WO2014002704A1

WO2014002704A1 - Message management device, message management method, and program

Info

Publication number: WO2014002704A1
Application number: PCT/JP2013/065466
Authority: WO
Inventors: 貴彦大条
Original assignee: 株式会社コナミデジタルエンタテインメント
Priority date: 2012-06-25
Filing date: 2013-06-04
Publication date: 2014-01-03
Also published as: JP6124204B2; JP2014004134A

Abstract

The present invention allows a game to proceed in a dialogue format while messages are being perused, by making use of a user interface for the perusing. A management server, which is a message management device, provides messages sent from a plurality of members constituting a group such that the messages can be perused on a message display unit of the terminal device of each member. The management server is provided with: a receiving unit for receiving messages sent on the basis of input or icon information related to predetermined game progress; a game control unit for causing a game to progress on the basis of the sent icon information; and a sending unit for sending a received message to members other than the member who sent the message among the members constituting the group, and sending messages or results that correspond to game progress to all members constituting the group.

Description

Message management apparatus, message management method, and program

The present invention relates to a technique for allowing a plurality of users to browse messages and the like.

In recent years, a technique for providing a service such as browsing a message by a site using the Internet has become widespread (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2008-242893 A

By the way, when providing such a service, there is a strong demand for users to add a function that is interesting and enhances the atmosphere of the place, but the addition of the function complicates the user interface. There is a circumstance that I want to avoid as much as possible.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and one of its purposes is to reduce the change of the interface, and to provide a service such as message browsing that is interesting for the user and is useful. The purpose is to provide a function that enhances the atmosphere.

A message management device according to the present invention is a message management device that provides messages transmitted from each of a plurality of users constituting a group so that the messages can be viewed on a message display unit of each user terminal device. A reception unit that receives icon information transmitted from a user among a plurality of icon information related to the progress of a predetermined game or a message transmitted based on a user input, and is transmitted from the user A game control unit for proceeding with the game based on the icon information and a message received by the reception unit at least to a user other than the user who transmitted the message among the plurality of users. A transmission unit that transmits a result or a message according to the progress of the game to each of the plurality of users.
Here, the icon information may be information for identifying an icon related to the progress of the game, or may be information indicating the icon itself. The term “related to the progress of the game” may be anything related to the progress of the game, such as the start, command, or end of the game. The accepted message may be sent to a user other than the user who sent the message among a plurality of users constituting the group, or sent to all of the plurality of users constituting the group. May be.

In this invention, the said reception part receives the icon information of the icon selected by the said user among the said some icon information, and when the said game progresses, the icon which the said user can select increases It is also good.

Further, in the present invention, the game control unit manages the game in a plurality of stages, and permits progress to a stage other than the one stage when a predetermined condition is satisfied in the one stage. It is good also as a structure. In this configuration, the predetermined condition may include payment of consideration.

In the present invention, the transmission unit transmits the messages of the plurality of users to one end side of the message display unit, and the result or message corresponding to the progress of the game to the other end side of the message display unit. A configuration in which browsing is possible in this order is preferable.
In this configuration, the transmission unit may provide the message display unit of the terminal device so that the user's message or the result or message corresponding to the progress of the game can be browsed as a result in order of time. .

The present invention can be conceptualized not only as a message management apparatus but also as a message management method and a program that functions on a computer as a server.
The program may be stored in a recording medium. If this recording medium is used, the program can be installed in the computer, for example. Here, the recording medium storing the program may be a non-transitory recording medium such as a CD-ROM.

It is a figure which shows the outline | summary operation | movement of the system which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the system which concerns on embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the management server in the system. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the terminal device in the system. It is a functional block diagram constructed | assembled in the same system. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a transmission information temporary storage part. It is a figure which shows an example of a user registration table. It is a figure which shows an example of a group registration table. It is a figure which shows an example of a game management table. It is a figure which shows an example of an icon management table. It is a flowchart which shows the browsing process in a terminal device. It is a flowchart which shows the reception process in a terminal device. It is a flowchart which shows the reception process in a management server. It is a flowchart which shows the buffer process in a management server. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen in a terminal device. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen in a terminal device. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen in a terminal device. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen in a terminal device. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen in a terminal device. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen in a terminal device. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen in a terminal device. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen in a terminal device. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen in a terminal device. It is a figure which shows the example of the timeline display in a terminal device. It is a figure which shows the example of the icon selection screen in a terminal device. It is a functional block diagram constructed | assembled with the system which concerns on an application example.

<Outline of Embodiment>
First, an outline of the operation of a system to which the message management apparatus according to the embodiment is applied will be described.
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the operation. As shown in this figure, the system includes a management server as a message management device and a plurality of terminal devices that can communicate with the management server. Here, it is assumed that one group is composed of three members A, B, and C among users of a plurality of terminal devices.
In the system, when the member A transmits, for example, “OK” as a message to the other members B and C via his / her terminal device, the message is transmitted to the management server 10 while the member who is the sender Is displayed on the terminal device of A.
In the management server, information on members constituting the group is registered in advance as a table, for example. When the management server accepts the message from the terminal device of member A, the management server identifies members B and C other than member A who are the senders of the message by referring to the table, and assigns the members to the identified member devices of member B and C. Forward (send) message A. As a result, the message from member A is also displayed on the terminal devices of members B and C.
Since such messages are accompanied by time information indicating the transmission date and time, as will be described later, while messages from other members are accumulated in the terminal devices of the group, the timeline (hour By displaying, the place as if chatting is shared among the members. Note that the time information here may include information indicating the creation date and time when the message was created.

In the present embodiment, the game starts when a specific condition is satisfied in such a chat place. The game starts when, for example, one of the members voluntarily instructs the game to start, or when the management server instructs the current time such as when the current time is 00 minutes. In this embodiment, the type of game is assumed to be a role-playing type that achieves a predetermined purpose by overcoming a stage (trial, challenge, battle, etc.) given in imagination / fantasy. For this reason, in this embodiment, the game is composed of a plurality of stages, and follows a process such as stage 1 → stage 2 → stage 3. However, in the present invention, the type of game is not limited to this, and it may be a turn-based game in which turns, which are game progress units, arrive at the player in a predetermined order.
In any case, in order for the game to proceed, a group member as a player must give some instruction.

In the present embodiment, in order to instruct the progress of the game, one or more stamp-like icons corresponding to each of a plurality of game instructions are prepared in advance in the terminal device, and the member selects this icon. Thus, the game progress is instructed.
When the game starts, when the group member B selects an icon corresponding to, for example, a “push” game command on the terminal device, icon information that uniquely identifies the icon is transmitted to the management server. When the management server accepts the icon information from the terminal device of the member B, the management server advances the game according to the game command corresponding to the icon information, and displays an image or a message corresponding to the progress result as a member constituting the group. To each of the terminal devices of members A, B, and C.

Thereby, since the image and message corresponding to the progress result of the game are displayed on the terminal devices of all the members, the progress result of the game can be shared by all the members.
Since the image and message corresponding to the progress result of the game are accompanied by time information and the like as in the message transmitted by the member, the progress result of the game is accumulated in the terminal device of the group, while the time By displaying the line, a place where the chat and the game proceed in parallel is provided.
In other words, while chatting, the game can be progressed in an interactive manner using the chat user interface.

Next, details of the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Overall configuration>
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the overall configuration of the system according to the embodiment.
As shown in this figure, in the system 1, the management server 10 transmits a plurality of terminal devices 20-1, 20-2, 20-3,... Via the mobile communication network Nb, the gateway 15, and the Internet Na. It is a connected configuration.
In the following, the terminal devices 20-1, 20-2, 20-3,... Are generally described without specifying the terminal devices, and therefore, the symbols “− (hyphen)” and the following are omitted. It is simply “20”.

Management server 10 manages user information, group information, and the like. For this reason, the management server 10 tabulates various types of information. In addition, the management server 10 controls the progress of the game in each group.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the management server 10. As shown in this figure, the management server 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101 that controls the entire apparatus, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 102 that functions as the main memory of the CPU 101, and a ROM that stores a boot program and the like. (Read Only Memory) 103, an interface (I / F) 105 for communicating via a network, an RTC (Real Time Clock) 106 for outputting time information, and a storage unit 108 for storing various programs and data And including. In the storage unit 108, a database 118 managed by the CPU 101 is constructed.

