WO2005086602A2

WO2005086602A2 - Online game method and online game system

Info

Publication number: WO2005086602A2
Application number: PCT/KR2005/000704
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ji Hyun Park
Original assignee: Nhn Corporation
Priority date: 2004-03-12
Filing date: 2005-03-11
Publication date: 2005-09-22
Also published as: JP2007527765A; JP4343981B2; WO2005086602A3; KR100455865B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an online game method and an online game system, and more particularly, to an online game method and an online game system, combining a soul item into a predetermined weapon item, thereby generating an ego item having a different effect from the weapon item.

Description

ONLINE GAME METHOD AND ONLINE GAME SYSTEM

Technical Field The present invention relates to an online game method and an online game system, and more particularly, to an online game method and an online game system, combining a soul item into a predetermined weapon item, thereby generating an ego item having a different effect from the weapon item.

Background Art The conventional online game system providing a roll playing game provides predetermined items for a character in a game in accordance with progress of the game. At this time, the predetermined items may be weapon items such as a sword, an ax, a bow and the like, defense items such as a shield, an armor and the like, and items which are applied to a character so as to have an effect in curing the character or lengthening the character's span of life. The character performs a mission on the roll playing game provided by the online game system by using various items. According to kinds of online games, there are various missions such as hunting down monsters or competing with another user's character for victory, or the like. However, in many cases, the character is subject to perform similar missions repeatedly in the roll playing game. For example, the character repeats to hunt down a monster continuously and when an experience value or level of the character is enhanced, the character is enabled to hunt a 'stronger' monster, or the like. Namely, there is little difference in kinds of missions performed by the character in one roll playing game. Accordingly, although a user who uses the roll playing game may be engrossed in playing the roll playing game in an initial stage, the user may lose interests therein after a certain time passes. Due to reasons like above, the online game system providing the roll playing game provides a variety of events, such that the user maintains interests in the game while performing similar missions repeatedly. For example, in case that a predetermined enforcing item is applied to the weapon item while the user performs a mission of monster hunting with the weapon item, the online game system enables the user to hunt down the monster more easily and makes the display more colorful when the weapon item is used. Like above, there is required an online game method capable of providing various game methods, such that the user maintains interests with respect to the roll playing game while the user plays the same.

Disclosure of the Invention Technical Goals The present invention provides an online game method and an online game system, capable of inducing interests of users continuously by providing a predetermined online game with various game methods. The present invention also provides an online game method and an online game system, capable of giving a special effect to a predetermined weapon item or enhancing the effect thereof by generating an ego item through combination of a soul item and the weapon item. The present invention also provides an online game method and an online game system, capable of enabling an additional attack by an ego item itself to generate automatically when the ego item is used. The present invention also provides an online game method and an online game system, capable of not only increasing an experience value provided for a user, but enabling an ego item to grow up by increasing an experience of the ego item when a predetermined mission is performed. The present invention also provides an online game method and an online game system, capable of determining effects differently between when a character who has generated a predetermined ego item uses the ego item and when the character who has not generated the ego item uses the same.

Technical Solutions In order to achieve the above objects, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an online game method comprising the steps of: recording and maintaining ego item information corresponding to an ego item generated by combination of a soul item and a subject item, in an ego item database by each character, wherein the ego item information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of level information of the ego item, attribute information thereof, minimum effect information thereof, maximum effect information thereof, ego item experience value information thereof, experience value rate information and limit experience vale information associated with a character holding the ego item; recording and maintaining character experience value information associated with a character, in a character database; generating a predetermined experience value with respect to the character who has performed a predetermined experiential act by using the ego item on the online game, in association with the experiential act; dividing the generated experience value into a first experience value and a second experience value by using the experience value rate information searched by referring to the ego item database; updating the character experience value information recorded in the character database by using the first experience value; and updating the ego item experience value information recorded in the ego item database by using the second experience value. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an online game method comprising the steps of: recording and maintaining fields with respect to ego item information on 'an ego item' generated by combination of 'a soul item' and 'a weapon item' and ego process information on the ego item, in a predetermined ego item database by each character, wherein the ego item information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of level information of the ego item, attribute information thereof, minimum effect information thereof, maximum effect information thereof, ego item experience value information thereof, experience value rate information and limit experience vale information associated with a character holding the ego item, and the ego process information includes at least one between ego event information which is information on an event occurred by the ego item while use thereof and occurrence probability information of the event; receiving an instruction from a character, so as to perform a predetermined experiential act by using the ego item; computing effect information of the ego item by using the ego item information recorded in the ego item database; in case that a predetermined effect occurs on the online game in accordance with the computed effect information, determining whether to generate an event by the ego item by referring to the occurrence probability information recorded in the ego item database; in case that it is determined to generate an event by the ego item, searching for ego event information recorded in the ego item database in association with the ego item; and generating the event by the ego item on the online game by using the searched ego event information.

