Game system

Abstract

The progress of this game is controlled by characters having a plurality of abilities. According to an instruction from a player, the ability of a character selected as a rice cultivator is set to "nuka" (bran). When a character is selected as a consumer by the player, all or part of one or more abilities that are set to the nuka are assigned to the character as the consumer.

Description

Game System

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for managing parameters in a computer game.

[0002] Network games, which are popular on smartphones, are provided by accessing a platform built on a game server from a smartphone. Network games often focus on character development, cooperation or competition with other players, and collecting cards and items.

[0003] Character development often involves changing the character attribute values ​​associated with the character. Character attribute values ​​are generally defined as numerical values ​​that indicate a character's abilities or individuality, such as attack power, defense power, evasion ability (agility), poison resistance, and compatibility with other characters. Character attribute values ​​are an important game element in providing the enjoyment of growing a character and the enjoyment of experiencing the individuality of various characters. Games in which the character attribute values ​​of one character affect the character attribute values ​​of another character are also known (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] Patent No. 3286575

[0005] As mentioned above, character attribute values ​​are numerical values ​​that represent the abilities and individuality of a character, in other words, they are numerical values ​​that are inseparable from the character. The inventors have come to the conclusion that by treating the character attribute values ​​themselves independently, new excitement can be provided to computer games.

[0006] The present invention was completed based on the above-mentioned idea by the inventors, and its main purpose is to propose a new method for handling attribute values ​​attached to objects such as characters in computer games.

[0007] A game system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a game control unit that controls the progress of a game using characters having a plurality of character attribute values, and an attribute management unit that manages the character attribute values. The attribute management unit sets one or more of the plurality of character attribute values ​​of a first character to a saved object in accordance with instructions from a player, and when a second character is selected by the player as a transfer destination, sets all or part of the one or more character attribute values ​​set to the saved object to the second character.

[0008] According to the present invention, it becomes easier to provide players with new enjoyment based on attribute values ​​attached to objects such as characters.

[0009] 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the overall structure of game X. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining maturation and inheritance of abilities in rice cultivation mode. FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of a game system. FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of a game server. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of a game system. FIG. 5 is a data structure diagram of character information. FIG. 6 is a data structure diagram of rice information. FIG. 7 is a data structure diagram of ingredient information. FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram of maturation processing. FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram of inheritance processing. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of rice cultivation and maturation processing. FIG. 11 is a flowchart of inheritance processing.

[0010] This section will briefly explain the outline of the computer game (hereinafter referred to as "Game X") assumed in this embodiment, followed by a detailed description of the specific configuration and control method of the game system. Game X is a free-to-play (F2P) game that can be played on a smartphone or other device and allows multiple players to participate.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the overall structure of Game X. A player possesses multiple characters. Each character is assigned one or more abilities, and the individuality of the character is expressed by these various abilities. In Game X, "abilities" are a type of character attribute value, and are defined numerically as offensive power, defensive power, etc.

[0012] Game X includes a "rice cultivation mode (first game)" and an "exploration mode (second game)." In the rice cultivation mode, rice is cultivated by one or more characters. In the exploration mode, the characters explore the field and take on various missions, such as fighting enemy characters and searching for treasure.

[0013] Game X has a concept of time, and time passes as the game progresses. In rice cultivation mode, rice is harvested once a year, and brown rice is produced through processes such as threshing and hulling. The brown rice is then polished and separated into white rice (hereafter referred to as "rice") and bran. The main objective of rice cultivation mode is to produce rice and bran.

[0014] Characters can improve their abilities by eating rice (consumable objects). They can also improve their abilities by using bran (storage objects). Bran has the characteristics of "maturation (growth)" and "inheritance (transfer)" of abilities, but more details will be given later.

[0015] In Exploration Mode, characters take on various missions while making use of their unique abilities. In Exploration Mode, players can obtain items such as "ingredients." Also, when players acquire "spirits" in Exploration Mode, they can obtain new rice seeds. Furthermore, in Exploration Mode, players can also recruit new characters.

[0016] The amount of rice and bran produced (yield) varies depending on the type of rice (hereinafter simply referred to as "rice species"). As will be explained in more detail later, the tendency for abilities to change also differs depending on the rice species. In Game X, the player develops their character by obtaining spirits (medium objects) in Exploration Mode to increase the number of rice species, and by cultivating various types of rice in Rice Cultivation Mode.

[0017] In the following, we will focus on the production of rice and bran in rice farming mode, and the maturation and inheritance of abilities through bran. When referring to rice and bran together or when no particular distinction is made, we will use the term "rice, etc."

[0018] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the development and inheritance of abilities in rice farming mode. The player selects one or more characters (hereinafter referred to as "rice growers") to be in charge of rice farming from among the multiple characters they own. In Game X, up to four rice growers can be selected. In FIG. 2, characters Q1, Q2, and Q3 are selected as rice growers. As described above, one or more abilities 180 are associated with each character.

[0019] The bran 182 produced by characters Q1, Q2, and Q3 (rice farmers) is associated with all of the abilities 180 possessed by the three characters (hereinafter, this is also expressed as "abilities permeating the bran"). Even if the abilities 180 of the three characters are associated with the bran 182, characters Q1, Q2, and Q3 do not lose their abilities. In other words, the rice farmers' abilities permeating the bran means that the abilities are duplicated and stored in the bran 182.

