this embodiment will be described below. In this embodiment, the game will be described as a character development game that provides, as entertainment elements, character development elements, communication elements between the user and the character, and interaction elements between the characters. However, a character development game is merely one type of game featuring characters, and the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can be applied to any game featuring characters whose behavior is controlled in response to operational inputs made by the user. Here, "control of behavior" is not limited to direct control of a character by the user, but also includes indirect changes in the character's actions and movements in response to changes in parameters or the environment as a result of an evaluation of the user's operational inputs.

[0028] In the breeding game, the user can breed a character by performing operational inputs related to the character's care. The breeding game starts, for example, by hatching an egg, and by sequentially performing operational inputs related to the necessary care, the character progresses through the growth stages, and the character's growth is presented as it changes appearance.

[0029] Characters are configured to be able to wear items, and users can decorate their characters' appearances by wearing items acquired in the training game. The number of parts on which items can be worn increases as the character progresses through the growth stages, and only a limited number of parts can wear items until a certain growth stage is reached. The wearable parts may include, for example, the character's head, face, torso, legs, and hands, each of which may be configured to be able to wear hats, eyeglasses, clothing, shoes, accessories (belongings), etc.

[0030] Operational inputs related to characters are not limited to those that directly control the character, such as operation inputs related to caring for the character or selecting items to equip the character, but may also include those that generate controls that indirectly affect the character, such as deciding which items to place in the character's living space or selecting which presents to give.

[0031] Furthermore, in the raising game of this embodiment, in order to allow the user to perceive the character as a living being, the character's behavior, etc. are configured to change not only according to the progression of its growth stage and state but also according to the time of day. For example, from 7:00 AM (wake-up time) to 7:14 AM, the character is controlled to behave as if waking up in the living room, including yawning, and from 7:15 AM to 7:29 AM, the character is controlled to behave as if getting ready in the morning, including brushing its teeth, in the bathroom. Furthermore, from 3:00 PM to 3:29 PM, the character is controlled to behave as if hungry in the living room, asking for a snack. Furthermore, from 30 minutes before a preset bedtime (e.g., 9:00 PM) to bedtime, the character is controlled to behave as if sleepy, including yawning, in the living room, and from bedtime to 6:59 AM the next morning, the character is controlled to move to the bedroom and behave as if getting ready for bed or going to sleep.

[0032] Such character behavior according to the time of day can be effective in regulating the daily rhythm of users, such as children, and in providing knowledge about raising living creatures. Furthermore, a character that is in a sleeping state is controlled to a state in which it does not accept any character-related operational inputs that would have been accepted in other states. In other words, even if an operational input is made to a character that is in a sleeping state, various controls related to the character are not performed in response to that operational input. This can prevent users from playing the raising game too much.

[0033] <Communication Elements> The training game is configured to allow characters trained by other users to appear by communicating with an external device, thereby providing an exciting element of character interaction in the game. To this end, the game device 100 acquires information about characters being trained by other users via the communication I / F 106. As described above, the communication I / F 106 is capable of communicating information using two types of communication methods, and can acquire information about characters using each method. More specifically, the communication I / F 106 acquires information about characters being trained on other game devices 100 via ad hoc communication from the other game devices 100. Furthermore, the communication I / F 106 acquires information about characters being trained on any game device 100 that has been connected to the server 200 via infrastructure communication from the server 200.

[0034] Hereinafter, a character being developed in the game device 100 will be referred to as a "own character," a character being developed in another game device 100 about which information is acquired from the other game device 100 via ad hoc communication will be referred to as a "friend character," and a character being developed in one of the game devices 100 connected to the server 200 about which information is acquired from the server 200 via infrastructure communication will be referred to as an "other user character," to clearly distinguish between the two. That is, the own character is a character whose movement is controlled in response to operational inputs by the user of the game device 100 in the development game executed on the game device 100. The friend character is a character whose movement is controlled in response to operational inputs by the user of the game device 100 in the development game executed on the other game device 100 connected via ad hoc communication. The other user character is a character whose movement is controlled in response to operational inputs by the user of the game device 100 in the development game executed on one of the game devices 100 connected to the server 200 via communication.

[0035] In the game system of this embodiment, so as to provide an exciting element of characters interacting with each other even when game devices 100 are not directly connected to each other, information about characters being developed by each user of the game device 100 (development status) is included in the user information and managed by the server 200. In other words, by managing information about characters being developed by each user in the server 200, when a game device 100 connects to the server 200 via infrastructure communication, information about characters of other users can be transmitted to the game device 100. The user information is managed in the user DB 211 of the server 200 as described above, and one record in the user DB 211 holds various information about one user.

[0036] 6(c), the user information for one record in the user DB 211 is associated with a user ID 621 that uniquely identifies the user, and includes a user nickname 622 for the game that the user has set for himself or herself, a language setting 623 that is set on the game device 100 used by the user, and ghost information 624 related to a character that the user is developing on the game device 100. Here, the user ID 621 can be, for example, unique information such as the individual identification number or MAC address of the game device 100 used by the user.

[0037] Furthermore, information relating to characters being developed on each game device 100 managed in user DB 211 indicates the state of the character being developed on game device 100 at the time the information is received, and when the information is used on server 200 or the like, it may be different from the character being developed on that game device 100. For this reason, in this embodiment, information relating to characters managed in user DB 211 is referred to as a "ghost," meaning a vestige of the character being developed at a certain point in time, and is managed as ghost information 624.

[0038] In this embodiment, the ghost information 624 includes, for the character being developed, a character ID 631 indicating the appearance of the character, equipment information 632 indicating the equipment status of items attached to the character, gender information 633 indicating the gender of the character, parameters 634 of the character that may vary depending on the development status, and introduction information 635 indicating a profile unique to the character set by the user. In the example shown in the figure, the introduction information 635 includes a character nickname 641 set for the character being developed, a greeting 642 that is displayed when the character is displayed on a game device 100 used by another user, and a virtual residence setting 643 indicating the residence (area) of the character in the game.

[0039] These pieces of information included in the introduction information 635 can be set by combining predetermined phrases (fixed phrases, fixed sentences) rather than being set independently by the user, from the viewpoint of ensuring the safety of communication between users, maintaining public order and morals, or reducing the amount of information to be managed by the server 200. Note that, in this embodiment, three types of information can be set as the introduction information 635, but the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this, and the introduction information 635 can be configured to include at least one of these, or can be configured to include other information in addition to or instead of this.

[0040] That is, in the game system of this embodiment, a character being developed is associated with each user of the game device 100, and the association can be understood from the user information. That is, in the user information, a user identified by a user ID 621 and one character (ghost) indicated by ghost information 624 are managed in an associated state.

