JP2024048913A - Program and information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a program that can easily implement specifications that allow the display pattern of an object to be changed. [Solution] A program is disclosed that causes a computer to realize the following functions: generating a plurality of objects that may exist in a virtual environment; calculating a first parameter that is an average of first data that is to constitute a first object of the plurality of objects; calculating a second parameter that is an average of second data that is to constitute a second object of the plurality of objects; calculating a third parameter based on the first parameter and the second parameter; determining third data that is to constitute a new second object based on at least the third parameter; and generating a new second object based on the third data. [Selected Figure] Figure 7

Description

This disclosure relates to technology for controlling the display patterns of virtual objects that may appear in a virtual environment constructed for a computer game.

In recent years, many game services have been provided that utilize virtual environments created by computers. Technology for realizing game services that utilize virtual environments is disclosed, for example, in JP 2018-050866 A (Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a server technology for controlling a game that progresses in a virtual game space in which many virtual objects appear (see paragraphs [0056] to [0059] of Patent Document 1).

JP 2018-050866 A

In order to increase user satisfaction, the inventor attempted to implement a specification that allows the display pattern of virtual objects (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "objects") that may appear in a virtual environment to be changed according to user requests. However, if an appropriate number of options are to be introduced for the display pattern of each of a large number of objects, it would be necessary to design the display pattern of each option one by one and incorporate a data set that defines the display pattern for each option into the system. This would involve a significant workload.

In view of the above, the objective of the present disclosure is to provide a program and information processing system that allows for easy implementation of specifications that allow the display pattern of objects to be changed, and that can provide a game that increases user satisfaction while reducing the workload during the development stage.

The program according to the first aspect of the present disclosure is a program that causes a computer to realize a function of generating a plurality of objects that may exist in a virtual environment, a function of calculating a first parameter that is an average of first data that is to constitute a first object of the plurality of objects, a function of calculating a second parameter that is an average of second data that is to constitute a second object of the plurality of objects, a function of calculating a third parameter based on the first parameter and the second parameter, a function of determining third data that is to constitute a new second object based on at least the third parameter, and a function of generating the new second object based on the third data.

The information processing system according to the second aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing system for providing a game service to a user terminal, comprising a communication processing unit capable of communicating with the user terminal, and a game progress control unit connected to the communication processing unit and configured to generate a plurality of virtual objects that may exist in a virtual environment, the game progress control unit being configured to calculate a first parameter that is an average of first data that should constitute a first object of the plurality of objects, calculate a second parameter that is an average of second data that should constitute a second object of the plurality of objects, calculate a third parameter based on the first parameter and the second parameter, determine third data that should constitute a new second object based on at least the third parameter, and generate the new second object based on the third data.

It is easy to implement a specification that allows the second object to be changed to match the first object, providing a game that can increase user satisfaction while reducing the workload during the development stage.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic functional configuration of a game system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a server device which is an example of a hardware configuration of the information processing system; FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic functional configuration of a user terminal according to an embodiment. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a terminal device, which is an example of a hardware configuration of a user terminal. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of an object organization screen. 6A and 6B are diagrams each showing an example of a display pattern change screen. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic procedure of a display pattern change process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic procedure of a display pattern change process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 9A and 9B are diagrams each showing an example of a display pattern change screen.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that components with the same reference numerals throughout the drawings have the same configuration and function.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic functional configuration of a game system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the game system 1 includes a plurality of user terminals 20 ₁ , 20 ₂ , ..., 20 _K , and an information processing system 10 that can be connected to each of the user terminals 20 ₁ to 20 _K via a communication network NW. Here, K is an integer of 3 or more indicating the total number of the user terminals 20 ₁ to 20 _K. In the example of FIG. 1, the total number of the user terminals 20 ₁ to 20 _K is 3 or more, but is not limited to this. The number of the user terminals 20 ₁ to 20 _K may be 1 or 2.

The communication network NW may be, for example, a wide area communication network such as the Internet, a dedicated communication network connecting bases, or an in-house communication network such as a wired LAN (Local Area Network) or a wireless LAN, but is not limited to these. The communication network NW may also include a third generation (3G) to sixth generation (6G) terrestrial mobile communication network, a satellite mobile communication network, or a fixed communication network.

Each of the user terminals 20 ₁ to 20 _K may be a communication terminal (information processing device with a communication function) such as a smartphone, a feature phone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), or a tablet computer, but is not limited to these. Each of the user terminals 20 ₁ to 20 _K may be a gaming communication terminal suitable for playing computer games.

Each user terminal 20 _k (k is any integer in the range of 1 to K) can communicate with the information processing system 10 via the communication network NW and receive a game service using a virtual environment provided by the information processing system 10. Here, the virtual environment refers to a two-dimensional or three-dimensional virtual space electronically constructed in a computer, the communication network NW, or both the computer and the communication network NW. Through the user terminal 20 _k , a user can play computer games such as role-playing games (RPG) and online games (hereinafter simply referred to as "games") in the virtual environment.

Various virtual objects (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "objects") may appear in the virtual environment. Examples of objects include, but are not limited to, player characters (PCs) that can be controlled directly or indirectly by the player, non-player characters (NPCs), objects that the player characters can wear in the virtual environment (e.g. accessory objects and equipment objects), objects that the player characters can possess in the virtual environment (e.g. weapon objects), building objects, and plant and animal objects.

As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing system 10 is configured to include a communication processing unit 11 having a function of communicating individually with the user terminals 20 ₁ to 20 _K via a communication network NW, a game progress control unit 12 having a function of controlling the game, and a memory unit 13 in which various data necessary for executing the game is stored.

The memory unit 13 stores various programs 13A, including game programs for causing the computer to realize various functions, and further stores various data such as game information 13B and user information 13C. The game programs are software programs used to execute a game. The game progress control unit 12 executes the programs 13A to comprehensively control the operation of the information processing system 10.

