Game device, control method for a game device, and information storage medium

1. A game device, which executes a game that is performed in a virtual environment and that is configured so that a game character performs an action, the game device comprising:

determining means for determining whether or not a result of a predetermined action is a predetermined result in a case where the predetermined action is performed by the game character;

means for acquiring, from a storage, information indicating a number of times that the game character has previously performed the predetermined action with the predetermined result;

determining/predicting means for executing at least one of a determination during current game play as to whether or not the game character has been brought into a situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character and a prediction during current game play as to whether or not the game character will be brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character; and

producing means for producing a presentation effect relating to the game character based on the acquired information, in at least one of a case where it is determined that the game character has been brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character and a case where it is predicted that the game character will be brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character,

wherein:

the producing means controls an intensity of the presentation effect based on the acquired information,

when the number of times that the game character has previously performed the predetermined action with the predetermined result is equal to or larger than a first reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced by the producing means, and

when the number of times is equal to or larger than the first reference number of times and is smaller than a second reference number of times which is larger than the first reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced by the producing means at a first intensity, and

when the number of times is equal to or larger than the second reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced by the producing means at a second intensity that is larger than the first intensity.

2. The game device according to claim 1 , wherein the producing means comprises means for controlling a time at which to produce the presentation effect based on the acquired information.

3. The game device according to claim 1 , wherein the producing means comprises:

means for outputting a sound as the presentation effect from audio output means; and

means for controlling at least one of a type of the sound, an output volume thereof, and a reproduction speed thereof based on the acquired information.

4. The game device according to claim 1 , further comprising means for displaying a game screen on display means;

wherein the producing means comprises:

means for producing the presentation effect on the game screen; and

means for controlling a manner of the presentation effect produced on the game screen based on the acquired information.

5. The game device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the game comprises a game configured so that game characters compete in a competition carried out by using a moving object;

the predetermined action comprises a predetermined action performed by the game character in a case where the game character keeps the moving object;

the determining/predicting means determines whether or not a distance between the game character and the moving object is equal to or shorter than a reference distance to thereby predict whether or not the game character will be brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character; and

the determining/predicting means comprises means for setting the reference distance based on the result of the acquired information.

6. A control method for a game device including at least one microprocessor, which executes a game that is performed in a virtual environment and that is configured so that a game character performs an action, the control method comprising:

determining, by the at least one microprocessor in a result determination, whether a result of a predetermined action is a predetermined result in a case where the predetermined action is performed by the game character;

acquiring, by the at least one microprocessor from a storage, information indicating a number of times that the game character has previously performed the predetermined action with the predetermined result;

executing, by the at least one microprocessor, at least one of a determination during current game play as to whether or not the game character has been brought into a situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character and a prediction during current game play as to whether or not the game character will be brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character; and

producing, by the at least one microprocessor, a presentation effect relating to the game character based on the acquired information, in at least one of a case where it is determined that the game character has been brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character and a case where it is predicted that the game character will be brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character,

wherein:

the producing comprises controlling an intensity of the presentation effect based on the acquired information,

when the number of times that the game character has previously performed the predetermined action with the predetermined result is equal to or larger than a first reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced by the producing means, and

when the number of times is equal to or larger than the first reference number of times and is smaller than a second reference number of times which is larger than the first reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced by the producing means at a first intensity, and

when the number of times is equal to or larger than the second reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced at a second intensity that is larger than the first intensity.

7. A non-transitory computer readable information storage medium storing a program for controlling a computer to function as a game device which executes a game that is performed in a virtual environment and that is configured so that a game character performs an action, the program controlling the computer to function as:

determining means for determining whether or not a result of a predetermined action is a predetermined result in a case where the predetermined action is performed by the game character;

means for acquiring, from a storage, information indicating a number of times that the game character has previously performed the predetermined action with the predetermined result;

determining/predicting means for executing at least one of a determination during current game play as to whether or not the game character has been brought into a situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character and a prediction during current game play as to whether or not the game character will be brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character; and

producing means for producing a presentation effect relating to the game character based on the acquired information, in at least one of a case where it is determined that the game character has been brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character and a case where it is predicted that the game character will be brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character,

wherein:

the producing means controls an intensity of the presentation effect based on the acquired information,

when the number of times that the game character has previously performed the predetermined action with the predetermined result is equal to or larger than a first reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced by the producing means, and

when the number of times is equal to or larger than the first reference number of times and is smaller than a second reference number of times which is larger than the first reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced by the producing means at a first intensity, and

when the number of times is equal to or larger than the second reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced by the producing means at a second intensity that is larger than the first intensity.

