JP2002015371A - Game program selling method and game selling server - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for determining a selling price of a game program based on a trial result by allowing a customer to try a trial edition of a game software, and a game selling server. SOLUTION: The game software is accumulated in this game selling server 1 connected to a custmer's computer 2 with a network. The game software comprises the game software trial edition operable free of charge and a game software real edition operable only after procedures for settlement of accounts. The server 1 sends the game software selected by the customer to the customer' s computer 2. The customer tries a trial edition game by operating the game software trial edition on the customer's computer. The server 1 receives the trial result, and the selling price of the game software is determined based thereon. The more the trial result is excellent, the more the selling price becomes inexpensive. The procedures for settlement of accounts of the game software are executed by the selling price. After completion, the server 1 sends key information for enabling operation of the game software real edition to the custmer's computer 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the sale of game software in which a customer who is considering purchasing a game tries a trial version of the game software and determines the selling price of the game software based on the trial result. Method and game sales server.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Computer games are used by men and women of all ages, not only in Japan, but all over the world, and the computer game industry forms a huge market today. Computer game programs are generally sold in stores as game software in the form of CD-ROMs or cartridges. In this case, the customer inserts the purchased game software into a home game machine, computer, or the like. Then, a program recorded in the game software is operated.

Recently, instead of selling game software over the counter, a game sales server storing game programs and a customer computer operated by a customer are connected via a network such as the Internet, and data of the game programs is transferred. There is also an online sales form in which the game is sold by delivering it from a game sales server to a customer computer. Like the game software sold in stores, in the online sales form,
A fixed price is set for the game software to be sold, and the price of the game software is paid by a predetermined payment method such as online credit card payment, bank transfer, convenience store payment, electronic payment with electronic money, etc. Will be

[0004]

However, when a product is sold at a lower price than a normal price, such as a bargain sale, the customer's willingness to purchase is greatly stimulated. On the other hand, if the customer can try the trial version when purchasing the game software, the customer can not only know the contents of the game in advance,
Because you can test your skills in the game, your interest in the game will increase and your willingness to purchase will be inspired.

[0005] In selling the game software in the above-mentioned online system, the present inventor combines the above two factors that motivate the customer to purchase, so that the act of purchasing the game software itself has a “good value”. I thought it could not be fun.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a method of allowing a customer to try a trial version of a game software in advance when selling the game software in the above-described online system, and determining a selling price of the game program based on the trial result. The purpose is to make the act of purchasing game software interesting for the customer.

[0007]

The present invention satisfies the following specific items (1) to (6). (1) A method in which a game sales server and a customer computer communicate via a network to sell game software to a customer. (2) The game sales server sends a trial version of the game software to be sold to the customer computer. (3) The customer runs the game software trial version delivered to the customer computer on the computer, and executes a game under the conditions specified in the game software trial version. (4) The game software trial version scores a game action performed by the customer on the customer computer, and notifies the game sale server of the scoring result. (5) The game sales server determines a selling price of the game software based on the scoring result notified from the customer computer, notifies the customer computer of the price, and charges a predetermined settlement system. Execute the process. (6) The algorithm for determining the selling price of the game software based on the scoring result is set such that the better the scoring result, the lower the selling price.

The game software trial version may be one in which the customer executes a game while communicating between the customer computer on which the game software runs and the game opponent computer via the network.

[0009] The game sales server may send additional data to the game software trial version on the customer computer, thereby processing the trial version into a product version game software.

[0010] The invention of claim 4 relates to the game sales server used in the game software selling method, means for communicating with a customer computer and delivering the game software trial version to the customer computer, Means for receiving a notification of the scoring result from the customer computer on which the software trial runs, means for determining a selling price of the game software based on the received scoring result, and transmitting the determined selling price to the customer computer. It is characterized by comprising a means for notifying and a means for performing a charging process for a predetermined settlement system based on the determined selling price.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1, in a configuration in which a game sales server 1 and a customer computer 2 are connected via the Internet, a procedure of a game software sales method according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. This will be described below.

First, a customer who wants to purchase game software operates the customer computer 2 to establish a connection with the game sales server 1 via the Internet. The game sales server 1 stores one or more game software to be sold online. In this embodiment, it is assumed that each game software includes a main game software and a trial version of the game software. The main part of the game software is a program part that operates only when key information transmitted from the game sales server 1 is incorporated into the game software after the settlement procedure of the game software is completed. On the other hand, the game software trial version is a demo version of the main game software, and is a program portion that operates on the customer computer 2 when key information is not incorporated.

When the connection with the customer computer 2 is established, the game sales server 1 constructs screen configuration data for displaying the stored titles of the game software on the display of the customer computer 2 in a list. It is delivered to the customer computer 2.

A guidance screen 3 as shown in FIG. 2 is displayed on the display of the customer computer 2 which has received the screen configuration data. The customer operates the customer computer 2 as appropriate from the title of the game software on the displayed guide screen 3 to select a favorite game software. For example, if the customer selects the game software “shooting game” from the guidance screen 3, selection data indicating that “shooting game” is selected is transmitted to the game sales server 1. Note that this “shooting game” is a type of game in which a game actor (here, a customer) operates a character in the game and shoots a shooting target to obtain a game score. The higher the score, the better the results.

The game sales server 1 having received the selection data delivers the selected "shooting game" game software to the customer computer 2 online via the Internet.

The customer computer 2 receives the game software. At this stage, no key information is incorporated in the game software, and only the game software trial version can operate. Therefore, when the customer starts the game software, the game software trial version operates on the customer computer 2 and the trial version game is developed. Then, the customer executes the game under the conditions specified in the game software trial version.