The various data stored in the memory unit 13 includes data related to the game, such as user information 13C and game information 13B, as well as instructions or notifications transmitted and received between the user terminal _20k and the information processing system 10, or between the user terminals ₂₀₁ to _20K . The game information 13B is data referenced by the game progress control unit 12 when executing the program 13A. The user information 13C is data related to the user's account information.

The program 13A may include a game program for realizing a game through cooperation between the user terminal 20 _k and the information processing system 10. The game realizing the game through cooperation between the user terminal 20 _k and the information processing system 10 may be, for example, a game executed on a browser launched in the user terminal 20 _k . Alternatively, the program 13A may include a game program for realizing a game through cooperation between the user terminals 20 ₁ to 20 _K.

For example, the game progress control unit 12 can transmit various data and program codes to the user terminal _20k . The game progress control unit 12 receives some or all of the game information or user information from the user terminal 100. If the game is a multiplayer game, the game progress control unit 12 may receive a request for multiplayer synchronization from the user terminal _20k and transmit data for synchronization to the user terminal _20k .

The game progress control unit 12 functions according to the description of the program 13 A. The game progress control unit 12 can also function to support the progress of the game in the user terminal 20 _k depending on the nature of the game being executed.

For example, the game progress control unit 12 can communicate with the user terminal 20 _k to support the user terminal 20 _k in progressing through the game. The game progress control unit 12 can provide information to be referred to by the user terminal 20 _k as appropriate, for example, according to the progress of the game in the user terminal 20 _k . In addition, in the case of a multiplayer game, the game progress control unit 12 can communicate with each user terminal 20 _k to mediate interactions (e.g., chat between users) between the user terminals 20 ₁ to 20 _K. Furthermore, the game progress control unit 12 can execute matching of the user terminals 20 ₁ to 20 _K participating in the multiplayer game, and synchronization control for synchronizing the progress of the multiplayer game.

The information processing system 10 can be configured with one server device or multiple server devices that operate in cooperation with each other. The server device can be realized with one computer including one or more processors, or multiple computers connected to each other via a communication path. The server device can be realized using one or more processors including one or more processing units that execute processing according to program code (group of instructions) of software or firmware read from a non-volatile memory (computer-readable recording medium). For example, the processing unit can be a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The information processing system 10 can be constructed using either cloud computing or on-premise.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a server device 50, which is an example of the hardware configuration of the information processing system 10.

The server device 50 shown in FIG. 2 includes a processor 51, memory 52, storage 53, a communication interface circuit (communication I/F circuit) 54, an input/output interface circuit (input/output I/F circuit) 55, and a signal path 56. The signal path 56 is a communication bus for electrically interconnecting the processor 51, memory 52, storage 53, communication I/F circuit 54, and input/output I/F circuit 55. The game progress control unit 12 in FIG. 1 can be realized by the processor 51 and memory 52, the communication processing unit 11 in FIG. 1 can be realized by the communication I/F circuit 54, and the memory unit 13 in FIG. 1 can be realized by the storage 53.

Processor 51 reads various programs related to the game from storage 53 and expands the read programs in memory 52, which functions as a main storage device. Storage 53 can be configured, for example, as a flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), or a solid state drive (SSD). Memory 52 can be configured, for example, as a RAM (Random Access Memory). Memory 52 can provide a working area for processor 51 by temporarily storing various programs and data read from storage 53. Memory 52 can also temporarily store intermediate data generated while processor 51 is operating according to various programs.

The input/output I/F circuit 55 is an interface through which the server device 50 receives data input from the outside, and also an interface through which the server device 50 outputs data to the outside. The input/output I/F circuit 55 can be connected, for example, to an input device (not shown) such as a pointing device or a key input device, and a display (not shown) which is an image display device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic functional configuration of the user terminal _20k .

As shown in Fig. 3, the user terminal _20k includes a communication interface unit (communication I/F unit) 31 having a function of communicating with the information processing system 10 and other user terminals via the communication network NW, a control unit 32 having a function of controlling the operation of the user terminal _20k , a memory unit 33 in which various data necessary for executing the game is stored, a display unit 34 for displaying images, an input/output interface unit (input/output I/F unit) 35, an operation input unit 36, and a sensor unit 37 including various sensors for detecting objects such as a user 40. The object detected by the sensor unit 37 is not limited to the user 40, but may be a machine (for example, a robot), a device, or an electromagnetic phenomenon. The communication I/F unit 31 can control the transmission and reception of various data in the user terminal _20k .

The operation input unit 36 has a function of accepting operation input by the user 40, and can be configured, for example, as a key input device or a pointing device. The input/output I/F unit 35 is an interface that can be connected to the game controller 41 and the external storage medium 42, respectively. The input/output I/F unit 35 can be connected to the game controller 41 by wire or wirelessly. The display unit 34 has a function of displaying images, and can be configured, for example, as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The display unit 34 may be configured as a touch panel display that has a function of accepting operation input by the user 40. The sensor unit 37 can include an imaging sensor that captures an image of an object such as the user 40 and outputs the image data, and a spatial sensor such as a distance measuring sensor that spatially recognizes an object such as a body part (for example, a hand) of the user 40.

The memory unit 33 stores various programs 33A, including game programs for causing the computer to realize various functions, and also stores game information 33B and user information 33C. The control unit 32 functions as an operation input receiving unit 32A, a display control unit 32B, a user interface control unit (user I/F control unit) 32C, an animation generation unit 32D, and a game progression unit 32E according to the descriptions in the programs 33A. The user information 33C is data related to the account of the user 40.

The control unit 32 can control the operation of the user terminal _20k by executing the program 33A stored in the storage unit 33. For example, the control unit 32 can progress the game in accordance with the program 33A and operation input by the user 40. Furthermore, while the game is progressing, the control unit 32 communicates with the information processing system 10 to transmit and receive information as necessary. Note that the control unit 32 can also function as other functional blocks (not shown) in order to progress the game depending on the nature of the game being executed.

The operation input reception unit 32A can detect operation input by the user 40 to the operation input unit 36, the game controller 41, or the display unit 34 (touch panel display). The operation input reception unit 32A may have a function of detecting operation input by the user 40 by analyzing the sensor output of the sensor unit 37 and recognizing the movement of an object such as a body part of the user 40. The operation input reception unit 32A can output the detection result to each component of the control unit 32.

