(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2014/0349723 A1
`Nakatani et al.
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Nov. 27, 2014
`
`US 20140349723A1
`
`(54) SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING INTERACTIVE
`GAME USING A PLURALITY OF GAME
`CONTENTS, AND METHOD AND PROGRAM
`USING THE SYSTEM
`
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`CPC .................................... A63F 13/005 (2013.01)
`USPC .............................................................. 463/9
`
`(71) Applicant: DeNA Co., Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`(72) Inventors: Ken Nakatani, Vancouver (CA);
`Yuichiro Mori, Vancouver (CA); Ryan
`Jones, Vancouver (CA)
`(73) Assignee: DeNA Co., Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
`(21) Appl. No.: 14/175,953
`(22) Filed:
`Feb. 7, 2014
`(30)
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`May 24, 2013 (JP) ................................. 2013-1098O2
`Publication Classification
`
`(51) Int. Cl.
`A63F 3/00
`
`(2006.01)
`
`
`
`A system according to an embodiment enhances strategic
`characteristics of competition games using a plurality of
`game contents. The system includes: a game progress control
`unit; an information storage unit; a formation setting unit
`configured to set formations to be used by a player and an
`opponent from among a plurality of formations each consti
`tuted by a plurality of positions, and arrangement of athlete
`cards to the plurality of positions constituting the set forma
`tions; and a competition processing unit configured to specify
`at least one position constituting the formations used by the
`player and at least one position constituting the formations
`used by the opponent based on at least one of the formations
`used by the player and the formations used by the opponent
`and perform a competition process for progressing the com
`petition game based on ability values of the game contents
`arranged at the specified positions.
`
`sessie Fossassr
`
`Supercell
`Exhibit 1014
`Page 1
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Nov. 27, 2014 Sheet 1 of 10
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`Exhibit 1014
`Page 2
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`Nov. 27, 2014 Sheet 2 of 10
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`US 2014/0349723 A1
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`Exhibit 1014
`Page 3
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Nov. 27, 2014 Sheet 3 of 10
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`Exhibit 1014
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`Nov. 27, 2014 Sheet 4 of 10
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`US 2014/0349723 A1
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`Exhibit 1014
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`Nov. 27, 2014 Sheet 5 of 10
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`Supercell
`Exhibit 1014
`Page 6
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`Exhibit 1014
`Page 7
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`Supercell
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`Page 8
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`Exhibit 1014
`Page 9
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`Nov. 27, 2014 Sheet 9 of 10
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`US 2014/0349723 A1
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`Exhibit 1014
`Page 10
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`

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`Patent Application Publication
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`Nov. 27, 2014 Sheet 10 of 10
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`Supercell
`Exhibit 1014
`Page 11
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`US 2014/0349723 A1
`
`Nov. 27, 2014
`
`SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING INTERACTIVE
`GAME USING A PLURALITY OF GAME
`CONTENTS, AND METHOD AND PROGRAM
`USING THE SYSTEM
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`0001. This application is based on and claims the benefit
`of priority from Japanese Patent Application Serial No. 2013
`109802 (filed on May 24, 2013), the contents of which are
`hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`0002 The present invention relates to a system, and a
`method and a program using the system and, in particular, to
`a system capable of providing a competition game wherein a
`first player and a second player compete with each other using
`a plurality of game contents, and a method and a program
`using the system.
`
`BACKGROUND
`0003 Conventionally known such systems include a sys
`tem wherein a sports team is organized with electronic athlete
`cards owned by a player, and this team can compete with
`another team organized by another player or a computer (see,
`e.g., Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013
`39399). A competition game provided by such systems is
`progressed wherein the system determines the Superiority
`between athletes for each competition in the competition
`game, based on ability values assigned to the electronic ath
`lete cards (e.g., hitting power, running ability, defense skill,
`the speed of a pitched ball, and stamina).
