Abstract:
A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a game program that causes a computer of a data processing apparatus to execute a method includes: accepting an instruction to operate a first object in a game from a first player, and activating the first object in the game; determining an action state of the first object in the game; and when the first object is determined to be in an incapacitated state in which the first object is unable to be activated in the game, accepting an instruction to perform a support process for a second object in the game from the first player, and performing the support process based on the instruction to perform the support process.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application is based on and claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Priority Application No. 2016-096252 filed on May 12, 2016, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a recording medium, a data processing apparatus and a data processing method. 
       2. Description of the Related Art 
       [0003]    A game device is known to which a plurality of players connect their controllers, respectively, and by which the plurality of players can play a game in a same virtual space by cooperating with each other. Each of the players selects a player character used in the game, and plays the game using the selected player character. 
         [0004]    However, there is a case, while the plurality of players are playing the game, in which a player character of one of the players is in an incapacitated state by an attack from an enemy or the like. In such a case, the one of the players cannot participate in the game for a certain period. 
         [0005]    Various methods are suggested regarding other players, even when a player character of one of the players becomes an incapacitated state, to continue the game. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method, when a player character of one of the players becomes an incapacitated state, in which a game device sends a request of helping to a player of another game device via a network, and the player of the other game device participates in the game. 
         [0006]    However, according to the conventionally suggested method, when a player character operated by one of the players becomes an incapacitated state, although a method regarding other players to continue the game is suggested, a method for the one of the players to continue the game is not suggested. Thus, there is a risk that the player who operates the player character who becomes the incapacitated state cannot obtain an immersion into the game for a certain period. 
       Patent Document 
       [0000]    
       
         [Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2015-165904 
       
     
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention is made in light of the above problems, and provides a method of retaining an immersion into a game for a player even when a player character of the player becomes an incapacitated state. 
         [0009]    According to an embodiment, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a game program that causes a computer of a data processing apparatus to execute a method including: accepting an instruction to operate a first object in a game from a first player, and activating the first object in the game; determining an action state of the first object in the game; and when the first object is determined to be in an incapacitated state in which the first object is unable to be activated in the game, accepting an instruction to perform a support process for a second object in the game from the first player, and performing the support process based on the instruction to perform the support process. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a view illustrating an example of a functional structure of a data processing apparatus of an embodiment; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a view illustrating an example of a hardware structure of the data processing apparatus of the embodiment; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating an example of a game process of the embodiment; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating an example of a support process of the embodiment; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a view illustrating an example of a screen of the embodiment in which an incapacitated state of a player character is displayed; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a view illustrating an example of a screen of the embodiment when the support process (to display a message) is performed; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a view illustrating an example of a screen of the embodiment when the support process (to improve ability score) is performed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    The invention will be described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many alternative embodiments can be accomplished using the teachings of the present invention and that the invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated for explanatory purposes. 
         [0019]    It is to be noted that, in the explanation of the drawings, the same components are given the same reference numerals, and explanations are not repeated. 
       (Functional Structure of Data Processing Apparatus) 
       [0020]    First, an example of a functional structure of a data processing apparatus  10  of an embodiment is described with reference to  FIG. 1 . The data processing apparatus  10  of the embodiment may be any one of electronic devices such as a personal computer, a tablet terminal, a game device or a smartphone. 
         [0021]    The data processing apparatus  10  includes an accepting unit  11 , a game processing unit  12 , a display control unit  13 , a determining unit  14  and a data storage unit  15 . 
         [0022]    The accepting unit  11  accepts an operation in a game by a player. For example, the accepting unit  11  accepts an input operation performed by the player in the game using an input device such as a controller  1 . The accepting unit  11  is capable of accepting instructions from a plurality of input devices at the same time. The operation in the game includes an operation to activate an object in the game while performing a game process. As an example of the object in the game, a player character PC may be exemplified. 
         [0023]    Although the game process is exemplified in which the player character PC is activated upon accepting an instruction to operate a player character PC in the following, the same game process may be applied for a predetermined object in a game, other than the player character PC. 
         [0024]    The game processing unit  12  executes a game program stored in the data storage unit  15 . When the accepting unit  11  accepts an operation for a player character PC by the player, the game processing unit  12  controls the player character PC. 
