Game device, operation method, and program

In a game device participating in a multiplayer game, a game device suitable for sharing information about an event that occurred during a time zone during which the game could not be participated due to a communication failure or the like with another game device, an operation method, And about the program.

Conventionally, a type of multiplayer game in which a plurality of game devices communicate with each other to advance a game has become widespread. One of the real thrills of such a game is for the player to work with other players to achieve a common goal, such as defeating an enemy. In recent years, various techniques have been proposed for more enjoyable play in cooperation with other players.

For example, Cited Document 1 discloses a game system that makes it easy to find an opponent who seems to like each other in a network game. In this game system, attributes and attribute conditions are stored in association with each player, and the attributes stored in association with the screen providing player to which the game screen is provided and the player character displayed on the game screen are stored. The display mode of the player character to be operated by the screen display player is determined based on the attribute conditions stored in association with the screen display player to be operated. By displaying the player character of the player who wants to communicate with himself / herself separately from the others, it is possible to easily find the opponent who seems to be in tune with the network game.

<p><patcit num="1"><text>Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-081818</text></patcit></p>

<p> On the other hand, there are cases where the player turns off the power to sit in the middle of the game, or the communication of the game device is cut off due to a communication trouble or the like. At this time, the game is continued on a game device other than the game device whose communication is disconnected. However, the game device whose communication is disconnected cannot grasp the behavior of the character operated on the other game device and the progress of the game obtained as a result during that time. In order to further enhance the sense of unity with other players, there is a need for a mechanism that allows the progress of the game during the period when the game device cannot participate in the game to be shared with the game device operated by the other player.</p><p> The present invention is for solving the above-mentioned problems, and provides information on an event that occurs in a time zone in which a game device participating in a multiplayer game cannot participate in the game due to a communication failure or the like. It relates to a game device suitable for sharing with other game devices, an operation method, and a program.</p>