`
`SUMMARY
`0004. In such systems, if the superiority between athletes
`is determined in a competition simply by comparing the abil
`ity values assigned to the athlete cards, players owning more
`athlete cards having high ability values can play the game
`advantageously, whereas players owning only athlete cards
`having low ability values cannot sufficiently enjoy the com
`petition game. Additionally, players may tend to concentrate
`on collecting high ability athlete cards to progress the com
`petition game advantageously, and thus cannot sufficiently
`enjoy the strategic characteristics of sports, etc. in the com
`petition game.
`0005 One object of the present invention is to enhance the
`strategic characteristics of competition games using a plural
`ity of game contents. Other objects of the embodiments of the
`present invention will be apparent with reference to the entire
`description in this specification.
`0006. A system according to an embodiment of the present
`invention is a system capable of providing a competition
`game wherein a first player competes with a second player
`using a plurality of game contents, the system comprising: an
`information storage unit for storing at least game content
`information on the game contents, the game content informa
`tion including parameter information assigned to the game
`contents; and one or more processors capable of executing a
`program, wherein the program comprises: a formation setting
`module configured to set formations to be used by the first
`player and the second player from among a plurality of for
`mations each constituted by a plurality of positions, and
`arrangement of the game contents to the plurality of positions
`
`constituting the set formations; and a competition processing
`module configured to specify at least one position constitut
`ing the formations used by the first player and at least one
`position constituting the formations used by the second
`player based on at least one of the formations used by the first
`player and the formations used by the second player and
`perform a particular competition process for progressing the
`competition game based on the parameter information of the
`game contents arranged at the specified positions.
`0007. A system according to an embodiment of the present
`invention is a system capable of providing a competition
`game wherein a first player competes with a second player
`using a plurality of game contents, the system comprising: an
`information storage unit for storing at least game content
`information on the game contents, the game content informa
`tion including parameter information assigned to the game
`contents; and a formation setting unit configured to set for
`mations to be used by the first player and the second player
`from among a plurality of formations each constituted by a
`plurality of positions, and arrangement of the game contents
`to the plurality of positions constituting the set formations;
`and a competition processing unit configured to specify at
`least one position constituting the formations used by the first
`player and at least one position constituting the formations
`used by the second player based on at least one of the forma
`tions used by the first player and the formations used by the
`second player and perform a particular competition process
`for progressing the competition game based on the parameter
`information of the game contents arranged at the specified
`positions.
`0008. A method according to an embodiment of the
`present invention is A method for providing a competition
`game wherein a first player competes with a second player by
`using a plurality of game contents, the method using a system
`including an information storage unit for storing information,
`the method comprising the steps of storing, at least on the
`information storage unit, game content information on the
`game contents, the game content information including
`parameter information assigned to the game contents; setting
`formations to be used by the first player and the second player
`from among a plurality of formations each constituted by a
`plurality of positions, and arrangement of the game contents
`to the plurality of positions constituting the set formations;
`and specifying at least one position constituting the forma
`tions used by the first player and at least one position consti
`tuting the formations used by the second player based on at
`least one of the formations used by the first player and the
`formations used by the second player and perform a particular
`competition process for progressing the competition game
`based on the parameter information of the game contents
`arranged at the specified positions.
`0009. A program according to an embodiment of the
`present invention is a program for causing a computer to
`function as a system capable of providing a competition game
`wherein a first player competes with a second player using a
`plurality of game contents, the computer including an infor
`mation storage unit configured to store at least game content
`information on the game contents including parameter infor
`mation assigned to the game contents, a formation setting
`module configured to set formations to be used by the first
`player and the second player from among a plurality of for
`mations each constituted by a plurality of positions, and
`arrangement of the game contents to the plurality of positions
`constituting the set formations; and a competition processing
`
`Supercell
`Exhibit 1014
`Page 12
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`US 2014/0349723 A1
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`Nov. 27, 2014
`
`module configured to specify at least one position constitut
`ing the formations used by the first player and at least one
`position constituting the formations used by the second
`player based on at least one of the formations used by the first
`player and the formations used by the second player and
`perform a particular competition process for progressing the
`competition game based on the parameter information of the
`game contents arranged at the specified positions.
