WO2013018832A1

WO2013018832A1 - Game system with matching function

Info

Publication number: WO2013018832A1
Application number: PCT/JP2012/069600
Authority: WO
Inventors: 康資三戸; 秀和清水; 正典幸野; 牧野　鉱次; 豊和酒井; 将之社本; 哲史土田; 兵吾 ▲高▼橋; 友博稲見
Original assignee: 株式会社コナミデジタルエンタテインメント
Priority date: 2011-08-04
Filing date: 2012-08-01
Publication date: 2013-02-07
Also published as: JP5190141B2; JP2013034553A; TW201313281A

Abstract

This game system (1) includes multiple game machines (2A, 2B) connected to a network (5) and utilizes communication over the network (5) to enable a prescribed number of two or more players to play a common game. This game system is provided with a first matching means which matches the players of game machines (2A, 2B) belonging to a first scope, and a second matching means which matches players of game machines belonging to a second scope broader than the first scope. In response to a request from a player of a game machine (2A, 2B) belonging to the first scope, matching is attempted with the first matching means, and if the matching of the prescribed number of players is not completed with the first matching means, the two matching means are associated so that matching is attempted by the second matching means.

Description

Game system with matching function

The present invention relates to a game system having a matching function.

A game system is known in which a plurality of game machines are connected to each other via a network, and a plurality of players can play a common game using communication between the game machines. In this type of game system, when a participation request from a game machine is received by a server device (sometimes referred to as a lobby server) as a method for determining a plurality of players to participate in a common game, the server device Thus, a mechanism is adopted in which other players satisfying a predetermined matching condition are searched and these players are matched with each other. There has also been proposed a game system that relaxes the matching condition and increases the possibility of matching when a player that satisfies the matching condition is not detected within a predetermined time limit (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2011-004799 A

A conventional game system such as Patent Document 1 is configured on the assumption that a large number of game machines are connected to a wide area network. That is, since a number of game machine players are included in the search range, the matching condition is relaxed when a matching condition is set relatively rigorously to search for a player in a wide range and no player satisfying the matching condition is detected. Thus, it is possible to take a procedure of increasing the possibility of matching.

However, depending on the type of game or the like, the game system may be configured to search for a matching partner limited to players of a relatively narrow range of game machines. For example, there is a game system in which matching is attempted only by players of game machines installed in the same store. In that case, since the number of game machines included in the search range is small and the number of players is also small, the matching conditions have to be set fairly loosely. Therefore, it is difficult to further relax the matching conditions as a countermeasure when matching is not established.

Therefore, the present invention provides a game system that can sufficiently give players an opportunity to play a common game by controlling a search range of players to be matched by a method different from the conventional method. For the purpose.

The present invention provides a game system including a plurality of game machines connected to a network, wherein two or more predetermined number of players can play a common game using communication via the network. First matching means for matching players of game machines belonging to a range; and second matching means for matching players of game machines belonging to a second range set wider than the first range. Then, in response to a request from a player of the gaming machine belonging to the first range, matching by the first matching unit is attempted, and the first matching unit does not complete the predetermined number of matches. Both matching means are associated so that matching by the two matching means is attempted.

According to the present invention, first, the first matching means tries whether or not a predetermined number of players can be matched using the players of the game machine belonging to the first range as a search range. If the matching is not completed by the first matching means, the second matching means tries matching with the player of the game machine belonging to the second range wider than the first range as the search range. As a result, even if the first range is set to be relatively narrow, if matching is not completed, players are searched over a wide range to compensate for it, and as a result, the possibility of matching is increased. Therefore, it is possible to sufficiently provide the player with an opportunity to play a common game.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the network includes a wide area network and a local area network connected to the wide area network, and the first range includes game machines accommodated in the same local area network. The second range may be set to include a game machine connected to the game machine in the first range via the wide area network. According to this aspect, when matching is attempted for players of game machines in the local area network and matching of a predetermined number of people is not completed, a wide range including other game machines connected via the wide area network is also included. Attempts to match. By expanding the search range step by step according to the scale of the network in this way, even if the matching is not established without impairing the possibility that the player is matched in a relatively narrow range, By expanding the range and searching for players, it is possible to increase the possibility of matching.

Further, the first range is set to a range of game machines accommodated in a local area network within a single facility, and the second range is a range of the first range via the wide area network. You may set so that the game machine in the other facility connected with the game machine may be included. According to this embodiment, since matching is first attempted between players of game machines in the same facility, the opportunity to play a common game in the facility is not impaired. When matching is not completed in the same facility, the possibility of matching can be increased by trying the matching by including the players of game machines in other facilities in the search range. Note that the facility may be a place provided with equipment for operating the game machine, and it does not matter whether the purpose of the installation is commercial, public, or personal.