Here, since "shooting game" is selected as the game software, a trial version of the "shooting game" is operated. As described above, the customer operates the character in the game to shoot the shooting target. And the trial version of the game software,
A game score is scored according to the number of shooting targets shot by the character operated by the customer. Here, it is assumed that the game score is “15,000 points”.

After the end of the trial game, the game sales server 1 is notified of the scoring result of the game score. In response to this, the game sales server 1 determines the sales price of the game software. Specifically, this is the case. For example, suppose that the list price of the “shooting game” taken here is “5,800 yen”. Then, the game sales server 1 transmits, for example, “the game score of the trial game 10
The actual selling price is the price discounted by 1 yen from the list price for each point. " As described above, since the game score in the trial version game was “15,000 points”, the arithmetic processing unit of the game sales server 1 executes the processing at the regular price of “5,800 points”.
The price of “4,300 yen” discounted by “1,500 yen” from “yen” is calculated as the actual selling price.

After that, the game sales server 1 notifies the customer of the sales price calculated as described above and displays a guide screen 4 (see FIG. 3) on the display of the customer computer 2 for prompting the purchase of the game software. Is composed and transmitted to the customer computer 2.

A guidance screen 4 as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the display of the customer computer 2 receiving the screen configuration data. When the customer operates the customer computer 2 as appropriate and inputs his / her intention to purchase this game software at the displayed selling price, the data is transmitted to the game selling server 1.

The game sales server 1 executes a charging process for an appropriate settlement system. For example, the settlement procedure is executed by performing online credit card payment, performing electronic payment using electronic money, or the like.

After the payment procedure is completed, the game sales server 1 sends key information for operating the main game software to the customer computer 2. When this key information is incorporated into the game software of the customer computer 2,
The main game software starts to operate, and customers can enjoy all the functions of the game software.

== Another Embodiment == In the above embodiment, the game software including both the main game software and the trial version of the game software is delivered to the customer computer 2 and the game software is transmitted only after a predetermined settlement procedure is completed. Although the configuration in which the main part is operable has been described, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and for example, the following procedure may be used.

(1) The customer is allowed to select one game software and the game sales server 1 is notified of his / her mail address. (2) Upon receiving the selection data and the customer's email address, the game sales server 1 first delivers only the game software trial version to the customer computer 2 and sends an email notifying the customer's user ID to the customer's email address. Send. (3) When starting the game software trial version, the customer inputs a user ID to authenticate the customer, and then tries the game software trial version. (4) After the trial version game, the trial result is transmitted to the game sales server 1, and the server 1 determines the selling price of the main game software based on the trial result. (5) After the customer has completed the settlement procedure at this selling price, the main game software is delivered to the customer computer 2.

The game software is transferred to the customer computer 2.
Instead of delivering the program via a network, after the settlement procedure is completed, a recording medium such as a CD-ROM in which the game software program is recorded may be delivered to the customer.

In the above-described embodiment, the mode in which "shooting game" is selected as the game software and the customer plays the trial game on the customer computer 2 in the stand-alone state has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to such a form, for example,
When a customer tries a trial version of a game software such as a "fighting fighting game" in which two virtual characters in a game compete against each other to determine the outcome, the same game software trial version is installed on the Internet. You may make it fight against the operator of the customer computer 5 while communicating with another connected customer computer 5 (see FIG. 1). Then, when the character operated by the customer wins the opponent, the selling price may be determined by discounting a fixed amount from the fixed price.

In any case, if the configuration is such that the actual selling price of the game software is determined based on the skill of the trial result of the trial version of the game software transmitted from the game sales server 1 via the network, The invention may have any configuration.

[0028]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method of determining a selling price of a game program based on a result of trial of a trial version of a game software by a customer in advance, so that the customer purchases the game software. It can make itself interesting.

Further, according to the present invention, the customer can not only enjoy the trial of the game software trial version for free, but also can enjoy the privilege of discounting the price by playing the game software trial version. A considerable "bargain feeling" can be provided to the customer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing one embodiment of a system configuration for realizing a game selling method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an embodiment of a guidance screen displayed on a customer computer.

FIG. 3 is an embodiment of a guidance screen displayed on a customer computer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Game sales server 2, 5 Customer computer

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C001 AA00 AA17 BB00 BB05 BD00 BD07 CB01 CB02 CB06 CB08 CC02 DA00 DA04 5B049 BB00 BB61 CC10 CC36 FF03 GG04 GG07

Claims (4)

[Claims] An invention which satisfies the following specific items (1) to (6). (1) A method in which a game sales server and a customer computer communicate via a network to sell game software to a customer. (2) The game sales server sends a trial version of the game software to be sold to the customer computer. (3) The customer runs the game software trial version delivered to the customer computer on the computer and executes a game under the conditions specified in the game software trial version. (4) The game software trial version scores a game action performed by the customer on the customer computer, and notifies the game sales server of the scoring result. (5) The game sales server determines a selling price of the game software based on the scoring result notified from the customer computer, notifies the customer computer of the price, and charges a predetermined settlement system. Execute the process. (6) The algorithm for determining the selling price of the game software based on the scoring result is set such that the better the scoring result, the lower the selling price. 2. The game software selling method according to claim 1, wherein the trial version of the game software is communicated between the customer computer on which the game software runs and a game opponent computer via the network. Execute a game action. 3. The game software selling method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the game sales server sends additional data to the game software trial version on the customer computer so that the trial version can be used. It is characterized in that the edition is processed into a commercial version of the game software. 4. The game sales server used in the game software sales method according to claim 1, wherein the game sales server communicates with a customer computer to deliver the game software trial version to the customer computer. Means, means for receiving a notification of a scoring result from the customer computer on which the game software trial version operates, means for determining a selling price of the game software based on the received scoring result, and a determined selling price And a means for performing billing processing for a predetermined payment system based on the determined selling price.