KR102481530B1 - Method and apparatus for controlling game - Google Patents

Abstract

A game control method and apparatus are disclosed. A game control method according to an embodiment includes an operation of monitoring a game progress state of a first user with respect to a target game that the first user is playing; determining whether a preset target event has occurred based on the game progress state; providing a notification message for the target event to a user device of a second user associated with the first user when the target event occurs; and executing a game operation selected by the second user in the target game in response to the notification message.

Description

Game control method and device {METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING GAME}

The disclosed embodiments relate to game control technology.

In conventional games, it is common that the game is played according to direct manipulation by a user playing the game. However, in recent years, games with an automatic play function capable of allowing users to play games without a user's direct manipulation have been actively released in order to induce users to play the games for a longer period of time. However, even a game to which an automatic play function is applied does not provide a function for controlling the game by another user.

Disclosed embodiments are to provide a game control method and apparatus.

A game control method according to an embodiment includes an operation of monitoring a game progress state of a first user with respect to a target game that the first user is playing; determining whether a preset target event has occurred based on the game progress state; providing a notification message for the target event to a user device of a second user associated with the first user when the target event occurs; and executing a game operation selected by the second user in the target game in response to the notification message.

The determining operation may determine whether the target event occurs when the first user is playing the target game using an automatic play function.

The notification message may include game situation information related to the target event and information about one or more game actions selectable by the second user.

The action to execute may execute a game action selected by the second user from among the one or more game actions within the target game.

The one or more game motions may include game motions preset by the first user.

The second user may be a user associated with the first user in at least one of a game service for the target game and one or more related services linked with the game service.

The one or more related services may include a messenger service.

The second user may be a user pre-selected by the first user.

The game control method may further include an operation of deducting service points of the second user after the operation of executing the game.

A game control device according to an embodiment includes one or more hardware processors; and one or more communication interfaces, wherein the one or more hardware processors monitor a game progress state of the first user for a target game being played by the first user, and, based on the game progress state, set a target event in advance. Determines whether a target event has occurred, and if the target event has occurred, provides a notification message for the target event to a user device of a second user associated with the first user, and responds to the notification message by the second user. The selected game action is executed within the target game.

The one or more hardware processors may determine whether the target event occurs when the first user is playing the target game using an automatic play function.

The notification message may include game situation information related to the target event and information about one or more game actions selectable by the second user.

The one or more hardware processors may execute a game operation selected by the second user from among the one or more game operations within the target game.

The one or more game motions may include game motions preset by the first user.

The second user may be a user associated with the first user in at least one of a game service for the target game and one or more related services linked with the game service.

The one or more related services may include a messenger service.

The second user may be a user pre-selected by the first user.

The one or more hardware processors may deduct service points of the second user after executing a game operation selected by the second user in the target game.

According to the disclosed embodiments, when a preset event occurs in a target game that a user is playing, a notification message is provided to other users associated with the user so that a game operation selected by the other user is executed, thereby providing users with a user experience. It is possible to induce more users to use the service by providing and improving the bond between users.

1 is a diagram showing an exemplary system environment to which a game control method according to an embodiment is applied.
2 is a block diagram of a game control device according to an embodiment.
3 and 4 are diagrams illustrating an example of an event setting screen provided for setting a target event according to an exemplary embodiment.
5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating an example of a notification message for a target event according to an exemplary embodiment.
7 is a flowchart of a game control method according to an embodiment.
8 is a block diagram illustrating a computing environment including a computing device according to an exemplary embodiment.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The detailed descriptions that follow are provided to provide a comprehensive understanding of the methods, devices and/or systems described herein. However, this is only an example and the present invention is not limited thereto.

In describing the embodiments, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known technologies may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter, the detailed description will be omitted. In addition, terms to be described later are terms defined in consideration of functions, which may vary according to intentions or customs of users and operators. Therefore, the definition should be made based on the contents throughout this specification. Terminology used in the detailed description is only for describing the embodiments and should in no way be limiting. Unless expressly used otherwise, singular forms of expression include plural forms. In this description, expressions such as "comprising" or "comprising" are intended to indicate any characteristic, number, step, operation, element, portion or combination thereof, one or more other than those described. It should not be construed to exclude the existence or possibility of any other feature, number, step, operation, element, part or combination thereof.