8. A game device, which executes a game that is performed in a virtual environment and that is configured so that a game character performs an action, the game device comprising:

at least one memory operable to store program code; and

at least one processor operable to access said memory and read said program code and operate as instructed by said program code, said program code including:

determining code that causes the at least one processor to determine whether a result of a predetermined action is a predetermined result in a case where the predetermined action is performed by the game character;

acquiring code that causes the at least one processor to acquire, from a storage, information indicating a number of times that the game character has previously performed the predetermined action with the predetermined result;

determining/predicting code that causes the at least one processor to execute at least one of a determination during current game play as to whether the game character has been brought into a situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character and a prediction during current game play as to whether the game character will be brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character; and

producing code that causes the at least one processor to produce a presentation effect relating to the game character based on the acquired information, in at least one of a case where it is determined that the game character has been brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character and a case where it is predicted that the game character will be brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character,

wherein:

the producing code controls the at least one processor to change an intensity of the presentation effect based on the acquired information,

when the number of times that the game character has previously performed the predetermined action with the predetermined result is equal to or larger than a first reference number of times, the producing code controls the at least one processor to generate the presentation effect, and

when the number of times is equal to or larger than the first reference number of times and is smaller than a second reference number of times which is larger than the first reference number of times, the producing code controls the at least one processor to generate the presentation effect at a first intensity, and

when the number of times is equal to or larger than the second reference number of times, the producing code controls the at least one processor to generate the presentation effect at a second intensity that is larger than the first intensity.

9. A non-transitory computer readable information storage medium storing a program for controlling a computer to function as a game device which executes a game that is performed in a virtual environment and that is configured so that a game character performs an action, the program controlling the computer to function as:

a determining section that determines whether a result of a predetermined action is a predetermined result in a case where the predetermined action is performed by the game character;

an acquiring section that acquires, from a storage, information indicating a number of times that the game character has previously performed the predetermined action with the predetermined result;

a determining/predicting section that executes at least one of a determination during current game play as to whether the game character has been brought into a situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character and a prediction during current game play as to whether the game character will be brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character; and

a producing section that produces a presentation effect relating to the game character based on the acquired information, in at least one of a case where it is determined that the game character has been brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character and a case where it is predicted that the game character will be brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character,

wherein:

the producing section controls an intensity of the presentation effect based on the acquired information,

when the number of times that the game character has previously performed the predetermined action with the predetermined result is equal to or larger than a first reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced by the producing section, and

when the number of times is equal to or larger than the first reference number of times and is smaller than a second reference number of times which is larger than the first reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced by the producing section at a first intensity, and

when the number of times is equal to or larger than the second reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced by the producing section at a second intensity that is larger than the first intensity.

10. A game device, which executes a game that is performed in a virtual environment and that is configured so that a game character performs an action, the game device comprising:

at least one microprocessor that:

determines whether a result of a predetermined action is a predetermined result in a case where the predetermined action is performed by the game character;

acquires, from a storage, information indicating a number of times that the game character has previously performed the predetermined action with the predetermined result;

executes at least one of a determination during current game play as to whether the game character has been brought into a situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character and a prediction during current game play as to whether the game character will be brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character; and

produces a presentation effect relating to the game character based on the acquired information, in at least one of a case where it is determined that the game character has been brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character and a case where it is predicted that the game character will be brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character,

wherein:

the at least one microprocessor controls an intensity of the presentation effect based on the acquired information,

when the number of times that the game character has previously performed the predetermined action with the predetermined result is equal to or larger than a first reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced, and

when the number of times is equal to or larger than the first reference number of times and is smaller than a second reference number of times which is larger than the first reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced at a first intensity, and

when the number of times is equal to or larger than the second reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced at a second intensity that is larger than the first intensity.

11. A non-transitory computer readable information storage medium storing a program for controlling a computer to function as a game device which executes a game that is performed in a virtual environment and that is configured so that a game character performs an action, the program controlling at least one microprocessor of the computer to:

determines whether a result of a predetermined action is a predetermined result in a case where the predetermined action is performed by the game character;

acquires, from a storage, information indicating a number of times that the game character has previously performed the predetermined action with the predetermined result;

executes at least one of a determination during current game play as to whether the game character has been brought into a situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character and a prediction during current game play as to whether the game character will be brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character; and

produces a presentation effect relating to the game character based on the acquired information, in at least one of a case where it is determined that the game character has been brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character and a case where it is predicted that the game character will be brought into the situation that allows the predetermined action to be performed by the game character,

wherein:

the at least one microprocessor controls an intensity of the presentation effect based on the acquired information,

when the number of times that the game character has previously performed the predetermined action with the predetermined result is equal to or larger than a first reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced, and

when the number of times is equal to or larger than the first reference number of times and is smaller than a second reference number of times which is larger than the first reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced at a first intensity, and

when the number of times is equal to or larger than the second reference number of times, the presentation effect is produced at a second intensity that is larger than the first intensity.