Game apparatus, server apparatus, program, and recording medium

A game management system, comprising:

• a first network connection mean connectable to a plurality of game machines including ones located at a plurality of game facilities that are at separate locations from one another, wherein the plurality of game machines are arranged to read identification information from an identification means before a user plays a game on one of the game machines, and to transmit the identification information to the first network connection means;
• a second network connection means connectable to personal terminal devices operable independently from said game machines;
• a web page means;
• and
• a database,
• the game management system being configured to:
• (a) allow a personal terminal device operable independently from the game machines to send personal information of the user including a name or nickname of the user, which is to appear on the web page, to the second network connection means by relating the personal information to identification information, which is stored in the identification means belonging to the user, while restricting sending of the personal information to the first network connection means from any of the game machines;
• (b) cause the database to store the received personal information in connection with the identification information that was sent from the personal terminal device by way of the second network connection means;
• (c) cause the game machine operated by the user to transmit the identification information read from the identification means to the server by way of the first network connection means if the user allows the game machine to read the identification information before starting the game;
• (d) confirm if the identification information that was transmitted from the game machine by way of the first network connection means corresponds to the personal information sent from the personal terminal device by way of the second network connection means;
• (e) collect play information from the game machine on which the user has started the game, the play information including information regarding the game facility at which the game machine is located, and information of the game plays performed on the game machine, the play information being sent from the game machine by way of the first network connection means to the server by relating the identification information that was read from the identification means and transmitted to the server;
• (f) cause the web page means to provide a web page that includes information of the collected play information and of the game facility which the user currently visits, by relating such information on the web page to the name or nickname of the user that was sent as the personal information to appear on the web page, by relating the personal information to the confirmed identification information;
• and
• (g) allow another personal terminal device operable independently from the game machines and possessed by another user, who currently visits another game facility, to access the web page by way of the second network connection means, while restricting access to the web page by way of the first network connection means from any of the game machines.

A game management system executable on a server, wherein the server is configured with:

• a first network connection means connectable to a plurality of game apparatuses including ones located at a plurality of game facilities that are at separate locations from one another, wherein the game apparatuses are arranged to read identification information from a game card before a gamer plays a game on one of the game apparatuses, and to transmit the identification information to the server via the first network connection means;
• a second network connection means connectable to personal terminal devices operable independently from the game apparatuses;
• a web page means;
• and
• a database,
• wherein the game management system is configured to:
• (1) allow a personal terminal device operable independently from the game apparatus to send personal information of the gamer including a name or nickname of the gamer, which is to appear on the web page, to the second network connection means by relating the personal information to the identification information stored on the game card, while restricting sending the personal information to the first network connection means from any of the game machines;
• (2) cause the database to store the personal information of the gamer by relating the personal information to the identification information when transmitted by way of the second network connection means from the personal terminal device;
• (3) cause the game apparatus operated by the gamer to transmit the identification information read from the game card to the server by way of the first network connection means if the gamer allows the game apparatus to read the identification information before starting the game;
• (4) confirm if the identification information, read by the game apparatus from the game card corresponds to the personal information sent from the personal terminal device by way of the second network connection means;
• (5) collect play information from the game apparatus on which the gamer has started the game, the play information including location information relating to the game facility at which the game apparatus is located and information regarding the game plays performed on the game apparatus, the play information being transmitted by way of the first network connection means to the server in association with the transmitted identification information of the game card;
• (6) cause the web page means to provide a web page that includes the collected play information, which includes information regarding the game plays performed by the gamer and regarding the game facility which the gamer currently visits, by relating the information on the web page to the name or nickname of the gamer that is stored in the server as the personal information to appear on the web page, by relating the personal information to the confirmed identification information;
• and
• (7) allow another personal terminal device operable independently from the game apparatuses and possessed by another gamer, who currently visits another game facility, to access the web page while restricting access to the web page by way of the first network connection means from any of the game apparatuses.