[0041] To enable each user to obtain information about a character being developed via infrastructure communication and reflect it in the user information, each game device 100 is configured to connect to the server 200 via infrastructure communication and upload information about the character being developed when a predetermined time condition is met, such as when a predetermined time arrives or when a predetermined time period is reached. Here, the predetermined time condition can be set to be met periodically, such as once a day. The uploaded information about the character being developed is used to update the ghost information 624 of the user information managed for the user. Therefore, the game device 100 is configured to periodically upload to the server 200, among the information included in the user information, the user ID, language setting, and ghost information about the character being developed. This information uploaded to the server 200 is stored, for example, in the storage device 102 of the game device 100 and is sequentially updated according to the progress of the development game (development status of the character being developed) being executed on the game device 100.

[0042] Furthermore, when uploading information about the player's character, each game device 100 acquires information about other users' characters from the server 200 for use in the social game described below. When the server 200 receives the information about the player's character from each game device 100, the server 200 randomly selects a predetermined number (e.g., 10 records) from the user information of users other than the user of that game device 100, which is managed in the user DB 211. The server 200 then transmits the selected predetermined number of pieces of user information to that game device 100 as information about other users' characters.

[0043] When information about a predetermined number of other user characters is received via infrastructure communication, the control unit 101 registers the information in an other user list as information about the first character group according to the present invention. Here, the other user list is a list that manages information for displaying other user characters in the social game, and is stored in, for example, the storage device 102.

[0044] On the other hand, information about the friend character is acquired from the other game device 100 on the condition that the user has performed an operation input to communicate with the other game device 100. At this time, the game device 100 also transmits information about the player's character to the other game device 100 with which it is communicating.

[0045] In the game system of this embodiment, the information about other user characters and the information about friend characters will be described as having the same data structure as the user information shown in Figure 6(c). However, infrastructure communication is not a method in which face-to-face users directly send and receive information by simultaneously communicating with each other's game devices 100, as in ad hoc communication. It is therefore possible to assume that the users of the game devices 100 to which information is sent are not acquaintances or friends. For this reason, the information about other user characters may be configured to not include some of the user information, such as the user nickname 622, that could lead to the identification of individual users.

[0046] When information about a friend character is received via ad-hoc communication, the control unit 101 registers the information together with information about the date and time of reception in the friend list. The friend list is a list that manages information for displaying friend characters in the social game, and is stored in the storage device 102, for example.

[0047] Furthermore, the friend list and the other user list have different update conditions. In this embodiment, the friend list is configured to manage information about friend characters associated with up to eight users who have communicated via ad hoc communication. When the control unit 101 receives information about a friend character via ad hoc communication, it determines whether information about the same friend character is already registered in the friend list. This determination can be made, for example, by checking whether information having the same user ID is registered in the friend list based on the user ID included in the received information. If information about the same friend character is already registered, the control unit 101 updates the information about the same friend character registered in the friend list with the newly received information. This allows users who have previously engaged in ad hoc communication to update their information about characters (friend characters) they are developing to the latest information. Furthermore, if information about the same friend character is not registered, the control unit 101 adds the newly received information to the friend list. At this time, if information about up to eight friend characters is already registered in the friend list, the control unit 101 replaces the oldest information registered in the friend list with the newly received information, thereby registering the new friend character in the friend list.

[0048] On the other hand, the other user list is configured to be able to manage information about a predetermined number of other user characters received from the server 200. When the control unit 101 receives information about a predetermined number of other user characters through infrastructure communication, it registers the information in the other user list by replacing all information currently registered in the other user list with the received information. That is, in the game device 100 of this embodiment, all information in the other user list is updated every time infrastructure communication is performed. This is because, unlike friend characters, other user characters are not characters related to acquaintances or friends, and therefore do not need to be retained for a long period of time, and frequent updates can provide the user with the excitement of playing a game with many other users.

[0049] In order to provide all users with an element of excitement in the social game, even in the initial state of the game device 100, such as when it is shipped from the factory, an other user list is stored in the storage device 102, in which information on default characters (not characters trained by any user, but pre-established NPCs (Non-Player Characters)) is registered. Therefore, information on the AP 300 and the like is registered in the game device 100, and the registered contents of the other user list are updated with the information each time information on other user characters is acquired through infrastructure communication thereafter.

[0050] The character development game of this embodiment allows users to continue developing a single character, but also includes an element that allows users to develop new characters born through marriage with other characters. This element prevents users from getting bored and keeps them highly interested in the development game.

[0051] The game device 100 of this embodiment can execute a communication game in which, when performing ad hoc communication, a friend character being developed on the other game device 100 is displayed and the friend character interacts with the player's character. Therefore, the communication game can be used to marry the player's character to the friend character, unlocking the ability to develop a new generation of characters. However, the interest factor associated with such a communication game requires that the owner of the other game device 100 with whom the player is communicating is nearby. Furthermore, if the characters available for marriage are limited to characters developed by close acquaintances or friends, the types of characters that can be born may be limited.

[0052] For this reason, the game device 100 of this embodiment has a function for executing an interaction game to provide elements of interaction with various characters, including marriage with other characters. The interaction game is configured to feature characters (friend characters, other user characters) whose information is registered in a pre-stored friend list and other user list so that it can be played even in offline situations. Furthermore, to provide interest by displaying characters with various personalities (characters decorated with various items) and interest related to the above-mentioned marriage, the friend characters and other user characters displayed in the interaction game are limited to characters that have reached a predetermined growth stage. Similarly, the interaction game is configured to be playable only if the player's own character has reached the predetermined growth stage.

[0053] The interaction game is played out using an interaction area as shown in FIG. 4. As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, the interaction area is composed of five areas, and different areas are displayed sequentially by inputting an operation related to area movement (area 401 → area 402 → area 403 → area 404 → area 405 → area 401 → ...). In a predetermined area, characters selected from friend characters whose information is registered in the friend list and other user characters whose information is registered in the other user list are placed separately in each area. The selected character is placed in one of the areas and is configured to be able to interact with the player's character in that area.

[0054] At the start of the social game, for example, after all areas are displayed, an effect is displayed in which the player's character moves into the social area. One of the five areas, area 401, is provided with an entrance gate to the social area, and at the start of the social game, area 401 is controlled to be displayed. As shown in FIG. 5 , player's character 501 is first displayed in area 401 together with friend characters and other user characters placed in that area. If the user wants to move player's character 501 to another area, the user can move and display player's character 501 in the next area in the display order (area 402 after area 401) by performing an operation input related to area movement.

[0055] The actions of friend characters and other user characters placed in the interaction area are controlled without being based on operation input by the user using the game device 100. In the interaction game of this embodiment, the actions performed by friend characters and other user characters placed in the interaction area include actions accompanied by a greeting effect toward the player's character. The greeting effect is displayed differently based on the language setting information associated with the friend character or other user character to convey to the user the excitement of interacting with users from various countries. For example, for other user characters associated with an English language setting, a greeting effect including a speech bubble displaying "Hi!" is displayed, and for other user characters associated with a French language setting, a greeting effect including a speech bubble displaying "Salut!" is displayed.