<p> In order to achieve the above object, the game device according to the first aspect of the present invention is the game device of the game system in which a plurality of game devices communicate with each other to participate in the game, and the event storage unit and the event storage unit are used. It includes an event acquisition request unit, an event acquisition response unit, and a playback display unit.</p><p> First, when an event occurs during the progress of the game, the event storage unit stores event information including display information for displaying the event and the occurrence time of the event.</p><p> Here, the event is an important event in the progress of the game, such as "found XX" or "defeated XX", and the occurrence of the event is automatically determined by a predetermined method. When it is determined that an event has occurred during game play, the event storage unit collects event information including the time of occurrence and display information at the moment of occurrence, that is, image data. When the display information among the collected event information is reproduced in the order of the occurrence time, it is possible to reproduce and display the digest of the play contents in the game device at predetermined time intervals like a slide show.</p><p> In addition, the event acquisition request unit transmits an event acquisition request for designating a time zone during which the game device could not participate in the game to the other game device.</p><p> Here, the time zone during which the player cannot participate in the game is, for example, a time zone in which the player turns off the power in order to sit in the middle of the game, or the communication of the game device is disconnected due to a communication trouble or the like. The game device cannot collect event information during such time. On the other hand, in the case of a multiplayer game, typically, even if communication with one of the game devices is disconnected, the other game device continues the game and collects event information. Therefore, the event acquisition request unit specifies a time zone during which the game device could not participate in the game, and transmits an event request in order to collect event information from another game device for the event that occurred during that time.</p><p> Further, the event acquisition response unit receives the event acquisition request from another game device, and among the event information stored in the event storage unit, the occurrence time is included in the time zone specified in the event acquisition request. The event acquisition response that specifies the event acquisition information is returned to the other game device that sent the event acquisition request.</p><p> That is, the game device requests the other game device for event information about the event that occurred during the time when the game could not be participated, and the other game device also stores the event stored in the own device. Receive an event acquisition request requesting that information be returned. The event acquisition response unit responds to the event acquisition request received from another game device and returns the event information included in the time zone specified in the event request.</p><p> Then, the event storage unit further stores the event information returned from the other game device. That is, the event storage unit stores not only the event information collected by the own device but also the event information collected on the other game device.</p><p> As described above, according to the present invention, the game device can collect the event information from the other game device for the event that occurred in the time zone during which the game could not be participated, whereby the other game device can be collected. It becomes possible to share information with.</p><p> Further, the time zone specified in the event acquisition request may be a time zone from the time when the connection with the other game device is disconnected to the time when the connection with the other game device is established after that. ..</p><p> That is, the connection with other game devices is disconnected, for example, when the power is turned off or when a communication failure occurs. Then, when the power is turned on again or when the communication failure is resolved, the connection is established again. Therefore, the event acquisition requesting unit designates the period during which such communication is disconnected when the connection is established again as the period during which the game cannot be participated , and occurs in another game device during the period. Send an event acquisition request to return the event information of the event.</p><p> Therefore, according to the present invention, the period during which communication is disconnected can be treated as a period during which the game cannot be participated, and information about the event that occurred during the period can be shared with other game devices.</p><p> In addition, the event storage unit further stores the period during which the game device cannot collect event information about the event that occurred in the game (hereinafter referred to as "missing period"). The time zone specified in the event acquisition request is the missing period to be remembered. In the event acquisition response, a period (hereinafter referred to as "valid period") that overlaps with a period other than the missing period stored in the event storage unit among the time zones specified in the event acquisition request is further specified. When the event acquisition response is received, the period that overlaps with the valid period specified in the event acquisition response may be deleted from the missing period stored in the event storage unit.</p><p> That is, first, as described above, the game device stores the period during which the communication is disconnected and the game cannot be participated as the missing period during which the event information cannot be collected. Then, the event acquisition request is transmitted to another game device by designating the missing period. However, the game device on the side receiving the event acquisition request may also have a missing period, that is, a period in which communication is disconnected due to the power being turned off or a communication failure occurring.</p><p> Therefore, the game device on the side receiving the event acquisition request responds to the event acquisition response by a period other than the missing period stored in the own device, which is valid regardless of whether or not an event has occurred (valid period). It returns to the sender of the event acquisition request together with the event information. Then, the game device on the side that sent the event acquisition request updates the event storage unit so as to delete the period that overlaps with the valid period returned by the other game device from the missing period stored in the own device. In the game device that transmitted the event acquisition request, the period specified in the event acquisition request that was also the missing period in the other game devices is continuously stored in the event storage unit as the missing period.</p><p> In the same way, even if an event acquisition request is sent to another game device participating in the game by specifying the updated missing period, the other game device already has an event owned by the own device. Since it should have returned the information, it is not possible to provide new event information. However, the game device that did not participate in the game at the time of transmitting the event acquisition request may later return to the game. This restored game device may be collecting event information during the updated missing period. In consideration of this, the event acquisition request unit also specifies an updated missing period and transmits an event request to the returned game device even when another game device returns to the game. As a result, there is a possibility that the event information can be collected later even during the period when the event information could not be collected once.</p><p> In addition, the game device is provided with a playback display unit. The reproduction display unit may reproduce and display the display information included in the event information stored in the event storage unit.</p><p> That is, the game device may play back and display a game image of an event acquired from another game device in addition to the event generated in the own device. This allows the player to review a historical digest shared with other game devices, including event information acquired from other game devices.</p><p> In addition, the importance of event information should be determined. In the event acquisition request, a threshold value of importance accepted by the player of the game device is further specified, and the threshold value is further specified. Among the event information acquired in response to the event acquisition request from another game device, the event acquisition response unit sets another event acquisition response that specifies the event information whose importance is determined to be equal to or higher than the specified threshold value. You may reply to the game device.</p><p> That is, the player can specify the importance of the event information to be acquired from another game device. As a result, it is possible to reduce the communication cost required for sending and receiving event information and to suppress the amount of information stored in the event storage unit.</p><p> Also, make sure that the importance of the event is set. The playback display unit receives a threshold value of the importance of the event for reproducing the game image from the player, and among the event information stored in the event storage unit, the event information in which the importance equal to or higher than the received threshold value is determined. The display information may be reproduced and displayed.</p><p> That is, the player can specify the importance of the event information to be reproduced and displayed. This makes it possible to selectively play and display all event information instead of playing and displaying it.</p><p> In addition, the event information includes information on whether or not the game can be published, which is determined by the player of the game device. The event information specified in the event acquisition response may be limited to those whose availability information can be disclosed.</p><p> That is, the player can specify whether or not to provide each event information stored in the event storage unit to another game device in response to the event acquisition request. Therefore, the player can limit the event information that he does not want to share with other game devices.</p><p> Further, the operation method according to another aspect of the present invention is an operation method by the game device of a game system in which a plurality of game devices communicate with each other to participate in a game. Here, the game device includes an event storage unit, an event acquisition request unit, an event acquisition response unit, and a playback display unit. An event storage process in which the event storage unit stores event information including display information for displaying the event and the occurrence time of the event when an event occurs during the progress of the game. An event acquisition request process in which the event acquisition request unit transmits an event acquisition request for specifying a time zone during which the game device could not participate in the game to the other game device. The event acquisition response unit receives an event acquisition request from another game device, and among the event information stored in the event storage unit, the event whose occurrence time is included in the time zone specified in the event acquisition request. An event acquisition response process that returns an event acquisition response that specifies information to another game device that sent the event acquisition request. With The event storage unit further stores the event information returned from the other game device.</p><p> Further, the program according to another aspect of the present invention is configured to make the computer function as the above-mentioned game device.</p><p> Further, the program of the present invention can be recorded on a computer-readable information recording medium such as a compact disk, a flexible disk, a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, a digital video disk, a magnetic tape, or a semiconductor memory. The above program can be distributed and sold via a computer communication network independently of the computer on which the program is executed. In addition, the information recording medium can be distributed and sold independently of the computer.</p>