         [0025]    As a result of the game process, when a player character PC 1  operated by a first player becomes an incapacitated state, the game processing unit  12  does not perform an operation for the player character PC 1  for a predetermined period. When the player character PC 1  becomes the incapacitated state, and when the accepting unit  11  accepts an instruction from the first player, the game processing unit  12  performs a support process in the game for another player (hereinafter, referred to as “second player” as well). 
         [0026]    Here, the support process in the game means a process regarding improving an ability score of a player character PC 2  of the second player, or a process of displaying a message. The process regarding improving the ability score means to improve various ability scores set for the player character PC 2  of the second player. For example, the game processing unit  12  may improve a value of a hit point HP of the player character PC 2  that indicates a damage capable for the player character PC 2  to endure, a tension gauge value of the player character PC 2  for performing a special skill, or a value of a magic point MP of the player character PC 2  that is consumed by the player character PC 2  for using a special ability such as a magic. Further, the process of displaying the message means a process to display a support message or the like for the second player who is playing the game. 
         [0027]    The display control unit  13  generates an image in accordance with an instruction to generate an image from the game processing unit  12 , and outputs the generated image to a screen. The screen to which the generated image is output is an external display connected to the data processing apparatus  10 , or a display included in the data processing apparatus  10 , for example. 
         [0028]    The determining unit  14  refers to a processed result of the game processing unit  12 , and determines an action state of the player character PC. 
         [0029]    The data storage unit  15  stores various data in addition to the game program. 
       (Hardware Structure of Data Processing Apparatus) 
       [0030]    Next, an example of a hardware structure of the data processing apparatus  10  of the embodiment is described with reference to  FIG. 2 . The data processing apparatus  10  of the embodiment includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU)  21 , a Read Only Memory (ROM)  22 , a Random Access Memory (RAM)  23 , a Hard Disk Drive (HDD)  24 , a graphics card  25 , an external I/F (Interface)  26 , a communication I/F  27 , an input I/F  28  and an output I/F  29 . These components are connected by a bus B with each other. 
         [0031]    The CPU  21  is an arithmetic unit that actualizes controls and functions of the data processing apparatus  10  by reading out programs or data from the ROM  22 , the HDD  24  or the like on the RAM  23  to perform processes. Specifically, the game processing unit  12  and the determining unit  14  are actualized by causing the CPU  21  to execute one or more programs installed in the data processing apparatus  10 . 
         [0032]    The ROM  22  is a nonvolatile semiconductor memory, for example, capable of storing internal data even when power is not supplied. Programs or data are stored in the ROM  22 . The RAM  23  is a volatile semiconductor memory, for example, that temporarily stores programs or data. 
         [0033]    The HDD  24  is a nonvolatile memory device that stores programs or data. The programs stored in the HDD  24  include basic software that controls the entirety of the data processing apparatus  10  and application software. Various databases may be stored in the HDD  24 . In this embodiment, the data storage unit  15  is actualized by the HDD  24 , for example. 
         [0034]    The external I/F  26  is an interface that connects the data processing apparatus  10  to an external device. As the external device, a recording medium  26   a  or the like may be exemplified. With this, the data processing apparatus  10  is capable of reading out data from and writing data on the recording medium  26   a  via the external I/F  26 . As the recording medium  26   a , a Compact Disk (CD), a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), an SD memory card, an Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory or the like may be exemplified. 
         [0035]    For example, it is possible to mount the recording medium  26   a  storing the game program on the data processing apparatus  10 . Such a program is read out by the external I/F  26  and read by the RAM  23 . 
         [0036]    The CPU  21  executes various programs loaded on the RAM  23  and instructs the graphics card  25  to output an image corresponding to the progression of the game. The graphics card  25  performs an imaging process for a game image to be displayed in a screen in accordance with the instruction, and causes an external display or the like to display the game image via the output I/F. 
         [0037]    The communication I/F  27  is an interface that connects the data processing apparatus  10  to a network. Further, the communication I/F  27  may have a function to communicate with other game devices via a communication unit that has an antenna. 
         [0038]    The input I/F  28  is an interface to be connected to the controller  1 , which is an example of the input device. The controller  1  includes an operation button and a cursor key. A player can play a game by operating the controller  1 . Specifically, the player can control a player character PC to perform a predetermined action, for example, by operating the operation button. Further, the player can control the player character PC to move in a predetermined direction, for example, by operating the cursor key. The input I/F  28  stores input data based on the input operation performed by the player using the controller  1  in the RAM  23 . The CPU  21  performs various arithmetic processes regarding the action of the player character PC based on the input data stored in the RAM  23 . 