Details of various tables managed by the database 118 will be described later.
In addition, the management server 10 is constructed as a single unit in FIG. 1, but may be configured to be distributed to two or more units and viewed as if it is virtually one unit when viewed from the outside. On the other hand, some functions of the management server 10 may be constructed by a server that provides other services. Moreover, you may comprise so that the management server 10 may connect with the terminal device 20 via a relay server.

The terminal device 20 is, for example, a mobile phone operated by a user. The terminal device 20 includes a touch panel 220 superimposed on the display panel 210, and a user can input necessary information and various instructions by touching the screen displayed on the display panel 210. It is a given configuration.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the terminal device 20. As shown in this figure, the terminal device 20 includes a CPU 201, a memory 202, a communication unit 204, an RTC 206, a display panel 210, and a touch panel 220.

Among these, the CPU 201 controls the entire terminal device 20, and the memory 202 stores a basic program, application programs for receiving provision of various services from the management server 10, various data, and the like. The application program referred to here transmits a message created by the terminal device 20 of the user, displays a message by the user and other members on a timeline, or instructs the game when the game is started in the chat. Or downloaded from a specific site and installed in the terminal device 20.
The communication unit 204 communicates with the management server 10 via the mobile communication network Nb or the like. The RTC 206 outputs time information of the current time.

The display panel 210 is a flat display such as a liquid crystal display device or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) device. Although not described in detail, the touch panel 220 detects the touch position (two-dimensional coordinate value) of the screen displayed by the display panel 210 and supplies the CPU 201 with position information indicating the detected touch position. Based on the position information from the touch panel 220, the CPU 201 detects the moving direction of the touch position, the moving speed, the type of touch operation, and the like.
Here, the types of touch operations that can be detected include, for example, tap, flick, drag, pinch and the like. Of these, tapping is an operation of tapping the display screen with a finger. Flicking is an operation in which the object displayed on the screen is gently touched with a finger. Dragging is an operation of moving an object displayed on the screen in contact with a finger. Pinch is an operation of expanding or narrowing a display screen with two fingers in contact with each other.

The terminal device 20 is not limited to the mobile communication network Nb, and may be configured to be connected to a wireless LAN (Local Area Network). When connected to a wireless LAN, the terminal device 20 is connected to the management server 10 via a wireless base station (access point) and the Internet Na. The terminal device 20 is not limited to a mobile phone, and may be a tablet computer or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant).

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating functional blocks constructed by the management server 10 and the terminal device 20 when a message is browsed.
This functional block is constructed by executing a predetermined program in the management server 10 and by executing the application program installed in advance in the terminal device 20.
Note that the Internet Na, the gateway 15, the mobile communication network Nb in FIG. 2, the I / F 105 in FIG. 3, the communication unit 204 in FIG. 4, and the like are only transmission paths for data and information. In FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, on the management server 10 side, together with the database 118, a reception unit 121, a game control unit 123, a management unit 125, a transmission information temporary storage unit 130, and a transmission unit 140 are constructed. The accepting unit 121 accepts a message, icon information, acknowledge (reception information), and the like described later from the terminal device 20. The game control unit 123 sometimes controls the progress of the game according to the icon information received by the receiving unit 121, and creates and outputs information such as an image and a message indicating the result.
At this time, the game control unit 123 acquires time information from the RTC 106 and attaches it to information according to the game progress result.
The management unit 125 manages the database 118, and the database 118 stores transmission destinations such as messages mainly received by the reception unit 121 and information indicating game results output from the game control unit 123. Access and identify.

Although the details will be described after the group registration table TB2, the transmission information temporary storage unit 130 temporarily stores information to be transmitted to the terminal device 20.
The transmission unit 140 actually transmits the information stored in the transmission information temporary storage unit 130 to the terminal device 20.
Note that the management server 10 transmits information to the plurality of terminal devices 20, and conversely receives information and the like from the plurality of terminal devices 20. In FIG. 5, an arrow heading from the transmission unit 140 to other than the terminal device 20 indicates that information is transmitted to a terminal device other than the terminal device 20, and an arrow heading from other than the terminal device 20 to the receiving unit 121 The information from the terminal device is accepted.

On the other hand, on the terminal device 20 side, the operation detection unit 231 and the display control unit 232 are constructed by the CPU 201 executing the application program. A message display unit 212 is provided in the display area of the display panel 210.
The operation detection unit 231 detects and outputs information indicating the touch position, the moving direction, the moving speed, the type of touch operation, and the like based on the position information from the touch panel 220.

The display control unit 232 controls the display content of the display panel 210 based on information output from the operation detection unit 231, information from the transmission unit 140, and the like. For example, the display control unit 232 stores the messages transmitted from the transmission unit 140, and sorts the messages in order of transmission date and time to display the timeline on the message display unit 212 or to display an icon selection screen. When an error occurs, a list of available icons is displayed.

In the database 118, a user registration table TB1, a group registration table TB2, and a game management table TB3 are constructed to refer to other necessary information in addition to the transmission destination. Next, these tables will be described.

<User registration table>
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the user registration table TB1.
The user registration table TB1 is a table for storing information about users, and as shown in the figure, a user ID, user name information, and profile image information are stored in association with each user. To do.
Among these, the user ID is information that combines numbers and symbols, and uniquely identifies the user in the system 1. The user name information indicates a name to be identified between users when browsing a message, and a real name or a nickname is used. The profile image information indicates an image indicating the user, and is registered, selected, edited, etc. by the user. This profile image information is displayed in the vicinity of the message, as will be described later, so that it can be seen at a glance who the sender of the message is.
The profile image information is not necessarily registered, and the user can also select not to register. If it is selected not to register, an image prepared in advance may be displayed, or nothing may be displayed. Further, the profile image information may be the link destination (reference destination) of the entity, not the entity itself. In any case, it is sufficient that a means for acquiring profile image information from a user ID or the like is taken.

<Group registration table>
In this embodiment, message browsing is provided to members (members) of a group created in advance among the users identified by the user ID. One group is composed of two or more members, and each member is a user whose user ID is registered in the user registration table TB1. A group registration table TB2 is used for managing such group members.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the group registration table TB2. As shown in this figure, the group registration table TB2 includes a group ID for uniquely identifying a group, a group name, and five user IDs A to E as members constituting the group. It is stored in association with each other. The group member <null> indicates an unset empty state.

In the example of FIG. 8, the group indicated by the arrow has a group ID “ay01”, a group name “Thirty Hall”, and user IDs “xx13”, “xx18”, “xx12”, It shows that it is composed of four members of “xx15”. Here, the information on the members whose user IDs are “xx13”, “xx18”, “xx12”, and “xx15”, that is, the user registration information shown in FIG. It can be obtained by referring to the table TB1.

A certain user may be a member of not only one group but also a plurality of different groups. In the example of FIG. 8, for example, it is indicated that the user whose user ID is “xx13” is a member of the group whose group ID is “ay01” and also a member of the group whose group ID is “ay02”. ing.
For convenience of explanation, the number of members constituting the group is “5” in this embodiment. However, the number of members is not limited to this, and may be 4 or less or 6 or more. Needless to say about the point.

<Game management table>
In the present embodiment, as described above, the game is composed of a plurality of stages, and the process follows stage 1 → stage 2 → stage 3. For this reason, the game management table TB3 manages what stage the game in progress in a certain group is currently in.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the game management table TB3, and shows an example of one game in one group.
As shown in this figure, in the game management table TB3, a stage flag indicating whether each of a plurality of stages constituting the game is usable or unusable is registered.
In the example of FIG. 9, the first stage 1 can be played for free without limitation. Therefore, the stage flag for stage 1 can be used in the initial state. On the other hand, after the next stage 2 and after the previous stage is cleared, payment of a predetermined amount by any member is a condition. Therefore, the initial state of the stage flag cannot be used for stage 2 and subsequent stages. However, for example, if the indicated amount (1 dollar) is paid after stage 1 is cleared, the stage flag for stage 2 is changed from unusable in the initial state to usable. For this reason, referring to the game management table TB3, it is possible to determine up to which stage a game in progress in a certain group can be used (from which stage).

FIG. 9 shows an example of one game for one group. In the present embodiment, actually, a plurality of groups are registered as shown in FIG. 8, and the game is not limited to one game per group, and a plurality of different games may progress. Therefore, the table as shown in FIG. 9 is actually provided for each of the combinations associated with the group ID and the game identification information for identifying the game.