<p> According to the present invention, in a game device participating in a multiplayer game, when communication is disconnected, a game device suitable for easily sharing the progress of the game with another game device, etc. Can be provided.</p>

<figref num="1">It is a figure which shows the outline structure of the typical portable information processing apparatus which realizes the game apparatus which concerns on this invention.</figref><figref num="2">It is a figure which shows the appearance of the typical portable information processing apparatus which realizes the game apparatus which concerns on this invention.</figref><figref num="3">(A) is a diagram showing a game system composed of a game device according to the present invention, and (B) is a block diagram showing a function of the game device according to the present invention.</figref><figref num="4">It is a flow figure which shows the collection process of the event information of the game apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="5">In the game device according to the embodiment of the present invention, (A) is a flow chart showing a process of collecting information on an event generated in the own device, and (B) is a flow diagram showing event information collected from another game device. It is a flow chart which shows the process.</figref><figref num="6">In Ga, (A) is a diagram showing the state before the missing period is updated, and (B) is a diagram showing the state after the missing period is updated.</figref>

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. Hereinafter, in order to facilitate understanding, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a portable information processing device will be described, but the present invention may be similarly applied to various computers, PDAs, mobile phones, and the like. it can. That is, the embodiments described below are for illustration purposes only and do not limit the scope of the present invention. Therefore, those skilled in the art can adopt embodiments in which each or all of these elements are replaced with equivalent ones, but these embodiments are also included in the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an outline configuration of a typical portable information processing device 1 in which a game device according to an embodiment of the present invention is realized. Hereinafter, description will be made with reference to this figure.

The portable information processing device 1 includes a processing control unit 10, a connector 11, a cartridge 12, a wireless communication unit 13, a communication controller 14, a sound amplifier 15, a speaker 16, an operation key 17, and a first unit. It includes a display unit 18, a second display unit 19, and a touch panel 20.

The processing control unit 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) core 10a, an image processing unit 10b, a VRAM (Video Random Access Memory) 10c, a WRAM (Work RAM) 10d, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) controller 10e, and so on. It is equipped with a touch panel controller 10f.

The CPU core 10a controls the operation of the entire portable information processing device 1 and is connected to each component to exchange control signals and data. Specifically, with the cartridge 12 mounted on the connector 11, the program or data stored in the ROM (Read Only Memory) 12a in the cartridge 12 is read and a predetermined process is executed.

The image processing unit 10b processes the data read from the ROM 12a in the cartridge 12 and the data processed by the CPU core 10a, and then stores the data in the VRAM 10c.

The VRAM 10c is a frame memory for storing display information, and stores image information processed by the image processing unit 10b or the like. WRAM 10d stores work data and the like required when the CPU core 10a executes various processes according to the program.

The LCD controller 10e controls the first display unit 18 and the second display unit 19 to display a predetermined display image. For example, the LCD controller 10e converts the image information stored in the VRAM 10c into a display signal at a predetermined synchronization timing, and outputs the image information to the first display unit 18. Further, the LCD controller 10e displays a predetermined instruction icon or the like on the second display unit 19.