Further, a computer device accommodated in the local area network functions as the first matching means, and a server device connected to each game machine via the wide area network functions as the second matching means. Also good. According to this, matching in the local area network is attempted by the computer device accommodated in the network, and when matching is not completed in the local area network, matching by the server device is attempted. As a result, the burden on the system related to matching can be distributed, and in particular, the burden on the server device can be reduced.

In one form of the present invention, each of the plurality of game machines is configured to select one play unit from a plurality of play units prepared in advance and play the play unit, and the common game is The predetermined number of players participate in the same play unit and play, and the first matching means is a player of a game machine belonging to the first range when the matching of the predetermined number of players is not completed. While providing information specifying the play unit selected by the second matching means, the second matching means requests matching, and the second matching means responds to the matching request from the first matching means. In response, the players of the game machines belonging to the second range are subject to the condition that the selected play units match. It may be an attempt to quenching. According to this, when the matching of a predetermined number of persons is not completed by the first matching means, information for specifying the play unit desired by the player is provided to the second matching means, and matching between players who have selected the same play unit is performed. Is attempted in the second matching means. Therefore, it is possible to sufficiently provide the player with an opportunity to play the play unit desired by the player as a common game.

In the above embodiment, when the play of the common game relating to one play unit is completed and the common game is continued to the next play unit, the player matched by the first matching means The game system may further include matching management means for managing matching so that matching by the second matching means is canceled while matching is continued in a play unit. According to this, when a common game is continued over a plurality of play units, matching is maintained between players of game machines belonging to a relatively narrow range, and the game is played by the same member even in the next play unit. Therefore, when players who have a certain relationship want to continue playing at the same place, such as when friends play a common game in the same facility, You can play continuously. On the other hand, the matching of the player by the second matching means is released with the end of play of one play unit, and the matching by the second matching means may be attempted and the new player may be matched in the next play unit. Rise. Thereby, the opportunity to play a game common with various players can be provided.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each of the plurality of game machines causes the player to select one music from a plurality of songs prepared in advance, and instructs the player to perform a series of operations according to the music The play unit may be set so that a play of a game corresponding to one piece of music becomes one play unit. According to this, it is possible to sufficiently provide an opportunity for players of a plurality of music game machines to select the same music and play a music game.

As described above, according to the present invention, first, the first matching unit tries to match a game machine player belonging to a relatively narrow first range as a search range, and matching of a predetermined number of people is not completed. Since the game machine players belonging to the second range wider than the first range are used as the search range and the matching by the second matching means is tried, the game machine players in a relatively narrow range are common. An opportunity to play a common game can be sufficiently provided to players without impairing the opportunity to play the game.

The figure which shows the whole structure of the game system which concerns on one form of this invention. The functional block diagram in the principal part of a game system. The flowchart which shows procedures, such as a login process performed when a player starts a game. The flowchart which shows the procedure of the matching process which a game machine performs. The flowchart which shows the procedure of an online matching process. The figure which shows an example of the music selection screen on which the music selection condition of the fellow player was displayed. The figure which shows notionally the matching table produced | generated at the time of the matching by a game server. The figure which shows the matching cancellation | release process which a game machine performs when the play of one music is complete | finished.

First, an overall configuration of a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The game system 1 includes a plurality of

game machines

2A and 2B and a server group 3 as a server device. Each of the

game machines

2A and 2B instructs the player to perform a series of operations in accordance with the music, generates a musical sound according to the player's operation, and based on the relationship between the instructed operation and the operation actually performed by the player. It is configured as a music game machine that evaluates player operations.

The game machine 2A has an operation unit 2a simulating a drum set of a musical instrument, and the game machine 2B has two operation units 2b simulating a guitar of a musical instrument. The game machine 2A is configured assuming that one player operates the operation unit 2a. On the other hand, the game machine 2B is configured assuming that one player operates one operation unit 2b and the other one player operates the other operation unit 2b. That is, the game machine 2B has a configuration that allows two players to play a game simultaneously. Of course, one player can play a game on the game machine 2B. Hereinafter, the game machine 2A may be referred to as a drum game machine 2A, and the game machine 2B may be referred to as a guitar game machine 2B. Further, when it is not necessary to distinguish between these

game machines

2A and 2B, they may be referred to as game machines 2.

Each game machine 2 is installed in a commercial facility such as a store 4 and is a commercial (business) game machine that allows a user to play a predetermined range of games in exchange for payment of a predetermined amount of play fee. It is configured. In this specification, a person who enjoys the service provided by the game system 1 is collectively referred to as a user, and the user may be referred to as a player particularly when the user plays a game on the game machine 2. An appropriate number of game machines 2 are installed in each store 4. In the example of FIG. 1, the drum game machine 2A and the guitar game machine 2B are installed in each store 4 in a mixed manner. However, the store 4 where only one of the drum game machine 2A and the guitar game machine 2B is installed may exist in a part.

