Systems and methods of automatically performing virtual tasks within a video game

An information processing apparatus comprising at least one processor, the at least one processor configured to:

• track a plurality of virtual items that are different items that are obtainable within a virtual world of a video game, the plurality of virtual items including a first virtual item that is marked as being possessed by a player of the video or a player character of the video game;
• track, as part of the video game, a plurality of tasks that are performable within the virtual world of the video game, each one of the plurality of tasks having an associated progress state, a corresponding achievement condition, and being associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of non-player controlled characters located within the virtual world of the video game, the plurality of tasks includes a first task in which progress towards the corresponding achievement condition for the first task is achieved by handing over the first virtual item to the corresponding one of the plurality of non-player controlled characters that is associated with the first task;
• switch a state of the video game between a first mode and a second mode on the basis of a switching input by the player;
• in a case where the state of the video game is in the first mode:
• receiving an operation input from the player to control a virtual character to hand over the first virtual item to the corresponding non-player character that is associated with the first task, and
• based on the handing over of the first virtual item, perform a first achievement determination of whether the first task has been achieved, under a condition that a number of the first item possessed is changed by a first change amount;
• designate a first non-player character out the plurality of the non-player characters;
• and
• in a case where the state of the game is in the second mode:
• automatically, without relying upon operation inputs from the player and even while the video game is not being played by the player, perform a second achievement determination of whether the first task has been achieved, under a condition that the number of the first item possessed by the player is not changed on the number of the item possessed is changed by a second change amount that is smaller than the first change amount, and
• execute, based on determination that the first task has been achieved via the second achievement determination, an in-game representation that indicates that the designated first non-player character has achieved the first task instead of the player or the player character.

An information processing system comprising:

• at least one hardware processor and memory storing computer executable instructions that are configured to cause the at least one hardware processor, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, to perform operations comprising:
• tracking a plurality of virtual items that are different items that are obtainable within a virtual world of a video game, the plurality of virtual items including a first virtual item that is marked as being possessed by a player of the video or a player character of the video game;
• tracking, a s part of the video game, a plurality of tasks having an associated progress virtual world of the video game, each one of the plurality of tasks having an associated progress state, a corresponding achievement condition, and being associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of non-player controlled character located within the virtual world of the video game, the plurality of tasks includes a first task in which progress towards the corresponding achievement condition for the first task is achieved by handing over the first virtual item to the corresponding one of the plurality of non-player controlled characters that is associated with the first task;
• switching a state of the video game between a first mode and a second mode on the basis of a switching input by the player;
• in a case where the state of the video game is in the first mode:
• receive an operation input from the player to control a virtual character to hand over the first virtual item to the corresponding non-player character that is associated with the first task,
• based on the handing over of the first virtual item, performing a first achievement determination of whether the first task has been achieved, under a condition that a number of the first item possessed is changed by a first change amount;
• designating a first non-player character out of the plurality of the non-player characters;
• in a case where the state of the video game is in the second mode;
• automatically, without relying upon operation inputs from the player and even while the video game is not being played by the player, performing a second achievement determination of whether the first task has been achieved, under a condition that the number of the first item possessed by the player is not changed or the number of the item possessed is changed by a second change amount that is smaller than the first changed amount;
• and
• executing, based on determination that the first task has been achieved via the second achievement determination, an in-game representation that indicates that the designated first non-player character has achieved the first task instead of the player or the player character.

An information processing method that is executed by a computer controlling an information processing apparatus, the information processing method comprising:

• tracking a plurality of virtual items that are different items that are obtainable within a virtual world of a video game, the plurality of virtual items including a first virtual item that is marked as being possessed by a player of the video or a player character of the video game;
• tracking, as part of the video game, a plurality of tasks that are performable with in the virtual world of the video game, each one of the plurality of tasks having an associated progress state, a corresponding achievement condition, and being associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of non-player controlled characters located with the virtual world of the video game, the plurality of tasks includes a first task in which progress towards the corresponding achievement condition for the first task is achieved by handing over the first virtual item to the corresponding one of the plurality of non-player controlled characters that is associated with the first task;
• switching a state of the video game between a first mode and a second mode on the basis of a switching input by the player;
• in a case where the state of the video game is in the first mode;
• receiving an operation input from the player to control a virtual character to hand over the first virtual item to the corresponding non-player character that is associated with the first task,
• based on the handing over of the first virtual item, performing a first achievement determination of whether the first task has been achieved, under a condition that a number of the first item possessed is changed by a first change amount;
• designating a first non-player character out the plurality of the non-player characters;
• in a case where the state of the video games is in the second mode:
• automatically, without relying upon operation inputs from the player and even while the video game is not being played by the player, performing a second achievement determination of whether the first task has been achieved, under a condition that the number of the first item possessed by the player is not changed or the number of the item possessed is changed by a second change amount that is smaller than the first change amount;
• and
• executing, based on determination that the first task has been achieved via the second achievement determination, an in-game representation that indicates that the designated first non-player character has achieved the first task instead of the player or the player character.