Game Device

Abstract

A game system is has at least three game devices ( 2 A to 2 D). Each game device ( 2 A to 2 D) executes a program to enable a player to play a game, and the processor ( 21 ) thereof identifies at least two game devices ( 2 A to 2 D) that will participate in a game before starting the game. Processor ( 21 ) also generates game information (score information and an attack identifier) corresponding to progress of a game that is being played, and transmits, by means of a communication interface ( 22 ), the generated game information to each of the above two or more game devices ( 2 A to 2 D), while processor ( 21 ) receives game information generated at each of the at least two game devices ( 2 A to 2 D) and causes changes in game situations based on the received game information.

1 . A game device comprising: 
 a communicator that communicates with other game devices;    a game program executor that executes a game program so as to enable a player to play a game;    a controller that identifies at least two of said other game devices as participants in a game and that causes said game program executor to start said game;    a game information generator that generates game information in accordance with progress of said game that is being played and transmits said generated game information to each of said at least two game devices; and    a changer that causes changes in progress of said game depending on said game information after receiving said game information generated at each of said at least two game devices.    
     
     
         2 . The game device of  claim 1 , 
 wherein said controller comprises:    a decider that decides whether said game device itself will act as a master or as a slave based on a predetermined condition;    a storage device that stores communication addresses of other game devices participating in said game;    a master-function executor that, in a case in which it is determined by said decider that said game device itself will act as a master, waits for a game participation request from other devices that will act as slaves; upon receiving said game participation request, replies with a response indicating permission for participating in said game as long as a number of participants does not reach the predetermined number; stores, in said storage, communication addresses of said two or more other game devices that will act as slaves; and transmits, to each of said other game devices that respectively will act as one of said slaves, a communication address of a game device that will act as another of said slaves; and    a slave-function executor that, in a case in which it is determined by said decider that said game device itself will act as a slave, transmits to one of said other game devices being a candidate for a master, a game participation request; and stores in said storage, upon receiving, from said one game device that will act as a master, a response indicating permission for participating in said game, a communication address of a game device that will act as another slave and a communication address of said one game device that will act as a master,    wherein said game information generator uses said communication addresses stored in said storage to transmit said game information to each of said two or more other game devices.    
     
     
         3 . The game device of  claim 2 , 
 wherein said master-function executor notifies said at least two other game devices of a start time of said game and controls said game program executor to execute said game program at said start time so that an enablement for a player's play of a game is started; and    wherein said slave-function executor, upon receiving said start time from a master, controls said game program executor to execute said game program at the start time so that an enablement for a player's play of a game is started.    
     
     
         4 . The game device of  claim 3 , 
 wherein said controller comprises a communication-mode shifter that, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, shifts a communication mode between said game device and said at least two other game devices, to another communication mode in which said game device communicates in parallel with each of said at least two other game devices and said game information generator and said changer operate effectively.    
     
     
         5 . The game device of  claim 4 , 
 wherein said predetermined condition relating to said shifter includes said master-function executor having notified said start time of said at least two other game devices, or said slave-function executor having received, from said master, said notification of said start time.    
     
     
         6 . The game device of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a display that displays an image; and    an input device that outputs a signal corresponding to a player's operation,    wherein said game program executor conducts said game according to said signal, and causes an image to be displayed on said display, said image corresponding to progress of said game;    wherein said game information generator generates, as game information, score information indicating score obtained depending on operations of said input device, and transmits said score information to each of said at least two other game devices; and    wherein said changer, upon receiving said score information as said game information, causes an image based on said received score information to be displayed on said display.    
     
     
         7 . The game device of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a display that displays an image; and    an input device that outputs a signal corresponding to a player's operation,    wherein said game program executor conducts said game according to said signal, and causes an image to be displayed on said display, said image corresponding to progress of said game;    wherein, in response to an operation of said input device, said game information generator generates, as said game information, attack information specifying a game element disadvantageous to another game participant, and transmits said attack information to at least one of said at least two other game devices; and    wherein said changer, upon receiving said attack information as said game information, causes an image to be displayed on said display, said image being based on said game element specified by said received attack information.    
     
     
         8 . The game device of  claim 7 , further comprising a destination identifier that identifies, based on a signal from said input device, which one of said other game devices will be a destination of said attack information, 
 wherein said game information generator transmits said generated attack information to said one game device identified by said destination identifier.    
     
     
         9 . The game device of  claim 1 , further comprising a detector that monitors communication with said at least two other game devices participating in said game to detect an interruption of communication, 
 wherein said game information generator suspends transmission of said game information to another game device on which said communication interruption has been detected by said detector, and continues transmission of said game information to another remaining game device participating in said game.    
     
     
         10 . The game device of  claim 9 , 
 wherein said game program executor plays said game as a participant substituting said game device on which said communication interruption has been detected by said detector, generates said game information that was to be generated by said game device on which said communication interruption has been detected, and gives said game information to said changer; and    wherein said changer obtains said game information from said game program executor instead of receiving said game information from said game device on which said communication interruption has been detected by said detector, continues obtaining said game information from said another remaining game device participating in said game, and causes changes in said progress of said game according to said obtained game information.    
     
     
         11 . The game device of  claim 10 , 
 wherein said game program executor sequentially plays a plurality of music pieces according to said program, and starts playing said game as a participant substituting said game device on which said communication interruption has been detected by said detector, the substitution starting at start of a music piece that follows a music piece being played at the time of said communication interruption being detected by said detector.