Brief Description of Drawings FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating an online game method according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a view illustrating one example of data stored in an ego item database according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a view illustrating one example of data values recorded in an ego item database, respectively, according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a view illustrating one example of data recorded in a character database according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG 5 is a view illustrating procedures of updating ego item experience value information according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIGS. 6 and 7 are views illustrating an online game method according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 is a view illustrating one example of a soul item database according to another embodiment of the present; FIG. 9 is a view illustrating one example of a soul box item database according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a view illustrating one example of a weapon item database according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a view illustrating that data recorded in the character database of FIG.

4 is updated; FIG. 12 is a view illustrating an online game system according to another embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 13 is an internal block diagram which may be adopted in performing an online game method according to the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Quit the Invention Hereinafter, the present invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating an online game method according to one embodiment of the present invention. The online game method according to the present embodiment is performed in a predetermined online game system. Users may access the online game system through a wired/wireless communication network, so as to play an online game provided by the online game system. At this time, a subject that a user plays with on the online game is 'a character'. The user may control operations of the character by using a mouse, a keyboard, or the like in accordance with a predetermined method. The predetermined method is provided by the online game system. In the step 101, the online game system maintains an ego item database by each ego item. The 'ego item' may be an item generated by combination of a 'subject item' and a 'soul item'. The 'subject item' may be a weapon item or a defense item. The ego item generated by combination of the subject item and the soul item generates a different effect from the original subject item. For example, in case that the weapon item has an attack effect of 10, the online game system enables the ego item generated by combination of the soul item and the weapon item to have an attack effect of 15. The soul item may be obtained by performing a predetermined mission on the online game, or may be obtained through purchase or acquirement. Hereinafter, that the ego item is generated by using the weapon item there will be described. At this time, minimum effect information of the ego item may be minimum attack effect information and maximum effect information of the ego item may be maximum attack effect information. In addition, hereinafter, a case that an experiential act is to exterminate a predetermined hostile character by attacking the same will be described. Furthermore, hereinafter, there will be described that the event generated by the ego item when the ego item is used is an additional attack by the ego item. At this time, ego event information may be ego attack information. FIG. 2 is a view illustrating one example of data stored in the ego item database.

The ego item database includes fields with respect to ego item information or ego item process information. The ego item is an item that a soul item is combined into a predetermined weapon item. According to an embodiment, the number of soul items combinable into the predetermined weapon item may be one or more. In addition, a display type of the ego item or an effect when the ego item is used by the character may be different in accordance with a kind of soul item combined into the ego item (attribute, level, etc) or the number of soul items combined into the ego item. The ego item information includes level information of the ego item, attribute information thereof, minimum attacking power information thereof, maximum attacking power information thereof, ego item experience value information thereof, experience value rate information, limit experience value information associated with a character holding the ego item and a character identifier with respect to a character generating the ego item, and the like. The ego process information includes ego attack information which is information on an additional attack generated by the ego item while the ego item is used by the character holding the ego item or occurrence probability information of the ego attack information. FIG. 3 is a view illustrating one example of each of data values recorded in the ego item database. For example, FIG. 3 is a view illustrating ego item process and ego item information associated with the ego item having information, such that an attribute is a 'dragon', level is 5, the minimum attacking power is 20, the maximum attacking power is 100, and the like. Meanwhile, the attribute of the ego item may be determined by that of the soul item combined into the ego item. In the step 102, the online game system maintains a character database including character experience value information and the like, by each character. FIG. 4 is a view illustrating one example of data recorded in the character database. The character database includes fields with respect to a character identifier for identifying a character, character experience value information of the character, a weapon item identifier with respect to a weapon item that belongs to the character, a soul box item identifier with respect to a soul box item that belongs to the character, a soul item identifier with respect to a soul item that belongs to the character, and an ego item identifier with respect to an ego item that belongs to the character. As described later, the soul box item is an item that the character uses as a tool to obtain the soul item. In the step 103, the character selects one ego item among its holding ego items and inputs an attack instruction into the online game system in order to attack a predetermined hostile character by using the selected ego item. For example, the hostile character may be a monster or may be an object such as a character of another user, a rampart, and the like. In the step 104, the online game system searches the ego item database for ego item information associated with the ego item selected by the character, and computes attack effect information by the selected ego item by using the searched ego item information. For example, the online game system computes the attack effect information by using minimum attacking power information or maximum attacking power information from the ego item information. As illustrated in FIG. 3, in case that an ego item of which an ego item identifier is '201112' (hereinafter, 'ego item '201112") has minimum attacking power information of 20 and maximum attacking power information of 100 and a character attacks a hostile item by using the ego item, the online game system controls an attack effect having an attacking power between 20 and 100 to occur. Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the online game system computes the attack effect information by using level information or attribute information from the ego item information. As illustrated in FIG. 3, level information associated with the ego item '201112' is 5, and the online game system may compute attack effect information, such that an ego item with a higher level generates a bigger attack effect. In addition, attribute information of the ego item '201112' is a 'dragon', and the online game system may compute attack effect information, such that the ego item of which an attribute is a 'dragon' generates a bigger attack effect in comparison with the ego item of which attribute is an 'elf. In the step 105, the online game system controls an attack effect with respect to the hostile character to occur in accordance with the computed attack effect information and in case that the attack effect with respect to the hostile character occurs more than a certain value, controls the hostile character to be disappeared. Attack effects required to exterminate the hostile character may be different in accordance with the attribute of the hostile character, level thereof, and the like. Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, in case that a character attacks a hostile character by using an ego item, an additional attack by the ego item may be executed regardless of an attack instruction of the character. In case that an attack effect with respect to the hostile character occurs in accordance with the attack instruction received from the character, as aforementioned, the online game system computes first attack effect information in the step 104 and generates a first attack effect with respect to the hostile character by using the computed first attack effect information. Hereinafter, 'a first attack' is an attack by the ego item in accordance with the attack instruction received from the character and 'a first attack effect' is an attack effect generated by the first attack. In addition, 'a second attack' is an additional attack automatically generated by the ego item while using the same (i.e., while attacking the hostile item by using the ego item) in a state where an explicit attack instruction is not received from the character and 'a second attack effect' is an attack effect generated by the second attack. While the first attack effect occurs in accordance with the attack instruction of the character in the step 105, the online game system determines whether to generate the second attack by the ego item by referring to occurrence probability information recorded in the ego item database, in the step 106. Referring to ego process information illustrated in FIG. 3, probability that the second attack by the ego item may occur, which is occurrence probability, is 15 %.

