JP2017126373A - Game program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sell content to a player who owns a predetermined game on advantageous conditions.SOLUTION: A sequel game program to be sold at a usual price in a global store server 3B to be accessed by using a store function of a game machine 1 is sold at a discounted price in an in-game store server 3A to be accessed only by the game machine 1 running a previous game program. Accordingly, the sequel game program can be sold at a discounted price to a player who owns the previous game program.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a technology for buying and selling content.

  In a series of games, a privilege may be given to a player who has a previous game in a new game. For example, in the technique of Patent Document 1, when a key is recorded on a recording medium on which a previous game program is recorded and the key recorded on the previous recording medium is read when playing a new game, Game benefits (extended games) can be played. There is also a game in which a privilege item or the like is given in a new game according to the presence or absence of saved data storing the result of playing the previous game.

  In recent years, it has become widespread to purchase game programs and download contents using online services using game machines. Some games allow users to purchase items that can be used in the game by using an online service.

Japanese Patent No. 3350773

  With respect to series games, there are cases where a new game is sold at a discount price or a privilege is given to the new game for a player who owns the previous game. However, the method of using an online service using a conventional game machine cannot check whether or not the previous game is owned when purchasing a new game. In the conventional method of purchasing an item using an online service from within the game, the item to be purchased can only be used within the game currently being played, and the player can advantageously use the new game depending on whether or not the previous game is owned. Is not something you can buy. Further, even when a privilege is given in a new game according to the possession of the previous game or the existence of save data of the previous game, the new game itself cannot be advantageously purchased.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to sell content under conditions that are advantageous to a player who has a predetermined game.

  A game program according to the present invention is a game program for causing a computer to perform processing of a first game and processing of downloading a program of a second game from a store server. The game program generates a virtual game space and generates the virtual game space. A game space generating means for executing the progress of one game, a character control means for activating a player character that can be operated by the player in the game space, save data in which the progress of the first game is recorded, and the save data Determining means for determining whether or not the degree of progress of the first game recorded in the table satisfies a predetermined condition, an access information holding means for holding access information for accessing the store server, and satisfying the predetermined condition To the store server using the access information on the condition that And access, characterized in that to function as a unit, downloads for performing processing for downloading the second game program.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to sell content under conditions that are advantageous to a player who has a predetermined game.

It is a whole lineblock diagram showing the composition of the game sales system in this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process which purchases a sequel game program in an in-game store. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process which purchases a sequel game program in a global store.

  Next, the game sales system in this Embodiment is demonstrated.

  FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a configuration of a game sales system in the present embodiment. The game sales system in the present embodiment includes a game machine 1, an in-game store server 3A, a global store server 3B, and an update server 4. The game machine 1 is connected to the in-game store server 3A, the global store server 3B, and the update server 4 via a network.

  The game machine 1 includes an arithmetic processing unit, a storage device, and the like. The game machine 1 is activated by a firmware incorporated in advance, connected to the recording medium loaded in the game machine 1, the game machine 1, or the game machine 1. The game program stored in the storage device is read and executed to start the game. Further, the game machine 1 purchases and downloads content such as game programs and game items using a network service via the Internet line by a store function provided by firmware pre-installed in the game machine 1. Can do. A player who uses the network service registers account information such as an ID, a password, and credit card information. The network service provider manages account information and device specifying information such as a unique ID of the game machine 1 and uses them for authentication when the player uses the network service.

  The in-game store server 3A is executing a game program (hereinafter referred to as “previous game program”) in which the game machine 1 holds access information to the in-game store server 3A (for example, the address of the in-game store server 3A). It is an accessible server. In the in-game store server 3A, in addition to items used in the game, download contents, and the like, a game program (hereinafter referred to as “sequel game program”) that is a sequel to the previous game program being executed is sold at a discount price. The sequel game program is a game program that provides a game having the same world view as the game provided by the previous game program. For example, a game program providing a game derived from a game provided by a series of new game programs or previous game programs. The game program is not limited to the sequel game program but may be the same developer or distributor. In the in-game store server 3A, an in-game store server 3A may be installed for each game in order to sell items used in a specific game.

  The global store server 3B is a server that can be accessed by the store function of the game machine 1. The global store server 3B sells game programs that can be executed on the game machine 1. In this embodiment, the sequel game program is sold at a normal price. The sequel game program can be executed by the game machine 1 without having the previous game program.

  The update server 4 distributes a patch for the previous game program. In the present embodiment, a patch for adding an in-game store function for accessing the in-game store server 3A is distributed to the previous game program.