`0010 Various embodiments of the present invention
`enhance the strategic characteristics of competition games
`using a plurality of game contents.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`0011
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating
`a network configuration including a system according to an
`embodiment of the present invention.
`0012 FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating
`the architecture of a terminal according to an embodiment.
`0013 FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the function
`ality of the system according to an embodiment.
`0014 FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a game
`content management table according to an embodiment.
`0015 FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an
`owned game content management table according to an
`embodiment.
`0016 FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of infor
`mation managed by a formation management table according
`to an embodiment.
`0017 FIG. 7 is a flow diagram showing an example of a
`game process according to an embodiment.
`0018 FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display mode of a
`formation selection screen according to an embodiment.
`0019 FIG.9 is a diagram showing an example of setting of
`offensive formation according to an embodiment.
`0020 FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a display mode of a
`formation selection screen according to an embodiment.
`0021
`FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a display mode of a
`formation selection screen according to an embodiment.
`0022 FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of setting
`of defensive formation according to an embodiment.
`0023 FIG. 13 is a flow diagram showing an example of a
`competition process according to an embodiment.
`0024 FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of setting
`of matchup according to an embodiment.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
`0025 Various embodiments of the present invention will
`be described hereinafter with reference to the drawings. In the
`drawings, the same components are denoted by the same
`reference numerals.
`0026 FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating
`a network configuration including a system 10 according to
`an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the sys
`tem 10 according to an embodiment may be communicatively
`connected to a plurality of terminals 30-1, 30-2,..., and 30-N
`(hereinafter also collectively referred to as the “terminals
`30), each having a communication function, via a commu
`nication network 20 such as the Internet. The system 10 may
`provide players operating the terminals 30 with various
`online games.
`0027. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the system 10 according to
`an embodiment may include a central processing unit (CPU)
`(processor) 11, a main memory 12, a user interface (I/F) 13, a
`
`communication I/F 14, an external memory 15, and a disk
`drive 16, and these components may be electrically connected
`to one another via a bus 17. The CPU 11 may load an oper
`ating system and various programs into the main memory 12
`from the external memory 15, and may execute commands
`included in the loaded programs. The main memory 12 may
`be used to store a program to be executed by the CPU 11, and
`may be formed of for example, a dynamic random access
`memory (DRAM).
`0028. The user I/F 13 may include, for example, an infor
`mation input device such as a keyboard or a mouse for accept
`ing an input from an operator, and an information output
`device Such as a liquid crystal display for outputting calcula
`tion results of the CPU 11. The communication I/F 14 may be
`implemented as hardware, firmware, or communication soft
`ware such as a transmission control protocol/Internet proto
`col (TCP/IP) driver or a point-to-point protocol (PPP) driver,
`or a combination thereof, and may be configured to be able to
`communicate with the terminals 30 via the communication
`network 20.
`0029. The external memory 15 may be formed of, e.g., a
`magnetic disk drive and store, e.g., a control program for
`controlling the progress of an online game. The external
`memory 15 may also store various data used in progress of the
`game. The various data that may be stored in the external
`memory 15 may also be stored on a database server commu
`nicatively connected to the system 10 and physically separate
`from the system 10. The disk drive 16 may read data stored in
`a storage medium Such as a compact disc read only memory
`(CD-ROM), digital versatile disc read only memory (DVD
`ROM), or DVD Recordable (DVD-R) disc, or write data to
`Such a storage medium. For example, applications stored in a
`storage medium and various data for use in progress of the
`games may be read by the disk drive 16, and may be installed
`into the external memory 15.