<Icon>
Next, icons related to the progress of the game will be described.
One or more icons are prepared for a certain game, increase as the game progresses, become unusable after being used a certain number of times, or become available on condition that money is paid.
For this reason, in the present embodiment, the use or non-use of icons is managed as follows.
That is, in the present embodiment, first, an icon flag indicating whether each icon is usable or not usable in the terminal device 20 is tabulated, while the icon can be used according to the icon flag. Unusable is determined. Second, the icon flag for the icon that can be used from the beginning is set to be usable, the icon flag for the other icons is set to be unusable, and the icon flag is set when the use condition for the icon is satisfied. Is changed to usable, while the icon flag is changed to unavailable when the use of the icon has expired. 3rdly, in order to ensure the identity of the icon flag about each icon over group members, about the icon flag in the terminal device 20, it is changed only by the change notification by a management server.

FIG. 10 is an example of an icon management table for managing icons.
As shown in this figure, an icon flag indicating whether the icon management table can be used or cannot be used is registered for each icon information (icon ID) for identifying an icon.
In the example of FIG. 10, the icons whose icon information is “yy01” to “yy04” can be used from the beginning, so the icon flag is set to be usable from the initial state. Is set. Here, for example, when the use condition is clear of stage 1 for icons whose icon information is “yy05” and “yy06”, when the stage 1 of the game is actually cleared in a certain group, the management server 10 A change notification for changing the icon flag whose icon information is “yy05” and “yy06” to be usable is transmitted to the terminal device 20 of the group member.
Thereby, in the terminal device 20 of the member of the said group, since the icon management table is changed according to a change notification, the identity about the icon which can be used is maintained.
Note that the icon management table is not particularly illustrated in FIG. 5 because it may be provided at a location accessible from the display control unit 232. The icon management table is recorded in a non-volatile manner so that the registered contents are retained even when the terminal device 20 is powered off.

Next, details of the transmission information temporary storage unit 130 will be described. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the transmission information temporary storage unit 130.
As shown in this figure, the transmission information temporary storage unit 130 includes a buffer control unit 131 and a buffer group 133 corresponding to each group ID registered in the group registration table TB2. For this reason, when one group ID is newly registered in the group registration table TB2, one buffer group 133 is provided corresponding to the registered group ID.
In the buffer group 133 corresponding to one group, a buffer 135 corresponding to each member constituting the group is provided. In the present embodiment, since the number of members constituting the group is “5”, the buffer 135 constituting one buffer group 133 is set.
The number of members is also “5” corresponding to each of the members A to E.
Information read from the buffer 135 is supplied to the transmission unit 140 and transmitted to the terminal device 20 by the transmission unit 140.

The information supplied from the management unit 125 is information to be transmitted to the terminal device 20, and the information includes a group ID and a user ID. The buffer control unit 131 stores the information supplied from the management unit 125 in the buffer group 133 corresponding to the group ID and stored in the buffer 135 corresponding to the user ID. Reading from the buffer 135, deleting information, and the like are executed.

<System operation>
Next, for the sake of convenience, the operation of the system 1 will be described first on the terminal device 20 side, and then on the management server 10 side.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the browsing process executed by the terminal device 20, and FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the detailed operation of the receiving process in the browsing process.
First, in the terminal device 20, when a user performs a predetermined operation to view a message, for example, when an icon indicating the function is tapped on a main menu screen (not shown), the operation detection unit 231 A notification to the effect that the terminal device 20 shifts to the browsing process is notified to the management unit 125 through the reception unit 121 in the management server 10 together with the user ID of the terminal device 20.

The management unit 125 accesses the group registration table TB2 to identify a group having the user ID of the terminal device 20 as a member, and accesses the user registration table TB1 to obtain information on the identified group member. Then, the data is transferred to the display control unit 232 of the terminal device 20. The display control unit 232 creates a messenger top screen based on the transferred information and causes the display panel 210 to display the messenger top screen. As a result, the messenger top screen is displayed on the display panel 210 (step Sa11).

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of a messenger top screen.
As shown in this figure, on the messenger top screen, a group whose members are users of the terminal device 20 includes, for example, the latest message along with the group name, the member's profile image, the date and time of the last comment by the member of the group, and the like. Are listed in the order they were sent.

On the messenger top screen, various software buttons and various guides are displayed in addition to the group list display.
Of these buttons, the button 251 instructs to create a new group.
In the area 252, “Notification” related to the user of the terminal device 20 is notified.
The mark 253 indicates that there is a message unread by the user of the terminal device 20 in the group to which the mark 253 is attached.
Each of the

buttons

254, 255, 256 is displayed corresponding to each group. Of these buttons, the button 254 instructs to move to a page for browsing the message of the corresponding group, the button 255 instructs to edit the group, and the button 256 leaves the group. It is an instruction.
The button Fin instructs to end the message browsing (return to the main menu screen).

In each group, the thick frame surrounding the profile image of the member at the left end indicates the manager (creator) of the group.
Further, when there are a large number of groups to be listed and the display panel 210 cannot display them all at once, for example, an operation such as flicking or moving a slide bar enables scrolling up and down. The display order of each group is not limited to the order in which the latest messages are transmitted, but may be the order of group creation (new order, oldest order), order of group members, order of few, etc.
When there is no group including the user of the terminal device 20 as a member, a warning to that effect is displayed on the messenger top screen, although not particularly illustrated.

On the messenger top screen, the operation detection unit 231 determines whether or not an appropriate operation has been performed on the touch panel 220 (step Sa12). Here, the appropriate operation refers to an operation within a range assumed in advance, for example, an operation of a button display portion or the like. If there is no operation, or if the operation is for an invalid area that is not expected even if there is an operation (if the determination result in step Sa12 is “No”), the processing procedure returns to step Sa11. For this reason, the display of the messenger top screen is continued until some appropriate operation is performed.
When an appropriate operation is performed (when the determination result in step Sa12 is “Yes”), the operation detection unit 231 determines whether the operation is an instruction to end, that is, an operation on the display portion of the button Fin. A determination is made (step Sa13).

If it is an instruction to end (if the determination result in step Sa13 is “Yes”), the operation detection unit 231 notifies the display control unit 232 to that effect, and the display control unit 232 ends the browsing process. To return to the main menu screen.
If the instruction is not an end instruction (if the determination result in step Sa13 is “No”), the operation detecting unit 231 proceeds to a group selection instruction, that is, a display portion of the button 254 corresponding to any group. It is determined whether or not the operation has been performed (step Sa21).

If the operation is not group selection (if the determination result in step Sa21 is “No”), the processing procedure proceeds to step Sa36. In step Sa36, processing corresponding to the operation is executed. Examples of such processing include processing for scrolling the display portion when the group list display portion is flicked, and the user of the terminal device 20 when the area 252 is tapped. For example, processing for displaying “notification” in detail on another screen, processing for editing a corresponding group when the display portion of the button 255 is operated, and withdrawal from the corresponding group when the display portion of the button 256 is operated Processing. After step Sa36, the display returns to the display of the messenger top screen in step Sa11.

On the other hand, if the operation is a group selection (if the determination result in step Sa21 is “Yes”), the operation detection unit 231 notifies the display control unit 232 of the fact, and receives this notification for display control. The unit 232 executes reception processing for receiving various information from the transmission unit 140 of the management server 10 (step Sa22).

The details of this reception process are as shown in FIG.
In the present embodiment, the information received by the display control unit 232 from the transmission unit 140 by the reception process is firstly a message by another member, secondly icon information by another member, and thirdly. There is an image or message corresponding to the progress result of the game, and fourth, a change notification for notifying the change of the designated icon flag.
Note that the message, the icon information, the image, and the like are accompanied by time information indicating the transmission date and time and identification information indicating the sender. The identification information indicating the sender is a user ID if transmitted by a member, and a system ID if created by the management server 10.

In the reception process, the display control unit 232 first determines whether or not a message from another member has been received (step Sa41). If the message has been received (if the determination result in step Sa41 is “Yes”), the display control unit 232 stores the message in the memory 202 (see FIG. 3) together with the accompanying information (step Sa42). If a message by another member has not been received (if the determination result in step Sa41 is “No”), the processing procedure skips to step Sa43.

Subsequently, the display control unit 232 determines whether or not icon information by another member has been received (step Sa43). If the icon information has been received (if the determination result in step Sa43 is “Yes”), the display control unit 232 stores the icon information in the memory 202 together with the auxiliary information (step Sa44). If not received (if the determination result in step Sa43 is “No”), the processing procedure skips to step Sa45.

