JP2024166318A - Information processing device, information processing method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an information processing device that can take into consideration the player's situation in a game that displays information about the attributes of game media, etc. [Solution] The information processing device of the present invention includes a setting unit that sets whether or not to display game media information related to the game media, and a display control unit that controls the display unit to display the game media information that has been set to be displayed and to hide the game media information that has been set to not be displayed. Then, at a predetermined point in time during the game, the setting unit switches the game media information that has been set to not be displayed to be displayed, based on player parameters related to the player using the game media. [Selected Figure] Figure 5

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program.

In games in which game media such as characters grow, the attributes and abilities of the game media (hereinafter, "attributes") are important information, and players progress through the game while taking into account information on attributes, etc. Information on attributes, etc. is generally displayed while playing the game, but there are cases in which the information is hidden for reasons such as improving game playability (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2015-231443 A

On the other hand, as described above, attribute information and the like is important for the progress of the game, so for example, in terms of game presentation, attribute information and the like may be hidden for a specified period of time, and then switched from hidden to displayed depending on the progress of the game so that the user can check it. In such a configuration, if the display of attribute information and the like can take into consideration the player's situation, particularly the situation that changes as the game progresses, it will be possible to provide a game environment that is favorable to the player.

The present invention aims to provide an information processing device, information processing method, and program that can take into consideration the player's situation in a game that displays information about the attributes of the game medium, etc.

An information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a setting unit that sets whether or not to display game media information related to a game medium, and a display control unit that controls the display unit to display the game media information that has been set to be displayed and to hide the game media information that has been set to not be displayed, and is characterized in that, when a predetermined point in time is reached during a game, the setting unit switches the game media information that has been set to not be displayed to be displayed based on player parameters related to the player using the game medium.

According to one aspect of the present invention, by switching game media information related to game media that is set to not be displayed to be displayed based on player parameters, it is possible to take into consideration the player's situation, for example by giving preferential treatment to players in a certain situation.

1 is a diagram illustrating a system including an information processing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a home screen displayed during a game (part 1). FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a home screen displayed during a game (part 2). FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a training instruction screen displayed during a game. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating functions of the information processing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a player parameter. An explanatory diagram of game content parameters. An explanatory diagram of the display switching probability of game content parameters. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to the first embodiment of the present invention (part 1). FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to the first embodiment of the present invention (part 2). FIG. 11 is a diagram showing functions of an information processing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

The information processing device, information processing method, and program of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. However, each embodiment described below is merely an example given to facilitate understanding of the present invention and does not limit the present invention, and the present invention may be modified or improved from the following embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention includes its equivalents.

The screen examples described in this specification and drawings are merely examples, and the screen configuration and design, content of the displayed information, and GUI, etc., can be freely designed according to the system design specifications and user preferences, etc., and can be changed as appropriate.

[Games to which the present invention can be applied]
Before describing the information processing device, information processing method, and program of the present invention, a game to which the present invention is applied (hereinafter, referred to as the present game) will be described. The present game is a game that can be played by a player operating a terminal (hereinafter, referred to as a user terminal 12) shown in Fig. 1, and progresses using game media. Note that, for convenience of illustration, only one user terminal 12 is shown in Fig. 1, but the number of user terminals 12 can be any number, and may be two or more.

The game may be a single-player game played by a single player, or it may be a game that supports online play, in which multiple players can play together via a communication network such as the Internet or a mobile communication line.

To explain in detail how the game is played, when a player performs operations for playing the game on the user terminal 12, the user terminal 12 receives game data distributed from the server computer (hereinafter referred to as server 10) of the game provider. The user terminal 12 outputs video and audio corresponding to the received data, and the player progresses through the game by using the game media while checking the output video and audio. The user terminal 12 transmits data indicating the player's operations to the server 10, and the server 10 transmits data for game progress corresponding to the player's operations. This data transmission and reception between the server 10 and the user terminal 12 is repeated until the player finishes playing the game.

The game medium is an in-game resource used by the player of the game to play each event in the game. Specifically, for example, the game medium includes characters and avatars that move and exhibit abilities in response to the player's operation in the in-game space (virtual space), and items that are consumed in response to the player's operation to advance the game advantageously. The game medium has information specific to the game medium, such as the state, nature, ability, attribute, feature, and parameter of the game medium related to the progress of the game, as described below, and the player uses the game medium in the game by referring to the information, for example, by selecting the game medium to be used and using it for an event in the game.
Game media also includes card-type media such as character cards and item cards, which are used, for example, in a deck within the game, or which are collected in multiples and consumed when playing an event depending on the content of the event.

Examples of in-game events include accidents and other occurrences that occur during the game, development of game content, quests, stages and missions that are played for the purpose of clearing them, and in-game competitions in which objects participate. Examples of "in-game competitions" include races in which players compete for finishing position, and matches or battles in which players compete for victory or defeat.

Furthermore, in the present game, multiple types of information related to the progress of the game (hereinafter, game medium information) are set in the game medium. The game medium information is information about the game medium, and includes fixed information that is predetermined and does not change during the game, and game medium parameters that change as the game progresses. In other words, the game medium information includes information indicating the fixed information and information indicating the game medium information.

Fixed information includes gender, race, bloodline and blood ties, place of origin (birthplace), compatibility with other characters or enemy characters, and other information specific to the game medium.

