Education and demonstration – Computer logic – operation – or programming instruction
Reexamination Certificate
1995-11-30
2001-06-05
Sager, Mark (Department: 3713)
Education and demonstration
Computer logic, operation, or programming instruction
C463S006000, C463S030000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241524
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. [Field of the Invention]
The present invention relates to a video game apparatus for playing a game while seeing a game image on a display and an image synthesizing method thereof.
2. [Description of the Related Art]
Video games have now be broadly played. In recent years, the contents and operating means of many video games have been more complicated. Players lost interest in playing simple games will desire any more complicated and high-level game. Thus, the contents and operating means of the video games tend to be increasingly complicated.
To play such a complicated game, the prior art has provided a game machine in which a player must read an explanatory note on an operation panel to understand the contents and operation process of a game before it is started.
However, an arcade game machine is played by many and unspecified players. It is impossible that all the players read the explanatory note prior to start of the game. Even if an interesting game is developed on purpose, the players may keep a distance from the game because the contents or operational process of the game are more complicated. This raised a problem in that the operation rate of the arcade game machine will not increase.
If the contents and operations of the game are particularly complicated, the players cannot often understand the contents of the game by the explanatory note only on the game apparatus. In such a case, a player may lose the will to play. Even though a player plays the game, the player would not enjoy the game sufficiently to lose the player's will to play again.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a video game apparatus in which a player can sufficiently enjoy a high-level game having its complicated contents and operational process since they can be understood by the player during playing of the game and also to provide an image synthesizing method usable in such a video game apparatus.
To this end, the present invention provides a video game apparatus comprising:
a display;
game operating means operated by a player; and
game computing means for computing a game in accordance with an operation signal from the game operating means and a predetermined game program to display a game image on the display; and
wherein the game computing means comprises advice data computing means which computes and outputs advice data for the player depending on a state of the game.
In the present invention, thus, the advice computing means is adapted to compute and output the advice depending on the state of game. Even if the player has not mastered the contents and operational process before the game had been started, the player can go on with the game according to the outputted advice. In other words, the player can master the contents and operational process of the game while playing the game. In the present invention, it is also preferred that the advice data computing means computes advice data depending on a state of the game to display an advice image.
According to such an arrangement, the player can see the advice outputted onto the image while playing the game since the advice is displayed on the image. Any unfamiliar player can go on with the game while seeing the advice on the image, without interfering the proceeding of the game, since the advice is outputted on the display depending on the state of game.
It is preferred that the game apparatus of the present invention further comprises sound generating means for producing sounds for the game, wherein the advice data computing means computes advice data depending on a state of the game to generate advice sounds through the sound generating means.
Since the advice is outputted as voices, thus, the player can hear the advice while playing the game. Since the advice is outputted depending on the sate of game, any unfamiliar player can go on with the game while hearing the advice.
In the present invention, it is further preferred that the game computing means computes dynamic images for advice display and displays the dynamic images on the display.
Since the contents of the advice is visually displayed as a dynamic image, thus, the player can easily receive the contents that cannot easily be understood by the player if the contents are only formed by words. Particularly with an advice used to inform the operational process of the operating means, it is effective to display it by the dynamic image since the player can momentarily understand the operational process.
It is further preferred that the game computing means displays the advice data computed by the advice data computing means in a window in a game image.
Thus, the advice is displayed in the window superimposed on the game image. Therefore, the advice can legibly be outputted without interrupting the game image with the advice. As a result, the player can smoothly go on with the game while seeing the advice displayed in the window on the game image.
In the present invention, it is further preferred that the advice data computing means comprises a game state judging section for judging a state of the game to select advice data appropriate to the state of the game.
Even if a game having a complicated development of game is played, the player can master the game while going on with the game since an advice is outputted relating to what manner the player must take against the state of game.
In the present invention, it is further preferred that the advice data computing means comprises an operational state judging section for judging an operational state from an operational history of the player to select advice data appropriate to the operational history of the player.
Thus, the player can master the operational process of the operating means while going on with the game since the operational process is advised to any unfamiliar player when he or she cannot successfully play the game.
In the present invention, it is further preferred that the advice data computing means comprises a gauge data judging section for judging data of gauges used in the game to select advice data appropriate to gauge data.
Thus, the player can go on with the game even if the player does not master the reading of the gauge since an advice relating to the gauge is outputted if necessary even when the gauge is too high in level and too complicated for the player.
In the present invention, it is further preferred that the game operating means comprises advice deciding means for the player to decide whether advice display is required or not.
Thus, there can be provided a game apparatus which can be enjoyed by many players including beginners and high-lank players since a skilled player can enjoy the game without any advice.
In the present invention, the game computing means proceeds with the game without interruption when an advice image is being displayed.
Thus, the player can receive the advice without interruption of the game and therefore enjoy the speedy game development having an increased presence.
In the present invention, the game operating means comprises advice terminating means; and
wherein the game computing means may be adapted to stop the game when an advice image is being displayed, and restarts the game when the advice terminating means is operated during advice display.
Thus, there can promptly be terminated an advice image that is judged not to be required by the player (e.g., an advice image for a beginner).
In the present invention, the advice data computing means may be adapted to limit displaying of identical advice images to a given number of times.
Thus, an unfamiliar beginner can effectively master the contents and operational process of a game since an advice output is performed immediately after the game has been started. By restricting the number of the advice outputs, further, the player can enjoy the game decreasing the number of unnecessary advice outputs which may cause errors in judgment and operation.
In the present invention, it is further preferred that the gam
Aoshima Nobuyuki
Yamamoto Takeyasu
Namco Ltd.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Sager Mark
LandOfFree
Video game apparatus and image synthesizing method thereof does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Video game apparatus and image synthesizing method thereof, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Video game apparatus and image synthesizing method thereof will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2450773