Next, the display control unit 232 determines whether or not a message or an image created by the management server 10 has been received (step Sa45). If the message or the like has been received (if the determination result in step Sa45 is “Yes”), the display control unit 232 stores the message or the like in the memory 202 together with the accompanying information (step Sa46). If not received (if the determination result in step Sa45 is “No”), the processing procedure skips to step Sa47.

As will be described later, even when the user selects a group and sends a message, the user's message is stored in the memory 202 together with the accompanying information. For this reason, when the user selects a group to which the user belongs on the messenger top screen, the memory 202 of the terminal device 20 contains messages of other members of the group, messages created by the management server 10, and the like. Since it is stored one by one with the accompanying information, a history of a kind of message or the like is formed.
Note that messages that are older than the current date and time by a certain period or longer may be sequentially deleted from the memory 202.

Then, the display control unit 232 determines whether or not a change notification for changing the icon flag has been received (step Sa47). If the change notification has been received (if the determination result in step Sa47 is “Yes”), the display control unit 232 changes the icon flag specified in the change notification (step Sa48). Note that after the processing of step Sa48 or when the change notification has not been received (when the determination result of step Sa47 is “No”), the processing procedure proceeds to step Sa23 in FIG.

After the reception process, the memory 202 stores the messages of other members in the selected group, icon information, images and messages created by the management server 10 in steps Sa42, Sa44, and Sa46. Therefore, the display control unit 232 executes processing for displaying these messages on the timeline (step Sa23).
In detail, the display control unit 232 reads the message stored in the memory 202 together with the accompanying information, and for example, as shown in FIG. In the areas (2), (3), and (4), messages (such as messages from the management server 10) are sent to the left areas (1) and (5), which are the other ends of the message display unit 212, respectively. Sort and display in order.
Therefore, when it is assumed that the transmission time is older toward the lower side in FIG. 22, the timeline display by the areas (1) to (5) is the latest in the area (1), the area (2), (3), (4), and (5) are older in this order.
The timeline display may be arranged so that the newer the transmission date and time, the lower the screen is. Messages and icons by group members may be arranged on the left side of the message display unit 212, while messages and the like by the management server 10 may be arranged on the right side of the message display unit 212. Moreover, it is good also to distribute up and down instead of right and left.

In FIG. 22, a message by a group member is displayed as a balloon sent to the right side of the screen. Specifically, a profile image indicating the sender is displayed at the right end of the screen, and a balloon is expressed as if it was emitted from the profile image. Also, in the vicinity of the member's profile image, the message transmission time and the sender's name information are also displayed.
Here, in the areas (2) and (3), a display example when the member selects an icon is shown, and an icon (image) corresponding to the icon information is displayed. The icon in this case corresponds to the icon information, and an icon stored in advance in each terminal device 20 as a table, an icon obtained by inquiring the management server 10 or another server, and the like are used.
In the area (4), the member transmits an message instead of selecting an icon. The hatching in the balloon indicates that the message is transmitted by the user of the terminal device 20. That is, the message in the area (4) indicates that the message is transmitted by the user of the terminal device 20. This makes it easy to distinguish your message from messages from other members.
There are various ways of distinguishing between the message and other messages, such as hatching the balloon of its own, changing the color and shape, and hiding its own profile image.

On the other hand, the message from the management server 10 is expressed as a balloon sent from the left side of the screen as if it were issued from the left end of the screen. An image corresponding to the progress result of the game is displayed on the upper side of the balloon. A transmission time is displayed near the message balloon. Here, the progress result of the game is displayed as both an image and a message corresponding to the result, but there may be only one of them.
Note that the message or the like by the management server 10 can be easily determined by the sender being the system ID.

On the message display screen, a message input unit 211 and

buttons

271, 272, and 273 are displayed in addition to the message display unit 212 that displays messages and the like on the timeline. Among these buttons, the button 271 is a software button for confirming the content of the message input to the message input unit 211 and instructing transmission. The button 272 is a software button for instructing to display a selection screen in order to select an icon. The button 273 is a software button for instructing to return to the previous messenger top screen.

In such a message display screen, the operation detection unit 231 determines whether or not an appropriate operation has been performed (step Sa24). If there is no operation, or if it is an operation on an invalid area that is not expected even if there is an operation (if the determination result in step Sa24 is “No”), the processing procedure returns to step Sa22.
For this reason, the processing procedure circulates in steps Sa22 → Sa23 → Sa24 → (Sa22) until some appropriate operation is performed, so that the message display screen continues and a new message or the like is received from the management server 10. The message will be additionally displayed in the timeline.

In this embodiment, the following five types are assumed as appropriate operations for the message display screen. That is, firstly, an operation such as tapping on the display part of the button 271, secondly an operation such as tapping on the display part of the button 272, thirdly an operation such as tapping on the display part of the button 273, fourthly An icon purchase operation and fifthly, a game stage purchase operation is assumed. Other appropriate operations on the message display screen include flicking for scrolling the message and pinching for enlarged display, but the description is omitted because it is not directly related to the present invention. To.

When an appropriate operation is performed (when the determination result in step Sa24 is “Yes”), the operation detection unit 231 first determines that the operation is a message transmission instruction, that is, a button 271 display portion. It is determined whether or not the operation is a tap or the like (step Sa25).
When the operation is performed on the button 271 (when the determination result in Step Sa25 is “Yes”), the operation detection unit 231 indicates the message input to the message input unit 211 at the time of the operation as an instruction to transmit the message. Is transmitted to the display control unit 232 and the management server 10 in association with the time information (transmission date and time) acquired from the RTC 206, the selected group ID, and the own user ID (step Sa26). . The display control unit 232 adds the time information, the group ID, and the own user ID, and stores the message in the memory 202.
Thereafter, the processing procedure returns to step Sa22. For this reason, the message stored in the memory 202 is immediately added to the timeline and displayed on the message display screen of step Sa23 after step Sa22.

When the operation performed on the message display screen is not a message transmission instruction (when the determination result in step Sa25 is “No”), the operation detection unit 231 next selects the icon. It is determined whether or not an instruction to display a screen, that is, an operation such as a tap on the display portion of the button 272 is performed (step Sa28).
When the operation is performed on the button 272 (when the determination result in step Sa28 is “Yes”), the operation detection unit 231 notifies the display control unit 232 of the fact, and receives the notification to display control. The unit 232 displays an icon selection screen in which icons 275 related to the progress of the game are displayed in a list in the display area of the display panel 210 as shown in FIG. 25A, for example (step Sa29).

On the icon selection screen, the operation detection unit 231 determines whether or not the operation is an operation such as a touch for selecting any icon 275 when any operation is performed (step Sa30). When the operation performed on the icon selection screen is an operation on the icon 275 (when the determination result in step Sa30 is “Yes”), the operation detection unit 231 includes icon information for identifying the operated icon. Is transmitted to the display control unit 232 and the management server 10 together with the accompanying information (step Sa31). The display control unit 232 stores the icon information in the memory 202 together with the accompanying information.
Thereafter, the processing procedure returns to step Sa22. For this reason, the icon identified by the icon information stored in the memory 202 is immediately added to the timeline and displayed on the message display screen in the next step Sa23 after step Sa22.

On the other hand, when the operation performed on the icon selection screen is not an operation on the icon 275, for example, an operation on the button 276 instructing to close the icon selection screen (the determination result in Step Sa30 is “ If "No"), the processing procedure returns to step Sa22. Other examples of operations that are not operations on the icon 275 include flicking on the icon selection screen and movement of a slide bar. However, description of the operation of these examples will be omitted.

When the operation performed on the message display screen is neither an instruction to send a message nor an instruction to display an icon selection screen (when the determination results of steps Sa25 and Sa28 are both “No”), The operation detection unit 231 determines whether or not the operation is an instruction to return to the messenger top screen, that is, an operation on the display portion of the button 273 (step Sa32).
If the operation is a touch operation on the display portion of the button 273 (if the determination result in step Sa32 is “Yes”), the operation detection unit 231 notifies the display control unit 232 of the fact and receives the notification. The display control unit 232 displays the messenger top screen again.

