JP7505608B2 - PROGRAM AND INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a program and an information processing device.

Conventionally, games have been known in which a player is given paid items based on the payment made by the player, and a lottery is held based on the consumption of the paid items.

In this regard, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that changes the lottery probability based on the number of players in a group.

JP 2017-56209 A

However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 had the problem that, for example, in an event where a player could win a lottery for a better reward than previous rewards, players who had actively spent paid items in the past would feel that they had lost out, which would result in them losing interest in the game.

The present invention was made in consideration of these problems, and its purpose is to provide a program and information processing device that can prevent a player from feeling that they have lost out even when they consume paid items.

In order to solve the above problem, a program according to one aspect of the present invention is a program for providing a game in which paid items are awarded to a player based on the payment of a fee by the player, and causes a computer to function as: a lottery means for executing a lottery based on an execution instruction from the player; a judgment means for determining whether the player is a specific player who has previously paid a fee in the game and has a small number of paid items compared to a predetermined number; and, when the judgment means judges that the player is the specific player, a reward granting means for granting a reward to the player in accordance with the execution of the lottery.
Note that "smaller than a predetermined number" includes both the case where the number is equal to or less than the predetermined number and the case where the number is less than the predetermined number.

In the above embodiment, if a player is a specific player who has a smaller number of paid items than a predetermined number, a reward is given to that player, so that the player is prevented from feeling that he or she has lost out even if he or she consumes paid items.

The present invention makes it possible to prevent players from feeling that they have lost out when they consume paid items.

1 is a block diagram showing an example of an overall configuration of a game system 1 including an information processing device (computer) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a server device. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional unit of a server device. 4 is a flowchart showing an outline of the process flow of each functional unit shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a pre-lottery screen displayed on the terminal device.

Below, an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "the present embodiment") will be described with reference to the attached drawings. To facilitate understanding of the description, the same components and steps in each drawing will be given the same reference numerals as much as possible, and duplicate descriptions will be omitted.

<Overall composition>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a game system 1 including an information processing device (computer) according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the game system 1 is a system that provides a game to one or more players. The game system 1 includes a server device 10 as an information processing device according to this embodiment, and one or more terminal devices 12. The server device 10 and the terminal devices 12 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a communication network NT such as an intranet or the Internet.

The server device 10 is an information processing device that provides each terminal device 12 with a game obtained by executing the game program 14, or with the game program 14 itself, via the communication network NT. In this embodiment, the server device 10 executes the game program 14, transmits the results of the execution (image data, audio data, etc.) to each terminal device 12, and outputs the results, thereby providing a game to each terminal device 12. Note that the game program 14 may be executed by the terminal devices 12 and the server device 10 in cooperation.

Each terminal device 12 is an information processing device owned by a player, and provides a game to the player by outputting the execution results of the game program 14 received from the server device 10. These terminal devices 12 include various devices such as video game machines, portable game machines, arcade game machines, smartphones, tablets, and personal computers. Each terminal device 12 is connectable to the server device 10 via the communication network NT. Each terminal device 12 may provide a game to the player by downloading the game program 14 from the server device 10 and executing the game program 14 itself.

<Hardware Configuration>
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the server device 10. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the server device 10 includes a control device 20, a communication device 26, and a storage device 28. The control device 20 is mainly configured with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 22 and a memory 24.

In the control device 20, the CPU 22 executes a predetermined program stored in the memory 24 or the storage device 28, etc., to function as various functional means. Details of these functional means will be described later.

The communication device 26 is configured with a communication interface for communicating with an external device. The communication device 26 transmits and receives various information to and from the terminal device 12, for example.

The storage device 28 is composed of a hard disk or the like. The storage device 28 stores various programs and information necessary for executing processing in the control device 20, including the game program 14, as well as information on the processing results.

The server device 10 can be realized using an information processing device such as a dedicated or general-purpose server computer. The server device 10 may be composed of a single information processing device, or may be composed of multiple information processing devices distributed over a communication network NT. FIG. 2 shows only a portion of the main hardware configuration of the server device 10, and the server device 10 may have other configurations that are generally included in a server. The hardware configuration of the multiple terminal devices 12 may also have the same configuration as the server device 10, except for including, for example, an operating means, a display device, and a sound output device.