The server group 3 is installed by an operator of the game system 1 and includes a game server 3A and a Web server 3B. The game server 3A and the web server 3B may be configured by independent physical computer devices, or the game server 3A and the web server 3B may be logically configured on one physical computer device. Good. Alternatively, at least one of the game server 3A and the web server 3B may be configured as one

logical server

3A or 3B by a set of a plurality of physical computer devices. As an example, the

servers

3A and 3B may be constructed by cloud computing.

The game machine 2 and the server group 3 are connected via a network 5 so that they can communicate with each other. The network 5 includes a WAN (wide area network) 5A, a LAN (local area network) 5B that is constructed for each store 4 and accommodates these game machines 2, and a server group 3 that contains the

servers

3A and 3B. LAN 5C connected to each other. As an example of the WAN 5A, the Internet that implements network communication using the TCP / IP protocol is used. The

LANs

5B and 5C are also constructed by an intranet using the TCP / IP protocol. The

LANs

5B and 5C are connected to the WAN 5A via the router 6. A local server may be installed between the game machine 2 and the router 6 of the store 4, and the game machine 2 may be connected to the server group 3 via the local server. The server group 3 may be constructed using the WAN 5A instead of or in addition to the LAN 5C.

The server group 3 provides various services via the network 5 to the game machine 2 or a user (player) of the game machine 2. The game server 3A is installed for the main purpose of providing various game services to the game machine 2 or its players. As an example, the game server 3A authenticates a game program or data update service for the game machine 2 and the user of the game machine 2, and receives play data including the play history of the user from the game machine 2. Or a service provided to the game machine 2, a matching service between users when a plurality of users play a common game via the network 5, and the like. On the other hand, the Web server 3B is installed mainly for providing various Web services to the user terminal 7 accessed via the network 5. Examples of the web service include a service that provides a user with various information about a game through a website, and a community service that provides a place for exchange such as information transmission, exchange, and sharing by the user. The user terminal 7 is a computer unit that functions as a personal communication terminal capable of network connection, such as a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as PC) 7a or a mobile phone (including a smartphone) 7b. This may be used as appropriate.

The server group 3 is also provided with a billing server that charges the user who has accessed from the game machine 2 or the user terminal 7 as a fee for providing the paid service and collects the fee according to the user's operation. ing. However, the illustration is omitted. The billing server collects charges by exchanging electronic information. For example, the service fee is collected by means such as withdrawal of virtual currency or settlement by credit card. The play fee in the game machine 2 may also be charged by the charging server and collected.

The game machine 2 and the

servers

3A, 3B are assigned unique IP addresses for identifying them on the network 5. In communication between the game machines 2 or between the game machine 2 and the

servers

3A and 3B, a communication partner is specified using the IP address. When the WAN 5A is a public network such as the Internet, a unique fixed address on the WAN 5A is set in each router 6. In the game machine 2, a private address for uniquely identifying the game machine 2 on the network 5 is set as an IP address in combination with the fixed address. In this case, a virtual private network (VPN) is constructed between the game machine 2 and the

servers

3A and 3B, or between the game machines 2, and each game machine 2 is uniquely assigned using a private address on the VPN. Identified. The user terminal 7 is also given a unique IP address for uniquely identifying the user terminal 7 on the network 5. The IP address may be a so-called dynamic address that changes every time it is connected to the network 5 or may be a fixed address that does not change. Hereinafter, information for identifying the game machine 2, the

servers

3A and 3B, and the user terminal 7 on the network 5 is referred to as address information. In communication via the network 5, it is assumed that a communication partner is specified based on the address information unless otherwise specified.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the main part of the game system 1. In addition, regarding the game machine 2, the specific differences such as the

operation units

2a and 2b existing between the drum game machine 2A and the guitar game machine 2B and the game programs corresponding to these

operation units

2a and 2b are considered. Instead, only a single game machine 2 is shown as those

game machines

2A and 2B basically having a common function.

In the game system 1, the game server 3 A is provided with a game service management unit 11 for providing various game services to the game machine 2, and the Web server 3 B is provided with various types of games for users of the game system 1. A community service management unit 12 is provided for providing the community service. Each of these

management units

11 and 12 is a logical device realized by a combination of a computer unit constituting the server group 3 and software. Further, the game machine 2 is provided with a game service processing unit 21 for realizing a game service in cooperation with the game service management unit 11 of the game server 3A, and the user terminal 7 includes a community service of the Web server 3B. A community service processing unit 22 is provided for realizing community service in cooperation with the management unit 12. These

processing units

21 and 22 are both logical devices realized by a combination of a computer unit and software constituting the game machine 2 and the user terminal 7. Note that the community service management unit 12 of the Web server 3B and the community service processing unit 22 of the user terminal 7 are information transmission, exchange, sharing, and friends of users realized by a known communication service such as a social networking service (SNS). The exchange service providing means for providing the user with an exchange place such as the formation of the network, and the functions thereof are configured using software implemented in each of the Web server and the user terminal by a known communication service. Can do.

