Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-18
2001-06-26
O'Neill, Michael (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
C463S043000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06251010
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image-display game machines, image-display game systems, and information storage media storing game programs therefor. More specifically, the present invention relates to video game machines and portable game machines capable of simulating the capturing, training, and exchanging characters including those which appear to be monsters, and an information storage medium storing a game program therefor. Those characters are additionally provided with property data depending on time or time zone.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, video game machines adopting time-varying factors are disclosed in Japanese Laying-Open Publications (examined Patent Publications) No. 7-98104 (hereinafter referred to as “prior art 1”), No. 7-98105 (hereinafter referred to as “prior art 2”), and No. 7-98106 (hereinafter referred to as “prior art
3
”). According to each of these prior arts 1, 2, and 3, a calendar timer is provided in a game machine cartridge for carrying out a predetermined event on a predetermined date or day of the week.
In addition to the above prior art, a game referred to as “Pocket Monster (four versions of red, green, blue, and yellow)” (trade name; hereinafter referred to as “prior art 4”) which is designed and marketed by the assignee of applicants is available. The prior art 4 is a type of game capturing, training, and exchanging characters (hereinafter referred to as either pocket monsters or characters). For each version of the game, the appearance probability of a pocket monster (hereinafter shortened as “Pokemon”, as required) is set differently. A player can capture or collect the maximum number of monsters by exchanging their monsters therebetween after playing each version of the game.
By referring to a block diagram shown in
FIG. 12
, the structure of the conventional image-display game machine according to the prior art
4
is described. A conventional image-display game machine GBC is roughly classified into a program source
100
C and a game machine
200
. The program source
100
C stores information such as programs necessary for executing the image-display game on the game machine
200
and is detachably connected to the game machine
200
.
The program source
100
C is preferably structured in a form of cartridge including a ROM
11
C, a RAM
12
C, a memory bank controller
15
, and a connector
13
. The ROM
11
C is implemented by non-volatile memory such as ROM, flash memory, and EEPROM to fixedly store the game program. The ROM
11
C stores programs required by the contents of the game. If the game is a type of capturing and training characters such as monsters, for example, the stored programs are a capturing program and a training program. The ROM
11
C also stores dot data for displaying each monster as an image and further stores a program for exchanging data, as required, among other game machines
200
.
The RAM
12
C is implemented by readable/writable memory, typified by RAM, and includes a memory region for storing a plurality of property data items for each type of character obtained in the course of playing the game.
The memory bank controller
15
divides a memory chunk of the ROM
11
C into a plurality of banks when the memory chunk is too large for an address bus to address, and generates bank data for the higher address in the ROM
11
C and for addressing a memory chunk in the RAM
12
C. The ROM
11
C, RAM
12
C, and memory bank controller
15
are connected to the game machine
200
via the connector
13
in a detachable manner.
The game machine
200
is mainly structured by an operation switch portion
22
, a central processing unit (CPU)
23
, a connector
24
, a RAM
25
, a display controller
26
, a liquid crystal display (LCD)
27
, an interface
28
, and a connector
29
. The RAM
25
and the display controller
26
are connected to the CPU
23
. The RAM
25
is working memory that temporarily stores data necessary for processing during the game. The LCD
27
is connected to the display controller
26
.
Further, the CPU
23
is connected to the connector
29
through the interface circuit
28
. The connector
29
is connected to another connector
29
of a separate game machine
200
via a cable when the player exchanges the obtained characters such as monsters with another player who is an owner of another game machine
200
. Note that the CPU
23
is connected with the program source
100
C through the connector
24
.
Next, by referring to
FIG. 13
, the structure of a memory region of the RAM
12
C is described in detail. The memory region of the RAM
12
C includes an obtained Pokemon data region DAamC and an environmental data region DoC. The obtained Pokemon data region DaamC stores data that defines each of the obtained game characters, or Pokemons, and properties thereof. Each of the obtained Pokemons is recorded and identified as any of records R
1
to RN (where N is a natural number). Each record R has fields I
1
to I
9
for each storing item that defines the obtained Pokemon.
In the field I
1
, a monster code (Pokemon number) assigned for each type of Pokemon is stored.
In the field I
2
, hit points (HP) possessed by the Pokemon are stored.
In the field I
3
, experience points possessed by the Pokemon are stored.
In the field I
4
, a level of the Pokemon is stored.
In the field I
5
, a status of the Pokemon is stored.
In the field I
6
, technique (possible attack) data of the Pokemon is stored.
In the field I
7
, an ID showing a player is stored.
In the field I
8
, values indicating Pokemon's ability such as an attack power, a defense power, a special attack power, a special defense power, and quickness are stored.
The field I
9
is a spare field for storing data other than the above items stored in the fields I
1
to I
8
.
Note that the data stored in the above fields I
2
, I
3
, I
4
, I
5
, I
6
, I
8
and I
9
are updated with the progress of the game.
As described above, each obtained Pokemon is defined by any of the records R
1
to RN, and the properties thereof are defined by the fields I
1
to I
9
. That is to say, a property of an arbitrary obtained Pokemon is represented by P (Rn, Im), where n is a natural number equal to or smaller than N, and m is a natural number equal to or smaller than
9
. The property data stored in the fields I
1
to I
9
, however, does not have a time-varying factor such as time or time zone giving an unexpectance to the game.
In the environmental data region DoC, environmental data required for the progress of the game are stored. Such data includes a location, a time when the game is played, a name of a player, and the like. The data stored in the environmental data region Doc does not have a time-varying factor such as time or time zone giving an unexpectance to the game.
As described in the foregoing, according to the prior art 1, 2, and 3, a player just enjoys a predetermined event carried out by a program on a predetermined date or day of the week but can not enjoy capturing or exchanging the characters. Accordingly, once the player learned what event is carried out on what time, the unexpectancy of the event is dismissed. Thus, the player soon becomes not interested in the game.
On the other hand, compared with the prior art 1, 2, and 3, the player can enjoy the game in the prior art 4 relatively longer without losing his/her interest. Further, it is helpful to deepen communications and cultivate friendships through exchanging the monsters with friends. However, also in the prior art 4, the player will get tired of the game as time passes.
A main object of the present invention is to provide an image-display game machine and an information storage medium storing a game program therefor that diversifies contents of the game and increases amusement so as to stir up aspirations of the player to challenge the game many times by introducing the time-varying factor. Another object is to provide an image-display game machine and an information storage medium storing a game program there
Ishihara Tsunekazu
Tajiri Satoshi
Nintendo Co. Ltd.
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
O'Neill Michael
LandOfFree
Game machine apparatus and method with enhanced time-related... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Game machine apparatus and method with enhanced time-related..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Game machine apparatus and method with enhanced time-related... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2454959