`0030. In an embodiment, the system 10 may be a web
`server for managing a web site including a plurality of hier
`archical web pages and may be capable of providing the
`terminals 30 with various online games. The terminals 30
`may fetch HTML data for rendering a web page from the
`system 10 and analyze the fetched HTML data to present the
`web page to players of the terminals 30. The HTML data for
`rendering the web page may also be stored on the external
`memory 15. The HTML data may comprise HTML docu
`ments written in markup languages Such as HTML; the
`HTML documents may be associated with various images.
`Additionally, the HTML documents may include programs
`written in Script languages such as ActionScript TM and Java
`ScriptTM.
`0031. The external memory 15 may store applications to
`be executed on execution environments of the terminal 30
`other than browser software. These applications may include
`programs for implementing online games and various data
`Such as image data to be referred to for executing the pro
`grams. The programs may be created in, for example, object
`oriented languages such as Objective-CTM and JavaTM. The
`created programs may be stored on the external memory 15 in
`the form of application software along with various data. The
`application software stored on the external memory 15 may
`be delivered to a terminal 30 in response to a delivery request.
`The application Software may not necessarily be directly
`delivered from the system 10 but may be delivered via another
`system or server communicatively connected to the system 10
`and the terminal 30. The application software delivered from
`
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`Page 13
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`the system 10 may be received by the terminal 30 through a
`communication I/F 34 in accordance with the control of
`CPU31; the received programs may be sent to an external
`memory 35 and stored thereon. The application software may
`be launched in accordance with the player's operation on the
`terminal 30 and may be executed on an execution environ
`ment implemented on the terminal 30 such as NgCoreTM or
`Android TM. The system 10 may provide the applications
`executed on the terminals 30 with various data required for
`progressing games. Additionally, the system 10 can store
`various data sent from the terminal 30 for each player, thereby
`managing the progress of the game for each player.
`0032. Thus, the system 10 may manage the web site for
`providing various online games and deliver web pages con
`stituting the web site in response to a request from the termi
`nal 30, thereby providing online games to a player. Also, the
`system 10 can provide online games based on communication
`with an application performed on the terminal 30 in place of
`or in addition to, such browser-based online games. Which
`ever mode may be taken to provide the game, the system 10
`can store data required to progress the online game for each
`identification identifying a player. Briefly, the system 10 may
`also include a function to authenticate a player at start of the
`online game and perform charging process in accordance
`with progress of the game. The games provided by the system
`10 may include desired games such as action games, role
`playing games, and card games. The types of the games
`implemented by the web site or game applications of the
`system 10 are not limited to those explicitly described herein.
`0033. In an embodiment, the terminal 30 may be any infor
`mation processing device that may display on a web browser
`a web page of a web site for online games obtained from the
`system 10 and include an executing environment for execut
`ing applications.
`0034. The architecture of the terminal 30 will now be
`described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a block diagram
`schematically illustrating the architecture of a terminal 30. As
`illustrated in FIG. 2, the terminal 30 may include a central
`processing unit (CPU)31, a main memory 32, a user interface
`(I/F)33, a communication I/F34, and an external memory 35,
`and these components may be electrically connected to one
`another via a bus 36.
`0035. The CPU 31 may load various programs such as an
`operating system into the main memory 32 from the external
`memory 35, and may execute commands included in the
`loaded programs. The main memory 32 may be used to store
`a program to be executed by the CPU 31, and may be formed
`of for example, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM).
`0036. The user I/F 33 may include, for example, an infor
`mation input device Such as a touch panel, a keyboard, a
`button, and a mouse for accepting an input from a player, and
`an information output device such as a liquid crystal display
`for outputting calculation results of the CPU 31. The com
`munication I/F 34 may be implemented as hardware, firm
`ware, or communication Software such as a transmission con
`trol protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) driver or a point-to
`point protocol (PPP) driver, or a combination thereof, and
`may be configured to be able to communicate with the system
`10 via the communication network 20.