Storage devices

31 and 32 are provided in the game server 3A and the Web server 3B. A group of ID management data 33 and play data 34 is recorded in the storage device 31 for the game server 3A. A group of ID management data 35 and community data 36 is recorded in the storage device 32 for the Web server 3B. The

ID management data

33 and 35 are data for managing the correspondence between various IDs set as information necessary for specifying a user. The type of ID and the management method thereof may be set as appropriate as long as the user can specify them, but an example is as follows. First, the game machine 2 specifies a user using the card 8. A unique card ID is recorded on the card 8 for each card. The game machine 2 has a function of reading the card ID recorded on the card 8 and transmitting it to the game server 3A. On the other hand, the game server 3A specifies a user by using a user ID uniquely assigned to each user. The ID management data 33 describes the correspondence between the card ID and the user ID. The game server 3 A specifies a user ID corresponding to the card ID sent from the game machine 2 based on the ID management data 33. When two users play one guitar game machine 2B at the same time, the card ID is read for each user and sent to the game server 3A.

The Web server 3B also manages users using user IDs, but regarding community services, manages users in association with community IDs that are issued separately from user IDs. The ID management data 35 describes the correspondence between the user ID and the community ID. By referring to the ID management data 35, the Web server 3B can specify the user ID corresponding to the community ID, or can specify the community ID corresponding to the user ID. In this way, all IDs can be identified with each other by referring to the

ID management data

33 and 35 as appropriate. The correspondence between the card ID and the user ID and the correspondence between the user ID and the community ID can be newly set and changed by accessing the user management site of the Web server 3B from the user terminal 7. is there. Further, another ID may be interposed between these IDs. Only one user ID is issued to one user, but a plurality of card IDs and community IDs may be issued to one user. In this case, if any one of the card ID, the user ID, and the community ID is determined by allowing the user to specify one card ID and one community ID that are valid for the user ID, the other IDs are also unambiguous. It is possible to maintain the correspondence relationship determined in. In the following description, it is assumed that a single card ID and a community ID are associated with each user ID. Note that user nicknames can be set for the user ID and community ID, and nicknames associated with these IDs are also registered in the

ID management data

33 and 35. The user ID is further associated with personal information such as the user name and address.

The play data 34 is data in which various types of information to be referred to when the user plays a game on the game machine 2 and is created for each user ID. For example, information such as the play history in the game machine 2 and the rank or level of the user set according to the play result is recorded in the play data 34. On the other hand, the community data 36 is data in which various types of information to be referred to when the user uses the community service, and is created for each community ID. The community data 36 includes, for example, information such as community IDs and nicknames for specifying other users registered by the user as friends, and a log of comments transmitted from the user or received from the friends. Recorded in the community data 36. “Friend” is a term used as a concept indicating that a predetermined personal connection exists between users. There are two types of friends, “group” and “friend”. In the community data 36, information necessary for specifying a group to which the user belongs and other users registered as friends by the user are recorded in an appropriate format. For example, the community ID of the user in the group and the community ID of the user set as a friend may be described in the community data 36 in association with the community ID of the user. The procedure for setting and registering friends is similar to that of general community services. The terminal device 7 accesses the Web server 3B and sends an invitation as a friend to another user, or the Web server 3B. The process of applying for registration of a friend may be performed, and detailed description thereof is omitted. However, registration of a friend in the community data 36 is not limited to online processing via the network 5, but may be applied offline, even if the operator of the server group 3 describes the application contents in the community data 36 at an appropriate time. Good.

In addition to the data 33 to 36 described above, various data are prepared in the game system 1. For example, in the storage device of the game machine 2, as data necessary for executing a music game, music data for reproducing and outputting music, and a sequence for instructing a player a series of operations to be performed in accordance with the music Data, image data for generating a game screen, and the like are recorded. It is sufficient to prepare these data in the same manner as existing music game machines, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. In the game machine 2, a plurality of music pieces are prepared in advance as selection items on the game. The player can select one music piece from a plurality of music pieces within a selectable range and play a game having contents corresponding to the music piece.

The game system 1 has a game mode in which three players can experience the same play as a music session by playing a game with the same music. Hereinafter, this is referred to as a session play mode. The session play mode corresponds to a common game in the present invention, and the session play mode is executed with one piece of music as one play unit. The session play mode includes a local session realized by three players participating between the game machines 2 in the same store 4 and an online session realized through matching by the game server 3A. Note that the online session includes a case where two or three players in the same store 4 are matched as a result of matching by the game server 3A. Below, matching a player between the game machines 2 of the same store 4 is called local matching, and matching a player in the game server 3A is called online matching. In addition, a set of players matched by local matching may be called a local member, and a set of players matched by online matching may be called an online member.

