Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Data storage or retrieval
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-25
2001-08-07
Harrison, Jessica J. (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Data storage or retrieval
C463S044000, C463S045000, C463S001000, C463S007000, C463S008000, C273S440100, C273S460000, C273S461000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06270416
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video game, and more particularly, to a technique for controlling items which cause changes in progress of a video game played.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are various kinds of video games. In some of them, a player character operated by a player can obtain items during the game progress. The items cause changes in the game progress, and are set to differ per kind in contents of changes and effects influenced on the game progress.
For instance, in video games where a player character operated by a player fights an enemy character controlled by a computer, an item causes the following change onto the game progress:
Specifically, when the player inputs a command to use an item possessed by the player character, a parameter representing attack power, defense power, physical stamina or the like set for the player character is increased or decreased by a predetermined value, or the player character can implement a special attack or defense.
Other than those video games where the player character and the enemy character fight each other, such video games are available wherein a turning point of a game scenario or permission to proceed to the next game stage is controlled depending on whether or not the player character has a particular item.
In the video games, the player character normally obtains an item by buying it in a store, finding it on the game field, or winning it by clearing a predetermined event such as a battle with an enemy character. The obtained item is set to be owned by the player character.
The player selects an item to use from among items owned by the player character according to the state of the game progress. Then, depending on the selected item, the game progress is subjected to a corresponding change. Accordingly, the item is a factor for giving variation to the game progress to make the game more pleasant.
For enhancing the attractiveness of the video game wherein the items are obtainable during the game progress, it is desirable to improve a control manner with respect to generation, growth and extinction of the item.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a video game wherein an item is changed to a different item according to the number of times of having used the former item.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video game apparatus for playing a video game wherein a character is capable of possessing an item which causes a change in progress of the video game, the apparatus comprising first storage means for storing first items corresponding to second items, the first items each assigned the number of preset using times thereof by the character; second storage means for storing the number of used times of each of the first items possessed by the character; updating means for updating the number of used times of one of the first items possessed by the character stored in the second storage means when the one of the first items is used in response to an operation inputted by a player; judging means for judging whether the number of used times of the one of the first items updated by the updating means reaches the number of preset using times of the one of the first items; and changing means for changing the one of the first items to corresponding one of the second items stored in the first storage means when the judging means judges that the number of used times of the one of the first items reaches the number of preset using times of the one of the first items.
In the foregoing video game apparatus, when the item possessed by the character is used, the number of used times thereof is updated. Then, if the number of used times of the item reaches a predetermined value, the item is changed to a different item. Thus, depending on a frequency of using the item by the character during the progress of the game, the item possessed by the character is changed to a different item at a different time point or scene so that the attractiveness of the game can be enhanced.
Further, since an item has an attribute to cause a change in progress of a game, if the item is changed at a different time point or scene, the progress of the game can be diversified.
In the foregoing video game apparatus, it may be arranged that the game realizes a battle between the character and another character, and that the changing means changes the one of the first items to the corresponding one of the second items after the battle is finished.
In this case, the item is not changed during the battle between the characters. Thus, the attractiveness of the game is not spoiled, which would be otherwise spoiled due to a change of the item during the battle.
It may be arranged that the video game apparatus further comprises guidance display means which causes a guidance to be displayed when the changing means changes the one of the first items to the corresponding one of the second items, the guidance notifying a change of the one of the first items to the corresponding one of the second items.
It may be further arranged that the changing means determines whether to change the one of the first items to the corresponding one of the second items in accordance with a preset probability value.
In this case, even if the number of used times of the item possessed by the character reaches the predetermined value, it is possible that the item is changed or not changed. Thus, the progress of the game is changed unexpectedly so that the attractiveness of the game can be enhanced.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of playing a video game wherein a character is capable of possessing an item which causes a change in progress of the video game, the method comprising a first step for updating the number of used times of one of items possessed by the character when the one of the items is used in response to an operation inputted by a player; a second step for judging whether the number of used times of the one of the items updated at the first step reaches the number of preset using times of the one of the items; and a third step for changing the one of the items to a different item which is stored in advance corresponding to the one of the items.
In the foregoing method, it may be arranged that the game realizes a battle between the character and another character, and that the third step changes the one of the items to the different item after the battle is finished.
It may be arranged that the foregoing method further comprises a guidance display step for causing a guidance to be displayed when the third step changes the one of the items to the different item, the guidance notifying a change of the one of the items to the different item.
It may be further arranged that the third step determines whether to change the one of the items to the different item in accordance with a preset probability value.
By using a computer to execute the foregoing steps, the same effects can be achieved as those achieved by the foregoing video game apparatus.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a video game wherein a character is capable of possessing an item which causes a change in progress of the video game, the program comprising a first step for updating the number of used times of one of items possessed by the character when the one of the items is used in response to an operation inputted by a player; a second step for judging whether the number of used times of the one of the items updated at the first step reaches the number of preset using times of the one of the items; and a third step for changing the one of the items to a different item which is stored in advance corresponding to the one of the items.
In the foregoing computer-readable storage medium, it may be arranged that the game realizes a battle between the character and another character, and wherein the th
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Harrison Jessica J.
Nguyen Binh-An D.
Square Co., Ltd.
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