IP Library Granted Patent US 10,039,977
Granted Patent B2
US 10,039,977 · App. 15/363,435 · Granted Aug 7, 2018

Game control method, server device, game system, and computer-readable recording medium

Inventor: Koichi Suzuki (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: GREE, Inc.
A63F13/35A63F13/795A63F13/822A63F2300/5566
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,039,977
App. No.
15/363,435
Granted
Aug 7, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A social game and the like that can increase the fun and amusement of a team battle and enhance players' motivation to participate in or continue a game by suppressing an occurrence of any non-participation team not participating in the battle are provided. A guild status determination unit determines, for each guild, whether the guild is in an inactive state or an active state, based on a result of detecting a login state of each player. A guild integrated control unit forcibly disbands a guild (i.e. an inactive guild) determined to be in the inactive state, based on guild activity information notified from the status determination unit. A disbandment notification unit notifies each player belonging to the inactive guild, of the disbandment of the guild.

Claims (33)

1. A game control method for a battle game between groups to each of which a plurality of players belong, the game control method comprising:

acknowledging, at a server, an independent player who does not belong to any group as a formation wait player who waits for forming of a new group, depending on an activity status of the independent player; and

creating, at the server, a new group when a number of the formation wait player satisfies a setting condition.

2. The game control method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

disbanding, at the server, a group determined to be in an inactive state.

3. The game control method according to claim 2 , wherein each of the independent players is a new player who has never belonged to any group or a returning player whose belonging group has been disbanded.

4. The game control method according to claim 3 , wherein the setting condition is that the number of the formation wait players reaches a specified number.

5. The game control method according to claim 4 , further comprising:

determining, at the server, an activity status of each group, based on a criterion for determining whether the activity status of the group is an active state or an inactive state.

6. The game control method according to claim 5 , wherein the criterion is at least any of: (1) the group has no battle against another group for a predetermined period or more; (2) no login to the battle game is performed by any player belonging to the group for a predetermined period or more; and (3) the number of players belonging to the group is below a predetermined number for a predetermined period or more.

7. The game control method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

determining, at the server, an activity status of each group, based on a criterion for determining whether the activity status of the group is an active state or an inactive state.

8. The game control method according to claim 7 , wherein the criterion is at least any of: (1) the group has no battle against another group for a predetermined period or more; (2) no login to the battle game is performed by any player belonging to the group for a predetermined period or more; and (3) the number of players belonging to the group is below a predetermined number for a predetermined period or more.

9. The game control method according to claim 2 , wherein the setting condition is that the number of the formation wait players reaches a specified number.

10. The game control method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

determining, at the server, an activity status of each group, based on a criterion for determining whether the activity status of the group is an active state or an inactive state.

11. The game control method according to claim 10 , wherein the criterion is at least any of: (1) the group has no battle against another group for a predetermined period or more; (2) no login to the battle game is performed by any player belonging to the group for a predetermined period or more; and (3) the number of players belonging to the group is below a predetermined number for a predetermined period or more.

12. The game control method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

determining, at the server, an activity status of each group, based on a criterion for determining whether the activity status of the group is an active state or an inactive state.

13. The game control method according to claim 12 , wherein the criterion is at least any of: (1) the group has no battle against another group for a predetermined period or more; (2) no login to the battle game is performed by any player belonging to the group for a predetermined period or more; and (3) the number of players belonging to the group is below a predetermined number for a predetermined period or more.

14. The game control method according to claim 1 , wherein the setting condition is that the number of the formation wait players reaches a specified number.

15. The game control method according to claim 14 , further comprising:

determining, at the server, an activity status of each group, based on a criterion for determining whether the activity status of the group is an active state or an inactive state.

16. The game control method according to claim 15 , wherein the criterion is at least any of: (1) the group has no battle against another group for a predetermined period or more; (2) no login to the battle game is performed by any player belonging to the group for a predetermined period or more; and (3) the number of players belonging to the group is below a predetermined number for a predetermined period or more.

17. The game control method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, at the server, an activity status of each group, based on a criterion for determining whether the activity status of the group is an active state or an inactive state.

18. The game control method according to claim 17 , wherein the criterion is at least any of: (1) the group has no battle against another group for a predetermined period or more; (2) no login to the battle game is performed by any player belonging to the group for a predetermined period or more; and (3) the number of players belonging to the group is below a predetermined number for a predetermined period or more.

19. A server device for providing a battle game between groups, to each of which a plurality of players belong, to a terminal device operated by each player via a communication line, the server device carrying out steps comprising:

acknowledging, using the server device, an independent player who does not belong to any group as a formation wait player who waits for forming of a new group, depending on an activity status of the independent player;

creating, using the server device, a new group when a number of the formation wait player satisfies a setting condition.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored thereon instructions, that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer, to provide a battle game between groups, to each of which a plurality of players belong, to a terminal device operated by each player via a communication line, and to cause the computer to carry out a method comprising:

a server device acknowledging an independent player who does not belong to any group as a formation wait player who waits for forming of a new group, depending on an activity status of the independent player;

the server device creating a new group when a number of the formation wait player satisfies a setting condition.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE STREET ADDRESS AND ATTORNEY DOCKET NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 71303 FRAME: 337. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Jun 10, 2025
From: GREE, INC.
To: GREE HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 071611/0102 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 16, 2025
From: GREE, INC.
To: GREE HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 071303/0337 →
Priority Claims (3)
JP 2013-130237 · Jun 21, 2013 · national
JP 2013-257677 · Dec 13, 2013 · national
JP 2014-046141 · Mar 10, 2014 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14309814 · Jun 19, 2014
Related Publication 20170072306A1 · Mar 16, 2017