Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Perceptible output or display
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-07
2003-06-24
O'Neill, Michael (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Perceptible output or display
C463S043000, C463S007000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06582309
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game system for allowing a game player to enjoy control button operations or pressings in time to music, sound effects, or other audible information, and a computer-readable recording medium which stores a computer program to realize such a game system.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are commercially available game systems which can be played by a game layer to add sound effects such as DJ (Disc Jockey) sounds or an ad lib musical performance to music that is performed as BGM (background music), so that the game player can enjoy directing the performance of the music. For example, reference should be made to the music simulation game “Hiphopmania” manufactured and sold by Konami Co., Ltd. Those game systems have a plurality of control members or buttons to be operated in time to music by the game player and a display screen for displaying an indicator which indicates the timings to operate the control members.
In the known game systems, the indicator is displayed only for the purpose of accurately indicating the timings to operate the control members to the game player. However, no attempts have heretofore been made to employ the displayed indicator so as to make the game more fun and introduce an unexpected element into the game.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a game system which employs an image for indicating control member operation timings to make the game more fun and introduce an unexpected element into the game.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer-readable recording medium which stores a computer program to realize such a game system.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a game system comprising a display unit for displaying a game image, control means for being manually operable by a game player, a memory for storing data representing a timing to operate the control means while a game is being played, control operation indicating means for displaying in the game image an image for indicating the timing to operate the control means based on the data stored in the memory, and obstructing means for generating an obstructive effect in the image for indicating the timing to operate the control means, to obstruct an attempt of the game player to grasp the timing to operate the control means.
When the obstructing means generates an obstructive effect, it obstructs an attempt of the game player to grasp the timing to operate the control means, and hence tends to blind the game player. Consequently, the game player finds the game to be fun, and an unexpected element is introduced into the game.
The control operation indicating means may comprise means for displaying as the image a mark for indicating the timing to operate the control means, so as to be movable in the game image when the game is in process such that when the mark reaches a predetermined position in the game image, the timing to operate the control means arrives.
The control means may comprise a plurality of control members, and the control operation indicating means may comprise means for displaying as the image a plurality of marks distinguishably associated with the control members, respectively, for indicating the timings to operate the control members, respectively, the marks being movable in the game image as the game proceeds such that when the marks reach a predetermined position in the game image, the timings to operate the control members arrive.
The obstructing means may comprise means for concealing the mark while the mark is moving in the game image, as the obstructive effect. Alternatively, the obstructing means may comprise means for changing the length of the mark while the mark is moving in the game image, as the obstructive effect. Alternatively, the obstructing means may comprise means for changing the manner in which the marks are distinguishably associated with the control members, while the mark is moving in the game image, as the obstructive effect. Further alternatively, the obstructing means comprises means for generating a mark indicative of an erroneous timing, as the obstructive effect. The game image may include an area for displaying the marks, the area being divided into a plurality of parallel tracks associated respectively with the control members, the marks being movable along the tracks, respectively, the obstructing means comprising means for moving at least one of the marks to another one of the tracks while the marks are moving in the game image, as the obstructive effect.
The game system may further comprise means for inhibiting the obstructive effect in a predetermined range in the game image which extends away from the predetermined position in a direction which is opposite to the direction in which the mark is movable. While an obstructive effect generated by the obstructing means is effective to blind the game player, the game player is allowed to grasp the timing to operate the control means in the predetermined range in the game image which extends away from the predetermined position.
The game system may further comprise decision means for deciding whether a condition for generating the obstructive effect is satisfied or not while the game is in process, and obstructive effect control means for controlling the obstructing means to generate the obstructive effect when the condition is satisfied as decided by the decision means, and to inhibit the obstructive effect from being produced when the condition is not satisfied as decided by the decision means. Because the obstructive effect is allowed to be generated or inhibited from being generated depending on whether the condition is satisfied or not, the game player can enjoy variations in the game.
The game system may further comprise evaluating means for evaluating a game player's achievement by comparing an operation by the game player of the control means with the timing to operate the control means while the game is in progress, and obstructive effect control means for controlling the obstructing means to generate the obstructive effect when the game player's achievement evaluated by the evaluating means is higher than a predetermined reference level, and to inhibit the obstructive effect from being produced when the game player's achievement evaluated by the evaluating means is lower than the predetermined reference level. The obstructive effect is generated when the game player is accustomed to the game and game player's achievement evaluated by the evaluating means becomes higher than the predetermined reference level. Thus, the game player will not be bored with the game.
The game system may further comprise mode selecting means for selecting, according to a command from the game player, either a first mode in the game for instructing the game player via the control operation indicating means to operate the control means according to a predetermined control operation procedure based on the data representing the timing to operate the control means, or a second mode in the game for indicating to, the game player via the control operation indicating means, a control operation procedure contained in a practice range which is established in the predetermined control operation procedure in the first mode, obstructive effect setting means for establishing, according to a command from the game player, whether the obstructing means is allowed to generate the obstructive effect, as a condition in the second mode in the game, control operation indication control means for controlling the control operation indicating means to indicate the predetermined control operation procedure to the game player through the image for indicating the timing to operate the control means, when the first mode is selected, or to indicate the control operation procedure contained in the practice range to the game player through the image for indicating the timing to operate the control means, when the second mode
Akiyama Masato
Higurashi Seiji
Komatsu Ryo
Mizuki Kiyoshi
Mukai Shintaro
Brocketti Julie
Jordan and Hamburg LLP
Konami Co. Ltd.
O'Neill Michael
LandOfFree
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