On the other hand, if the operation is not a touch operation on the display portion of the button 273 (if the determination result in step Sa32 is “No”), the operation detection unit 231 determines whether the operation is an icon purchase operation. (Step Sa33).
If the operation is an icon purchase operation (if the determination result in step Sa33 is “Yes”), the operation detection unit 231 transmits information indicating the icon instructed to purchase to the management server 10 (step Sa34). Specifically, for example, when an operation for purchasing an icon is performed, the operation detection unit 231 notifies the display control unit 232 of the fact, and the display control unit 232 receives the notification and displays it in the display area of the display panel 210. On the other hand, a list of icons that can be purchased at the time of notification is displayed (not shown). Transmits information indicating an icon instructed to purchase to the management server 10. Thereafter, the processing procedure returns to step Sa22, and the message display screen is displayed. It will be fine display.

If the operation is not an icon purchase operation (if the determination result in step Sa33 is “No”, the operation is a game stage purchase operation. Therefore, the operation detection unit 231 instructs the purchase to be performed). Information indicating the performed stage is transmitted to the management server 10 (step Sa35).
Specifically, the operation detection unit 231 notifies the display control unit 232 that there has been a stage purchase operation, as in the case of the icon purchase instruction, and the display control unit 232 receives the notification, and the display control unit 232 displays the display area of the display panel 210. On the other hand, a list of game stages that can be purchased at the time of notification is displayed (not shown). When a stage is selected in the list and a predetermined process such as payment of payment amount, authentication, and confirmation is performed, the operation detection unit 231 transmits information indicating the stage of the game instructed to purchase to the management server 10. To do. Thereafter, the processing procedure returns to step Sa22, and the message display screen is displayed again.

In this way, in the browsing process, when a group is selected, a message display screen is displayed and a process corresponding to the operation on the display screen is executed.

Next, the operation on the management server 10 side will be described. In the management server 10, the reception process and the buffer process are executed independently of each other when the message is viewed.
Among these, the accepting process is a process of storing information in a buffer 135 corresponding to a transmission destination when information is accepted from a plurality of terminal devices 20. Further, the buffer process is a process of transmitting information stored in the buffer 135 to the terminal device 20 corresponding to the buffer 135.

First, before describing the reception process, as described above, information transmitted from the terminal device 20, that is, information received from the terminal device 20 as viewed from the management server 10, includes a message (step Sa26) and an operated icon. There are assumed four types of icon information (step Sa31), information indicating an icon instructed to purchase (step Sa34), and information indicating a stage instructed to purchase (step Sa35).

<Reception processing>
FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the reception process executed by the management server 10.
First, the receiving unit 121 of the management server 10 determines whether any of the four types of information has been received from any of the terminal devices 20 (step Sb11).
If any information is not received (if the determination result in step Sb11 is “No”), the processing procedure returns to step Sb11. For this reason, a processing procedure circulates through step Sb11 until any information is received.
When any information is received (when the determination result in step Sb11 is “Yes”), the reception unit 121 determines whether the information is a message transmitted from the terminal device 20 (step Sb12). If it is a message (if the determination result of step Sb12 is “Yes”), the reception unit 121 transfers the message to the management unit 125 together with the accompanying information, and the management unit 125 adds the user to the message. The transmission destination of the message is determined from the ID and the group ID.

The group ID here is a group selected on the messenger top screen by the sender of the message before transmission, and indicates to which group member the message is to be transmitted.
On the other hand, in the terminal device 20 of the member who transmitted the message, the message is already displayed on the timeline on the message display screen of Sa23 that has undergone step Sa26. For this reason, it is necessary to transmit the message to the terminal device 20 of the member excluding the member who transmitted the message among the group members specified by the group ID.
For this reason, the management unit 125 accesses the group registration table TB2 to identify the members of the group specified by the group ID, and among these members, other than the user (sender) indicated by the user ID Are determined as the transmission destination of the message.

The management unit 125 supplies the message, the group ID, and the determined transmission destination to the transmission information temporary storage unit 130. The transmission information temporary storage unit 130 is a buffer group 133 corresponding to the group ID, and the message is stored in a buffer 135 of a member (a member other than the sender of the message among group members) corresponding to the determined transmission destination. Store (step Sb13).
The message stored in the buffer 135 is transmitted to the terminal device 20 by a buffer process described later. After step Sb13, the processing procedure returns to step Sb11.

On the other hand, if the received information is not a message transmitted from the terminal device 20 (if the determination result in step Sb12 is “No”), the receiving unit 121 is the icon information transmitted from the terminal device 20. It is determined whether or not there is (step Sb14). If it is icon information (if the determination result in step Sb14 is “Yes”), the reception unit 121 transfers the icon information to the game control unit 123 and the management unit 125 together with the accompanying information. Here, the management unit 125 determines the transmission destination of the icon information in the same manner as the message. The management unit 125 supplies the icon information to the transmission information temporary storage unit 130. The transmission information temporary storage unit 130 is a buffer group 133 corresponding to the group ID, and is a member (group) corresponding to the determined transmission destination. The message is stored in the buffer 135 of the members excluding the icon information sender (step Sb15).

In addition, the game control unit 123 causes the game being executed in the group specified by the group ID attached to the icon information to proceed according to the icon information, and creates an image and a message corresponding to the progress result. Then, the image or message is supplied to the management unit 125 together with the group ID (step Sb16).
Specifically, the game control unit 123 acquires a game command corresponding to the received icon information from, for example, a table in which icon information and a game command are associated with each other, and advances the game content according to the game command. As a thing corresponding to the progress result of a game, as this embodiment, either an image or a message may be sufficient, and both may be sufficient. In addition, voice or the like may be added.
Note that the game control unit 123 does not always advance the contents of the game immediately according to the game command. For example, the game control unit 123 may advance the game after a certain time difference (for example, 10 minutes) after acquiring the icon information. Moreover, the game control part 123 does not necessarily advance the content of a game according to a game command. For example, the game control unit 123 may advance the game at a rate of once for acquisition of icon information three times, or may advance the game only when specific icon information is combined. good.
In addition, the information corresponding to the progress of the game is not limited to images and messages, and the icon flag is disabled when the number of times the icon specified by the icon information reaches the upper limit as described later. Change notification to change is included.

About the message and icon information transmitted from the terminal device 20, although it transmitted to the terminal device 20 of the member except a sender among the group members specified by group ID, about the information corresponding to the progress result of a game , It must be sent to all members, including the sender.
For this reason, the management unit 125 determines the transmission destination of information corresponding to the progress result of the game as all members of the group specified by the group ID, and supplies the information to the transmission information temporary storage unit 130. The transmission information temporary storage unit 130 is a buffer group 133 corresponding to the group ID, and stores information corresponding to the game progress result in the buffer 135 of all members (step Sb17). Thereafter, the processing procedure returns to step Sb11.

If the received information is not icon information (if the determination result in step Sb14 is “No”), the receiving unit 121 determines whether or not it is an instruction to purchase an icon that can be used on condition of payment of money. It discriminate | determines (step Sb18).
Specifically, in the icon purchase instruction, the icon information for uniquely identifying the icon to be purchased, the identification information (user ID) of the user who has instructed the purchase, and the group using the icon are displayed. And a group ID indicating whether it has been selected.
If it is an icon purchase instruction (if the determination result of step Sb18 is “Yes”), the accepting unit 121 transfers the instruction to the game control unit 123, and the game control unit 123 is other than the payment of money. It is determined whether or not the above condition is satisfied (step Sb19). If the other conditions are not satisfied (if the determination result in step Sb19 is “No”), in this embodiment, the processing procedure returns to step Sb11, and the purchase instruction is ignored. However, a message indicating that the purchase instruction is invalid and other conditions for enabling the icon to be used may be returned to the terminal device 20 that has transmitted the purchase instruction.

When other conditions other than the payment of money are satisfied for the icon purchase (when the determination result in step Sb19 is “Yes”), the game control unit 123 notifies the management unit 125 to that effect. The management unit 125 supplies the transmission information temporary storage unit 130 with a change notification for changing the icon flag instructed to be usable after a predetermined authentication procedure for payment of money (step Sb20). Further, the management unit 125 determines the terminal device of all the members of the group defined by the group ID as the transmission destination of the change notification as the transmission destination of the message.
Thereby, the transmission information temporary storage unit 130 is the buffer group 133 corresponding to the group ID, and stores the change notification in the buffer 135 of all the members (step Sb17).