Game media parameters include physical conditions such as build and weight, mental conditions such as personality and temperament, level, status, attributes and ability values, resistance to attacks from enemy characters, suitability for the event environment (e.g., an arena), favorability or popularity (reputation), areas or stages that are strong or weak, win rate in in-game competitions, and other information that affects game progress (especially the results of playing events).

Game medium information may include information represented by numbers, by ranks or classifications, by symbols such as "o" or "x", by graphs or indicators with scales, by facial expressions, and by other display forms (e.g., audio, etc.).

In this game, the difficulty level (ease of progress), the way of progressing, the number of types of events that can be played, etc. change depending on the game medium information of the game medium used. The player progresses through this game by playing events in the game while taking into account the game medium information of the game medium that he or she owns.

The following description will use as an example a case in which the game medium used in the game is a "racehorse." However, the present invention can also be applied to games in which the game medium is a character or item other than a racehorse.

In this game, players can acquire racehorses by winning them in lottery events within the game, being given racehorses as a reward in the game, or by generating (creating) a new horse through an event in which two already acquired racehorses are mated as parent horses.

The racehorse information described above as the game medium information is set for the acquired racehorse. The racehorse information includes information specific to the racehorse (fixed information) and a number of racehorse parameters (game medium parameters) that can be changed as the game progresses. The racehorse parameters are involved in the progress of the game and specifically affect the outcome of an event, for example the outcome of a horse race.

The number of types of racehorse parameters is not particularly limited, but in this game, multiple racehorse parameters are associated with one racehorse (game medium). Below, it is assumed that six types of racehorse parameters (hereinafter, parameters A to F) are associated with each racehorse.

In this game, the player can raise (more specifically, train) the racehorses they have acquired. Raising is an event that changes the racehorse parameters described above. A racehorse has a set period of time in the game during which it can be raised, and the player can raise racehorses that have time remaining in the period. In-game time is time that passes within the game space and passes at a faster rate than real time; for example, when the player performs a certain operation once, it takes about a few minutes in real time, but one week in the game time passes. Note that racehorses that have passed the period of time during which they can be raised cannot be raised, but they can be used as parent horses to breed with other racehorses.

In addition, in this game, the player can enter the racehorses that he/she has trained in horse races (hereinafter referred to as races). Races are competitions within the game, and the player selects a racehorse from among the racehorses he/she owns to enter and registers it to run in the race in which he/she wishes to participate. Then, when the race day arrives in game time, the player can play the race using the registered racehorse. In other words, an event is held within the game in which the registered racehorses are entered into the race. The outcome of the race (i.e., the finishing order) is determined based on the parameters (racehorse parameters) of each racehorse that will run in the race, the weather on the day of the race, the type of course (dirt, turf, etc.), and the ground conditions, etc.

Returning to the explanation of training a racehorse, when training, the player issues training instructions via the training instruction screen G2 shown in FIG. 4, specifically, specifies the racehorse to be trained, and selects training conditions such as the training course and training intensity. The training course indicates the type of training, and the items that change depending on the training (specifically, the racehorse parameters) differ depending on the course. The training intensity is set to multiple levels, such as "strong," "medium," and "weak," and training is performed at the intensity specified by the player.

The racehorse parameters of the racehorse designated as the breeding target change according to the breeding conditions selected. There is at least one racehorse parameter that can be changed through breeding, and in the following this is assumed to include multiple types of parameters (for example, six types of parameters A to F).

When issuing training instructions, the player consumes "medals" as in-game currency. The number of medals consumed may be determined according to the attributes of the racehorse being trained and the training conditions. On the other hand, the player can increase the number of medals he possesses by playing specified events in the game and fulfilling certain conditions, for example, by entering a racehorse he owns in a race and winning. The player can also increase the number of medals he possesses by making in-game charges. Note that the in-game charging process can be carried out using publicly known technology, so a description of this will be omitted.

The amount or degree of change for each of parameters A through F in one training session is determined by the training conditions and number of medals consumed specified by the player when issuing training instructions, but even with the same training conditions and number of medals consumed, the amount or degree of change can vary depending on the racehorse's unique information, such as its pedigree, the initial value or current location of each parameter, and the balance between parameters.

For example, parameter A can be changed from "Level 1" to "Level 10," but a racehorse whose initial value of parameter A is "Level 3" can be developed to "Level 10" more easily than a racehorse whose initial value of parameter A is "Level 1."
Furthermore, if the degree of change in parameter A varies depending on the pedigree, even if racehorses with the same level of parameter A are trained under the same conditions, the number of training sessions required to advance to the next level will differ.
Furthermore, if parameters B and C are related to each other, and for example, when one parameter reaches a reference value, it becomes difficult for the other parameter to increase, then if parameter B is increased primarily, parameter C will then become difficult to increase.

In light of the above, when a player trains a racehorse, the player can train the racehorse efficiently by checking the racehorse information (particularly the racehorse parameters) of the racehorse at that time. Furthermore, by understanding the racehorse information of the racehorse to be trained, the player can train the racehorse to have the characteristics that the player desires (for example, good on rough roads). As a result, the player can use the racehorse that he or she has trained to progress through the game with an even greater advantage.

The racehorse information of the racehorse to be trained can be viewed on the racehorse display screen G1 shown in Figures 2 and 3 during game play. The racehorse display screen G1 is rendered on the display of the player's terminal when the player performs a specified operation.