[0020] The player is given one rice bran bed 184 in advance. The player throws rice bran 182 into the rice bran bed 184. A maximum of five types of rice bran 182 can be thrown into the rice bran bed 184.

[0021] When bran 182 is moved to bran spot 184, all of the abilities 180 that were permeated into bran 182 are associated with bran spot 184. The abilities 180 associated with bran spot 184 may increase in value within bran spot 184. The change in abilities 180 at bran spot 184 is called "maturation."

[0022] Next, the player selects an ingredient 186 (inheritance object), such as a cucumber, and instructs it to be inserted into the bran spot 184. At this time, a portion of the ability 180 associated with the bran spot 184 is associated with the ingredient 186 (hereinafter, this will also be expressed as "the ability is impregnated into the ingredient"). By inserting the ingredient 186, the bran 182 decreases. The player selects a character to feed the ingredient 186 (hereinafter, the character that eats the ingredient 186 will be referred to as the "consumer"). The portion of the ability 180 that has impregnated into the ingredient 186 is associated with the consumer. The ingredient 186 disappears. Through this process, the ability 180 of the rice grower (first character) matures in the bran 182 and is set as a new ability for the consumer (second character). Associating an ability 180 with a consumer is called "inheritance."

[0023] Characters other than the rice grower can challenge the exploration mode. That is, while the player is cultivating rice in the rice cultivation mode, other characters can challenge various missions in the exploration mode with members other than the rice grower.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of a game system 200. In the game system 200, a game server 100 and multiple game terminals 102a, 102b, 102c, ... 102n (hereinafter, collectively referred to as "game terminals 102" when referring to them collectively or when no distinction is made) are connected via the Internet 106. In this embodiment, the game terminals 102 are assumed to be smartphones. The game terminals 102 may be portable game consoles or general-purpose computers such as laptop PCs. The game terminals 102 and the Internet 106 are connected wirelessly, but may also be connected via a wired connection. Each game player is assigned a unique ID called a player ID in advance. The game server 100 provides game X to each game terminal 102.

[0025] 4 is a hardware configuration diagram of the game server 100. The game server 100 includes a storage 312 as a non-volatile memory for storing computer programs, a volatile memory 304 for expanding programs and data, and a processor 300 (CPU: Central Processing Unit) that incorporates registers, an arithmetic unit, an instruction decoder, etc. and reads and executes programs from the memory 304. The processor 300 is connected to a relatively high-speed first bus 302. In addition to the memory 304, a NIC (Network Interface Card) is connected to the first bus 302. Other devices such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) may also be connected to the first bus 302.

[0026] The first bus 302 is connected to a relatively slow second bus 310 via a bridge 308. In addition to a storage 312, an output device 316 such as a monitor or speaker is connected to the second bus 310. An input device 314 such as a mouse or keyboard, and a peripheral device 318 such as a printer may also be connected to the second bus 310.

[0027] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of a game system 200. The game system 200 includes a game server 100 and a game terminal 102. Each component of the game server 100 and the game terminal 102 is implemented by hardware, including computing units such as a CPU and various coprocessors, storage devices such as memory and storage, and wired or wireless communication lines connecting these components, as well as software stored in the storage devices and providing processing instructions to the computing units. Computer programs may also be configured by device drivers, an operating system, various application programs located above these, and libraries that provide common functions to these programs. The blocks described below represent functional blocks rather than hardware configurations. The game server 100 may include a web server, and the game terminal 102 may include a portable communication terminal with a web browser installed thereon.

[0028] (Game Server 100) The game server 100 includes a communication unit 112, a data processing unit 110, and a data storage unit 114. The communication unit 112 is responsible for communication processing with the game terminals 102 via the Internet 106. The data storage unit 114 stores various data. The data processing unit 110 executes various processes based on the data acquired by the communication unit 112 and the data stored in the data storage unit 114. The data processing unit 110 also functions as an interface between the communication unit 112 and the data storage unit 114.

[0029] The data storage unit 114 includes a game data storage unit 130 and a player data storage unit 132. The game data storage unit 130 stores the game program as well as setting information for Game X. The player data storage unit 132 manages various pieces of information related to the player.

[0030] The data processing unit 110 includes a player registration unit 116, a game control unit 124, and an attribute management unit 126. The player registration unit 116 accepts player registration from the game terminal 102 via the communication unit 112. When player registration is requested, the player registration unit 116 assigns a player ID to the player.

[0031] The game control unit 124 controls the basic progress of Game X. The game control unit 124 includes a first game control unit 120 that controls the progress of the rice cultivation mode (first game) and a second game control unit 122 that controls the progress of the exploration mode (second game). The attribute management unit 126 executes the processes related to maturation and inheritance described in relation to Figure 2. The attribute management unit 126 includes a maturation unit 152 that is responsible for maturation processing of abilities in rice bran, and an inheritance unit 154 that is responsible for processing related to the inheritance of abilities.

[0032] (Gaming Terminal 102) The gaming terminal 102 includes a user interface processing unit 136, a communication unit 134, a data processing unit 138, and a data storage unit 140. The user interface processing unit 136 includes an input unit 142 that accepts operations from the player and an output unit 144 that displays images and outputs audio. The output unit 144 includes a display unit 150 that displays various screens. The communication unit 134 is responsible for communication processing with the game server 100 and other gaming terminals 102 via the Internet 106. The data storage unit 140 stores various data. The data processing unit 138 performs various processes based on data acquired by the user interface processing unit 136 and the communication unit 134 and data stored in the data storage unit 140. The data processing unit 138 also functions as an interface between the user interface processing unit 136, the communication unit 134, and the data storage unit 140.