On the other hand, if the received information is not an icon purchase instruction (if the determination result in step Sb18 is “No”), the receiving unit 121 purchases a stage on the condition that the received information is money payment. It is determined whether or not it is an instruction (step Sb21).
Specifically, the stage purchase instruction includes the identification information of the stage to be purchased, the user ID of the user who has instructed the purchase, and the group ID.
If it is a stage purchase instruction (if the determination result of step Sb21 is “Yes”), the accepting unit 121 transfers the instruction to the game control unit 123, and the game control unit 123 is other than the payment of money. It is determined whether or not the above condition is satisfied (step Sb22). If other conditions such as clearing the previous stage are not satisfied (if the determination result in step Sb22 is “No”), the processing procedure returns to step Sb11 in the present embodiment. The instruction is ignored. However, as with the icon purchase instruction, a message indicating that the purchase instruction for the stage is invalid and other conditions for purchasing the stage are sent back to the terminal device 20 that transmitted the purchase instruction. You may do it.

When the conditions other than the payment of money are satisfied for the purchase of the stage (when the determination result of step Sb22 is “Yes”), the game control unit 123 notifies the management unit 125 to that effect. The management unit 125 accesses the game management table TB3 after performing a predetermined authentication procedure for payment of money, and changes the stage for which the instruction has been made to be usable (step Sb23). Thereby, in the group, the game is allowed to proceed to the stage where the purchase instruction is given. Further, at this time, the group member may be notified of a message that is permitted to proceed to the stage. Thereafter, the processing procedure returns to step Sb11.

If the received information is not a stage purchase instruction (if the determination result in step Sb21 is “No”), the management server 10 executes a process corresponding to the information (step Sb24). As an example of this process, there is a process of supplying the reception information to the buffer control unit 131 when the reception unit 121 receives the reception information from the terminal device 20. Thereafter, the processing procedure returns to step Sb11.

As described above, in the reception process, every time information is received from the terminal device 20 in the management server 10, a process corresponding to the information is repeatedly executed.

<Buffer processing>
In steps Sb13 and Sb17 of the reception process, the information to be transmitted to the terminal device 20 is only stored in the buffer 135 corresponding to the terminal device 20, and the information actually stored in the buffer 135 is stored in the terminal device 20. The transmission process is executed by a buffer process described below. Next, buffer processing will be described.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the buffer processing operation executed by the management server 10.
First, the transmission unit 140 of the management server 10 determines whether or not a predetermined time, for example, 100 milliseconds has elapsed since the previous execution (step Sb31). If the predetermined time has not elapsed (if the determination result in step Sb31 is “No”), the processing procedure returns to step Sb31. For this reason, the processing procedure circulates through step Sb31 until a predetermined time elapses.
When a certain period of time elapses (when the determination result in step Sb31 is “Yes”), the transmission unit 140 inquires of the buffer control unit 131 whether there is untransmitted information, that is, information stored in the buffer 135. It discriminate | determines (step Sb32).
As will be described later, when the information stored in the buffer 135 is transmitted to the terminal device 20 by the transmission unit 140 and the terminal device 20 receives the information, reception information indicating confirmation of the reception is returned from the terminal device 20. Is done. Since the information stored in the buffer 135 is deleted upon receiving the reply of the receipt information, the information stored in the buffer 135 is the information before being transmitted to the terminal device 20, or The information is transmitted to the terminal device 20 but is not received by the terminal device 20 for some reason.

If no information is stored in any of the buffers 135 (if the determination result in step Sb32 is “No”), the subsequent processing is unnecessary, and the processing procedure returns to step Sb31.

On the other hand, when information to be transmitted is stored in the buffer 135 when a certain time has elapsed (when the determination result in step Sb32 is “Yes”), the transmission unit 140 The information is instructed to be read, the supply of the information is received, and the information is transmitted to the corresponding terminal device 20 (step Sb33).

Thereafter, the transmission unit 140 determines whether or not receipt information is returned from the transmission destination terminal device 20 (step Sb34). The situation in which the reception information is not returned from the destination terminal device 20 may be that the terminal device 20 is not turned on or that the terminal device 20 cannot receive the information depending on the communication state. . For this reason, when the reception information is not returned (when the determination result of step Sb34 is “No”), the processing procedure returns to step Sb31 in order to transmit the information again.
On the other hand, when the receipt information is returned (when the determination result of step Sb34 is “Yes”, the transmission unit 140 does not need to store the information in the buffer 135, so the transmission unit 140 A request is made to delete the information from the buffer 135 (step Sb35), whereby the information is deleted from the buffer 135.
Thereafter, the processing procedure returns to step Sb31.
Therefore, in the buffer process, information is continuously stored in the buffer 135 until information is transmitted to the terminal device 20 and reception information is received from the terminal device 20. For this reason, the information can be reliably transmitted to the terminal device 20 and the history of messages and the like need not be stored on the management server 10 side, thereby reducing the processing load on the management server 10 accordingly. Can do.

<Specific operation>
Next, a message browsing operation will be described using a specific example.
In FIG. 8, when a group member whose group ID is “ay01” performs a predetermined operation on the main menu screen of his / her own terminal device 20, a messenger top screen as shown in FIG. 15 is displayed (step Sa11). ). Thereafter, when the member performs a touch operation on the display portion of the button 254 corresponding to the group name “Thirty Hall”, a message display screen as shown in FIG. 16 is displayed (step Sa23).

Here, when the member inputs a message to the message input unit 211 and operates the button 271 in his / her own terminal device 20, the processing procedure follows the path of steps Sa23 → Sa24 → Sa25 → Sa26 → Sa23 in FIG. . In step Sa26 at this time, the message is stored in the terminal device 20, and after being transmitted to the management server 10, the message is read out and displayed on the message display unit 212 in step Sa23.

In the management server 10, when a message is received from the terminal device 20, the processing procedure follows the path of steps Sb 11 → Sb 12 → Sb 13 in FIG. Thus, the message is stored in the buffer 135 of members other than the sender of the message among the members of the selected group.
When the message is stored in the buffer 135, the processing procedure in FIG. 14 eventually follows the path of steps Sb31 → Sb32 → Sb33, and thus the message is transmitted to the terminal device 20 of the member other than the sender. When receiving information is received from the terminal device 20 of the member that has transmitted, the processing procedure follows the path of steps Sb34 → Sb35, so that the message stored in the buffer 135 corresponding to the member is deleted. Further, when the received information is not received from the terminal device 20 of the member who transmitted, the processing procedure again follows the route of steps Sb31 → Sb32 → Sb33, so that the retransmission of the message is retried.

When the terminal device 20 of the member other than the message sender receives the message from the management server 10, the processing procedure follows the route of step Sa41 → Sa42 in the reception process of step Sa22. Stored in the memory 202). In step Sa23 immediately after this, the message is read and displayed on the message display unit 212.

Eventually, the message display unit 212 displays the content of the same message, although there is a difference between the terminal device 20 of the message sender and the terminal device 20 of the member other than the sender whether or not the message passes through the management server 10. Will be.
Further, when such message transmission is repeated, as shown in FIG. 16, a timeline display in which messages are arranged in a time series from, for example, the areas (1) to (5) is obtained.

In the example shown in FIG. 16, the balloon displaying the message with the user ID “xx13” is hatched. For this reason, it turns out that the said message display screen is a display example of the terminal device 20 whose user ID is "xx13". The other member terminal devices are the same except that the balloons for displaying the message are changed to their own.

In this state, for example, when the current time is 7:00 am, it is assumed that the game control unit 123 causes an enemy monster to appear in stage 1 of the game in progress in the group. The game control unit 123 creates a monster image and a message indicating the appearance as a progress result of the game, adds a group ID and a system ID indicating that the creator is a system, and manages the management unit. The data is supplied to the transmission information temporary storage unit 130 via 125. The buffer control unit 131 of the transmission information temporary storage unit 130 stores information indicating the progress of the game in the buffer 135 of all group members corresponding to the group ID.
The information stored in the buffer 135 is transmitted to the member terminal device 20 by buffer processing, while the terminal device 20 receives and stores the information from the management server 10 by reception processing and is read out. It is displayed on the message display unit 212.
As a result, the message display screen is as shown in FIG. That is, in the latest area (1) in the timeline display, a message indicating the appearance of the monster and a message indicating the appearance of the monster are displayed on the left side of the screen as described above, and the message that has been displayed on the timeline until then. Rolls down one by one.
In the present embodiment, images of monsters and the like created on the management server 10 side are displayed on the left side of the screen, so that the line-of-sight direction is on the right side, for example, so as to face the other group member. Created.