When the display unit 34 is configured as a touch panel display, the operation input reception unit 32A, upon detecting a touch operation on the display unit 34, acquires various information related to the touch operation. For example, the operation input reception unit 32A acquires the coordinates of the position of the touch operation (hereinafter also referred to as the "touch position"). The operation input reception unit 32A may detect multiple touch positions simultaneously. In addition, the types of touch operations include, for example, a tap operation (a touch operation in which the touch position is not moved for a short time), a double tap operation (tap operation performed consecutively multiple times within a predetermined time), a long press operation (an operation in which touch is continued for a predetermined time or more without moving the touch position), a flick operation (an operation in which the touch position is moved from the start point to the end point at a predetermined speed or more), a swipe operation (an operation in which the touch position is moved while continuing the touch operation from the start point to the end point. Also called a drag operation), a pinch-in operation (an operation in which the first touch position and the second touch position are moved so that the distance between them decreases while continuing the touch operation on the first touch position and the second touch position), and a pinch-out operation (an operation in which the first touch position and the second touch position are moved so that the distance between them increases while continuing the touch operation on the first touch position and the second touch position).

The user I/F control unit 32C can control UI objects to be displayed on the display unit 34 in order to construct a user interface (hereinafter referred to as "UI"). The UI objects are tools that allow the user 40 to input necessary information for the progress of the game to the user terminal _20k , or tools that allow the user 40 to obtain information output during the progress of the game from the user terminal _20k . Examples of UI objects include, but are not limited to, icons, buttons, lists, and menu screens.

The animation generation unit 32D generates animations showing the motion of various objects based on the control modes of the various objects. Specifically, the animation generation unit 32D may generate animations expressing the behavior of objects such as player characters and non-player characters in the virtual environment when they are acted upon.

The display control unit 32B generates (draws) a game image that represents a state in a virtual environment in which multiple objects may exist, and displays the game image on the display unit 34. For example, the display control unit 32B can generate a game image by combining an animation generated by the animation generation unit 32D with an image of the virtual environment. The display control unit 32B can also superimpose the above-mentioned UI objects on the game image.

The game progression unit 32E can progress the game while referring to game information 33B stored in the memory unit 33. The memory unit 33 stores, as game information 33B, information on objects to be placed in the game space, information on parameters defining each object, information indicating the progress status of each play unit, and information indicating the completion status of tasks corresponding to each play unit.

The input/output I/F unit 35 can read a program (i.e., a computer program for causing a computer to realize a predetermined function) and data recorded in the external storage medium 42. For example, the program recorded in the external storage medium 42 is a game program. The user terminal _20k may store in the storage unit 33 a game program acquired by communicating with an external device such as the information processing system 10, or may store in the storage unit 33 a game program acquired by reading from the external storage medium 42.

The above-mentioned user terminal _20k may be realized by a computer including one or more processors. The user terminal _20k can be realized by using one or more processors including one or more arithmetic units that execute processing according to program code (group of instructions) of software or firmware read from a non-volatile memory (computer-readable recording medium). For example, a CPU, an MPU, or a GPU can be used as the arithmetic unit.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a terminal device 60, which is an example of the hardware configuration of the user terminal _20k .

4, the terminal device 60 includes a processor 61, a memory 62, a storage 63, an image sensor 64, a distance measurement sensor 65, a touch panel display 66, a communication interface circuit (communication I/F circuit) 69, an input/output interface circuit (input/output I/F circuit) 68, and a signal path 70. The signal path 70 is a communication bus for electrically interconnecting the processor 61, the memory 62, the storage 63, the image sensor 64, the distance measurement sensor 65, the touch panel display 66, the communication I/F circuit 69, and the input/output I/F circuit 68. The communication I/F unit 31 in FIG. 3 can be realized by a communication I/F circuit 69, the control unit 32 in FIG. 3 can be realized by a processor 61 and a memory 62, the memory unit 33 in FIG. 3 can be realized by a storage 63, the display unit 34 in FIG. 3 can be realized by a touch panel display 66, the input/output I/F unit 35 in FIG. 3 can be realized by an input/output I/F circuit 68, the operation input unit 36 in FIG. 3 can be realized by an input device 67, and the sensor unit 37 in FIG. 3 can be realized by an image sensor 64 and a distance measurement sensor 65.

The processor 61 reads various programs related to the game from the storage 63 and expands the read programs in the memory 62 that functions as a main storage device. The storage 63 can be configured, for example, as a flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), or a solid state drive (SSD). The memory 62 is configured, for example, as a RAM. The memory 62 can provide a working area for the processor 61 by temporarily storing the various programs and data read from the storage 63. The memory 62 can also temporarily store intermediate data generated while the processor 61 is operating according to the various programs.

The input/output I/F circuit 68 can be configured as an interface with the external storage medium 42 and game controller 41 shown in FIG. 3. The input device 67 can be configured as a pointing device or a key input device.

Next, we will explain the processing of the game progress control unit 12 of the information processing system 10.

As described below, the game progress control unit 12 can select a combination of objects that visually affect each other during the game from among a plurality of objects that may appear in the virtual environment in response to a request from the user terminal 20 _k , and can automatically determine data (e.g., a display pattern such as a surface color, pattern, or texture) that should constitute the other object (hereinafter referred to as a "second object") of the combination based on one object (hereinafter referred to as a "first object") of the combination. The game progress control unit 12 can newly generate a second object based on the determined data. It is assumed that the newly generating of a second object includes changing existing data that should constitute the second object to the determined data. For example, when a first object and a second object are displayed in a form that visually integrates with each other during the game in the virtual environment, the first object and the second object can be a combination that visually affects each other during the game.