On the other hand, in order to improve the game's playability, in this game, for a racehorse immediately after acquisition, part of the racehorse information (specifically, part of the racehorse parameters) is hidden as shown in Figure 2. Here, "hiding" means making the contents of the information that has already been set invisible to the player, and specifically, this corresponds to deleting the information to be hidden from the racehorse display screen G1, or displaying a non-display mark such as "?" in the field on the racehorse display screen G1 that corresponds to the information to be hidden (see Figure 2).

In this game, at a certain point in time during the game, the racehorse information that was not displayed until then will be displayed according to the player's situation at that time (i.e., it switches from not displaying to displaying). This causes the racehorse display screen G1 to transition from the screen in Figure 2 to the screen in Figure 3, allowing the player to check the racehorse information that was not displayed until then.

In addition, in this game, the probability of displaying hidden information, i.e., the probability of switching hidden information from not being displayed to being displayed at a specific point in time during the game, varies according to the player parameters, and the larger the player parameters, the higher the probability. The player parameters are parameters related to the player who uses the racehorse (game medium) in the game, and vary according to the progress of the game, etc.

Specific examples of player parameters include the play time of the game, the number of times the game has been played (more specifically, the number of times the login operation for playing the game has been performed), the play time in the game, the number of friends playing the game together, the level that increases with the number of stages cleared or the number of wins in in-game competitions, the amount of money spent in the game, and ranks and other hierarchies that change depending on the amount of money spent, etc.

As described above, in the present game, at a predetermined time in the game, a part of the race horse information that was not displayed until then is displayed according to a probability according to the player parameters. This allows consideration to be given to the player's situation at the predetermined time, and specifically, players with high player parameters, for example, players who have played for more than a predetermined time, players who have achieved a high level or high rank, or players who have paid a predetermined amount or more, can be given preferential treatment in terms of ease of displaying the race horse information.
The above points are the features of the present invention, and will be described in detail below. Note that the following description will be given by taking as an example a case in which the above probability varies depending on the charge amount, which is one of the player parameters.

[Configuration of an information processing device and a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention]
Next, the configurations of an information processing device and a user terminal according to one embodiment (hereinafter, first embodiment) of the present invention will be described. The information processing device according to the first embodiment is configured by a server computer (i.e., server 10) for distributing game data. The server 10 is an example of a computer, and as shown in FIG. 1, is communicatively connected to a user terminal 12 via a network 14, and together with the user terminal 12, constitutes an information processing system S for games.

The server 10 may be composed of one computer, or may be composed of multiple computers distributed in parallel. The server 10 may also be a server computer for an ASP (Application Service Provider), SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), or IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). In this case, a series of steps in the parameter display flow described below (excluding information input and display) are executed by the server computer, and the user terminal 12 only needs to input information to be handed over to the server computer and display information distributed from the server computer.

As shown in Fig. 1, the server 10 has a processor 21, a memory 22, a communication interface 23, and a storage 24, and these devices are electrically connected via a bus 25. In addition, an operating system (OS) and a dedicated program for processing information related to the game are installed as software in the server 10. These programs correspond to the "programs" of the present invention. When the processor 21 operates according to the above programs, the server 10 functions as an information processing device of the present invention and executes a series of processes related to the progress of the game.
The program of the present invention may be acquired by reading it from a computer-readable recording medium, or may be acquired (downloaded) via a network such as the Internet or an intranet.

The processor 21 may be composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or the like.
The memory 22 may be configured with semiconductor memory such as a Read Only Memory (ROM) and a Random Access Memory (RAM).
The communication interface 23 may be, for example, a network interface card, a communication interface board, etc. The standard of data communication by the communication interface 23 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include communication by a wireless LAN based on Wi-fi (registered trademark), communication by a mobile communication system of 3G to 5G or a later generation, or communication based on LTE (Long Term Evolution).
The storage 24 may be configured with a flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a flexible disk (FD), a magneto-optical disk (MO disk), a compact disk (CD), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a secure digital card (SD card), or a universal serial bus memory (USB memory). The storage 24 may be built into the server 10 or may be attached to the server body in an external form. Furthermore, the storage 24 may be configured with an external computer (e.g., a database server) communicably connected to the server body. As a technology for recording various data, a distributed ledger technology such as a blockchain may be used to avoid unauthorized data tampering.

The server 10 distributes information necessary for the progress of the game to each player, and also collects and stores information from each player. The information stored by the server 10 includes each player's identification information, current parameters (player parameters), number of medals owned, and information on racehorses acquired by each player (racehorse information). In addition, with regard to racehorse parameters among the racehorse information, flag information indicating whether or not to display is stored in the server 10. In addition, the probability of switching racehorse parameters set to not display to display is linked to each player and stored in the server 10 for each player and for each racehorse.

In addition, the server 10 executes various information processes related to the progress of the game, including the processes described below.
- Processing for generating or holding various in-game events including training and races, etc. - Processing for changing the parameters of a racehorse related to training - Processing for displaying racehorse information related to a racehorse on the user terminal of a player who uses that racehorse - Processing for setting whether or not to display racehorse parameters - Processing for determining and updating the probability of switching racehorse parameters that have been set to not be displayed to those that are displayed, etc.

The user terminal 12 is a client terminal that the player operates to play the game, and specifically includes a personal computer, smartphone, mobile phone, tablet terminal, game console, television receiver capable of inputting information, wearable terminal, etc.

