WO2008103005A1

WO2008103005A1 - System and method for player participation in the on-line game

Info

Publication number: WO2008103005A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/001044
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chang Kyu Lee; Yong Soo Hwang; Yeon Jin Choi
Original assignee: Redduck Inc
Priority date: 2007-02-23
Filing date: 2008-02-22
Publication date: 2008-08-28
Also published as: KR20090000558A; KR101128984B1

Abstract

Provided is an online game participation management system and method used in an online game, capable of managing a participation status of each of a plurality of players so as to enable all of the players to continuously maintain interest in a predetermined field in which the online game is played. Therefore, a player who is excluded from the online game field can limitedly and indirectly affect the game played in the field until the player is returned to the field, and the player can maintain interest in the game while in the excluded status.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PLAYER PARTICIPATION IN

THE ON-LINE GAME

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a player participation management system and method used in an online game, and more particularly, to a player participation management system and method used in an online game capable of managing a participation status of each of a plurality of players to continuously maintain interest of all players in a predetermined field in which the online game is played. Background Art

[2] With the development of the Internet, the online game industry has been considered as a high value-added industry and rapidly developed as the most advanced intellectual complex industry. Particularly, unlike a conventional game in which a single player or a plurality of players manipulate a single system, in an online game, a plurality of players simultaneously play the game in a virtual area formed online regardless of positions of players to content and cooperate with each other. The online game is esteemed as the most significant expansion in the game industry.

[3] FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a general online game system. As illustrated in

FIG. 1, a plurality of clients 10a to 1On access desired servers among game servers 30a and 30b provided by an online game company system 30 through a communication network 20 so that the clients 10a to 1On accessing desired servers can play the game together. In general, the game servers 30a and 30b manage various types of subscriber information, and game character information and status information on corresponding subscribers, and manage the progress of the game. In addition, various game associated operations used to be provided by the game servers 30a and 30b are shared to the clients 10a to 1On such that the game servers 30a and 30b concentrate their functions to manage the entire game operation and the accesses from the clients.

[4] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an example of a general player status management scheme used in an online game. Here, the term "player" commonly means a subscriber and a character selected and manipulated by the subscriber in the game and therefore has to be conceptually understood as an object participating in the game.

[5] The example illustrates a situation in which a plurality of players 55 simultaneously plays the game in a predetermined game field 50 and a player 56 is excluded from the game. For example, when a character manipulated by the subscriber is attacked or in a specific condition and so excluded from the game, the player 56 cannot see the game field any longer and is compulsively excluded form the game field. Otherwise, the player 56 is excluded from the game field until a particular condition is achieved (for example, during a penalty time), or the player 56 is in a status where the player 56 is displayed in the game field but cannot perform any manipulation until a particular condition is achieved (for example, during a penalty time). In other words, until a predetermined time gauge 65 is filled, the player 56 cannot affect the game played in the field.

[6] Therefore, during the predetermined time, the player 56 cannot perform any manipulation that affects the game played in the field, and this results in that the player 56 has to wait and is bored and the player 56 may feel a reduced interest in the game when returned to the field.

[7] Particularly, in team games in which the aforementioned situations frequently occur, the excluded player is bored whenever excluded from the game and may feel pressure for the exclusion and sorry for his/her group. In addition, due to characteristics of the team games in which players share responsibility, a beginner cannot easily participate in a team in a higher level. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[8] An object of the present invention proposed to ease negative situations that may occur when a player is excluded from a game field in which an online game is played, is to provide a player participation management system and method used in an online game, capable of enabling the excluded player to limitedly or indirectly affect the game played in a field until returned to the field even when the player is excluded from the game field and continuously maintain interest in the game even in the status excluded from the game.

[9] Another object of the present invention is to provide a player participation management system and method used in an online game, capable of enabling a player who belongs to a team and is excluded from a game field to provide information that is helpful to the team for the game played in the field and continuously maintain interest in the game.

[10] Another object of the present invention is to provide a player participation management system and method used in an online game, capable of enabling a player excluded from a game field to look down at the game field and record the game field while in the status excluded from the game field, acquire information that is helpful for the game progress after returned to the game field, and exchange information or items with players excluded from the field.

