Network game system

Abstract

In a network game in which a plurality of game terminal devices are connected via a server, a RPG game is played by a team formed by game program characters operated by the respective game terminals. If there is a player at a game terminal who wishes to depart from the team, then the operating authority for that player's character are delegated to a player at another game terminal device. If the departed player returns to the game, the variable parameter values for the character are set to the variable parameter values at the time of departure.

1 . A network game system comprising: 
 a plurality of game devices connected to a network and configured to be able to exchange data with each other via a server, the plurality of game devices forming a team of respective characters being controlled in accordance with operating information input by players via respective input devices; and    a game program for implementing a game under common rules is executed conjointly by said plurality of game devices and the server,    wherein each of the game devices and the server comprise a processing device for executing all or a portion of said game program and a memory for storing data required for executing the game program;    wherein the game devices each comprise an input device operated by the player for inputting operating data for operating said character to said central processing device in such a manner that the central processing device having received this input is able to operate said character in accordance with said operating data; and    wherein, on the basis of said game program, a processing device (A) of each of said respective game devices and a processing device (B) of said server implement:    means whereby A requests formation of said team to B;    means whereby B forms said team in response to the request by A;    means whereby B supplies a report indicating membership of the same team to each A forming the same team;    means whereby departure from the team of an A in the team can be declared;    means whereby the A or B seeking to depart from the team copies variable parameter values relating to the departing character under the control of the A at the time of departure and stores said values in a memory of said game terminal or of said server;    means whereby B transfers operating authority for the character under the control of the A seeking to depart from the team, to another A belonging to said team;    means whereby the A which has received a transfer of the operating authority is able to operate the character that has been transferred, as well as the character under its own control, by means of said operating device;    means whereby the A which has departed outputs a request signal for return to said team, to said B, by means of an input to said operating device;    means whereby the B having received this input establishes the termination of the operating authority of the character of the departed A, for the other A to which said operating authority are transferred; and    means whereby, when the departed A returns to said team, the operating authority for said character are returned to that A, and the parameters copied at the time of departure are read out from the memory of said game terminal or of said server and these parameter values are established as parameter values for the character at the time of return.    
   
   
       2 . A network game system in which a plurality of game terminal devices access a server, said system being a system which permits said game terminal devices to temporarily depart from and subsequently return to the processing of a network game, comprising: when a game terminal device departs, a set of variable parameter values relating to a character operated by a processing unit of that game terminal device are stored in a memory of said game terminal or said server; and when the departed game terminal returns to the network game system, the variable parameter values stored in said memory being established for the character, as initial values after return.  
   
   
       3 . The system according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein a chat system is provided between said plurality of game terminals.  
   
   
       4 . The system according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the game terminal device delegated with the operating authority of said character comprises means for enabling the control of the delegated character to be carried out at least partially automatically, by synchronizing said control with the control or operation of the character which is originally operated by that game terminal device.  
   
   
       5 . A program for causing the processing device of said game terminal device or server to execute the respective means in the system according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 .  
   
   
       6 . A storage medium on which the program according to  claim 5  is stored.  
   
   
       7 . A server connected to a network to which a plurality of game terminal devices are connected, having processing means and required storage means, wherein a program which enables an electronic game play to be implemented conjointly by said game terminal devices is stored in the storage means; 
 and said processing means is composed in such a manner that it permits said game terminal devices to temporarily depart from and subsequently return to the processing of a network game; and, when a game terminal device departs, variable parameter values relating to a character operated by a processing unit of that game terminal device are stored in a memory of said game terminal and/or said server, and when the departed game terminal returns to the network game system, the variable parameter values stored in said memory are established for the character, as initial values after return.    
   
   
       8 . A game terminal device, which can be connected to a network game system via a server, and which can temporarily depart from and subsequently return to the processing of a network game, the game terminal device comprising: processing means and required storage means, 
 wherein a program which enables an electronic game play to be implemented conjointly with other game terminal devices connected to said network game system is stored in the storage means; and    on the basis of this program, said processing means stores variable parameter values for the character operated by said processing means in said storage means and/or said server when the game terminal device departs from said network game system, and said processing means establishes said stored variable parameter values for the character as initial values after return when the game terminal device returns to the network game system.