A first example of a combination of a first object and a second object is a combination of a player character and an object (e.g., an accessory object) that the player character can wear. A second example of a combination is a combination of a player character and an object (e.g., a weapon object) that the player character can possess during the game. A third example of a combination is a combination of a player character and a background object (e.g., a room object) in which the player character is placed. A fourth example of a combination is a combination of a player character and a performance object (e.g., a flame object, a light object) that appears in accordance with a predetermined action of the player character. A fifth example of a combination is a combination of a player character and a performance object (e.g., a flame object, a light object) that appears in accordance with a predetermined action of the player character. A sixth example of a combination is a combination of a player character and a UI (user interface) object corresponding to the player character.

The game progress control unit 12
a) calculating a first parameter from first data to configure a first object (e.g., texture data defining a display pattern such as a color, pattern, or texture of a surface of the first object);
b) calculating second parameters from second data to configure the second object (e.g., texture data defining a display pattern such as a color, pattern, or texture of the surface of the second object);
c) calculating a third parameter (e.g., a parameter such as a difference quantitatively indicating a degree of association between the first parameter and the second parameter) based on the first parameter and the second parameter;
d) determining third data for constituting a new second object based on at least a third parameter (e.g., a new display pattern that may be preferred by the user);
e) generating a new second object based on the third data;
The device has a function to execute the process.

The game progress control unit 12 can display an object organization screen on the user terminal _20k in response to an object organization request transmitted from the user terminal _20k . The object organization screen is a user interface screen for the user 40 to select a combination of first objects and second objects and to request the display of a display pattern change screen. The display pattern change screen will be described later.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the object organization screen D1. In the example of FIG. 5, a character PC0 such as a player character or a non-player character is selected as the first object, and detailed information about the character PC0 is displayed. The object organization screen D1 can be displayed on the touch panel type display unit 34 (FIG. 3) of the user terminal 20 _k . As shown in FIG. 5, the object organization screen D1 has a window W1 that displays a simplified image of the character PC0, which is the first object, and a window W2 that displays simplified images of the objects V1 to V4 that can be assigned to the character PC0 in a line. The user 40 can select a second object (weapon object V1 in the example of FIG. 5) from the objects V1 to V4 by a predetermined touch operation (for example, a tap operation) on the object organization screen D1 and assign it to the first object. In addition, the object organization screen D1 has a change button B0 for requesting the display of a display pattern change screen. The user 40 can request the game progress control unit 12 to display a display pattern change screen by selecting the change button B0 by a predetermined touch operation.

Furthermore, the object organization screen D1 also has a call button CB and a save button RB. The user 40 can display a list of weapon objects and accessory objects (not shown) on the display unit 34 of the user terminal _20k by selecting the call button CB with a predetermined touch operation (for example, a tap operation). The user 40 can assign a desired object from this list to the character PC0. The user 40 can save information on objects that can be assigned to the character PC0 in the information processing system 10 by selecting the save button RB with a touch operation.

After the user 40 selects a combination of the first object and the second object on the object organization screen, the user 40 can make a request to change the display pattern on the display pattern change screen. The display pattern change screen can be displayed on the touch panel type display unit 34 (FIG. 3) of the user terminal _20k .

6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating display pattern change screens D2 and D3. The display pattern change screen D2 shown in FIG. 6A is a user interface screen that is first displayed in response to a request received from the user terminal 20 _k . The display pattern change screen D2 has a window W3 that displays a stereoscopic display image of the character PC0, which is a first object, and a stereoscopic display image of the second object V1 assigned to the character PC0. In the window W3, the stereoscopic display image of the character PC0 has a display pattern (color, pattern, texture, or a combination thereof) based on the texture data that should constitute the character PC0, and the stereoscopic display image of the second object V1 also has a display pattern (color, pattern, texture, or a combination thereof) based on the texture data that should constitute the second object V1.

Texture data is two-dimensional image data used to display the appearance of a 3D (three-dimensional) object or the appearance of a 2D (two-dimensional) object displayed in a virtual space. In general, a technique for providing a display pattern consisting of color, pattern, texture, or a combination of these to the surface of a 3D object (3D model) generated by computer graphics is called texture mapping. The texture data of this embodiment may be two-dimensional image data generated for texture mapping, but is not limited to this. The texture data of this embodiment may be expressed as a group of color coordinates in a primary color space, such as an RGB color space consisting of a red component (R), a green component (G), and a blue component (B).

The display pattern change screen D2 also has a window W4 that displays simplified images of objects V1 to V4 that can currently be assigned to the character PC0 side by side. In the example of FIG. 6A, object V1 is assigned as the second object, but the user 40 can reassign a desired one of objects V1 to V4 as the second object by a predetermined touch operation (e.g., a tap operation). The user 40 can also delete any one of objects V1 to V4 displayed in window W4 by a predetermined touch operation (e.g., a long press operation).

The display pattern change screen D2 also has a weapon button WB and an accessory button AB. The user 40 can display a list of weapon objects (not shown) on the display unit 34 of the user terminal _20k by selecting the weapon button WB with a predetermined touch operation (for example, a tap operation). The user 40 can assign a desired weapon object from this list to the character PC0. On the other hand, the user 40 can display a list of accessory objects (not shown) on the display unit 34 of the user terminal _20k by selecting the accessory button AB with a predetermined touch operation (for example, a tap operation). The user 40 can assign a desired accessory object from this list to the character PC0.

The display pattern change screen D2 also has a trigger button TB for the user 40 to make a display pattern change request. A representative display color of the second object V1 in the window W3 is displayed on this trigger button TB. For example, if the hair on the head of the second object V1 is a representative part, a representative color representing the hair on the head may be displayed on the trigger button TB. Here, the representative color may be a color previously assigned to the second object V1, or may be a color calculated by performing a predetermined calculation such as averaging on a group of color coordinates of texture data that should constitute the object V1, as described later. When the user 40 selects the trigger button TB by a predetermined touch operation (for example, a tap operation), the user terminal 20 _k transmits a display pattern change request to the game progress control unit 12. The game progress control unit 12 can start a display pattern change process in response to the display pattern change request received from the user terminal 20 _k .

The display pattern change screen D2 further includes an end button BB. When the user 40 decides not to change the display pattern of the second object V1 assigned to the character PC0, the user 40 can select the end button BB by performing a predetermined touch operation (e.g., a tap operation).