[11] Another object of the present invention is to provide a player participation management system and method used in an online game, capable of enabling a player excluded from a game field to perform operations that are helpful to be returned to the game field so that the player excluded from the game field is not completely excluded from the game but can enjoy the game regardless of a status of the player. Technical Solution

[12] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a player participation management system used in an online game, including: an access management unit for managing accesses of a plurality of players; a field management unit for registering a field for the players accessing through the access management unit; and a player management unit for forming teams of the players to play the game in the field registered by the field management unit, managing game participation statuses of the players into game statuses and excluded statuses to wait to be resurrected, and re-setting a position of the player excluded from the game among the players to limit game participating functions of the excluded player to indirect information providing.

[13] In the above aspect of the present invention, databases having authentication information on subscriber members and player information including game associated information on each subscriber may further be included in the access management unit or separately provided so as to cooperate with the access management unit.

[14] In addition, the player management unit may provide means and interfaces to enable the players excluded from the game to transmit game associated information obtained from the re-set position to one or more players in the same team.

[15] In addition, the player management unit may include: a player registration unit for managing information on players in teams; a game player registration unit for managing information on players who play the game; an excluded player registration unit for managing information on players excluded from the game; a game player processing unit for managing status changes in the players who play the game and participation status changes according to game rules; an excluded player processing unit for managing operations and status changes in the players excluded from the game; and a controller for determining a status of a player on the basis of information on each of the units and acquiring or providing information associated with the processing from or to the corresponding units.

[16] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a player participation management method used in an online game which is performed by a system including a plurality of players who access an online game server through client terminals connected through a communication network, the method including: a field and team forming step of setting a game field for players accessing the game server and forming teams of a plurality of players; a game operating step of operating the game in the game field so as to enable the teams of the players to play the game; a player excluding step of, when a case where a player is excluded from the game occurs during the game operating, moving the excluded player to a position where the excluded player cannot directly affect the game to limit a space of action of the exclu ded player; a player returning step of, when the game player achieves a predetermined object during the game operating, returning the excluded player who belongs to the same team to the game; and an excluded player participation step of providing means and interfaces for enabling the excluded player to acquire information on the game field in the limited space and transmit the acquired information to one or more players in the same team.

[17] In the above aspect of the present invention, the field and team forming step may include a step of forming a plurality of teams of a plurality of players. In addition, the game operating step may further include a step of changing a status of a player attacked between the team players and recognizing an objective achievement when the player arrives at a predetermined position in a territory of an opposing team.

[18] In addition, the player excluding step may include a step of moving the excluded player to a space provided in an area from which the excluded player looks down at the game field but cannot directly affect the game players.

[19] In addition, by using the means and interfaces for transmitting information provided in the excluded player participating step, the excluded player may provide messages, images, or videos about game field areas designated by the excluded player to the players in the same team.

[20] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a player participation management method used in an online game, including: a game operating step of enabling a plurality of teams of a plurality of players to play a game in a predetermined game field; a player excluding step of, when a case where a player is excluded from the game occurs during the game operating, moving the excluded player to a position from which the excluded player observes the game progress in the game field; a player returning step of, when the game player arrives at a target area in the game field during the game operating, returning the excluded player in the same team to the game; and an excluded player participating step of providing means or interfaces so as to enable the excluded player to acquire information on the game field in the limited space and transmit the acquired information to one or more players in the same team as a message, image, or a video.

Advantageous Effects

[21] As described above, the player participation management system and method used in an online game according to the embodiments of the present invention has advantages in that a player who is excluded from an online game field can limitedly and indirectly affect the game played in the field until the excluded player is returned to the field, so that the excluded player maintains interest in the game while in the excluded status.

[22] In addition, the player participation management system and method used in an online game according to the embodiments of the present invention enables a player who belongs to a team and is excluded from a game field to provide information that is helpful to the team for the game played in the field and continuously maintain team- playing even in the status excluded from the game field. Therefore, psychological pressure of the excluded player due to the exclusion and displeasure of players in the same team as the excluded player can be reduced, and a player who is not used to the game can be easily used to the game.

[23] In addition, the player participation management system and method used in an online game according to the embodiments of the present invention enables a player excluded from a game field to look down at the game field and record the game field while in the status excluded from the game field, acquire information that is helpful to play the game after returned to the game field, and exchange information or items with players excluded from the game field. Therefore, the excluded player can prepare to play the game to be played after returned to the game and continuously perform new manipulation while in the excluded status, and players can maintain interest in the game in both the game field and the excluded area.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[24] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a schematic configuration of a general online game system.

