U.S. Pat. No. 10,162,652

EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the invention is now explained, referring to appended drawings.

A video game apparatus1as a computer to which the present invention is applied has a main controller2, as shown inFIG. 1. A game program memory5, a field development section6, a map development section7, a language skill controller9, a controller10, a display11, a game progress controller12and a game image producer13are connected with the main controller2via a bus line3.

Respective blocks of the main controller2, the game program memory5, the field development section6, the map development section7, the language skill controller9, the game progress controller12and the game image producer13that comprises the video game apparatus1as shown inFIG. 1are typically shown for easily understanding the present invention, but actually function as a computer comprising a CPU, a memory and various kinds of control programs. The video game apparatus1executes a part of a game program PRO that is mentioned hereinafter, so that the CPU of the video game apparatus1time-dividedly functions as respective function blocks ofFIG. 1, but may be also configured such that the respective function blocks as shown inFIG. 1are dedicated hardware and/or software.

The video game apparatus1has the above-mentioned configuration. When a player plays the game with the video game apparatus1, the main controller2displays a predetermined game image IM on the display11through the game progress controller12, the game image producer13and the like based upon the game program PRO stored in the game program memory5via wireless, a communication line, such as a cable, or memory elements with a well-known method, so that a play environment of the game is regulated.

In order to do so, a field FLD where a player character can move based upon the game program PRO is produced in a three dimensional virtual space produced in a memory space in the game image producer13, and objects, such as a river BJ1, a ground BJ2, a tree BJ3, a player character PC and the like, are located on the field FLD based upon the game program PRO, as shown inFIG. 2. In such a state, a two dimensional image is produced and the game image IM is displayed on the display11through a rendering process from a proper position in the three dimensional space with a virtual camera. Such an image generating technology with CG is well known and the explanation is not mentioned.

As shown inFIG. 2, the field development section locates monuments MN as two or more item disclosure objects and sentence items ST as objects at predetermined positions of the field FLD through the game image producer13based upon the game program PRO, and as shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, specific identification numbers MN, LN are attached to the respective monuments MN and the sentence items ST that are controlled by the game progress controller12through the game program PRO. The objects on the field, the monument MN and the sentence item ST, have various kinds of shapes. For instance, the monument MN has a shape of a stone, and one of two sentence items ST has a shape of a document case and the other has a shape of a book in case ofFIG. 2.

Many other items (not shown) are located on the field FLD through the field development section6. By setting of the game program PRO, the player character PC that is operated by the player through the controller10freely obtains these items, and the obtained items can be used in various ways for the progress of a scenario.

The player character PC can freely move on the field FLD through an operation of the controller10, and during the movement, the player character is able to access the monument MN or the sentence item ST through the operation of the player. The game progress controller12executes a language skill control program LSC inFIG. 8that is a part of the game program PRO while the player character PC moves on the field FLD so as to control a scenario development of the language skill of the player character PC. The game progress controller always monitors a distance between the player character PC and the each sentence item ST on the field FLD, in Step S1of the language skill control program LSC. When the player character PC approaches some sentence item ST on the field within a predetermined distance, the program enters Step S2, and a predetermined notice sign informing the player that the sentence item ST exists on the field is indicated on the display11. Such signs are indicated by changing a color of the sentence item ST, changing its brightness and saturation, and displaying specific signs, such as arrows and stars, near the sentence item ST. If the existence of the sentence item ST on the field FLD is clear, it is not necessary to indicate such a notice sign specifically.

In a case where the notice sign informing that the sentence item ST exists near the player character PC moving on the field FLD is displayed (or the player character PC approaches the sentence item ST within a predetermined distance) and the player wishes to read the sentence item ST, the player instructs to do an approach action, reading the sentence item ST through the operation of the controller10. If the player does not operate the controller, that is, does not input the approach action, the sentence item ST is not read by the player character PC.

