Patent Publication Number: US-2015087416-A1

Title: Game program, game apparatus and game system

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to and claims priority and benefit to PCT/JP2013/002948 filed on May 8, 2013, titled (translated) “Game Program, Game Apparatus and Game System,” which claims priority and benefit to Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-106856 filed on May 8, 2012 titled to same, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments of the present invention relate to a game program that enables two or more players to play simultaneously. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A video game which can be played by a single player or also by two or more players cooperatively as a multiple-play game has been put into practical use. A game which has been started by one or more players and another player can participate in the middle, such as Japanese Patent No. 3317956, has also been provided. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In conventional multiple-play games, such as those mentioned in the Background of the Invention section above, when another player wants to participate in the game after it has started, the player needs permission by a player who has started playing the game previously. The player who participates in the game after it has started (such as in the middle of the game) also needs to play the game according to the aim or mission that has already been set by the player who has started the game previously. Embodiments of the invention include, for example, computer-implemented methods, systems, computer devices and non-transitory computer-readable mediums having one or more computer programs stored therein to enable two or more players to play a virtual game simultaneously. 
     As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, embodiments of the invention improve the flexibility of a multi-player game and minimize the abruptness of conventional multi-player games by enabling a plurality of missions to be played by a plurality of users simultaneously, for example, without interrupting the mission of another player. Embodiments of the invention include, for example, a non-transitory gaming media having computer-readable instructions stored therein that enable two or more players to play a virtual video game simultaneously. The computer-readable instructions, when executed by one or more computer processors, are adapted to cause one or more computer processors to perform the steps of, for example: generating a first object in a virtual game space, actions of the first object in the virtual game space being at least in part responsive to first operational information generated by a first player from a first computing device; generating a second object in the virtual game space, actions of the second object in the virtual game being at least in part responsive to second operational information generated by a second player from a second computing device; generating a first mission of the virtual game that is adapted to be played by the first object; and generating a second mission that is adapted to be played by the second object, the second mission being independent of the first mission such that the first mission played by the first object is not interrupted by the second mission played by the second object when the second mission and the first mission are played simultaneously. 
     Embodiments of the non-transitory gaming media can further include instructions that cause one or more processors to perform the steps such as: generating a third object in the virtual game, actions of the third object in the virtual game being at least in part responsive to third operational information generated by a third player from a third computing device and the second operational information generated by the second player; and synchronizing gaming information of the virtual game so that the first mission is adapted to be played by the first object and the third object simultaneously. The second mission is adapted to be played by the second object independently from the first mission. According to one or more embodiments, the first player is not notified of the second mission when the second player is playing the second mission simultaneously with the first player and the third player playing the first mission of the virtual game. 
     Embodiments of the invention can also include, for example, a computer-implemented method of enabling two or more players to simultaneously play a virtual video game, the method comprising steps such as: generating, by one or more processors, a first object in a virtual game space, actions of the first object in the virtual game space being at least in part responsive to first operational information generated by a first player from a first computing device; generating, by one or more processors, a first mission of the virtual game that is adapted to be played by the first object; generating, by one or more processors, a second object in the virtual game space responsive to a request for participation from a second computing device, actions of the second object in the virtual game being at least in part responsive to second operational information generated by a second player from the second computing device; and generating, by one or more processors, a second mission that is adapted to be played by the second object, the second mission being independent of the first mission such that the first mission played by the first object is not interrupted by the second mission played by the second object when the second mission and the first mission are played simultaneously. 
     Embodiments of the invention can further include, for example, a gaming system adapted to enable two or more players to simultaneously play a virtual game. The system can include a main character gaming apparatus adapted to communicate operating information generated by a first player and a liberty character gaming apparatus adapted to communicate operating information generated by a second player. 
     Embodiments of a main character gaming apparatus can include, for example, a first main operation information unit adapted to receive first operation information generated by the first player using a main character gaming device; a first liberty object unit adapted to process information generated by a liberty character player using a liberty character gaming device; a first game space control unit adapted to generate a virtual game space for the first player; and a first main object control unit adapted to generate a main object in the virtual game space, the main object being at least in part responsive to first operational information generated by the first player using the main character gaming device. 