As described above, the user terminal 12 receives data for game progression from the server 10, and displays images (video) indicated by the data on the display of the user terminal 12 or on a display device such as a TV connected to the user terminal 12. That is, in the first embodiment, the user terminal 12 functions as a display unit. When a player performs a predetermined operation while playing the game, a racehorse display screen G1 is drawn on the user terminal 12, and racehorse information and the like of the racehorse acquired by the player is displayed on the screen G1.

[Functions of the information processing device according to the first embodiment]
The configuration of the server 10, which is an information processing device according to the first embodiment, will be described again from the functional aspect. As shown in Fig. 5, the server 10 has an operation reception unit 30, a display control unit 40, a memory unit 50, a setting unit 60, a probability determination unit 70, and an information change unit 80. Of these, the memory unit 50 is realized by the memory 22 or the storage 24, and the other functional units are realized by cooperation between the hardware devices constituting the server 10 and the programs installed in the server 10.
Each functional unit will be described in detail below.

(Operation reception section)
The operation acceptance unit 30 accepts operations performed by the player on the user terminal 12 while playing the game, and more precisely, receives data indicating the content of the operations from the user terminal 12. For example, the operation acceptance unit 30 accepts instructions for training a racehorse from the player (more precisely, instructions for training). The training instructions include the racehorse designated as the subject of training, training conditions such as the training course and training intensity, and the number of medals to be spent on training (number of medals consumed). The operation acceptance unit 30 receives data indicating the content of the designated training instructions from the user terminal 12.

(Display control unit)
The display control unit 40 controls the user terminal 12 (display unit) of each player to display information necessary for the progress of the game. For example, when a racehorse is trained as an event, the display control unit 40 controls the user terminal 12 of the player who instructed the training to display parameters of the racehorse to be trained at the end of training. Specifically, the display control unit 40 generates control data for displaying racehorse information at the end of training of the racehorse to be trained, and transmits the generated control data to the user terminal 12 of the player who instructed the training. A racehorse display screen G1 is drawn on the user terminal 12 side that receives the control data, and the racehorse information at the end of training of the racehorse to be trained is displayed on the screen G1.

In the first embodiment, as described above, the racehorse information includes racehorse parameters that are set to be displayed and racehorse parameters that are set to not be displayed. The display control unit 40 then controls the user terminal 12 to display the parameters that are set to be displayed and to hide the parameters that are set to not be displayed (for example, to display a non-display mark such as "?").

In addition, when a racehorse parameter that has been set to not be displayed is switched to be displayed, the display control unit 40 controls the user terminal 12 to display the racehorse parameter that has been set to be displayed.

The racehorse information also includes racehorse parameters, including parameters expressed by numerical values (e.g., parameter D) as shown in FIG. 3. For this type of parameter, it is advisable to display the limit value (specifically, the upper limit value) of the parameter together with the current value, as shown in FIG. 3. In other words, in the first embodiment, the display control unit 40 is set to display, and may control the user terminal 12 to display the current value and limit value of racehorse parameters expressed by numerical values.

(Memory unit)
The storage unit 50 stores information necessary for the progress of the game, and as shown in FIG. 5, has a player parameter storage unit 51, a racehorse information storage unit 52, and a probability storage unit 53.

The player parameter storage unit 51 stores player parameters for each player. The player parameter storage unit 51 stores the player parameters shown in FIG. 6 in association with each player's identification ID and game account name, etc. Specifically, the total play time (game play time) of the game, the number of logins (number of game plays), the player's level, the amount charged, and a rank set according to the amount charged, etc. are stored as player parameters. Note that parameters other than those mentioned above may also be stored in the player parameter storage unit 51; for example, the number of registered friends may be stored as a player parameter.

The racehorse information storage unit 52 stores the racehorse information acquired by each player for each racehorse. The racehorse information storage unit 52 stores the racehorse information shown in FIG. 7 for each racehorse, linked to the account name of the player who owns the racehorse. Specifically, the racehorse's name, identification ID, current racehorse parameters, past racing results such as number of races entered and number of wins, current number of weeks of training, and number of remaining training periods (number of weeks remaining) are stored as the racehorse information. Note that information about the racehorse other than the above, such as the name or ID of the parent horse, may also be stored as the racehorse information.

Regarding racehorse parameters, as shown in FIG. 7, flag information indicating whether or not each racehorse parameter is displayed is stored in the racehorse information storage unit 52. In addition, although not specifically shown, the training history up to now (specifically, the number of times the horse has been trained, the training conditions for each training session, and the number of medals consumed, etc.) is stored for each racehorse. The racehorse parameters stored in the racehorse information storage unit 52 are numerical values or contents that reflect the training history up to now.

The probability memory unit 53 stores the probability of switching racehorse parameters that have been set to not display (i.e., not displayed) to display for each type of racehorse parameter for each player's racehorse. The above probabilities (hereinafter, display switching probabilities) are determined for each racehorse and for each player by the probability determination unit 70 as described below, and therefore the probability memory unit 53 stores the display switching probabilities for each racehorse parameter for each player and for each racehorse, as shown in FIG. 8.

(Settings section)
The setting unit 60 sets the presence or absence of display of the racehorse parameters for each of the racehorses acquired by each player. Specifically, when a player acquires a new racehorse (game medium), the setting unit 60 sets the presence or absence of display for each of the multiple racehorse parameters (specifically, six types of parameters A to F) associated with the new racehorse. In the first embodiment, at the time of acquiring a new racehorse, at least a part of the racehorse parameters of the racehorse (for example, parameters A to D) are set to not display, and the remaining parameters are set to display. However, this is not limited to this, and at the time of acquiring a new racehorse, all of the racehorse parameters of the racehorse may be set to not display.