         [0039]    The output I/F  29  is an interface to be connected to an external display or an external speaker. The game image processed by the graphics card  25  is sent to the external display via the output I/F  29 , for example. 
         [0040]    The data processing apparatus  10  may include a display and a speaker. In such a case, the image of the game is displayed on the display, and a predetermined sound is output from the speaker in accordance with a progression of the game. 
       (Game Process) 
       [0041]    Next, an example of the game process of the embodiment is described with reference to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating an example of the game process of the embodiment. Here, it is assumed that a player A operates a player character PC#A using a controller  1 A, a player B operates a player character PC#B using a controller  1 B, and a player C operates a player character PC#C using a controller  1 C. The controller  1 A, the controller  1 B and the controller  10  may be simply referred to as the controller  1  as well. 
         [0042]    The controllers  1  may be connected to a same data processing apparatus  10 , or may be connected to different data processing apparatuses  10 , respectively. When the controllers  1  are connected to the different data processing apparatuses  10 , respectively, the data processing apparatuses  10  may cooperate with each other to perform the game process. 
         [0043]    Actions of the player character PC#A, the player character PC#B and the player character PC#C will be described later with reference to  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 7 . 
         [0044]    In step S 301 , the accepting unit  11  determines whether an instruction to start the game is accepted. When the accepting unit  11  accepts the instruction to start the game from either of the controller  1 A, the controller  1 B or the controller  10  (YES of step S 301 ), the process proceeds to step S 302 . 
         [0045]    On the other hand, if the accepting unit  11  does not accept the instruction to start the game from either of the controller  1 A, the controller  1 B or the controller  10  (NO of step S 301 ), the process of determination in step S 301  is repeated. 
         [0046]    In step S 302 , the game processing unit  12  performs the game process. The game processing unit  12  calculates an action of the player character PC (#A, #B, #C) based on an instruction to the player character PC (#A, #B, #C) accepted by the accepting unit  11  via the controller ( 1 A,  1 B,  1 C), and progresses the game. The display control unit  13 , upon receiving an instruction from the game processing unit  12 , generates an image in accordance with a progression state of the game, and displays the generated image in the screen. 
         [0047]    In step S 303 , the determining unit  14  refers to a result of the game process by the game processing unit  12 , and determines an action state of the player character PC (#A, #B, #C). 
         [0048]    When either of the player character PC (#A, #B, #C) is determined to be in an incapacitated state (YES of step S 303 ), the process proceeds to step S 304 . On the other hand, when all of the player characters PC (#A, #B and #C) are determined to be an enabled state, in other words, at a normal state (NO of step S 303 ), the process returns to step S 302 . Here, the incapacitated state means a case in which a hit point HP of the player character PC becomes zero while the game process is being performed or a case when the player character PC is in a predetermined state (a “frozen” state, a “sleeping” state or the like, for example) set in the game, for example. 
         [0049]    In step S 304 , when the determining unit  14  determines that the player character PC is in the incapacitated state, the display control unit  13  displays a fact that the player character PC is in the incapacitated state in a screen. The following description assumes that the player character PC#A operated by the player A transitions to the incapacitated state. 
         [0050]    In step S 305 , the accepting unit  11  determines whether an instruction to perform a support process for the currently played game is accepted from the controller  1 A. Here, the instruction to perform the support process means an instruction to display a message to the player B and the player C who are playing the game, or an operation to improve the ability score of at least one of the player character PC#B and the player character PC#C, for example. When such an instruction is accepted (YES of step S 305 ), the process proceeds to step S 306 . On the other hand, when such an instruction is not accepted (NO of step S 305 ), the process proceeds to step S 307 . 
         [0051]    In step S 306 , the game processing unit  12  performs the support process corresponding to the instruction accepted by the accepting unit  11  from the controller  1 A. The content of the support process is described later. 
         [0052]    In step S 307 , the determining unit  14  determines whether a predetermined condition to return to the normal state is satisfied. When the predetermined condition is satisfied (YES of step S 307 ), the process proceeds to step S 308 . On the other hand, when the predetermined condition is not satisfied (NO of step S 307 ), the process returns to step S 304 . 