The touch panel controller 10f detects contact (touch) with the touch panel 20 by a touch pen or a user's finger. For example, the contact on the touch panel 20 and its position are detected while a predetermined instruction icon or the like is displayed on the second display unit 19.

The connector 11 is a terminal that can be detachably connected to the cartridge 12, and when the cartridge 12 is connected, predetermined data is transmitted and received to and from the cartridge 12.

The cartridge 12 includes a ROM 12a and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 12b. The ROM 12a records a program for realizing the game and image data, audio data, etc. associated with the game. Various data indicating the progress of the game and the like are stored in the RAM 12b.

The wireless communication unit 13 is a unit that performs wireless communication with the wireless communication unit 13 of another portable information processing device 1, and transmits / receives predetermined data via an antenna (built-in antenna or the like) (not shown). .. The wireless communication unit 13 can also perform wireless LAN communication with a predetermined access point. In addition, a unique MAC (Media Access Control) address is assigned to the wireless communication unit 13.

The communication controller 14 controls the wireless communication unit 13 and mediates communication performed between the processing control unit 10 and the processing control unit 10 of another portable information processing device 1 according to a predetermined protocol.

The sound amplifier 15 amplifies the audio signal generated by the processing control unit 10 and supplies it to the speaker 16. The speaker 16 is composed of, for example, a stereo speaker, and outputs a predetermined music sound, sound effect, or the like according to an audio signal amplified by the sound amplifier 15.

The operation key 17 is composed of a plurality of key switches or the like appropriately arranged in the portable information processing device 1, and receives a predetermined instruction input according to a user operation.

The first display unit 18 and the second display unit 19 are composed of an LCD or the like and are controlled by the LCD controller 10e to appropriately display a game image or the like. The second display unit 19 displays an instruction icon or the like for causing the user to input an operation instruction by touching the touch panel 20.

The touch panel 20 is arranged so as to be superimposed on the front surface of the second display unit 19, and receives input by touching a touch pen or a user's finger. The touch panel 20 is composed of, for example, a pressure-sensitive touch sensor panel or the like, detects the pressure of a user's finger or the like, and detects a contact state and a transition from a contact state to a non-contact state. The touch panel 20 may also detect contact with a user's finger or the like from changes in capacitance or the like.

FIG. 2 shows an external view of the portable information processing device 1.

The game device according to the present embodiment is realized on the typical portable information processing device 1 described above, but can also be realized on a general computer or game machine. A general computer or game machine is provided with a CPU core, VRAM, and WRAM, similarly to the portable information processing device 1 described above. In addition, it has a NIC (Network Interface Controller) that conforms to standards such as 10BASE-T / 100BASE-T used when configuring a LAN (Local Area Network) as a communication unit, a hard disk as a storage device, and a DVD. -ROM, magneto-optical disk, etc. can be used. Further, as an input device, a keyboard, a mouse, or the like is used instead of the touch panel. Then, after installing the program, if the program is executed, it can function as a game device.

In the following, unless otherwise noted, the game device according to the present embodiment will be described by the portable information processing device 1 shown in FIG. The game device can be appropriately replaced with a general computer or an element of the game device as needed, and these embodiments are also included in the scope of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the game device 200 will be described. The plurality of game devices 200 constitute one game system as shown in FIG. 3A. Each game device 200 of the game system advances one game while communicating with each other. FIG. 3A shows how the three game devices 200 are communicating with each other, but the number of connected game devices 200 is not limited to this.

In the present embodiment, a case where a so-called role-playing game is executed on the game device 200 will be described. The player participates in the game by operating the game device 200 owned by the player and moving one of the player characters in the game world. For ease of understanding, each of the game devices 200 participating in the game registers each other at the start of the game and adds a new game device 200 to the game until the story of the game is over. It shall not be possible.

Subsequently, the components of the game device 200 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3B, each of the game devices 200 includes an event storage unit 201, an event acquisition request unit 202, an event acquisition response unit 203, a playback display unit 204, and the like.

First, when an event occurs during the progress of the game, the event storage unit 201 stores event information including display information for displaying the event and the occurrence time of the event. The event occurrence time is measured by, for example, a clock (timekeeping means) (not shown) configured in the CPU core 10a.