7 and 8 are flow charts that show the outline of the procedure of the display pattern change processing executed by the game progress control unit 12. Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 are connected to each other via connectors C1 and C2. This display pattern change processing is executed in response to a display pattern change request transmitted from the user terminal _20k .

Referring to FIG. 7, first, the game progress control unit 12 selects a first object and a second object assigned to the first object in response to a display pattern change request (step S11). Next, the game progress control unit 12 calculates a first parameter from the first data that should constitute the first object (step S12). Specifically, the game progress control unit 12 may calculate a representative amount (vector amount or scalar amount) representing a representative display color of the first object as the first parameter from the first texture data that defines the display pattern P0 of the first object. The calculation method of this representative amount will be described later. Next, the game progress control unit 12 calculates a second parameter from the second data that should constitute the second object (step S13). Specifically, the game progress control unit 12 may calculate a representative amount (vector amount or scalar amount) representing a representative display color of the second object as the second parameter from the second texture data that defines the display pattern P1 of the second object. The calculation method of this representative amount will be described later. In FIG. 7, step S13 is executed after step S12, but instead, step S12 may be executed after step S13.

The first texture data is two-dimensional image data used to display the appearance of a first object displayed in a virtual space, and the second texture data is also two-dimensional image data used to display the appearance of a second object displayed in a virtual space. The representative amount representing the representative display color of the first object may be calculated based on a data set that defines the display pattern of a representative part of the first object (e.g., a representative part such as the head, hair on the head, or upper body of a player character) from the first texture data. Similarly, the representative amount representing the representative display color of the second object may be calculated based on a data set that defines the display pattern of a representative part of the second object (e.g., a representative part of a weapon object) from the second texture data.

The first texture data can be expressed by a group of color coordinates of multiple points in a predetermined primary color space such as the RGB color space, and the second texture data can also be expressed by a group of color coordinates of multiple points in the primary color space, similar to the first texture data. From the viewpoint of human visual characteristics, it is preferable that the representative amount is calculated based on a group of color coordinates of a predetermined HSV color space rather than based on a group of color coordinates of the primary color space. The HSV color space is a color space composed of a hue component, a saturation (saturation/chroma) component, and a value (value/brightness) component. Therefore, the game progress control unit 12 converts the group of color coordinates of the primary color space represented by a predetermined data set of the first texture data into a group of color coordinates of the HSV color space, and performs a predetermined calculation such as averaging on the group of color coordinates of the obtained HSV color space to calculate a vector amount indicating a representative color coordinate (first color coordinate), and uses this vector amount as the representative amount. Similarly, the game progress control unit 12 performs color space conversion on the color coordinates in the primary color space represented by a predetermined data set in the second texture data to a color coordinate group in the HSV color space, and performs a predetermined calculation such as averaging on the resulting color coordinate group in the HSV color space to calculate a vector quantity indicating a representative color coordinate (second color coordinate), and uses this vector quantity as the representative quantity.

In this case, the representative quantity is a vector quantity, but is not limited to this. A value corresponding to the vector quantity (a scalar quantity) may be used as the representative quantity. Furthermore, the averaging of the color coordinates in the HSV color space may be any of arithmetic averaging, geometric averaging, and harmonic averaging.

Note that if the first texture data is expressed as a set of color coordinates of multiple points in the HSV color space, and the second texture data is also expressed as a set of color coordinates of multiple points in the HSV color space, the above-mentioned color space conversion is not necessarily required.

After step S13, the game progress control unit 12 calculates a third parameter based on the first parameter and the second parameter (step S14). Specifically, the third parameter may be calculated as a vector quantity or a scalar quantity indicating the visual association between the first parameter and the second parameter. More specifically, the third parameter can be calculated as a difference Δ between the first parameter and the second parameter. If a representative quantity representing a representative display color of the first object is represented by R1 and a representative quantity representing a representative display color of the second object is represented by R2, when the representative quantities R1 and R2 are expressed as color coordinates (vector quantities), the difference Δ can be calculated as a difference vector (=R1-R2, or R2-R1) between those color coordinates (vector quantities). Alternatively, the difference Δ can be calculated as the norm (scalar quantity) of that difference vector. Alternatively, the difference Δ may be calculated as a normalized vector obtained by normalizing that difference vector. Alternatively, the difference Δ may be calculated as the Euclidean distance between the first color coordinates indicated by the representative amount R1 and the second color coordinates indicated by the representative amount R2, but is not limited to this, and may also be calculated as the Chebyshev distance.

In the next step S15, the game progress control unit 12 determines the third data to be used to form a new second object based on the third parameter. Specifically, the game progress control unit 12 may determine the third data by applying the third parameter to the second data to be used to form the second object. More specifically, when the second data is texture data, the game progress control unit 12 can determine a new display pattern Pn of the second object as the third data by applying the above-mentioned difference Δ to the texture data according to a predetermined calculation method. For example, when the second data is expressed by a color coordinate group and the difference Δ is calculated as a difference vector, the game progress control unit 12 can shift the color coordinate group by the difference vector Δ in the color space to calculate a new color coordinate group, thereby obtaining a display pattern Pn represented by the new color coordinate group. Alternatively, the game progress control unit 12 can select or configure an operator such as a coordinate transformation matrix based on the difference vector Δ, and apply a coordinate transformation using this operator to the color coordinate group to calculate a new color coordinate group, thereby obtaining a display pattern Pn represented by the new color coordinate group. In this way, a new display pattern Pn can be determined based on the difference Δ, eliminating the need to prepare texture data for all options that may suit the preferences of a wide variety of users.

After step S15, the game progress control unit 12 generates a new second object based on the third data determined in step S15 (step S16). Specifically, the game progress control unit 12 changes the display pattern P1 of the second object to a new display pattern Pn represented by the third data.