1 is a diagram showing an exemplary system environment to which a game control method according to an embodiment is applied.

Referring to FIG. 1 , a system environment 100 according to an embodiment includes a first user device 110 , a game service system 120 and a second user device 130 .

The first user device 110 is used by a first user and is a device on which a target game being played by the first user is executed.

According to an embodiment, the target game may be an online game or a mobile game provided through the first user device 110 while the first user device 110 is connected to the game service system 120. A game application for accessing the game service system 120 and executing a target game may be installed on the user device 110 .

Meanwhile, according to one embodiment, the target game may be a game having an automatic play function. At this time, the automatic play function is a function that automatically proceeds the game without a user's direct manipulation for game play, and may be referred to as an automatic hunting function, an automatic battle function, or the like, depending on the genre of the game.

Meanwhile, the first user device 110 may be, for example, a smart phone, a desktop PC, a laptop PC, a tablet PC, a game console, and the like, but must be It is not limited to a specific type of device.

The game service system 120 is a system for providing a game service for a target game, and may include one or more servers.

Specifically, according to an embodiment, the game service system 120 includes an account management server that manages account information for each user's user account using the game service, an authentication server that performs an authentication procedure for the user account, and a first It may include a game server that allows the first user device 110 to run the target game in conjunction with the game application of the target game installed on the user device 110 .

Also, according to an embodiment, the game service system 120 may provide one or more related services (eg, messenger service) interworking with the game service for the target game. In this case, the game service system 120 ) may further include a server for providing each related service. On the other hand, interworking of one or more related services with game services means that the game service and one or more related services can be used through the same user account, or each of one or more related services can be accessed using the user account of a specific user registered in the game service. It may mean that access is possible with a user account of a specific registered user and/or a user account of another user.

Meanwhile, the second user device 130 is a device used by a second user associated with the first user.

According to an embodiment, the second user device 130 may be a device on which a game application for a target game or an application for providing a related service linked with a game service for the target game is installed. For example, the second user device 130 may be a smart phone, desktop PC, laptop PC, tablet PC, game console, etc., but is not necessarily limited to a specific type of device.

2 is a block diagram of a game control device according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the game control device 200 according to an embodiment includes a monitoring unit 210, a message providing unit 220, and a game control unit 230.

According to one embodiment, the monitoring unit 210, the message providing unit 220, and the game controller 230 are each implemented using one or more physically separated devices, one or more hardware processors, or one or more hardware processors and software. It may be implemented by a combination of , and unlike the illustrated example, specific operations may not be clearly distinguished.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment, the game control device 200 may be implemented as a component included in the first user device 110 or the game service system 120 .

The monitoring unit 210 monitors the game progress state of the first user for the target game being played by the first user, and determines whether a preset target event has occurred based on the game progress state of the first user.

According to an embodiment, the game progress state of the first user may include current states of elements within the game that change as the first user plays the target game. At this time, the first user playing the target game means not only when the first user plays the target game through direct manipulation of the target game, but also when the first user activates the automatic play function provided by the target game to play the target game. This may include cases where it is played automatically.

On the other hand, the game progress state of the first user is, for example, the state of the user character of the first user (eg, level, experience value, physical strength, possessed item, possessed skill, skill in use, relationship with other user characters, etc. ), the state of the item possessed by the user character of the first user (eg, item type, property, quantity, durability, strengthening value, etc.), the game stage the first user is currently playing, the first user is currently playing It may include the location in the game being played, the type of non-player character (NPC) currently appearing, and the like. Meanwhile, the game progress state of the first user is not necessarily limited to the above example, and may vary according to the game genre of the target game, the game progress method, and the like.

According to an embodiment, the target event may refer to a situation within a game that may be specified based on a game progress state of the first user. For example, the target event is when the physical strength of the user character of the first user falls below a specific value, when the durability of an item being used by the user character of the first user drops below a specific value, the user character of the first user When the quantity of a specific item possessed falls below a specific number, when a user character of the first user is attacked by a user character of another user, a specific NPC in the target game (eg, a specific stage in the target game) A boss monster) may appear. However, the target event is not necessarily limited to the above example, and may be set in various ways according to the genre of the target game, the progress method, and the like.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment, the target event may be preset by the first user. Specifically, the first user may set a target event through an event setting screen provided within a game screen of a target game, for example.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment, the monitoring unit 210 determines whether the first user is playing the target game using the automatic play function, and when the first user is playing the target game using the automatic play function. , it is possible to determine whether a target event has occurred in the target game.