Here, the event is an important scene in the progress of the game, for example, defeating an enemy character or discovering a treasure. The display information is, for example, data of a game image (1 frame) when an event occurs. As will be described later, in the present embodiment, the occurrence of an event is automatically determined by a predetermined method.

As will be described later, the event storage unit 201 stores event information returned from other game devices and information about a time zone (missing period) in which event information could not be collected. The processing control unit 10, the connector 11, the cartridge 12, and the like cooperate to function as the event storage unit 201.

First, the event acquisition request unit 202 acquires the time zone in which the event information could not be collected from the event storage unit 201. Here, the time zone in which the event information could not be collected is the time zone in which the communication with the other game device 200 is cut off due to the power being turned off or the wireless communication unit 13 having a communication failure. Moreover, as will be described later, it is a time zone in which an event cannot be acquired from another game device 200. The event acquisition request unit 202 specifies the acquired time zone and transmits the event acquisition request to all the game devices 200 other than the own device participating in the game. The processing control unit 10, the connector 11, the cartridge 12, the wireless communication unit 13, and the like cooperate to function as the event acquisition request unit 202.

When the event acquisition response unit 203 receives an event acquisition request from another game device 200, the occurrence time of the event information stored in the event storage unit 201 of its own device is the time specified in the event acquisition request. The event information included in the band is returned to the game device 200 that is the source of the event acquisition request. The processing control unit 10, the connector 11, the cartridge 12, the wireless communication unit 13, and the like cooperate to function as the event acquisition response unit 203.

The operation processing of the game device 200 having such a configuration will be described below.

When the power of the game device 200 is turned on, the processing control unit 10 reads the game program stored in the ROM 12a of the cartridge 12 into the WRAM 10d, performs a predetermined initialization process, and starts the game. The process of collecting event information after the start of the game will be described below with reference to FIG.

First, the processing control unit 10 determines whether or not communication has been established (step S101). Here, when communication is established, when the player operates one player character in the game from the game device 200 owned by the player, the operation information is transmitted to the other game device 200. Then, based on the transmitted operation information, the other game device 200 reflects the operation of the player character on its own device. As a result, the actions of other player characters operated from the other game devices 200 are reflected in all the game devices 200 participating in the game, and the player can enjoy playing in the same game space.

Therefore, when communication is established (step S101; Y), the game device 200 collects event information on its own device (step S102). Figure 5 (A) shows the details of the process of collecting event information on the own device.

First, the processing control unit 10 determines whether or not the current game scene is an event (step S1021). In the present embodiment, it is automatically determined that an event has occurred when the parameters fluctuate significantly. For example, when the player character defeats the enemy character, the points of the enemy character decrease sharply and become 0. Or, when a friend is defeated, the points of the friend decrease sharply and become 0. Alternatively, when the player character finds a treasure, the amount of money in possession increases sharply. In this way, when the parameters fluctuate greatly, it is determined that an event has occurred because an important change occurs in the story. However, the method of determining whether or not a scene of a game is an event is not limited to this.

When it is determined that the scene of the current game is an event (step S1021; Y), the game image (still image) and the time being played at that time are used as the event display information and the event storage unit. Store in 201 (step S1022). Then, the process proceeds to step S103. The process of step S103 will be described later. On the other hand, while the event has not occurred (step S1021; N), the game is advanced, and step S1021 is repeated to wait for the event to occur.

Return the description to step S101. While communication with another game device 200 is not established (step S101; N), that is, while communication is disconnected, the game device 200 cannot collect event information. Therefore, the processing control unit 10 first determines whether or not communication has been established again (step S104). If it is determined that it has not been established (step S104; N), step S104 is repeated until it is established. When it is determined that the communication has been established (step S104; Y), the time zone from the time when the communication was last disconnected to the current time is added to the missing period stored in the event storage unit 201 (step S105). Here, the missing period indicates a period during which event information is not collected.

The time when the communication is disconnected is from the state where the communication is established. (a) When the data from the other game device 200 is not received by the wireless communication unit 13 for the predetermined threshold time or more, the time when the data was last received. (b) Time when the error occurred in the wireless communication unit 13 (c) Time when the power of the game device 200 was turned off It is stored in ROM 12a or the like.

Then, the game device 200 performs a process of acquiring event information of an event that occurred during the missing period from another game device 200 participating in the game (step S106).

