Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a game requiring an element of a participants physical...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-08
2002-10-08
Harrison, Jessica (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a game requiring an element of a participants physical...
C463S023000, C434S30700R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06461239
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a music action game machine whereby a player can enjoy performing operations in time with music, an operation instructing system suitable for the music action game machine and the storage device readable by a computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, disc jockeys who perform operations to remix music with sound effects become popular mainly in the younger generation. However, there are no game machines directed to provide the player with pleasure of simulating the disc jockeys.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One of objects of the present invention is to provide a music action game machine capable of providing the player with pleasure of performing operations in time with music.
In order to attain the above object, there is provided a music action game machine comprising:
a main body;
an operation input device disposed on a front side of the main body so as to be adjacent to hands of a player facing the front side of the main body, the operation input device having a plurality of operation members;
a storage device for storing data of a musical composition and data of a performance procedure associated with the musical composition;
a music play device for playing the musical composition based on the data stored in the storage device;
an operation instructing device for giving the player a visual instruction to operate the operation members in accordance with progress of a play of the musical composition based on the data stored in the storage device;
an effect producing device for producing a performance effect in response to a performance operation performed by the player to each of the operation members;
an estimation device for estimating the performance operation of the player based on a relationship between the performance procedure defined by the data stored in the storage device and the performance operation of the player; and
an estimation informing device for informing the player of an estimation result determined by the estimation device.
According to the above-mentioned game machine, when the player operates at least one of the operation members in association with the music, the performance effect corresponding to the operation is mixed on the music. Therefore, the player can take pleasure in performing the music. Since the data of the performance procedure is stored in advance and correct timing to operate each operation member is indicated to the player through the operation instructing device in a visual manner, the player only has to operate the operation members in accordance with the instruction given from the game machine. Therefore, even if the player who is not skilled in performance of the music can enjoy the game easily. Since the operation of the player is estimated by the game machine and the result thereof is informed to the player, it is possible to enhance the competitive character of the game by changing difficulty of the game variously.
The operation input device may comprise a disk-shaped operation member as one of the operation members, and the disk-shaped operation member may be operable so as to be turned about an axis thereof.
The effect producing device may produce a scratch sound effect as the performance effect in response to a turning operation of the disk-shaped operation member, and said scratch sound effect may be similar to an actual scratch sound produced by irregularly turning a phonograph record disk with keeping contact between the phonograph record disk and a stylus of a phonograph player.
The operation instructing device may comprise: an indicator disposed on the front side of the main body and provided with at least one track extending in a predetermined direction; and a mark indicating device capable of indicating index marks, each of which is provided for indicating operation timing of each of the operation members, in such a manner that each of the index marks moves along the track and then reaches to a fixed operation position defined in the track when the operation timing associated with each of the index marks comes.
The mark indicating device may change a length of each of the index marks in said predetermined direction in accordance with a length of an operation continuation time during which each of the operation members must be operated.
In this case, it is possible to request more various performance procedure in comparison with in the case that only the operation timing is indicated to the player. This embodiment is more effective when combined with the above-mentioned disk-shape operation member.
A plurality of tracks may be provided as said at least one track, and said tracks may be arranged side by side with each other so as to accord with an arrangement of the operation members. In this case, the operation members corresponds to respective tracks different from each other.
An illumination device may be provided on the front side of the main body, and the effect producing device may control an illumination of the illumination device in response to the performance operation of the player.
A loud speaker may be provided on the front side of the main body, and the illumination device may comprise a loud speaker illuminator surrounding an outer periphery of the loud speaker.
A relationship between each of the operation members and the performance effect to be produced in response to the operation thereto may be changed in accordance with the progress of the play of the musical composition.
The estimation device may estimate the performance operation each time the performance operation is actually performed during the play of the musical composition, and the estimation informing device may inform the estimation result each time the estimation device determines the estimation result.
The estimation device may estimate the performance operation with referring to a relationship between the performance procedure stored in the storage device and a length of an operation continuation time during which each of the operation members must be operated
The main body may have a plurality of operating sections, each of which is provided with the operation input device; the estimation device may estimate the performance operation separately for each of the operating sections; and the estimation informing device may inform the estimation result separately for each of the operating sections.
The estimation device may calculate a score in accordance with superiority of the performance operation, and the estimation informing device may inform the calculated score.
The data storage device may store a plurality of data sets, each of which includes the data of the musical composition and the data of the performance procedure; and said game machine may further comprise a stage progress management device for controlling progress of a game in such a manner that when the estimation device gives a predetermined level of estimation with respect to the performance operation in one stage in which the musical playing device plays the musical composition based on one of the data sets, the game is allowed to progress to a next stage in which the music play device plays the musical composition and the instructing device instructs the performance operation based on another one of the data sets.
The effect producing device may produce a reaction effect as one type of the performance effect when the game reaches to an end of said one stage, and the reaction effect may be changed in accordance with the estimation result at the end of said one stage.
The operation instructing device may make a decision as to whether or not operation timing of each of the operation members comes, and instruct the performance operation to the player in a different visual manner in accordance with a result of said decision. In this case, the operation timing may have a certain width of time.
The estimation device may make a decision as to whether or not operation timing of each of the operation members comes, and estimate the performance operation when it is judged that the operation
Hashimoto Hideki
Mizuki Kiyoshi
Sagawa Yuichiro
Harrison Jessica
Hotaling II John M.
Jordan and Hamburg LLP
Konami Co. Ltd.
LandOfFree
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