As shown inFIG. 5, the sentence items ST on the field FLD are controlled by a sentence item control table TB1, and identification numbers LN, kinds of language. LK showing to which language the sentence item ST correspond, position coordinates CT of the sentence items ST indicated on field FLD, image file names IM indicating graphic images of the sentence items ST on the field FLD and texts TX mentioned in the sentence items ST as game information are set and stored for the respective sentence items ST located on the field FLD in the sentence item control table TB1. The identification numbers LN are indicated with L001, L002. . . , and the kinds of language LK are one or more foreign languages, such as Greek, Russian and Latin (in this case, the foreign languages are languages excluding one usually used at a place where the player lives). The position coordinates CT are indicated with X, Y and Z three dimensional coordinates set on the field FLD, and the graphic image files IM are file names IM01, IM02. . . that store image data showing the sentence items ST in the game program memory5, such as graphic images of a book, a box and the like) and the texts TX are concrete contents mentioned in the sentence item ST and such contents are stored in the form of text data. Such a text TX is expressed with native language that the player can understand or with the language of a country where the game apparatus1is sold (for instance, the texts ST mentioned (stored) in the sentence item ST of L001that is set as Greek and the sentence item ST of L002that is set as Russian are expressed with one kind of language that the player can understand that is referred to as “the common understanding language” hereinafter in spite of the set kind of language LK), in spite of the setting of the kind of language LK of each sentence item ST. The common understanding language are English and Japanese, for instance. Even if the sentence item ST is set as the kind of language LK that the player is not able to understand, the contents of the sentence item ST is indicated with the common understanding language the player is able to understand in such a setting. In other words, the kind of language LK that is set on the sentence item ST is different from the kind of language of the text TX stored therein.

When the language skill control program LSC judges in Step S3that the player instructs the player character PC to read the sentence item ST on the field FLD through the controller10, the game progress controller12enters Step S4and performs a process of specifying the identification number LN of the sentence item ST that the player character is going to read on the field FLD, referring to the sentence item control table TB1. After specifying the identification number LN of the sentence item ST, the program enters Step S5, and performs a process of reading out the text TX corresponding to the sentence item ST of the identification number LN and displaying on the display11through the game image producer13. As already mentioned, the text TX is indicated by the common understanding language that the player is able to understand, and the player is able to easily understand the contents.

When indicating the text TX of the sentence item ST that the player instructed to read on the display11, the language skill controller9enters Step S6of the language skill control program LSC and performs a process of rewriting and updating the contents of the language skill table TB2for the player that is stored in the game program memory5, by adding a predetermined point to a skill point for the kind of language Lk that is set on the sentence item ST. That is, language skill of the player is stored in the language skill table TB2for each kind of language LK, as shown inFIG. 7. And, the language skill controller9performs such an improvement process that by reading many sentence items ST that are located on the field FLD, a predetermined point is added to the skill point for the language shown in the kind of language LK that is set on the sentence item ST so as to improve the language skill. The player's present language skill is stored in the language skill table TB2for each kind of language LK as an accumulated value PT of and a skill level LV of the present language skill, and when the accumulated value PT reaches a predetermined value, the integrated value PT is reset to “0 (zero)”, and the skill level LV is only “1 (one)” elevated.

The player's language skill is determined by the skill level LV for each kind of language LK that is shown in the language skill table TB2stored in the program memory5for the player, and this skill level LV determines whether an approach sign mentioned in two or more monuments MN that are located on the field FLD is possible to be decoded or not.

That is, as shown inFIG. 2, two or more monuments MN are located, as already mentioned, and each monument MN is controlled by a monument table TB3stored in the game program memory5, as shown inFIG. 4. The monument table TB3stores identification number MN dedicated for each monument MN, disclosure item DI, kind of language LK, language level GL, decoding flag FL and coordinate position of the monument on the filed FLD (not shown). The language skill controller9controls through a decoding control program KPR comprising the game program PRO in such a way that in order for the player to access each monument MN, it is necessary for the player to have the language skill is the same as the level set on the language level GL or higher regarding the language set on each monument MN.

That is, the language skill controller9controls the player character's decoding of the approach sign of each monument, such letter information, based upon the decoding control program KPR as shown inFIG. 9. In Step S51, the distance between the player character PC and each monument on the field FLD is always monitored, and if the player character PC approaches some monument MN on the field FLD within a predetermined distance, the program enters Step S52and the notice sign informing the player that the monument MN exists on the field FLD is displayed on the display11. Such signs are indicated by changing a color of the monument MN, changing its brightness and saturation, and displaying specific signs, such as arrows and stars, near the monument MN. If the existence of the monument MN on the field FLD is clear, it is not necessary to indicate such a notice sign specifically.

In a case where the sign informing that the monument MN exists near the player character PC moving on the field FLD is displayed (or the player character PC approaches the monument MN within a predetermined distance) and the player wishes to access the monument MN, the player instructs to access the monument MN through the operation of the controller10. If the player does not operate the controller, the player character PC does not access the monument MN.