[25] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an example of a player participation scheme used in the general online game system.

[26] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a participation management unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[27] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a player management unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[28] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating an example of a field configuration and a player participation scheme according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[29] FIG. 6 is a view illustrating an example of a field configuration and a player participation scheme according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[30] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of operations of a game progress of a player according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[31] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating operations of a player excluded status progress according to another embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[32] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[33] FIG. 3 illustrates a configuration of a player participation management unit in an online game according to an embodiment of the present invention. The illustrated configuration may be included in a game server or separately operated according to a configuration manner of a company managing the online game. In order to avoid unnecessary descriptions, parts associated with practical operations of the online game are omitted from the illustrated configuration, and only parts added to the operations of the online game to manage a player participation scheme used in the online game are illustrated. In addition, the illustrated configuration is an example of a player participation management unit applied to a field game scheme for achieving an objective in a field in which teams of a plurality of players play the game.

[34] First, a player that is mentioned according to the embodiment is a term that commonly means a subscriber for the online game and a game character manipulated by the subscriber in the game. That is, the player simultaneously means the subscriber that is a subject accessing the game and manipulating the game character and an object that mirrors the subscriber. The player is represented as subscriber unit information in system management and represented as a character controlled by the subscriber in the game field.

[35] The illustrated participation management unit 100 includes an access management unit 110 for processing authentication and access processes for an online game subscriber, a field management unit 125 for generating and registering a field in which players (that is, subscribers) accessing through the access management unit 110 play the game and managing a plurality of the registered fields, and a player management unit 145 for managing players connected to fields registered by the field management unit 125 to form teams including the players who play the game, managing game participation statuses of the players, and changing a game participation scheme of a player excluded from the game among the players. The access management unit 110 cooperate with a database 161 having authentication information on subscriber members and a database 162 having player information including game associated information on each subscriber to manage accesses. The databases 161 and 162 may be included in the participation management unit 100 (for example, in the access management unit, or in a part of a system) or in a separate server.

[36] The field management unit 125 includes a field generation registration unit 120 for managing processes for generating and registering a game field in which the players play the game and a field operation unit 130 for managing information on fields generated for the players so that the players can participate in desired fields.

[37] Practically, the access management unit 100, the field management unit 125, and the player management unit 145 may be combined with each other in various manners according to a detailed configuration of the system and may be combined with a configuration of a general game server. However, unlike a conventional management unit that performs a similar function to the player management unit 145 to simply separate game players from excluded players and individually management each of the players, the player management unit 145 disables the excluded players from directly participating in the game played on the field to exclude the players from the game and enables the excluded players to actively apply an indirect game participation environment even in the status excluded from the game. Specifically, unlike in a conventional scheme in which the excluded players wait to be resurrected or re- access the game and penalties are emphasized, according to the embodiment, an opportunity for the excluded players to be indirectly involved in the game in addition to the penalty are provided to the excluded players and the team having the excluded players. Therefore, the excluded players do not wait to be resurrected and are bored but actively observe the game and continuously enjoy the game.

[38] In order to simultaneously provide the penalty and the indirect participation opportunity, according to the current embodiment, when a situation in which a player has to be excluded occurs, the player management unit 145 recognizes the situation and moves the excluded player to an area from which the excluded player looks down at a game field and enable the excluded player to move in the limited activity area. In this manner, the player management unit 145 isolates the excluded player from the game field. Here, the excluded player cannot use parts or all of functions used in the game field. Therefore, the excluded player has the penalty so that the excluded player cannot participate in the game played in the field and the number of members of the team having the excluded member is reduced, so that it is more difficult for the team to achieve a predetermined objective.

[39] However, the player management unit 145 enables the excluded player to perform a predetermined operation in the isolated area and this means that the excluded player may not be completely excluded from the game played in the field. For this, means and interfaces for enabling the excluded player to limitedly affect the game played in the field are provided. The means and the interfaces may be means and interfaces that can be used in the game played in the field. In this case, even in the situation in which the player is excluded from the game, the excluded player can use parts of the means and the interfaces, so that the excluded player can use the limited functions even in the excluded situation. Otherwise, the means and the interfaces may have new types so that only the excluded players can use the new type means and interfaces, or combinations of the new types.

