Game Progress Administration Method and Its System

Abstract

A game system according to the present invention is provided with a CPU 361 including a winner determining section 361 c for determining a winner advancing to the second round every time a competition game of each combination constituting the first round finishes, a combination determining section 361 d for fitting the winner determined by the winner determining section 361 c in a selected combination of a competition game constituting the second round, and a competition starting section 361 e for instructing the start of the combination game of the second round to client terminal units 1 included in the selected combination ST if the selected combination is filled up with the competitors as a result of the additional winner fitted in the selected combination. In this way, the combinations of the next rounds can be determined in a tournament game.

1 . A game progress administration system in which a plurality of game terminal units to be operated by players and displaying game screens are so connected via communication lines as to be able to communicate operation signals necessary for the progresses of games, thereby administering the progresses of games in a tournament made up of a plurality of rounds in which competition games of a specified number of combinations are set and having indefinite competition times set for the respective competition games at least in one round, the system comprising:
 winner determining means for determining a winner advancing to the next round based on a game result of the competition game of each combination every time the competition game of each combination constituting the one round finishes;   combination determining means for fitting the winner determined by the winner determining means in one combination of the competition game constituting the next round; and   competition starting means for instructing the start of the competition game of the next round to the game terminal units included in the combination if the one combination is filled up with the competitors as a result of the additional winner fitted in the one combination.   
   
   
       2 . A game progress administration system according to  claim 1 , further comprising game watch means for causing a game screen of an ongoing competition game constituting the one round to be displayed on a competition waiting terminal unit, which is a game terminal unit included in the one combination, until the one combination is filled up with the competitors after the winner is fitted in the one combination. 
   
   
       3 . A game progress administration system according to  claim 2 , further comprising watching game selecting means for selecting one competition game in accordance with a specified rule out of the ongoing competition games constituting the one round, wherein:
 the game watch means causes the game screen of the one competition game selected by the watching game selecting means to be displayed.   
   
   
       4 . A game progress administration system according to  claim 3 , further comprising degree of progress evaluating means for evaluating the degree of progress of the competition game of each combination constituting each round, wherein:
 the combination determining means preferentially fits the winner determined by the winner determining means in the combination, in which at least one winner is already fitted, out of the combinations constituting the next round; and   the watching game selecting means selects one combination having the most advanced degree of progress evaluated by the degree of progress evaluating means out of the combinations of the competition games constituting the one round.   
   
   
       5 . A game progress administration system according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the competition game is the one comprised of a plurality of rounds simulating mahjong; and   the degree of progress evaluating means evaluates the degree of progress of the competition game based on a remaining round number, which is the number of rounds yet to be played, and a remaining drawable tile number, which is the number of drawable tiles remaining in a virtual pile.   
   
   
       6 . A game progress administration system according to  claim 3 , wherein the watching game selecting section extracts the combination including the game terminal unit as a competitor in the next round out of the competition games constituting the one round and selects one combination in accordance with an operation signal from the competition waiting terminal unit from the extracted combinations if there are a plurality of extracted combinations. 
   
   
       7 . A game progress administration system according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the combination determining means fits the winner determined by the winner determining means in the combination set beforehand out of the combinations constituting the next round; and   the watching game selecting section selects a combination including the game terminal unit as a competitor in the next round out of the competition games constituting the one round.   
   
   
       8 . A game progress administration system according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the competition game is the one competed by a specified number of competitors equal to or more than three; and   the watching game selecting section extracts the combination including the game terminal unit as a competitor in the next round out of the competition games constituting the one round and selects one combination in accordance with an operation signal from the competition waiting terminal unit from the extracted combinations if there are a plurality of extracted combinations.   
   
   
       9 . A game progress administration method using a game progress administration system in which a plurality of game terminal units to be operated by players and displaying game screens are so connected via communication lines as to be able to communicate operation signals necessary for the progresses of games, thereby administering the progresses of games in a tournament made up of a plurality of rounds in which competition games of a specified number of combinations are set and having indefinite competition times set for the respective competition games at least in one round, the method comprising:
 a step in which winner determining means of the game progress administration system determines a winner advancing to the next round based on a game result of the competition game of each combination every time the competition game of each combination constituting one round finishes;   a step in which combination determining means of the game progress administration system fits the winner determined by the winner determining means in one combination constituting the next round;   a step in which competition starting means of the game progress administration system instructs the start of the competition game of the next round to the game terminal units included in the one combination if the one combination is filled up with the competitors as a result of the additional winner fitted in the one combination; and   a step in which game watch means of the game progress administration system causes a game screen of an ongoing competition game constituting the one round to be displayed on a competition waiting terminal unit, which is the game terminal unit included in the one combination, until the one combination is filled up with the competitors after the winner is fitted in the one combination.   
   
   
       10 . A game progress administration system according to  claim 1 , wherein the combination determining means fits the winner determined by the winner determining means preferentially in one combination, in which at least one winner is already fitted, out of the combinations constituting the next round and yet to be filled up with the competitors. 
   
   
       11 . A game progress administration system according to  claim 10 , wherein the competition game is the one competed by a specified number of competitors equal to or more than three, and the winner determining means determines a plurality of winners. 
   
   
       12 . A game progress administration system according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the competition game is a game simulating mahjong in which four competitors compete, and   the winner determining means determines two winners.   
   
   
       13 . A game progress administration system according to  claim 10 , further comprising game watch means for causing a game screen of an ongoing competition game constituting the one round to be displayed on a competition waiting terminal unit, which is a game terminal unit included in the one combination, until the one combination is filled up with the competitors after the winner is fitted in the one combination by the combination determining means. 
   
   
       14 . A game progress administration system according to  claim 13 , further comprising watching game selecting means for selecting one competition game in accordance with a specified rule out of the ongoing competition games constituting the one round is further provided; wherein:
 the game watch means causes the game screen of the one competition game selected by the watching game selecting means to be displayed.   
   
   
       15 . A game progress administration method using a game progress administration system in which a plurality of game terminal units to be operated by players and displaying game screens are so connected via communication lines as to be able to communicate operation signals necessary for the progresses of games, thereby administering the progresses of games in a tournament made up of a plurality of rounds in which competition games of a specified number of combinations are set and having indefinite competition times set for the respective competition games at least in one round, the method comprising:
 a step in which winner determining means of the game progress administration system determines a winner advancing to the next round based on a game result of the competition game of each combination every time the competition game of each combination constituting one round finishes;   a step in which combination determining means of the game progress administration system fits the winner determined by the winner determining means preferentially in one combination, in which at least one winner is already fitted, out of the combinations constituting the next round and yet to be filled up with the competitors; and   a step in which competition starting means of the game progress administration system instructs the start of the competition game of the next round to the game terminal units included in the combination if the one combination is filled up with the competitors as a result of the additional winner fitted in the one combination.