     Embodiments of the liberty character gaming apparatus can include, for example, a liberty operation information unit adapted to receive second operation information generated by the second player using a liberty character gaming device; a second main object unit adapted to process information generated by the main character player using the main character gaming device; a second game space control unit adapted to generate a virtual game space for the second player; and a liberty object control adapted to generate a liberty object in the virtual game space, the liberty object being at least in part responsive to second operational information generated by the second player using the liberty character gaming device, the liberty object being adapted to operate in the virtual game space simultaneously with the main character player without interfering with the main character player. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a game device according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating a game screen of a virtual game according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating activities of each character in the game according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating the participation of each player in the game according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a functional block diagram of a game apparatus that is adapted to interoperate with the game device and a game program according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating a processing of the game apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7A  is a flowchart illustrating a processing of the game apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7B  is a flowchart illustrating a processing of the game apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments set forth herein. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an electronic circuit of a game device  1  according to an embodiment of the invention. The game device  1  is a portable game device on which a display and keys are integrally provided. The game device  1  has a control unit  20 , an operation unit  30 , a media interface  31  and a wireless LAN communication unit  32  on the bus  26 . The control unit  20  includes a CPU  21 , a ROM (flash memory)  22 , a RAM  23 , an image processor  24  and a sound processor  25 . The image processor  24  is connected to a video RAM (VRAM)  40  and the VRAM  40  is connected to a display unit  41 . The display unit  41  includes a liquid crystal display and displays a game screen. The sound processor  25  is connected to an amplifier  42  including a D/A converter. The amplifier  42  is connected to a speaker  16  and an earphone jack  17 . 
     The operation unit  30  has button switches such as A, B, C and D keys and a cross key (an arrow key), which may also have a touch panel formed on the display unit  41 . The operation unit  30  detects the user&#39;s operation and generates an operation signal in response to the user&#39;s operation. The generated operation signal is communicated to the CPU  21 . 
     A game media  5  is connected to the media interface  31  which is, for example, a memory card incorporating a flash memory. A game program  50  is stored in the game media  5  and includes not only the game program itself but game data such as an item image necessary for the game progress. The game media  5  may be a dedicated semiconductor for the game device  1 , a general-purpose semiconductor memory, or an optical disk and the like. 
     In the RAM  23 , a working area that is used when the CPU  21  executes the game program  50  is set. Various parameters such as a parameter related to a player character PC controlled in the game device  1  are saved in the working area. A basic program to execute the game program  50  in the game device  1  is stored in ROM  22 , which is a flash memory. A downloaded application program can be saved in the ROM  22  as well as the basic program. 
     The image processor  24  has a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) that generates a game image. The image processor  24  generates a game space according to computer-executable instruction executed by the CPU  21  and renders an image obtained by photographing the game space with a virtual camera as a game image on the VRAM  40 . 
     The sound processor  25  has a Digital Signal Processor (DSP). With the DSP, the sound processor  25  generates a sound signal such as game sound and reproduces sound signal waveform data. The generated or reproduced sound signal is input into the amplifier  42 , which amplifies and outputs the input sound signal to the sound speaker  16  and the earphone jack  17 . 
     The wireless communication unit  32  has a digital communication circuit for 2.4 GHz band, for example, and performs internet communication via wireless access point and direct communication with another game device  1  using the digital communication circuit. The direct communication with another game device  1  is called local communication. The internet communication is performed over IEEE802.11g standard (what is called “Wi-Fi”); on the other hand, the local communication is performed over an ad hoc mode of IEEE802.11b or its own standard. 
     The local communication is used for the local play wherein the game device  1  communicates directly with another game device  1  using the local communication and a plurality of the game devices  1  play the same game. The situation wherein a plurality of the game devices  1  perform the same game is sometimes called “multiple-play”, for example. In a multiple-play game, user of each game device  1  can fight each other and/or engage in cooperation play wherein the user of each game device  1  become friends and play the game together. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, internet communication is used for the internet play and to download the program. The internet play is the game performing formation, wherein a plurality of the game devices  1  perform the same game by a game device  1  communicating with another game device  1  via the internet. The internet play is also a multiple-play. 
       FIG. 5  is a functional block diagram of a game apparatus  100  that is adapted to interoperate with the game device and a game program according to an embodiment of the invention. According to an embodiment of the invention, the game device  1  is a game apparatus  100  illustrated in  FIG. 5  in conjunction with the game program  50 . The game performed by the game apparatus  100  is what a main character MC and a partner character PC aim at completing. As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , the main character MC and partner character PC cooperate with each other to complete one or more main missions  60  of the game.  FIG. 2  illustrates an example of the game screen generated by the game apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a form of activities of the main character MC, the partner character PC, and a liberty character LC in the game.  FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating a lapse of time of the game performed by the game apparatus  100 , and  FIG. 5  is a functional block diagram of the game apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     The main character MC is operated by a main player  6 A who is a user of the game apparatus  100  (a host  100 A), which means the main character MC is a player character. The partner character PC may be a non-player character made to act by automatic control of the host  100 A without the player&#39;s operation and may also be operated by a partner player  6 B who is a user of another game apparatus  100  (a guest  100 B). The local communication or the internet communication may be used for the communication with the guest  100 B. 
