Server system, team formation method in network game, and information storage medium

1 . A server system for a network game which is connected with a plurality of player terminals via a communication channel, the server system comprising:

a play level value storage section which stores a play level value for each player which is changed depending on game results;

a request acceptance section which accepts a matching request from the player terminal; and

a team formation section which forms a team of players whose matching request has been accepted by the request acceptance section and whose play level values satisfy a specific almost equal condition based on the stored play level values.

2 . The server system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the network game is a game in which the player terminals belonging to a single team can communicate during the game using a specific communication method;

wherein the server system further includes a location storage section which stores location information of each of the player terminals; and

wherein the team formation section includes a single region team formation section which forms a team of players of player terminals of which the matching request has been accepted by the request acceptance section and which satisfy a specific single region condition.

3 . The server system as defined in claim 2 ,

wherein hierarchical location areas with different areas are defined in advance; and

wherein the single region team formation section forms a team of players of player terminals in a single location area while giving priority to a narrower location area.

4 . The server system as defined in claim 3 ,

wherein the single region team formation section forms opposing teams so that the player terminals of the opposing teams are located in different location areas.

5 . The server system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:

an acceptance time storage section which stores an acceptance time for each of the player terminals of which the matching request has been accepted by the request acceptance section;

wherein the team formation section includes an acceptance time priority team formation section which forms a team while giving priority to a player terminal of which the acceptance time stored in the acceptance time storage section is earlier.

6 . The server system as defined in claim 1 ,

wherein the request acceptance section includes a level distribution request acceptance section which accepts a level distribution request for the play level values of member players belonging to a player's team; and

wherein the team formation section includes a requested level distribution team formation section which forms a team to satisfy a requested level distribution of each player belonging to a single team which has been accepted by the level distribution request acceptance section.

7 . The server system as defined in claim 1 ,

wherein the request acceptance section includes a team relative level request acceptance section which accepts a relative level request for the play level values of member players belonging to a player's team; and

wherein the team formation section includes a requested relative level team formation section which forms a team to satisfy a requested relative level of each player belonging to a single team which has been accepted by the relative level request acceptance section.

8 . A server system for a network game which is connected with a plurality of player terminals via a communication channel, the server system comprising:

a play level value storage section which stores a play level value of each player which is changed depending on game results;

a candidate calculation section which calculates candidate teams formed of combinations of players;

a team level value calculation section which calculates a total play level value of each of the calculated candidate teams; and

an opposing team determination section which determines candidate teams of which the play level values satisfy a specific almost equal condition as opposing teams.

9 . The server system as defined in claim 8 , further comprising:

a priority index calculation section which calculates a priority index for each of the calculated candidate teams;

wherein the opposing team determination section includes a priority determination section which determines the opposing teams while giving priority to candidate teams of which the calculated priority indices are higher.

10 . The server system as defined in claim 9 , further comprising:

a location storage section which stores location information of each of the player terminals;

wherein the priority index calculation section calculates the priority index of a candidate team formed of players of player terminals satisfying a specific single region condition to be higher than that of a candidate team which does not satisfy the single region condition referring to the content stored in the location storage section.

11 . A method comprising causing a server system for a network game which is connected with a plurality of player terminals via a communication channel to:

store a play level value of each player which is changed depending on game results;

accept a matching request from the player terminal; and

form a team of players whose matching request has been accepted by the request acceptance section and whose play level values satisfy a specific almost equal condition based on the stored play level values.

12 . The method as defined in claim 11 ,

wherein the network game is a game in which the player terminals belonging to a single team can communicate during the game using a specific communication method; and

wherein a team is formed of players of player terminals of which the matching request has been accepted and which satisfy a specific single region condition.

13 . The method as defined in claim 12 ,

wherein hierarchical location areas with different areas are defined in advance; and

wherein a team is formed of players of player terminals in a single location area while giving priority to a smaller location area.

14 . The method as defined in claim 13 ,

wherein opposing teams are formed so that the player terminals of the opposing teams are located in different location areas.

15 . The method as defined in claim 11 ,

wherein a team is formed while giving priority to a player terminal of which acceptance time of the matching request is earlier.

16 . The method as defined in claim 1 ,

wherein a level distribution request for the play level values of member players belonging to a player's team is accepted when accepting the matching request; and

wherein a team is formed to satisfy the accepted level distribution request of each player belonging a single team.

17 . The method as defined in claim 1 ,

wherein a relative level request for the play level values of member players belonging to a player's team is accepted when accepting the matching request; and

wherein a team is formed to satisfy the accepted relative level request of each player belonging a single team.

18 . A method comprising causing a server system for a network game which is connected with a plurality of player terminals via a communication channel to:

store a play level value of each player which is changed depending on game results; calculate candidate teams formed of combinations of the players;

calculate a total play level value of each of the calculated candidate teams; and

determine candidate teams of which the calculated play level values satisfy a specific almost equal condition as opposing teams.

19 . The method as defined in claim 18 , causing the server system to calculate a priority index for each of the calculated candidate teams;

wherein the opposing teams are determined while giving priority to candidate teams of which the calculated priority indices are higher.

20 . The method as defined in claim 19 ,

wherein the priority index of a candidate team formed of players of player terminals satisfying a specific single region condition is calculated to be higher than that of a candidate team which does not satisfy the single region condition referring to location information of each of the player terminals.

21 . A computer-readable information storage medium having a program stored thereon for causing a computer to execute the method as defined in claim 11 .

22 . A computer-readable information storage medium having a program stored thereon for causing a computer to execute the method as defined in claim 18.