[0033] The data processing unit 138 includes a game execution unit 146. The game execution unit 146 controls the progress of game X in cooperation with the game server 100. The game execution unit 146 of the game terminal 102 may be formed as a software module downloaded from the game server 100 as part of the functions of the game control unit 124.

[0034] The communication unit 134 acquires various game information from the game server 100, and the display unit 150 displays a game screen on the game terminal 102. The input unit 142 detects various inputs by the player, and some of the input information is notified to the game server 100. In response to the input information, the data processing unit 138, and in particular the game execution unit 146, controls the progress of the game.

[0035] The player possesses the following: ・One or more characters ・Ingredients and other items ・Spirits captured in Exploration Mode (which become rice seeds) ・Rice and bran produced in Rice Cultivation Mode ・One Nukadoko

[0036] 6 is a data structure diagram of the character information 160. The character information 160 is stored in the game data storage unit 130. The character information 160 indicates the abilities of the character possessed by the player with player ID = P01 (hereinafter referred to as "player (P01)").

[0037] Characters have 11 types of abilities (character attribute values), A to K. The initial setting value (also called "basic abilities") for all 11 types of abilities is "1." Character abilities in Game X include attack power, defense power, evasion power, magic power, and exploration power (the ability to find items, etc.). In addition to basic abilities, characters are also set with unique abilities and inherited abilities. Unique abilities are abilities that do not change through inheritance, while inherited abilities are temporary abilities that may change through inheritance, but more details will be given later.

[0038] Each character is identified by a character ID (CID). The unique abilities of a character with CID = C01 (hereinafter referred to as "character (C01)") are ability A (+5) and ability B (+10), and the inherited abilities are ability C (+3) and ability F (+6). Therefore, ability A of character (C01) is "6" (1 (basic ability) + 5 (unique ability)). Similarly, ability B of character (C01) is "11 (= 1 (basic ability) + 10 (unique ability))", ability C is "4 (= 1 (basic ability) + 3 (inherited ability)), ability D is "1 (basic ability only)"...). Ability C of character (C02) is "1" for the basic ability, "+5" for the unique ability, and "+10" for the inherited ability, totaling "16 (= 1 + 5 + 10)." The attribute management unit 126 sets the character's abilities by adding both the unique ability and the inherited ability to the basic ability. In this way, the character's abilities are based on basic abilities and are set by both unchanging individuality defined by inherent abilities and flexible individuality defined as inherited abilities.

[0039] 7 is a data structure diagram of the rice information 170. The rice information 170 is stored in the game data storage unit 130. Rice species are identified by a species ID. The rice information 170 defines "ripening ability (storage attribute value)" and "production volume" as characteristics of the rice species.

[0040] The yield of brown rice, or in other words, the production volume of rice and bran, varies depending on the rice variety. According to the rice information 170 in FIG. 7, for example, the production volume of seed ID=R01 is "4." This means that if rice with seed ID=R01 is grown, four units of rice and four units of bran can be produced in one harvest. Bran quantity management will be described later with reference to FIG. 10, etc. In the following, rice produced from rice seed with seed ID=R01 will be referred to as "rice (R01)," and the rice and bran produced from rice (R01) will be referred to as "rice (R01)" and "bran (R01)," respectively.

[0041] The rice grower's abilities soak into the bran and mature in the bran spots. All abilities associated with bran spots change by "+1" with a 10% probability (hereafter referred to as the "maturation probability"). In other words, the bran's abilities do not necessarily change (grow) in a bran spot. As an example, suppose a certain bran (Rn) has an ability "K (+10)" associated with it. This ability "K (+10)" has a 10% probability of maturing and changing to the ability "K (+10)", but there is a 90% chance that it will not change.

[0042] The 10% maturation probability is the initial setting value. The growth of each ability (maturing probability) varies depending on the rice species, more specifically, the maturing power of the bran. For example, the maturing power of rice species (R01) is "A (20%)" and "B (30%)." In this case, in the bran (R01), ability A changes by "+1" at a 20% maturation probability, and ability B changes by "+1" at a 30% maturation probability. On the other hand, in the bran (R01), all abilities except A and B change at the initial setting maturation probability of 10%. In other words, the bran (R01) has the characteristic that abilities A and B are more likely to mature than other abilities. The maturing unit 152 determines whether each ability associated with the maturing bran can grow by lottery (hereinafter referred to as "maturing lottery") based on the maturing probability of the rice species. After the maturing lottery, the maturing unit 152 updates the value of each ability associated with the maturing bran (R01).

[0043] The maturation power of Nuka (R02) is 40% for ability B and 5% for ability F. In other words, Nuka (R02) has the characteristic that ability B increases very easily, while ability F increases more slowly than usual. In this way, the maturation of each ability changes depending on the maturation power of the Nuka. In other words, Nuka has a unique personality called maturation power.

