JP2002253866A - Game management device, game program and game system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow the control of communication data quantity on the game terminal side to perform a comfortable game operation because the transmission frequency of partial game world data is varied depending on the size of a partial game, and a size change request is transmitted from the game terminal. SOLUTION: A game server 20 judges whether a moving character is present in the partial game world that is a part of a game world every movement of the moving character. When the partial character is present in the partial game world, the partial game world data is transmitted from the game server 20 to a portable communication terminal 30. In the portable communication terminal 30, the partial game world based on the transmitted partial game world data is reproduced. When a size change request is transmitted from the portable communication terminal 30 to the game server 20, the size of the partial game world is changed in response to this size change request.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a game management device, a game program, and a game system, and more particularly, to a game management device, a game program, and a game system that transmit game world data to a game terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional game system, there is a game system that provides game world data from a game server to a game terminal when a player accesses the game server by operating the game terminal. The game server stores a game map, coordinate values and attribute values of a player character, coordinate values and attribute values of a non-player character such as an enemy character and an item, and transmits these data to the game terminal as needed. Is done. As a result, a common game world is reproduced on a plurality of game terminals, and the game can be advanced by a plurality of players.

In such a game system, when a key operation is performed on a certain game terminal, operation information is transmitted from the game terminal to the game server, and the game server changes the game world. The game server transmits the changed game world data to the plurality of game terminals, and thereby the game world on the game terminal is also changed.

[0004] For example, when a moving operation of the player character is performed, the game server moves the player character in response to the operation information. Topographic data of the game world in which the moved player character is located at the center is transmitted to the operating game terminal, and position data of the moved player character is transmitted to the other game terminals.
In addition, when the appearance / destruction of an enemy character, the appearance / deletion of an item, the opening / closing of a door, the collapse of a building, and the like occur, character data or terrain data indicating a changed state is transmitted to each game terminal.

[0005]

However, in the prior art, since data of the entire area of the game world is transmitted to all game terminals, transmission processing to each game terminal is required every time a change occurs in the game world. Had become. Then, when the game world is large or the number of participating players is large, the amount of communication increases, and there is a problem that a heavy load is imposed on the game server and the communication line. In addition, if the performance of the game server or the amount of communication lines is insufficient, the response becomes poor and the game performance is impaired. Furthermore, when the processing performance of the game terminal is low, the game processing is delayed due to an increase in the communication time, and when the storage capacity of the game terminal is small, information on the entire area of the game world cannot be stored, so the game terminal is joined. There was a possibility that it could not be done. In addition, there is a problem that the charge burden on the player increases in both cases of charging according to the communication time and charging according to the amount of communication data. This problem is particularly problematic in the case of charging according to the amount of communication data.

[0006] Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide a game management device, a game program, or a game system capable of playing a game comfortably.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a game management device, a game program, or a game system capable of suppressing an increase in the amount of communication data.

[0008]

A first invention (an invention according to claim 1) is a game device which stores partial game world data indicating a partial game world which is a part of a game world from a game management device (20) to a game terminal. A game system (10) for transmitting to (30). The game management device includes a change determination unit (S125) for determining whether a change has occurred in the partial game world, and a first partial game world data transmission for transmitting the partial game world data to the game terminal according to the determination result of the change determination unit. Means (S93),
Size change request receiving means (S17) for receiving a size change request from the game terminal, and size changing means (S101) for changing the size of the partial game world in response to the size change request
Is provided. The game terminal is configured to receive partial game world data from the game management device.
(S201), reproducing means (S203) for reproducing the partial game world based on the partial game world data received by the partial game world data receiving means, a size change instruction key (40a, 40c) for instructing a change in the size of the partial game world ) And a size change request transmitting means (S245) for transmitting a size change request to the game management device in response to the operation of the size change instruction key.

[0009] Preferably, the game world is a world in which a changing character arbitrarily changing appears, and the change determining means determines, every time the changing character changes, whether or not the changing character exists in the partial game world. Note that, in the present invention, the changed characters are “clown”, “mage”,
Characters such as “Yamao” and “rock”, “tree”,
Includes terrain characters such as "cobblestones". A change in these characters means that they move, deform, disappear, or appear.

[0010] The game terminal preferably transmits a game world change request to the game management device in response to an operation of the game world change instruction key (40c) and the game world change instruction key. Means (S225) are further provided. Further, the game management device further includes a game world change request receiving means (S13) for receiving a game world change request from the game terminal, and a game world change means (S83) for changing the game world in response to the game world change request. Prepare.

[0011] More preferably, the game world is a world in which a player character operated by a game terminal appears, the game world change request includes a request for updating the position of the player character, and the game world change means responds to the update request. Position updating means (S83) for updating the position of the player character.

At this time, the game management device further preferably transmits the second partial game world which transmits partial game world data indicating the partial game world based on the position updated by the position updating means to the requesting game terminal. It further includes data transmission means (S87).

When the game terminal stores a plurality of drawing data to which a plurality of identification numbers are individually assigned, the partial game world data is preferably formed by the identification numbers and the drawing position information (FIG. 7).

Preferably, there are a plurality of game terminals, and the partial game world is different for each game terminal, the change determining means performs determination for each game terminal (S115 to S137), and the size change request receiving means is for each of the game terminals. A size change request is received from the game terminal, and the size change means changes the size of the partial game world for each game terminal.

The communication between the game management device and the game terminal is preferably performed by a general packet communication network (40).

The second invention (the invention described in claim 9) is:
A game terminal (3
0) a game program executed by the game management device (20) for transmitting the partial game world data to the game terminal to reproduce in the determination step (S125) for determining whether or not a change has occurred in the partial game world; A transmitting step (S93) for transmitting partial game world data to the game terminal according to the determination result of the determining step, and a changing step (S101) for changing the size of the partial game world when a size change request is received from the game terminal A game program characterized by the following.

Third invention (invention of claim 10)
Is a game management device (20) that transmits partial game world data to the game terminal to reproduce the partial game world that is a part of the game world on the game terminal (30), and whether the partial game world has changed. Change determination means (S12
5), transmitting means (S93) for transmitting the partial game world data to the game terminal according to the determination result of the change determining means, receiving means (S17) for receiving a size change request from the game terminal, and responding to the size change request. And a size changing unit (S101) for changing the size of the partial game world.

Fourth invention (invention of claim 11)
Is a game management device (20) that transmits game world data to a plurality of game terminals to reproduce the game world on the plurality of game terminals (30), and stores transmission state information for each of the plurality of game terminals. Transmission status information storage means (2
4) changing means (S83) for changing the game world data when a game world change request is received from any one of the plurality of game terminals, and when the game world data is changed by the changing means, the game world data is changed. First transmitting means (S93) for immediately transmitting the game world data to the game terminal whose transmission state information is set to the idle state; when the game world data is changed by the changing means, the transmission state information is set to the transmitted state; First transmission reservation setting means (S133) for setting the transmission state information of the game terminal to the transmission reservation state, and setting the transmission state information of the game terminal to which the immediate transmission has been performed by the first transmission means to the transmitted state. Transmission status setting means
(S95), detecting means (S2) for detecting a game terminal whose transmission state information is set to the transmission reservation state every time a predetermined period elapses.
5), a second transmitting means (S27) for transmitting the game world data changed by the changing means to the game terminal detected by the detecting means, and transmitting the transmission state information of the game terminal transmitted by the second transmitting means. Second transmission completed state setting means (S29) for setting the transmission state information to a completed state, and idle state setting means (S29) for setting transmission state information of a game terminal other than the game terminal transmitted by the second transmission means to the idle state.
33) A game management device comprising:

Preferably, each of the plurality of game terminals reproduces a partial game world which is a part of the game world based on game world data. Further, the game management device further includes a first specifying unit (S125) for specifying a game terminal that reproduces a partial game world in which a change is caused by a change request. Further, the first transmission means immediately transmits the game world data to the game terminals whose transmission state information has been set to the idle state among the game terminals specified by the first specification means, and the first transmission reservation setting means includes: (1) The transmission state information of the game terminal whose transmission state information has been set to the transmitted state among the game terminals specified by the specifying means is set to the transmission reservation state.

[0020] Preferably, the game management device further comprises a holding means (24) for holding size information of a partial game world reproduced on each of the plurality of game terminals, and the first specifying means causes a change by a change request. A game terminal that reproduces the partial game world is specified based on the size information.