The higher the occurrence probability of the ego item, second attacks occur frequently while the character launches the first attack against the hostile item by using the ego item. In case that it is determined to perform the second attack by the ego item, the online game system searches for ego attack information recorded in the ego item database in association with the ego item, in the step 107, and computes second attack effect information by the ego item by using the ego attack information, in the step 108.

In case that it is determined not to perform the second attack, the second attack effect information is computed as '0', in the step 109. Referring to FIG. 3, ego attack information by the ego item is 'a brass attack' or

'a magic attack'. In addition, although only kinds of attacks are exemplified in FIG 3, the ego attack information may further include information such as time duration of the second attack, a degree of damage to a hostile character by the second attack, a display type when the second attack occurs, and the like. The online game system computes second attack effect information by using the ego attack information. In the meantime, according to an embodiment, the ego attack information may be determined in accordance with level information of the ego item and attribute information thereof. For example, ego attack information is determined in such a manner that the ego item with the 'dragon' attribute performs a 'brass' attack and the ego item with the 'salamander' attribute performs a 'fire' attack. In the step 110, the online game system controls the second attack effect with respect to the hostile character to generate in accordance with the computed second attack effect information. In case that an attack effect more than or same to a certain value generates with respect to the hostile character by the first attack effect or the second attack effect, the online game system disappears the hostile character in the step 111. The certain value may be determined differently with respect to each hostile character. In the step 112, the online game system generates a predetermined experience value with respect to the character, in association with disappearance of the hostile character. According to the present invention, the ego item is an item combined with a predetermined soul item and may grow up just like the character. The ego item obtains a portion of the generated experience value with respect to the character, thereby growing up. In the step 113, the online game system searches for experience value rate information recorded in the ego item database in association with the character and the ego item. For example, in case that the character identifier of the character is 'wisjjang' and the ego item identifier of the ego item is '201112', ego item information is searched from the ego item database, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Experience value rate information among the searched ego item information is 30 %. In the step 114, the online game system divides the generated experience value by using the searched experience value rate information. For example, in case that the searched experience value rate information is 30 % and an experience value generated while the hostile character disappears is 50, the experience value is divided into '50 x