Next, the game progress control unit 12 presents the new display pattern Pn represented by the third data to the user terminal _20k (step S17). Specifically, the game progress control unit 12 displays the new display pattern Pn on the display unit 34 of the user terminal _20k . More specifically, in the example of FIG. 6A, when the user 40 selects the trigger button TB on the display pattern change screen D2, the game progress control unit 12 executes the above steps S11 to S15 to determine the new display pattern Pn. Thereafter, the game progress control unit 12 changes the display screen of the display unit 34 of the user terminal _20k from the display pattern change screen D2 of FIG. 6A to the display pattern change screen D3 of FIG. 6B, thereby being able to present the new display pattern Pn to the user terminal _20k (step S17). Here, in the window W3 of the display pattern change screen D3, the display pattern of the second object V1 has been changed to the new display pattern Pn. At the same time, the trigger button TB displays a representative display color of the new display pattern Pn. At this time, for example, the game progress control unit 12 calculates representative color coordinates by performing a predetermined calculation such as averaging on a group of color coordinates in a primary color space represented by a data set that defines a representative part of the second object V1 (for example, a representative part of a weapon object) from the texture data that defines the new display pattern Pn, and then uses this representative color coordinates to display a representative display color on the trigger button TB.

After step S17, the game progress control unit 12 waits until there is a response from the user terminal _20k (NO in step S18). When an end instruction is received from the user terminal _20k in response to the presentation of the new display pattern Pn (YES in step S17 and step S18), the game progress control unit 12 ends the display pattern change process. In the example of Fig. 6B, the user 40 can end the display pattern change process by selecting the end button BB by a predetermined touch operation (for example, a tap operation).

On the other hand, when a display pattern change request is received from the user terminal _20k in response to the presentation of the new display pattern Pn (YES in step S18 and step S19), step S20 is executed. In the example of FIG. 6B, when the user 40 selects the trigger button TB by a predetermined touch operation (for example, a tap operation), the user terminal _20k transmits a second display pattern change request to the game progress control unit 12. In step S20, the game progress control unit 12 calculates a fourth parameter representing another display color related in terms of hue to the display color represented by the first parameter based on the first parameter calculated in step S12. For example, the fourth parameter can be a color coordinate (vector amount) representing a complementary color to the color represented by the representative amount R1.

After step S20, the game progress control unit 12 calculates a fifth parameter based on the fourth parameter calculated in step S20 and the second parameter calculated in step S13 (step S21). Specifically, the fifth parameter may be calculated as a vector quantity or a scalar quantity indicating the visual association between the fourth parameter and the second parameter. More specifically, the fifth parameter can be calculated as the difference δ between the fourth parameter and the second parameter. Now, if the representative quantity representing the representative display color of the fourth object is represented by R4 and the representative quantity representing the representative display color of the second object is represented by R2, when the representative quantities R4 and R2 are expressed as color coordinates (vector quantities), the difference δ can be calculated as a difference vector (=R4-R2, or R2-R4) between those color coordinates (vector quantities). Alternatively, the difference δ can be calculated as the norm (scalar quantity) of that difference vector. Alternatively, the difference δ may be calculated as a normalized vector obtained by normalizing that difference vector. Alternatively, the difference δ may be calculated as the Euclidean distance between the color coordinates indicated by the representative amount R4 and the color coordinates indicated by the representative amount R2, but is not limited to this and may also be calculated as the Chebyshev distance.

Next, the game progress control unit 12 determines the fourth data to be used to form a new second object based on the fifth parameter calculated in step S21 (step S22). Specifically, the game progress control unit 12 may determine the fourth data by applying the fifth parameter to the second data to be used to form the second object or the third data calculated in step S15. More specifically, when the second data or the third data is texture data, the game progress control unit 12 can determine a new display pattern Pm of the second object as the fourth data by applying the difference δ to the texture data according to a predetermined calculation method. For example, when the second data or the third data is expressed by a color coordinate group and the difference δ is calculated as a difference vector, the game progress control unit 12 can obtain the display pattern Pm represented by the new color coordinate group by shifting the color coordinate group by the difference vector δ in the color space to calculate a new color coordinate group. Alternatively, the game progress control unit 12 can select or configure an operator such as a coordinate transformation matrix based on the difference vector δ, and apply coordinate transformation using this operator to the group of color coordinates to calculate a new group of color coordinates, thereby obtaining a display pattern Pm represented by the new group of color coordinates. In this way, a new display pattern Pm can be determined based on the difference δ, so there is no need to prepare texture data for all options that may suit the preferences of various users.

After step S22, the game progress control unit 12 newly generates a second object based on the fourth data determined in step S22 (step S23). Specifically, the game progress control unit 12 changes the display pattern of the second object to the display pattern Pm represented by the fourth data. Then, the game progress control unit 12 presents the display pattern Pm represented by the fourth data to the user terminal _20k (step S24 in FIG. 6). Specifically, the game progress control unit 12 displays the display pattern Pm on the display unit 34 of the user terminal _20k . FIGS. 9A and 9B are diagrams illustrating examples of the display pattern change screens D3 and D4. The display pattern change screen D3 in FIG. 9A is the same as the display pattern change screen D3 in FIG. 6B. In the example of FIG. 9A, when the user 40 selects the trigger button TB on the display pattern change screen D3, the game progress control unit 12 executes the above steps S20 to S22 to further determine a new display pattern Pm. After that, the game progress control unit 12 can present the display pattern Pm to the user terminal _20k by changing the display screen of the display unit 34 of the user terminal _20k from the display pattern change screen D3 of FIG. 9A to the display pattern change screen D4 of FIG. 9B (step S24). Here, in the window W3 of the display pattern change screen D4, the display pattern of the second object V1 is changed to the display pattern Pm. At the same time, the trigger button TB displays a representative display color of the display pattern Pm. At this time, for example, the game progress control unit 12 may calculate a representative color coordinate by performing a predetermined calculation such as averaging on a group of color coordinates of a primary color space represented by a data set that defines a representative part of the second object V1 (for example, a representative part of a weapon object) among the texture data that defines the display pattern Pm, and may display the representative display color on the trigger button TB using the representative color coordinate.