[0044] The maturation of abilities also changes depending on the number of types of abilities associated with a Nukadoko. As mentioned above, Game X has 11 types of abilities available. When there are three or more but less than five types of abilities associated with a Nukadoko, the maturation unit 152 adds an additional 10% to the maturation probability. For example, in the case of Nuka (R01), the maturation probability of ability A is 30% (= 20 (base value) + 10 (additional value)), the maturation probability of ability B is 40% (= 30 (base value) + 10 (additional value)), the maturation probability of ability C is 20% (= 10 (base value (initial setting value)) + 10 (additional value)), etc.

[0045] The maturation unit 152 adds 20% to the maturation probability when there are five or more but less than eight types of abilities associated with a Nukadoko. When there are eight or more types of abilities associated with a Nukadoko, 40% is added to the maturation probability. In this way, the more diverse the abilities associated with a Nukadoko, the easier it is for abilities to increase (maturate), which is advantageous for the player.

[0046] Note that the player may feed the character (third character) rice, not just food ingredients. The player selects the character to which the player wants to feed the rice and the rice to be eaten via the input unit 142, and instructs the character to consume the rice. In this case, the inheritance unit 154 develops the character's abilities at a rate 0.1 times the probability set as the rice's maturation power. Since the maturation probability of ability A of bran (R01) is 20%, for example, when character (C01) is fed rice (R01) as is, the character's (C01) ability A increases by "+1" with a probability of 2% (= 20 × 0.1). When rice (R01) is eaten, the attribute management unit 126 decreases the remaining amount of rice (R01) by one unit. In this way, the character develops each ability by eating rice or food ingredients soaked in bran.

[0047] 8 is a data structure diagram of ingredient information 210. The ingredient information 210 is stored in the game data storage unit 130. The type of ingredient is identified by an ingredient ID. The ingredient information 210 defines the characteristics of the ingredient, namely, "attraction ability" and "absorption amount."

[0048] The amount of ability absorption and the ability that is easily absorbed (attraction ability) differ depending on the ingredient. The absorption amount of an ingredient with ingredient ID = F01 (hereinafter referred to as "ingredient (F01)") is "4". Therefore, when ingredient (F01) is inserted into a nut corner, up to four abilities out of the multiple abilities associated with the nut corner will be imbued into the ingredient (F01). More specifically, the player selects an ingredient and a consumer (character) and instructs the ingredient to be inserted into the nut corner. The inheritance unit 154 randomly selects abilities from one or more abilities imbued into the nut corner, that is, abilities equivalent to the absorption amount to be associated with the ingredient. The lottery to select the abilities to be associated with the ingredient is called the "absorption lottery."

[0049] The attraction abilities of ingredient (F01) are abilities B and E. This indicates that there is a high probability that abilities B and E will be associated with ingredient (F01) in the absorption lottery. The probability that a certain ability will be selected in the absorption lottery is called the "absorption probability." The absorption probability of abilities set as attraction abilities is set to a uniform 50%.

[0050] As an example, assume that each Nucadoko is associated with eight abilities of five types: ability A (+10), ability B (+20), ability C (+5), ability D (+10), ability A (+20), ability D (+10), ability B (+10), and ability E (+10). When an ingredient (F01: attraction abilities are B and E) is inserted into this Nucadoko 184, the inheritance unit 154 selects the attraction abilities B (+20), ability B (+10), and ability E (+10), each with an absorption probability of 50%. As a result, assume that two abilities, ability B (+20) and ability B (+10), are selected. Since the absorption amount of the ingredient (F01) is "4," the inheritance unit 154 selects the remaining two abilities from the six abilities other than ability B (+20) and ability B (+10) by absorption lottery.

[0051] The more absorbed an ingredient is, the more abilities it will absorb, giving the player an advantage. Also, since different ingredients absorb different abilities more easily, each ingredient can be given its own unique personality through its attraction ability.

[0052] Figure 9 is a conceptual diagram of the maturation process. Here, we will assume that characters (C01) and (C02) are selected as rice growers and grow rice using rice plants (R01). As explained in relation to Figure 6, character (C01) has ability A (+5) and ability B (+10) as unique abilities, and ability C (+3) and ability F (+6) as inherited abilities. Character (C02) has ability A (+3) and ability C (+5) as unique abilities, and ability C (+10) and ability G (+2) as inherited abilities.

[0053] The player selects a character (C01) and a character (C02) to be the rice growers from among the characters they own via the input unit 142. The first game control unit 120 executes the rice cultivation mode using the characters (C01) and (C02), and the maturation unit 152 registers a total of eight abilities of the two characters in association with the rice bran (R01). As explained in relation to Figure 7, the maturation power of the rice bran (R01) is A (20%) and B (30%), and the production volume is "4".

[0054] The player then instructs the player to set Nuka (R01) in Nukadoko. A total of five types of Nuka can be set in Nukadoko 184. The area in Nukadoko where Nuka can be set is called a "slot." Nuka (R01) is set in an empty slot in Nukadoko. The maturation unit 152 executes a maturation lottery at a predetermined timing before the ability is inherited. As a result of the maturation lottery, the ability associated with Nukadoko changes. In Figure 9, ability A (+5) associated with Nuka (R01) has changed to ability A (+6). In addition, ability B, ability F, etc. have also matured (grown).

[0055] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of the inheritance process. Assume that a total of 20 abilities are associated with the five types of bran set in the bran spot 184. Also assume that the player selects an ingredient (F01). The inheritance unit 154 executes an absorption lottery and selects four abilities from the 20 abilities associated with the bran spot. In FIG. 10, ability A (+6), ability B (+11), ability E (+4), and ability F (+10) have been selected. By inserting the ingredient (F01), the remaining amount of all bran in the bran spot decreases by one. For example, the maturation unit 152 changes the remaining amount of bran (R01) from "4" to "3." When the remaining amount of bran reaches "0," an empty slot appears.