[40] In addition, various schemes may be used for the excluded player to affect the game played in the field. However, directly participating in the game in the field is "excluded" and impossible. Instead, indirectly, transmitting information on the game field at which the excluded player look down from the isolate area to the team members that play the game in the field is possible. For example, the excluded player observes the game field from a different viewpoint to find facts that may threaten a team member and transmits the facts to the corresponding team member through a message, an image, or a video to help the team member to play the game. In addition, through the indirect support for the team member, the team member can achieve the objective fast, and this may reduce a time for the excluded player to wait to be resurrected. Therefore, the excluded player keeps interest in the game. In addition, the isolated area is an area from which the excluded player can observe the game field, so that the excluded player can easily understand the game progress and game operations, and a player that is not used to the game can become easily used to the game. As described above, in the excluded status, the excluded player helps the team member through the indirect support, so that displeasure of the team member due to the exclusion and pressure of the excluded player can be reduced. Therefore, the player who is not used to the game can participate in the team game with a light heart.

[41] The player management unit 145 includes a player registration unit 140 for separating players to play the game in a particular game field into teams and registering the teams and a player status management unit 150 for managing statuses of the players in the teams to separately manage game players from excluded players and provide different authorities and interfaces thereto.

[42] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating functions of the player management unit 145.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the player management unit 145 includes the player registration unit 140, a game player registration unit 154 for managing information on the game players who play the game by using information on the players in the teams registered by the player registration unit 140, an excluded player registration unit 155 for managing information on the players excluded from the game, a game player processing unit 152 for managing status changes (for example, changing individual statuses to recognize whether to play the game or to be excluded from the game such as statuses corresponding to life spans, energy, and item, or providing various means and interfaces that can be used to play the game and authorities to use the means and the interfaces) in the players in the game and managing participation status changes (for example, a victory in the team game or mission completion) in statuses according to game rules, on the basis of the information on the game players stored in the game player registration unit 154, an excluded player processing unit 153 for managing operations and status changes (for example, providing means and interfaces for en abling the excluded player to transmit information on changes in positions, limitations of areas, and observation to team members, managing authorities to use the means and the interfaces, processing resurrections, and the like) in the players excluded from the game, and a determination unit 151 for determining a status of a player on the basis of information received from each of the units and acquiring or providing the information associated with processing of the units from or to the units.

[43] The game player processing unit 152 and the excluded player management unit 153 individually perform functions of changing statuses of the game players by managing information needed to manage only the statuses of the game players, or directly perform all functions of managing the statuses of the game players. For example, the game player processing unit 152 may be a practical processing unit (a portion of an operating program included in a game server or a client terminal) for managing the statuses of the game players in the game progress or a portion (a server) for managing only status information used by corresponding processing units. In addition, the excluded player processing unit 153 may be a practical processing unit for managing operations and statuses of the excluded players and providing means and interfaces for providing information on the game field to the team members in the excluded status, or a portion (a server) for managing status information and authority information used by corresponding processing units.

[44] The player status management system and method according to the embodiment and applications thereof are described in detail so that the aforementioned description can be easily understood.

[45] FIG. 5 illustrates an example of an online game applying the current embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 5, in a game field 200 that is a virtual space, a first team of a plurality of players 210a to 21Od and a second team of artificial intelligence characters compete with each other to achieve an objective. For example, when the first team 210a to 21Od and the second team 220a to 22Od attack each other and the first team 210a to 21Od eliminates all members of the second team 220a to 22Od, the first team completes the final objective. In a case where a player of the first team 210a to 21Od is attacked by the second team and excluded from the game, the player is not completely excluded from the game but moved to an isolated area 205 illustrated in FIG. 5 and movements of the excluded player are limited to the area. Specifically, when the player status management system recognizes an excluded status of the player in the game field, the player status management system changes a position of the player and limits parts or all of functions used in the game field and movements of the player. Therefore, the excluded player cannot directly affect the game field.

[46] However, the player status management system enables the excluded player to transmit information on situations observed from the area where the excluded player exists to one or more of the team members 210a to 21Od and for this, provides means and interfaces. The means and the interfaces may be means and interfaces for acquiring text information or voice information input from the excluded player to transmit the information to a designated player or means and interfaces for transmitting image or video information showing an area observed by the excluded player to a designated player. The means and interfaces may be functions used (in the game field) by the excluded player in advance. However, even in the excluded status, in order to transmit the information by applying the means and the interface, corresponding functions or additional functions are activated, so that the excluded player can help his/her team.