Here, as shown in FIG. 18, the member whose user ID is “xx13” inputs the text “Someone, Defeat!” To the message input unit 211 in his / her terminal device 20, and the button 272 When the display portion is operated, the same processing procedure as described above is followed. Therefore, in the terminal device 20, as shown in FIG. 19, the message is displayed by a balloon with hatching, while the terminal devices of other members In 20, the message is displayed in a balloon without hatching, although not particularly shown.
In other words, even if the progress result of the game is displayed, each member can continue the chat with only the message.

Here, another member with the user ID “xx18” operates the button 272 on the terminal device 20 to instruct the progress of the game, and displays the icon selection screen (see FIG. 25A). For example, assume that an icon whose icon information is “yy03” is selected. At this time, since the processing procedure follows a route of steps Sa24 → Sa25 → Sa28 → Sa29 → Sa30 → Sa31, the icon information is stored in the terminal device 20 and transmitted to the management server 10.
The icon information stored in the terminal device 20 is thereafter read out in step Sa23 and displayed on the message display unit 212 of the terminal device 20.

In the management server 10, when the icon information transmitted from the terminal device 20 is received, the processing procedure follows the route of steps Sb11 → Sb12 → Sb14 → Sb15 in FIG. The data is supplied to the transmission information temporary storage unit 130 via the management unit 125 and stored in the buffer 135 of a member other than the sender. When the icon information is stored in the buffer 135, it is transmitted to the terminal device 20 of a member other than the sender by buffer processing.
When the icon information is received from the management server 10 in the terminal device 20 of the member other than the message sender, the processing procedure follows the route of step Sa41 → Sa43 → Sa44 in the reception process in step Sa22. Is stored in the terminal device 20. In step Sa23 immediately after this, the icon information is read and displayed on the message display unit 212.
For this reason, in the terminal device 20 of a member other than the member who selected the icon information, for example, a member whose user ID is “xx13”, an icon corresponding to the icon information selected by the sender is displayed as shown in FIG. It is displayed together with a profile image showing the sender.
The terminal device 20 of the member who has selected icon information, that is, the member whose user ID is “xx18”, displays a screen similar to FIG. 20 except that the balloon is not hatched.

In the management server 10, the processing procedure continues to follow the path of steps Sb16 → Sb17. Thus, the icon information is also supplied to the game control unit 123 and used for controlling the progress of the game.
However, the game control unit 123 does not always generate a game progress result according to the icon information. For example, when the damage of the monster does not become zero due to the game command (attack) corresponding to the icon information, the game control unit 123 outputs nothing as information corresponding to the progress result of the game. For this reason, in step Sb17, no data is stored in the buffer 135, and is substantially skipped.
Therefore, in this case, as shown in FIG. 20, the selected icon is not displayed, and the display corresponding to the progress result of the game is not performed.

Next, it is assumed that the member whose user ID is “xx12” selects an icon whose icon information is “yy01” (see FIG. 25A) in order to further instruct the progress of the game. At this time, since the processing procedure follows a similar route, the icon information is stored in the terminal device 20 and transmitted to the management server 10. The icon information stored in the terminal device 20 is then read out and displayed on the message display unit 212 of the terminal device 20.
In the management server 10, when the icon information transmitted from the terminal device 20 is received, as described above, the icon information is supplied from the reception unit 121 to the transmission information temporary storage unit 130 via the management unit 125. The data is stored in the buffer 135 of the member other than the sender and transmitted to the terminal device 20 of the member other than the sender by the buffer process.
When the terminal device 20 of the member other than the sender receives icon information from the management server 10, the icon information is stored in the terminal device 20, read out, and displayed on the message display unit 212.
For this reason, in the terminal device 20 of a member other than the member who selected the icon information, for example, a member whose user ID is “xx13”, an icon corresponding to the icon information selected by the sender is displayed as shown in FIG. It is displayed together with a profile image showing the sender.
Even in the terminal device 20 of the member who has selected icon information, that is, the member whose user ID is “xx12”, a screen similar to FIG. 21 is displayed except that the balloon is not hatched.

In the present embodiment, images such as monsters created on the management server 10 side are created so that the line-of-sight direction is on the right side because of the display on the left side of the screen. Correspondingly, the icons are created so that the attack direction is to the left as if to attack the monster or the like, or the direction to escape from the monster or the like. This point is common to the icons displayed in a list on the icon selection screen.

In the management server 10, the processing procedure further follows a route of steps Sb16 → Sb17. Thereby, the icon information is also supplied to the game control unit 123 and used for controlling the progress of the game. Here, when the damage of the monster becomes zero by the game command (attack) corresponding to the icon information, the game control unit 123 displays the information corresponding to the progress result of the game, for example, the image where the monster falls down, A message to that effect is output.
Information corresponding to the progress result of the game is supplied to the transmission information temporary storage unit 130 via the management unit 125 and stored in the buffer 135 of all members. When the icon information is stored in the buffer 135, it is transmitted to the terminal devices 20 of all the members by buffer processing.
When the terminal device 20 receives information corresponding to the progress result of the game from the management server 10, the processing procedure follows the route of steps Sa41 → Sa43 → Sa45 → Sa46 in the reception process of FIG. It is stored in the device 20. In step Sa23 immediately after this, the information is read and displayed on the message display unit 212. For this reason, in the terminal device 20 that has received the information corresponding to the progress result of the game, as shown in FIG. 22, a message to that effect is arranged and displayed on the left side of the screen together with the image of the monster falling down. Become.

If the stage is cleared by defeating the monster, in step Sb16, the game control unit 123 clearly indicates that the stage is cleared and the progress condition (amount) of the next stage. A message may be created and transmitted to the terminal devices of all members.
FIG. 23 is an example of such a message. In this example, it is shown that the stage 1 is cleared by defeating the monster, and that the amount of the next stage 2 is 1 dollar. For this reason, the fixed format which substitutes the cleared stage number and the money of the next stage can be used.

Further, the subsequent display screens are not illustrated and will be described with reference to the timeline of FIG.
In the figure, the management server 10 (system) sends a message clearly stating the progress condition of the next stage, etc. together with a message that stage 1 is cleared in * 1, and this message Is displayed on the terminal device 20. Thereafter, as shown in * 2, when one of the members pays a predetermined amount to proceed to the next stage 2 and performs an operation of purchasing the stage 2, the member's terminal device 20 Then, the processing procedure follows the path of steps Sa24 → Sa25 → Sa28 → Sa32 → Sa33 → Sa35. Thereby, the purchase instruction of stage 2 is transmitted to the management server 10.
In the management server 10, when the purchase instruction for the stage 2 is received from the terminal device 20, the processing procedure follows the path of step Sb11 → Sb12 → Sb14 → Sb18 → Sb21 in FIG. 13 and satisfies other conditions. Further, since the route of step Sb22 → Sb23 is followed, the stage flag of stage 2 is changed from unusable to usable in the game management table TB3.
Thereby, the play of the stage 2 instructed to purchase is permitted in the game.

In FIG. 24, if stage 1 is cleared at * 1, and stage 2 is permitted at * 3 by payment of money at * 2, as shown in FIG. 10, the icon information is “yy05”, “ The icon “yy06” should also be usable. Explaining this point, the game control unit 123, when the stage 2 stage flag becomes available, sends a change notification for changing the icon flag whose icon information is “yy05” and “yy06” to be usable. The data is supplied to the transmission information temporary storage unit 130 via the management unit 125. Accordingly, the change notification is stored in the buffer 135 of all members and transmitted to the terminal devices 20 of all members by buffer processing.
When the member terminal device 20 receives the change notification from the management server 10, in the reception process of FIG. 12, the processing procedure follows the path of steps Sa41 → Sa43 → Sa45 → Sa47 → Sa48. The icon flags whose information is “yy05” and “yy06” are changed from unusable to usable. This change is executed over the terminal devices 20 of all the members. Therefore, when the button 272 is operated on the message display screen and an instruction to shift to the icon selection screen is given, an icon that has been previously selected with “?” As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 25B, it is displayed so that it can be selected. This allows all members to use the icon.