When a preset target event occurs, the message providing unit 220 provides a notification message about the occurred target event to the second user device 130 used by a second user associated with the first user.

In this case, according to an embodiment, the second user may be a user associated with the first user in the game service for the target game. For example, the second user may be a user registered as a friend of the first user within the game service for the target game. As another example, the second user may be a user belonging to the same user group (eg, blood alliance, clan, guild, etc.) as the first user within the game service for the target game.

According to another embodiment, the second user may be a user associated with the first user in one or more related services linked with a game service for a target game. For example, the second user may be a user registered as a friend of the first user in a messenger service linked with a game service. As another example, the second user may be a user participating in the same chat room as the first user in a messenger service linked with a game service. As another example, the second user may be registered as a friend of the first user in another game service linked with the game service for the target game, or a user belonging to the same user group as the first user.

According to another embodiment, the second user may be a user pre-selected by the first user to provide a notification message for the target event. For example, the second user may be a user pre-selected by the first user from among a plurality of users registered in at least one of a game service for a target game and one or more related services.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment, the notification message may include game situation information related to the generated target event and information about one or more game actions selectable by the second user.

At this time, according to an embodiment, the game situation information is information for enabling the second user to recognize the game situation related to the target event, and for example, a text message for explaining the game situation related to the target event, the target event It may include a captured image of a first user's game play screen related to the above.

Also, according to an embodiment, one or more game motions selectable by the second user may include game motions preset by the first user.

The game controller 230 executes a game action selected by the second user in the target game in response to the notification message for the target event.

Specifically, the game control unit 230 receives information on a game action selected by the second user from the second user device 130 after providing a notification message for a target event to the second user device 130 . can At this time, according to an embodiment, the information on the selected game motion may include identification information or an execution command on the game motion selected by the second user.

Specifically, according to one embodiment, the notification message for the target event provided to the second user device 130 includes information on one or more game actions selectable by the second user in response to the target event as described above. can do. In this case, the game motion selected by the second user may be a game motion selected by the second user from among one or more game motions included in the notification message.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment, the game controller 230 deducts the service points of the second user when the game operation selected by the second user in response to the notification message is executed within the target game that the first user is playing. can do.

At this time, the service points are, for example, the service use results of each user using the game service provided through the game service system 120 or one or more related services linked with the game service (achievement in game, game item purchase, community It may be a point given to each user according to writing a post, etc.).

3 and 4 are diagrams illustrating an example of an event setting screen provided for setting a target event according to an exemplary embodiment.

Specifically, FIG. 3 is an example of an event setting screen 300 for setting a target event in which the number of health recovery agents possessed by the user character of the first user is an occurrence condition, and FIG. 4 is the physical strength of the user character of the first user. This is an example of the event setting screen 400 for setting a target event whose occurrence condition is a numerical value.

3 and 4, the event setting screens 300 and 400 include occurrence condition setting areas 310 and 410 for setting occurrence conditions for determining whether a target event has occurred, and recipients of notification messages ( That is, the game action setting areas 320 and 420 for setting the game action to be requested to be selected by the second user), the receiver setting area 330 and 430 for setting the recipient of the notification message, and setting the notification message transmission method message transmission method setting areas 340 and 440 may be included.

Specifically, the first user sets a reference value for occurrence conditions (eg, quantity of health recovery agent, user character's physical strength value) for determining that a target event has occurred in the occurrence condition setting areas 310 and 410, and In the game operation setting areas 320 and 420, one or more game operations to be requested to be selected by the recipient of the notification message may be selected.

At this time, in the game action setting areas 320 and 420, one or more game actions 321, 322, 421 and 422 selectable according to the occurrence conditions of the target event (for example, the quantity of health recovery drugs and the user character's physical strength value) this can be displayed. In this case, the first user sets one or more game motions among the game motions 321 , 322 , 421 , and 422 displayed in the game motion setting areas 320 and 420 as a game motion to request selection from the notification message recipient. You can choose. In addition, the first user may select one or more game motions not displayed in the game motion setting areas 320 and 420 as game motions to request selection from the notification message recipient by selecting the user designation buttons 323 and 423 .

