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US 8,944,919 B2Granted
Network game system for executing event in network game
AssigneeSquare Enix Co., Ltd.
InventorsYoichi Kuroda, Ryoko Kato
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A network game system includes a server apparatus and a plurality of video game apparatuses connected to the server apparatus. A party includes player characters of a plurality of players. When the party battles with an opponent character, the server apparatus simultaneously transmits movie playback information to each video game apparatus for starting playback of a movie. Each of the players can skip the movie at a desired timing. A screen is displayed on each video game apparatus that has skipped the movie until the battle starts. When information is received from each video game apparatus that indicates playback of the movie has ended, the server apparatus simultaneously transmits battle start information to each video game apparatus.
Claims19
A network game system including a server apparatus, and a plurality of terminal apparatuses connected to the server apparatus over a network,
- the server apparatus comprising:
- an event occurrence information transmitter that transmits event generating information to each of the terminal apparatuses when a predetermined event generation condition for playing an event in a game is met during the game, the terminal apparatuses comprising a party in the game and cooperating to play the event during the game;
- an end-of-preparation notifying information receiver that receives end-of-preparation notifying information transmitted from each of the terminal apparatuses of the party;
- and
- an event start information transmitter that simultaneously transmits event start information to all of the terminal apparatuses of the party on condition that the end-of-preparation notifying information receiver has received the end-of-preparation notifying information from all of the terminal apparatuses of the party,
- each terminal apparatus of the terminal apparatuses of the party comprising:
- an event occurrence information receiver that receives the event occurrence information transmitted from the event occurrence information transmitter;
- an event preparation image display that, upon reception of the event occurrence information at the event occurrence information receiver, displays an event preparation image on a display device included in the terminal apparatus and enables termination of a display of the event preparation image at a desired timing in response to a termination instruction from a player using the terminal apparatus;
- an end-of-preparation notifying information transmitter that transmits the end-of-preparation notifying information to the server apparatus when the display of the event preparation image is terminated;
- an event start information receiver that receives the event start information transmitted from the event start information transmitter;
- a standby processor that executes a predetermined standby process until the event start information receiver receives the event start information after the end-of-preparation notifying information transmitter has transmitted the end-of-preparation notifying information;
- and
- an event processor that executes the event during the game when the event start information receiver receives the event start information,
- wherein the server provides an advantage to a first game apparatus of the party over a second game apparatus of the party when the end-of-preparation notifying information receiver of the server receives the end-of-preparation notifying information from the first game apparatus before the second game apparatus.
11 more elements
A game apparatus among a plurality of game apparatuses connected to a server apparatus over a network, the game apparatus comprising:
- an event occurrence information receiver that receives event occurrence information transmitted from the server apparatus when a predetermined event generation condition for playing an event in a game is met during the game, the game apparatus and the other game apparatuses comprising a party in the game and cooperating to play the event during the game;
- an event preparation image display that, upon reception of the event occurrence information at the event occurrence information receiver, displays an event preparation image on a display device included in the game apparatus and enables termination of a display of the event preparation image at a desired timing in response to a termination instruction from the player using the game apparatus;
- an end-of-preparation notifying information transmitter that transmits the end-of-preparation notifying information to the server apparatus when the display of the event preparation image is terminated;
- an event start information receiver that receives event start information to be simultaneously transmitted to all game apparatuses of the party on condition that the server apparatus has received the end-of-preparation notifying information from all of the game apparatuses of the party;
- a standby processor that executes a predetermined standby process until the event start information receiver receives the event start information after the end-of-preparation notifying information transmitter has transmitted the end-of-preparation notifying information;
- and
- an event processor that executes the event during the game when the event start information receiver receives the event start information,
- wherein the game apparatus receives an advantage, provided from the server, over an other game apparatus of the party when the server receives the end-of-preparation notifying information from the game apparatus before the other game apparatus.
5 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable recording medium recording a program which is executed by each of a plurality of computers connected to a server apparatus over a network, the program allowing the computers to function as:
- an event occurrence information receiver that receives event occurrence information transmitted from the server apparatus when a predetermined event generation condition for playing an event in a game is met during the game, the computers comprising a party in the game and cooperating to play the event during the game;
- an event preparation image display that, upon reception of the event occurrence information at the event occurrence information receiver, displays an event preparation image on a display device included in the computer and enables termination of a display of the event preparation image at a desired timing in response to a termination instruction from the player using the computer;
- an end-of-preparation notifying information transmitter that transmits the end-of-preparation notifying information to the server apparatus when the display of the event preparation image is terminated;
- an event start information receiver that receives event start information to be simultaneously transmitted to all of the computers of the party on condition that the server apparatus has received the end-of-preparation notifying information from all of the computers of the party;
- a standby processor that executes a predetermined standby process until the event start information receiver receives the event start information after the end-of-preparation notifying information transmitter has transmitted the end-of-preparation notifying information;
- and
- an event processor that executes the event during the game when the event start information receiver receives the event start information,
- wherein a first computer of the party receives an advantage, provided from the server, over a second computer of the party when the server receives the end-of-preparation notifying information from the first computer before the second computer.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.