[0056] Next, the player selects a character to be the consumer of the food ingredient (F01). Let us say that the player selects character (C01) as the consumer. The rice grower and the consumer may be the same person, or they may be different people. The inheritance unit 154 does not change the inherent ability of the character (C01: consumer), but overwrites the inherited ability with the ability imbued in the food ingredient (F01). As a result, the inherited abilities originally possessed by the character (C01), ability C (+3) and ability F (+6), are erased, and new inherited abilities are set as ability A (+6), ability B (+11), ability E (+4), and ability F (+10). After the inheritance, the food ingredient (F01) disappears.

[0057] Through the above process, the abilities of multiple rice growers are matured through a maturation lottery, then absorbed into ingredients through an absorption lottery, and passed on to the consumer (C01). When ingredients are inserted into the rice paddy, the bran decreases. When ingredients are consumed, they disappear. The character's growth can be changed by how the limited bran and ingredients are used.

[0058] 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of the rice cultivation and ripening process. First, the player selects a rice grower from the characters they own (S10). Next, they select a rice variety to breed (S12). The communication unit 134 transmits the character ID of the rice grower and the seed ID of the rice variety to the game server 100. The first game control unit 120 executes the rice cultivation process under the specified conditions (S14). Specifically, the rice cultivation process is divided into three periods: the rice planting period, the growing period, and the harvest period. As a result of the rice cultivation process, brown rice is produced, and rice and bran are produced by milling (S16). As described above, the properties of the rice and bran are determined by the rice variety.

[0059] The player places Nuka in an empty slot of Nukadoko. The maturation unit 152 executes a maturation lottery (S18). Depending on the result of the maturation lottery, the maturation unit 152 changes the ability included in Nukadoko (S20).

[0060] 12 is a flowchart of the inheritance process. The player selects a character to be the consumer (S30). Next, the player selects ingredients to soak in the nukadoko (S32). After selecting the ingredients, the inheritance unit 154 reduces the remaining amount of bran in all nukadoko by 1 (S34). The inheritance unit 154 changes the slot that previously held the depleted bran to an empty slot. The inheritance unit 154 then performs an absorption lottery to select an ability to infuse into the ingredients (S36). The inheritance unit 154 inherits the ability by associating the ability infused into the ingredient with the inherited ability of the consumer (S38). The ingredient disappears.

[0061] [Summary] The game system 200 has been described above based on the embodiment. The game system 200 of this embodiment can provide new enjoyment to the player through the attribute values ​​(abilities) attached to objects such as characters. Specifically, the player can have the rice farmer's abilities inherited by the consumer through the rice bran. By conveying the rice farmer's abilities to the consumer, the player can enjoy raising the consumer as the rice farmer's successor.

[0062] By using multiple characters as rice growers, it is possible to imbue the bran with various abilities. The abilities imbued in the bran increase through a maturation lottery. This control method allows players to enjoy not only growing rice, but also cultivating abilities through the bran. By giving the bran the role of not only an intermediate medium for inheriting abilities, but also a culture tank for cultivating abilities, it is possible to give the bran its own unique purpose and value.

[0063] By conducting the maturation lottery, players hope for the possibility of developing abilities. In this embodiment, the more diverse and abundant bran is put into a Nukadoko and the more types of abilities can be associated with the Nukadoko, the easier it is for abilities to be developed. For this reason, it is advantageous for players to develop a variety of characters rather than favoring only a specific character. By encouraging players to develop a variety of characters, players can more deeply experience the world of Game X. By selecting a character with a particularly rare ability as a rice grower, it becomes easier to increase the types of abilities that can be associated with the Nukadoko. As a result, characters with rare abilities, even if they are less useful, can have value.

[0064] Depending on the rice species, the bran is endowed with a variety of maturation abilities. Since the way abilities develop changes depending on the bran, it provides strategic enjoyment by considering which abilities should be prioritized to advance advantageously through Game X, and which rice species should be used for rice cultivation to achieve this. For example, a player who believes that improving exploration ability is necessary to complete a certain mission will decide to cultivate a rice species that is easy to improve exploration ability.

[0065] Since the absorption probability varies depending on the ingredient, selecting ingredients can also be a uniquely enjoyable experience. There is a finite amount of bran, and soaking ingredients in bran reduces the amount of bran. Therefore, it is not guaranteed that an ability imbued in the bran will be imbued into the ingredients. For example, if a certain ability G is imbued in the bran, but this ability G does not imbue the ingredients, the inheritance of ability G will not be realized. Whether or not the desired ability can be successfully inherited is determined by an absorption lottery, which can increase the player's anticipation for the absorption lottery. Since the absorption probability can be changed depending on the ingredient, it can stimulate the desire to acquire new ingredients in exploration mode.

[0066] By eating ingredients, the consumer can inherit the abilities that were imbued in the bran. However, the consumer loses the inherited abilities that they originally had. When a consumer eats ingredients, it has both the benefit of being able to inherit new abilities and the drawback of losing existing abilities. When feeding ingredients to a character, the consumer must weigh the advantages and disadvantages mentioned above, which adds to the strategic nature of the game. On the other hand, the consumer's inherited abilities are overwritten, but their unique abilities are not. By protecting a character's basic characteristics as unique abilities, the game is designed to make it easier to protect the character's identity (basic personality).