[0021] More preferably, the game management device further comprises a change means (S101) for changing size information when a size change request for the partial game world is received from any one of the plurality of game terminals.

Preferably, the game world is a world in which a plurality of player characters individually operated by a plurality of game terminals appear, and each of the plurality of game terminals stores a game world in which its own player character exists in game world data. Reproduce based on At this time, the game management device specifies a game terminal in which the distance between the location of the player character and the change point in the game world where the change is requested by the change request is equal to or less than a predetermined distance.
(S130), and a second transmission reservation setting unit (S133) for setting the transmission state information of the game terminal that is not specified by the second specifying unit among the game terminals whose transmission state information is set to the idle state to the transmission reservation state. Is further provided. Also,
The first transmitting means immediately transmits the game world data to the game terminal specified by the second specifying means among the game terminals whose transmission state information is set to the idle state.

[0023] Preferably, the game management device includes a third transmitting means (S87) for immediately transmitting the changed game world data to the game terminal which transmitted the change request when the game world data is changed by the changing means. Further prepare.

Fifth invention (invention of claim 17)
Is a game program executed by the game management device (20) that transmits game world data to the plurality of game terminals so as to reproduce the game world on the plurality of game terminals (30). A change step (S83) for adding a change to the game world data when a game world change request is received from one, and when the game world data is changed by the change step, the changed game world data is transmitted. The first transmission step (S93) of immediately transmitting to the game terminal set in the step (S93). When the game world data is changed by the change step, the transmission state information of the game terminal whose transmission state information is set to the transmitted state is reserved. First transmission reservation setting step (S
133), a first transmitted state setting step (S95) of setting the transmission state information of the game terminal to which the immediate transmission has been performed in the first transmission step to a transmitted state, and transmitting the transmission state information every time a predetermined period elapses. A detecting step (S25) of detecting the game terminal set in the reservation state; a second transmitting step (S2) of transmitting the game world data changed by the changing step to the game terminal detected by the detecting step;
7), a second transmitted state setting step (S29) of setting the transmission state information of the game terminal transmitted in the second transmitting step to the transmitted state, and the game terminal transmitted in the second transmitting step The game program further comprises an idle state setting step (S33) of setting transmission state information of the other game terminals to an idle state.

Sixth invention (invention of claim 18)
Is a game system (10) for transmitting game world data from the game management device (20) to a plurality of game terminals (30).
The game management device includes a transmission state information storage unit (2) that stores transmission state information for each of the plurality of game terminals.
4) changing means (S83) for changing the game world data when receiving a game world change request from any one of the plurality of game terminals; and changing when the game world data is changed by the changing means. Transmitting means (S93) for immediately transmitting the game world data to the game terminal whose transmission state information is set to the idle state, and setting the transmission state information to the transmitted state when the game world data is changed by the changing means. First transmission reservation setting means (S133) for setting the transmission state information of the selected game terminal to a transmission reservation state;
First transmission completed state setting means (S95) for setting the transmission state information of the game terminal to which the immediate transmission has been performed by the transmission means to the transmitted state, wherein the transmission state information is set to the transmission reserved state every time a predetermined period elapses Detecting means for detecting a lost game terminal
(S25), second transmitting means (S27) for transmitting the game world data changed by the changing means to the game terminal detected by the detecting means, and transmitting state information of the game terminal transmitted by the second transmitting means. Second transmitted state setting means (S29) for setting the transmitted state, and idle state setting means (S33) for setting the transmission state information of the game terminals other than the game terminal transmitted by the second transmitting means to the idle state. ). Each of the plurality of game terminals has an instruction key (40c) for instructing a change in the game world, a change request transmitting unit (S225) for transmitting a change request to the game management device in response to operation of the instruction key, and a game management device And reproducing means (S203) for reproducing the game world based on the game world data when receiving the game world data from.

Preferably, communication between the game management device and the game terminal is performed by a general packet communication network (40).

Seventh invention (invention of claim 20)
Is a game management device that transmits game world data to a plurality of game terminals to reproduce a game world in which a plurality of player characters individually operated by a plurality of game terminals (30) appear on each of the plurality of game terminals ( 20)
A changing means (S83) for changing the game world data when a game world change request is received from any one of the plurality of game terminals; a change in the game world caused by the location of the player character and the change request; Identifying means (S130) for specifying a game terminal whose distance to a point is equal to or less than a predetermined distance, when the game world data is changed by the changing means, the changed game world data is sent to the game terminal specified by the specifying means. First transmission means (S93) for immediate transmission, and transmission reservation setting means (S93) for setting a transmission reservation for a game terminal not specified by the specifying means when the game world data is changed by the changing means.
133), detecting means (S25) for detecting a game terminal for which a transmission reservation is set every time a predetermined period elapses, and transmitting the game world data changed by the changing means to the game terminal detected by the detecting means. 2 is a game management device comprising two transmission means (S27).

Eighth invention (the invention described in claim 21)
Is executed on a game terminal (30) that receives partial game world data corresponding to the partial game world from the game management device (20) when a change occurs in the partial game world that the user intends to reproduce in the game world. A first receiving step (S183) for receiving a size change instruction for the partial game world, a first transmitting step (S245) for transmitting a size change request to the game management device in response to the size change instruction, A first receiving step (S247) of receiving partial game world data corresponding to the size determined based on the size change request from the game management device, and a partial game world based on the partial game world data received in the first receiving step. A game program comprising a first reproducing step (S249) for reproducing.

Preferably, the game program includes a second receiving step (S17) for receiving an instruction to change the partial game world.
3), a second transmission step (S225) of transmitting a change request to the game management apparatus in response to the change instruction, and a second reception of receiving partial game world data immediately returned from the game management apparatus after transmitting the change request. It further includes a step (S227) and a second reproduction step (S233) of reproducing a partial game world based on the partial game world data received in the second receiving step.

[0030]

According to the first, ninth, tenth, and twenty-first aspects of the present invention, the size of the partial game world is changed in response to the size change request transmitted from the game terminal. Therefore, the amount of communication data can be controlled on the game terminal side, thereby enabling a comfortable game operation.
In other words, since the size of the partial game world is changed according to the request from the game terminal, the communication fee is high and a wide view is secured, and the narrow view is secured but the communication fee can be kept low. Can be selected according to the player's intention. In addition, as a play form,
Normally, a form in which a player plays with a narrow view and then plays with a wide view when much information is needed, such as when entering a new field, can be considered.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the game world changes in accordance with the change of the change character, it is easy to determine the change in the game world. Also, if a large number and variety of changing characters appear, the game world can be changed in various ways, so that the interest of the game can be increased.

According to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention, the game world changes in response to a change request from the game terminal (for example, movement of the player character), so that the player more actively participates in the game. can do.

According to the invention described in claim 5, when the player character moves, partial game world data around the position after the movement can be displayed on the game terminal.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is not necessary to transmit drawing data from the game management device to the game terminal, so that the amount of communication can be suppressed.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, even when a game system is constituted by a plurality of game terminals, the size of the partial game world is arbitrarily set for each game terminal (each player). Or you can change it.

According to the inventions set forth in claims 8 and 19, the game business does not need to construct its own network, so that the game business can be started relatively easily. Further, if a packet communication network in which the communication fee is determined according to the communication amount is used, the object of the present invention of controlling the communication amount and suppressing the communication fee can be further achieved.

[0037] Claims 11, 17 and 18
According to the invention described in (1), transmission to each game terminal is limited to once within a predetermined period, so that the communication amount can be suppressed even when the game world changes frequently. If the frequency of the game world change is not high (one time within a predetermined period), the changed game world data is immediately transmitted to each game terminal, so that the responsiveness is good. That is, the present invention can achieve both suppression of communication traffic and responsiveness.

According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, the changed game world data is transmitted only to the game terminal reproducing the partial game world in which the change occurs, so that unnecessary communication is avoided to reduce the amount of communication. be able to. Also, the first change in the game world within the predetermined period is immediately transmitted, but the change outside the own partial game world is ignored, so that the first change within the own partial game world is immediately transmitted. That means good responsiveness.

According to the thirteenth aspect, a partial game world of a different size can be set for each game terminal (each player). As a result, it is possible to set, for each player, a case where the communication fee is high and a wide view is secured, and a case where only a narrow view is secured but the communication fee can be kept low.