Details of step S106 are shown in FIG. 5 (B). First, the event acquisition request unit 202 specifies the missing period stored in the event storage unit 201, and another other participating in the game is participating in the event acquisition request so as to return the event information about the event that occurred during the period. It is transmitted to the game device 200 (step S1061).

The event acquisition response unit 203 of the other game device 200 that has received the event acquisition request refers to the event storage unit 201 of its own device, and event information including the occurrence time included in the period specified in the event acquisition request. To get. In addition, during the specified period, a period other than the missing period stored in the own device is acquired as the valid period in which a valid event occurs. The event acquisition response unit 203 of the other game device 200 returns the event acquisition response in which the event information acquired in this way and the valid period are specified to the game device 200 that is the source of the event acquisition request. As a matter of course, the event information stored in the event storage unit 201 of the other game device 200 may be further returned from the other game device 200.

Upon receiving the event acquisition response (step S1062), the processing control unit 10 of the game device 200 stores the event information specified in the event acquisition response in the event storage unit 201 (step S1063). In addition, the period that overlaps with the valid period specified in the event acquisition response is deleted from the missing period, and the missing period is updated (step S1064). That is, of the designated period, the period during which the event information could not be collected from the other game device 200 is continuously stored as the missing period. This situation will be described with reference to FIG.

Fig. 6 (A) shows the time when the event was acquired and the missing period for each of the passage of time when two game devices 200, Ga and Gb, are participating in the game. is there. The missing period of Ga, that is, the period when event information cannot be collected is Pa, and the missing period of Gb is Pb. Therefore, when Ga sends an event acquisition request to another game device 200, the period Pa is specified as the missing period.

On the other hand, the Gb on the side receiving the event acquisition request stores the display information and the event information including the occurrence time of the event Eb, which is an event that occurred during the period Pa. Therefore, the event acquisition response unit 203 of Gb specifies the event information of event Eb in the event acquisition response and returns to Ga. Gb also specifies in the event acquisition response the valid period Z in which the missing period Pb of the own device and the specified period do not overlap. When Ga receives the event acquisition response from Gb, Ga stores the event information about the received event Eb in the event storage unit 201. Further, Ga deletes the missing period Pa, which is also stored in the event storage unit 201, from the missing period Pa for the valid period Z for which event information can be collected from Gb. Then, as shown in FIG. 6 (B), Ga continues to store the remaining period Pa'as a missing period.

In this example, in order to facilitate understanding, since only two game devices 200, Ga and Gb, participate in the game, only Gb returns the event information in response to the event acquisition request of Ga. However, when a plurality of game devices 200 are participating in the game, the game device 200 that stores the event information about the event that occurred during the specified period among all the other game devices 200 returns the event information. To do. When there is a plurality of event information returned from the plurality of game devices 200 whose occurrence time and display information overlap, only one of the event information is stored to reduce the amount of information.

On the other hand, if the occurrence time and the display information of the plurality of event information returned from the plurality of game devices 200 do not overlap, all of them are stored in the event storage unit 201. For example, in a game, when the participating player characters can be divided into several groups and act, each of the game devices 200 experiences different game progress and stores different event information. The game device 200 whose communication is disconnected is returned as an event acquisition response from the other game device 200, considering that it could choose to act with one of the groups if the communication is not disconnected. All different event information is stored in the event storage unit 201. That is, the game device 200 can store a plurality of different histories (game histories) at the same time.

As described above, when the communication is disconnected and the communication is established, the game device 200 acquires the event information of the event that occurred in the immediately preceding disconnected period from the other game device 200. , Send an event acquisition request. On the other hand, for the period that is still stored as the missing period, the other game devices 200 participating in the game should have already returned the event information owned by their own device, so provide a new event. Can't. However, if there is a game device 200 that has returned to the game, it may be possible to continue to provide events for the period stored as the missing period.

Therefore, the processing control unit 10 of the game device 200 periodically (for example, after finishing step S102) checks whether or not the game device 200 that has participated in the game has returned (step S103). If the returned game device 200 exists (step S103; Y), the above-mentioned steps S1061 to S1064 are executed, the missing period is specified, and the event acquisition request is transmitted. As a result, there is a possibility that event information that could not be collected once can be collected later.

In step S1061, instead of transmitting the event acquisition request to all the other game devices 200, the event acquisition request may be transmitted only to the returned game device 200.