In addition, when a predetermined time point is reached during the game, the setting unit 60 switches the racehorse parameters of the racehorse to be set (hereinafter, the target horse) that are currently set to not be displayed to displayed based on the player parameters of the player using the target horse.

To explain in more detail, when a predetermined time point in the game is reached, the setting unit 60 reads out the display switching probability for the target horse at that predetermined time point from the probability memory unit 53. The display switching probability at the predetermined time point is a value according to the player parameters at that time point, specifically, a value calculated from the amount charged at that time point. Then, according to the read display switching probability, the setting unit 60 switches the parameters of the target horse that are set to not display at the predetermined time point to display.

The "predetermined point in time during the game" at which the hidden racehorse parameters are switched to be displayed is the point in time when a predetermined event occurs within the game, specifically, when either of the following events (1) or (2) occurs during in-game time.
(1) An event in which, in response to a player's instructions for training, training is carried out on the racehorse (target horse) of the player who gave the instructions, and the racehorse parameters of the racehorse are changed.
(2) An event in which the target horse is entered into a race and the race is played.
In other words, in the first embodiment, when either the above event (1) or (2) occurs, the setting unit 60 switches the racehorse parameters that were set to not be displayed to those that are displayed, based on the player parameters at the time the event occurs.

The event that triggers switching from hidden information (game media information) to displayed information is not limited to (1) or (2) above. For example, if a stage to be cleared is set, such as a quest or mission, an event in which the stage in the game is cleared using the game media may be the trigger for switching the information display.

The display status of each racehorse parameter set by the setting unit 60 is stored as flag information in the racehorse information storage unit 52. In addition, for racehorse parameters that have been switched from not displaying to displaying by the setting unit 60, the above flag information is updated from "not displaying" to "displaying" when the parameter is switched to displaying.

(Probability Determination Unit)
The probability determination unit 70 determines a display switching probability for each player and each racehorse for each parameter (specifically, parameters A to D) that is hidden at the time of acquisition among the racehorse parameters of a racehorse newly acquired by the player. The probability determination unit 70 determines the display switching probability according to the current player parameters, more specifically, the current amount of charge. In the first embodiment, the probability determination unit 70 determines the display switching probability so that the larger the amount of charge, the higher the display switching probability.

As described above, in the first embodiment, the display switching probability is a value that reflects the current situation of the player, particularly the situation that changes as the game progresses. The display switching probability determined by the probability determination unit 70 is stored in the probability memory unit 53 in association with the player and the racehorse.

The probability of display switching is not limited to being determined according to the amount of money charged, but may also be determined according to the game play time, the number of times the game has been played, and/or the player's level or rank set in the game.

(Information Change Department)
The information changing section 80 changes various pieces of information in accordance with the progress of the game, and as shown in FIG. 5, has a player parameter changing section 81, a racehorse parameter changing section 82, and a probability updating section 83.

The player parameter modification unit 81 updates the player parameters stored in the player parameter storage unit 51 in response to changes in the player's situation, particularly fluctuations in the situation as the game progresses. For example, if the amount charged by a certain player increases, the player parameter modification unit 81 rewrites (updates) the amount charged in the player parameters of that player to the increased amount.

The racehorse parameter modification unit 82 corresponds to a game media parameter modification unit, and in response to a training instruction from a player, modifies the racehorse parameters of the player's racehorse that issued the instruction, or more precisely, the racehorse specified as the racehorse to be trained. To explain in more detail, the racehorse parameter modification unit 82 specifies the training conditions and number of medals to be consumed, etc., specified by the player when issuing the training instruction. The racehorse parameter modification unit 82 then modifies the racehorse parameters of the racehorse to be trained that are stored in the racehorse information storage unit 52 in response to the specified training conditions and number of medals to be consumed, etc.

The probability update unit 83 updates the display switching probability stored in the probability storage unit 53 (strictly speaking, the display switching probability associated with a player whose charged amount has changed) in accordance with, for example, a player parameter that determines the display switching probability, specifically, a change in the charged amount. In the first embodiment, the probability update unit 83 updates the display switching probability so that the larger the charged amount, the higher the display switching probability becomes. More specifically, for example, a number of condition values that increase in stages are set, and the probability update unit 83 increases the display switching probability in stages when the charged amount of the player reaches each of the condition values.
It should be noted that the display switching probability is not limited to being updated according to the amount charged, but may also be updated according to the game play time, the number of times the game has been played, and/or the player's level or rank set in the game.

[Information processing flow according to the first embodiment]
Next, as an information processing flow according to the first embodiment, a flow relating to the display of racehorse parameters by the information processing system S (hereinafter referred to as a parameter display flow) will be described. The parameter display flow employs the information processing method of the present invention, in other words, each step in the parameter display flow corresponds to a component of the information processing method of the present invention.
In the following, for ease of understanding, a parameter display flow for racehorse Y acquired by player X will be described as an example.

To execute the parameter display flow, player X logs into the game and starts playing. When player X acquires a new racehorse Y within the game, this triggers the start of the parameter display flow for racehorse Y. The parameter display flow proceeds according to the flow shown in Figures 9 and 10.