[47] For example, the excluded players 210c and 21Od can look down at the game field from a higher position, and the excluded players 210c and 21Od can check movements of players and opposing characters. Therefore, advice messages, images, videos, or the like about tendencies and statuses of the opposing characters or unguarded areas that are helpful to the team may be provided to designated members in the team. Particularly, an opposing character approaches a team member, the excluded player may discover the fact and warn the team member or request a support of other team members. Therefore, the excluded player can enjoy the game even when the excluded player cannot directly participate in the game in the field. In addition, in a case where all team members are excluded, the corresponding team loses the game. Therefore, when the deliberate exclusion occurs, the team has a weakness in terms of the number of team members. Accordingly, the deliberate exclusion can be prevented. The information providing function of the excluded players 210c and 21Od may be limited (limitation on the number of transmissions or information capacity) according to the number of exclusions in consideration that the excluded status is a type of penalty.

[48] The excluded players 210c and 21Od are not continuously in the excluded status but resurrect when his/her team member achieves a predetermined sub-objective and returns to the game. Here, when the team member arrives at a specific target area 230 (for example, a 'touchdown area' guarded by the opposing characters, the excluded players 210c and 21Od are resurrected sequentially in order of exclusion or simultaneously. In this case, the player status management system changes settings or authorities associated with the means or interfaces while resurrecting the excluded players 210c and 21Od to enable the excluded players 210c and 21Od to use means and interfaces that can be used only in the game field.

[49] Therefore, the players 210a to 21Od that play the game in the game field 200 can enjoy the game in the field in which their roles are important. In addition, even in the case of exclusion, the excluded players can wait to be resurrected and perform limited functions to help his/her team to achieve an objective and reduce a time to be resurrected.

[50] FIG. 6 illustrates another example of an online game applying the current embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 6, in a game field 300 that is a virtual space, a first team of a plurality of players 330a to 330d and a second team of a plurality of players 340a to 34Od compete with each other to achieve an objective. For example, the first team 330a to 330d and the second team 340a to 34Od attack each other, and a final objective is achieved when all players of an opposing team are eliminated. In addition, when a player of a team arrives at a target area 315 or 325 (for example, a 'touchdown area' in a territory of an opposing team, excluded players of the corresponding team are returned to the game. Here, a player status management method used in this case is described.

[51] First, when a player of a team is attacked by an opposing team and excluded from the game played in the field, the excluded player is moved to an isolated area 310 or 320 disposed at an upper space of the territory of the opposing team and movements of the excluded player are limited to the corresponding area. In addition, parts or all of functions used in the field are limited so as to disable the excluded players from directly affecting the game played in the field 300.

[52] When a player of the first team is attacked by the second team and excluded from the game, the excluded player is not completely excluded from the game but is moved to the isolated area to observe the game field while moving in the isolated area. Specifically, the player status management system recognizes a status of a player in a game field, and when the player is in the excluded status, the player status management system changes a position of the player, limits parts or all of functions used in the game field, and also limits an area where the player moves. Therefore, the excluded player cannot directly affect the game field. However, the player status management system provides means or interfaces used by the excluded players in the excluded status. Otherwise, parts of the functions used in the game field 300 may be used in the excluded status so that the player can exchange information with his/her team members.

[53] The players in the excluded status may provide information observed from an opposing territory to his/her team by using the means and the interfaces that can be used in the excluded status.

[54] For example, the players 330a and 330b excluded from the first team observe movements of the game players 340c and 34Od of the second team from the isolated area provided above the territory of the second team and provide observed information to the players 330c and 330d of his/her team by using the means or the interfaces permitted by the player status management system as text messages, voice messages, images, or videos. The information transmission may be limited (for example, decreases in transmission capacity or the number of the transmissions according to the number of exclusions).

[55] In the illustrated example, the excluded players 330a and 330b of the first team may inform his/her team player 330c of a situation of the player 340c of the second team who hides behind a hill and aims at the player 330c or a safe root to arrive at a target area 325. Similarly, the excluded players 340a and 340b of the second team may inform his/her team player 34Od of a situation of the first team player 330d who hides behind a tree and aims at the player 34Od or a safe root to arrive at a target area 315.