The matching procedure when the game is played in the session play mode is generally as follows. In the game system 1, when the player desires to start the game in the session play mode, first, the game machines 2 in the same store 4 communicate with each other to try local matching. When three players gather by local matching, online matching is not performed and a local session is started. On the other hand, when three players are not gathered by local matching, online matching is requested from the game machine 2 to the game server 3A, and online matching is attempted by the game server 3A. In the online matching, a shortage of players in local matching is searched according to a predetermined matching condition. In online matching, players who satisfy the matching condition are searched for within the range of players of all game machines 2 connected to the game server 3A via the network 5. When an insufficient number of players are detected by online matching, online matching is completed, and an online session is started between the matched players. If the session play mode is continued across multiple songs, the local members are continuously maintained until the mode ends. On the other hand, an online member is maintained only while playing one song, and is released when the play of one song is finished. The next song will try online matching. Control of communication between the game machines 2 of the players that are locally matched is controlled by any one game machine 2 as a master machine. Similarly, the master machine controls the communication between the game machine 2 and the server group 3 or the communication with the game machine 2 at another store.

Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8, various processes performed in the game system 1 in relation to local matching and online matching will be described in more detail. The following processing is realized by appropriately cooperating the game service processing unit 21 of the game machine 2, the game service management unit 11 of the game server 3A, and the community service management unit 12 of the Web server 3B. However, for the sake of simplicity, the execution subject of these processes may be described as the game machine 2 and the

servers

3A and 3B below.

First, a login process (authentication process) executed when the player starts a game on the game machine 2 will be described with reference to FIG. When the player requests the game machine 2 to log in, the game machine 2 starts the log-in process, and first requests the player to read the card 8, and detects the corresponding read operation and needs to log in. Information (login information) is acquired from the card 8 (step S11). The information necessary for login includes at least a card ID. Subsequently, the game machine 2 transmits the acquired login information to the game server 3A and requests a player login process (step S12). In response to this, the game server 3A also starts a login process, and first acquires login information sent from the game machine 2 (step S21). Subsequently, the game server 3A refers to the ID management data 33 to determine a user ID corresponding to the card ID included in the login information (step S22). At this time, the game server 3A notifies the web server 3A of the user ID, and requests the web server 3B to transmit the information of the friend corresponding to the user ID. In response to this, the Web server 3B starts the fellow information providing process, acquires the community ID associated with the given user ID from the ID management data 35, and registers it in the community data 36 in association with the community ID. The information of the friend who is done, for example, the community ID of the user registered as a group, and the community ID of the user registered as a friend are detected (step S31). Thereafter, the Web server 3B transmits the detected friend information to the game server 3A (step S32), and thereafter ends the friend information providing process.

In parallel with the fellow information providing process of the Web server 3B, the game server 3A extracts the play data 34 corresponding to the user ID determined in step S22 (step S23). Thereafter, the game server 3A transmits the extracted play data 34 to the game machine 2 that has transmitted the login request (step S24). At this time, the game server 3 A also transfers the friend information transmitted from the Web server 3 B to the game machine 2 together with the play data 34. The game machine 2 receives the play data 34 and the information of the friends sent from the game server 3A (step S13), and records those data in the internal storage device of the game machine 2 (step S14). The login process is thus completed. By performing the login process, the player can play the game from the previous continuation on the game machine 2, but in addition, information that identifies the group and friends that the player has set as friends in the community service (Community ID and the like) are also held on the game machine 2. In the above description, the community ID is provided from the server group 3 to the game machine 2 as friend information. However, the friend community ID is converted into a user ID according to the ID management table 35, and this is used as friend information. The game machine 2 may be provided. When two players play the guitar game machine 2B, the above-described login process is performed for each player.

FIG. 4 shows a matching process executed by the game machine 2 to match local members or online members. The matching process is executed every time the player plays one piece of music. Further, the matching process is executed in a state where the above-described login process of FIG. 3 is completed. When the matching process of FIG. 4 is started, the game machine 2 first determines in step S101 whether or not a local member exists for the player of the own machine. When the first piece of music is played in the session play mode after the login process of the player is completed, a negative determination is made in step S101 because local matching has not been completed. On the other hand, once a local member is formed after the login process, the member is maintained until the session play mode ends. Therefore, when the second music piece or later music piece in the session play mode is played, an affirmative determination is made in step S101.

When a negative determination is made in step S101, the game machine 2 proceeds to step S102, and determines whether or not the player of the own machine desires a local session. If so, the game machine 2 proceeds to step S103 and executes a local matching process. The local matching process notifies other game machines 2 in the same store 4 of a request for local matching, and if there is another game machine 2 requesting local matching, between those game machines 2 A master machine and a slave machine are determined, and the master machine and its game machine 2 are identified by the master machine and the matching result is notified to the slave machine.

When the local matching process is completed, the game machine 2 proceeds to step S104, displays the result of the local matching process to the player, and stores the result in the storage device of the own machine. In subsequent step S106, the game machine 2 determines whether or not matching is completed, that is, whether or not three players are gathered by local matching. In addition, when two players play with one guitar game machine 2B, the other player also plays the music selected by one player. In this case, regarding the guitar game machine 2B, it is handled that two players already desire a local session. At this time, if one player of the drum game machine 2A or the guitar game machine 2B in the same store 4 desires a local session, it is determined that the local matching is completed by those three players. If a positive determination is made in step S101, steps S102 to S104 are skipped, and the process in step S105 is performed. In this case, if there are three local members already formed, it is determined that the matching is completed, and if there are two or less local members, it is determined that the matching is not completed.