Specifically, in the parameter display flow, first, the server 10 (more specifically, the setting unit 60), which is a computer, sets whether or not to display the racehorse parameters of racehorse Y newly acquired by player X (S001). More specifically, the server 10 sets some of the multiple racehorse parameters associated with racehorse Y to not display, for example, of parameters A to F, it sets parameters A to D to not display, and sets the remaining parameters (i.e., parameters E and F) to display.
In addition, the parameters that are set to be displayed at this stage, i.e., the number and type of parameters that are displayed from the time of acquisition for a newly acquired racehorse, may change according to player parameters; for example, the number of parameters that are initially displayed may increase as the amount charged increases.

Next, the server 10 (more specifically, the display control unit 40) controls the user terminal 12 of player X to display racehorse information for racehorse Y including racehorse parameters. Specifically, the server 10 generates control data for displaying the current racehorse information for racehorse Y, and transmits the generated control data to the user terminal 12 of player X (S002). In step S002, the server 10 generates control data to display only parameters E and F that are set to be displayed among the racehorse parameters of racehorse Y, and to hide parameters A to D that are set to not be displayed.

When the user terminal 12 of player X receives the above control data (S003), a racehorse display screen G1 is drawn on the user terminal 12 of player X, and the current racehorse parameters of racehorse Y are displayed on the screen G1 (S004). At this point, as shown in FIG. 2, only parameters E and F that are set to be displayed are displayed, and parameters A to D that are set to not be displayed are not displayed.

Meanwhile, the server 10 (more precisely, the probability determination unit 70) determines the current display switching probability for each of the parameters A to D of the racehorse parameters of racehorse Y that are set to not be displayed (S005). In step S005, the server 10 determines the display switching probability according to the current player parameters of player X, more precisely, the current amount charged, and specifically, determines the display switching probability of each racehorse parameter such that the larger the amount charged, the higher the display switching probability.

After that, when player X increases the amount charged (S006), the server 10 (more precisely, the probability update unit 83) correspondingly updates the display switching probability of each racehorse parameter of racehorse Y according to the increased amount charged by player X (S007). At this time, too, the server 10 updates the display switching probability of each racehorse parameter so that the larger the amount charged, the higher the display switching probability becomes.

During the parameter display flow, when the player X operates the user terminal 12 to instruct training of racehorse Y (S008), the server 10 (more specifically, the operation reception unit 30) receives the training instruction (S009). The training instruction received in step S009 includes the training conditions (specifically, the training course, training intensity, etc.) specified by the player X, the number of medals to be consumed for training, etc.

Then, the server 10 (more specifically, the racehorse parameter change unit 82) changes the racehorse parameters of racehorse Y in accordance with the training instructions received from player X (S010). In other words, an event (training event) is held in which the racehorse parameters of racehorse Y are changed in accordance with the instructions of player X. At this time, the server 10 changes the corresponding parameters among the racehorse parameters of racehorse Y in accordance with the training conditions and number of medals consumed, etc., included in the training instructions received from player X.

In addition, when a training event is held, the server 10 (more specifically, the setting unit 60) switches each of the racehorse parameters A to D that are set to not display to display on the basis of the current player parameters of the player X (S011). To be more specific, the server 10 switches each of the racehorse parameters A to D from not displaying to displaying on the basis of a display switching probability that reflects the current amount charged by the player X.

The racehorse parameters that are switched from not displayed to displayed according to the display switching probability may be a portion of the racehorse parameters that are not displayed at that time. In this case, the racehorse parameters to be switched may be automatically determined by the server 10, or may be specified by the player X of his/her own will.

Then, the server 10 (more specifically, the display control unit 40) controls the user terminal 12 of the player X to display the racehorse information of the racehorse Y, including the racehorse parameters after training has ended.

Specifically, the server 10 generates control data for displaying racehorse information about racehorse Y at the end of training, and transmits the generated control data to the user terminal 12 of player X (S012). In step S012, the server 10 generates control data to display the racehorse parameters that were switched from not displayed to displayed in step S011. As a result, information based on the control data is displayed on the user terminal 12 of player X, and more specifically, in addition to the racehorse parameters E and F that were initially set to displayed, the racehorse parameters that were switched from not displayed to displayed in step S011 are displayed as shown in FIG. 3 (S013, S014).

The series of steps (i.e., S011 to S014) for switching the hidden racehorse parameters from not being displayed to being displayed on the user terminal 12 of player X may be performed when an event other than training is held, for example, an event in which racehorse Y is entered in a race, or when racehorse Y wins the race.

As a modified example of the first embodiment, when a specific event occurs, a lottery (lottery presentation) may be held to determine whether or not any of the non-displayed racehorse parameters associated with racehorse Y should be switched from not displayed to displayed. The result of this lottery may be determined according to a probability based on the current player parameters of Player X (e.g., the amount of money charged), and an image showing the lottery result, etc. may be displayed on Player X's user terminal 12.

Of the processes described above, steps S006 to S014 are repeated until player X performs an operation to end the game (S015), at which point the parameter display flow ends.

[Regarding the second embodiment of the present invention]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 11. In the following, the second embodiment will be described mainly with respect to differences from the first embodiment described above, and among the functions of the server 10 shown in Fig. 11, functions common to the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals as in Fig. 5, and description thereof will be omitted.