According to the fourteenth aspect, since a request for changing the size information can be issued from each game terminal, the player has a high degree of freedom in changing the size.

According to the fifteenth aspect, the information of the game world that is far from the player character is not transmitted immediately, but is transmitted in the subsequent regular transmission. Since the necessity of immediate transmission of the information of the game world away from the player character is low, even if the information is transmitted in the subsequent regular transmission, the game characteristics do not decrease and the communication amount can be suppressed.

According to the inventions of claims 16 and 22, since the game world data is immediately transmitted to the game terminal which has transmitted the change request, the responsiveness to the change request is good.

According to the twentieth aspect, the information on the game world around the player character (not more than a predetermined distance) is transmitted immediately, and the information on the game world apart from the predetermined distance is transmitted in the subsequent regular transmission. . This takes into account the fact that there is a difference in the importance of information between around the player character and the rest. That is, information around the player character needs to be transmitted and displayed immediately, whereas information at a distant place does not need to be transmitted. Thereby, the communication fee can be reduced without impairing the game characteristics.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments with reference to the drawings.

[0045]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, a network game system 10 of this embodiment includes a game server 20 which is always connected to a communication network 40 by wire, and a plurality of mobile phones which are wirelessly connected to the communication network 40 as necessary. Communication terminal 3
0, 30,... When a player registered in the game server 20 operates his / her own mobile communication terminal 30 to log in to the game server 20, the game server 20 provides a game to the mobile communication terminal 30 of the logged-in player. This enables a game between the logged-in players.

Game server 20 and portable communication terminal 30
Is provided by the game operator. As the communication network 40, a special network may be provided by the game operator, but it is preferable to use an existing network (general-purpose network) provided by the communication operator. The game company charges each player a fixed fee (fixed monthly basis, etc.) or a pay-as-you-go game fee, but the fixed fee is set so that the player can play the game without worrying about the game fee. preferable. The communication carrier charges each player a communication fee according to the amount of data communication or the communication time. Note that the billing by the communication carrier may be billing according to the communication time, but the effect of the present invention is more exhibited when billing according to the data traffic. That is, the game system of the present invention preferably uses a packet communication network that is charged according to the amount of data communication.

As shown in FIG. 2, the game server 20
As shown in FIG. 3, the memory 22 includes a program storage area 24a, a terrain matrix storage area 24b, and a character matrix storage area 2.
4c, a character data storage area 24d and a work area 24e are formed. The program storage area 24a stores a game program. Terrain matrix storage area 2
4b stores matrix data indicating the topography of the virtual space where the game is played, and the character matrix storage area 24c stores matrix data indicating characters appearing in the virtual space. The character data storage area 24d
Is a character 1 operated by each player
2, 3,... Data (character data) are stored. Further, the work area 24e stores a transmission list described later.

The memory 24 may be a non-removable storage medium such as a hard disk or a non-volatile memory (for example, an EEPROM or a flash memory) provided inside the apparatus, or a removable medium such as a magneto-optical disk or a memory card. A suitable storage medium may be used.

The game program stored in the program storage area 24a executes processing according to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

The matrix data stored in the terrain matrix storage area 24b is data indicating the terrain (map) of the entire virtual space. The virtual space is divided into n blocks in both the horizontal and vertical directions, and each block is assigned coordinates (X1, Y1) to (Xn, Yn). The terrain matrix is represented by coordinate data of each block and an identification number (graphic number) of graphic data to be reproduced in each block.

The matrix data stored in the character matrix storage area 24c is data indicating characters appearing in the virtual space. Like the terrain matrix,
The virtual space is divided into n blocks in the horizontal and vertical directions, and coordinates (X1, Y1) to (Xn, Yn) are allocated to each block. However, the character does not exist at all coordinates. Therefore, a block in which a character exists is represented by coordinate data and a graphic number, while a block in which a character does not exist is represented only by coordinate data.

Even if the characters are the same, if the directions of the characters are different (forward, backward, right, left), the display mode is different. In addition, a character that is logged out is displayed in the virtual space in a sleep state.
Since a character has a plurality of display modes, an extension is added to each graphic number in order to identify the display mode. For example, if the character is forward, “f” is added, if the character is backward, “b” is added, if the character is right, “r” is added, and if the character is left, “l” is added. Is added, and "s" is added if the character is asleep. Note that the coordinates and orientation of each character are specified by the position information, and the login /
Logout is specified by status information.

The character data stored in the character data storage area 24d includes a character ID, a name,
It consists of address, personal information, location information, map size information, status information and transmission state information. The character ID is a unique identifier assigned to each character, and the name is a unique character name assigned to each character. The IP address is a unique address assigned to a player (mobile communication terminal 30) operating a character, and is used when transmitting map data or the like to the mobile communication terminal 30 that has completed login.

The personal information includes the sex of the character, the age of the character, the occupation of the character, the graphic number of the character, the abilities possessed by the character, the belongings (items) of the character, and the message that the character emits to each player. The position information is information indicating in which block (coordinates) the character is present in the virtual space and in which direction, and the map size information is
Size 1 (= large size) and size 2 (= small size)
Is information indicating which virtual space is to be displayed on the portable communication terminal 30 of the player, and the status information is information indicating which state of the player is logged in / logged out. The transmission state information is information indicating a transmission state of the player to the communication terminal 30, and indicates any one of “transmission reservation”, “transmitted”, and “idle”.

It is to be noted that a player who wants to participate in the game needs to register in advance with the game server 20, and at the time of this registration, arbitrary character data is created by the player.

The transmission list stored in the work area 24e is a list listing players to whom map data should be transmitted. The mobile communication terminal 30 that needs to update the virtual space depends on the relative position between the character of the player who has given a login request, a logout request, a movement request, and another character, and the size (map size) of the virtual space to be displayed. different. For this reason, players who need to update the virtual space are listed in the transmission list based on the position information and the map size information of each character.

From the terrain matrix area 24b and the character matrix area 24c, a part of the terrain matrix and the character matrix centered on the listed characters of each player are cut out. For a character whose map size information indicates “size 1”, 1
A terrain matrix and a character matrix of 1 block × 11 blocks are cut out, and for a character whose map size information indicates “size 2”, a terrain matrix and a character matrix of 7 blocks × 7 blocks are cut out. Then, the cut-out terrain matrix, character matrix, and position information indicating the coordinates where the character exists (= the center coordinates of the matrix) are transmitted to the portable communication terminal 30 of each player as map data.

The portable communication terminal 30 includes a main body 32 formed in an elongated elliptical shape as shown in FIG. An antenna 34 protrudes from the upper surface of the main body 32, and
Call speaker 36, display 38, game key 4
0, a telephone key 42 and a telephone microphone 44 are arranged. The game keys 40 include an A button 40a and a B button 40b for controlling the behavior of the character, display of a menu screen, selection of menu items, and the like.
And a cross key 40c for moving a character on the menu screen or a cursor on the menu screen. As the telephone key 42, a hook key 42a, a hold key 42b, numeric keys 42c indicating "0" to "9",
There are a * key 42d, a # key 42e, a manner key 42f, and a voice memo key 42g. The numeric key 42
Alphabetic characters, hiragana characters, and the like are assigned to the c, * key 42d and # key 42e, so that mail can be created.

The inside of the main body 32 is configured as shown in FIG. The antenna 34 is connected to a communication circuit 44, and the call speaker 36 and the call microphone 42 are connected to a voice conversion circuit 46. Communication circuit 44 and voice conversion circuit 4
6 are connected to each other, and all are controlled by the CPU 48. The CPU 48 is also connected with a game key 40, a telephone key 42, a display 38, a vibration motor 52, a calling speaker 54, and a nonvolatile memory 50 such as an EEPROM or a flash memory. The vibration motor 52 vibrates the main body 32 when receiving the mail or the incoming call signal, and the calling speaker 54 outputs a ringing sound when receiving the mail or the incoming call signal. The calling speaker 54 is provided on the back of the main body 32.

The memory 50 has a program storage area 50a and a graphic data storage area 50 as shown in FIG.
b, a work area 50c and a display area 50d are formed. The program storage area 50a stores a game program received from the game server 20 when the player registers character data. The graphic data storage area 50b stores the game server 20 when logged in.
Stores the graphic data received from. The work area 50c stores map data received from the game server 20 during login.