(30/100) = 15" and '50 x (70/ 100) = 35'. In the step 115, the online game system generates a character experience value and an ego item experience value by using the divided experience values, respectively. That is, the experience value of 15 corresponding to 30 % thereof is that of the ego item and the experience value of 35 corresponding to 70 % thereof is that of the character. In the step 116, the online game system updates character experience value information associated with the character by using the generated character experience value, and records the updated character experience value information in the character database. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the online game system updates '258' which is character experience value information of the character with the character identifier 'wisjjang' (hereinafter, 'character 'wisjjang"), to '258+35 = 293' of character experience value information, and records the updated character experience value information in the character database. In the step 117, the online game system updates ego item experience value information associated with the ego item by using the generated ego item experience value, and records the updated ego item experience value information in the ego item database. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the online game system updates '68' which is ego item experience value information of the ego item '201112', to '68 + 15 = 83' of ego item experience value information, and records the updated ego item experience value information in the ego item database. According to the aforementioned configuration, the ego item may grow up together with the character. Thus, users may have fun in growing an item besides his/her character. In addition, it may be possible to give a motivation for users to grow the ego item by enabling effects (including the ego attack effect) when the ego item is used to be determined in accordance with the ego item experience value information of the ego item. Moreover, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the step 117 may be performed through procedures as illustrated in FIG. 5. In the step 1171, the online game system searches the ego item database for limit experience value information recorded in association with the ego item and the character selected by the character. For example, in case of the ego item with the ego item identifier '201112' selected by the character 'wisjjang', limit experience value information searched in the step 1171 is '50000', as illustrated in FIG. 3. In the step 1172, the online game system computes ego item experience value information '68 + 15 = 83' by using the generated ego item experience value '15'. In the step 1173, the online game system determines whether the computed ego item experience value information exceeds the searched limit experience value information. In case that it is determined that the computed ego item experience value information '83' is within the limit experience value information '50000', the online game system determines the computed ego item experience value information as updated ego item experience value information in the step 1174, and updates ego item experience value information recorded in the ego item database, to the updated ego item experience value information, and records the updated ego item experience value information. That is, ego item experience value information '83' is recorded in the ego item database, in association with the character and the ego item. In case that it is determined that the computed ego item experience value information is less than the searched limit experience value information, in the step 1173, for example, in case that the searched limit experience value information is '70', the online game system determines the searched limit experience value information as the updated ego item experience value information, in the step 1175, and updates the ego item experience value information '68' recorded in the ego item database to the searched limit experience value information and records the searched limit experience value information. That is, ego item experience value information '70' is recorded in the ego item database, in association with the character and the ego item. According to the aforementioned configuration, an ego item experience value that a predetermined ego item can obtain may not exceed a predetermined limit experience value. Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the online game system determines the limit experience value information such that the same has a value less than or same to character experience value information of the character. This prevents an experience value of an ego item from being higher than that of the character holding the same. At this time, a simple computing expression may be used, such that the limit experience value is determined to be 80 % of the experience value of the character. According to another embodiment of the present invention, ego item experience value information associated with the ego item may be used as data to determine or update at least one selected from the group consisting of level information of the ego item, attribute information thereof, minimum attacking power information thereof, maximum attacking power information thereof, ego attack information which is information on an additional attack by the ego item, and occurrence probability information of the additional attack by the ego item. For example, the occurrence probability information may be updated such that the additional attack occurs frequently as the ego item experience value gets higher. Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, in case that a predetermined ego item is used, attack effect information by the ego item may be determined respectively differently between when a character who has generated the ego item uses the same and when the character who has not generated the ego item uses the same in such manner that the character purchase the ego item in a store or deprives another character of the same, or obtains the same through dealing with another character. In case that an attack instruction is received in the step 103 of FIG. 1, the online game system searches for a first character identifier by referring to the ego item database as illustrated in FIG. 3. The first character identifier is a character who has generated the ego item and more particularly, an identifier for identifying the character when the character requests the online game system to generate the ego item by using a soul item and a weapon item held by the character, and in response thereto, the online game system generates the ego item. Referring to FIG. 3, the first character identifier is 'posse'. Namely, the ego item '201112' is an ego item generated by the character 'posse'. The online game system compares the searched first character identifier with a second character identifier who has inputted the attack instruction. In case that it is determined that the first character identifier is identical to the second character identifier, the online game system gives predetermined weight when an attack effect is computed, thereby computing the attack effect information. For example, in case that first attack effect information computed by using minimum attacking power information, maximum attacking power information, level information, and the like is '10' and the first character identifier is identical to the second character identifier, the online game system further gives weight to the first attack effect information. For example, the online game system gives weight of 1.2 times and first attack effect information becomes '10 x 1.2 = 12'. Referring to FIG. 4, the ego item '201112' is an ego item holding the character 'wisjjang'. On the other hand, the ego item '201112' is an ego item generated by the character 'posse'. Accordingly, in this case, the first attack effect information is '10'. Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, it may be possible to generate a second attack by the ego item only in case that the first character identifier is identical to the second character identifier. According to the aforementioned configuration, it may be possible to give an advantage to a character who has generated an ego item. Hereinafter, procedures of obtaining the ego item according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. In the step 601, the online game system records and maintains at least one information of occurrence probability information of a soul item, level information thereof and attribute information thereof, in a soul item database by each soul item.