     An enemy character EC that fights with the main character MC and the partner character PC is also in the game. However, the enemy character EC is a non-player character acting by automatic control of the game apparatus  100  (the host  100 A and the guest  100 B) without the player&#39;s operation. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the liberty character LC appears on the game space in a liberty character mode. The liberty character LC is a player character whose action is controlled by the game apparatus  100 C of the liberty player  6 C, the user of another game apparatus  100  (a guest  100 C), which is different from the game apparatus  100 A controlled by the main player  6 A and the game apparatus  100 B controlled by the partner player  6 B. The liberty character LC enters the game progress (the game space) of the main player  6 A and the partner player  6 B at any time without notification to the main player  6 A and the partner player  6 B and plays one or more independent missions  61 . The independent mission  61  is played by the liberty player  6 C after the start of the game and without interrupting the play of the main player  6 A or the partner player  6 B play of the main mission  60 . According to an embodiment of the invention, when the independent mission is completed, the liberty character LC leaves the game space without notifying the main player  6 A or the partner player  6 B. After completing the independent mission, the liberty character LC may also not be made to leave the game, for example, and can act freely until the main mission is achieved. 
     Embodiments of the invention improve the player&#39;s interest in the game and the degree of freedom on how to participate in the game. Additionally, embodiments of the invention also minimize the interruptions of the game play by preventing the liberty character LC from interfering with the main mission played by the main character MC. Embodiments of the invention improve the unexpectedness and the flexibility of the multiple-play game. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the main character MC and the partner character PC seek to complete the main mission  60  by cooperating with each other, for example, and by fighting with the enemy character EC. On the other hand, the liberty character LC participates in the game (appears on the same game space) with an aim different from the main character MC&#39;s and the partner character PC&#39;s. The liberty character LC seeks to complete the independent mission  61 , which is different from the main mission  60  that is given to the main character MC and the partner character PC. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the independent mission  61  is a mission that does not change the story of the game or that makes it impossible to complete the main mission  60  by the main character MC or the partner character PC while they remain alive during the game. However, the independent mission  61  may affect the game progress directly or indirectly. Examples of the independent mission  61  which hardly affect the game progress of the main character MC and the partner character PC are such as “Retrieve a sample of viruses”, “Do not be found by anyone” and the like. When the independent mission  61 , “Do not be found by anyone” is given for example, the liberty player  6 C tries not to be found by the main player  6 A and the partner player  6 B, for example, by operating the liberty character LC not to enter a range of a virtual camera set in the game space. 
     Examples of the independent mission  61  that affect the game progress indirectly, include, for example, cooperative missions such as “Do not make the main character MC die”, “Defeat 10 enemy characters EC” and a surprise mission such as “Kill the main character MC”. According to certain embodiments, the independent mission  61  is the same as the main mission  60 . Even in these certain embodiment, the existence of the liberty character LC (the liberty player  6 C) or the mission for the liberty character LC is not informed to the main player  6 A so that it becomes a game play different from the normal play. 
     In the liberty character mode it may be possible to set permission for only a cooperative mission occurring as the independent mission  61  by the main player  6 A&#39;s setting. 
     The independent mission  61  given to the liberty player LP may also be determined at random or be selected by the liberty player  6 C. 
     Except in the case in which the independent mission  61  is to meet the main character MC and the partner character PC such as in a cooperative mission and the fighting mission is given, the liberty character LC may hide and act not to meet the main character MC and the partner character PC. In that case, the main character MC and the partner character PC may play the game without noticing the liberty character LC and the liberty character LC may not be noticed by the main character MC and the partner character PC from appearing on the game to leaving the game. It is not essential to hide from the main character MC and the partner character PC as long as that is not the mission itself. The liberty character LC can appear on the view field of the main character MC and the liberty character LC. 