The program storage area 50a must be formed in a non-volatile memory, but the graphic data storage area 50b, the work area 50c and the display area 50c
d may be formed in a volatile RAM. The graphic data may be received together with the game program at the time of registration with the game server 20, but in this case, the graphic data storage area 50b needs to be formed in a nonvolatile memory.

The game program stored in the program storage area 50a executes processing according to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

The graphic data stored in the graphic data storage area 50b includes image data of an object forming a virtual space such as “tree”, “rock”, “grass” and image data of a character appearing in the virtual space. And different graphic numbers are assigned to the respective image data. As described above, the character has five states: forward, backward, right, left, and sleeping. Image data indicating each state is prepared in the graphic data storage area 50b.
A common graphic number is assigned to each image data, but extensions added to the graphic numbers are different from each other.

The map data stored in the work area 50c is composed of position information indicating the location of the character and a terrain matrix and a character matrix of a size according to the map size selected by the user. As shown in FIG. 7, the position information is represented by coordinates (Xc, Yc) at which the own character is located. Further, the terrain matrix includes coordinates (X1, Y) of each block forming the virtual space.
1) to (Xs, Ys) and the graphic numbers of the terrain reproduced in each block. The character matrix includes coordinates (X) of each block forming the virtual space.
(1, Y1) to (Xs, Ys) and graphic numbers assigned to blocks in which characters are to be reproduced. When size 1 is selected, s = 11, and when size 2 is selected, s = 7.

Based on such map data and graphic data in the graphic data storage area 50b, virtual space data (game screen data) of size 1 or size 2 shown in FIG. 8 is created. The number of horizontal blocks and the number of vertical blocks of virtual space data of size 1 are “11”, and the number of horizontal blocks and the number of vertical blocks of virtual space data of size 2 are “7”. Such virtual space data is stored in the display area 50d, and a virtual space (game screen) based on the virtual space data is displayed on the display 38. When “size 1” is selected, a virtual space of 9 blocks × 9 blocks is displayed on the display 38, and when “size 2” is selected, a virtual space of 5 blocks × 5 blocks is displayed on the display 38. . That is, the virtual space data for display is narrower by one block in each of the upper, lower, left, and right directions than the virtual space data stored in the display area 50d. Thus, the scrolling process before the map data is updated is appropriately performed.

Referring to FIG. 8, the terrain is "rock", "tree",
Characters such as “clown”, “mage”, and “mountain” appear on such terrain. The character who is logging in stands up and roams the virtual space. On the other hand, the character being logged out is sleeping at the place where the character was immediately before logout.
That is, in this embodiment, all the characters registered in the game server 20 are reproduced in the virtual space irrespective of whether the player is logged in to the game server 20.

A start menu screen as shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the display 38 of the portable communication terminal 30 during logout. When "game" is selected here, the start menu screen is shown in FIG. Updated to the game menu screen. According to FIG. 10, the title “Online Game” is displayed on the upper side of the screen, and the menu item “Start game” and the cursor are displayed on the lower side of the screen. When the player selects “start the game” with the A button 40a, a login request is issued to the mobile communication terminal 30.
Is transmitted to the game server 20. Game server 20
Detects character data of the player who transmitted the login request from the character data storage area 24d shown in FIG. 3, and updates status information included in the detected character data from "logout" to "login".

Further, based on the position information, map size information, status information, and transmission state information included in each character data, players whose screens need to be updated by the current login are listed in a transmission list. Create map data individually for the upgraded players. The created map data is individually transmitted to the portable communication terminals 30 of each of the listed players, and the portable communication terminal 30 that has received the map data.
Displays on the display 38 a game screen based on this map data. The mobile communication terminal 30 that logged in this time
Is displayed from the game menu screen shown in FIG.
Alternatively, the game screen is updated to the game screen shown in FIG. In the mobile communication terminal 30 already logged in, the sleeping character displayed on the game screen stands up.

When the logged-in player operates the cross key 40c, a movement request is transmitted to the game server 20. When the movement request is given, the game server 20
The character data of the requesting player is detected from the character data storage area 24d, and the position information included in the detected character data is updated. Further, similarly to the above, the players who need to update the game screen are listed, different map data are created for each of the listed players, and the created map data is transmitted to the mobile communication terminal 30 of each player. I do. by this,
The display on the display 38 of the mobile communication terminal 30 that has received the map data is updated based on the map data. That is, the character of the player who has operated the cross key 40c moves on the game screen of each portable communication terminal 30 that has received the map data.

When the player operates the B button 40b in the display state shown in FIG. 12, the system menu screen shown in FIG. According to FIG. 13, three menu items of “screen size change”, “other setting”, and “game end” are displayed on the display 38.

Here, when the player selects "change screen size" using the cross key 40c and the A button 40a, the size menu screen shown in FIG.
8 is displayed. Since the current screen size is size 2 (= small size), when the player selects “large” using the cross key 40c and the A button 40a, a size change request is transmitted to the game server 20. At this time, the game server 20 detects the character data of the request source from the character data storage area 24d shown in FIG. 3, and updates the map size information included in the detected character data from “size 2” to “size 1”. Furthermore, map data is created based on the updated map size information,
The created map data is returned to the requesting portable communication terminal 30. The mobile communication terminal 30 creates game screen data based on the received map data, and
The game screen shown in FIG. 1 is displayed on the display 38.

When the system menu screen shown in FIG. 13 is displayed and the cursor is pointed to “game end” and the A button 40 a is pressed, a logout request is transmitted to the game server 20. The game server 20
The character data of the requesting player is detected from the character data storage area 24d, and the status information included in the detected character data is updated. Further, similarly to the above, the players who need to update the game screen are listed, different map data are created for each of the listed players, and the created map data is transmitted to the mobile communication terminal 30 of each player. I do. The display of the mobile communication terminal 30 that has received the map data is updated based on the map data, and the player character who has logged out changes to a sleep state on the game screen. On the other hand, the display of the mobile communication terminal 30 that has transmitted the logout request is updated from the game screen shown in FIG. 13 to the start menu screen shown in FIG.

CPU 22 provided in game server 20
Will be described with reference to FIGS.

Referring to FIG. 16, CPU 22 first determines in step S1 whether the transmission time has come. The transmission time arrives every one second, and if the transmission time has not been reached, the process directly proceeds to step S5.
Proceed to. In steps S5, S9, S13 and S17, it is determined what kind of request has been given from the mobile communication terminal 30. When a login request is given, YES is determined in step S5, and a login process is performed in step S7. When a logout request is given, “YES” is determined in the step S9, and a logout process is performed in a step S11. When a move request is given, step S
13 is determined to be YES, and the movement processing is performed in step S15. When a size change request is given, step S1
7 is determined as YES, and a size change process is performed in step S19. Upon completion of the process in the step S7, S11, S15 or S19, the process returns to the step S1.

The periodic transmission process in step S3 follows a subroutine shown in FIG. First, in step S21, the character number i is set to "1", and in step S23
To detect the transmission state information of the character i from the character data storage area 24d shown in FIG.
In 5 and S31, the contents of the transmission state information are determined.
If the transmission status information indicates “transmission reservation”, the process proceeds to step S
From 25, the process proceeds to step S27 to transmit the map data to the portable communication terminal 30 of the character i. Specifically, map data is created based on the position information and the map size information included in the character i data shown in FIG. 3, and the created map data is stored in the portable communication terminal 30 of the character i.
Send to In a succeeding step S29, the transmission state information included in the character i data is set to “transmitted”, and when the setting is completed, the process proceeds to a step S35.

If the transmission status information detected in step S23 indicates "transmitted", the flow advances from step S31 to step S33 to set the transmission status information included in the character i data to "idle". When the setting is completed, the process proceeds to step S35. If the transmission state information detected in step S23 indicates "idle", the process directly proceeds to step S35.

In step S35, the character number i is incremented. In step S37, the character number i is incremented.
Has reached the maximum character number imax. Here, if i ≦ imax, steps S23 to S3
The process of step 5 is repeated, but if i> imax, the process returns to the routine in the upper hierarchy.