The soul item is an item which is combined into a predetermined weapon item and used to generate an ego item. FIG. 8 is a view illustrating one example of the soul item database. In addition, in the step 601, the online game system maintains a soul box item database recording information with respect to the number of first soul items 'combined' into the soul box items and the number of second soul items 'combinable' with the soul box items by each soul box item. FIG. 9 is a view illustrating one example of the soul box item database. In FIG. 9, a character identifier is an identifier for identifying a character holding the soul box item. Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the number of second soul items combinable into the soul box items is a certain number (N) regardless of kinds of soul box items. At this time, information on the number of the second soul items may not be recorded in the soul box item database by each soul box item. In the step 602, the online game system records and maintains level information of the weapon item in a weapon item database by each weapon item. FIG. 10 is a view illustrating one example of the weapon item database. In the meantime, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the character database records and maintains a soul item identifier with respect to a soul item held by a character, a weapon item identifier with respect to a weapon item held by the character and a soul box item identifier with respect to a soul box item held by the character, in accordance with each character (steps 102 and 603). The online game system provides a predetermined soul item for a character who has performed a predetermined mission. The mission may be hunting a monster or solving a quiz. Moreover, the online game system may enable the character to obtain the soul item through purchase or acquirement thereof on the online game. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the online game system provides the soul item for the character who has performed the mission, in accordance with predetermined probability of providing. For example, in case that probability of providing the soul item is 50 %, the character may not be provided with the soul item although the character completes the mission. Like above, in case that probability of providing the soul item is less than 100 %, it may be possible to prevent inflation of the soul item. Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, a kind of the soul item to be provided for the character is determined based on the occurrence probability information recorded in the soul item database. Namely, in case that the soul item is provided for the character who has performed the predetermined mission, the online game system searches for occurrence probability information recorded in the soul item database, in the step 604. In the step 605, the online game system selects the soul item by using the searched occurrence probability information and provides the selected soul item for the character. Referring to the soul item database illustrated in FIG. 8, probability that the online game selects the soul item 'el and the soul item 'e2' is 50 % and 20 %, respectively. Referring to FIG. 8, probability that the soul item with the soul item identifier 'el' is selected is highest and probability of the soul item with the soul item identifier 'e3' is comparatively least. Namely, the soul item 'el' is an item that characters may obtain comparatively easily. Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the occurrence probability information is associated with level information of the soul item or attribute information thereof. For example, the soul item 'el' at the lowest level is selected more frequently in the step 604. In the step 606, the online game system computes a time (t) passing from the time when the soul item is provided. In the step 607, the character provided with the soul item selects the soul box item held by the character and inputs an acquisition instruction into the online game system. At this time, the acquisition instruction is to obtain the provided soul item by using the selected soul box item. In case that the time (tl) when the character inputs the acquisition instruction passes a predetermined time (T) (e.g., T = 5 seconds) from the time when the soul item is provided, i.e., in case that the acquisition instruction is not inputted within 5 seconds, the online game system disappears the provided soul item regardless of the acquisition instruction. Accordingly, the character may not obtain an unwanted soul item and it may be possible to prevent the unwanted soul item from being left for a long time. In case that the acquisition instruction is inputted within the predetermined time (T) from the time when the soul item is provided, the character may obtain the provided soul item through the steps 610 to 615. 'The soul box item', which is a special item, should be used such that the character may obtain the provided soul item. At this time, the character may obtain only the soul item combined into the soul box item. In addition, the present invention describes that the number of soul items combinable into the soul box item is limited, as for example. In the step 610, the online game system searches for the number of first soul items associated with the selected soul box item and the number of second soul items associated therewith, by refeπing to the soul box database. In the step 611, the online game system determines whether the number of the searched first soul items is less than the number of the searched second soul items. In case that it is determined that the number of the searched first soul items is same to that of the searched second soul items (for example, in case that the character

'wisjjang' selects the soul box item 'b2' from his/her holding soul box items, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the number of first soul items is '5' and the number of second soul items is '5' with respect to the selected soul box item. Namely, the number of the first soul items is same to that of the second soul items), the online game system may not combine the provided soul item into the selected soul box item despite of the acquisition instruction. That is, since the soul box item is filled to its capacity, the character is unable to obtain the provided soul item with the selected soul box item. At this time, the online search system may notify the character that the selected soul box item may not be used to obtain the provided soul item, and enable the character to select another soul box item. Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the online game system may throw away one of soul items combined into the selected soul box item (i.e. deletes one of soul item identifiers recorded in association with the character from the character database) and inquire about whether to obtain the provided soul item by combining the same into the selected soul box item. In response to the inquiry, the character who wants to obtain the provided soul item by using the selected soul box item as it is, selects one of soul items combined into the selected soul box item and inputs the selection into the online game system. In the step 614, the online game system deletes the soul item identifier with respect to the soul item selected by the character, from the character database. In the step 615, the online game system records the soul item identifier with respect to the generated soul item in the character database, in association with the character and the selected soul box item. That is, in the step 615, the provided soul item is combined into the selected soul box and obtained. FIG. 11 illustrates that data recorded in the character database, as illustrated in