When the reading control program KPR judges in Step S53that the player instructed the player character PC to access the monument MN on the field FLD through the controller10, the program enters Step S54, the game progress controller12specifies the monument MN that the player character PC is going to read on the field FLD from the coordinate position of the player character PC on the field FLD, referring to the monument table TB3as shown inFIG. 4. After specifying the monument MN, the game progress controller12judges the kind of language LK and the language level GL of the specified monument MN in Step S55of the reading control program KPR, referring to the monument table TB3, and judges in Step S56whether the present skill level LV of the player character PC is the same as the language level GL set on the monument MN or higher regarding the language shown in the kind of language LK. For instance, the monument MN which identification number MN is M001is Greek as the kind of language LK and2as the language level GL, and the present skill level LV of Greek of the player character PC is2fromFIG. 7, so that the game progress controller12judges the player character PC is able to access the monument MN.

After judging the accessibility to the monument MN, the game progress controller12executes an access process mentioned hereinafter and enters Step S57, and instructs the field development section6and the map development section7to execute such a disclosure process that items IT005, IT008and IT090stored in the disclosure item DI column of the monument table TB3that correspond to the identification number MN, M001, are located and displayed on the field and a map. At the same time, the game progress controller12causes the game image producer13to display an access image where the player character PC is reading the sentence shown in the monument MN as shown inFIG. 6, and to display corresponding letter information LI and the like. In this case, the letter information and the like may be indicated by outputting audio information, such as sounds (not shown) as well as with the image on the display11.

Regarding the items instructed to be displayed, such as IT005, IT008and IT090, the field development section6locates and develops the respective items IT005, IT008and IT090on the field FLD as objects as shown inFIG. 2and the map development section7locates the respective disclosed items IT005, IT008and IT090on a two-dimensional map MAP obtained by two-dimensionally developing the three-dimensional field FLD, corresponding to the located positions on the field FLD, and displays these on the display11as shown inFIG. 3. The respective items on the map MAP may be indicated by changing their indication forms according to the kind of the item. In a case ofFIG. 3, the kinds of the respective items IT005, IT008and IT090are indicated, distinguishing these with a triangle and a quadrangle.

When displaying the map MAP, the map development section7displays each monument MN at the same time, and clearly indicates the positional relation between each monument MN and each item IT005, IT008and IT090. The position to be displayed of each item on the field FLD is determined by the game program PRO, and each item corresponding to the monument MN is not indicated on the map MAP and the field FLD as long as the player character does not access the approach sign that is defined (set) on the monument.

For this reason, the player is motivated to positively access the approach sign of the monument MN on the field FLD. It is not always necessary to associate the contents shown by the approach sign that is set on each monument MN with the items IT005, IT008and IT090corresponding to the monument MN, and the location of new item is only disclosed by accessing the approach sign that is set on the monument MN. In a case where the approach sign is comprised of the letter information, it is indicated with the common understanding language that the player is able to understand irrespective of the kind of language LK that is set on each monument MN.

It is not always necessary to set meaningful letter information on the approach sign that is set on the monument MN as a proof of a success of the player's access, and some kind of a sign for an incentive to make the player character access the monument MN and to disclose the disclosure item that is set on the monument MN, such as a design shown on the surface of the object of the monument MN, letters including letter information, illustration and sound, may be set, and these may be outputted in response to the success of the player character PC's access. In such a case, the player character PC is able to clear Step S53of the decoding control program KPR ofFIG. 9if the player character PC performs some approach action (including reading of the letter information) to the monument MN by the instruction from the player through the controller10(for instance, pushing action of a specific operation button).

The player is able to use the item in such a way that the player moves the player character PC on the field FLD, referring to the position of each item that is newly indicated on the map MAP so as to find the item located on the field FLD, and obtains such an item. If the monument MN is decoded, “0 (zero)” is stored at the decoding flag of the monument table TB3as shown inFIG. 4, showing that the monument MN has been decoded, that is, the corresponding items IT005, IT008and IT090has been disclosed.

In a case of the monument MN, which identification number MN is M003ofFIG. 4, for instance, the kind of language LK is Latin and the language level GL is set to be 4, the present skill level LV of the Latin of the player character PC is “1” as known fromFIG. 7, the game progress controller12judges that the skill level LV does not reach the language level GL that is set on the monument in Step S56of the decoding control program KPR and judges the player character PC is not able to decode the monument MN.