＜Game Overview＞
The game according to the present embodiment is a game in which a paid item is given to a player based on the payment of a charge by the player (payment of a currency equivalent to money, credit, virtual currency, etc.). In the description of the present embodiment, the payment of a charge includes the meaning that the player pays a fee. The paid item is set with a right to draw a lottery in the game (lottery right). That is, the player can draw a lottery by consuming the paid item. The paid item may be consumed for purposes other than the lottery, such as recovering parameters required to execute the game, reviving an ally character, or increasing the player's item possession frame. The paid item is not given according to the game result, but is given only by the payment of a charge. The player can possess multiple paid items at one time. The paid items are set in the game under names such as jewels, tickets, coins, etc., although there is no particular limitation. The jewels, etc. may be collectively called, for example, "paid stones" (or "paid items"), etc.

The game according to this embodiment also allows a lottery to be held even when non-chargeable items are consumed. Non-chargeable items are given free of charge depending on the number of logins, game play results, etc. Non-chargeable items may also be given by paying a fee. Non-chargeable items are set in the game under names such as gems, tickets, coins, etc., just like paid items. Non-chargeable items are managed separately from paid items, and the player can keep track of how many of each they have. These gems, etc. may be collectively referred to as "free stones" (or "free items"), for example.

<Functional Means>
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional units of the server device 10. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the server device 10 includes functional means such as a storage means 40, a game progression means 42, a billing means 44, a lottery means 46, a determination means 48, and a reward granting means 50. The storage means 40 is realized by one or more storage devices 28. The functional means other than the storage means 40 are realized by the control device 20 executing the game program 14 stored in the storage device 28 or the like.

The storage means 40 has a function of storing play data 40A for each player, multiple lottery tables 40B as lottery data, etc. The play data 40A describes the progress of the player's game, player information, items possessed by the player, items in the present box, thresholds for paid items, charge history information, charge rank that increases with payment of charges, etc. The lottery table 40B describes the probability of winning and the contents of the lottery reward to be given to the player upon winning.

The game progression means 42 has the function of progressing the game in response to the player's operations.

The billing means 44 has the function of granting billing items to a player based on the payment of a bill by the player.

The lottery means 46 has a function of executing a lottery based on the lottery table 40B in response to an execution instruction from the player, and if the player wins, granting a reward (hereinafter referred to as a "lottery reward"). Examples of lottery rewards include game items, in-game characters, new quests, etc. The lottery means 46 may consume paid items or non-paid items possessed by the player when conducting the lottery. The lottery means 46 may not consume items when conducting the lottery.

The determining means 48 has a function of determining whether a player has paid a fee in the game of this embodiment in the past and has a number of paid items that meets a predetermined condition when compared with a predetermined number ("threshold" in this embodiment), for example, whether the player is a specific player whose number is less than the threshold. Whether or not a fee has been paid can be determined based on the charge history information included in the play data 40A. Note that "less than the threshold" includes both the case where the number is equal to or less than the threshold and the case where the number is less than the threshold. In addition, if the number of paid items is originally less than the threshold, there is little need to grant a consumption reward, so for example, the reward granting means 50 may grant a reward when the number of paid items goes from being equal to or more than the threshold to being less than the threshold. In addition, the "number of paid items of the player" may be the number of paid items owned by the player or the number of paid items consumed by the player. In addition, the paid items owned by the player may include not only the paid items in the possession frame associated with the player, but also the number of paid items in the present box temporarily stored.

The threshold is not particularly limited, but is preferably a value smaller than the average number of paid items possessed by a player, such as 10 or 5. The threshold may be variable for each player, or may be common to all players. If the threshold is variable, it may vary depending on, for example, the player's playing time, play level, number of paid items purchased or consumed, or billing history information (amount of billing or number of billings) in the play data 40A corresponding to the player. For example, if the amount of billing or number of billings is high, the threshold may be lowered from the current value.

The reward granting means 50 has a function of granting a reward (hereinafter referred to as "consumed reward") to a player determined to be a specific player by the determination means 48 in response to the execution of a lottery.

The consumable reward is not particularly limited, but may include rewards for changing the lottery table 40B to benefit the player, paid items, non-paid items, characters, experience points, in-game currency, and recovery of parameters necessary to run the game. It is preferable that the consumable reward is different from the lottery reward obtained by lottery. Examples of "rewards for changing the lottery table 40B to benefit the player" include increasing the probability of winning described in the lottery table 40B, improving the quality of the content (lottery reward) given to the player upon winning, increasing the number of lottery rewards, and giving paid or non-paid items even if the player loses.