In addition to the progress of the game such as clearing the stage, some icons can be used by purchase as shown in FIG. Here, for example, when one of the members gives an instruction to purchase an icon whose icon information is “yy09” in a state where the stage 3 is cleared, the processing procedure in the terminal device 20 of the member is the step Sa24 → Sa25. Follow the path of → Sa28 → Sa32 → Sa33 → Sa34. Thereby, a purchase instruction for the icon is transmitted to the management server 10.
When the accepting unit 121 accepts an instruction to purchase the icon from the terminal device 20 in the management server 10, the processing procedure follows the path of steps Sb11 → Sb12 → Sb14 → Sb18 in FIG. An instruction to purchase the icon is supplied to the game control unit 123.
If the game control unit 123 determines that the other conditions are satisfied, the processing procedure further follows a route of steps Sb19 → Sb20 → Sb17. Thereby, the game control unit 123 supplies a change notification for changing the icon flag for which the purchase instruction has been made to be usable to the transmission information temporary storage unit 130 via the management unit 125. Accordingly, the change notification is stored in the buffer 135 of all members and transmitted to the terminal devices 20 of all members by buffer processing.
The operation of the member terminal device 20 after receiving the change notification from the management server 10 is the same, and thus all the members can use the icon.

Some icons can be used depending on the progress or purchase of the game, while those having a limited number of times of use, as shown in FIG. 10, that is, cannot be used after the number of times of use reaches the upper limit. There is something to be. Here, for example, when a member selects an icon whose icon information is “yy08” in a state where the stage 3 is cleared, the icon information is transmitted to the management server 10 in the terminal device 20 of the member. The points are as described above.
In the management server 10, when the icon information is received from the terminal device 20, the processing procedure follows the path of steps Sb11 → Sb12 → Sb14 → Sb15 → Sb16, and the game control unit 123 proceeds with the game according to the icon information. To control.
At this time, for example, the game control unit 123 counts down the number of usable times stored in advance corresponding to the icon information in parallel with the progress control of the game, and when the number of usable times becomes zero, the icon A change notification that disables the flag is supplied to the transmission information temporary storage unit 130 via the management unit 125. Accordingly, the change notification is stored in the buffer 135 of all members and transmitted to the terminal devices 20 of all members by buffer processing.
The operation of the member terminal device 20 after receiving the change notification from the management server 10 is the same, and each member can no longer use the icon.

In the present embodiment, for an image of a monster or the like that is an example of a result according to the progress result of the game created on the management server 10 side, an icon that attacks the monster or the like while the line-of-sight direction is on the right side. Is displayed as if they were fighting because the attack direction is to the left.
At this time, the icons selected by the members are directed in the same direction as long as they give an attack, so that it is possible to have an atmosphere as if the members cooperate with each other.

<Application and modification>
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various applications and modifications as described below are possible, for example. Note that one or a plurality of arbitrarily selected aspects of application / deformation described below can be appropriately combined.

<Icon>
In the embodiment, when an icon is selected on the icon selection screen in the terminal device 20, information for identifying the icon is transmitted to the management server 10 as icon information, but an image indicating the icon itself is transmitted as icon information. It is good also as composition to do. According to this structure, the effort which acquires the image which shows an icon from the information which identifies an icon can be skipped.

<Add icon>
In the embodiment, for icons that can be used from the beginning, the icon flag is set to be usable, while other icons are set to be unusable, and the icon flag is used when the condition is satisfied thereafter. Although the configuration is changed so as to be possible, the icons that can be used may be sequentially increased by supplying icon information from the management server 10 to the member terminal device 20 when the condition is satisfied.

<SNS etc.>
A community place where chats and games are provided may be limited to SNS (Social Networking Service) members. That is, the user may perform a chat or a game as an SNS service after logging in such as inputting a pre-registered account or password.

<Icon image and message>
In the embodiment, when an icon related to the progress of the game is selected, the icon is displayed on the message display unit 212 of the terminal device 20 of all the members, but no message is displayed. A message may be associated with the icon, and when the icon is selected, the message associated with the icon may be displayed.
In the embodiment, the transmission of the icon information when the icon is selected and the transmission of the message input to the message input unit 211 are executed independently of each other. For example, the selected icon information When the button 272 is operated, the message input to the message input unit 211 and the icon information are transmitted together, and the message display unit 212 displays the icon and the message. May be displayed together.
On the other hand, in the embodiment, a message input by a member and selected icon information are stored in the memory 202 of the terminal device 20 of the self, while the management server 10 is connected to the terminal device 20 of the other member. Although it has been configured to be stored in the memory 202 after being transmitted via, the own message or the like may be stored in the memory 202 via the management server 10.

<Web type>
In the embodiment, a so-called native type configuration in which a message is browsed by executing an application program installed in the terminal device 20, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, while creating a web screen describing the display control on the management server 10 side and transmitting it to the terminal device 20, the browser on the terminal device 20 side displays the web screen and responds to an operation on the web screen (touch panel). It is also possible to adopt a web-type configuration for executing the processing.

FIG. 26 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the system 1 according to the web-type application example, and the functional block constructed by the management server 10 and the terminal device 20 when browsing a message or the like is executed. FIG.
In the terminal device 20, a browser 234 for displaying a web screen on which display control is described on the message display unit 212 in the display panel 210 is constructed.
On the other hand, on the management server 10 side, when attention is paid to a certain group, the history of the message, such as the message transmitted from the member of the group, the result according to the progress of the game in the group, the message, etc. Based on the history, the transmission unit 142 creates a web screen that is displayed on the timeline for the message of the group, the result according to the progress of the game, and the like. The terminal device 20 is configured to transmit.
In the embodiment, the transmission unit 140 is configured to transmit the message received by the reception unit 121 to members other than the member who transmitted the message among group members. However, in the web type, a web screen is created. Because of the relationship, it is configured to transmit to all the group members including the sender.

<Push type, pull type>
In the embodiment and the application example, each time a message is transmitted or an icon is selected, the message or the progress of the game is described as a push type service displayed on the terminal device 20 of the member. In addition, it may be configured as a pull-type service in which a group message related to itself, a game progress result, and the like are pulled out from the management server 10 and displayed in response to a request from the terminal device 20.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... System, 10 ... Management server, 20 ... Terminal device, 101, 201 ... CPU, 118 ... Database, 121 ... Reception part, 123 ... Game control part, 140 ... Transmission part, 212 ... Message display part, 231 ... Operation detection Part, 232... Display control part.

Claims

A message management device that provides a message transmitted from each of a plurality of users constituting a group so as to be viewable on a message display unit of each user terminal device,
A reception unit that receives icon information transmitted from a user among a plurality of icon information related to progress of a predetermined game or a message transmitted based on a user input;
A game control unit that advances the game based on the icon information transmitted from the user;
The message received by the reception unit is transmitted to a user other than the user who transmitted the message at least among the plurality of users,
A transmission unit for transmitting a result or message according to the progress of the game to each of the plurality of users;
A message management device comprising:
The reception unit receives icon information of an icon selected by the user from the plurality of icon information;
The message management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein icons that can be selected by the user increase when the game progresses.
The game control unit
3. The game is managed in a plurality of stages, and when a predetermined condition is satisfied in one stage, progress to a stage other than the one stage is permitted. Message management device.
The predetermined condition includes payment of consideration.
The message management apparatus according to claim 3.
The transmitter is
The messages of the plurality of users on one end side of the message display unit,
A result or message corresponding to the progress of the game on the other end side of the message display section,
The message management device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the message management device is provided so as to be browsed in the order of transmission times.
A message management method for providing a message transmitted from each of a plurality of users constituting a group so as to be viewable on a message display unit on a screen of each user terminal device,
A step of receiving icon information transmitted from a user among a plurality of icon information related to progress of a predetermined game or a message transmitted based on a user input;
Advancing the game based on the icon information sent from the user;
While the received message is transmitted to at least another user other than the user who transmitted the message among the plurality of users, the result or message according to the progress of the game is transmitted to the plurality of users. Sending to each,
A message management method comprising:
For a computer that provides a message transmitted from each of a plurality of users constituting a group so as to be viewable on a message display unit on the screen of each user terminal device,
A reception unit that receives icon information transmitted from a user among a plurality of icon information related to progress of a predetermined game, or a message transmitted based on a user's input;
A game control unit that advances the game based on the icon information transmitted from the user, and
The message received by the reception unit is transmitted to a user other than the user who transmitted the message at least among the plurality of users,
A transmission unit for transmitting a result or message according to the progress of the game to each of the plurality of users;
A program characterized by functioning as