[0056] <Selection Control of Displayed Characters> The number of characters to be placed in the interaction area is predetermined, and in this embodiment, one friend character and ten other user characters are placed. Therefore, when playing the interaction game, the control unit 101 may, for example, randomly select one piece of information from the information registered in the friend list and place one friend character corresponding to that information in a predetermined area. Furthermore, when playing the interaction game, the control unit 101 may select all pieces of information (10 records) registered in the other user list and place ten other user characters corresponding to that information in a predetermined area.

[0057] <<Automatic Update>> In order to enhance the entertainment value of a social game that allows interaction with a variety of characters, it is necessary to update the user information managed by the server 200 for each user, and to provide the updated information about the characters to each game device 100. For this reason, in the game system of this embodiment, infrastructure communication between the game device 100 and the server 200 is configured to be performed without the need for a user's operational input related to a communication start request. In other words, the game device 100 has an "automatic update" function that performs infrastructure communication with the server 200 to send and receive information when a specific time condition is met, even without a user's operational input.

[0058] In the game device 100 of this embodiment, the game device 100 and the server 200 are configured to communicate information via an automatic update function essentially once a day. More specifically, the game device 100 is configured to perform automatic updates when a predetermined time period is reached and the player character is in a sleeping state. The predetermined time period for automatic updates (hereinafter referred to as the update time period) can be set to occur on a daily cycle, for example, from 9:00 PM to 6:59 AM the following morning. This is because during this time period, the user is less likely to operate the game device 100 and changes to various information are less likely to occur. As described above, when the player character is in a sleeping state, the game device 100 is controlled so as not to accept operational inputs related to the player character. Therefore, by configuring the game device 100 to perform automatic updates using this timing, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the server 200 does not manage the latest information due to changes in the player character's state or parameters caused by user operational inputs. Furthermore, when the game device 100 performs an information update or a system update based on information received from the server 200, it is possible to avoid situations where the user's input operations are interrupted or the update process is not performed properly.

[0059] Here, the state in which the player's character is asleep (sleeping state) refers to, for example, a state in which the current time has reached the bedtime set by the user, and the setting to the sleeping state has been completed through effects related to preparing for bed and going to sleep. In other words, when the user can recognize that the player's character has entered the sleeping state from the image of the player's character displayed on display 110, and game device 100 is in a state in which it is not accepting operation input related to the player's character, the player's character is managed as being in the sleeping state.

[0060] Therefore, even if the update time period has arrived, if the state of the player's character has not yet entered the sleeping state, the control unit 101 will not execute the automatic update function, but will wait until the conditions for execution are met. In the example of this embodiment, the control unit 101 waits until the state of the player's character has completely entered the sleeping state before executing the automatic update function.

[0061] When the automatic update function is executed, control unit 101 controls game device 100 to be in a state where it can communicate with server 200 via communication I / F 106. Since communication between game device 100 and server 200 is performed by infrastructure communication, this function is assumed to have information set for AP 300 with which to communicate.

[0062] The automatic update function sends and receives the following information:

[0063] Information relating to the player's character is transmitted from the game device 100 to the server 200. As described above, the information relating to the player's character includes the user ID, language setting, and ghost information relating to the player's character, which are stored in the game device 100. The information relating to the player's character is transmitted mainly for the purpose of updating the ghost information of the player's character.

[0064] Information about other user characters that are candidates for display in the social game is transmitted from the server 200 to the game device 100. The transmitted information is configured by the server control unit 201 selecting a predetermined number of pieces of ghost information each time information is transmitted to and received from the game device 100. As described above, the information about other user characters includes the user ID of the user who raised each other user character, language setting, and ghost information about the other user character.

[0065] The server 200 also transmits firmware update data for the game device 100 to the game device 100. Some of the additions to game device 100 functions and bug fixes are achieved by updating the main firmware. Functions can also be added by transmitting additional content data (new event data and new downloadable content (DLC) data) for game content (the training game) executed by the game device 100 from the server 200 to the game device 100, thereby changing the data referenced during execution of the training game on the game device 100. Here, the new DLC data may include sales data and drawing data for the newly added content. Therefore, the server 200 also transmits this additional content data to the game device 100. Furthermore, the server 200 also transmits various types of new information from the game system operator, such as announcements, that do not directly affect the processing of the training game.

[0066] Therefore, according to the automatic update function, the game device 100 transmits information about its own character, receives main body update data for the game device 100, receives new information, receives additional content data, and receives information about characters corresponding to other game devices while connected to the server 200 for communication.

[0067] It should be noted that not all of this information transmission and reception need be performed during a single communication connection related to the automatic update. For example, if there is no change in the appearance of the player character on the game device 100, there is no need to update the ghost information of the player character, and therefore there is no need to transmit information related to the player character. Furthermore, if there is nothing to be transmitted to the server 200 (no newly updated information exists), or if there is information that has already been received by the game device 100, there is no need to receive system update data, additional content data, or new information. In other words, the automatic update function only requires that at least one of the above information transmissions and receptions be performed. This reduces the amount of data communication performed by the game device 100 and thus battery consumption.

[0068] <Evaluation Function> Furthermore, in order to provide an element of interest in communication between users, the game device 100 of this embodiment is provided with an evaluation function that allows a user of the game device 100 to evaluate other users whose associated characters are displayed on the game device 100. The evaluation function is configured to be available, for example, while a social game is being played, and is provided by transitioning from the social game in response to an operation related to a request to use the evaluation function.

[0069] In the game device 100 of this embodiment, for example, a user can use the rating function to vote for a favorable rating for another user's character with a preferred appearance displayed in a social game, that is, for the other user with whom the character is associated, i.e., the other user who raised the character. To facilitate understanding of the invention, the following description will be given assuming that the ratings of other users that can be accepted by the rating function are limited to "favorable ratings," but it goes without saying that the ratings of other users may include rating items other than favorable ratings.

[0070] In addition, in the following explanation, in order to clarify which users are being referred to, a user who uses the game device 100 to evaluate other users will be referred to as an "evaluating user," and the user who is the target of evaluation by the evaluating user will be referred to as a "target user."

[0071] <Evaluation Target> In response to an operation related to a request to use the evaluation function, the display on the display 110 transitions to an evaluation menu screen 700 that accepts selection of an evaluation target, as shown in Fig. 7. In the game device 100 of this embodiment, target users who are evaluation targets in the evaluation function can be classified into two types, and the evaluating user can evaluate each of the target users classified into the following two types by performing an operation to select item 701 or item 702 on the evaluation menu screen 700.

[0072] (1) Users who have developed other user characters Target users classified into one type of evaluation target are users who have developed other user characters placed in the interaction area in the social game, i.e., users who are associated with the other user characters. In other words, target users of this category are users who are associated with each of multiple other user characters whose information is registered in the other user list of the storage device 102. Hereinafter, target users of this category will be referred to as "first target users." By selecting item 701 on the evaluation menu screen 700, the evaluating user can transition the display on the display 110 to a screen that accepts evaluations of each first target user.

