Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Data storage or retrieval
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-27
2003-04-29
Hotaling, II, John M (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Data storage or retrieval
C463S007000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06554711
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game system which is manipulated as entertainment in time to music.
2. Description of the Related Art
A game system manipulated as entertainment in time to music was for example disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (TOKU-KAI-HEI) No. 11-151380. In this type of game system, a sequence for manipulating manipulation members (such as push-buttons) of an input apparatus are specified to a player on the game screen of a monitor in time with music which is reproduced as background music (BGM). When the player manipulates the input apparatus in accordance with the specified commands, sound effects corresponding to the manipulations are superimposed over the BGM. In addition, the player is evaluated based on the degree of match between the specified manipulation sequence and the actual manipulations carried out by the player.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (TOKU-KAI-HET) No. 11-7504 disclosed a game system in which a CPU and a liquid crystal display apparatus and the like are provided in an auxiliary memory apparatus for storing data of a game system for home use, it being possible to use the auxiliary memory apparatus itself as a portable game device. This type of game system makes it possible to enjoy the game in a way not possible on a single game device, by providing some sort of connection between the game played on the main body of the game device and the game played on the portable game device provided as an auxiliary memory apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to increase the novelty of a musical game system by providing a connection between the game played on the main body of the game device and the game played on the game device functioning as an auxiliary memory apparatus.
A first aspect of this invention provides a game system comprising first and second game devices, the second game device comprising memory device for save which allows the second game device to function as an auxiliary memory apparatus of the first game device, each of the first and second game devices comprising an input apparatus having a plurality of manipulation members which outputs a signal in accordance with manipulation of the manipulation members; memory device for game in which there are stored for each tune data for music reproduction for reproducing a plurality of tunes and timing data stipulating a series of manipulations of the input apparatus in correspondence with the plurality of tunes being stored in the memory device; tune selecting device which selects one tune from the plurality of tunes; manipulation guide device which specifies a series of manipulations of the input apparatus corresponding to the selected tune to a player based on timing data corresponding to the selected tune; music reproducing device which reproduces the selected tune based on data for music reproduction corresponding to the selected tune; the first game device comprising record executing device which stores information corresponding to the progression of the game executed in the first game device in the memory device for save of the second game device by using data stored in the memory device for game; and the second game device comprising selection range setting device which sets a range of selectable tunes in the tune selecting device of the second game device based on the information corresponding to the progression of the game stored in the memory device for save.
According to this aspect, a tune can be selected from a plurality of tunes and a series of manipulations corresponding to the tune can be specified to the player by the manipulation guide device in the first game device and the second game device. When the player manipulates the input apparatus in compliance with the specification from the manipulation guide device, a tune corresponding to the selected tune is reproduced, giving the player a sensation of manipulating the input apparatus in time with the music and enabling him or her to experience the pleasure of performing or directing music. The range of selectable tunes in the second game device changes in accordance with the progression of the game in the first game device. Therefore, one of the pleasures of playing the game on the first game device is that the selectable tunes in the second game device change, thereby adding an element which cannot be realized by using a single game device. Consequently, the novelty of the game system is increased and the player's interest can be sufficiently maintained. The progression of the first game device can be represented by the number of completed plays, the number of tunes in which the game result has exceeded a predetermined result, etc. The game result can for example be evaluated according to the degree of match between the series of manipulations stipulated in the timing data and the actual manipulations of the input apparatus which are carried out by the player. The degree of match can for example be evaluated according to the size of temporal deviation between the timings of the series of manipulations stipulated in the timing data and the manipulations which are actually carried out. The music reproduction device may continuously reproduce the main melody of the tune irrespective of whether the input apparatus is manipulated, or may reproduce the main melody when the input apparatus has been correctly manipulated in the manner specified by the manipulation guide device.
A second aspect of this invention comprises the game system described in the first aspect, wherein the first game device comprises selection range setting device which sets a range of selectable tunes in the tune selecting device of the first game device based on the progression of the game in the first game device.
According to this aspect, the range of selectable tunes in the first game device and the second game device changes in accordance with the progression of the game in the first game device. Therefore, the player's enthusiasm for progressing in the first game device, and consequently his or her interest in the game system, can be increased by enlarging the range of selectable tunes in both games as the progression of the game executed in the first game device increases.
A third aspect of this invention comprises the game system described in the second aspect, wherein the selection range setting device of the first game device enlarges the range of selectable tunes in the first game device in compliance with progression of the game, and the selection range setting device of the second game device enlarges the range of selectable tunes in the tune selecting device of the second game device in compliance with an increasing progression which is identified from the information provided in correspondence with the progression of the game stored in the memory device for save.
According to this aspect, the player's enthusiasm for progressing in the first game device, and consequently his or her interest in the game system, can be increased as mentioned in the example of the second aspect.
A fourth aspect of this invention comprises the game system according to the first or second aspect, wherein the record executing device of the first game device stores information for determining whether each of the plurality of tunes has been selected in the game executed in the first game device as information provided in correspondence with the progression in the memory device for save; and the selection range setting device of the second game device sets the range of selectable tunes based on the information provided in correspondence with the progression stored in the memory device for save, so that tunes corresponding to the tunes which were selected in the game executed in the first game device are made selectable in the second game device.
According to this aspect, by setting the number of selectable tunes in the first game device to increase as the progression in the game increases, the number of selectable tunes in
Katori Sadaharu
Kawasaki Yasushi
Hotaling, II John M
Jordon and Hamburg LLP
Konami Co. Ltd.
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