The login processing in step S7 follows a subroutine shown in FIG. First, step S41
The character data of the request source is detected from the character data storage area 24d shown in FIG. 3 based on the character ID included in the login request, and the status information included in the detected character data is updated from “logout” to “login”. I do. When the update of the status information is completed, the login permission is transmitted to the requesting portable communication terminal 30 in step S43, and the character matrix formed in the character matrix storage area 24c shown in FIG. 3 is updated in step S45. Specifically, position information is detected from the character data of the request source, the graphic number of the coordinates indicated by the position information is detected from the character matrix, and the extension assigned to the detected graphic number is changed from “s” to “s”. f ”,“ b ”,“ r ”and“ l ”.

In step S47, map data is created based on the position information and the map size information included in the character data of the request source, and the created map data is transmitted to the portable communication terminal 30 of the request source. When the transmission is completed, the transmission status information included in the character data of the request source is set to “transmitted” in step S49. In step S51, players whose map data should be updated are listed, and in subsequent step S53, the map data is transmitted to the portable communication terminal 30 of the listed player. That is, for each of the listed players, a process of detecting position information and map size information, a process of creating map data based on the detected position information and map size information, and a process of transmitting the created map data are performed. When the transmission is completed, the process proceeds to step S55, and the transmission status information included in the character data of the destination player is updated to “transmitted”. Upon completion of the process, the process returns to the routine in the upper hierarchy.

The logout process in step S11 shown in FIG. 16 complies with a subroutine shown in FIG. First, in step S61, the character ID included in the logout request
The character data of the request source is detected from the character data storage area 24d based on the request, and the status information included in the detected character data is updated from “login” to “logout”. Subsequently, in step S63, a logout notification (end notification) is transmitted to the requesting portable communication terminal 30, and in step S65, the character matrix formed in the character matrix storage area 24c is updated.
In other words, position information is detected from the request source character data, and the graphic number of the request source character is detected from the character matrix based on the detected position information,
Then, the extension of the detected graphic number is updated to “s”. When the update process is completed, steps S67 to S7
In step 1, the same processing as in steps S51 to S55 described above is performed, and thereafter, the process returns to the upper-layer routine.

The movement processing in step S15 shown in FIG. 16 follows a subroutine shown in FIG. First, step S
At 81, it is determined whether or not the requesting character is movable. If another character moves to the position (destination coordinate) where the requesting character tries to move,
The requesting character cannot move. Therefore, it is first determined in step S81 whether or not movement is possible.
Specifically, it is determined whether a graphic number has been assigned to the destination coordinates on the character matrix. If a graphic number has been assigned, the map data is transmitted to the requesting portable communication terminal 30 in step S97, and the transmission state information included in the requesting character data is updated to "transmitted" in step S99. When the update is completed, the process returns to the routine in the upper hierarchy. in this case,
The map data includes position information indicating the current position of the requesting character.

If no graphic number has been assigned to the destination coordinates, YES is determined in the step S81, and
In steps S83 and S85, the position information and the character matrix of the requesting character are updated. Specifically, the request source character data is stored in the character data storage area 2 based on the character ID included in the movement request.
4d, the position information (coordinates or direction) included in the detected character data is updated in accordance with the movement request. Further, the graphic number of the requesting character is detected from the character matrix based on the position information before the update, and the assignment destination of the detected graphic number or the extension of the detected graphic number is updated in accordance with the movement request. In steps S87 to S95, the same processes as those in steps S47 to S55 shown in FIG. 18 are performed, and upon completion of the process, the process returns to the routine in the upper hierarchy.

The size changing process in step S19 shown in FIG. 16 follows a subroutine shown in FIG. First, in step S101, the character I included in the size change request
Based on D, the request source character data is detected from the character data storage area 24d, the map size information included in the detected character data is specified, and the specified map size information is updated. If the current map size information is "size 1", update to "size 2"
If the current map size information is “size 2”, it is updated to “size 1”. In step S103, map data according to the updated map size is transmitted to the request source. Specifically, position information is detected from the character data of the request source, map data is created based on the detected position information and the updated map size information, and the created map data is transmitted to the request source. In step S105, the transmission status information of the character data of the request source is set to "transmitted".
And then returns to the routine at a higher hierarchy.

The listing process in step S51, S67 or S91 complies with a subroutine shown in FIG. 22 and FIG. First, in step S111, the contents of the transmission list formed in the work area 24e are cleared.
In step S113, the character data (character n data) of the player who transmitted the login request, the logout request, or the movement request is stored in the character data storage area 2.
The position information is identified from 4d, and the position information is detected from the identified character data.

Subsequently, in step S115, the character number i is set to "1". In step S117, status information is detected from the character i data (specified from the character data storage area 24d).
At 19, it is determined whether the character i is in the login state or the logout state. If it is in the logout state, the process proceeds directly to step S135. On the other hand, if the user is in the login state, the character i is determined in step S121.
Detect location information and map size information from the data,
In step S123, a norm calculation is performed on the position information of the character i and the position information of the character n. Specifically, from the position coordinates of the character i and the position coordinates of the character n,
Find the distance between characters i and n.

When the norm calculation is completed, step S125
To determine whether the character n exists in the field of view of the character i. Specifically, based on the result of the norm calculation and the map size information of the character i, it is determined whether or not the coordinates of the character n are included in the range of the map size of the character i. If NO, the process proceeds to step S135, and if YES, the process proceeds to step S127.

In step S127, transmission state information is detected from the character i data. In step S129, it is determined whether the transmission state information indicates "idle". In step S130, the distance (norm) between characters i and n is predetermined. It is determined whether each value is equal to or less than the value. If YES is determined in both steps S129 and S130, the character i is added to the transmission list of the work area 24e in step S131, and then the process proceeds to step S1.
Proceed to 35. On the other hand, if NO is determined in any one of steps S129 and S130, step S13
3 to set the transmission status information of the character i data to "transmission reservation"
And the process proceeds to step S135.

In step S135, the character number i is incremented. In the following step S137, the incremented character number i is changed to the maximum character number i.
max. Here, if i ≦ imax, the processing of steps S117 to S135 is repeated, but i> i
If it is max, the character n is deleted from the transmission list in step S139, and then the process returns to the upper hierarchy routine.

Next, the CP provided in the portable communication terminal 30
The processing of U48 will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

First, the CPU 48 determines in step S141 whether or not a signal has been received from the outside, and in step S143, determines whether or not a key operation has been performed by the player. When a signal is received from the outside, steps S141 to S1 are performed.
Proceeding to 51, it is determined whether the received signal is a mail signal or an incoming call signal for a call. If the received signal is a mail signal, the process returns to step S141 via mail processing in step S153. On the other hand, if the received signal is an incoming call signal, a call process is performed in step S155, and when the call is completed, the process returns to step S141.

When the player selects an item other than “game” from the menu screen shown in FIG. 9, step S143
Is determined to be NO, the corresponding processing is performed in step S157, and the process returns to step S141. On the other hand, when the player selects “game” from the menu screen shown in FIG. 9 and further selects “start game” from the game menu screen shown in FIG. 10, steps S145 and S1
After performing the login processing, the game processing, and the logout processing in 47 and S149, the process returns to step S141.

The login processing in step S145 follows a subroutine shown in FIG. First, step S
Initialization is performed in step 161, and a login request including the user's own character ID is transmitted to the game server 20 in step S 163. In response to the login request, the game server 20
Login permission and map data are returned (steps S43, S47). Therefore, the portable communication terminal 30 determines in step S165 and step S167 whether login is permitted and whether map data is received, and proceeds to step S169 in response to the reception of map data. In step S169, a virtual space (game screen) as shown in FIG. 11 or FIG. 12 is displayed on the display 38 based on the received map data and the graphic data stored in the graphic data storage area 50b. When the display process is completed, the process returns to the routine at the upper hierarchy.

The game processing in step S147 is as follows.
According to a subroutine shown in FIG. First, step S17
In step S173 and step S179, it is determined whether the cross key 40c has been operated and whether the B button 40b has been operated, respectively. When the cross key 40c has been operated, the moving process is performed in step S177, and when the process is completed, the process returns to step S171.