[56] In addition, the player status management system may provide means or interfaces for enabling a plurality of players in the isolated area to exchange information with each other, and through the exchange, the excluded players can exchange information and experiences with their team players in the isolated area through messages (text or voice) or videos. Through exchanging information and experiences, information on opposing players to be avoided or information on a map of the field and a safe root to arrive at a target area can be generated, and the generated information may be provided to the same team players in the game field.

[57] In addition, by using the means or interfaces provided for a plurality of the players in the isolated area, items or game money may be exchanged or delivered between the same team players. Therefore, the excluded players can prepare for the game to be played after resurrected although the excluded players cannot directly affect the game that is being played in the game field, so that the excluded players can concentrate on the game.

[58] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a player status management method according to the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7, operations for processing statuses of players according to the game progress are illustrated.

[59] First, players access a game server to generate and register a field in which a game is to be played, and the players accessing corresponding fields are separated into teams.

[60] Thereafter, the players of the teams play the game in the predetermined field, and when a change in a status of a player occurs during the game, the change in the status of the corresponding player is observed. When the status of the corresponding player is changed from a game participating status to a game excluded status, a position of the player and a viewpoint according to the position are changed, and movements of the player is re-set to a predetermined area. In addition, by providing means or interfaces that can be used in the excluded status or granting authorization for corresponding means and interface, the excluded player may provide information on an opposing territory to the same team. Of course, by using additional means or interfaces, various additional functions may be used in the excluded status.

[61] In a case where status of the player is changed from the excluded status to the game status, the position of the player and a viewpoint according to the position are moved to a portion (an excluded area, a default area, or an arbitrary area) of the game field to enable the player to be returned to the game field and participate in the game. In addition, the means and the interfaces used in the excluded status and the authorization for the means and the interfaces are changed to means and interfaces used in the game status and authorization therefor.

[62] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating operations of the player participation management system in the case where the participation status of the player is changed from the game status to the excluded status in FIG. 7. Processing for illustrated situations is not always necessary, and parts of the illustrated situations or other types of situations that are not included in the illustrated situations are applied. Therefore, various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiment of the present invention.

[63] Referring to FIG. 8, first, when a game player is excluded from the game, a position of the excluded player is changed, and a radius of action of the excluded player is limited. However, even in the limited space, the excluded player can observe a field in which the game is played. In addition, in order for the excluded player to effectively observe and recognize game situations, the space where the excluded player is disposed may be an upper area of the game field, and more preferably, an upper area of a territory of an opposing team.

[64] In the excluded area, the excluded player observes the game field in which the game is currently played, and the excluded player can effectively observe the field by using predetermined means and interfaces that are provided by the player participation management system with authorization. In addition, the excluded player may take a still image or a video of a part of the game field from a viewpoint of observation. The taken image, video, or text/voice message may be provided to the same team member through the means and the interfaces.

[65] When a plurality of players exist in the excluded area, experiences, information, items, and game money may be exchanged between the players. Of course, for this, the player participation management system has to provide associated means and interfaces. Therefore, the players can continue participating in the game while in the excluded status and can obtain information or prepare for more effectively playing the game after resurrection. In addition, intimacy between the players can be increased. Besides, in the excluded status, the players can purchase items or exchange equipments, so that an opportunity for the players to release the pressure due to the exclusion can be provided, and item sales effects can be provided to the online game company. [66] As described above according to the embodiments of the present invention, the player status management system operates so that limited functions are allowed to the excluded players. Therefore, the player can continuously concentrate on the game without boredom and psychological pressure even in the status excluded from the game field during a predetermined time besides the status where the game is played in the game field.

Claims

[1] A player participation management system used in an online game, comprising: an access management unit for managing accesses of a plurality of players; a field management unit for registering a field for the players accessing through the access management unit; and a player management unit for forming teams of the players to play the game in the field registered by the field management unit, managing game participation statuses of the players into game statuses and excluded statuses to wait to be resurrected, and re-setting a position of the player excluded from the game among the players to limit game participating functions of the excluded player to indirect information providing.

[2] The system of claim 1, wherein the field management unit returns the excluded player when a player in the game status achieves a predetermined objective.

[3] The system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined objective to be achieved by the player in the game status is achieved by arriving at a predetermined area in the game field by the player in the game status.

