U.S. Pat. No. 8,348,766

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

FIG. 1shows a game apparatus1comprising a computer and a server3connected therewith via a public communication line2. The game apparatus1has a main controller5, and a program memory7, a game execution controller8, an input device discriminator9, a communication controller10, a display11and an interface12are connected with the main controller5via a bus line6. Various kinds of input devices13A,13B and13C can be selectively connected with the input interface12, each input device13A,13B or13C has a different key structure, and two or more keys15a,15b,15c,15d, . . . (that are referred to as only keys15if the respective keys are not necessary to be differentiated) are provided so as to output signals that are individually set and defined in the respective input devices13A,13B and13C to the game apparatus1.FIG. 1exemplarily shows only portions pertinent to the invention, but does not show the whole structure of an actual portable game apparatus1. Besides, the input device is referred to as13A,13B,13C . . . if its kind is necessary to be differentiated or is referred to as13only if not necessary.

The game apparatus1as shown inFIG. 1executes functions shown in respective blocks as shown inFIG. 1in such a manner that a computer reads and executes game program stored in a memory, such as the program memory7and the other well-known control program so that a CPU or a memory (not shown) time-dividedly operates by multitask. But, it is also possible to structure the game apparatus1by hardwares corresponding to the respective blocks. Otherwise, it is also possible to control each block by a CPU or a MPU dispersedly provided in each block.

The communication controller10of the game apparatus1is connected with the public communication line2, such as the Internet and a telephone line, and a communication controller19of the server3is connected with the public communication line2. The server2has a main controller20, and a game execution controller22is connected with the main controller20via a bus line21.

The game apparatus1and the server3have structures shown above. When a user plays a game, the input device to be used for the game is selected from the input devices13A,13B and13C owned by himself (herself) and is connected with the input interface12. If any input device is connected with the input interface12, the input device discriminator9reads game program GPR that is an online game program stored in the program memory7and discriminates which input device13of the two or more kinds of input devices13connectable with the game apparatus1, the input device connected with the input interface12is, that is, which of the input devices13A,13B,13C it is by receiving and analyzing device identification signals outputted from the input device13to the input interface12based upon the game program GPR (this method is a well-known). If the kind of the input device13is discriminated, the discrimination result is stored in a memory (not shown). After discriminating the kind of the input device13connected with the input interface12, the main controller5instructs the game execution controller8to execute the online game, communicating with the server3based upon the game program GPR.

Receiving this, the game execution controller8instructs the communication controller10to communicate the game apparatus1with the server3via the public communication line2so as to communicate with each other. The server3executes authentication procedure on the game apparatus1newly connected with a well-known method and confirms a connection qualification of the game apparatus1to the server3. After the connection qualification is confirmed, the main controller20of the server instructs the game execution controller22to execute a predetermined online game between the server3and the game apparatus1, reciprocally communicating with the game apparatus1.

Many game apparatuses (not shown) are online connected with the server3via the public communication line2in addition to the game apparatus1as shown inFIG. 1. The game execution controller22controls to execute a game online between each game apparatus1and the server3, always communicating with such many game apparatuses similar to the game apparatus1via the public communication line2. Such an online game system is generally referred to as Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game.

As mentioned above, extremely many playes can play the game having the same title online with respective game apparatuses1in such a manner that if each player operates each game apparatus (game terminal), the game program GPR of each game apparatus1and the control program of the server3operate together so as to locate respective operation characters in a stage in a virtual space formed in a memory of the server3and to get the operation characters to act. In the game apparatus1of each player, the game execution controller8forms the virtual space dedicated for the game apparatus in a memory space (not shown) according to the game program GPR when data is supplied from the server3, a stage STG for an online game is formed as a copy of the stage that has been formed in the server3and is displayed on the display11as shown inFIG. 2. Then, the game proceeds in such a manner that the player gets his (her) operation character PCR to act in the stage in the server3and confirms a result of the action by watching a screen of the copy of the stage STG in the server3displayed on the display11of the game apparatus1.

In a stage ATG (a copy of the stage of the server3) inside the game apparatus1where the operation character PCR to be operated by the player who is playing the online game is moved, another operation characters ACR1, ACR2. . . to be operated by another players (another game apparatuses), that are near a coordinate position in the virtual space where the operation character PCR exists are also displayed based upon data from the server3, as shown inFIG. 2. A method of displaying the operation characters ACR of another players excluding the player in such a MMO game is well-known, so that its detailed explanation is not mentioned.

It is possible to exchange action messages between the operation character PCR displayed on the stage STG displayed on the display11and another operation characters ACR1, ACR2. . . to be operated by another players, that is, between all operation characters displayed on the stage STG via the server3through the players who operate these operation characters. The invention is applied to such a case where the action message is delivered to the player from another operation character ACR operated by another player. Such a case is mentioned hereinafter.