[0067] The player can also improve the abilities of the character (consumer) by feeding it rice. The player can improve the character little by little using rice, or can improve the character greatly using bran.

[0068] In exploration mode, players can enjoy using their character's abilities to complete missions. In other words, the results of their cultivation in rice cultivation mode are tested in exploration mode. By obtaining spirits in rice cultivation mode, players can increase the number of rice species that can be cultivated. Increasing the number of rice species increases the freedom of rice cultivation mode. This game structure allows for gameplay in which rice cultivation mode and exploration mode mutually influence each other.

[0069] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and the components can be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. Various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining multiple components disclosed in the above-described embodiments and modifications. Furthermore, some components can be omitted from all the components shown in the above-described embodiments and modifications.

[0070] Although the game system 200 has been described as being configured with multiple game terminals 102 and one game server 100, some of the functions of the game terminal 102 may be realized by the game server 100, or some of the functions of the game server 100 may be assigned to the game terminal 102. Furthermore, a third device other than the game terminal 102 or the game server 100 may perform some of the functions of the game server 100 or the game terminal 102. The collection of the functions of the game terminal 102 and the functions of the game server 100 described in FIG. 5 can also be broadly understood as a single "information processing device (game device)." How the multiple functions necessary to realize the present invention are allocated to one or more pieces of hardware may be determined in consideration of the processing capabilities of each piece of hardware, the specifications required for the game system 200, and the like.

[0071] [Modification] In this embodiment, the abilities of a character who will be a rice grower are inherited by a character who will be a rice consumer via bran and ingredients. The characters from which the abilities are inherited may be the same or different. For example, a character's abilities may be associated with bran, and the abilities may be matured using the bran, and the matured abilities may then be returned to the same character.

[0072] The inheritance unit 154 may directly inherit the abilities of character Q1 to another character Q2 without going through a nuka or the like. Specifically, when the player selects character Q1 as the inheritance source and character Q2 as the inheritance destination, the inheritance unit 154 may set all or part of the abilities of character Q1 to character Q2 as is.

[0073] Characters may be prepared that do not have inherent abilities and only have inherited abilities. Such characters have all of their abilities rewritten through inheritance, resulting in characters with little individuality and a high degree of freedom in growth. Alternatively, characters may be prepared that do not have inherited abilities and only have inherent abilities. Such characters do not have their abilities rewritten through inheritance, so they maintain a strong identity and act as inheritors, sharing their abilities with other characters.

[0074] The maturation ability of bran may vary not only depending on the rice variety but also on the rice grower. For example, assume that character Q1 has "ability A" set as its cultivation ability. When character Q1 becomes a rice grower of rice (R01), the maturation unit 152 may increase the maturation ability of bran (R01) from "ability A (+20)" to "ability A (+22)." In other words, by becoming a rice grower, character Q1 can create bran that is easy to mature with ability A.

[0075] Alternatively, the maturation power of the bran may be increased by the inherent ability of character Q1. For example, if character Q2 has the inherent ability of "ability B (+10)," the maturation unit 152 may increase the maturation power of the bran for ability B. According to this control method, the maturation power changes depending on not only the rice species but also the ability of the rice grower, allowing for more strategic decisions when selecting a rice grower.

[0076] A character may be assigned rice cultivation ability as one of its abilities. When a character with high rice cultivation ability is selected as a rice grower, the first game control unit 120 may increase the amount of rice and bran produced.

[0077] In this embodiment, it has been described that a consumer who inherits abilities imbued in ingredients has all of their inherited abilities reset (overwritten) by the abilities imbued in the ingredients. As a variant, an item (hereinafter referred to as a "protective material") that prevents the inherited abilities from being overwritten may be prepared. For example, the inherited abilities of a character (C02) are ability A (+4) and ability B (+6) (see FIG. 6). It is assumed that the player applies a protective agent to the ability A (+4) of the character (C02).

[0078] Next, suppose that ability B (+3) and ability E (+10) are inherited to this character (C02). In this case, the inheritance unit 154 may leave ability A (+4) with a protective agent set, and set the inherited abilities of character (C02) to ability A (+4), ability B (+3), and ability E (+10). The player can prevent the loss of the original inherited abilities due to inheritance by using the protective agent. The second game control unit 122 may grant the player a protective agent when the player completes a predetermined mission in the exploration mode. Alternatively, the protective agent may be produced using a predetermined amount of rice.

[0079] Some abilities may be "locked" in advance to indicate that they cannot be inherited. For example, suppose rare ability F is locked. When character (C04) is selected as a rice grower, ability F (+11), which is a unique ability of character (C04), is locked and does not soak into the bran. As a result, ability F (+11) cannot be inherited by other characters. By locking ability F and preventing it from being inherited, the rarity of ability F can be maintained.

[0080] An item for unlocking the ability (hereinafter referred to as an "unlocking material") may be prepared. When a player applies the unlocking material to the ability F (+11) of the character (C04), the inheritance unit 154 unlocks the ability F (+11). The second game control unit 122 may provide a unlocking agent to the player when a predetermined mission is accomplished in the exploration mode. Alternatively, the first game control unit 120 may convert a predetermined amount of rice into a unlocking agent in response to a command from the player. Instead of using a unlocking agent, the first game control unit 120 may unlock the ability for a predetermined period after a predetermined mission is accomplished in the exploration mode. Alternatively, all or part of the lock may be unlocked during a campaign period set by the operator of the game server 100.