     When the liberty character LC appears on the view field of the main character MC and the partner character PC, some markers may be added to the liberty character LC to be found at a glance or the liberty character LC can be indistinguishable from the enemy character EC. The appearance of the liberty character LC may be unique to the liberty character LC or it may be similar to the appearance of the main character MC, the partner character PC or the enemy character EC. 
     The sudden appearance of the liberty character LC can give the main player  6 A and the partner player  6 B surprise and cause changes to the game play. Further, if the character does not appear in sight, sound of gunshots, footsteps and the like makes the main player  6 A and the partner player  6 B think that someone is there, which also changes the feeling of the game play. 
       FIG. 4  shows a flow of the game when the liberty character mode is permitted in the multiple-play game. The main player  6 A starts the game apparatus  100  to start the game and sets the multiple play in the game apparatus  100 . Thus, the game apparatus  100  becomes a host  100 A and performs the game communicating with a guest  100 B. The main player  6 A also sets the liberty character mode (e.g., the host  100 A is set to permit the liberty character LC to participate in the game). 
     The host  100 A gathers the partner player  6 B that is the guest  100 B via the local communication or the internet and starts the game stage after the partner player  6 B (the guest  100 B) has participated. According to an embodiment of the invention, approval by the main player  6 A is needed for the participation of the partner player  6 B (the guest  100 B). Alternatively, the partner player  6 B (the guest  100 B) is able to participate without the approval of the main character. In the stage, the main character MC and the partner character PC cooperate with each other to reach a stage of the game by completing one or more main missions  60 . During the stage being performed, according to an embodiment of the invention, the host  100 A transmits the information that it is in the liberty character mode via the local communication or the internet. 
     The information is received by the liberty guest  100 C that is the game apparatus  100  of the liberty player  6 C. The liberty guest  100 C notifies the liberty player  6 C that the host  100 A is in the liberty character mode. The liberty player  6 C sends a request of participation as the liberty player  6 C to the host  100 A operating the liberty guest  100 C. In response to the request of participation, the host  100 A generates the liberty character LC and makes it appear on the game. The liberty character LC is controlled to act by the liberty guest  100 C, which controls the liberty character LC on the basis of the operation of the liberty player  6 C. In this case, a present position of the main character MC and the partner character PC is obtained and the liberty character LC appears wherein it is out of the range of the virtual camera and separated from the main character MC and the partner character PC by a predetermined distance. The game is also performed in the liberty guest  100 C in synchronization with the host  100 A. The host  100 A may reject connection or participation to the request of the participation by the liberty player  6 C (the liberty guest  100 C) without the main player  6 A&#39;s operation. 
     When the liberty player  6 C appears in the game space, at least one of: “participation of the liberty character LC”, “a timing that the liberty character participates” and “an objective of the liberty character LC&#39;S independent mission  61 ” is not known to at least one of the main player  6 A who operates the main character MC and the partner player  6 B who operates the partner character PC. 
     If “participation of the liberty character LC” is not enabled, a player who is not notified (e.g., the main player  6 A and/or the partner player  6 B) needs to play the game without knowing the participation of the liberty character LC. If “a timing that the liberty character participates” is not enabled, a player who is not notified needs to play the game without knowing when the liberty character LC appears on the game. And if “an objective of the liberty character LC&#39;S independent mission  61 ” is not enabled, a player who is not notified needs to play the game without knowing how the liberty character acts in the game space. Those make it possible to give the game progress changes. 
     Thereafter, the host  100 A, the guest  100 B and the liberty guest  100 C perform the game in synchronization. The main character MC and the partner character PC are given the main mission  60  along with the game story in the same way as performing the game only between the host  100 A and the guest  100 B and prompted to complete the stage. The independent mission  61  to achieve is given to the liberty character LC in the same game space. 
     When the liberty character LC achieves the given independent mission  61 , the role of the liberty character LC comes to an end and the liberty character LC leaves the game. According to an embodiment of the invention, the liberty character LC vanishes from the game space and the communication of the liberty guest  100 C with the host  100 A and the guest  100 B also terminates. 
     The liberty character can act until the independent mission  61  is achieved or an active value HP of the liberty character LC becomes 0. In the case in which the main character MC or the partner character PC completes the stage or the main character MC and/or the partner character PC dies and the game is over, the independent mission  61  cannot be achieved and the game for the liberty character is over if the active value HP of the liberty character LC does not yet become 0. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, if the independent mission  61  is completed, a reward is given to the liberty character LC (the liberty player  6 C). The reward may be set to give the main character MC or the partner character PC when the main character MC (the main player  6 A) or the partner character PC (the partner player  6 B) prevents the independent mission of the liberty character LC or the liberty character LC fails in the independent mission  61 . 