In the first embodiment, when a predetermined point in time is reached in the game (specifically, when a predetermined event occurs), racehorse parameters that were set to not be displayed are switched to being displayed according to a probability corresponding to the player parameters at that time.
In the second embodiment, when a specified point in time is reached in the game (specifically, when a specified event occurs), of the racehorse parameters that were set to not be displayed, a number of parameters corresponding to the player parameters at that time are switched to be displayed.

To explain in more detail, as shown in FIG. 11, the server 10A according to the second embodiment includes a number determination unit 72 instead of the probability determination unit 70, and a number update unit 84 instead of the probability update unit 83. Also, the memory unit 50 of the server 10A according to the second embodiment includes a number memory unit 54 instead of the probability memory unit 53.

The number determination unit 72 determines, for each player and for each racehorse, the number of parameters that can be switched from not displayed to displayed among the racehorse parameters that are set to not displayed at a specific point in time in the game (hereinafter, the display switching number). The number determination unit 72 determines the display switching number according to the current player parameters, for example the current amount charged, and more specifically, determines the display switching number so that the number increases as the amount charged increases. The determined display switching number is a numerical value that reflects the current player parameters, and is stored in the number storage unit 54 in association with the player and the racehorse.

The number update unit 84 updates the number of display switches stored in the number storage unit 54 (more specifically, the number of display switches associated with a player whose charge amount has changed) in response to changes in the charge amount, and updates the number of display switches so that the number increases as the charge amount increases.

The number of display switches is not limited to being determined or updated based on the amount of money charged, but may also be determined or updated based on the game play time, the number of times the game has been played, and/or the player's level or rank set in the game.

In the second embodiment, when a predetermined time point is reached during the game, the setting unit 60 switches the number of racehorse parameters that are set to not display at that predetermined time point from not displaying to displaying, the number of parameters corresponding to the display switching number. At this time, the racehorse parameters that are switched from not displaying to displaying may be automatically determined by the server 10A, or may be parameters specified by the player.

[Other embodiments]
Up to this point, the information processing device, the information processing method, and the program of the present invention have been described using specific examples. However, the above-described embodiment is merely an example, and other embodiments are possible.

In the above embodiment, the server computer for distributing game data (i.e., the server 10) functions as the information processing device of the present invention, but this is not limited thereto, and at least some of the above-mentioned functions of the server 10 may be provided in the user terminal 12. For example, the user terminal 12 may be provided with at least one function of the display control unit 40, memory unit 50, setting unit 60, probability determination unit 70 (or number determination unit 72), and information change unit 80.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the display switching probability or the number of display switches is determined according to the current user parameters, specifically the current charged amount. In the above embodiment, the display switching probability or the number of display switches is determined so that the probability becomes higher or the number increases as the charged amount or the like increases. However, this is not limited to this, and the display switching probability or the number of display switches may be determined according to a user parameter other than the charged amount, for example, the game play time. In this case, the display switching probability may become higher or the number of display switches may increase as the game play time becomes shorter.

In the above embodiment, a game in which a racehorse, as the game medium, is trained and entered in races is described as an example, and when a predetermined event occurs during the game, such as a training event or a race event, the hidden racehorse parameters are switched to displayed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can also be applied to games in which a character (playable character) as the game medium is operated to defeat enemies or clear stages such as quests. In such games, some of the playable character's parameters (corresponding to game medium information and game medium parameters) are set to not display and hidden, and when a predetermined event occurs in the game, such as strengthening the playable character or clearing a predetermined stage, the hidden parameters can be switched from not display to displayed at that point.

[summary]
The information processing device of the present invention has a setting unit and a display control unit. The setting unit sets whether or not to display game medium information (e.g., racehorse information) related to a game medium (e.g., a racehorse). The display control unit controls the display unit (e.g., a user terminal of a player) to display the game medium information set to be displayed and to hide the game medium information set to not be displayed. Then, at a predetermined time point during the game, the setting unit switches the game medium information set to not be displayed to be displayed based on player parameters related to the player using the game medium.
With this configuration, whether or not to display game content information can be determined based on the player's situation, particularly the situation that changes as the game progresses. This makes it possible to provide a game that takes into consideration the player's situation, such as by giving preferential treatment to players in a certain situation in terms of displaying game content information.

In addition, in the information processing device of the present invention, when a predetermined time point is reached during a game, the setting unit may switch the game media information that has been set to not display to displayed according to a probability (display switching probability) according to the player parameters at the predetermined time point. In this case, by reflecting the player parameters that change according to the progress of the game in the display switching probability, it becomes possible to take into consideration the current situation of the player.

The information processing device of the present invention may further include a probability update unit that updates the above probability (display switching probability) in accordance with a player parameter, and the probability update unit may update the above probability so that the probability becomes higher as the player parameter becomes larger. In this case, players with larger player parameters can be favored in terms of the display of game media information by making it easier to switch hidden game media information from not being displayed to being displayed.

In the above configuration, the probability update unit may update the probability according to at least one player parameter, such as the amount of money charged by the player in the game, the game play time, the number of times the game has been played, and the player's rank set in the game. Since these parameters reflect the player's interest, enthusiasm, and level of enthusiasm in the game, for example, players who are more interested in the game can be given preferential treatment in terms of the display of game medium information.