[0073] (2) Users who have given favorable ratings to the rating user Target users classified as the other type of rating targets are users who have used the rating function of another game device 100 to vote favorable ratings for the "rating user." In other words, the rating function is configured so that a rating user can rate a user (second target user) who has voted favorable ratings for the rating user, even if the associated character does not appear in the social game. Hereinafter, target users of this category will be referred to as "second target users." By selecting item 702 on the rating menu screen 700, the rating user can transition the display on the display 110 to a screen that accepts ratings for each second target user.

[0074] In order to receive the evaluations of second target users, information on target users who have been voted favorably on each game device 100 is transmitted to and stored in server 200. Information on such favorable evaluations is reflected in the evaluation information managed for each user in evaluation DB 212. Evaluation DB 212 is a database that accumulates and manages, in one record, information on favorable evaluations voted for one user by other users.

[0075] 6(d), the rating information for one record in the rating DB 212 includes, in association with a user ID 651 that uniquely identifies a user, a cumulative number 652 of favorable ratings given to the user by other users, and rating history information 653 that indicates a history of favorable ratings given to the user by other users. In this embodiment, the rating history information 653 includes, for each favorable rating voted for the user, a rating user ID 661 that uniquely identifies the user who voted the favorable rating, and time information 662 regarding the time at which the favorable rating was transmitted from the game device 100. In the following description, the time information 662 is described as indicating the time at which information indicating that the rating user has voted a favorable rating for the target user is transmitted from the game device 100 to the server 200, but the time at which the server 200 received the information may also be used.

[0076] For example, in a social game played on the same day, in order to provide an element of interest such as allowing the rating user to repeatedly encounter the same other user's character, information about the character associated with the first target user is registered in the other user list during an automatic update that is generally performed once a day and is retained until the next automatic update. On the other hand, for the second target user, it also serves the purpose of informing the rating user that a favorable rating has been cast. That is, information about the rating made for the rating user himself / herself can serve as a measure of whether the appearance of the current player's character is favorably rated by other users, and it is preferable for the rating user to obtain the latest information. Therefore, information about the character associated with the second target user is transmitted from the server 200 to the game device 100 at a different time than information about the character associated with the first target user.

[0077] In response to an operation related to a request to use the rating function, the game device 100 of this embodiment requests the server 200 for information about the character associated with the most recent second target user at that time. In response to this request, the server 200 references the rating information related to the user of the game device 100 that made the request, and references the rating user IDs 661 related to a predetermined number (e.g., 10) of the most recent favorable ratings in the rating history information 653, and composes information (information about the character associated with the second target user) to be returned to the game device 100. The information about one character in the returned information may include corresponding time information 662 in addition to various information included in the information about other users' characters, and the server control unit 201 references the rating user IDs 661 of the predetermined number of pieces of information with the most recent time information 662 in the rating history information 653, and composes the information to be returned based on the user information associated with the same user ID and the time information 662. When the constructed information is returned, the control unit 101 registers the information as information about the character associated with the second target user in the evaluated user list as information about the second character group according to the present invention.

[0078] Here, the rated user list is a list that manages information for displaying the second target user and the other user characters associated with the second target user for the rating function, and is stored, for example, in the storage device 102. The rated user list notifies the rating user of other users who have voted favorably for the rating user, and does not provide an element of interest in the social game to all users like the other user list, and therefore is not stored in the storage device 102 in the initial state of the game device 100. The rated user list is stored in the storage device 102, for example, when significant information is acquired for the first time from the server 200 in response to acceptance of an operation related to a request to use the rating function, and is updated thereafter each time the same information is received.

[0079] An example of the flow of information is as follows: When information in which a rating user has voted a favorable rating for a first target user is transmitted to the server 200, information indicating that the rating user has voted a favorable rating is accumulated in the rating information pertaining to the first target user. Similarly, when information in which a rating user has voted a favorable rating for a second target user is transmitted to the server 200, information indicating that the rating user has voted a favorable rating is accumulated in the rating information pertaining to the second target user. Furthermore, information on users who have voted a favorable rating for one target user, which is accumulated in the rating information pertaining to that target user, is obtained from the server 200 and registered in the rating user list when an operation requesting use of the rating function is performed on the game device 100 used by that target user.

[0080] As described above, the game device 100 of this embodiment is configured to be able to evaluate two types of target users using the evaluation function. In summary, the game device 100 can accept evaluations as first target users for users associated with each character encountered in a social game in which other user characters randomly selected by the server 200 and appearing change daily. The game device 100 can also accept evaluations as second target users for users who have voted favorable ratings for the rating user. That is, the first target user and the second target user differ in that only characters associated with the former appear in the social game. The first target user and the second target user also differ in that the former is selected regardless of whether or not a favorable rating has been cast for the rating user, whereas the latter is selected only if a favorable rating has been cast for the rating user. In other words, the first target user provides the rating user with an element of communication with the first user through the presentation of a chance encounter in the social game. On the other hand, with regard to the second target user, there is an aspect of providing the evaluating user with communication elements with the second target user, who has already given a favorable evaluation to the evaluating user.

[0081] <Method of Accepting Evaluations> When an evaluating user selects item 701 or item 702 on evaluation menu screen 700, the user can accept an evaluation of the target users while checking the characters associated with each of the target users.

[0082] 8(a) , an evaluation screen for accepting an evaluation of the first target user associated with each other user's character while displaying each of the other user's characters whose information is registered in the other user list is displayed on the display 110 of the game device 100. An evaluation screen is provided for each other user's character, and the display order is determined so that, for example, by a screen scrolling operation, the evaluation screen for the other character is displayed.

[0083] As shown in the figure, the evaluation screen for one other user list includes a display 801 showing the appearance of the character and a GUI 802 for accepting an evaluation for the first target user associated with the character who is the evaluation target on the evaluation screen. The GUI 802 is configured so that, for example, when a selection state is reached and a confirmation operation is performed, information indicating that a favorable vote has been cast for the first target user who is the evaluation target is stored in the memory 103. Furthermore, once a favorable vote has been cast for the first target user who is the evaluation target, the GUI 802 is hidden on the evaluation screen to prevent duplicate favorable votes from being received and to inform the evaluating user that the evaluation has been completed.

[0084] As shown in the figure, the evaluation screen also includes introductory information for the corresponding other user's character. In the example shown in the figure, the introductory information includes the character's nickname 803, the character's greeting 804, and information about the in-game region 805 in which the character is active. Each of these pieces of information is displayed based on the corresponding information (character nickname 641, greeting 642, virtual residence setting 643) in the introductory information 635 of the information registered in the other user list for the character.