Meanwhile, the first user can select a recipient to receive a notification message for the target event in the recipient setting areas 330 and 430, and select a notification message transmission method in the message transmission method setting area 340 and 440.

At this time, one or more selectable recipient types 331 , 332 , 431 , and 432 may be displayed in the recipient setting areas 330 and 430 . In this case, for example, the first user selects one of the recipient types 331, 332, 431, and 432 displayed in the recipient setting areas 330 and 430, and selects one of the recipient types 331, 332, 431, and 432. One or more of users belonging to may be selected as a receiver to receive a notification message. In addition, the first user does not correspond to the recipient type (331, 332, 431, 432) displayed in the recipient setting region (330, 430) by selecting the custom button (333, 433) in the recipient setting region (330, 430). One or more users who do not receive notification messages may be selected as recipients.

Meanwhile, one or more message transmission methods 341, 342, 441, and 442 usable for transmitting a notification message may be displayed in the message transmission method setting area 340 or 440, and the first user sets the message transmission method setting area. One of the message transmission methods 341, 342, 441, and 442 indicated at 340 and 440 may be selected as a message transmission method for transmitting a notification message.

5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating an example of a notification message for a target event according to an exemplary embodiment.

Specifically, FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a notification message 500 provided in the form of a pop-up message on the screen of the second user device 130 . In the illustrated example, the notification message 500 is sent through, for example, a game application of a target game or an application of a related service interworking with a game service for the target game (eg, a game launcher application). It can be displayed on the screen of the user device 130.

Also, FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a notification message 600 provided through a chatting screen of a messenger application installed on the second user device 130 . In this case, the messenger application may be an application for using a messenger service linked with a game service of a target game.

Meanwhile, as in the examples shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , notification messages 500 and 600 are text messages 510 and 610 for explaining a game situation related to a target event and selectable by a second user for the target event. Game actions 520, 620 and 630 may be included. At this time, each of the game motions 520, 620, and 630 is selected by the first user in the game motion setting areas 320 and 420 of the event setting screens 300 and 400 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, for example. It can be a game action.

Meanwhile, when the second user selects one of the game moves 520, 620, and 630 included in the notification messages 500 and 600, the second user device 130 provides information on the game motion selected by the second user. may be provided to the game control device 200. In this case, the game control device 200 may execute a game operation selected by the second user in the target game being played by the first user according to information received from the second user device 130 .

7 is a flowchart of a game control method according to an embodiment.

The method shown in FIG. 7 may be performed by, for example, the game control device 200 shown in FIG. 2 .

Referring to FIG. 7 , the game control device 200 first monitors a game progress state of the first user with respect to the target game the first user is playing (710).

Thereafter, the game control device 200 determines whether a preset target event has occurred based on the game progress state of the first user (720).

At this time, according to the embodiment, the game control device 200 determines whether the first user is playing the target game using the automatic play function, and if the target game is being played using the automatic play function, the target event occurrence can be determined.

Meanwhile, when a target event occurs, the game control device 200 provides a notification message for the target event to the second user device 130 (730).

In this case, according to an embodiment, the notification message may include game situation information related to the target event and information about one or more game actions selectable by the second user. Also, the one or more game motions include a game motion preset by the first user.

Also, according to an embodiment, the second user may be a user associated with the first user in at least one of a game service for a target game and one or more related services linked with the game service.

Also, according to an embodiment, the second user may be a user pre-selected by the first user.

Thereafter, the game control device 200 executes the game operation selected by the second user in the target game being played by the first user in response to the notification message (740).

In this case, according to an embodiment, the game control device 200 may deduct service points of the second user after executing the game operation selected by the second user.

Meanwhile, in the flowchart shown in FIG. 7, at least some of the steps are performed in reverse order, combined with other steps, performed together, omitted, divided into detailed steps, or performed by adding one or more steps not shown. It can be.

8 is a block diagram illustrating a computing environment including a computing device according to an exemplary embodiment.

In the illustrated embodiment, each component may have different functions and capabilities other than those described below, and may include additional components other than those described below.