<Processing flow of each function means>
Fig. 4 is a flow chart showing an outline of the process flow of each functional means shown in Fig. 3. This process is started, for example, when a lottery button is pressed on the game menu screen. Note that the order and contents of the following steps can be changed as appropriate.

(Step SP10)
The game progression means 42 displays a pre-lottery screen on the terminal device 12 by transmitting screen data to the terminal device 12 .

Figure 5 shows an example of a pre-lottery screen 100 displayed on the terminal device 12.

The pre-lottery screen 100 shown in FIG. 5 is provided with a purchase button 102, a first lottery start button 104, and a second lottery start button 106. The purchase button 102 allows the player to purchase paid stones by paying a fee based on the processing of the charging means 44. The first lottery start button 104 allows the player to consume paid stones as a charged item to enter a lottery. The second lottery start button 106 allows the player to consume free stones as a non-charged item to enter a lottery. Note that the processing when the purchase button 102 or the second lottery start button 106 is pressed is the same as conventional processing, so a description thereof will be omitted.

Returning to FIG. 4, processing proceeds to step SP12.

(Step SP12)
The lottery means 46 acquires play data 40A corresponding to a player, and determines whether or not the charge rank is a predetermined rank, for example, rank X or higher, based on the play data 40A. X is an integer equal to or greater than 1, and is 4 in this embodiment. A player who has never paid a charge in the past has a charge rank of 0. A charge rank of 1 or higher indicates that the player has paid a charge in the past. The lottery means 46 may determine whether or not a player has paid a charge of a predetermined amount or more, based on charge history information in the play data 40A, rather than determining the charge rank.

If the above judgment is positive, the process proceeds to step SP16, and if the above judgment is negative, the process proceeds to step SP14.

(Step SP14)
The lottery means 46 deactivates the first lottery start button 104. Then, the series of processes shown in FIG.

(Step SP16)
The lottery means 46 judges whether or not the number of lotteries in one day for the player is Y. Here, Y is an integer equal to or greater than 2, and is 3 in this embodiment. If the judgment is affirmative, the process proceeds to step SP18, and if the judgment is negative, the process proceeds to step SP14.

(Step SP18)
The lottery means 46 activates the first lottery start button 104. Then, the process proceeds to step SP20.

(Step SP20)
The determination means 48 determines whether the number of paid stones is less than a predetermined number, for example, Z. In other words, the determination means 48 determines whether the player of the terminal device 12 is a specific player who has less than Z paid stones. Z is an integer equal to or greater than 1, and is 10 in this embodiment. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step SP22, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step SP26. The determination means 48 may make a determination not at the time of the lottery but at a predetermined period such as one day or one week. In this case, a flag may be set only when the determination is affirmative, and in step SP20, the determination means 48 may determine whether the flag is set.

(Step SP22)
The reward granting means 50 grants the consumption reward to the player. In this embodiment, the reward granting means 50 changes the lottery table 40B so that the probability of winning is increased as the consumption reward and the lottery reward can be granted even if the lottery result is a loss. Then, the process proceeds to step SP24.

(Step SP24)
The reward granting means 50 notifies the player that the lottery table 40B has been changed. Examples of the notification method include a method of displaying the change on the pre-lottery screen 100 (for example, displaying "rescue mode" for rescuing a player who has consumed a paid item) or a method of outputting the change by voice. Then, the process proceeds to step SP26.

(Step SP26)
The lottery means 46 judges whether or not the first lottery start button 104 has been pressed, based on the operation data transmitted from the terminal device 12. If the judgment is affirmative, the process proceeds to step SP28, and if the judgment is negative, the series of processes shown in FIG.

(Step SP28)
The selection means 46 judges whether or not the player's selection is the first time. If the judgment is affirmative, the process proceeds to step SP32, and if the judgment is negative, the process proceeds to step SP30. The selection means 46 may judge whether or not the player's number of selections is less than a predetermined number within a predetermined period (which may be the same as or different from the period for judging whether the player is a specific player, for example). If the predetermined period has elapsed, the number of selections for the player is reset.

(Step SP30)
The lottery means 46 consumes a predetermined number of paid stones, for example, 1 or 10. Then, the process proceeds to step SP32.