`0037. The external memory 35 may comprise, for
`example, a magnetic disk drive or a flash memory and store
`various programs such as an operating system. When receiv
`
`ing an application from a system 10 via the communication
`I/F 34, the external memory 35 may store the received appli
`cation.
`0038 A terminal 30 having such an architecture may
`include, for example, browser Software for interpreting an
`HTML file (HTML data) and rendering a screen; this browser
`software may enable the terminal 30 to interpret the HTML
`data fetched from the system 10 and render web pages corre
`sponding to the received HTML data. Further, the terminal 30
`may include plug-in software (e.g., Flash Player distributed
`by Adobe Systems Incorporated) embedded into browser
`software; therefore, the terminal 30 can fetch from the system
`10 a SWF file embedded in HTML data and execute the SWF
`file by using the browser software and the plug-in software.
`0039. When an online game is executed on the terminal 30,
`for example, animation oran operation icon designated by the
`program may be displayed on a screen of the terminal 30. The
`player may enter an instruction for causing the game to
`progress using an input interface of the terminal 30. The
`instruction entered by the player may be transmitted to the
`system 10 through the browser of the terminal 30 or a function
`of an execution environment such as NgCoreTM.
`0040. Next, the functionality of the system 10 imple
`mented by the components shown in FIG. 1 will now be
`described. As described above, the system 10, which can
`provide various online games, will now be described with a
`focus on functions related to provision of competition card
`games of sports (particularly, competition card games of
`American football). competition card games of sports are
`examples suitable for description of an embodiment of the
`present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the
`functionality of a system 10 according to an embodiment of
`the present invention. As shown, the system 10 may comprise:
`a game progress control unit 51 configured to control
`progress of an online game; an information storage unit con
`figured to store information; a formation setting unit 53 con
`figured to set formations to be used by a player (first player)
`and an opponent (second player) from among a plurality of
`formations each constituted by a plurality of positions, and
`arrangement of athlete cards (game contents) to the plurality
`of positions constituting the set formations; and a competition
`processing unit 54 configured to specify at least one position
`constituting the formations used by the player and at least one
`position constituting the formations used by the opponent
`based on at least one of the formations used by the player and
`the formations used by the opponent and perform a competi
`tion process for progressing the competition game based on
`ability values (parameter information) of the game contents
`arranged at the specified positions. These functions may be
`implemented through cooperation between the CPU 11 of the
`system 10 and various programs and tables stored in the main
`memory 12 and the external memory 15, wherein, for
`example, the CPU 11 performs a program including at least
`part of modules corresponding to the functions of the game
`progress control unit 51, a formation setting unit 53, and a
`competition processing unit 54.
`0041. The game progress control unit 51 may send and
`receive various data required for the progression of the game
`to and from the terminal 30 and manage such data for each
`player, thereby controlling the progression of the game for
`each player. For example, the game progress control unit 51
`can sequentially display, on the terminal 30, web pages con
`stituting a web site for providing online games in response to
`a request from the terminal 30. When a hyperlink on the
`
`Supercell
`Exhibit 1014
`Page 14
`
`

`

`US 2014/0349723 A1
`
`Nov. 27, 2014
`
`displayed web page is selected by the player, the game
`progress control unit 51 may send new HTML data corre
`sponding to the hyperlink to the terminal 30. The terminal 30
`may display a web page based on the new HTML data. Thus,
`the game progress control unit 51 may control the game Such
`that web pages stored on the system 10 are sequentially pro
`vided to the terminal 30 in accordance with the operation by
`the player, and the player can progress the game by his own
`operation through the function of the game progress control
`unit 51.
`0042. When the terminal 30 executes the game applica
`tion, the game progress control unit 51 can send various data
`used in the game to the game application. For example, when
`receiving from a game application on the terminal 30 a con
`trol signal indicating that a certain mission has been cleared,
`the game progress control unit 51 may provide the game
`application with various parameters related to a mission Sub
`sequent to the cleared mission. The game application may
`load the data provided by the system 10 and progress the
`game.