         [0053]    Here, the determining unit  14  may determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied when a predetermined period has passed since the player character PC#A becomes the incapacitated state. Further, the determining unit  14  may determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied when the accepting unit  11  accepts a predetermined operation to the player character PC#A via the controller  1 B or the controller  1 C. Here, the predetermined operation is an operation to return the state of the player character PC#A to the normal state. Specifically, the predetermined operation is, for example, an operation to recover the hit point HP of the player character PC#A, an operation to melt the player character PC#A that is at the “frozen” state or the like. 
         [0054]    In step S 308 , the determining unit  14  instructs the game processing unit  12  to return the state of the player character PC#A to the normal state. Upon receiving the instruction, the game processing unit  12  changes the state of the player character PC#A from the incapacitated state to the normal state. 
         [0055]    Next, the process of step S 306 , in other words, the support process of the game process that is performed based on the instruction from the controller  1 A when the player character PC#A is in the incapacitated state is described with reference to  FIG. 4 . 
         [0056]    Similar to  FIG. 3 , it is assumed that the player A operates the player character PC#A using the controller  1 A, the player B operates the player character PC#B using the controller  1 B, and the player C operates the player character PC#C using the controller  1 C. 
         [0057]    In step S 401 , the game processing unit  12  determines whether the instruction accepted by the accepting unit  11  from the controller  1 A is an instruction to “display a message” or an instruction to “improve an ability score”. When the instruction to “display a message” is accepted, the process proceeds to step S 402 . Meanwhile, when the instruction to “improve an ability score” is accepted, the process proceeds to step S 404 . 
         [0058]    In step S 402 , the accepting unit  11  accepts a selection of a message. When the accepting unit  11  accepts the selection of the message, the game processing unit  12  instructs the display control unit  13  to display the message. 
         [0059]    In step S 403 , the display control unit  13  displays the selected message in the screen. 
         [0060]    Here, when the message to display is previously determined, the process of step S 402  to select the message may be omitted. Further, an input of a message from the player A may be accepted, and the input message may be displayed. In such a case, instead of the process of step S 402  of selection, a process of inputting the message is performed. 
         [0061]    In step S 404 , the accepting unit  11  accepts a selection of a player character PC for which the support process is to be performed. In such a case, the accepting unit  11  accepts a selection of at least one of the player character PC#B and the player character PC#C via the controller  1 A. 
         [0062]    In step S 405 , the accepting unit  11  accepts a selection of an ability score to be improved via the controller  1 A. The accepting unit  11 , for example, accepts an instruction to improve a hit point HP, a tension gauge value, or an offensive power. 
         [0063]    In step S 406 , in accordance with the instruction content accepted by the accepting unit  11 , the game processing unit  12  performs a process to improve the ability score set for the player character PC. Further, the display control unit  13 , upon accepting the instruction of the game processing unit  12 , displays a fact that the ability score set for the player character PC is improved in the screen. 
         [0064]    Here, the support process of  FIG. 4  may be performed for a plurality of times, upon accepting the instruction from the player A, during a period when the player character PC#A is in the incapacitated state. Further, when the player character PC for which the ability score is to be improved is previously set, or when the type of the ability score to be improved is previously set, the process of step S 404  to select the player character PC or the process of step S 405  to select the ability score to be improved may be omitted. 
         [0065]    Although a case is described in which the processes to “display a message” and “improve an ability score” are exemplified for the support process of  FIG. 4 , other support processes may be performed. In such a case, the game processing unit  12  determines a content of the instruction of the “support process” accepted by the accepting unit  11  in step S 401 , and performs the support process corresponding to the accepted instruction. 
         [0066]    Further, in the above described embodiment, an example is described in which the player characters PC are activated in accordance with the operations from the players, respectively. Alternatively, even when the player character PC and a non-player character NPC are activated at the same time, the support process in the game may be performed. For example, the data processing apparatus  10  may perform the support process in the game for the non-player character NPC based on an instruction from a player who operates the player character PC in the incapacitated state. 
         [0067]    In the above embodiment, a case is described in which the support process for the other player character PC at the normal state is performed when one of the player characters PC is in the incapacitated state. Alternatively, even when the plurality of player characters are in the incapacitated state, the support process for the other player character PC at the normal state may be similarly performed. 
         [0068]    For example, it is assumed that the player character PC#A, the player character PC#B and the player character PC#C are in the incapacitated state, and a player character PC#D is at the normal state. In such a case, the accepting unit  11  may accept instructions to support the player character PC#D from three players operating the player characters PC (#A, #B and #C) in the incapacitated state, respectively. Then, the game processing unit  12  may perform the support process for the player character PC#D based on the instructions from the three players. 