[0085] On the other hand, it is also assumed that the evaluating user may wish to rate the second target user when the evaluating user wishes to confirm whether or not a favorable rating has been given to the second target user. Therefore, in the game device 100 of this embodiment, in response to an operation to select item 702, a list display screen of characters associated with the second target user whose information is registered in the evaluated user list, as shown in FIG. 8( b), is displayed on the display 110 of the game device 100. In the example shown in the figure, two characters out of the ten characters whose information is registered in the evaluated user list are displayed on the list display screen.

[0086] On the list display screen, the display area allocated to each character is smaller than on the evaluation screen, so the information displayed for each character is simpler than on the evaluation screen. In the example shown in the figure, the area for each character includes a simplified display 811 showing the character's appearance and the character's nickname 812. Furthermore, because the display area allocated to each character is smaller than on the evaluation screen, the list display screen does not include a GUI for accepting evaluations for each character. Therefore, in the game device 100 of this embodiment, the evaluating user can select a character for which detailed information is desired to be confirmed on the list display screen, thereby transitioning the display to an evaluation screen for accepting evaluations for the second target user associated with that character.

[0087] 8(c), the evaluation screen for the second target user includes, in addition to the display elements included in the evaluation screen for the first target user, time information 821 related to the evaluation by the second target user. By referring to the time information 821, the evaluating user can understand when the evaluation by the second target user was made. As with the evaluation screen for the first target user, the evaluating user can cast a favorable vote for the second target user by operating the GUI 802 on the evaluation screen for the second target user.

[0088] <Transmission of Ratings> From the viewpoint of providing the latest rating information to users who have voted favorable ratings, it is preferable that rating information received for the first target user and the second target user be promptly transmitted to the server 200 and reflected in the corresponding rating information. On the other hand, if the game device 100 transmits the information to the server 200 each time a rating is received, for example, API calls provided for rating transmission may occur frequently, increasing the processing load on the server 200. Furthermore, since the game device 100 must transmit and receive information each time a rating is received, frequent communication processing occurs due to the frequent voting of favorable ratings for target users. In particular, in a battery-powered device such as the game device 100 of this embodiment, frequent communication processing directly leads to increased power consumption, which may shorten the operating time of the game device 100, making it impossible to play the training game, and thereby potentially depriving the user of a desirable playing experience.

[0089] For this reason, the game device 100 of this embodiment accumulates evaluation information made for the target user while the evaluation function is being used in the memory 103, and is controlled to transmit the accumulated evaluation information to the server 200 in a lump sum when the use of the evaluation function is terminated. More specifically, the termination of use of the evaluation function is accepted, for example, in response to an operation of selecting item 703 on the evaluation menu screen 700 shown in FIG. 7 . In connection with the termination of use, evaluation information accepted and accumulated for the first target user and the second target user up until the operation was performed is read from the memory 103 and transmitted in a lump sum to the server 200. In this manner, evaluation information accepted by the evaluating user for at least the first target user and the second target user is transmitted in a lump sum to the server 200. Therefore, the evaluation information can be transmitted to the server 200 in a single communication process and reflected in the evaluation information without increasing the processing load on the server 200. Item 703 is an item provided, for example, for terminating the evaluation function and returning to the social game.

[0090] Furthermore, repeated use and termination of the evaluation function may result in a communication process between the game device 100 and the server 200 being executed at the end of each use, which may result in an increase in the frequency of communication between the game device 100 and the server 200. For this reason, after the batch transmission of evaluation information has been performed, control is exercised so that the process of batch transmission of evaluation information is not executed until a predetermined time has elapsed.

[0091] In one aspect, the system may be configured to enable the bulk transmission of evaluation information related to the use of the evaluation function, for example, once a day, provided that 22 hours or more have passed since the most recent bulk transmission. In such an aspect, if the rating user accidentally terminates use of the communication function during the process of rating the target user, the rating of the target user for whom the rating user failed to vote may not be reflected in the evaluation information. Therefore, when an operation to select item 703 is performed, for example, the system may be configured to notify the user that the target user's evaluation can only be sent once a day, and then confirm whether or not the user really wants to terminate use of the evaluation function.

[0092] <Other Communication Controls> In addition, the following controls are also performed to reduce the frequency of communication between the game device 100 and the server 200.

[0093] First, if the information registered in the other user list is in the initial state (default character information), even if an evaluation is accepted, there is no user evaluation information to reflect the evaluation information. Therefore, the control unit 101 controls the evaluation function to accept an evaluation of the target user, on the condition that the other user's character has been updated by automatic update.

[0094] Furthermore, although it has been described above that the rating user list is updated in response to an operation related to a request to use the rating function, repeated use and termination of the rating function may cause communication processing between the game device 100 and the server 200 to be executed at the start of each use, which may result in an increase in the frequency of communication between the game device 100 and the server 200. For this reason, after the rating user list has been updated, control is exercised so that a request to acquire information about the character associated with the second target user is not made until a predetermined time has elapsed.

[0095] In one aspect, the system can be configured so that information on evaluations made to rating users can be obtained, for example, once a day, provided that more than 22 hours have passed since the most recent update of the rating user list.

[0096] <Evaluation Function Processing> The evaluation function processing executed in relation to the evaluation function in the game device 100 of this embodiment will be specifically described below using the flowchart in Fig. 9. The processing corresponding to this flowchart can be realized by the control unit 101 reading out a corresponding processing program stored in, for example, the storage device 102, and expanding and executing it in the memory 103. Note that this update processing will be described as being executed when, for example, an operation related to a request to use the evaluation function is detected.

[0097] In S901, the control unit 101 transmits a request to transmit information about the character associated with the second target user to the server 200 via the communication I / F 106. The control unit 101 waits until the information is acquired from the server 200 in response to the request, and upon acquisition, proceeds to S902.

[0098] In S902, the control unit 101 updates the evaluation user list with the information received in S901.

[0099] In S903, the control unit 101 displays the rating menu screen 700 related to the rating function on the display 110 and accepts a selection operation of an item for the rating user to perform a rating-related operation. If a selection operation of an item related to the rating of the first target user (item 701) has been performed, the control unit 101 proceeds to S904, if a selection operation of an item related to the rating of the second target user (item 702) has been performed, the control unit 101 proceeds to S909, and if a selection operation of an item related to terminating use of the rating function (item 703) has been performed, the control unit 101 proceeds to S916.

[0100] In S904, the control unit 101 displays on the display 110 an evaluation screen for the first target user (user to be evaluated) associated with one other user character whose information is registered in the other user list.

[0101] In S905, the control unit 101 determines whether an operation to vote for a favorable rating for the user to be rated has been performed. The determination in this step is made based on whether an operation to select GUI 802 has been performed on the evaluation screen displayed in S904. If the control unit 101 determines that an operation to vote for a favorable rating for the user to be rated has been performed, the control unit 101 proceeds to S906, and if it determines that an operation to vote for a favorable rating has not been performed, the control unit 101 proceeds to S908.

