Summary:

The ‘948 patent allows a second player to seamlessly join a game without affecting gameplay. Whenever a player is involved in a game, a second player can send a request to join the game. If the game request is accepted the two players will connect over the same network and the two will then be able to play the game at the same time. The invention is set up so at to create minimal lag between the joining of the two players so that the second player can join without any interfering with player one’s game experience.

Abstract:

The objective is to provide a game system and an information storage medium that enable another player to enter into a game space that a first player is playing in, at any time during the game. When a 2P player issues a request to join into a game within a first game space, while a 1P player is already playing the game in the first game space, that request is accepted. Reconstruction information for reconstructing the first game space is created and sent to a second game machine. The second game machine reconstructs the first game space based on this reconstruction information, so that the 2P player can play the game within the reconstructed game space. This enables the 2P player to join into a game within the first game space, at any time during the game.

Illustrative Claim:

1. A multi-player type of game system having a plurality of game machines that correspond to a plurality of players, said players comprising first and second players and being able to play a game together, wherein said game system comprises: means for accepting a mid-game entry request, said mid-game entry request being requested while one of said first and second players is playing a game in a first game space, and said mid-game entry request asking permission for another player to play said game together within said first game space; means for creating reconstruction information for reconstructing said first game space; means for transferring said reconstruction information from one game machine to another game machine; and means for reconstructing said first game space in another game machine, based on said reconstruction information, and for allowing said other player to play said game in the reconstructed game space.