  With the above-described configuration, the game machine 1 accesses the in-game store server 3A or the global store server 3B, purchases the sequel game program, and downloads the sequel game program. The in-game store server 3A is accessed using an in-game store function provided by the previous game program. The global store server 3B is accessed using a store function provided in advance by the game machine 1 when the game program is not being executed. The in-game store server 3A sells a sequel game program at a discount price, and the global store server 3B sells the same sequel game program at a normal price. A player who owns the previous game program can purchase the sequel game program from the in-game store server 3A at a discount price, but a player who does not have the previous game program cannot use the in-game store server 3A. Can't buy sequel game program at discounted price. As a form in which the player holds the previous game program, a network service is used in the game machine 1 or a storage device connected to the game machine 1 in addition to a form in which the player has a recording medium on which the previous game program is recorded. There is a form in which the game program purchased at the time is stored.

  Further, the game machine 1 downloads a patch distributed by the update server 4 and applies it to the game program. For example, by distributing a patch that implements the in-game store function to a game program that does not have the in-game store function at the beginning of the sale, when the game program with the patch is executed, the in-game store server 3A It becomes possible to access.

  Next, processing for purchasing a game from an in-game store will be described.

  The in-game store is a sales office on the network prepared for each game, and can be accessed only during execution of the game program in which access information to the in-game store server 3A is described in the game program. In the in-game store, it is possible to update and change the content that the game program seller sells relatively freely.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for purchasing a sequel game program in the in-game store. Note that the flowchart shown in the figure also includes processing in which a game program seller registers a sequel game program and the like.

  The seller of the game program registers the sequel game program in the in-game store server 3A and sets the selling price (step S11). In the in-game store server 3A, the sales price of the sequel game program is set to a discount price lower than the sales price of the global store server 3B.

  If the previous game program does not implement the in-game store function, the seller registers a patch for adding the in-game store function to the previous game program in the update server 4 (step S12).

  When the player activates the game machine 1, a patch for the previous game program is downloaded from the update server 4 and applied to the previous game program (step S13). When the player operates the previous game program on the game machine 1, the game machine 1 downloads a patch from the update server 4 using the update function provided in advance, and applies the downloaded patch to the previous game program. Add in-game store function. The previous game program to which the patch is applied is recorded in a storage device or the like included in the game machine 1.

  The player starts the game by causing the game machine 1 to execute the previous game program to which the patch is applied (step S14), and accesses the in-game store server 3A by the in-game store function added by the patch (step S15). . Since the access information to the in-game store server 3A is described in the in-game store function implemented by the patch, when the player uses the in-game store function, the game machine 1 reads the access information and reads the in-game store function. Access the server 3A. When the game machine 1 accesses the in-game store server 3A, the in-game store server 3A receives account information from the game machine 1 and identifies the player.

  When the game machine 1 accesses the in-game store server 3A, the in-game store server 3A transmits a list of contents (including the sequel game program) sold on the in-game store server 3A to the game machine 1, and the game machine 1 displays a list of contents. The player operates the game machine 1 to purchase a sequel game program at a discount price (step S16). The game machine 1 notifies the in-game store server 3A that the player has indicated the intention to purchase the sequel game program, and the in-game store server 3A performs a charging process for the player and completes the purchase process of the sequel game program. In this purchase processing, processing such as password entry and payment method selection is performed.

  When the player purchases the sequel game program, the game machine 1 starts downloading the sequel game program from the in-game store server 3A (step S17). From the viewpoint of the processing capability of the game machine 1, it is desirable to download the sequel game program while the game machine 1 is on standby, that is, when the game program is not being executed. The downloaded sequel game program is stored in a storage device or the like included in the game machine 1. When the download is completed, the game machine 1 can execute the sequel game program.

  Here, a method of using the in-game store by the player will be described. As a method of using the in-game store, an item of the in-game store is displayed on a menu screen or the like, the player selects the item, a character such as a merchant is placed in the game space, and the player There is a way to talk to that character.

  In the method of displaying the items in the in-game store on the menu screen or the like, the player causes the game machine 1 to execute the previous game program and selects the item in the in-game store from the menu screen. Can be used. When applying a patch, an in-game store item may be added to the menu screen, or a sequel game program may be added to a product sold in the in-game store.

  In the method of arranging the merchant character in the game space, the player starts the game by causing the game machine 1 to execute the previous game program, and operates the player character in the virtual game space generated by the game machine 1 to operate the merchant. By performing an action such as talking to the character, the player can use the in-game store function. When applying a patch, a merchant character may appear in the game space, or a sequel game program may be added to a product sold by an existing merchant character.