`0043. The terminal 30 can appropriately send to the sys
`tem 10 various information on progression of the game Such
`as information indicating various parameter values used in
`the game (information on earned game points and earned
`items) and information indicating a status (information speci
`fying a fulfilled mission), through the function of browser
`Software or the game application. The game progress control
`unit 51 may store, for each player, information on the pro
`gression of the game received from a plurality of terminals 30,
`thereby controlling the progression of the game for each
`player. Thus, when the player logs in the system 10 using his
`own ID, the game may be resumed from the stage correspond
`ing to the progression of the player (e.g., the stage where the
`game was interrupted) based on the information on the pro
`gression of the game associated with the player stored in the
`system 10. The information required for the progression of
`the game may also be managed by various functions of the
`system 10 other than the game progress control unit 51.
`0044) The information storage unit 52 may comprise: a
`game content management table 52a for managing informa
`tion on game contents used in the competition card games; an
`owned game content management table 52b for managing
`information on game contents owned by the player, and a
`formation management table 52c for managing setting of
`formation of the player and an opponent used in the compe
`tition card game.
`0045 FIG. 4 shows an example of information managed
`by the game content management table 52a. As shown, the
`game content management table 52a may manage, in asso
`ciation with “game content ID identifying a game content
`Such as an athlete card, information Such as "athlete name
`indicating the name of an athlete corresponding to the athlete
`card, “team name indicating the name of the team to which
`the athlete corresponding to the athlete card belongs in reality,
`“position' of the athlete card, “ability value' assigned to the
`athlete card, “physical strength value.” “cost.” “image file'
`specifying an image file for the athlete card, “skill assigned
`to the athlete card, and “rarity value.” The “ability value” can
`be increased by fusion of athlete cards (raise of level using an
`athlete card of another athlete) or evolution (raise of level
`using an athlete card of the same athlete). The “skill is
`information previously assigned to athlete cards having a
`high “rarity value' or newly assigned to athlete cards in
`accordance with the level raised through fusion or evolution.
`
`As will be described later, special events can be generated in
`accordance with the skill in competition card games. The
`game content management table 52a may manage other game
`contents such as items used in the competition card game, in
`addition to the athlete cards.
`0046 FIG. 5 shows an example of information managed
`by the owned game content management table 52b. As
`shown, the owned game content management table 52b may
`manage information Such as combination of player ID
`identifying a player and 'game content ID' identifying a
`game content such as an athlete card owned by the player. In
`an embodiment, when the player plays the competition card
`game for the first time, the system 10 may provide a plurality
`of athlete cards to the player; and then, the player purchases a
`card, exchanges cards with another player, obtains a card
`through a lottery (gacha), or sells a card. Every time the
`number of cards increases or decreases, the owned game
`content management table 52b may be updated.
`0047 FIG. 6 shows an example of information managed
`by the formation management table 52c. The formation man
`agement table 52c may manage setting of formation used by
`the player and the opponent in the competition card game,
`including: offensive positions 1 to 11 and defensive positions
`1 to 11. These 22 positions may have information assigned
`thereto Such as "position name corresponding to a selected
`formation, "game content ID' identifying an athlete card
`positioned at the position, "current physical strength value'
`indicating the current physical strength value of the athlete
`card positioned at the position, and "skill exercise flag indi
`cating whether the skill assigned to the athlete card positioned
`at the position has been exercised in the competition card
`game. The example shown in FIG. 6 illustrates the setting of
`formation of one of the player and the opponent but actually,
`the setting of the formation of the other may be likewise
`managed.
`0048 Next, operations of the above system 10 as an
`embodiment of the present invention will now be described.
`FIG. 7 shows a flow diagram illustrating an example of game
`process performed by the system 10 providing a competition
`card game of American football. The game process may be
`performe