FIG. 4, after the steps 614 and 615 are performed, is changed. In the step 612, the online game system inquires about whether to disappear one of soul items combined into the soul box item 'b2' and instead thereof, to combine the soul item provided in the step 605 into the soul box item 'b2'. The character 'wisjjang' who wants to obtain the provided soul item by the soul box item 'b2' selects one of soul items combined into the soul box item 'b2', in the step 613. For example, the character 'wisjjang' selects the soul item 'e21'. In case that the soul item identifier for identifying the provided soul item is 'e29', the online game system deletes the soul item 'e21' selected by the character 'wisjjang' and records the generated soul item 'e29' in the character database, in association with the character 'wisjjang', which is illustrated in FIG. 11. According to another embodiment of the present invention, only in case that the soul box item is associated with level information, and level information of the soul item and that of the soul box item corresponds to each other through comparison therebetween, the soul item is enabled to be combinable into the soul box item. For example, only the soul item of level 1 is combinable into the soul box item between level 10 and level 20. At this time, even in case that the number of soul items combined into the soul box item is less than the number of second soul items, the character may not obtain the provided soul item by using the selected soul box item since the levels are unfavorable to each other. In the meantime, in case that it is determined that the number of first soul items is less than that of second soul items with respect to the selected soul box item, in the step 611, the online game system enables the character to obtain the soul item by combining the provided soul item into the selected soul box item. In the step 616, the online game system increases the number of first soul items associated with the selected soul box item by '1' and records the number of increased first soul items in the soul box item database. In the step 615, the online game system records the soul item identifier with respect to the provided soul item in the character database, in association with the selected soul box item and the character. Through the aforementioned configuration, the character may obtain the soul item. In the step 617, the character selects the soul item and the weapon item held by the character, and inputs a request for generation of the ego item into the online game system, in which the request for generation of the ego item is to generate the ego item by using the selected weapon item and weapon item. In the step 618, the online game system generates the ego item by using the selected ego item and weapon item in accordance with the request for generation of the ego item. The generated ego item has an attack effect distinguished from the selected weapon item. That is, the ego item may have an enhanced attacking power rather than the selected weapon item and in case that the ego item is used, the ego item may generate an additional attack (second attack) regardless of the attack instruction of the character. Furthermore, the generated ego item may have a different display type from the weapon item. For example, a type of the selected weapon item attached by the soul item may be added to the entire display type of the selected weapon item, or the color of the selected weapon item may be changed. In the step 619, the online game system records the ego item identifier of the generated ego item in the character database, in association with the character. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the ego item identifier may be determined to confirm kinds of the weapon item and the soul item used in generating the ego item. According to the aforementioned configuration, the character is enabled to obtain the soul item and to obtain the ego item which is an item prefeπed by users more than the weapon item by using the both. Hereinafter, the online game system according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 12 is a view illustrating the online game system according to the present invention. An online game system 1200 comprises an ego item database 1201, a character database 1202, an input unit 1203, a game control unit 1204, an experience value control unit 1205, and a database management unit 1206. The ego item database 1201 includes fields with respect to ego item information or ego item process information. The ego item database 1201 has been fully described with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3 in the aforementioned embodiment. Thus, the present invention will omit the further description with respect thereto. The character database 1202 records and maintains character experience value information associated with a predetermined character as illustrated in FIG. 4. The character experience value information may be used to update level information of the character. The online game system 1200 may set a mission that the character may perform or the mission that the character may not perform in accordance with the character experience value information. In addition, the character experience value information may be used variously in the online game. The input unit 1203 receives an attack instruction using an ego item with respect to a predetermined hostile character, from the character. The ego item is an item generated by combining the soul item into the weapon item. In comparison to the weapon item, the ego item generates a better attack effect or shows a more splendid display type. That is, the ego item may be an item that the weapon item is upgraded. The game control unit 1204 computes first attack effect information by the ego item by using the ego item information recorded in the ego item database 1201. The first attack effect information is attack effect information generated in accordance with the attack instruction of the character. The game control unit 1204 controls a first attack effect with respect to the hostile character to generate in accordance with the computed first attack effect information. In addition, in case that the first attack effect with respect to the hostile character generates according to the attack instruction of the character, the game control unit 1204 determines whether to generate a second attack by the ego item by referring to ego process information recorded in the ego item database 1201. The game control unit 1204 may determine whether to generate the second attack by using occurrence probability information from the ego process information. In case that it is determined to generate the second attack by the ego item, the game control unit 1204 computes second attack effect information by the ego item by referring to the ego process information recorded in the ego item database 1201. The game control unit 1204 may compute the second attack effect information by using ego attack information from the ego process information. Moreover, according to an embodiment, data besides the ego attack information may be further used as data to compute the second attack effect information. For example, the online game system may enable the second attack to generate only when the character attacks the hostile character in a particular attacking method. The game control unit 1204 controls the second attack effect with respect to the hostile character to generate according to the computed second attack effect information. In case that the attack effect more than or same to a certain value generates with respect to the hostile character by the first attack effect and the second attack effect, the game control unit 1204 disappears the hostile character. The experience value control unit 1205 generates a predetermined experience value with respect to the character when the hostile character is disappeared. At this time, the experience value is divided and accumulated in the ego item used by the character and the hostile character. The experience value control unit 1205 divides the experience value by the character experience value and the ego item experience value. At this time, the experience value control unit 1205 may use experience value rate information recorded in the ego item database 1201 in association with the character and the ego item, in order to determine the character experience value and the ego item experience value. The experience value control unit 1205 updates character experience value information associated with the character by using the divided and generated character experience value, and updates ego item experience value information associated with the ego item by using the divided and generated ego item experience value. The database management unit 1206 records the updated character experience value information in the character database 1202 in association with the character, instead of existing character experience value information. In addition, the database management unit 1206 records the updated ego item experience value information in the ego item database 1201 in association with the ego item, instead of existing ego item experience value information. The embodiments of the present invention include computer readable media including program instructions to implement various operations embodied by a computer. The media may also include, alone or in combination with the program instructions, data files, data structures, tables, and the like. The media and program instructions may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the present invention, or they may be of the kind well known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts. FIG. 13 is an internal block diagram of a general-purpose computer which can be more adopted in implementing the online game method according to the present invention. The computer system 1300 includes any number of processors 1310 (also referred to as central processing units, or CPUs) that are coupled to storage devices including primary storage (typically a random access memory, or "RAM 1320 "), primary storage (typically a read only memory, or "ROM 1330"). As is well known in the art, ROM 1330 acts to transfer data and instructions uni-directionally to the CPU and RAM 1320 is used typically to transfer data and instructions in a bi-directional manner. Both of these primary storage devices may include any suitable type of the computer-readable media described above. A mass storage device 1340 is also coupled bi-directionally to CPU and provides additional data storage capacity and may include any of the computer-readable media described above. The mass storage device 1340 may be used to store programs, data and the like and is typically a secondary storage medium such as a hard disk that is slower than primary storage. A specific mass storage device such as a CD-ROM 1360 may also pass data uni-directionally to the CPU. Processor 1310 is also coupled to an interface 1350 that includes one or more input/output devices such as such as video monitors, track balls, mice, keyboards, microphones, touch-sensitive displays, transducer card readers, magnetic or paper tape readers, tablets, styluses, voice or handwriting recognizers, or other well-known input devices such as, of course, other computers. Finally, processor 1310 optionally may be coupled to a computer or telecommunications network using a network connection as shown generally at a network interface 1370. With such a network connection, it is contemplated that the CPU might receive information from the network, or might output information to the network in the course of performing the above-described method steps. The above-described devices and materials will be familiar to those of skill in the computer hardware and software arts. The hardware elements above may be configured to act as one or more software modules for implementing the operations of this invention. The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended thereto and their equivalents. Although the present invention has been described in connection with the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is not limited thereto since it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various substitutions, modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Industrial Applicability According to the present invention, there are provided an online game method and an online game system, capable of inducing interests of users continuously by providing a predetermined online game with various game methods. Also, according to the present invention, there are provided an online game method and an online game system, capable of giving a special effect to a predetermined weapon item or enhancing the effect thereof by generating an ego item through combination of a soul item and the weapon item. Also, according to the present invention, there are provided an online game method and an online game system, capable of enabling an additional attack by an ego item itself to generate automatically when the ego item is used. Also, according to the present invention, there are provided an online game method and an online game system, capable of not only increasing an experience value provided for a user, but enabling an ego item to grow up by increasing an experience of the ego item when a predetermined mission is performed. Also, according to the present invention, there are provided an online game method and an online game system, capable of determining effects differently between when a character who has generated a predetermined ego item uses the ego item and when the character who has not generated the ego item uses the same.