If the B button 40b has been operated, YES is determined in the step S179, and a system menu screen shown in FIG. 13 is displayed on the display 38 in a step S181. Here, the player sets the cursor to “change screen size” using the cross key 40 c and presses the A button 40.
When a is pressed, YES is determined in the step S183, and the size changing process is performed in a step S185. Upon completion of the process, the process returns to step S171. The player has the cross key 40
Set the cursor to "Other setting process" by c,
When the A button 40a is pressed, “YES” is determined in the step S187, and the process returns to the step S171 via the other setting process in the step S189.

When the player presses the B button 40b, YES is determined in the step S191, the system menu screen is deleted in a step S193, and the process returns to the step S171. When the player sets the cursor to “game end” using the cross key 40c and presses the A button 40a,
YES is determined in the step S195, and the process returns to the routine in the upper hierarchy. While the player does not perform any key operation, the map is updated in step S197, and the process returns to step S183. This allows another character to move on the game screen while the system menu screen is displayed.

The map updating process in steps S171 and S197 follows a subroutine shown in FIG.
First, in step S201, it is determined whether or not new map data has been received. If NO, the process returns to the routine on the upper hierarchy, but if YES, step S203.
To update the game screen. That is, the map data stored in the work area 50c shown in FIG. 6 is updated with the currently received map data. The display area 50d includes the updated map data and the graphic data storage area 50.
The game screen data created based on the graphic data stored in b is expanded, and the game screen on the display 38 is updated accordingly. Upon completion of such an updating process, the process returns to a routine at a higher hierarchy.

The moving process in step S177 follows a subroutine shown in FIG. First, it is determined in step S221 whether the user can move to a desired destination. Specifically, referring to the terrain matrix shown in FIG.
It is determined whether or not a graphic number of an obstacle such as a tree or “tree” exists at the destination coordinates. If such a graphic number exists, it is not possible to move to the coordinates, so that the determination at step S221 is NO, and the process returns to the routine at the upper hierarchy.

On the other hand, if the graphic number of the obstacle does not exist in the destination coordinates, YES is determined in the step S221, and the screen scroll of the first half block is started in a step S223. If the destination is up, start screen scrolling downward.If the destination is down, start screen scrolling upward.If the destination is left, start screen scrolling right. If the destination is right, screen scrolling to the left is started. Step S22
5 is performed, the display screen changes from 0.0 to 0.
The scroll is performed by 0.1 blocks in a desired direction in the order of 1 → 0.2 → 0.3 → 0.4 → 0.5.

In step S 225, the game server 20 transmits a movement request including its own character ID and movement destination information (any of up, down, right, and left). In the game server 20, a determination process (S81) for determining whether or not movement in accordance with the movement request is possible and a return process of map data having contents according to the determination result (S87 or S97) are performed.
That is, if movement is possible, the position information of the requesting character is updated, and map data including the updated position information is returned. When the map data is received from the game server 20, steps S227 to S229 are performed.
To determine whether or not the position information included in the received map data has been updated.

If "NO" here, it is considered that the movement of the own character has failed, and the screen display is returned to the state before the scroll in step S231. At this time, the display screen is
The scrolling is performed by 0.1 blocks in the direction opposite to the desired direction in the order of 0.5 → 0.4 → 0.3 → 0.2 → 0.1 → 0.0. On the other hand, if YES is determined in the step S229, the screen is scrolled by 0.5 blocks in the latter half in a step S233. Since the matrix of the map data received from the game server 20 is a matrix centered on the destination coordinates, the display screen is −0.5 → −0.4 → −
The scroll is performed by 0.1 blocks in a desired direction in a manner of 0.3 → −0.2 → −0.1 → 0.0. Step S
Upon completion of the process in S231 or S233, the process returns to the routine in the upper hierarchy.

The size changing process in step S185 follows a subroutine shown in FIG. First, step S
At step 241, desired size information is fetched, and step S24
At step 3, it is determined whether or not the size has changed. Size 1
If "Large" is selected while the game screen of No. is displayed, or "Small" is selected while the game screen of size 2 is displayed, no size change has occurred, so Return to the routine at the upper hierarchy. On the other hand, if “small” is selected while the size 1 game screen is displayed, or “large” is selected while the size 2 game screen is displayed, the size is changed. Therefore, a size change request including the own character ID is transmitted to the game server 20 in step S245.

The game server 20 returns map data in response to the size change request (step S103).
In step S247, it is determined whether or not map data has been received. When map data is received, the process proceeds to step S249, and the game screen is updated. That is, the map data stored in the work area 50c shown in FIG. 6 is updated with the currently received map data. In the display area 50d, the updated map data and the graphic data storage area 5 are stored.
Game screen data created on the basis of the graphic data of the display 3b.
8 is updated. Upon completion of the updating process, the process returns to the routine in the upper hierarchy.

The logout processing in step S149 shown in FIG. 24 follows a subroutine shown in FIG. First, in step S211, a logout request including the user's own character ID is transmitted to the game server 20. Game server 20
Transmits a logout notification in response to the logout request (step S63), and determines in step S213 whether or not there is a logout notification. When the logout notification is received, a game end process is performed in step S215, and thereafter, the process returns to the upper hierarchy routine.

Referring to FIG. 15, a communication operation between game server 20 and a plurality of portable communication terminals 30 will be described. In FIG. 15, A, B and C are assigned to each mobile communication terminal.
Assign the sign of Further, it is assumed that the mobile communication terminals A, B, and C are close to each other, and a player character of another terminal exists in the field of view of any terminal.

Note that the right end of FIG.
It shows the transition of the transmission status information for each terminal stored in the memory 24 (character data storage area) of the game server 20. Here, “transmitted” indicates that the game server has transmitted map data to the terminal from the previous regular communication timing to the present. “Transmission reservation” indicates that map data should be transmitted to the terminal at the next regular communication timing. further,
“Idle” indicates that no map data has been transmitted from the game server to the terminal from the last regular communication timing to the present.

When the transmission time of the portable communication terminals A, B and C is set to “transmitted”, “transmitted” and “transmission reserved”, the game server 20 sends the portable communication terminal The map data is transmitted to C (terminal set to “transmission reservation”) (S27), and the transmission state information of the mobile communication terminal C is updated from “transmission reservation” to “transmitted” (S29). On the other hand, no map data is transmitted to the mobile communication terminals A and B (terminals not set as “transmission reservation”), and the transmission state information of the mobile communication terminals A and B changes from “transmitted” to “idle”. Is set to (S33). As a result, the mobile communication terminals A and B are ready for immediate transmission.

When a movement request is transmitted from portable communication terminal A to game server 20 after transmission time n, map data is returned from game server 20 to portable communication terminal A (S87). The transmission status information of A is updated to “transmitted” (S89). Further, the mobile communication terminal B whose transmission status information indicates "idle" is added to the transmission list (S131), and the map data is transmitted to the mobile communication terminal B (S93). The transmission status information of the mobile communication terminal B is updated to “transmitted” (S95). Further, the transmission state information of the mobile communication terminal C is updated to “transmission reservation” (S133).

As described above, the map data is immediately transmitted to the terminal (portable communication terminal A) that has transmitted the movement request. This is to improve the response to the moving operation (key operation). In addition, the map data is also immediately transmitted to the terminal (portable communication terminal B) whose transmission state information is “idle”. On the other hand, to the terminal (portable communication terminal C) whose transmission status information is “transmitted”, the transmission is not immediately transmitted, but is set to “transmission reservation” to transmit at the next regular communication timing (time n + 1). As described above, since the terminal that has already transmitted within the predetermined period (the mobile communication terminal C that has transmitted at time n) is not transmitted immediately, the frequency of communication is restricted, and the amount of communication can be suppressed.

When the mobile communication terminal A transmits a move request again to the game server 20, map data is returned from the game server 20 to the mobile communication terminal A (S87). At this time, the transmission status information of the mobile communication terminal A is “transmitted”, but the map data is transmitted immediately. In this way, the terminal that transmitted the movement request includes:
Regardless of the transmission state information, the map data is transmitted immediately. The transmission status information of the mobile communication terminal A is “transmitted”
Is maintained (S89). Since the transmission status information of the mobile communication terminal B indicates "transmitted" and the transmission status information of the mobile communication terminal C indicates "transmission reservation", these terminals are not added to the transmission list and the map data is transmitted. Never.
However, the transmission status information of the mobile communication terminals B and C is
“Transmission reservation” is set (S133).