If it is determined in step S105 that matching has been completed, the game machine 2 skips steps S106 to S108 and ends the matching process. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S105 that the matching is not completed, the game machine 2 proceeds to step S106 and executes an online matching process. That is, in the local matching, when the number of players (three players) necessary for the session play mode are not collected, the game machine 2 requests the game server 3A to match the insufficient number of players. When the players of the two game machines 2 are matched by local matching, one game machine 2 requests online matching from the game server 3A as a master machine, and the other game machine 2 that has become a slave machine becomes a master. Follow the machine instructions. Details of the online matching process will be described later. When the online matching process is completed, the game machine 2 displays the result for the player and stores the result in the storage device of the own machine. Thereafter, the game machine 2 ends the matching process. When three players are matched by local matching, a local session is started. On the other hand, when three players are matched by online matching, an online session is started.

FIG. 5 shows an online matching process (the process of step S106 in FIG. 4) executed by the game machine 2 and a process executed by the server group 3 corresponding thereto. Since the online matching process in the game machine 2 is different between the master machine and the slave machine, FIG. 5 shows the process of the game machine 2 separately for the master and the slave. In the following description, the game machine 2 may be expressed separately from the master machine 2m and the slave machine 2s.

In the online matching process, the master machine 2m first requests the game server 3A to provide music selection information in step S111 as preparation for requesting the online matching to the game server 3A. The music selection information is a part of information necessary for the player to specify the music selection status of the user registered as a friend using the community service. When the game server 3A receives the request from the master machine 2m, the game server 3A starts the on-lion matching process of FIG. 5, and first, in step S201, determines the music selection status of all the players currently requesting online matching. That is, in the matching request from the game machine 2 (step S114 to be described later), information for specifying the music piece desired for the session is provided from the master machine 2m to the game server 3A, and the players with matching music pieces are matched. The Therefore, the game server 3A can grasp the music selection status of all the players who have requested online matching. Therefore, when the game server 3A is requested to transmit music selection information as part of the online matching process from the master machine 2m, the game server 3A specifies information identifying all players who are requesting online matching at that time, and those players. And the information specifying the music selected by. When the game server 3A determines the music selection status in step S201, the game server 3A proceeds to step S202 to generate music selection information (information specifying the music and the player who has selected them) corresponding to the determination result, and the master machine Send to 2m.

The master machine 2m receives the music selection information in step S112, and in the subsequent step S113, causes the player to select the music for which a session is desired. At this time, based on the music selection information received in step S112 and the friend information acquired during the login process, it is determined whether or not the player's friends are waiting for online matching. The selected music is identified. That is, at the time of the login process, community IDs or user IDs of the users are provided to the game machine 2 as information for identifying users registered as friends (groups, friends) by the player. Accordingly, the master machine 2m can determine whether or not the music piece selection information provided from the game server 3A includes a friend ID (the community ID or user ID of the friend) for the player of the player. . And if a friend's ID is contained, the music which the friend has selected can be discriminate | determined from music selection information. And when there exists such a friend, the information for discriminating the music which the friend has selected is shown with respect to a player. Note that the music selection information received in step S112 may be further provided to the slave device 2s. In that case, the slave device 2s receives the music selection information from the master device 2m in step S121, and executes a music selection process in cooperation with the master device 2m in the subsequent step S122.

FIG. 6 shows an example in which information for discriminating a music piece selected by a friend is displayed on the music selection screen 100 displayed on the game machine 2. However, this screen 100 is an example of a screen displayed on the guitar game machine 2B. On the music selection screen 100, title images 101 symbolizing music that can be selected by the player are displayed side by side so as to form a title column 102 in the left-right direction. The title column 102 is scrolled to the left and right according to a predetermined selection operation on the operation unit 2b. A temporary selection unit 102 a is provided at the center of the title column 102. The title image 101 located in the temporary selection unit 102a is enlarged and displayed on the enlarged display unit 103 above it. In the title column 102, a group icon 104a indicating a song selected by a player in the group to which the player of the player belongs and a player of the player himself / herself are used as indicators for discriminating the song being selected by the fellow player. A friend icon 104b indicating a music piece selected by a player registered as a friend is displayed. Thus, by presenting information for discriminating the music that is selected by the fellow, if the player selects the music on which the

icons

104a and 104b are displayed, the online matching is performed with the fellow and the online session is performed. You can know that there is a possibility of playing. Thereby, it is possible to support the realization of an online session between friends formed using the community function. Alternatively, it is possible to expect different online music matching with players other than friends by selecting different music pieces.