After step S24, the game progress control unit 12 waits until there is a response from the user terminal _20k (NO in step S25). When an end instruction is received from the user terminal _20k in response to the presentation of the new display pattern Pm (YES in step S25 and step S26), the game progress control unit 12 ends the display pattern change process. In the example of Fig. 9B, the user 40 can end the display pattern change process by selecting the end button BB by a predetermined touch operation (for example, a tap operation).

On the other hand, when a third display pattern change request is received from the user terminal _20k in response to the presentation of the display pattern Pm (YES in step S25 and step S25), step S27 is executed. In the example of FIG. 9B, when the user 40 selects the trigger button TB by a predetermined touch operation (for example, a tap operation), the user terminal _20k transmits a third display pattern change request to the game progress control unit 12. In step S27, in response to the third display pattern change request, the game progress control unit 12 changes the display pattern of the second object to the original display pattern P1. Next, the original display pattern P1 is presented to the user terminal _20k (step S28). At this time, for example, the game progress control unit 12 can return the display screen of the display unit 34 of the user terminal _20k from the display pattern change screen D4 in FIG. 7B to the display pattern change screen D2 in FIG. 6A (step S27). This ends the display pattern change process.

As described above, the game progress control unit 12 calculates a first parameter (for example, a representative amount representing a representative display color of the first object) from the first data to constitute the first object (step S12), calculates a second parameter (for example, a representative amount representing a representative display color of the second object) from the second data to constitute the second object (step S13), calculates a third parameter (for example, a difference quantitatively indicating the visual relevance between the first parameter and the second parameter) based on the first parameter and the second parameter (step S14), determines third data (for example, a new display pattern of the second object) to constitute the second object based on the third parameter (step S17), and generates a new second object based on the third data (step S16). Therefore, a new second object can be automatically generated based on the first object. In the conventional technology, if an appropriate number of options are to be introduced for each display pattern of a large number of objects, it is necessary to design the display patterns of those options one by one and incorporate a data set that defines the display pattern of each option into the system. This entails a large workload. Also, preparing a data set of all options that may suit the tastes of various users is not realistic because it requires a huge amount of data. In contrast, in this embodiment, a new second object can be automatically generated based on a first object, so there is an advantage in that it is not necessary to prepare a data set of all options that may suit the tastes of various users. With this configuration, it is possible to easily implement specifications that allow objects to be changed according to user requests. Also, it is possible to provide a game that can increase user satisfaction while reducing the workload during the development stage.

In particular, when a representative quantity representing the representative display color of the first object is calculated as the first parameter, a representative quantity representing the representative display color of the first object is calculated as the second parameter, and a vector quantity or scalar quantity indicating the visual association (e.g., difference) between the first parameter and the second parameter is calculated as the third parameter, the game progress control unit 12 can determine a new display pattern of the second object based on the association. Therefore, the display pattern of the second object can be changed to a new display pattern that is less strange to the user.

Furthermore, when a display pattern change request is received from the user terminal _20k in response to the presentation of a new display pattern, the game progress control unit 12 calculates a fourth parameter representing another display color related in terms of hue to the display color represented by the first parameter based on the first parameter (step S20). Next, the game progress control unit 12 calculates a fifth parameter based on the fourth parameter and the second parameter (step S21), and determines fourth data to configure the second object based on the fifth parameter (step S22), and is able to newly generate a second object based on the fourth data (step S23). This allows the user to have more options for new display patterns of the second object.

Although various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the drawings, these embodiments are merely examples, and various forms other than these embodiments may be adopted. Within the scope of this disclosure, the above embodiments may be freely combined, any component of each embodiment may be modified, or any component of each embodiment may be omitted. It should be understood that the above embodiments may be appropriately modified, added, and improved without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention should be interpreted based on the description of the claims, and should be understood to include equivalents thereof.

The contents of the invention disclosed herein are as follows:

[Item 1]
A function for generating a number of objects that may exist within a virtual environment;
A function of calculating a first parameter which is an average of first data to configure a first object of the plurality of objects;
A function of calculating a second parameter that is an average of second data that is to configure a second object of the plurality of objects;
A function of calculating a third parameter based on the first parameter and the second parameter;
a function of determining third data to be used to construct a new second object based on at least the third parameter;
and a program (13A) for causing a computer to realize a function of generating the new second object based on the third data.

[Item 2]
2. The program (13A) according to item 1, wherein the third data is calculated by applying at least the third parameter to the second data.

[Item 3]
2. The program (13A) according to item 1, wherein the second object is an object that can be visually integrated with the first object in the virtual environment.

[Item 4]
4. The program (13A) according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the third parameter is a difference between the first parameter and the second parameter.

[Item 5]
The program (13A) according to item 4,
the first data is first texture data that defines a display pattern of the first object;
the first parameter is a parameter representing a representative display color of the first object,
the second data is second texture data that defines a display pattern of the second object,
the second parameter is a parameter representing a representative display color of the second object,
the third data is data indicating a display pattern of the new second object,
The program (13A) causes the computer to realize a function of changing the display pattern of the second object to a display pattern indicated by the third data.

[Item 6]
Item 5. The program (13A) according to item 5, further comprising:
a function of presenting the display pattern of the new second object to a user terminal (20 _k );
a function of calculating a fourth parameter representing another display color related in hue to the display color represented by the first parameter when a display pattern change request is received from the user terminal (20 _k );
calculating a difference between the fourth parameter and the second parameter;
and a function of determining a display pattern for constituting a new second object based on at least the difference between the fourth parameter and the second parameter.

[Item 7]
The program (13A) according to item 5,
the first parameter is a vector quantity indicating a first color coordinate in a predetermined color space;
The second parameter is a vector quantity indicating a second color coordinate in the predetermined color space, program (13A).

[Item 8]
Item 7. The program (13A) according to item 7, wherein the predetermined color space is an HSV color space composed of a hue component, a saturation component, and a lightness component.

[Item 9]
The program (13A) according to item 7 or 8,
the first color coordinates are calculated by averaging a first set of color coordinates representing at least a portion of the first texture data;
The second color coordinates are calculated by averaging a group of second color coordinates that represent at least a portion of the second texture data.