A plurality of action messages MSG, such as MSG1, MSG2, MSG3, . . . , are set, forming pairs with corresponding action message sentences25in the game program GPR. For example, the action messages are “Help of production” message MSG1shown by the action message sentence25“I was asked to produce arms by ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ (someone)!”, “invitation to form a friendship” message MSG2shown by the action message sentence25“I was asked to form a friendship by ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ (someone)!”, and “transaction” message MSG3shown by the action message sentence25“I was asked to have a business relationship by ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ (someone)!”.

If the action message MSG is delivered through the server3from another operation character ACR on the stage STG displayed on the display11of the player to the game apparatus1, the main controller5analyzes associated information associated with the delivered action message MSG through the game execution controller8and does a procedure of informing the player that the action message MSG has been arrived from another operation character ACR according to the game program GPR through the display11. For example, as shown inFIG. 2, a character icon23is displayed on the display11according to the game program GPR and the action message sentence25corresponding to the delivered action message MSG is displayed in such a manner that the character icon23talks to the player23. Concretely speaking, a speech balloon26that is gotten out of the character icon is displayed and the action message sentence25, that is, “I was asked to form a friendship by Erika!!” is displayed in the speech balloon26.

The game execution controller8displays a guide icon27when displaying the character icon23, and a key KY to be operated after the player confirms the action message MSG is displayed on the guide icon27. Such a display procedure is done by the following routines.

The game execution controller8reads the kind of the input device13that is presently connected with the game apparatus1(that was already discriminated by the input device discriminator9) out of a memory (not shown), and determines the guide icon27to be displayed by referring to a key navigation table KNT stored in a memory (not shown) when displaying the message sentence25corresponding to the action message MSG on the display11. That is, the key navigation table KNT respectively sets keys KY to be operated by the player to the action messages MSG delivered from the server3through the public communication line2according to the game program GPR, corresponding to kinds KD of the input devices13A,13B,13C . . . connectable with the game apparatus1, as shown inFIG. 5. The game execution controller8determines the guide icon27to be displayed on the display11by referring to the key navigation table KNT according to the kinds MSG1, MSG2, MSG3. . . of the action message MSG delivered from the server3.

If the action message MSG that is the “invitation to form a friendship” message MSG2is delivered from the server3in a case where the kind KD of the input device13connected with the game apparatus1is13A, for example, the game execution controller8determines the guide icon27to be displayed as the icon27that shows X button according to the key navigation table KNT and displays this on the display11as shown inFIG. 2. If the action message MSG that is the “invitation to form a friendship” message MSG2is delivered from the server3in a case where the kind KD of the input device13connected with the game apparatus1is13B, the game execution controller8determines the guide icon27to be displayed as the icon27that shows A button according to the key navigation table KNT as shown inFIG. 3and displays this on the display11. If the action message MSG that is the transaction message MSG3is delivered from the server3in a case where the kind KD of the input device13connected with the game apparatus1is13C, the game execution controller8determines the guide icon27to be displayed as the icon27that shows Alt key according to the key navigation table KNT and displays this on the display (not shown).

Even if any kind of input device13is connected with the game apparatus1, the game apparatus1thus discriminates the kind KD of the input device13presently connected and immediately displays the guide icon27on which the key KY to be operated, is displayed corresponding tot he kind of the action message MSG delivered from the server3, such as MSG1, MSG2, MSG3, in the input device13A,13B,13C which kind was discriminated.

The player operates the key15that corresponds to the key KY shown on the guide icon27displayed on the display11so as to output predetermined signals to the game apparatus1through the input interface12. If the player presently connects the input device13A with the game apparatus1, for example, the guide icon27that shows the key15e(KY) of X button is displayed on the display11of the game apparatus1as shown inFIG. 2, so that the player operates the key15eof the input device13A. If the player presently connects the input device13B with the game apparatus1, the guide icon27that shows the key15b(KY) of A button is displayed on the display11of the game apparatus1as shown inFIG. 3, so that the player operates the key15bof the input device13B.

In the game apparatus1, the game execution controller8does a procedure corresponding to the key15operated by the player, that is, the procedure corresponding to the action message MSG delivered from the server3, concretely speaking, the procedure of opening a window WD that corresponds to the kind of the action message MSG according to the game program GPR. The procedures corresponding to the respective action messages MSG are predetermined according to the kinds of the action messages MSG. Then, the signals from the keys15corresponding to the kinds MSG1, MSG2, MSG3. . . of the respective action messages MAG that are shown in the key navigation table KNT are interpreted as the same meaning even if the signal is inputted from the key15of the different kind of the input device13, and the windows WD corresponding to the kinds MSG1, MSG2, MSG3. . . are opened as shown inFIG. 4, for example and the player is invited to input. On this window WD, two or more commands CM including the commands CM that corresponds to the actions the player can take in connection with the delivered action message MSG are displayed (the command having no direct relation to the delivered action message MSG may be included in the window WD). The player operates a cursor CS that is displayed together with the window WD so as to so select the command CS proper to a response to the delivered action message MSG. In case ofFIG. 4, “Reply” is selected as the command CS.

Even if any kind of the input device13having a different key structure is connected with the game apparatus1, the game apparatus1displays the key (KY) to be operated to the action message MSG through the guide icon27, so that the player can operate the proper input device13without being puzzled.