Game system and program

Details Game system and program Game system and program

2000-02-11

2002-09-17

Harrison, Jessica (Department: 3713)

Amusement devices: games

Including means for processing electronic data

Data storage or retrieval

C434S30700R, C434S250000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06450888

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game system intended to be operated as entertainment in correspondence with music.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are presently being marketed software for musical arcade game machines and games for use at home, in which music is performed as BGM (Back Ground Music), timings of multiple operation members of an input device in correspondence with the music are visually displayed to a player, and the player operates the input device in correspondence with the displayed timings, enabling the player to enjoy playing music and dancing (e.g. “Beat Mania” and “Dance Dance Revolution”, products manufactured and marketed by Konami Corporation).
In musical games of this type, timing data defines the relationship between the control procedure of the input device (i.e. the timing of the operations of the various operation members) and the performance position of the music, and is set in advance and stored in a memory medium. During the game (during a performance of a musical piece), an operation timing of the input device is displayed on a monitor based on the timing data. Furthermore, the outcome of the game is evaluated based on the deviation between the operation timings defined by the timing data and the control actually carried out by the player, the player achieving a higher evaluation for a smaller deviation.
In the musical game described above, the content of the control defined by the timing data greatly affects the degree of difficulty of the game, and the sensation of play. For example, the greater the number of controls displayed during a fixed period of time, the higher the level of difficulty of the game. Furthermore, even when the number of operations remains the same, if the number of operation members specified as controlled objects increases, or the frequency with which the controlled objects are changed increases, the level of difficulty of the game will be higher, and the player will be able to enjoy a higher level of musical performance and dance. Moreover, since the control procedure of the input device is set in correspondence with the music, preferences regarding the control procedure vary widely in the same way that musical preferences vary widely.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a musical game system and a memory medium thereof capable of providing a play environment to fit the tastes of the player, and an appropriate memory medium for the same.
The present invention will be explained below. To facilitate understanding of the present invention, reference symbols from the accompanying drawings are mentioned in brackets, but the constitution of the present invention is not limited to those shown in the drawings.
A first aspect of the game system of the present invention comprises an input device (
112
) having multiple operation members, for outputting signals in correspondence with the operation state of the operation members; memory devices (
7
,
103
,
4
) in which are stored music data for reproducing predetermined tunes, and timing data, provided in correspondence with the music data, for defining operation timings of the operation members of the input device; music reproduction devices (
101
,
106
,
108
) for reproducing the predetermined tunes based on the music data stored in the memory device; and operation guide devices (
101
,
104
) for displaying operation guide screens (
202
L,
202
R) to lead a player to operate timings relating to each of the operation members of the input device on a predetermined display device (
109
), based on the timing data stored in the memory device; a mode selection device (
101
) for selecting one of multiple modes comprising an edit mode for editing the timing data, in correspondence with a command given by the player via the input device; edit window display devices (
101
,
104
) for displaying an edit window (
231
), having a display region corresponding to a part of the predetermined tune, on a screen of the display device in correspondence with information representing a position in the tune, when the edit mode has been selected; a scrolling device (
101
) for scrolling in a predetermined direction through at least one part of an image displayed in the edit window, so that the position of an editing target set within the display range of the edit window moves toward the head or end of the tune, in correspondence with a scrolling operation to the input device; and an edit executing device (
101
) for arranging timing marks (
204
F,
204
B,
204
L,
204
R) representing an operation timings of operation members at the edit object position in the edit window in correspondence with a predetermined mark arrangement operation to the input device, and updating timing data (D
45
) during editing so that a position during the tune corresponding to the edit object position is defined as the operation timing of the control member provided in correspondence with the mark arrangement operation.
According to this invention, the player can provide the timing marks in positions of his own choice in the edit window, and thereby edit the timing data as he or she wishes, by using the input device to scroll and provide the marks. When the game is played using the edited timing data, a play environment can be realized which is closer to the player's tastes.
A second aspect of the invention provides a game system according to the first aspect, wherein, when a position during the tune corresponding to the edit object position is already defined as the operation timing of the control member provided in correspondence with the mark arrangement operation, the edit executing device updates the timing data during editing by deleting the operation timing, and deletes a timing mark corresponding to the deleted operation timing from the edit window, in correspondence with a predetermined mark arrangement operation to the input device.
Therefore, it is easy for the player to edit the timing data as he or she wishes by deleting timing data in the edit window.
A third aspect of the invention provides a game system according to the first and second aspects, wherein the edit executing device gives the player an opportunity to select either a new edit mode for newly editing timing data from a state where the operation timing is not defined, or a revise mode for editing the timing data based on existing timing data, and, when the revise edit mode has been selected, the edit executing device displays timing marks corresponding to the operation timings, out of the operation timings of the operation members defined by existing timing data selected as the edit object, in the display range in the edit window while maintaining their temporal procedure.
Therefore, the player is able to create timing data from scratch, and to revise existing timing data to suit his or her tastes. Consequently, editing can be more freely carried out.
A fourth aspect of the invention provides a game system according to one of the first to third aspects, wherein the scrolling device scrolls through the timing marks in the predetermined direction. Consequently, the player can scroll through the timing marks and retrieve a desired position in at tune onto the edit window, making editing easier and more efficient.
A fifth aspect of the invention provides a game system according to one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the timing data (D
45
) comprises a collection of information for dividing each of a plurality of bars forming the predetermined tune into a predetermined number of beats, and specifying for each beat whether or not the multiple operation members should be operated; and the scrolling means scrolls at least part of an image displayed in the edit window in the predetermined direction so that the edit object position in the edit window moves toward the head or the end of the tune by a distance corresponding to one beat of the tune.
According to this invention, since the image in the edit window is scrolled

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