[Item 10]
Item 9. The program (13A) according to item 9, further comprising:
a function of calculating the first set of color coordinates by performing color space conversion on a set of color coordinates in a primary color space that constitutes the first texture data;
and a program (13A) for realizing a function of calculating the second set of color coordinates by performing color space conversion on the set of color coordinates in the primary color space that constitutes the second texture data.

[Item 11]
The program (13A) according to any one of items 1 to 3,
the first object is a player character;
The second object is an object that can be worn by the player character in the virtual environment or an object that can be held by the player character in the virtual environment.

[Item 12]
An information processing system (10) for providing a game service to a user terminal (20 _k ), comprising:
A communication processing unit (11) capable of communicating with the user terminal (20 _k );
a game progress control unit (12) connected to the communication processing unit (11) and configured to generate a plurality of virtual objects that may exist in a virtual environment;
The game progress control unit (12)
Calculating a first parameter that is an average of first data that is to constitute a first object of the plurality of objects;
Calculating a second parameter that is an average of second data that is to constitute a second object of the plurality of objects;
calculating a third parameter based on the first parameter and the second parameter;
determining third data for constituting a new second object based on at least the third parameter;
An information processing system (10) configured to generate the new second object based on the third data.

NW: communication network, 1: game system, 10: information processing system, 11: communication processing unit, 12: game progress control unit, 13: memory unit, 13A: program, 13B: game information, 13C: user information, 20 ₁ , 20 ₂ , ..., 20 _K : user terminal, 31: communication interface unit (communication I/F unit), 32: control unit, 32A: operation input reception unit, 32B: display control unit, 32C: user interface control unit (user I/F control unit), 32D: animation generation unit, 32E: game progress unit, 33: memory unit, 33A: program, 33B: game information, 33C: user information, 34: display unit, 35: input/output interface unit (input/output I/F unit), 36: operation input unit, 37: sensor unit, 40: user, 41: game controller, 42: storage medium, 5 0: server device, 51: processor, 52: memory, 53: storage, 54: communication interface circuit (communication I/F circuit), 55: input/output interface circuit (input/output I/F circuit), 56: signal path, 60: terminal device, 61: processor, 62: memory, 63: storage, 64: imaging sensor, 65: ranging sensor, 66: touch panel display, 67: input device, 68: input/output interface circuit (input/output I/F circuit), 69: communication interface circuit (communication I/F circuit), 70: signal path 70.

Claims (15)

A function for generating a number of objects that may exist within a virtual environment;
A function of calculating a first parameter which is an average of first data to configure a first object of the plurality of objects;
A function of calculating a second parameter which is an average of second data to configure a second object of the plurality of objects;
A function of calculating a third parameter based on the first parameter and the second parameter;
a function of determining third data to be used to construct a new second object based on at least the third parameter;
and generating the new second object based on the third data. The program according to claim 1, wherein the third data is calculated by applying at least the third parameter to the second data. The program of claim 1, wherein the second object is an object that can be visually integrated with the first object in the virtual environment. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the third parameter is a difference between the first parameter and the second parameter. The program according to claim 4,
the first data is first texture data that defines a display pattern of the first object;
the first parameter is a parameter representing a representative display color of the first object,
the second data is second texture data that defines a display pattern of the second object,
the second parameter is a parameter representing a representative display color of the second object,
the third data is data indicating a display pattern of the new second object,
The program causes the computer to realize a function of changing the display pattern of the second object to a display pattern indicated by the third data. The program according to claim 5, further comprising:
a function of presenting the display pattern of the new second object on a user terminal;
a function of calculating a fourth parameter representing another display color related in terms of hue to the display color represented by the first parameter when a display pattern change request is received from the user terminal;
calculating a difference between the fourth parameter and the second parameter;
and determining a display pattern for constituting a new second object based on at least the difference between the fourth parameter and the second parameter. The program according to claim 5,
the first parameter is a vector quantity indicating a first color coordinate in a predetermined color space;
The second parameter is a vector quantity indicating a second color coordinate in the predetermined color space. The program according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined color space is an HSV color space composed of a hue component, a saturation component, and a brightness component. The program according to claim 7 or 8,
the first color coordinates are calculated by averaging a first set of color coordinates representing at least a portion of the first texture data;
The second color coordinates are calculated by averaging a second group of color coordinates that represent at least a portion of the second texture data. The program according to claim 9, further comprising:
a function of calculating the first set of color coordinates by performing color space conversion on a set of color coordinates in a primary color space that constitutes the first texture data;
a program for realizing a function of calculating the second set of color coordinates by performing color space conversion on a set of color coordinates in a primary color space that constitutes the second texture data. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
the first object is a player character;
The second object is an object that can be worn by the player character in the virtual environment or an object that can be held by the player character in the virtual environment. An information processing system for providing a game service to a user terminal, comprising:
A communication processing unit capable of communicating with the user terminal;
a game progress control unit connected to the communication processing unit and configured to generate a plurality of virtual objects that may exist in the virtual environment;
The game progress control unit:
Calculating a first parameter that is an average of first data that is to constitute a first object of the plurality of objects;
Calculating a second parameter that is an average of second data that is to constitute a second object of the plurality of objects;
calculating a third parameter based on the first parameter and the second parameter;
determining third data for constituting a new second object based on at least the third parameter;
an information processing system configured to generate the new second object based on the third data. The information processing system according to claim 12, wherein the second object is an object that is assigned to the first object and can be visually integrated with the first object in the virtual environment. The information processing system according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the third parameter is a difference between the first parameter and the second parameter. 15. The information processing system according to claim 14,
the first data is first texture data that defines a display pattern of the first object;
the first parameter is a vector quantity representing a representative display color of the first object;
the second data is second texture data that defines a display pattern of the second object,
the second parameter is a vector quantity representing a representative display color of the second object;
the third data is data indicating a display pattern of the new second object,
The information processing system, wherein the game progress control unit is configured to change the display pattern of the second object to a display pattern indicated by the third data.

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