KR20040086668A - Method and apparatus for servicing internet-based serial game - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method and a device for an Internet serial game service are provided to double an interest of the game by making a gamer wait for a predetermined time as introducing a serial method that a qualification for advancing a story to a next chapter is given to the gamer clearing one chapter. CONSTITUTION: A server(20) comprises a web server(22) having a membership registration function of a client on the web, a game server(24) storing a game execution/result value, and a database server(26) storing data. The database server includes a basic information storage(28) storing the basic data needed for installing/executing/interfacing the game, a serial data storage(30) storing each serial data containing contents of each chapter by dividing the chapter of a game program into many parts, and a memory space(32) for registered member users. The game server includes a download page(36) enabling the client to download the basic data and the serial data from the database server, and a game manager(34) performing the game by executing the game program installed to the client.

Description

Method and apparatus for internet serialized game service {Method and apparatus for servicing internet-based serial game}

The present invention relates to an internet game service method and apparatus for dividing an internet game produced in a conventional package format into chapters and serving in a serialized manner.

The game market is mainly dominated by packaged games, online games, and free download games. The Internet has been extended not only to advertisements of games but also to battle nets, and has become an important space for distribution of patch files, criticism, and game-related video services.

As such, most of the fields currently being developed in internet games are limited to the field of game contents. It is time for a new paradigm shift in fields other than these contents.

As described above, the existing online games tend to be vulnerable in story and character, and the package games are decreasing in revenue due to the illegal structure and the profit structure pushed by online services. The serial game is a game designed to meet the current trend of pursuing online and packaged games that can advance the story and character's merchandise.

Such a serial game is a game that can be played online, similar to an online game in that it can indirectly compete with many users by comparing scores, and in that it can enjoy planned stories and characters. It has a form similar to a game. Also, the store and load data of the game must be online because it is sent to the server rather than remaining on the gamer's computer. This method blocks the dark shadow of piracy, so developers can provide games to secure profits and fixed users, and gamers can enjoy high quality games at minimal cost.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to introduce a serialization method into an internet game, in which a game player can divide the Internet game program into a plurality of chapters and acquire a qualification to advance the story to the next chapter chapter when the gamer needs to "clear" the chapter once. To provide a method and apparatus for an internet serial game service, which was developed to await a certain period of time and thereby multiply the interest of the game.

1 is a system schematic diagram of a serial game service apparatus according to the present invention.

2 is a configuration diagram of a server.

Figure 3 is a flow chart of a serial game service method according to the present invention.

<Overview of invention>

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for serializing a game through the Internet. Gamers are entitled to advance the story to the next chapter by "clearing" the chapter once (completely fulfilling its mission). Therefore, the process of 'clearing' the current chapter gives gamers the expectation of the next chapter.

By dividing and serializing the game into appropriate chapters in the Internet space, the service operator of the present invention can aim for the effect of increasing the interest of the game by waiting for a certain period of time, and can quickly gather various services and opinions. .

The present invention is a concept that can be applied to not only RP games but also games that can be divided into chapters, such as strategy simulation games, training simulation games, adventure games, arcade games, and the like. By distributing chapters one by one at intervals, it gives you a sense of expectations and a deep understanding of the game. Of course, the website allows gamers to notify creators of any problems they find, and creators can easily distribute upgrade patches to gamers. Unlike a conventional packaged game, even after it is already released, it is possible to correct the problems of the story by collecting the opinions of gamers during the series, and to provide various services by publishing materials such as illustrations or background music.

The serialized game according to the present invention should basically be able to be "divided" by chapter because the game story proceeds in a constant direction through each download. Therefore, gamers first install the base data that is the basis of the game, and then sequentially download the serial data necessary to execute the next chapter.

Basic data includes executable files for game play, music and sound files, game interfaces, and the like. In addition, the serial data downloaded for each chapter contains the contents and various information of the corresponding chapter. At this time, an image such as a map, a character, or a special effect may be included in either the basic data or the serial data. Depending on the game, it is also possible to separate both data, which can be determined flexibly by those skilled in the art.

<Example>

Hereinafter, an embodiment implementing the serial game service method and apparatus having the above concept will be described in terms of pure technical aspects.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is a kind of Internet game service system in a system consisting of a client 10 and a server 20 connected through a network. More detailed configuration of the server 10 is shown in FIG. Referring to Fig. 2, the server 20 stores a web server 22 that functions as a member of a client on the web, a game server 22 that performs a function of game execution and game result storage, and various data. It consists of a DB server 26.

Hereinafter, a specific embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2, which is a configuration diagram of a server, and FIG. 3, which is a method flowchart of the present invention.

As described above, the DB server 26 divides the contents of each chapter by dividing the chapters of the game program into a plurality of chapters of the game program and a basic data storage unit 28 for storing basic data necessary for installing and executing the game and the game interface. It includes a serial data storage unit 30 for storing each serial data contained therein.

The user who wants to use the game must go through a membership registration procedure in which the client 10 is connected to the web server 22 and is given permission to use the game server 24. The membership registration process is a common function in the Internet. Usually, a procedure for receiving an ID and password is provided in exchange for providing user information.

After the user registers (or at the same time) registers, the user is allocated a memory space 32 in the DB server 26 which can convert a predetermined space into a storage location. A concept of a memory pack that takes the form of a memory card in a video console game. In the serial game, members will want to save the data they've done so far, just as they do in packaged games. In the package game, the stored data is stored in the PC of the gamer, but in the serial game of the present invention, the data can be stored in the server side (DB server). Members can store several game data here. A limited amount of memory space 32 may be provided to all members who have joined for the first time, and after that, the memory space 32 may be operated to purchase expanded memory space for a fee according to a member's needs. The server reserves space for its members as much as the expanded memory. In addition, members can move and delete data stored in this memory pack through the memory pack manager.