If the music selection information is provided from the master machine 2m to the slave machine 2s, the music selection screen 100 may be displayed not only on the master machine 2m but also on the slave machine 2s. Not only the information specifying the player of the master machine 2m but also the information specifying the player of the slave machine 2s is notified to the game server 3A, and the music selection status of the fellow is determined for each player, and the determination results thereof May be included in the music selection information. In this case, the music selection screen 100 of the master device 2m displays

icons

104a and 104b indicating the music being selected by the players of the master device 2m. The music selection screen 100 of the slave device 2s displays the slave device 2s. The

icons

104a and 104b may be displayed indicating the music being selected by the players of the player. When the music is selected in cooperation in steps S113 and S122, only the player of the master machine 2m can determine the music, and the selection process may be presented to the player of the slave machine 2s. Alternatively, the player of the slave machine 2s may be able to notify the desired music to the player of the master machine 2m, and the player of the master machine 2m may determine the music while referring to the notification. When the music selection screen 100 is displayed on each game device 2 of the local member, as illustrated in FIG. 6, a player icon 105 indicating a music that another player desires to select may be displayed.

Referring back to FIG. When the music is selected in step S113, the master machine 2m proceeds to step S114 and requests online matching from the game server 3A. At this time, information necessary for specifying the music selected by the master machine 2m is provided from the master machine 2m to the game server 3A. The information necessary for specifying the music may be a unique music code for each music, for example. When requesting online matching in step S114, the master machine 2m provides the game server 3A with information necessary for specifying all players included in the local members. The information is, for example, a card ID. When the user ID of the player of the master machine 2m can be specified based on the play data 34 provided to the master machine 2m, the user ID may be notified to the game server 3A. In the log-in process, when the community ID of the player is also provided to the game machine 2, the community ID may be provided to the game server 3A in addition to the card ID or the user ID.

The game server 3A requested to perform online matching from the master machine 2m proceeds to step S203 and executes online matching processing. As shown in FIG. 7, the processing secures a matching table storage area 40 on the internal storage device of the game server 3A, generates matching tables TB1, TB2,. The procedure is such that the user ID of the player who requested the matching is sequentially stored in the corresponding music table. When a table for the same music already exists when online matching is requested, the user ID of the new player is accommodated in the table, and a new table is generated when there is no table for the same music. When the master machine 2m provides the game server 3A with the card IDs of two players at the time of online matching request, that is, the two players are locally matched, and the lacking one player is online matched. When searching, the user ID of the player who forms the local member is accommodated in the same table. Although FIG. 7 shows a state in which only the user ID is stored in the tables TB1 and TB2, a community ID corresponding to the user ID may be further recorded. The community ID can be obtained by searching the community data 36 in cooperation with the Web server 3B based on the card ID or the user ID provided from the master device 2m. Alternatively, when the game machine 2 acquires the community data ID at the time of login, the community ID may be provided from the master machine 2m. Further, information for specifying the game machine 2 of the player or information for specifying the store 4 in which the game machine 2 is installed may be recorded in the tables TB1, TB2,.

Referring back to FIG. When the game server 3A ends the online matching process, the game server 3A proceeds to step S204, and notifies the master machine 2m of the result of the online matching process. When the matching is completed, the user ID of the matched player, address information necessary for specifying the player's game machine 2 on the network 5, and the like are provided to the master machine 2. In step S115, the master machine 2m receives the matching result from the game server 3A and provides it to the slave machine 2s. The slave device 2s receives the matching result in step S123. Thus, the online matching process of the game machine 2 is completed. When three players are matched through the online matching process, the master machine 2m executes a process such as setting a communication environment necessary for starting an online session with the game machine 2 of the player that has been matched online. Thereafter, an online session is started between the game machines 2 of the matched players.

FIG. 8 shows the unmatching process executed by the master machine 2m when the play of one song game by the online session is completed. In this process, the master machine 2m first cancels the online matching currently formed in step S131. In this process, information relating to settings necessary for communication between the online member player and the game machine 2 of the player is deleted. In subsequent step S132, the master unit 2m determines whether or not the local member wishes to continue the play, that is, the next music session, and if so, the process proceeds to step S133 to perform the matching process of FIG. Let it begin. Thereafter, the master machine 2m finishes the process of FIG. When the matching process of FIG. 4 is started, if a local member has already been formed, an affirmative determination is made in step S101. If the local member does not wish to continue playing in step S132, the master machine 2m skips step S133 and ends the process of FIG. In this case, the master machine 2m executes a predetermined process necessary for the end of the game.

As described above, according to the game system 1 of the present embodiment, when a player desires to play in the session play mode, first, local matching in the same store 4 is first attempted, and the local matching is performed in a predetermined manner. When the number of players (three players) are matched, the local session by the local member is started without performing online matching. Thereby, there is no possibility that the opportunity for the player in the same store 4 to play a game in session play mode will be impaired. On the other hand, when a predetermined number (three) of players are not gathered by local matching, online matching is requested by designating a music piece desired to be played. The player whose machine 2 matches the range is searched for, and if the player is found, the player is matched as an online member. Therefore, the possibility of matching is increased, and it is possible to sufficiently provide the player with an opportunity to play the game in the session play mode.