Claims

1. A method of providing an online game, comprising the steps of: recording and maintaining ego item information corresponding to an ego item generated by combination of a soul item and a subject item, in an ego item database by each character, wherein the ego item information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of level information of the ego item, attribute information thereof, minimum effect information thereof, maximum effect information thereof, ego item experience value information thereof, experience value rate information and limit experience vale information associated with a character holding the ego item; recording and maintaining character experience value information associated with a character, in a character database; generating a predetermined experience value with respect to the character who has performed a predetermined experiential act by using the ego item on the online game, in association with the experiential act; dividing the generated experience value into a first experience value and a second experience value by using the experience value rate information searched by referring to the ego item database; updating the character experience value information recorded in the character database by using the first experience value; and updating the ego item experience value information recorded in the ego item database by using the second experience value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of updating the ego item experience value information recorded in the ego item database by using the second experience value comprises the steps of: searching for the limit experience value information by referring to the ego item database; computing ego item experience value information associated with the ego item by using the second experience value; in case that the computed ego item experience value information exceeds the searched limit experience value information, updating the ego item experience value information by using the searched limit experience value information; and in case that the computed limit ego item experience value information is less than the searched limit experience value information, updating the ego item experience value information by using the computed ego item experience value information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the limit experience value information is a value less than or same to character experience value information associated with the character.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ego item experience value information associated with the ego item is for determining at least one selected from the group consisting of level information of the ego item, attribute information thereof, minimum effect information thereof, and maximum effect information thereof.

5. A method of providing an online game, the method comprising the steps of: recording and maintaining fields with respect to ego item information on an ego item generated by combination of a soul item and a weapon item and ego process information on the ego item, in a predetermined ego item database by each character, wherein the ego item information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of level information of the ego item, attribute information thereof, minimum effect information thereof, maximum effect information thereof, ego item experience value information thereof, experience value rate information and limit experience vale information associated with a character holding the ego item, and the ego process information includes at least one between ego event information which is information on an event occurred by the ego item while use thereof and occurrence probability information of the event; receiving an instruction from a character, so as to perform a predetermined experiential act by using the ego item; computing effect information of the ego item by using the ego item information recorded in the ego item database; in case that a predetermined effect occurs on the online game in accordance with the computed effect information, determining whether to generate an event by the ego item by referring to the occurrence probability information recorded in the ego item database; in case that it is determined to generate an event by the ego item, searching for ego event information recorded in the ego item database in association with the ego item; and generating the event by the ego item on the online game by using the searched ego event information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the ego event information is determined based on level information of the ego item or attribute information thereof.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of computing effect information of the ego item by using the ego item information recorded in the ego item database includes the step of computing effect information on the basis of at least one selected from the group consisting of level information of the ego item, attribute information thereof, minimum effect information thereof, and maximum effect information thereof, included in the ego item information.