[0102] In S906, the control unit 101 stores (accumulates) information indicating that a favorable vote has been cast for the user to be rated in the memory 103. The control unit 101 also changes the state of the GUI 802 on the evaluation screen to a non-display state.

[0103] In S907, the control unit 101 determines whether an operation to transition to an evaluation screen related to the next first target user has been performed. If the control unit 101 determines that an operation to transition to an evaluation screen related to the next first target user has been performed, the control unit 101 returns the process to S904, and causes the display 110 to display an evaluation screen related to the associated first target user for the other user character that is next in the display order. On the other hand, if the control unit 101 determines that an operation to transition to an evaluation screen related to the next first target user has not been performed, the control unit 101 proceeds to S908.

[0104] In S908, the control unit 101 determines whether or not an operation has been performed to return to the evaluation menu screen 700. If the control unit 101 determines that an operation has been performed to return to the evaluation menu screen 700, the process returns to S903, and if the control unit 101 determines that an operation has not been performed, the process returns to S904.

[0105] On the other hand, if the item 702 is selected in S903, the control unit 101 displays on the display 110 in S909 a list display screen on which information about the characters registered in the evaluation user list is arranged.

[0106] In S910, the control unit 101 determines whether a selection operation has been performed on the information of any character on the list display screen. If the control unit 101 determines that a selection operation has been performed on the information of any character, the control unit 101 proceeds to S911, and if the control unit 101 determines that a selection operation has not been performed, the control unit 101 proceeds to S914.

[0107] In S911, the control unit 101 causes the display 110 to display an evaluation screen for the second target user (user to be evaluated) associated with the character selected in S910.

[0108] In S912, the control unit 101 determines whether an operation for voting a favorable rating for the user to be rated has been performed. The determination in this step is made based on whether an operation for selecting GUI 802 has been performed on the evaluation screen displayed in S911. If the control unit 101 determines that an operation for voting a favorable rating for the user to be rated has been performed, the control unit 101 proceeds to S913, and if it determines that an operation for voting a favorable rating has not been performed, the control unit 101 proceeds to S914.

[0109] In S913, the control unit 101 stores (accumulates) information indicating that a favorable vote has been cast for the user to be rated in the memory 103. The control unit 101 also changes the state of the GUI 802 on the evaluation screen to a non-display state.

[0110] In S914, the control unit 101 determines whether an operation to return to the list display screen has been performed. If the control unit 101 determines that an operation to return to the list display screen has been performed, the process returns to S910. If the control unit 101 determines that an operation to return to the list display screen has not been performed, the process proceeds to S915.

[0111] In S915, the control unit 101 determines whether or not an operation has been performed to return to the evaluation menu screen 700. If the control unit 101 determines that an operation has been performed to return to the evaluation menu screen 700, the process returns to S903, and if the control unit 101 determines that an operation has not been performed, the process returns to S912.

[0112] Furthermore, if a selection operation for item 703 is performed in S903, the control unit 101 determines in S916 whether or not evaluation information for one or more target users is stored in the memory 103. If the control unit 101 determines that evaluation information for one or more target users is stored, the control unit 101 proceeds to S917, and if it determines that evaluation information is not stored, the control unit 101 completes this evaluation function processing.

[0113] In S917, the control unit 101 completes the evaluation function process by transmitting the evaluation information stored in the memory 103 to the server 200 via the communication I / F 106 in a lump sum. The evaluation information transmitted in a lump sum in this step may include, for example, the user ID of the user (evaluating user) who uses the game device 100, and the user IDs of each of the target users who have been voted favorably by the evaluating user.

[0114] As described above, according to the game device of this embodiment, it is possible to avoid an increase in the processing load on the server and an increase in the frequency of communication between the game device and the server, while ensuring the interest of communication elements.

[0115] Depending on the number of users who have voted favorably for the rating user, the characters displayed on the list display screen may be partially or completely the same as the characters displayed on the list display screen when the rating function was most recently used. However, in such a case, even if the second target user has already voted favorably when the rating function was most recently used, the rating user list may be updated so that the second target user may be able to vote favorably again.

[0116] [Variation 1] In the above-described embodiment, the other user list is updated by an automatic update function, and its contents are described as changing from day to day, but the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the stability of communication between AP 300 and game device 100 decreases, or if a communication failure occurs in server 200 or network 400, the other user list may not be updated by the automatic update function.

[0117] In such a case, for example, the first target user will be the same as the previous day, which may reduce the interest of the social game and the interest of communication with the first target user in the evaluation function. For example, consider a case where the other user list is updated by the automatic update function at 10:00 p.m. on November 17th, and then the automatic update function fails to update the other user list between the evening of the 18th and the morning of the 19th. In this case, because the other user list was last updated at 10:00 p.m. on November 17th, as of the morning of the 19th, the information of the other user characters placed in the social area in the social game played on the 18th, i.e., the characters associated with the users who could be evaluated as the first target user in the evaluation function used on the 18th, remains unchanged. In other words, the evaluation elements related to the social game and the first target user on the 19th will be the same as those on the 18th, which may give the user of the game device 100 the impression of a lack of interest.

[0118] In this modification, the game device 100 is provided with a manual update function for manually updating the information in the other user list in response to an operation by the rating user. However, updating the information in the other user list using the manual update function may increase the frequency of communication between the game device 100 and, therefore, is not available without limit. The manual update function for the other user list is configured to be available only when a predetermined time has elapsed since the most recent update of the other user list, similar to updating the rating user list, so that it is only performed to the extent necessary to ensure the interest of the social game.

[0119] In one aspect, in order to create a daily appearance in which other user characters placed in the social area of ​​a social game change, a request to use the manual update function can be accepted on the condition that 22 hours or more have passed since the most recent update of the other user list. That is, the information update wait time, which is set in terms of limiting communication frequency, is managed independently for the time elapsed since the most recent update for each of the other user list and the rated user list. In the above example, since 22 hours have passed since 10:00 PM on November 17, on November 19, the manual update function becomes available, and the user can perform an operation related to the request to use the manual update function to update the contents of the other user list and use a different social game and rating function from November 18.

[0120] On the other hand, because automatic updates are performed without user involvement, it may be difficult for the user to determine whether or not to manually update the other user list. For this reason, in the game device 100 of this modified example, the control unit 101 determines whether or not it is necessary to prompt the user to update the information in the other user list using the manual update function, and if it is determined that an update is necessary, the control unit 101 notifies the user to update the information using the manual update function, thereby indicating the need for the update to the user.

[0121] Here, whether or not the state is such that an update of the information in the other user list using the manual update function should be prompted may be determined based on whether or not one of the following two conditions applies: The control unit 101 determines that the state is such that an update of the information in the other user list should be prompted if the information registered in the other user list is in the initial state (information about the default character), or if the information in the other user list was not updated the most recently when the time condition related to the automatic update function was satisfied.

