U.S. Pat. No. 8,968,097

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

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

FIG. 1shows two or more game terminals1A,1B,1C . . . (Actually, extremely many game terminals1exist although the figure exemplarily shows only three game terminals1) and a game server3connected with the game terminals1A,1B,1C via a public communication line2, such as the Internet and a public telephone net. Each of the game terminals1A,1B,1C . . . has a main body1abuilding a computer therein and a controller1bas an input device is connected with the main body1a.

The game server3as the game server computer has a main controller5, and a communication controller7connected with the public communication line2, a game proceeding controller8, a scenario proceeding controller9, a program memory10for storing game program of MMORPG, a scenario control memory11and a player controller12are connected with the main controller5via a bus line6.FIG. 1exemplarily shows only portions pertinent to the invention, but does not show the whole structure of an actual game server3.

The game server3as 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 memory10and 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 server3by 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 game terminals1and the game server3have the above-mentioned structures. In order to play an online game, such as a MMORPG for players, each player operates his (her) own game terminal1so as to connect with the game server3through the public communication line2, and executes the game in such a manner that the player operates to move an operation character that is set corresponding to each player in a virtual space formed in a memory in the game server3so that the operation character take an action according to a predetermined scenario controlled by the game server3. The game program executed by the game server3is stored in the program memory10in the game server3, and do main controls in the online game by executing through the game server3. In each game terminal1, the game program for controlling the terminal for executing a desired online game is stored in a predetermined memory by connecting with the game server3.

Game scenario SN set in the game program is comprised of a partial scenario “A”, a partial scenario “B”, a partial scenario “C”, a partial scenario “D”, a partial scenario “E”, and a partial scenario “F”, as shown inFIG. 2. Each player is controlled to execute the partial scenarios A, B, C, D, E and F in these orders through the game proceeding controller8. But, the partial scenario “C” has ten sub scenarios C1through C10in parallel, and each player can execute the sub scenario at an optional point of time in an optional order in the partial scenario C. The scenario proceeding controller9watches an execution state of the sub scenario in the partial scenario “C” every each player and the player controller12controls the execution state of sub scenario C1through C10of each player, that is, a clearing state in the scenario control memory11every each player.

In each of the sub scenarios C1to C10of the partial scenario “C”, a battle with boss is lastly set as an event after a predetermined scenario development. Unless each player beats a boss that is set in the sub scenario after participating in the battle with boss, clearing of the sub scenario is not judged. The scenario proceeding controller9sets such an event, the battle with boss, as a cooperation play to be done by cooperation through two or more players. In order to clear the sub scenario, it is necessary for each player to contact with the operation character to be operated by another player in the virtual space in the game server and to find a partner who will fight together in the battle with boss.

That is, the player who plays an online game in the virtual space of the game server through the operation of each game terminal1gets the operation character operated by his (her) own to freely move and act in the virtual space so that the player can play the scenario fit for his (her) own favorites, and the game program generally controls that such actions can be executed by the operation character to be operated by each player alone. But, in the sub scenarios C1to C10comprising the partial scenario “C”, the battle with boss (event) is set in each of the sub scenarios C1to C10and the scenario proceeding controller9controls according to the game program that in the sub scenario Cx two or more players should act cooperating with each other by forming a party so as to execute and clear the battle with boss (event) (this is referred to as only “execution of cooperation game”).

Then, each player contacts with the operation character operated by another player in the virtual space in the game server through proper means, and finds partners who will fight together in the battle with boss, that is, who will play the cooperation game in order to form a party for participation in the battle with boss. If the partner who will fight together in the battle with boss is found and the party is formed, the player who participates in the party outputs a party formation notice from each game terminal1to the game server3through the public communication line2. The party formation notice is received by the scenario proceeding controller9and the player controller12in the game server that are receivers of such a notice and corresponding procedures are done according to the game program.

Receiving this, the game program starts event execution procedures in the cooperation play according to cooperation play processing program CTP that comprises a part of the game program. The cooperation play processing program CTP reads player information of members of the formed party out of a memory (not shown) through the player controller12based upon player ID of the members comprising the party shown in the party formation notices that was transmitted from the respective game terminals1, as shown inFIG. 4. And, whether or not the members the party that was formed this time have participation qualification for the participation in the battle with boss (event) to be executed from now on that is stored in the party formation notice as attribution data is judged. In order to execute the partial scenarios C1through C10and to fight in the battle with boss that is the event set for clearing, it is necessary for all players comprising the party members to clear the partial scenarios A and B. This is because in order to prevent a failure of the scenario proceeding of the whole game program, the game proceeding controller8controls not to execute the partial scenario C unless the player clears the partial scenarios A and B. Even if the player who has already cleared the partial scenario C and proceeded to the partial scenario D or later, there may be a danger of failure of the scenario proceeding. Then, the execution of the partial scenario C by the player is restricted by the game proceeding controller8.

After judging the existence of the event participation qualification for all players (members) comprising the party in step S1, the program proceeds to Step S2of the cooperation play processing program CTP and the scenario proceeding controller9reads a state of event attainment of each of the players comprising the party members shown in the party formation notice out of a memory (not shown) so as to determine a category of each player in the event that the party tries to execute this time. In the category of the player, the players are classified into the players who have not yet cleared the event to be executed by the party this time and the players who have already cleared such an event, and the player who have not yet cleared is classified into a category of challenger PC1and the player who have already cleared is classified into a category of observer PC2.