The program enters Step S58after such a judgment the monument MN is disabled to be decoded, and a process of impossibility to decode is done. In other words, regarding the monument MN, a non-decoding sign showing that the player character PC has not yet decoded the letter information LI of the monument MN is displayed on the map MAP as shown inFIG. 3by flashing a figure that indicates the monument, for instance, and the decoding flag FL “1” is shown (or an initial value “1” is kept) on the section of the corresponding monument MN of the monument table TB3ofFIG. 4that shows the monument MN has not yet been decoded.

The player is able to advance the scenario in such a way that he (or she) searches various kinds of the sentence items ST located on the field FLD, making the player character PC move on the field FLD, and reads the sentence item ST so as to accumulate the language skill of the player character PC for each kind of language LK, and approaches the item disclosure object located on the field FLD, such as the monument MN and discloses the item that is set every item disclosure object with the thus increased language skill.

With such a configuration, the player is freed from the simple repetition work, only gathering the item located on the field FLD earnestly, and is able to obtain information regarding a new progress of the game from approach signs, such as the text TX mentioned in the sentence item ST and the letter information LI that is defined by the item disclosure object, and the scenario development that is complex and varied is possible thereby.

Besides, the text TX and the letter information LI that are set on each sentence item ST and the item disclosure object are set by the common understanding language that is sufficiently understandable for general players, irrespective the kind of language LK that is set on each sentence item ST and the disclosure object, so that the game having a new originality, in which a concept of plural languages is introduced, can be offered without complicating the game progress more than required.

Even if the judgment in Step S56of the decoding control program KPR is that the skill level LV of the player character PC does not reach the language level GL that is set on the monument at the time of judgment of Step S56, and the process of being impossible to decode has been thus done, it is possible for the player to read the sentence of the item disclosure object that he (or she) was not be able to read till then in such a way after such a process of being impossible to decode, he (or she) finds out many sentence items ST, moving the player character PC on the field FLD and repeatedly reads the texts TX that are set on the sentence items ST so as to obtain the skill point of the corresponding kind of language LK and to raise the skill level LV.

The search for items is thus developed as follows: 1. Searching of the sentence item ST, 2. Reading of the text TX that is set on the kind of language LK indicated in the sentence item ST (Then, new information regarding the game scenario (game information) is provided), 3. Increasing the language skill of the corresponding kind of language LK, 4. Searching of the item disclosure objects, 5. Obtaining of the approach sign that is defined on the item disclosure object (in this case also, new information regarding the game scenario (game information) is provided), and 6. Disclosing the new item on the field FLD. Therefore, the action purpose of the player on the filed FLD is not only to search for items, but to obtain game information, such as the text TX and the approach sign, so that it is possible to add such a pleasure of obtaining intellectual information to the game, and the player is able to search the items having no feeling of work even if more items are located on the field FLD, thereby exhibiting various kinds of scenario effects. In addition, it is possible to provide the player with much information without a difficulty and to provide a serious game with various scenarios. Of course, such a conventional development and a method that the items simply located on the field FLD are searched and obtained, moving the player character on the field are used together, thereby providing a highly interesting game.

The invention was mentioned as such an instance that the process of searching the items that is set on the scenario so as to collect by the player character PC is developed generally as follows: 1. Searching of the sentence items ST, 2. Reading of the text TX that is set on the kind of language LK indicated in the sentence item ST, 3. Increasing the language skill of the corresponding kind of language LK, 4. Searching of the item disclosure object, 5. Obtaining of the approach sign that is defined on the item disclosure object, and 6. Disclosing the new item on the field FLD. But, the essence of the invention is that the process of locating the items on the field is configured to provide (A) a process of executing the action for raising some skill (the language skill in the embodiment, but the other proper skill may be set) regarding the player character PC, (B) a process of judging the skill level of the player character PC and judging whether such a level reaches a predetermined one, and (C) a process of disclosing a site on which a new item is located on the field when the judgement is the player character PC has the skill level is the same as a predetermined one or higher, and the important point of the invention is that the process of locating the items on the field is done in two steps, obtaining of the skill and disclosure of the item corresponding thereto.

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1. . . game apparatus, computer5. . . memory (game program memory)6. . . item locator, item disclosure object locator,item development section (field development section)7. . . item development section (map development section)9. . . language level controller, level controller, sentence item reader, object reader, item disclosure access section (language skill controller)10. . . controllerDI . . . disclosure itemGL . . . language level, disclosure levelLK . . . kind of languageLV . . . language skill, level (skill level)MN . . . item disclosure object, item disclosure section (monument)PC . . . player characterST . . . sentence itemTX . . . game information (text)FLD . . . field