During the period from time n to time n + 1, there are two movement requests from the mobile communication terminal A, but no map data after the first movement request is transmitted to the mobile communication terminal C. Since only the map data after the second movement request is transmitted, the communication amount can be suppressed. Here, the player of the mobile communication terminal C is one of the mobile communication terminals A.
Although it is not possible to know the first movement, it is sufficient at time n + 1 to be able to know the position of the portable communication terminal A at that time (at time n + 1). That is, at the intermediate point of the regular communication timing, there is a state where the information between the terminals is not consistent, but since the consistency is obtained at the time of the regular communication timing, it does not pose a major problem in the progress of the game.

When transmission time n + 1 is reached, map data is transmitted to portable communication terminals B and C whose transmission status information indicates "transmission reservation" (S27), and the transmission status information is updated to "transmitted". Is performed (S29). On the other hand, for the mobile communication terminal A, the transmission status information is “transmitted”.
Is updated to "idle" (S33). Time n + 1
When the movement request is issued from the mobile communication terminal B after the above, the game server 20 returns the map data to the mobile communication terminal B (S87). The transmission state information of the mobile communication terminal B maintains “transmitted”.

Further, the portable communication terminal A in the idle state is added to the transmission list (S131), the map data is transmitted to the portable communication terminal A (S93), and the transmission state information of the portable communication terminal A is "transmitted". Will be updated to For the mobile communication terminal C in the transmitted state, the transmission state information is updated to “transmission reservation” without transmitting the map data (S133).

When the mobile communication terminal C issues a movement request, the game server 20 returns map data to the mobile communication terminal C (S87), and updates the transmission status information of the mobile communication terminal C to "transmitted". Is performed (SS89). Further, for the mobile communication terminals A and B in the transmitted state, the map data is not transmitted, and the transmission state information is updated to "transmission reservation" (S133).

When the transmission time reaches n + 2, the map data is transmitted to the mobile communication terminals A and B in the transmission reservation state (S27), and the transmission state information of the mobile communication terminals A and B becomes "transmitted". It is updated (S29). For the mobile communication terminal C in the transmitted state, the transmission state information is updated to "idle" (S33).

As described above, in the periodic transmission process, the map data is transmitted to the portable communication terminal whose transmission status information indicates “transmission reservation”, and the transmission status information is updated to “transmitted”. No map data is transmitted to another mobile communication terminal, and the transmission state information is set to “idle”.

In the list-up process, a process for selecting a terminal to which map data is to be transmitted immediately is performed. Specifically, a mobile communication terminal whose transmission status information indicates "idle" is added to the transmission list, and the map data is transmitted to the mobile communication terminal. When the transmission is completed, the transmission status information is updated to “transmitted”. Other mobile communication terminals are not added to the transmission list, and the transmission status information is set to “transmission reservation”.

Therefore, the transmission of the map data by the periodic transmission processing and the transmission of the map data based on the list-up processing are performed complementarily.

In this embodiment, the regular transmission processing, the login processing, the logout processing, the moving processing, and the size changing processing are all performed by one game server, but by a plurality of servers separated from each other. The above processing may be shared. in this case,
A game server is formed by a plurality of servers installed at different positions from each other.

Further, in this embodiment, the specific contents and types of the game are not described in detail, but all the characters that can be freely controlled by the player in the virtual space are included in the concept of the “game”. It is considered to be.

Further, in this embodiment, the map data including both the terrain matrix and the character matrix is transmitted to each portable communication terminal. However, the terrain matrix of the entire area is prepared in the portable communication terminal in advance. By doing so, the terrain matrix can be omitted from the map data.

Further, in this embodiment, the size of the game world reproduced on each portable communication terminal can be selected only from "large" and "small", but the player can set an arbitrary size. You may.

Further, in this embodiment, the game server determines the area (view area) of the map data to be transmitted to each terminal based on the designated size and the coordinates of each player character. May be performed by each terminal. In this case, it is necessary to transmit information on the visual field area (for example, upper right coordinates and lower left coordinates of the visual field area) from each terminal to the game server.

Further, in this embodiment, since the character state changes only at the time of movement, login and logout, the list-up processing and map data transmission processing are performed when a movement request, a login request or a logout request is given. Is performed. However, when the state of the character changes, such as when the terrain character changes, such as when the door opens, it is necessary to perform the list-up process and the map data transmission process in response to the change in the terrain character.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an illustrative view showing one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a game server.

FIG. 3 is an illustrative view showing a mapping state of a memory provided in the game server;

FIG. 4 is an external view illustrating an example of a mobile communication terminal.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a mobile communication terminal.

FIG. 6 is an illustrative view showing a mapping state of a memory provided in the mobile communication terminal;

FIG. 7 is an illustrative view showing a structure of map data;

FIG. 8 is an illustrative view showing one example of a virtual space;

FIG. 9 is an illustrative view showing one example of a start menu screen displayed on the mobile communication terminal;

FIG. 10 is an illustrative view showing one example of a game menu screen displayed on the mobile communication terminal;

FIG. 11 is an illustrative view showing one example of a virtual space displayed on the mobile communication terminal;

FIG. 12 is an illustrative view showing another example of the virtual space displayed on the mobile communication terminal;

FIG. 13 is an illustrative view showing one example of a virtual space and a system menu screen displayed on the mobile communication terminal;

FIG. 14 is an illustrative view showing one example of a virtual space and size menu screen displayed on the mobile communication terminal;

FIG. 15 is a timing chart showing an example of data communication processing performed between a game server and a plurality of portable communication terminals.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a part of the processing of the game server.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing another portion of the process of the game server.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing another portion of the processing of the game server.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing yet another portion of the process of the game server.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing another portion of the process of the game server.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing another portion of the processing by the game server.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing yet another portion of the process of the game server.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing another portion of the process of the game server.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing a part of processing of the mobile communication terminal.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing another portion of the processing by the mobile communication terminal.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing another portion of the processing by the mobile communication terminal.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing yet another portion of the process of the mobile communication terminal.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing another portion of the process of the mobile communication terminal.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart showing another portion of the processing by the mobile communication terminal.

FIG. 30 is a flowchart showing yet another portion of the process of the mobile communication terminal.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Network system 20 ... Game server 22, 48 ... CPU 24, 50 ... Memory 30 ... Portable communication terminal 38 ... Display

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI theme coat ゛ (reference) // G06F 3/00 651 G06F 3/00 651A F term (reference) 2C001 BB04 BB08 BB10 CB08 5B050 AA08 BA07 BA08 BA11 CA07 CA08 EA23 EA24 FA02 FA09 FA13 5E501 AA17 AC15 AC16 AC25 AC35 BA12 CA04 CB02 FA14 FA15 FB04

Claims (22)