[0081] In this embodiment, it has been described that rice seeds can be increased by acquiring spirits. In addition to providing new rice seeds through the spirits, the first game control unit 120 may change the attributes (such as ripening ability) of existing rice seeds. The first game control unit 120 may convert one rice seed into another through the spirits. A new rice variety may be generated by crossbreeding two rice varieties. For example, when a player selects rice (R01) and rice (R02), the first game control unit 120 may generate rice seed (R03). Since a player can generate new varieties by combining various rice varieties, the game provides the player with the fun of researching new varieties. The player may find new rice seeds in the exploration mode and have the spirits possess these seeds. In other words, the player can increase the number of rice seeds by finding new rice seeds.

[0082] In this embodiment, it has been explained that one type of nuka can be inserted into each slot of the nuka doko. In other words, there is no limit to the amount of nuka that can be inserted into one slot. As a variant, it is also possible to insert only up to a predetermined limit amount of nuka into each slot. For example, suppose the limit amount per slot is three units. If there are five units of nuka (R01), the player needs to distribute the nuka (R01) among two or more slots.

[0083] The second game control unit 122 may increase the number of slots in Nukadoko when the player completes a predetermined mission in the exploration mode. Alternatively, the second game control unit 122 may provide an item that increases the number of slots.

[0084] When a character has multiple abilities of the same type, the attribute management unit 126 may reduce the effect of these abilities. For example, suppose that character (C06) has ability A (+10) and ability A (+6). In this case, the attribute management unit 126 may set the average ability A (+8) for character (C06) rather than ability A (+16 (=10+6)). According to this control method, having multiple abilities A of the same type can prevent a character's ability A from standing out. Since concentrating abilities of the same type on one character is disadvantageous to the player, the player can be made to act in such a way that a single character is assigned a variety of abilities.

[0085] In this embodiment, it has been described that all of the rice grower's abilities are imbued into the bran. As a variation, the maturing unit 152 may imbue only some of the rice grower's abilities into the bran. For example, when the character (C01) is a rice grower, the maturing unit 152 may randomly select a predetermined number of abilities, for example, two abilities, from the four types of abilities possessed by the character (C01) (see FIG. 6) and imbue them into the bran. Alternatively, the maturing unit 152 may imbue only the rice grower's inherited abilities into the bran.

[0086] Although it has been explained that abilities are inherited through bran, bran holes, and ingredients, some of these three types of media may be omitted.

[0087] Although the description has been given of the inheritance source abilities being inherited after maturing (increasing) in Nuka, the abilities may also deteriorate in Nuka. Specifically, the maturation unit 152 may increase the values ​​of some abilities associated with Nuka and decrease the values ​​of other abilities through a maturation lottery. Alternatively, the maturation unit 152 may eliminate some of the multiple abilities associated with Nuka with a predetermined probability. This control method, which involves the risk of deterioration or disappearance of abilities during maturation, can further enhance the player's sense of accomplishment and relief when abilities are strengthened in Nuka.

[0088] The maturation unit 152 may execute the maturation lottery when the ingredients are soaked in bran or when the character eats the ingredients. In this way, the maturation lottery may be executed at any timing before the inheritance.

[0089] The growth of a bran's ability may vary depending on the length of time. For example, the longer it takes for an ability associated with bran to be inherited via ingredients, the more the maturation unit 152 may grow the ability. For example, if bran is associated with ability A (+5), the maturation unit 152 may add "+0.5" to ability A every time one month passes in game X. According to this control method, the longer the inheritance of the ability is delayed, the more the ability grows, and the player will therefore be more excited about the maturation of the ability.

[0090] Abilities do not need to increase linearly over time. For example, the growth rate of an ability may increase or decrease over time, or the growth rate of an ability may change (increase or decrease) after a predetermined period of time (e.g., three months).

[0091] The more types of abilities stored in Nukadoko, the more advantageous the maturation lottery will be for the player. In this embodiment, it has been explained that the more types of abilities there are, the higher the possibility that an ability will grow. As a variant, the more types of abilities there are, the greater the amount of growth when an ability grows. For example, ability A (+10) associated with Nuka increases to ability A (+11) with a 10% maturation probability. Here, when there are five or more types of abilities stored in Nukadoko, the maturation unit 152 may grow ability A (+10) to ability A (+15) with a 10% maturation probability. It is up to the player how to set the maturation lottery to be advantageous when there are many types of abilities stored in Nukadoko.

[0092] In the above description, the bran is set with an attribute called maturation power that makes it easier to develop specific abilities. Alternatively, the bran may be set with an attribute that makes it easier to develop all abilities, or an attribute that does not change the maturation probability but increases abilities more than usual when maturation is successful.

[0093] The second game control unit 122 may provide the player with an item (hereinafter referred to as a "modifier") that changes the properties of the bran when the player completes a predetermined mission in the exploration mode. Suppose the player selects a modifier (ability C (10%)) and applies it to the bran (R01). At this time, the maturation unit 152 adds ability C (10%) to the bran (R01) as a maturation power. This control method can further deepen the player's enjoyment of the exploration mode.