         [0069]    When the instructions accepted from the plurality of (three) players are to improve the ability score, respectively, the game processing unit  12  may perform the support process such that an improving amount (improving width) of the ability score of the player character PC#D becomes greater than a case when the instruction to support the player character PC#D is accepted only from one of the players. 
         [0070]    Here, for example, it is assumed that the improving amount of the ability score of the player character PC#D when the instruction is accepted only from one of the players is a unit improving amount. In such a case, when the instructions to improve the ability score of the player character PC#D are accepted from the three players, respectively, the improving amount of the ability score of the player character PC#D may be greater than (ten times, for example) three times of the unit improving amount. This means that, when the instructions to improve the ability score is accepted from N players, respectively, the game processing unit  12  may improve the ability score by the improving amount that is greater than N times of the unit improving amount. With this configuration, as an effect of the support process is increased, even when the plurality of player characters PC are in the incapacitated state, an immersion into the game for each of the players can be retained. 
       (Example of Screen Display) 
       [0071]    Next, an example of a screen display when performing the game process is described with reference to  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 7 . 
         [0072]      FIG. 5  is a view illustrating an example of a display of a screen in step S 304 . It is displayed in a screen  30  that a player character PC#A  31 , who is in the incapacitated state, is wrapped by a body of ice  34 . Further, a message  35  indicating that the player character PC#A  31  is in the incapacitated state such as “PC#A is frozen” is also displayed in the screen  30 . 
         [0073]    As a player character PC#B  32  and a player character PC#C  33  are at the normal state, the game process is executed based on operations to the player character PC#B  32  and the player character PC#C  33 , respectively. In  FIG. 5 , a scene in which the player character PC#B  32  and the player character PC#C  33  are fighting against monsters  36  ( 36 A,  36 B,  36 C) is displayed. Further, icons  40  ( 40 A,  40 B,  40 C), tension gauges  41  ( 41 A,  41 B,  41 C), hit points HP  42  ( 42 A,  42 B,  42 C) and magic points MP  43  ( 43 A,  43 B,  43 C) of the player characters, respectively, are also displayed at a predetermined area in the screen  30 . 
         [0074]      FIG. 6  is a view illustrating an example of a display of a screen in step S 403 . A message  51  (“keep going everybody !”) is displayed in a screen  50  as a message from the player character PC#A  31  who is in the incapacitated state. 
         [0075]      FIG. 7  is a view illustrating an example of a display in a screen in step S 406 . A message  61  (“tension gauge of PC#B is increased for XX points by support of PC#A!”) indicating that the tension gauge  41 B of the player character PC#B is increased by the support of the player character PC#A  31  in the incapacitated state is displayed in a screen  60 . At this time, display of the tension gauge  41 B of the player character PC#B is also changed to increase for XX points (illustrated by “ 62 ”). 
       (Summary) 
       [0076]    According to the game process of the embodiment, even when a player character PC operated by a player is in the incapacitated state, the player is capable of displaying a message for another player, or capable of supporting the other player in the game. Thus, even when the player character PC becomes the incapacitated state, the player can continue the game without losing an immersion into the game. 
       (Others) 
       [0077]    A case is described in the above embodiment in which a plurality of the controllers  1  are connected to the single data processing apparatus  10 , and a game is played by a plurality of players. Alternatively, a plurality of the data processing apparatuses  10  may be connected via a network, and the game may be played in each of the data processing apparatuses  10  in the same virtual space. In such a case, each of the players participate in the game by using the controller  1  connected to the respective data processing apparatus  10 . 
         [0078]    According to the embodiment, it is possible for a player to retain an immersion into a game even when a player character of the player becomes an incapacitated state. 
         [0079]    Although a preferred embodiment of the recording medium, the data processing apparatus and the data processing method has been specifically illustrated and described, it is to be understood that minor modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. 
         [0080]    The present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments, and numerous variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0081]    The individual constituents of the data processing apparatus  10  may be embodied by arbitrary combinations of hardware and software, typified by a CPU of an arbitrary computer, a memory, a program loaded in the memory so as to embody the constituents illustrated in the drawings, a storage unit for storing the program such as a hard disk, and an interface for network connection. It may be understood by those skilled in the art that methods and devices for the embodiment allow various modifications.