[Claims] 1. A game system for transmitting partial game world data indicating a partial game world that is a part of a game world from a game management device to a game terminal, wherein the game management device changes the partial game world. Change determining means for determining whether or not a change has occurred; first partial game world data transmitting means for transmitting the partial game world data to the game terminal according to the determination result of the change determining means; receiving a size change request from the game terminal A size change request receiving unit that changes the size of the partial game world in response to the size change request, wherein the game terminal receives the partial game world data from the game management device. Game world data receiving means; the partial game received by the partial game world data receiving means; Reproducing means for reproducing the partial game world based on the game world data; a size change instruction key for instructing a change in the size of the partial game world; and the size change request in response to the operation of the size change instruction key. A game system comprising a size change request transmission unit for transmitting the size change request to the game management device. 2. The game world is a world in which an arbitrarily changing character appears, and the change determining means determines whether or not the changing character exists in the partial game world each time the changing character changes. The game system according to claim 1, wherein 3. The game terminal, comprising: a game world change instruction key for instructing a change of the game world; and a transmission for transmitting a game world change request to the game management device in response to an operation of the game world change instruction key. A game world change request receiving means for receiving the game world change request from the game terminal; and a game world change means for changing the game world in response to the game world change request. The game system according to claim 1, further comprising: 4. The game world is a world in which a player character operated by the game terminal appears, the game world change request includes a request for updating the position of the player character, and the game world changing means performs the update. The game system according to claim 3, further comprising a position updating unit that updates a position of the player character in response to a request. 5. A second partial game world data transmitting means for transmitting partial game world data indicating a partial game world based on the position updated by said position updating means to a requesting game terminal. The game system according to claim 4, further comprising: 6. The game terminal stores a plurality of drawing data to which a plurality of identification numbers are individually assigned, and the partial game world data is formed by the identification number and the drawing position information. The game system according to any one of the above. 7. The game terminal includes a plurality of game terminals, and the partial game world is different for each of the game terminals. The change determination unit performs determination for each of the game terminals. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the size change unit receives the size change request from a game terminal, and the size change unit changes the size of the partial game world for each of the game terminals. 8. The game system according to claim 1, wherein communication between said game management device and said game terminal is performed by a general-purpose packet communication network. 9. A game program executed by a game management device for transmitting partial game world data to said game terminal in order to reproduce a partial game world that is a part of the game world on said game terminal, A transmitting step of transmitting the partial game world data to the game terminal according to the determination result of the determining step; and a step of receiving a size change request from the game terminal. A game program comprising a changing step of changing a size of a game world. 10. A game management device for transmitting partial game world data to a game terminal in order to reproduce a partial game world that is a part of the game world on the game terminal, wherein a change has occurred in the partial game world. Change transmitting means for transmitting the partial game world data to the game terminal according to the determination result of the change determining means; receiving means for receiving a size change request from the game terminal; and the size change request A game changing device for changing the size of the partial game world in response to the game management device. 11. A game management device for transmitting game world data to a plurality of game terminals to reproduce a game world on the plurality of game terminals, wherein transmission state information for each of the plurality of game terminals is stored. Transmission state information storage means; changing means for changing the game world data when receiving the game world change request from any one of the plurality of game terminals; and changing the game world data by the changing means. A first transmission unit that immediately transmits the changed game world data to the game terminal whose transmission state information is set to the idle state; and when the game world data is changed by the changing unit, the transmission state information is A first transmission reservation setting for setting the transmission state information of the game terminal set to the transmitted state to a transmission reserved state Means, a first transmitted state setting means for setting the transmission state information of the game terminal to which transmission has been immediately performed by the first transmitting means to a transmitted state, wherein the transmission state information is transmitted every time a predetermined period elapses. Detecting means for detecting a game terminal set in the reservation state; second transmitting means for transmitting game world data changed by the changing means to the game terminal detected by the detecting means; transmission by the second transmitting means; Second transmitted state setting means for setting the transmitted state information of the game terminal to the transmitted state, and idle transmission state information of the game terminals other than the game terminal transmitted by the second transmitting means. A game management device comprising idle state setting means for setting a state. 12. A game terminal that reproduces a partial game world that is a part of the game world based on game world data, and that reproduces a partial game world that is changed by the change request. First specifying means for specifying, wherein the first transmitting means immediately transmits game world data to a game terminal whose transmission state information is set to an idle state among the game terminals specified by the first specifying means. The first transmission reservation setting unit sets the transmission state information of the game terminal of the game terminals identified by the first identification unit, in which the transmission state information is set to the transmitted state, to the transmission reservation state. The game management device according to claim 11, wherein: 13. A partial game world further comprising holding means for holding size information of a partial game world reproduced by each of the plurality of game terminals, wherein the first specifying means reproduces a partial game world in which a change is caused by the change request. The game management device according to claim 12, wherein a game terminal is specified based on the size information. 14. The game management device according to claim 13, further comprising a change unit that changes the size information when a size change request of the partial game world is received from any one of the plurality of game terminals. 15. The game world in which a plurality of player characters individually operated by the plurality of game terminals appear, and each of the plurality of game terminals plays a game world in which their own player character exists. A second specifying unit that reproduces based on world data, and specifies a game terminal in which a distance between the location of the player character and the change point in the game world where a change is caused by the change request is equal to or less than a predetermined distance; A second transmission reservation setting unit configured to set the transmission state information of the game terminal not specified by the second specifying unit in the transmission reservation state among the game terminals whose transmission state information is set to the idle state; 1 transmitting means, among the game terminals for which the transmission state information is set to the idle state, Immediately transmits the game world data to the game terminal identified by the game management device according to any one of claims 11 to 14. 16. The game apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: third transmission means for immediately transmitting the changed game world data to the game terminal which transmitted the change request when the game world data is changed by the changing means. 16. The game management device according to any one of claims 15 to 15. 17. A game program executed by a game management device for transmitting game world data to the plurality of game terminals so as to reproduce the game world on the plurality of game terminals, the game program comprising: Changing the game world data when the game world change request is received from the server; transmitting the changed game world data when the game world data is changed by the changing step; A first transmission step of immediately transmitting to the game terminal set to, when the game world data is changed by the changing step, transmitting the transmission state information of the game terminal whose transmission state information is set to the transmitted state. A first transmission reservation setting step of setting a reservation state, and an immediate transmission by the first transmission step Setting the transmission status information of the game terminal in which the transmission has been performed to the transmitted status;
A transmitted state setting step, a detecting step of detecting a game terminal in which the transmission state information is set to the reserved transmission state every time a predetermined period elapses, and changing to the game terminal detected by the detecting step by the changing step A second transmission step of transmitting the game world data, a second transmission state setting step of setting the transmission state information of the game terminal transmitted in the second transmission step to a transmitted state, and the second transmission A game program comprising an idle state setting step of setting the transmission state information of a game terminal other than the game terminal to which the transmission was performed in the step to an idle state. 18. A game system for transmitting game world data from a game management device to a plurality of game terminals, wherein the game management device stores transmission state information for each of the plurality of game terminals. Storage means; changing means for changing the game world data when a game world change request is received from any one of the plurality of game terminals; changing when the game world data is changed by the changing means. First transmission means for immediately transmitting the game world data to the game terminal whose transmission state information is set to the idle state; when the change means changes the game world data, the transmission state information is transmitted. A first transmission reservation setting method for setting the transmission state information of the game terminal set to the transmission reservation state A first transmission state setting unit for setting the transmission state information of the game terminal to which the first transmission unit has been immediately transmitted to the transmission state, wherein the transmission state information is set to the transmission reservation every time a predetermined period elapses. Detecting means for detecting a game terminal set to a state; second transmitting means for transmitting game world data changed by the changing means to the game terminal detected by the detecting means; transmission by the second transmitting means is performed. Second transmission state setting means for setting the transmission state information of the game terminal to a transmitted state, and setting the transmission state information of the game terminals other than the game terminal transmitted by the second transmission means to an idle state. Wherein each of the plurality of game terminals includes: an instruction key for instructing a change in the game world; A change request transmitting unit that transmits the change request to the game management device in response to an operation of a game, and a reproduction unit that reproduces a game world based on the game world data when the game world data is received from the game management device. A game system comprising: 19. The game system according to claim 18, wherein communication between said game management device and said game terminal is performed by a general-purpose packet communication network. 20. A game management system for transmitting game world data to a plurality of game terminals to reproduce a game world in which a plurality of player characters individually operated by the plurality of game terminals appear on each of the plurality of game terminals. An apparatus, comprising: changing means for changing the game world data when receiving a change request for the game world from any one of the plurality of game terminals; Specifying means for specifying a game terminal whose distance to a changing point in the game world where the occurrence of the game world is equal to or less than a predetermined distance, and when the game world data is changed by the changing means, First transmitting means for immediately transmitting to the specified game terminal; Transmission reservation setting means for setting a transmission reservation for a game terminal not specified by the specifying means when the field data is changed; detecting a game terminal for which the transmission reservation is set every time a predetermined period elapses Means, and a second transmitting means for transmitting the game world data changed by said changing means to the game terminal detected by said detecting means. 21. A game executed by a game terminal which receives partial game world data corresponding to the partial game world from the game management device when a change occurs in the partial game world to be reproduced in the game world. A program for receiving an instruction to change the size of the partial game world;
A receiving step; a first transmitting step of transmitting a size change request to the game management apparatus in response to the size change instruction; a partial game world data corresponding to a size determined based on the size change request; And a first reproducing step of reproducing a partial game world based on the partial game world data received in the first receiving step. 22. A second receiving step of receiving a change instruction of the partial game world, a second transmission step of transmitting a change request to the game management device in response to the change instruction, and transmitting the game after transmitting the change request. The method further comprising: a second receiving step of receiving partial game world data immediately returned from the management device; and a second reproducing step of reproducing a partial game world based on the partial game world data received in the second receiving step. Item 22. The game program according to Item 21.