[0094] In Game X, the character's abilities can be increased by feeding the character rice. As a variation, the method of increasing the character's abilities may be changed depending on the combination of rice and ingredients (menu). For example, when the character eats dish P, which combines rice with ingredients (cucumber) and ingredients (daikon radish), the character may be granted an inherited ability D (+3). This control method allows the player to enjoy not only rice cultivation but also cooking research.

[0095] Although the production volume of rice and bran is determined by the rice variety, the production volume may vary depending on other factors. The first game control unit 120 may vary the production volume of rice, etc., depending on various factors such as rice cultivation capacity, climate (temperature, precipitation, typhoons), and public safety. Similarly, the maturation ability of bran may be affected by factors other than rice variety. For example, the first game control unit 120 may change rice with a maturation ability of A (20%) to A (40%) with a predetermined probability, e.g., a 1% success probability. With this control method, the player can expect the possibility of producing good bran even with ordinary rice (mutation effect).

[0096] Some rice varieties may be resistant to disasters such as cold weather damage and insect damage, in other words, may have the characteristic of being less susceptible to declines in production even when disasters occur. By setting such resistance parameters for rice varieties, the player is forced to decide whether to grow rice that can be expected to have good ripening power but is at high risk of disaster, or rice that can be expected to have stable production but not good ripening power, which can further deepen the interest of the rice cultivation mode.

[0097] The bran may be used as a fertilizer, and soil amendments using the bran may affect the quality (yield and / or maturity) of the following year's rice.

[0098] Foodstuffs that can and cannot be eaten may be set in advance for each character. For example, a character (C05) may be able to eat a cucumber and inherit abilities from it, but may not be able to eat a tomato. The character's likes and dislikes may be set to express the character's individuality.

[0099] A character's personality may be defined by attributes other than abilities. For example, a character's eye color, height, etc. may be inherited by another character. In addition, one character's clothing or equipment may be inherited by another character.

[0100] In this embodiment, a "character" may refer to a human, animal, robot, etc. in a narrow sense, or to any object in general, including weapons and items, in a broad sense. For example, it is possible for the attributes of an object called an item to be inherited by another object. As an example, the abilities of a certain character may be inherited by a weapon via a medium such as nuka.

[0101] The method of utilizing "attribute values ​​attached to objects" in this embodiment can also be applied to games other than those based on rice cultivation, such as Game X. For example, in a simulation game, abilities (such as leadership skills or close combat abilities) may be passed on from General A to his successor, General B, via a scroll (storage object) corresponding to Nuka. Or, in a fighting game, abilities may be passed on from character C1 owned by player P1 to character C2 owned by friend player P2 via a time capsule (storage object) corresponding to Nuka.

Claims

1. A game system comprising: a game control unit that controls the progress of a game using characters having multiple character attribute values; and an attribute management unit that manages the character attribute values, wherein the attribute management unit sets one or more of the multiple character attribute values ​​of a first character to a saved object in accordance with instructions from a player; and when a second character is selected by the player as a transfer destination, sets all or part of the one or more character attribute values ​​set to the saved object to the second character.

2. A game system as described in claim 1, wherein the attribute management unit changes all or part of the one or more character attribute values ​​set in the saved object before setting them in the second character.

3. A game system as described in claim 1, wherein the attribute management unit changes the character attribute values ​​set in the saved object to be more advantageous to the player as the number of different character attribute values ​​set in the saved object increases.

4. A game system as described in claim 2, wherein the stored object is associated with a stored attribute value, and the attribute management unit changes the one or more character attribute values ​​based on the stored attribute value of the stored object.

5. The game system described in claim 4, wherein the game control unit includes a first game control unit that controls the progress of the first game using one or more characters selected by a player, and the first game control unit generates a saved object in the first game and sets saved attribute values ​​of the saved object based on character attribute values ​​of the one or more characters that have participated in the first game.

6. The game system described in claim 4, wherein the game control unit further includes a second game control unit that controls the progress of the second game to complete a predetermined mission based on the character attribute values ​​of one or more characters, and the first game control unit changes the stored attribute values ​​of stored objects generated by the first game using medium objects obtained as a result of executing the second game.

7. The game system described in claim 1, wherein the game control unit includes a first game control unit that controls the progress of the first game using one or more characters selected by a player, and the first game control unit generates the saved objects and consumable objects in the first game, and when a third character selected by the player is selected as a target for application of the consumable objects, changes the character attribute value of the third character.

8. The game system of claim 1, wherein the game control unit includes a first game control unit that controls the progress of a first game using one or more characters selected by a player, and the first game control unit generates the saved object with a production amount based on the one or more characters that participated in the first game, and reduces the saved object when setting a character attribute value set in the saved object to the second character.

9. A game system as described in claim 1, wherein the attribute management unit selects by lottery a character attribute value to be set for the second character from one or more character attribute values ​​set in the saved object.

10. The game system described in claim 1, wherein the attribute management unit, when the player selects an inheriting object as a transfer destination, selects one or more character attribute values ​​from one or more character attribute values ​​set in the saved object and sets the selected character attribute values ​​to the inheriting object, and when the player selects the second character as a transfer destination from the inheriting object, sets the character attribute values ​​saved in the inheriting object to the second character.

11. A game system as described in claim 10, wherein the attribute management unit changes both the type and number of character attribute values ​​set from the saved object to the inheriting object depending on the type of the selected inheriting object.

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