In the game system 1, the local members once formed are maintained while the session play mode is continued over a plurality of music pieces. Therefore, when a player having a certain relationship such as friends desires to play the session play mode in the same store 4, the matching between the players is not canceled against the wish, and the player's desire is met. The session play mode can be continued. On the other hand, for online members, when the play of one piece of music is completed, the matching between them is canceled. For this reason, in the next song, there is a high possibility of playing the game in the session play mode together with a new player. Thereby, it is possible to enjoy sessions with various players.

In the above-described form, the range of the

game machines

2A and 2B accommodated in the local area network 5B of one store 4 corresponds to the first range of the present invention, and all the games connected via the wide area network 5A. The range of the

machines

2A and 2B corresponds to the second range. However, it is sufficient that the second range is set wider than the first range. Therefore, the game machines 2 connected to each other via the wide area network 5A are divided into several groups, and when matching is not completed in the same store 4, the game machines in the same group including the store 4 The second range may be set so that matching is attempted in the range of two. In the above embodiment, the second range is set to include the first range. That is, even when a predetermined number of players cannot be matched by local matching in the same store 4, a player who has selected the same music from the game machine 2 in the same store 4 at the stage of shifting to online matching is newly online. If matching is desired, the player may be matched in the game server 3A. However, as long as the second range is wider than the first range, it may be set so as not to include at least a part of the first range.

In the above embodiment, the game service processing unit 21 of the game machine 2 as the master machine functions as the first matching means by executing the process of step S103 of FIG. 4, and the game service management unit 11 of the game server 3A is shown in FIG. By performing step S204 of No. 5, it functions as the second matching means. Further, the game machine 2 as a master machine functions as a computer device that tries local matching, and also functions as matching management means by executing the processing of FIG.

In the present invention, the first matching means and the second matching means can be appropriately changed according to the configuration of the network and the connection form of the game machine to the network. For example, when a computer device different from the game machine 2 is connected to the LAN 5B in the store 4, the computer device may function as the first matching means. By distributing the online matching process to a plurality of game machines 2, the group of the game machines 2 may function as the second matching means.

In the above embodiment, the game machine 2 is configured as a commercial game machine installed in a commercial facility. However, the game machine is not limited to a commercial game machine, and may be a personal game machine. The facility where the game machine is installed is not limited to a commercial facility, and may be a public facility or a personal facility. In the present invention, the game machine is not limited to a music game machine, and any game machine may be used as long as a predetermined number of players can participate and play a common game, and the play unit in the common game is not limited to the example divided by music. For example, a play unit may be set according to a distinguishable unit such as a stage, a map, and a scenario. The common game is not limited to an example in which a plurality of players cooperate to play a game, and players may play against each other.

Claims

In a game system including a plurality of game machines connected to a network, wherein a predetermined number of players of two or more can play a common game using communication via the network,
First matching means for matching players of game machines belonging to the first range;
Second matching means for matching players of game machines belonging to a second range set wider than the first range,
In response to a request from a player of the game machine belonging to the first range, matching is attempted by the first matching means, and the second matching is performed when the predetermined number of matching is not completed by the first matching means. A game system in which both matching means are associated so that matching by means is attempted.
The network includes a wide area network and a local area network connected to the wide area network,
The first range is set to a range of game machines accommodated in the same local area network,
The game system according to claim 1, wherein the second range is set to include a game machine connected to the game machine in the first range via the wide area network.
The first range is set to a range of game machines accommodated in a local area network in a single facility, and the second range is set to a game machine in the first range via the wide area network. The game system according to claim 2, wherein the game system is set so as to include a game machine in another facility connected to.
The computer apparatus accommodated in the said local area network functions as said 1 matching means, and the server apparatus connected with each game machine via the said wide area network functions as said 2nd matching means. 3. The game system according to 3.
Each of the plurality of game machines is configured to play a play unit by selecting one play unit from a plurality of play units prepared in advance.
The common game is configured such that the predetermined number of players participate and play in the same play unit,
When the matching of the predetermined number of players is not completed, the first matching unit provides the second matching unit with information for specifying a play unit selected by a player of the game machine belonging to the first range. Request matching from the second matching means,
In response to the matching request from the first matching means, the second matching means attempts to match players of game machines belonging to the second range on condition that the selected play units match. The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
When the play of the common game relating to one play unit ends and the common game is continued to the next play unit, the players matched by the first matching means are also matched in the next play unit. 6. The game system according to claim 5, further comprising matching management means for managing matching so that matching by the second matching means is canceled.
Each of the plurality of game machines is configured as a music game machine that causes a player to select one music from a plurality of songs prepared in advance and instructs the player to perform a series of operations in accordance with the music. The game system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the play unit is set so that a corresponding game play becomes one play unit.