8. A method of providing an online game, the method comprising the steps of: recording and maintaining at least one of occurrence probability information of a soul item, level information thereof, and attribute information thereof, in a soul item database by each soul item; recording and maintaining level information of a subject item in a subject item database by each subject item; recording and maintaining a soul item identifier with respect to a soul item held by a character, a subject item identifier with respect to a subject item held by the character and a soul box item identifier with respect to a soul box item held by the character, in a character database by each character; providing a predetermined soul item for a character satisfying a predetermined criterion on the online game; receiving a selection of a soul box item and an acquisition instruction of the soul item, from the character; combining the soul item into the selected soul box item in accordance with the acquisition instruction of the soul item; recording a soul item identifier with respect to the combined soul item in the character database, in association with the character and the selected soul box item; receiving a selection of the soul item and the subject item held by the character, from the character, and receiving a request for generation of an ego item; generating the ego item by using the selected soul item and the selected subject item in accordance with the request for generation of the ego item; and recording an ego item identifier with respect to the generated ego item in the character database, in association with the character; wherein the generated ego item has an effect distinguished from the selected subject item.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined criterion is whether the character has performed a predetermined mission on the online game or whether the character has purchased the soul item on the online game.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of providing a predetermined soul item for a character satisfying a predetermined criterion on the online game provides the soul item for the character satisfying the predetermined criterion in accordance with predetermined probability.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of providing a predetermined soul item for a character satisfying a predetermined criterion on the online game includes the steps of: in case that the predetermined criterion is satisfied, selecting a soul item to be provided for the character by using the occurrence probability information recorded in the soul item database; and providing the character with the selected soul item.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of: maintaining a soul box item database including information with respect to the number of first soul items combined into the soul box items and the number of second soul items combinable with the soul box items by each soul box item; wherein the step of combining the soul item into the selected soul box item in accordance with the acquisition instruction of the soul item includes the steps of: searching for the number of first soul items associated with the selected soul box item and the number of second soul items associated with the selected soul box item, by referring to the soul box item database; and in case that the number of the searched first soul items is less than the number of the searched second soul items, combining the generated soul item into the selected soul box item.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising the steps of: in case that the number of the searched first soul items is same to the number of the searched second soul items, inquiring the character about whether to combine the generated soul item instead of the soul item combined into the selected soul box item; in case that a combination instruction for combination of the generated soul item is received from the character, deleting a soul item identifier with respect to the soul item combined into the selected soul box item, from the character database; and recording a soul item identifier with respect to the generated soul item in the character database, in association with the character.

14. An online game method comprising the steps of: recording and maintaining ego item information with respect to an ego item generated by combination of a soul item and a subject item, in an ego item database by each character, wherein the ego item information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of level information of the ego item, attribute information thereof, minimum effect information thereof, maximum effect information thereof, and a first character identifier with respect to a character who has generated the ego item; receiving an instruction for performing a predetermined experiential act using the ego item, from a character; and computing effect information of the ego item by using the ego item information recorded in the ego item database; wherein the step of computing the effect information includes the steps of: searching for a first character identifier by referring to the ego item database; comparing a second character identifier with respect to the character who has inputted the instruction with the searched first character identifier; and in case that the first character identifier is identical to the second character identifier, computing the effect information by giving predetermined weight.

15. A computer readable record media recording a program for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. An online game system of providing an online game, the system comprising: an ego item database recording and maintaining fields with respect to ego item information on an ego item generated by combination of a soul item and a subject item and ego process information on the ego item, by each character; wherein the ego item information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of level information of the ego item, attribute information thereof, minimum effect information thereof, maximum effect information thereof, ego item experience value information thereof, experience value rate information and limit experience vale information associated with a character holding the ego item; and the ego process information includes any one or more between ego event information which is information on an event occurred by the ego item while use thereof and occurrence probability information of the event; a character database recording and maintaining character experience value information associated with a predetermined character; an input unit receiving an instruction from a character, so as to perform a predetermined experiential act by using the ego item; an effect information computing unit computing effect information of the ego item by using the ego item information recorded in the ego item database in accordance with the instruction; a control unit, in case that the computed effect information is more than or same to a predetermined value, generating an experience value in association with the experiential act; dividing the generated experience value into a first experience value and a second experience value by using the experience value rate information searched by referring to the ego item database; updating the character experience value information recorded in the character database by using the first experience value; and updating the ego item experience value information recorded in the ego item database by using the second experience value; and a database management unit recording the updated character experience value information in the character database and recording the updated ego item experience value information in the ego item database.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising: a game control unit, in case that a predetermined effect occurs on the online game in accordance with the computed effect information, determining whether to generate an event by the ego item by referring to the occurrence probability information recorded in the ego item database; in case that it is determined to generate an event by the ego item, searching for ego event information recorded in the ego item database in association with the ego item; and generating the event by the ego item on the online game by using the searched ego event information.