     Also, when the main character MC (the main player  6 A) or the partner character PC (the partner player  6 B) completes or fails in the main mission  60 , existence of the liberty character LC, an objective of the liberty character LC&#39;s independent mission  61  or its success or fail information may be known to the main character MC and/or partner character. 
       FIG. 5  is a functional block diagram showing the game apparatus  100  performed by the game device  1  (hardware) and the game program  50  in the game media  5  being loaded in the game device  1 . As will be understood by those skilled in the art, one or more of the units illustrated in  FIG. 5  can be implemented using one more computer program modules. The game apparatus  100  has a game progress control unit  110 , a main character control unit  120 , a partner character control unit  130 , a liberty character control unit  140 , an enemy character control unit  150 , an operation information input unit  200 , a communication unit  210  and a rendering and displaying unit  220 . The operation information input unit  200  is performed by cooperation among the control unit  20 , the operation unit  30  and the game program  50 . The rendering and displaying unit  220  is performed by cooperation among the control unit  20 , the VRAM  40 , the display unit  41  and the game program  50 . The game progress control unit  110 , the main character control unit  120 , the partner character control unit  130 , the liberty character control unit  140  and the enemy character control unit  150  are performed by cooperation between the control unit  20  and the game program  50 . The game progress control unit  110  comprises a game space generating unit  111 , a mission generating unit  112  and an entry processing unit  113 . 
     The operation data input unit  200  takes in an operation signal generated by user&#39;s operation of the operation unit  30  and inputs it as an operation data into the game progress control unit  110 . The communication unit  210  communicates with other game apparatuses  100  such as a game apparatus  100 B or a game apparatus  100 C and receives operation information operated by a user of the other game apparatuses  100  such as the partner player  6 B or the liberty player  6 C. The communication unit  210  also sends and receives data to synchronize the game in each game apparatus. 
     The game is progressed by the game progress control unit  110  on the basis of the operation information that is input from the operation information unit  200  or the communication unit  210 . The game space generating unit  111  generates the game space and gradually changes the game space according to the operation information and/or a lapse of time. The mission generating unit  112  generates and presents the missions to the main character MC, the partner character PC and the liberty character LC. The mission generating unit  112  generates the main mission  60  to the main character MC and the partner character PC to complete a stage of the game on the basis of the game story. The main mission  60  is a condition to complete the stage and progress the game for the main character MC and the partner character PC. The game progress control unit  110  determines whether the main character MC and the partner character PC achieves the main mission  60  or not and controls the game progress on the basis of the result of the decision. The mission generating unit  112  also generates the independent mission  61  for the liberty character LC, which is a condition to obtain points and leave the game for the liberty character LC. 
     The entry processing unit  113  accepts the entry from the game apparatus  100 B or the liberty guest  100 C and inputs the operation information which is sent from the game apparatus  100 B into the partner character control unit  130  and the operation information which is sent from the liberty guest  100 C into the liberty character control unit  140 . 
     Each of the main character control unit  120 , the partner character control unit  130  and the liberty character control unit  140  generates a character in charge respectively and makes the character act in the game space on the basis of each operation information. In solo play, the partner character control unit  130  automatically generates the operation information with artificial intelligence (AI) function, as understood by those skilled in the art, to cause the non-player character to act. Also the enemy character control unit  150  generates the enemy character EC and makes the enemy character act in the game space on the basis of the operation information which is automatically generated with artificial intelligence (AI) function. 
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing a process to determine the play mode performed by the game apparatus  100  when starting the game according to an embodiment of the invention. When the game is launched by the user&#39;s operation, the menu screen is displayed at first (Step  10 ) (Step hereinafter referred to as “S”). On the menu screen, select buttons for the solo play, the local play or the internet play are displayed. The user can select the play mode by touching a desired button. 
     If the cooperation play is selected (YES in S 11 ), the processing step goes to S 20 . Cooperation play can use a local connection and/or the internet to communicate. If the solo play is selected (YES in S 12 ), the processing step goes to S 13 . In S 13 , control of the partner character PC is set to artificial intelligence (AI) (S 13 ) and the stage starts according to the starting operation. 
     In S 20 , the selection whether the game apparatus  100  starts up the game session of itself and gathers the partner player  6 B (the cooperation game apparatus  100 B) as the host  100 A or participates in the session which is started up by another host  100 A as the guest  100  B is accepted (S 20 ). If the participating in another session as the guest  100 B is selected (NO in S 20 ), the processing step goes to a corresponded action (S 29 ). 