In the information processing device of the present invention, a plurality of pieces of game medium information may be associated with a game medium, and when a new game medium is acquired, the setting unit may set at least a portion of the plurality of pieces of game medium information associated with the new game medium to not be displayed. With this configuration, by setting at least a portion of the game medium information to not be displayed and not being displayed when the new game medium is acquired, it is possible to arouse the player's expectations for the game medium and further increase the interest of the game.
Furthermore, if some of the multiple game media information associated with a game medium are set to not display at the time the game medium is acquired, and the remaining information is set to display, the interest of the game can be further increased compared to when all of the multiple game media information are set to not display.

In addition, in the information processing device of the present invention, when a predetermined time point is reached during a game, the setting unit may switch a number of game media information items that have been set to not display (the number of display switches) according to the player parameters to display. In this case, the player parameters that change as the game progresses are reflected in the number of display switches, so that the current situation of the player can be taken into consideration.

In the information processing device of the present invention, the player parameters include the player's game play time, and when a predetermined time point during the game is reached, the setting unit may switch the game media information set to not display to display according to a probability (display switching probability) corresponding to the game play time, or may switch a number (display switching number) of game media information set to not display to display according to the game play time. In such a configuration, as the game play time becomes shorter, the display switching probability may become higher, or the number of display switching items may increase. In this case, players with a short game play time, such as beginners, who have a relatively short game play history, can be more easily switched from not displaying to displaying hidden game media information, and thus can be given preferential treatment in terms of the display of game media information.

In addition, in the information processing device of the present invention, when a specified event occurs during a game, the setting unit may switch the game media information that has been set to not display to displayed based on the player parameters. In this case, the setting of the hidden game media information is switched from not displaying to displaying when the specified event occurs, so that the player can be encouraged to actively perform the specified event.

In addition, in the above configuration, when any one of the following events (1) to (3) occurs, the setting unit may switch the game media information that was set to not be displayed to being displayed based on player parameters.
(1) An event (e.g., a training event) in which game media parameters related to the game media of a player who gives an instruction are changed in response to the instruction given by the player.
(2) An event in which a game medium is used to play an in-game competition (e.g., a race).
(3) An event in which a stage within a game (e.g., a stage in which one fights a specific enemy character) is cleared using the game medium.
In the above events (1) to (3), the game media information affects the outcome of each event, etc. By switching the non-displayed game media information to a displayed state when the above events are held, the player can participate in subsequent events after checking the game media information that has been switched to the displayed state.

The information processing device of the present invention also has a game medium parameter change unit (e.g., a racehorse parameter change unit), and the game medium parameter change unit changes the game medium parameters related to the game medium of the player who has given an instruction (e.g., an instruction for training) in response to an instruction from the player (e.g., an instruction for training). Here, the game medium information may include game medium parameters. The display control unit may control the display unit to display the game medium parameters indicated by the game medium information set to display. With this configuration, the effect of the present invention becomes more meaningful. To elaborate on this point, in a game in which game medium parameters are changed by training or strengthening, etc., the player checks the game medium parameters when training or strengthening so that the game medium parameters have the desired value or content. Therefore, the more game medium parameters are set to display, the more advantageous it is for the player, and the player will play the game with the aim of being in a situation in which the number of information set to display is likely to increase. In this case, the present invention, which can change the number of game medium parameters that can be switched from not displaying to displaying according to the player's situation, becomes more effective.

In addition, in the information processing device of the present invention, the display control unit may control the display unit to display the current value and limit value (e.g., upper limit value) of the game media parameter indicated by the game media information set to display. In this case, when a parameter expressed by a numerical value among the initially hidden game media parameters is switched from not displayed to displayed, the player can grasp the limit value as well as the current value of the parameter. This makes it possible to encourage the player to change the parameter from the current value to the limit value through training or the like.

The information processing method of the present invention is characterized in that the computer sets whether or not to display game media information related to the game media, the computer controls the display unit to display the game media information set to be displayed and to hide the game media information set to not be displayed, and when a predetermined point in time occurs during the game, the computer switches the game media information set to not be displayed to be displayed based on player parameters related to the player using the game media. By using the above information processing method, it is possible to take into consideration the player's situation in the game (specifically, player parameters) from the perspective of displaying the game media information.

The program of the present invention also causes a computer to set whether or not to display game media information related to a game medium, controls a display unit to display game media information set to be displayed and to hide game media information set to not be displayed, and, at a predetermined point in time during a game, switches game media information set to not be displayed to be displayed based on player parameters related to a player using the game medium. By having a computer execute this program, a game is realized that takes into consideration the player's situation (specifically, player parameters) in terms of the display of game media information.

10, 10A Server 12 User terminal 14 Network 21 Processor 22 Memory 23 Communication interface 24 Storage 25 Bus 30 Operation reception unit 40 Display control unit 50 Memory unit 51 Player parameter memory unit 52 Racehorse information memory unit 53 Probability memory unit 54 Number memory unit 60 Setting unit 70 Probability determination unit 72 Number determination unit 80 Information change unit 81 Player parameter change unit 82 Racehorse parameter change unit 83 Probability update unit 84 Number update unit G1 Racehorse display screen G2 Training instruction screen S Information processing system

Claims (1)

a setting unit that sets whether or not to display game medium information related to the game medium;
a display control unit that controls the display unit to display the game medium information that is set to be displayed and to not display the game medium information that is set to not be displayed;
An information processing device in which, when a predetermined point in time during a game is reached, the setting unit switches the game media information that was set to not be displayed to being displayed based on player parameters related to a player using the game media.

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