[0122] By doing so, it is possible to ensure that the user has a favorable and enjoyable experience with the social game and, in particular, with the evaluation function related to the first target user.

[0123] However, in an embodiment where a manual update function is provided, as in this modified example, a user may overlook the notification prompting a manual update. For example, ratings may be generated for a first target user based on the other user list without a manual update and a second target user based on the rated user list, and the rating information may be transmitted in bulk to the server 200. In this case, if a user notices the notification after the bulk transmission and uses the manual update function to update the information in the other user list, it would be unreasonable to prevent the first target user from being rated based on the manually updated other user list on the grounds that one bulk transmission has already been performed for that day. More specifically, while the presence of other user characters registered in the other user list through this manual update can be temporarily confirmed in the social game, preventing the associated first target user from being rated in the rating function would limit the user's enjoyment, given that a subsequent automatic update function would result in a missed opportunity to rate the first target user. Therefore, the control of the bulk transmission of ratings for at least the first target user may be controlled so that it is possible to transmit the ratings in bulk when the other user list is updated, regardless of the time elapsed since the most recent bulk transmission.

[0124] [Variation 2] In order to continuously provide an element of interest in communication between users, it is preferable to provide a mechanism for users to continuously use the rating function. One aspect of such a mechanism can be realized, for example, by providing a supplementary element for a training game in which multiple thresholds are set for the cumulative rating number 652, which indicates the cumulative number of favorable votes for a user, and in-game elements are granted to the user each time a threshold is exceeded.

[0125] [Modification 3] In the above-described embodiment and modification, the evaluation target is the user so that the evaluation can be continued even when the character being developed by the user is replaced, for example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The evaluation target in the evaluation function can also be the character itself.

[0126] [Modification 4] In the above-described embodiment and modification, the game device 100 is described as being in the form of a portable toy and is connected to the server 200 by wireless communication, but the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this. It goes without saying that the game device 100 does not need to be in the form of a portable toy, and the communication connection with the server 200 may be made by wire.

[0127] [Summary of the Embodiments] The above-described embodiments disclose at least the following game device, program, and game system.

[0128] (1) A game device comprising: a storage means for storing information about a group of characters; an evaluation means for receiving a user's evaluation of each character of the group of characters whose information is stored in the storage means; a storage means for storing the evaluations received by the evaluation means for the group of characters; and a first transmission means for transmitting the evaluations stored in the storage means to a server in a lump sum.

[0129] (2) The game device described in (1), wherein the server holds information about the character group, the game device further includes an update means for acquiring the information about the character group from the server and updating the information about the character group stored in the storage means, and the evaluation means accepts an evaluation by the user regarding each character of the character group, on the condition that an update has been made by the update means.

[0130] (3) A game device as described in (2), further comprising: an execution means for executing a game in which a character associated with the user appears; and a second transmission means for transmitting information of the character associated with the user to the server, wherein the server stores information of the characters associated with each user; and the update means acquires information of characters associated with multiple other users from the server as information of the character group, and updates the information of the character group stored in the storage means.

[0131] (4) The game device described in (3), wherein the evaluation of each character of the character group is an evaluation of other users associated with the character, and the information of the character group includes information for identifying other users associated with each character.

[0132] (5) The game device described in (4), wherein the character group includes a first character group and a second character group, and the evaluation means receives an evaluation of at least one character of the first character group and the second character group from another user associated with the character.

[0133] (6) The game device described in (5), wherein the update means acquires information of the first character group from the server without the user's operation in response to a predetermined time condition being satisfied, and updates the information of the first character group among the information of the character group stored in the storage means.

[0134] (7) The game device described in (6) further comprises: a manual update means for causing the update means to obtain information of the first character group from the server in response to an operation by the user and update the information of the first character group among the information of the character group stored in the storage means; and a notification means for issuing a notification to prompt the manual update means to update the information in response to the information of the first character group stored in the storage means being in an initial state or the information of the first character group not being updated by the update means in response to the time condition being satisfied.

[0135] (8) The game device according to (6) or (7), wherein the information on the first character group includes information on characters associated with a predetermined number of other users selected by the server.

[0136] (9) A game device described in any one of (6) to (8), wherein the update means acquires information about the second character group from the server in response to an operation requesting the use of an evaluation function by another user, and updates the information about the second character group among the information about the character group stored in the storage means.

[0137] (10) A game device as described in (9), wherein, in response to the evaluations of other users being sent in bulk by the first sending means, evaluation information associating information for identifying the other users with information for identifying the user who made the evaluation is accumulated on the server, and the information of the second character group includes information of characters associated with a predetermined number of other users who made evaluations of the user.

[0138] (11) The game device described in (10), wherein the evaluation information further includes time information regarding the time when the corresponding evaluations were sent in bulk, and the update means, in response to an operation related to the usage request being performed, obtains from the server, as information on the second character group, information on characters associated with a predetermined number of other users who have evaluated the user based on a predetermined number of most recent evaluation information related to the user.

[0139] (12) The game device described in (11) further comprises a display control means for displaying an evaluation screen on a display means for accepting evaluations of other users, wherein the evaluation means accepts evaluations of other users associated with each character of the character group via the evaluation screen displayed on the display means.

[0140] (13) The game device according to (12), wherein the evaluation screen includes a display of the appearance of a character associated with the other user to be evaluated, introductory information about the character, and a GUI for receiving evaluations from the other user to be evaluated.

[0141] (14) The game device described in (13), wherein the introduction information includes at least one of information indicating a nickname of a character associated with the other user to be evaluated, information indicating a greeting message of the character, and information indicating an area within the game in which the character is active.

[0142] (15) The game device according to (13) or (14), wherein the display control means controls the GUI for accepting evaluations to be hidden on the evaluation screen related to the other user in response to the evaluation of the other user being accepted.

[0143] (16) A game device described in any one of (13) to (15), wherein the display control means further causes the display means to display a list display screen of multiple characters from the second character group, and, by selecting a character displayed on the list display screen, causes the display means to display the evaluation screen related to another user associated with that character.

[0144] (17) The game device according to (16), wherein the list display screen includes, for each character in the second character group, a simplified display of the character's appearance and information indicating the character's nickname.

[0145] (18) The game device according to (17), wherein the display control means further includes the time information corresponding to the other user to be evaluated on the evaluation screen displayed via the list display screen.

[0146] (19) A game device described in any one of (9) to (18), wherein the update means acquires information about the character group from the server and updates the information about the character group stored in the storage means, on the condition that a predetermined time has elapsed since the most recent update of the information about the character group.

[0147] (20) The game device according to (19), wherein the update means manages the time elapsed since the most recent update for each of the information of the first character group and the information of the second character group.

[0148] (21) The game device according to any one of (9) to (20), wherein the first character group appears in the game, while the second character group does not appear in the game.

[0149] (22) The game device according to (3), wherein the evaluation of each character of the character group is an evaluation of the character itself.