(Step SP32)
The selection means 46 executes a selection based on the selection table 40B or the changed selection table. That is, when the player has selected a lottery for the first time, the selection means 46 executes a selection without consuming a paid item, and when the player has selected a lottery for the first time or more, the selection means 46 executes a selection by consuming a paid item. Then, the process proceeds to step SP34.

(Step SP34)
The lottery means 46 awards the lottery reward to the player based on the lottery result, and the series of processes shown in FIG.

<Action>
As described above, according to this embodiment, when a player is a specific player who has consumed paid items and the number of paid items is small compared to a threshold value, a consumption reward is awarded to the specific player, thereby preventing the player from feeling that he or she has lost out even if he or she consumes paid items.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the lottery table 40B is changed to benefit the player as a consumption reward, so that the player is prevented from feeling that he or she has lost out even if he or she consumes a paid item to enter the lottery.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the player is notified that the lottery table 40B has been changed before the lottery is performed, so that the player can be prompted to perform the lottery.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the lottery means 46 may execute a lottery without consuming paid items if the player has entered the lottery less than a predetermined number of times within a predetermined period, and may execute a lottery by consuming paid items if the player has entered the lottery a predetermined number of times or more within the period. In this case, the player's opportunities to enter the lottery are increased, thereby maintaining interest in the game.

In addition, according to this embodiment, if the paid rank associated with a player is below a predetermined rank, the lottery is not executed (see step SP12), so consumption rewards can be awarded only to players who have actively consumed paid items in the past.

<Modification>
The present invention is not limited to the above specific examples. In other words, even if a person skilled in the art appropriately modifies the above specific examples, the same will be included in the scope of the present invention as long as the features of the present invention are included. In addition, the elements of the above-mentioned embodiment and the modified examples described below can be combined to the extent technically possible, and such combinations will also be included in the scope of the present invention as long as they include the features of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, the lottery reward is awarded before the lottery starts, but it may be awarded after the lottery starts. In this case, the lottery reward is not a reward for changing the lottery table 40B, but rather, for example, a paid item or a non-paid item.

In the above embodiment, the functional means 40 to 50 are provided in the server device 10, but all or part of the functional means 40 to 50 may be provided in the terminal device 12.

In the above embodiment, the reward granting means 50 grants a reward to a player who has paid a fee in the past and whose number of paid items is less than a threshold value. However, the reward may be granted to a player whose number of non-paid items is less than a threshold value.

In the above embodiment, a single threshold for the number of paid items is set, but multiple thresholds may be set. For example, when a first threshold and a second threshold lower than the first threshold are set, the reward granting means 50 may grant a first consumption reward to a player when the number of paid items of the player is less than the first threshold, and grant a second consumption reward to the player when the number of paid items of the player is less than the second threshold. In this case, the first consumption reward and the second consumption reward may be the same or different. When the first consumption reward and the second consumption reward are different, it is preferable that the second consumption reward is a better reward than the first consumption reward.

10...Server device (computer)
12...Terminal device (computer)
14...Game program (program)
46: lottery means 48: determination means 50: reward giving means

Claims (4)

A program for providing a game that provides a player with a paid item based on a payment made by the player, comprising:
Computer ,
a determination means for determining, in response to a lottery execution instruction by the player, whether the player is a specific player who has previously paid a charge for the game and has a number of the charged items in his/her possession that is smaller than a predetermined number;
a reward providing means for providing the player with a reward for changing the lottery data when the determining means determines that the player is the specific player;
a lottery means for executing the lottery based on lottery data changed by the reward granting means when the determination means determines that the player is the specified player, and for executing the lottery based on lottery data not changed by the reward granting means when the determination means determines that the player is not the specified player;
A program to function as a The reward granting means changes the winning probability , the quality of the contents , or the number of the contents in the lottery data.
The program according to claim 1. the determining means determines whether the player is the specific player who has charged a predetermined amount or more;
3. The program according to claim 1 or 2. An information processing device that provides a game in which a paid item is given to a player based on a payment made by the player, the information processing device comprising :
a determination means for determining, in response to a lottery execution instruction by the player, whether the player is a specific player who has previously paid a fee for the game and has a number of the paid items in his possession that is smaller than a predetermined number;
a reward providing means for providing the player with a reward for changing the lottery data when the determining means determines that the player is the specific player;
a lottery means for executing the lottery based on lottery data changed by the reward granting means when the determination means determines that the player is the specified player, and for executing the lottery based on lottery data not changed by the reward granting means when the determination means determines that the player is not the specified player;
An information processing device comprising :

Images