The illustrated computing environment 10 includes a computing device 12 . In one embodiment, computing device 12 may be one or more components included in game control device 200 shown in FIG. 2 .

Computing device 12 includes at least one processor 14 , a computer readable storage medium 16 and a communication bus 18 . Processor 14 may cause computing device 12 to operate according to the above-mentioned example embodiments. For example, processor 14 may execute one or more programs stored on computer readable storage medium 16 . The one or more programs may include one or more computer-executable instructions, which when executed by processor 14 are configured to cause computing device 12 to perform operations in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. It can be.

Computer-readable storage medium 16 is configured to store computer-executable instructions or program code, program data, and/or other suitable form of information. Program 20 stored on computer readable storage medium 16 includes a set of instructions executable by processor 14 . In one embodiment, computer readable storage medium 16 includes memory (volatile memory such as random access memory, non-volatile memory, or a suitable combination thereof), one or more magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk storage devices, flash memory devices, other forms of storage media that can be accessed by computing device 12 and store desired information, or any suitable combination thereof.

Communications bus 18 interconnects various other components of computing device 12, including processor 14 and computer-readable storage medium 16.

Computing device 12 may also include one or more input/output interfaces 22 and one or more network communication interfaces 26 that provide interfaces for one or more input/output devices 24 . An input/output interface 22 and a network communication interface 26 are connected to the communication bus 18 . Input/output device 24 may be coupled to other components of computing device 12 via input/output interface 22 . Exemplary input/output devices 24 include a pointing device (such as a mouse or trackpad), a keyboard, a touch input device (such as a touchpad or touchscreen), a voice or sound input device, various types of sensor devices, and/or a photographing device. input devices, and/or output devices such as display devices, printers, speakers, and/or network cards. The exemplary input/output device 24 may be included inside the computing device 12 as a component constituting the computing device 12, or may be connected to the computing device 12 as a separate device distinct from the computing device 12. may be

Although the present invention has been described in detail through representative examples above, those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. will understand Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments and should not be defined, and should be defined by not only the claims to be described later, but also those equivalent to these claims.

10: Computing environment
12: computing device
14: Processor
16: computer readable storage medium
18: communication bus
20: program
22: I/O interface
24: I/O device
26: network communication interface
100: system environment
110: first user device
120: game service system
130: second user device
200: game control device
210: monitoring unit
220: message providing unit
230: game control

Claims (18)

monitoring a game progress state of the first user with respect to a target game being played by the first user;
determining whether a preset target event has occurred based on the game progress state;
when the target event occurs, providing a notification message including information on one or more game actions preset by the first user to a user device of a second user associated with the first user; and
and executing a game operation selected by the second user from among the one or more game operations in the target game in response to the notification message. The method of claim 1,
The determining operation may include determining whether the target event occurs when the first user is playing the target game using an automatic play function. The method of claim 1,
The notification message further includes game situation information related to the target event. delete delete The method of claim 1,
The second user is a user associated with the first user in at least one of a game service for the target game and one or more related services interworking with the game service. The method of claim 6,
The one or more related services include a messenger service. The method of claim 1,
The second user is a user pre-selected by the first user. The method of claim 1,
The game control method further comprising an operation of deducting service points of the second user after the operation of executing the game. one or more hardware processors; and
one or more communication interfaces;
The one or more hardware processors,
Monitoring a game progress state of the first user with respect to a target game being played by the first user;
Based on the game progress state, it is determined whether a preset target event has occurred;
When the target event occurs, providing a notification message including one or more game actions preset by the first user to a user device of a second user associated with the first user;
A game control device for executing a game operation selected by the second user from among the one or more game operations in the target game in response to the notification message. The method of claim 10,
The one or more hardware processors determine whether the target event occurs when the first user is playing the target game using an automatic play function. The method of claim 10,
The notification message further includes game situation information related to the target event. delete delete The method of claim 10,
The second user is a user associated with the first user in at least one of a game service for the target game and one or more related services interworking with the game service. The method of claim 15
The one or more related services include a messenger service. The method of claim 10,
The second user is a user pre-selected by the first user, the game control device. The method of claim 10,
wherein the one or more hardware processors execute a game operation selected by the second user in the target game and then deduct service points of the second user.

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