[0150] (23) The game device according to any one of (2) to (22), wherein the first transmission means transmits the evaluations stored in the storage means to the server in a batch, on the condition that a predetermined time has elapsed since the most recent batch transmission.

[0151] (24) The game device described in (23), wherein the first transmission means transmits the evaluations stored in the storage means in a lump, regardless of the time elapsed since the most recent lump transmission, in response to the information on the group of characters stored in the storage means being updated by the update means.

[0152] (25) A program for causing a computer to function as each means of the game device described in any one of (1) to (24).

[0153] (26) A game system including a game device and a server, wherein the game device comprises: a storage means for storing information about a group of characters; an evaluation means for receiving a user's evaluation of each character of the group of characters whose information is stored in the storage means; a storage means for storing the evaluations received by the evaluation means for the group of characters; and a first transmission means for transmitting the evaluations stored in the storage means to the server in a batch.

[0154] Other Embodiments The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention.

[0155] 100: Game device, 101: Control unit, 102: Storage device, 103: Memory, 104: GPU, 105: Operation I / F, 106: Communication I / F, 110: Display, 121: Character DB, 122: Item DB, 200: Server, 201: Server control unit, 202: Server storage device, 203: Server memory, 204: Server communication I / F, 211: User DB, 212: Rating DB, 300: AP, 400: Network

Claims

1. A game device comprising: a storage means for storing information about a group of characters; an evaluation means for receiving an evaluation by a user regarding each character of the group of characters whose information is stored in the storage means; a storage means for storing the evaluations received by the evaluation means regarding the group of characters; and a first transmission means for transmitting the evaluations stored in the storage means to a server in a lump sum.

2. The game device according to claim 1, wherein the server holds information about the group of characters, the game device further comprises an update means for acquiring the information about the group of characters from the server and updating the information about the group of characters stored in the storage means, and the evaluation means accepts an evaluation by the user regarding each character of the group of characters, on the condition that an update has been made by the update means.

3. The game device according to claim 2, further comprising: an execution means for executing a game in which a character associated with the user appears; and a second transmission means for transmitting information of the character associated with the user to the server, wherein the server accumulates information of the characters associated with each user; and the update means obtains information of characters associated with a plurality of other users from the server as information of the character group, and updates the information of the character group stored in the storage means.

4. A game device as described in claim 3, wherein the evaluation of each character of said character group is an evaluation of other users associated with said character, and the information of said character group includes information for identifying other users associated with each character.

5. A game device as described in claim 4, wherein the group of characters includes a first group of characters and a second group of characters, and the evaluation means accepts evaluations of at least one of the characters in the first group of characters and the second group of characters from other users associated with that character.

6. A game device as described in claim 5, wherein the update means acquires information of the first character group from the server in response to a predetermined time condition being satisfied, regardless of the user's operation, and updates the information of the first character group among the information of the character group stored in the storage means.

7. The game device according to claim 6, further comprising: manual update means for causing the update means to obtain information of the first character group from the server in response to an operation by the user, and updating the information of the first character group among the information of the character group stored in the storage means; and notification means for issuing a notification to prompt the manual update means to update the information in response to the information of the first character group stored in the storage means being in an initial state or the information of the first character group not being updated by the update means in response to the satisfaction of the time condition.

8. A game device according to claim 6, wherein the information on the first group of characters includes information on characters associated with a predetermined number of other users selected by the server.

9. A game device as described in claim 6, wherein the update means acquires information of the second character group from the server in response to an operation requesting the use of an evaluation function by another user, and updates the information of the second character group among the information of the character group stored in the storage means.

10. A game device as described in claim 9, wherein in response to evaluations of other users being transmitted in bulk by the first transmission means, evaluation information associating information for identifying the other users with information for identifying the user who made the evaluation is stored in the server, and the information of the second group of characters includes information of characters associated with a predetermined number of other users who have made evaluations of the user.

11. The game device described in claim 10, wherein the evaluation information further includes time information regarding the time when the evaluations were sent in bulk, and the update means, in response to an operation related to the usage request being performed, obtains from the server information on characters associated with a predetermined number of other users who have evaluated the user based on a predetermined number of most recent evaluation information related to the user, as information on the second character group.

12. The game device of claim 11, further comprising a display control means for causing a display means to display an evaluation screen for accepting evaluations of other users, wherein the evaluation means accepts evaluations of other users to which each character of the character group is assigned via the evaluation screen displayed on the display means.

13. A game device as described in claim 12, wherein the evaluation screen includes a display of the appearance of a character associated with the other user to be evaluated, introductory information about the character, and a GUI for accepting evaluations from the other user to be evaluated.

14. A game device as described in claim 13, wherein the introduction information includes at least one of information indicating a nickname of a character associated with the other user being evaluated, information indicating a greeting message for the character, and information indicating the area within the game in which the character is active.

15. A game device as described in claim 13, wherein the display control means controls the GUI for accepting evaluations on the evaluation screen relating to the other user to be evaluated to be hidden in response to the evaluation being accepted for the other user.

16. The game device of claim 13, wherein the display control means further causes the display means to display a list display screen of a plurality of characters from the second character group, and, upon selection of a character displayed on the list display screen, causes the display means to display the evaluation screen relating to another user associated with that character.

17. A game device according to claim 16, wherein the list display screen includes, for each character in the second character group, a simplified display of the character's appearance and information indicating the character's nickname.

18. A game device according to claim 17, wherein said display control means further includes, on said evaluation screen displayed via said list display screen, said time information corresponding to other users who are the subject of evaluation.

19. A game device as described in claim 9, wherein the update means obtains information about the character group from the server and updates the information about the character group stored in the storage means, on the condition that a predetermined time has elapsed since the most recent update of the information about the character group.

20. A game device according to claim 19, wherein said update means manages the time elapsed since the most recent update for each of the information of said first character group and the information of said second character group.

21. The game device according to claim 9, wherein the first group of characters appear in the game, while the second group of characters do not appear in the game.

22. The game device according to claim 3, wherein the evaluation of each character in the group of characters is an evaluation of the character itself.

23. A game device according to claim 2, wherein said first transmission means transmits the evaluations stored in said storage means to said server in a batch on the condition that a predetermined time has elapsed since the most recent batch transmission.

24. A game device as described in claim 23, wherein the first transmission means transmits the evaluations stored in the storage means in a lump sum in response to the information of the character group stored in the memory means being updated by the update means, regardless of the amount of time that has elapsed since the most recent lump sum transmission.

25. A program for causing a computer to function as each of the means of a game device according to any one of claims 1 to 24.

26. A game system including a game device and a server, wherein the game device is equipped with: a storage means for storing information about a group of characters; an evaluation means for receiving an evaluation by a user regarding each character of the group of characters whose information is stored in the storage means; a storage means for storing the evaluations received by the evaluation means for the group of characters; and a first transmission means for transmitting the evaluations stored in the storage means to the server in a batch.

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