Next, when the client 10 connects to the game server 24 and requests basic data, the game server 24 retrieves the basic data from the basic data storage unit 28 of the DB server 26 and the client 10 receives the basic data. To transfer. In this step, the user accesses the game server 24, goes to the download page 36 for downloading the desired game, downloads basic data to the member's own client computer 10, and installs the game program.

The user moves from the client 10 installed with basic data to the game manager 34 in the game server while being connected to the game server 24 to execute the installed game. The game manager 34 is a tool for executing the serialized game according to the present invention on a web or a client computer. The user executes a game program installed in the client PC through the game manager 34 to start the game.

At this time, the encryption unit 38 of the game server 24 encrypts information such as ID, password, server IP, and port number used by the member to be transmitted to the client PC. Is stored in the client to automatically access the game server at the time of downloading the serial data and at the time of storing the game result value in step 2). Here, once the game program is executed and the game is started, the connection between the game server 24 and the client 10 is automatically released. This is because the serialized game can be played by the basic data downloaded from the client.

After the game is completed and the task of the chapter once by the basic data downloaded from the client 10 is completed and a clear signal is generated, the client 10 stores and downloads the serial data containing the contents of the next chapter. The encrypted server information is automatically used to reconnect to the game server 24. This is because, after clearing one chapter, serial data containing the contents of the next chapter must be downloaded and installed on the client in order to execute successive subsequent chapters.

When the client 10 requests serial data, the game server 24 searches whether the serial data corresponding to the next chapter is in the serial data storage 26 of the DB server 26, and if so, the serial corresponding to the next chapter. The data is taken and transmitted to the client 10. When the transmission is completed, the connection is no longer meaningful, so the connection is automatically released. If there is no serial data corresponding to the next chapter in the DB server 26, this is because a subsequent chapter has not been developed yet.

Finally, when the game program executed in the client 10 is terminated, the client 10 automatically reconnects to the game server 24 and transmits the game result value to the DB server 26 for each user's memory space ( 32). That is, when the gamer selects the end of the game, the client 10 automatically reconnects to the game server 24, and the result value of the game (game information, game score, points, etc.) is stored in the memory space of the DB server 26. Transfer it to (28) and save it. At this time, the method of reconnecting to the game server 24 is the same as the serial data request / transmission process, and upon completion of storing the game result value, the connection is automatically released.

According to the serial game method according to the present invention, it is possible to play while enjoying the story, which is the strength of the existing package game, and the effect of expecting the next chapter when completing the mission of the chapter provided every time during the serialization. Can be obtained. Members receive various data and events related to the game and the data necessary for game execution through the homepage of the site that operates the serial game according to the present invention. Users of the present invention can download a number of serial games of their favorite genre, and create a community to exchange the desired information.

Claims (10)

An internet game service method in a client-server system, A process of establishing a web server in which the client registration function of the client is registered on the web, a game server performing a function of executing a game and storing game result values, and a DB server storing data; Storing basic data necessary for the installation and execution of the game and the game interface in the DB server, dividing the chapters of the game program into a plurality, and storing each serial data containing the contents of each chapter; A procedure for client registration to a web server, Allocating a memory space exclusively for the registered user to the DB server; When the client connects to the game server and requests basic data, the game server gets the basic data from the DB server and sends it to the client. After the game program is installed on the client using the basic data, the client accesses the game server, runs the game by the game manager in the game server, and releases the connection between the client and the game server. When a chapter of a game played by a client is completed and cleared, a procedure of automatically reconnecting to the game server to download the next chapter, The game server detects whether the serial data corresponding to the next chapter is in the DB server, retrieves the serial data for the next chapter, sends it to the client, and disconnects automatically. When the game program running on the client is terminated, the internet serial game service service consists of automatically reconnecting to the game server and transmitting the game result value to the memory space allocated to each user of the game server, and automatically disconnecting the game. Way. The method of claim 1, wherein the basic data includes an executable file for playing a game, a music and sound file, and a game interface. The method of claim 1, wherein the basic data includes an image of a map, a character, a special effect, and the like. The method of claim 1, wherein the serial data includes an image of a map, a character, a special effect, and the like. The method of claim 1, wherein the client accesses the game server to execute a game by a game manager in the game server and release the connection between the client and the game server. And a game server encrypting information such as ID, password, server IP, port number, etc., and transmitting the encrypted information to the client PC, and storing the encrypted information in the client. An internet serial game service device in a client-server system, The server is composed of a web server serving as a member registration function of the client on the web, a game server performing a function of playing a game and storing game result values, and a DB server storing data. The DB server includes a basic data storage unit for storing basic data necessary for installing and executing a game and a game interface, and serial data for storing each serial data containing contents of each chapter by dividing chapters of a game program into a plurality of chapters. A storage unit and a memory space dedicated to the registered user, The game server includes a download page for accessing a client to download basic data and serial data from the DB server, and an internet serial game service device including a game manager for executing a game by executing a game program installed in the client. . The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the basic data includes an executable file for playing a game, a music and a sound file, and a game interface. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the basic data includes an image of a map, a character, a special effect, and the like. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the serial data includes an image of a map, a character, a special effect, and the like. The method of claim 1, wherein the game server encrypts information such as a user ID, a password, an IP of a server, a port number, and the like after executing a game program stored in the client by a game manager while connected to the client. An internet serial game service device further comprising an encryption unit for transmitting to a client PC.