Subsequently, the cooperation play processing program CTP proceeds to Step S3, and the scenario proceeding controller9processes so as to prepare a party member table PMT in the scenario control memory11. As already mentioned above, it is possible to easily read the state of event attainment of each player since a memory (not shown) in the game server3stores the states of attainment (clearing) of the respective partial scenarios (events) A to F and the states of attainment (clearing) of the respective sub scenarios (events) C1to C10of the partial scenario C for all players accessible to the game server3as player information together with the player ID.

That is, the scenario proceeding controller9prepares the party member table PMT in the scenario control memory11as shown inFIG. 3, and the party member table PMT stores sub scenario name SUN of the event that will be executed from now on by the party shown in the party formation notice, the player ID14of the player comprising the party, and the challenger PC1and the observer PC2as the categories of the players. The challenger PC1is further classified into “R” that shows a leader and “SR” that shows a sub leader, and the observer PC2is shown as “CA” and “CA” is stored. The leader and sub leader that are categories of the challenger PC1show the players who have not yet cleared the sub scenario event that the party will execute from now on, and the observer PC2is the player who has already cleared the sub scenario event (but, has not yet proceed to the partial scenario D or later. The players that comprise the party members can determine the leader and the sub leader upon deliberation and the leader and the sub leader are shown as the attribution data of the party formation notice transmitted from each game terminal1to the game server3. And, the scenario proceeding controller9judges whether the player is the challenger or the observer by referring to the above-mentioned player information.

After thus preparing the party member table PMT, the scenario proceeding controller9does a procedure for unifying the scenario proceeding in connection with the challengers in Step S4of the cooperation play processing program CTP for the players that are classified into the categories of the leader and the sub leader of the party member table PMT, that is, for the players who are regarded as the challengers. The scenario proceeding controller9controls the players whose scenario proceeding has been unified in such a manner that the respective players comprising the unit take actions as a unit and the action outcome can be equally distributed to the leader and the sub leader comprising the unit until the unification is released.

Concretely speaking, the scenario proceeding controller9controls such that the event of the sub scenario Cx (x=one of 1 to 10) to be executed from now on that has notified the game server3by the player who is the challenger (the operation character) through the party formation notice, that is, the event of the sub scenario Cx to be cleared as the challenger is fixedly set as the scenario (event) to be executed by the challenger and the executions of the other sub scenarios (events) and the partial scenarios D through F after the partial scenario C are prohibited to be executed. No unification of the scenarios is done and no action control in connection with the scenario proceeding is done for the player who was classified into the category of “observer” who has already cleared the sub scenario Cx, for example, for the player whose ID is “90438” inFIG. 3.

The players who thus formed the party (referred to as “party player”) enter Step S5ofFIG. 4, and start to execute the sub scenario shown in the formation notice, for example, the sub scenario C6and fight in the battle with boss set in the sub scenario C6.

The scenario proceeding controller9judges whether the party player cleared the sub scenario C6or not in Step S6of the cooperation play processing program CTP. If the clearing of the sub scenario C6was judged, the program proceeds to Step S7, and a clear flag of the sub scenario C6is given to all players who have been classified into the challengers of the party players as a lump. On this occasion, the clear flag is not given to the players who have classified into the observers since such players have already cleared the sub scenario C6(on control, such a procedure is optional, the procedure that no clear flag is given to the players who have classified into the observers or the procedure that the clear flag is given to all, but the clear flag is not finally given to the player who has already cleared the sub scenario C6since it means overwrite of the clear flag). At this time, distribution of an experience value due to the clearing of the sub scenario C6is equally done to all party players, and there is no difference between the challenger and the observer.

After giving the clear flag to the leader ad the sub leader that are the challengers, the scenario proceeding controller9enters Step S8of the cooperation play processing program CTP, and the player information stored in the memory (not shown) in the game server3is updated for the players of the challengers, and the clear flag showing the clearing of the sub scenario C6by such players is written in the memory. By doing so, one-time execution of the sub scenario C6by the leader and the sub leader who were unified challengers means all persons comprising the unit have cleared the sub scenario C6. The player information of the player as the observer is not changed after update since the player is considered to have cleared the sub scenario C6.

Subsequently, the scenario proceeding controller9enters Step S9and does the procedure of releasing the unification in the scenario proceeding unified in Step S4. This is done by deleting party member table PMT in connection with the party members that have been prepared in the scenario control memory11. With such a procedure, the unification of the leader and the sub leader who are the challengers is released and the limitation of the scenario proceeding is released for each player who has been the challenger, so that the scenario proceeding controller9controls each player can execute the optional sub scenario Cx and the partial scenarios D through F which have not yet been executed. No procedure is done for the player who has been “the observer” since no limitation on execution of the scenario is originally given to such a person.

Receiving this, the scenario proceeding controller9returns the scenario proceeding of each player who was the party member to a normal scenario proceeding. By doing so, each player who was the party member can take actions alone freely in the virtual space in the game server3and execute the optional partial scenarios C through F by operating his (her) own operation character through each game terminal1.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the leader and sub leader comprising the challengers are determined among the players comprising the party members upon deliberation, but the scenario proceeding controller9of the game server3can automatically determine the leader and the sub leader by referring to the state of clearing of the sub scenario of each player through the player information in the memory (not shown) with no deliberation between the players.

Besides, the partial scenario to be done through the party formed by two or more players in cooperation with these players is not always the partial scenario having the sub scenarios, but the cooperation play may be done when executing the partial scenario on which no sub scenario is set.