Game apparatus

Abstract

A game apparatus is provided, in which a player may not lose interest in a game when new character data are provided from a different player. Appearance parameter setting means ( 27 ) sets appearance parameters for the new character data which have been received from a different player via communication, based on a subjective impression held by a player using the game apparatus about the different player. The player answers a question generated by question generation means ( 23 ). Appearance parameter determination means ( 25 ) determines the appearance parameter, by considering the player's answer to the question as the subjective impression and checking the answer with predetermined appearance parameter criteria. A frequency of appearance and a scene of appearance for a character appearing in an event are determined based on the appearance parameters.

1 . A game apparatus comprising:
 receiving means for receiving new character data via communication means or other external input means;   character data storing means for storing a plurality of character data including appearance parameters used in determining a frequency of appearance and a scene of appearance for at least one character appearing in an event;   event generation means for generating the event, in which the at least one character appears, based on a program running in the game apparatus and the plurality of character data stored in the character data storing means;   display means for displaying the event on a screen; and   appearance parameter setting means for setting the appearance parameters for the new character data, based on a subjective impression held by a player using the game apparatus about a different player who has provided the new character data.   
   
   
       2 . The game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the appearance parameter setting means comprises:
 question generation means for generating a question provided for the player using the game apparatus to subjectively determine the impression about the different player after receiving the new character data in the receiving means; and   appearance parameter determination means for determining the appearance parameter, which considers an answer to the question as the subjective impression and determines the appearance parameter by checking the answer with predetermined appearance parameter criteria.   
   
   
       3 . The game apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the question generation means is configured to generate a question about favorability that asks how favorable the player using the game apparatus feels toward the different player; and   the appearance parameter determination means is configured to determine the appearance parameter so as to increase the frequency of appearance for a character having a higher favorability.   
   
   
       4 . The game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the event generation means is configured to use the appearance parameter in generating a happy event or an unhappy event for the player using the game apparatus so that a character having a high favorability may appear in the happy event rather than in the unhappy event. 
   
   
       5 . The game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the event is a matched game and the event generation means is configured to use the appearance parameter in generating the event so as to increase the frequency of appearance for a character having a low favorability that appears as an enemy character. 
   
   
       6 . The game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the event is a game for which a level of difficulty is established, and the event generation means is configured to use the appearance parameter in generating the event so that a character having a higher favorability may appear in a game with a lower level of difficulty. 
   
   
       7 . The game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the event generation means is configured to display narrative text on the screen as the event, and use the appearance parameter in displaying the narrative text which is favorable or unfavorable for the player using the game apparatus so as to increase the frequency of appearance for a character having a high favorability that appears in favorable narrative text. 
   
   
       8 . The game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the character data storing means is configured to store the plurality of new character data so that the order of the new character data stored therein may be identified; and   the event generation means is configured to determine the character to appear in the event, taking both of the stored order and the appearance parameter into consideration.   
   
   
       9 . A game apparatus comprising:
 a function of receiving new character data via communication means or other external input means;   a function of determining a frequency of appearance and a scene of appearance for at least one character appearing in an event in accordance with appearance parameters predetermined in character data for the at least one character;   a function of displaying the event on a screen; and   a function of setting the appearance parameters for the new character data, based on a subjective impression held by a player using the game apparatus about a different player who has provided the new character data.