Game system, lobby server apparatus, and game terminal

Abstract

A game system is provided. The game system has plural game terminals that can be used for a play of plural games and a lobby server apparatus. Each game terminal selects one of plural games based on an operation made to an operation unit by a player, and transmits selection data indicating a selection result to lobby server apparatus. Lobby server apparatus counts using the selection data the number of times selected for each game, and transmits, to each game terminal, based on the number of times selected, schedule data basically associating each schedule period with a game for which the number of times selected is the greatest in a count period corresponding to the schedule period. Each game terminal, based on the schedule data, outputs information prompting selection, in a schedule period, of a game corresponding to the schedule period.

1 . A game system comprising:
 plural game terminals for executing a game program and a lobby server apparatus for forming plural groups of game terminals of a prescribed number from among the plural game terminals and for associating a game with each of the plural groups, the prescribed number being equal to or greater than two, and all the game terminals belonging to each of the plural groups being used for a play of the game associated with the group,   each of the plural game terminals comprising:
 an operation unit; 
 a selector that selects one of plural games in accordance with an operation of the operation unit; 
 a selection data transmitter that transmits a piece of selection data indicating a result of selection by the selector to the lobby server apparatus, 
   the lobby server apparatus comprising:
 a selection data receiver that receives the selection data piece from each of the plural game terminals; 
 a grouper that forms the plural groups by grouping game terminals of the prescribed number from among game terminals having transmitted the selection data pieces received by the selection data receiver in an order in which the selection data pieces were received, and, in each grouping, identifies, based on the prescribed number of pieces of selection data, a game for the group to be formed, to associate the identified game with the group to be formed; 
 a counter that counts, by using the selection data pieces, the number of times selected for each of the plural games; 
 a schedule data generator that generates, based on the number of times selected counted by the counter, schedule data associating a game for which the number of times selected is the greatest with a schedule period; and 
 a schedule data transmitter that transmits the schedule data to each of the plural game terminals, 
   each of the plural game terminals further comprising:
 a schedule data receiver that receives the schedule data from the lobby server apparatus; and 
 an information outputter that outputs, based on the schedule data, information prompting selection, in the schedule period, of a game corresponding to the schedule period. 
   
     
     
         2 . The game system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 there are plural schedule periods, the plural schedule periods not overlapping with each other,   the number of times selected counted by the counter is the number of times selected for each of the plural games in each of the plural count periods not overlapping with each other,   the plural count periods and the plural schedule periods respectively correspond to each other,   the schedule data is data that associates each of the plural schedule periods with a game for which the number of times selected is the greatest in a count period corresponding to each schedule period, and   the information output by the information outputter is information for prompting selection, in each of the plural schedule periods, of a game corresponding to the schedule period.   
     
     
         3 . The game system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 there are plural schedule periods, the plural schedule periods not overlapping with each other,   the number of times selected counted by the counter is the number of times selected for each of the plural games in each of the plural count periods not overlapping with each other,   the plural count periods and the plural schedule periods respectively correspond to each other,   the schedule data generator generates, based on the number of times selected counted by the counter, data associating each of the plural schedule periods with a game for which the number of times selected is the greatest in a count period corresponding to each schedule period, and, in a case in which the plural games include a game that is not associated with any of the plural schedule periods, changes the data so that every one of the plural games is associated with one of the plural schedule periods, to employ the changed data as schedule data, and otherwise employs the data as the schedule data, and   the information output by the information outputter is information prompting selection, in each of the plural schedule periods, of a game corresponding to the schedule period.   
     
     
         4 . The game system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the schedule period includes a first schedule period and a second schedule period shorter than the first schedule period, the first schedule period and the second schedule period not overlapping with each other,   the schedule data is data that associates a first game for which the number of times selected is the greatest with the first schedule period and that associates a second game different from the first game with the second schedule period, and   the information output by the information outputter is information prompting selection of the first game in the first schedule period and of the second game in the second schedule period.   
     
     
         5 . The game system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the game terminal prohibits, in the schedule period, to select a game other than a game corresponding to the schedule period.   
     
     
         6 . The game system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the grouper, in each grouping, selects, in a random manner, one of the prescribed number of pieces of selection data for the group to be formed, and associates a game indicated by the selected piece of selection data with the group to be formed.   
     
     
         7 . The game system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plural game terminals are dispersely located in plural game venues,   the grouper, in each grouping, in a case in which the number of game venues where the game terminals of the prescribed number for the group to be formed are located is one, selects, in a random manner, one of the prescribed number of pieces of selection data for the group to be formed, and associates a game indicated by the selected piece of selection data with the group to be formed, and   the grouper, in each grouping, in a case in which the number of game venues where the game terminals of the prescribed number for the group to be formed are located is two or more, associates a game with each of the two or more game venues and selects, in a random manner, one of the two or more game venues, to associate the game corresponding the selected game venue with the group to be formed.   
     
     
         8 . A lobby server apparatus in a game system having plural game terminals for executing a game program, wherein, among which plural game terminals, a prescribed number of game terminals are grouped as a group, all the game terminals belonging to the group being used for a play of a game associated with the group, with the prescribed number being equal to or greater than two,
 the lobby server comprising:
 a selection data receiver that receives selection data pieces from the plural game terminals, each piece of the selection data indicating one of plural games selected by a player of the game; 
 a grouper that forms plural groups by grouping game terminals of the prescribed number from among game terminals having transmitted the selection data pieces received by the selection data receiver in an order in which the selection data pieces were received, and that, in each grouping, identifies, based on the prescribed number of pieces of selection data, a game for the group to be formed, to associate the identified game with the group to be formed; 
 a counter that counts, by using the pieces of selection data, the number of times selected for each of the plural games; 
 a schedule data generator that generates, based on the number of times selected counted by the counter, schedule data associating a game for which the number of times selected is the greatest with a schedule period; and 
   a schedule data transmitter that transmits the schedule data to each of the plural game terminals so that information based on the schedule data is output by a game terminal having received the schedule data.   
     
     
         9 . A game terminal in a game system having plural game terminals for executing a game program and a lobby server that forms plural groups of game terminals of a prescribed number from among the plural game terminals, and that associates a game with each of the plural groups, the prescribed number being equal to or greater than two, and all the game terminals belonging to each of the plural groups being used for a play of the game associated with the group,
 the game terminal comprising:
 an operation unit; 
 a selector that selects one of plural games in accordance with an operation of the operation unit; 
 a selection data transmitter that transmits a piece of selection data indicating a result of selection by the selector to the lobby server apparatus, 
 a schedule data receiver that receives schedule data from the lobby server apparatus, the schedule data associating a game for which the number of times selected is the greatest with a schedule period; and 
 an information outputter that outputs, based on the schedule data, information prompting selection, in the schedule period, of a game corresponding to the schedule period.