# US 2014/0155176 A1 · Game system utilizing network

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- Number: US 2014/0155176 A1
- Document ID: US20140155176A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/234,894
- Filed: 2012-08-01
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-04
- Assignees: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yasushi Mito; Hidekazu Shimizu; Masanori Kono; Koji Makino; Masayuki Shamoto; Satoshi Tsuchida; Ryo Horie; Yuki Nakano; Naoko Nasuhara; Tomohiro Inami
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155176A1

## CPC

- A63F 13/795: for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
- A63F 13/30: Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
- A63F 13/422: automatically for the purpose of assisting the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
- A63F 13/79: involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
- A63F 13/843: involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
- A63F 13/69: by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
- A63F 13/814: Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
- A63F 2300/5566: by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
- A63F 2300/6054: by generating automatically game commands to assist the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
- A63F 2300/8047: Music games
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

This game system (1) includes multiple game machines (2A, 2B) connected to a network (5), allows a player of a game machine to select one of selective items on a game prepared in advance, and allows the player to play a game having content reflecting the selected item. This game system is provided with a device (32) for storing relation data for determining whether or not a predetermined connection exists between players, a device (11) for determining the selection state pertaining to the items selected by the players on the game machines, a device (11, 12) for determining, based on the relation data, other players that have the predetermined connection with the player, and a device (21) which, when the player is making the selection from the selective items, presents the player making the selection with the selection state of other players having the predetermined connection with that player.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A game system including a plurality of game machines connected to a network to make a player of each of the plurality of game machines: select a desired item from a plurality of selective items; and play at the game machine of the player a game having content reflecting the item selected, the game system comprising:
a data storage device storing relation data having information necessary for determining whether or not a predetermined connection exists between players;
a selection state determining device configured to determine selection state of the selective items pertaining to the player at each of the plurality of game machines;
a relation determining device configured to determine based on the relation data another player having the predetermined connection with the player; and
a selection state presenting device configured to present to the player making the selection of the item, the selection state determined by the selection state determining device pertaining to the player who is determined by the relation determining device as the another player having the predetermined connection.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The game system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a common game executing device configured to make a plurality of players play a common game, on condition that the item selected by each of the plurality of players is identical with each other.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The game system according to claim 2, further comprising a matching device configured to match players with each other on condition that the item selected by each of the players is identical with each other, wherein the game machine comprises:
a selection executing device configured to present the plurality of selective items to each of the players and make the player select his/her desired item; and
a matching requesting device configured to while providing to the matching device information necessary for specifying the item selected by the player, request matching to the matching device,
the selection state presenting device is configured to provide to the player making the selection, information for determining the item selected by the another player having the predetermined connection and also requesting the matching to the matching device, and
the common game executing device is configured to make the players play the common game, the players being matched with each other by the matching device in response to the request from the matching requesting device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The game system according to claim 1, further comprising
an interaction service providing device configured to provide a communication site via the network to the players having the predetermined connection.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The game system according to claim 4, wherein
a terminal apparatus for personal use being used by the player as a user is connectable to the network, and
the interaction service providing device is configured to provide the communication site to the user of the terminal apparatus.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The game system according to claim 5, wherein
the interaction service providing device is configured to set the predetermined connection based on instructions of the user from the terminal apparatus.