[4] The system of claim 1, wherein databases having authentication information on subscriber members and player information including game associated information on each subscriber are further included in the access management unit or separately provided so as to cooperate with the access management unit.

[5] The system of claim 1, wherein the player management unit provides means and interfaces to enable the players excluded from the game to transmit game associated information obtained from the re-set position to one or more players in the same team.

[6] The system of claim 5, wherein the game associated information is one or more of a text message, a voice message, or a still image or a video taken of game images.

[7] The system of claim 5, wherein the number of transmissions of the game associated information or a capacity of the transmitted game associated information is limited to a predetermined number or a predetermined capacity.

[8] The system of claim 1, wherein, when the player excluded from the game is in the same area as other players excluded from the game, the player management unit provides means or interfaces to enable the players excluded from the game to exchange information or items with each other.

[9] The system of claim 8, wherein the information is one or more of a text message, a voice message, or a still image or video taken of game images.

[10] The system of claim 1, wherein the player management unit comprises: a player registration unit for managing information on players in teams; a game player registration unit for managing information on players who are playing the game; an excluded player registration unit for managing information on players excluded from the game; a game player processing unit for managing status changes in the players who are playing the game and participation status changes according to game rules; an excluded player processing unit for managing operations and status changes in the players excluded from the game; and a controller for determining a status of a player on the basis of information on each of the units and acquiring or providing information associated with the processing from or to the corresponding units.

[11] The system of claim 10, wherein, when the game player arrives at a predetermined area in the field, the game player processing unit requests the excluded player processing unit to return the excluded players who belongs to the same team as the game player to the game.

[12] A player participation management method used in an online game which is performed by a system including a plurality of players who access an online game server through client terminals connected through a communication network, the method comprising: a field and team forming step of setting a game field for players accessing the game server and forming teams of a plurality of players; a game operating step of operating the game in the game field so as to enable the teams of the players to play the game; a player excluding step of, when a case where a player is excluded from the game occurs during the game operating, moving the excluded player to a position where the excluded player cannot directly affect the game to limit a space of action of the excluded player; a player returning step of, when the game player achieves a predetermined object during the game operating, returning the excluded player who belongs to the same team to the game; and an excluded player participation step of providing means and interfaces for enabling the excluded player to acquire information on the game field in the limited space and transmit the acquired information to one or more players in the same team.

[13] The method of claim 12, wherein in the player returning step, the predetermined objective to be achieved by the game player is achieved when a game player arrives at a predetermined area in the game field.

[14] The method of claim 12, wherein the field and team forming step comprises a step of forming a plurality of teams of a plurality of players.

[15] The method of claim 14, wherein the game operating step further comprises a step of changing a status of a player attacked between the team players and recognizing an objective achievement when the player arrives at a predetermined position in a territory of an opposing team.

[16] The method of claim 12, wherein the player returning step comprises a step of returning the excluded players sequentially in order of exclusion or simultaneously.

[17] The method of claim 12, wherein the player excluding step comprises a step of moving the excluded player to a space provided in an area from which the excluded player looks down at the game field but cannot directly affect the game players.

[18] The method of claim 12, wherein, by using the means and interfaces for transmitting information provided in the excluded player participating step, the excluded player provides messages, images, or videos about game field areas designated by the excluded player to the players in the same team.

[19] The method of claim 12, wherein the excluded player participating step further comprises a step of limiting the number of transmissions of information on the game field from the excluded player or a capacity of the transmitted information.

[20] The method of claim 12, wherein the excluded player participating step further comprises a step of providing means and interfaces for enabling the excluded players in the same team to exchange or transmit information, experiences, items, or game money with each other.

[21] The method of claim 12, wherein the excluded player participating step further comprises a step of providing means or interfaces to enable the excluded player to purchase items or pay -upgrade items.

[22] A player participation management method used in an online game, comprising: a game operating step of enabling a plurality of teams of a plurality of players to play a game in a predetermined game field; a player excluding step of, when a case where a player is excluded from the game occurs during the game operating, moving the excluded player to a position from which the excluded player observes the game progress in the game field; a player returning step of, when the game player arrives at a target area in the game field during the game operating, returning the excluded player in the same team to the game; and an excluded player participating step of providing means or interfaces so as to enable the excluded player to acquire information on the game field in the limited space and transmit the acquired information to one or more players in the same team as a message, image, or a video.