     If gathering the partner player  6 B as the host  100 A is selected (YES in S 20 ), the request of participation from the partner player  6 B is accepted (S 21 ). If the request of participation is received (YES in S 22 ), entry information of the user of the game apparatus  100  is sent from the game apparatus  100  that has requested participation so that the entry information is displayed on the display unit  140  (S 23 ) and operation for approval/non-approval by the user (the main player  6 A) is accepted (S 24 , S 25 ). The main player  6 A determines whether to approve the participation or not by the entry information. When the approval operation is performed by the main player  6 A (YES in S 24 ), the player who requested the participation is set as the partner player  6 B who operates the partner character PC (S 26 ), which is sent to the guest  100 B, and then the stage is started according to the start operation (S 27 ). On the other hand, if operation of non-approval for the participation is performed by the main player  6 A (S 25 ), a message of non-approval is sent to the game apparatus  100  which sent the request of participation and another request of participation is accepted returning to S 22 . Thus, gathering the partner player  6 B at the time of starting the game is set that approval by the main player  6 A is as a condition. 
       FIG. 7A  is a flowchart showing processing of the host  100 A which corresponds to a request of participation from the liberty guest  100 C after the start of the game. The processing step waits at S 30  until participation is requested. If the request of participation from another game apparatus  100  is received (YES in S 30 ), the game apparatus  100  is set as the liberty guest  100 C (S 31 ). For this setting, a message which shows approval of the request of participation and synchronization information of the game to synchronize the game progress of the liberty guest  100 C to the host  100 A are replied to the game apparatus  100 . 
     Subsequently, the liberty character LC is generated in the game space (S 32 ), which is operated by the liberty guest  100 C (the liberty player  6 C). The independent mission  61  that does not directly affect the story is generated and provided to the liberty character LC (S 33 ), which is made to act in the game space according to the operation information input from the liberty guest  100 C (S 34 ). This activity is possible until the liberty character LC achieves the independent mission  61  (S 35 ), the active value HP of the liberty character LC becomes  0  or the stage which is currently performed is over (S 35 ). If the liberty character LC achieves the independent mission  61  (YES in S 35 ), the liberty character LC is made to leave the game space (S 36 ) and the communication with the liberty guest  100 C is finished (S 37 ). 
       FIG. 7B  is a flowchart showing processing of the liberty guest  100 C that has sent the request of participation to the host  100 A. If the host  100 A that permits the liberty character mode is detected via the local communication or the internet, the user (the liberty player  6 C) operates to request participation to the host  100 A. In accordance with the operation for requesting participation, the liberty guest  100 C sends the entry information to the host  100 A (S 40 ). In response to the entry information, information to synchronize the game progress (game synchronization information) is received (S 41 ), and on the basis of the information, the game space and the characters such as the liberty character LC, the main character MC, the partner character PC, the enemy character EC and the like are generated (S 42 ) and the game is progressed in synchronization with the host  100 A (and the guest  100 B). Then the independent mission  61  to the liberty character LC is generated in synchronization with the host  100 A (S 43 ). The liberty character LC is made to act in the game space in response to the operation information which is input from the operation unit  30  (S 44 ). If the liberty character LC achieves the independent mission  61  (S 45 ), the liberty character LC is made to leave the game (S 46 ), the communication with the host  100 A is finished (S 47 ) and the game by the LC entry is finished. 
     The host  100 A, the guest  100 B and the liberty guest  100 C regularly synchronize the game progress by communicating with each other, for example, in each 1 frame. 
     In explaining above, the case in which the liberty player  6 C participates in the multiple play game is explained, however, the liberty player  6 C participating in solo play is also included in one or more embodiments of the invention. The liberty character LC may appear on the game without the partner character (e.g., the game in which only the main character MC is acting). 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the host  100 A, the guest  100 B and the liberty guest  100 C are adapted to communicate with each game device  1  (each game apparatus  100 ). According to another embodiment of the invention, a server may be used to facilitate the video game and communicate with the host  100 A, the guest  100 B, and the liberty guest  100 C. 
     According to an embodiment, a plurality of the characters fight with each other in a game. Embodiments of the invention, however are not limited to the characters or kind of games described above. For example, embodiments of the invention can include racing games or other games that include vehicles, or a space ship, and can also include other action-adventure or mystery games.