  Further, the sequel game program may be purchased in the in-game store only when there is save data in which the degree of progress of the game satisfying the predetermined condition exists. For example, if there is save data that records the degree of progress of a game that satisfies a predetermined condition, such as having killed 1000 enemies, the player character level has exceeded 100, or having cleared all scenarios, the sequel Make game programs available for purchase. The save data is stored in a storage device in the game machine 1 or an external storage device connected to the game machine 1. By checking the progress of the game when purchasing the sequel game program at the in-game store, if you only have the previous game program temporarily (for example, borrow from a friend), Unable to purchase a sequel game program. In addition to possessing the previous game program, you can also check that you were playing the game.

  Furthermore, the conditions for providing the sequel game program according to the progress of the game may be made advantageous in stages. For example, a sequel game program can be purchased more cheaply when 2000 enemies are defeated than when 1000 enemies are defeated.

  Note that when the in-game store function is implemented by applying a patch to the previous game program, it is only necessary to clear a predetermined condition at any time before and after the application of the patch. That is, save data that has cleared a predetermined condition before applying a patch may be stored, or save data that has cleared a predetermined condition after applying a patch may be stored.

  Next, the process of buying a game from the global store will be described.

  The global store is a sales office on the network that sells game programs for the game machine 1. A player who has the game machine 1 can access the game machine 1 by using the store function. Since the global store is managed by the seller of the game machine 1, the seller of the game program cannot freely update / change the content to be sold.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for purchasing a sequel game program in the global store by the store function of the game machine 1. It is assumed that the sequel game program is registered in the global store with a normal price set as a sales price.

  When the player purchases the sequel game program from the global store, the game machine 1 is activated and the global store server 3B is accessed using the store function of the game machine 1 (step S21). When the game machine 1 accesses the global store server 3B, the global store server 3B receives account information from the game machine 1 and identifies the player.

  When the game machine 1 accesses the global store server 3B, the global store server 3B transmits a list of contents (including sequel game programs) sold on the global store server 3B to the game machine 1, and the game machine 1 Display a list of The player operates the game machine 1 to purchase a sequel game program at a normal price (step S22).

  When the player purchases the sequel game program, the game machine 1 starts downloading the sequel game program from the global store server 3B (step S23). When the download is completed, the game machine 1 can execute the sequel game program.

  In this embodiment, the in-game store server 3A and the global store server 3B are separate devices. However, the in-game store and the global store are configured by one device, and the access mode from the game machine 1 is used. The access destination store may be determined based on this.

  Further, in this embodiment, an example in which the selling price of the sequel game program is different in each of the in-game store and the global store has been described. However, in the in-game store, benefits (for example, additional items, Different versions of sequel game programs with additional characters, additional scenarios, etc.) may be sold.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, a sequel game program sold at a normal price in the global store server 3B accessible using the store function of the game machine 1 is replaced with a game in which the previous game program is being executed. By selling at a discount price in the in-game store server 3A accessible only from the machine 1, it is possible to sell the sequel game program at a discount price to the player who owns the previous game program. In other words, in order to purchase the sequel game program under advantageous conditions, it is necessary to execute the previous game program on the game machine 1, and the player must have the previous game program.

  Note that the game machine 1 is not limited to a game device dedicated to a game but may be a general personal computer. In the present embodiment, the game program has been described as an example, but various application programs other than the game program may be used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Game machine 3A ... In-game store server 3B ... Global store server 4 ... Update server

Claims (6)

A game program for causing a computer to perform processing of a first game and processing of downloading a program of a second game from a store server,
The computer,
Game space generation means for generating a virtual game space and executing the progress of the first game;
Character control means for activating a player character that can be operated by the player in the game space;
Determining means for reading save data in which the progress of the first game is recorded, and determining whether the progress of the first game recorded in the save data satisfies a predetermined condition;
Access information holding means for holding access information for accessing the store server;
Download means for performing processing of accessing the store server using the access information and downloading the program of the second game on condition that the predetermined condition is satisfied;
A game program characterized by functioning as The game program is stored in a program storage unit,
The computer acquires a correction program for executing a process of downloading the second game program from the store server, and applies the correction program to update the game program stored in the program storage unit. The game program according to claim 1, further comprising an update unit.   The game program according to claim 2, wherein the correction program updates the game program so that the computer executes a process of arranging a character for accessing the store server in the game space. .   The said correction program updates the said game program so that the said computer may perform the process which adds the in-game goods for accessing the said store server in the said game space. Game program.   The game program according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the store server can be accessed when the player causes the player character to perform a predetermined activity in the game space. The program of the second game can be downloaded from another store server by accessing it via a network using a computer.
The game program according to claim 1, wherein the store server can download the program of the second game under a condition that is more advantageous than the other store server.