(Display of digest) The collected event information is reproduced and displayed by the reproduction display unit 204 according to the instruction of the player. That is, the reproduction display unit 204 displays the display information of the event information stored in the event storage unit 201 in the order of the corresponding occurrence times by a predetermined time like a slide show. The display time of each display information can be accepted by the user.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the progress contents of the game during the period when the game device cannot participate in the game can be shared and viewed with the game device operated by another player.

Although the present embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and applications are possible. It is also possible to freely combine the components of the above-described embodiment.

For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the role-playing game is executed by the game device 200 has been described as an example, but the game to be executed is not limited to the role-playing game.

Further, in the above embodiment, the display information of the event is image information (still image), but it may be moving image information. In this case, moving image information for a predetermined time before and after the time when the event occurs may be acquired and used as display information.

Further, in the above embodiment, the game device 200 participating in the game is fixed from beginning to end, that is, the new game device 200 cannot be added to the game, but the new game device 200 can be added to the game. You may do so. At this time, even if the event acquisition request unit 202 of the newly joined game device 200 specifies the entire period up to the time of participation and sends an event acquisition request to the game device 200 already participating in the game. Good. As a result, the newly joined game device 200 can inherit its history from the already participating game device 200.

The newly joined game device 200 may continue to store the event information collected so far. Then, the event acquisition request unit 202 of the game device 200 that has already participated in the game may also send the event acquisition request by designating the entire period from the newly joined game device 200 to the time of participation. This makes it possible to mix the history of the party.

Moreover, you may apply the said embodiment to an online game. In an online game, a large number of players connect to a server from their own game device 200 and participate in the game, but typically, a party is formed with a player character operated by each of several players. , Cooperate to advance the game. The history flow may vary from party to party. That is, if a party defeats the enemy X, the enemy X may not appear again, but all parties may be able to play the scene where the enemy X is defeated. Alternatively, each party may play against different enemies at the same time.

In this way, in the case of an online game in which a party is formed and participates in the game, for example, the event acquisition request unit 202 may transmit the event acquisition request only to the game device 200 that operates the player character belonging to the party. This makes it possible to share different history (play history) for each party. In such an online game, each game device 200 may not time the event occurrence time, but the clock (timekeeping means) in the server may measure the time. Then, the game device 200 may acquire the event occurrence time from the server via the wireless communication unit 13.

Further, the event storage unit 201 may store each of the event information in association with the information indicating the importance of the event specified by the event information. Here, the importance information is determined in advance for each event, and is stored in ROM 12a or the like as game data. Alternatively, the player may set the importance at the timing when the event occurs. For example, when a rare enemy character is defeated, the player may set the importance of the event to be high.

When the importance of the event specified by the event information is set in association with the event information in this way, the game device 200 receives the importance of the event from the player, and the importance is higher than the importance. Event information of an event of high importance may be collected from another game device 200. That is, the event acquisition request unit 202 specifies the received importance in the event acquisition request and transmits it to the other game device 200. The other game device 200 that has received the event acquisition request returns to the requester the event information associated with the event information having a higher importance than the specified importance among the event information stored in the event storage unit 201. This allows the player to collect only event information for important events. In addition, the communication load can be reduced.

Alternatively, the game device 200 may accept the importance of the event from the player and play back and display the event information of the event whose importance is determined to be higher than the importance. That is, the reproduction display unit 204 reproduces and displays the display information of the event information stored in the event storage unit 201 that is associated with an event information having a higher importance than the received importance. May be good. As a result, it is possible to play back and display only important events instead of playing back and displaying the display information of all events. As a result, the playback display time can be shortened.

Further, the game device 200 on the side of returning an event in response to an event acquisition request may allow the user to accept whether or not to disclose the event information for each event information. The event storage unit 201 stores each of the event information in association with the disclosure availability information determined by the player. The event acquisition response unit 203 designates only those whose availability information of event information can be disclosed in the event acquisition response. Therefore, the player can specify event information that he / she does not want to disclose to the other game device 200.

1 Portable information processing device 10 Processing control unit 11 Connector 12 cartridges 13 Wireless communication unit 14 Communication controller 15 sound amplifier 16 speakers 17 Operation keys 18 1st display 19 Second display 20 touch panel 200 gaming device 201 Event storage 202 Event acquisition request section 203 Event acquisition response 204 Playback display