Terminal device, method for controlling same, information recording medium, and program

Abstract

A terminal device ( 201 ) that provides a communication competition game wherein competition histories of players are stored in a memory unit ( 202 ), an exchange unit ( 203 ) exchanges competition histories with an opponent with whom a communication competition is to be started, a determination unit ( 204 ) determines whether or not the opponent's competition history obtained through exchange contradicts the opponent's competition history stored in the memory unit ( 202 ), and when there is a contradiction, a warning unit ( 205 ) gives a warning that there is a contradiction, and when the communication competition is finished, an update unit ( 206 ) updates oneself's competition history and the opponent's competition history that are store in the memory unit ( 202 ) based on the result of the finished communication competition, the determination result, and the competition histories obtained through exchange, and rewrites and updates the old competition histories of players other than oneself and the opponent with the new competition history.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A terminal device ( 201 ) that provides a game that allows communication competition between players that respectively operate a plurality of terminal devices ( 201 ), comprising:
 a memory unit ( 202 ) that stores competition histories of the players participating in the game;   an exchange unit ( 203 ) that, before communication competition begins between a player (hereafter, referred to as “oneself”) that operates the terminal device ( 201 ) and a player (hereafter, referred to as the “opponent”) that operates another terminal device ( 201 ), exchanges the competition history that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) and the competition history that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) of another terminal device ( 201 );   a determination unit ( 204 ) that determines whether or not a competition history of the opponent that is obtained through the exchange and a competition history of the opponent that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) contradict each other;   a warning unit ( 205 ) that, when it was determined through the determination that there is contradiction, gives a warning indicating the contradiction; and   an update unit ( 206 ) that, when communication competition between oneself and the opponent is finished, updates a competition history of oneself and a competition history of the opponent that are stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) based on the result of the finished communication competition, the results of the determination, and the competition history obtained through the exchange.   
     
     
         2 . The terminal device ( 201 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the update unit ( 206 ) updates the competition record of players other than oneself and the opponent (hereafter, referred to as “others”) to the most recent competition history from among the competition histories of others that are stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) and the competition history of others obtained through the exchange;   updates the competition history of the opponent that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) according to the results of the finished communication competition when it was determined through the determination that there was no contradiction; and   updates the competition history of the opponent that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) according to information that indicates a contradiction when it was determined through the determination that there was a contradiction.   
     
     
         3 . The terminal device ( 201 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the communication competition is proceeded by players using characters created by the players, and a character becomes unusable after the character dies;   the name of the character, the date and time that the character was created, and information indicating whether the character is dead or alive being included in the competition history; and   the determination unit ( 204 ) determines there is a contradiction when in the opponent's competition history that was obtained through the exchange and the opponent's competition history that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ), the name of the character and the date and time the character was created match, and in the competition history that is obtained through the exchange there is information that indicates that the character is alive, and in the competition history that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) there is information that indicates that the character is dead.   
     
     
         4 . The terminal device ( 201 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the memory unit ( 202 ) stores the competition history on an information recording medium ( 111 ) that is removable from the terminal device ( 201 ); and   the communication competition and exchange by the exchange unit ( 203 ) are performed by peer-to-peer communication or ad hoc mode communication between the terminal device ( 201 ) and another terminal device ( 201 ).   
     
     
         5 . A control method that controls a terminal device ( 201 ) that provides a game that allows communication competition between players that respectively operate a plurality of terminal devices ( 201 ), the terminal device ( 201 ) comprising a memory unit ( 202 ) that stores competition histories of players participating in the game;
 the control method comprising:   an exchange process that, before communication competition begins between a player (hereafter, referred to as “oneself”) that operates the terminal device ( 201 ) and a player (hereafter, referred to as the “opponent”) that operates another terminal device ( 201 ), exchanges the competition history that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) and the competition history that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) of another terminal device ( 201 );   a determination process that determines whether or not a competition history of the opponent that is obtained through the exchange and a competition history of the opponent that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) contradict each other;   a warning process that, when it was determined through the determination that there is contradiction, gives a warning indicating the contradiction; and   an update process that, when communication competition between oneself and the opponent is finished, updates a competition history of oneself and a competition history that are stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) based on the result of the finished communication competition, the results of the determination, and the competition history obtained through the exchange.   
     
     
         6 . An information recording medium that stores a program that causes a computer to function as a terminal device ( 201 ) that provides a game that allows communication competition between players that respectively operate a plurality of terminal devices ( 201 ); the program further causing the computer to function as:
 a memory unit ( 202 ) that stores the competition histories of players that participate in the game;   an exchange unit ( 203 ) that, before communication competition begins between a player (hereafter, referred to as “oneself”) that operates the terminal device ( 201 ) and a player (hereafter, referred to as the “opponent”) that operates another terminal device ( 201 ), exchanges the competition history that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) and the competition history that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) of another terminal device ( 201 );   a determination unit ( 204 ) that determines whether or not a competition history of the opponent that is obtained through the exchange and a competition history of the opponent that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) contradict each other;   a warning unit ( 205 ) that, when it was determined through the determination that there is contradiction, gives a warning indicating the contradiction; and   an update unit ( 206 ) that, when communication competition between oneself and the opponent is finished, updates a competition history of oneself and a competition history of the opponent that are stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) based on the result of the finished communication competition, the results of the determination, and the competition history obtained through the exchange.   
     
     
         7 . A program that causes a computer to function as a terminal device ( 201 ) that provides a game that allows communication competition between players that respectively operate a plurality of terminal devices ( 201 ); the program further causing a computer to function as:
 a memory unit ( 202 ) that stores the competition histories of players that participate in the game;   an exchange unit ( 203 ) that, before communication competition begins between a player (hereafter, referred to as “oneself”) that operates the terminal device ( 201 ) and a player (hereafter, referred to as the “opponent”) that operates another terminal device ( 201 ), exchanges the competition history that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) and the competition history that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) of another terminal device ( 201 );   a determination unit ( 204 ) that determines whether or not a competition history of the opponent that is obtained through the exchange and a competition history of the opponent that is stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) contradict each other;   a warning unit ( 205 ) that, when it was determined through the determination that there is contradiction, gives a warning indicating the contradiction; and   an update unit ( 206 ) that, when communication competition between oneself and the opponent is finished, updates a competition history of oneself and a competition history of the opponent that are stored in the memory unit ( 202 ) based on the result of the finished communication competition, the results of the determination, and the competition history obtained through the exchange.