Game device and operation tool

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of realizing an operation tool for a game utilizing a rotation display section.SOLUTION: In a game device in which a game is played by directing an operation tool 1 to which an instruction direction is set toward a screen, the operation tool 1 comprises a rotation display section 50 provided such that a display screen 51 crosses an instruction direction 7, and an operation input section 20, and is disposed and constituted such that the rotation display section 50 is closer to the screen than the operation input section 20 when the instruction direction 7 is directed toward the screen of the game device. The game device performs control for changing the display image of the rotation display section 50 on the basis of operation input to the operation input section 20 and controls progress of a game in accordance with the operation input.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a game device and an operating tool. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a technology for a rotating display unit (also called a versawriter, etc.) that uses a plate on which a group of light-emitting elements is arranged in a line to rotate at high speed, thereby making an image appear in space using an afterimage effect (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2019 / 087857 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there was no known technology for a gaming controller that uses a rotating display unit. There were several issues to be resolved before a rotating display unit could be used as a gaming controller. For example, there was the issue of what the optimal layout of the rotating display unit should be for gaming, and the issue of how long it takes for the display to appear. The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a technique that makes it possible to realize a gaming operating tool that utilizes a rotating display section. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A first invention for solving the above problem is a game device in which an operating tool with a set instruction direction is pointed at a screen to play, the operating tool having a rotating display unit whose display surface intersects with the instruction direction, and an operation input unit, the operating tool being configured so that when the instruction direction is directed toward the screen, the rotating display unit is positioned closer to the screen than the operation input unit, and the game device controls changing the display image on the rotating display unit based on operation input to the operation input unit and controls the progress of the game in accordance with the operation input.

[0006] Another invention is an operating tool for playing games, in which an instruction direction toward a game screen is set, comprising a rotating display unit whose display surface intersects with the instruction direction, and an operation input unit, and is configured so that when the instruction direction is set toward the game screen, the rotating display unit is positioned closer to the game screen than the operation input unit, and the rotating display unit has its display surface on the side where the operation input unit is located.

[0007] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the rotation display unit is positioned closer to the screen than the operation input unit, with the display surface oriented in a direction intersecting the instruction direction. Then, while the game progresses in response to operation inputs to the operation input unit, the image displayed on the display surface can be changed in response to the operation inputs. The player can operate the operation tool in a natural posture, pointing the instruction direction of the operation tool toward the screen. This makes it possible to realize a suitable operation tool for games that utilizes the rotation display unit.

[0008] A second invention is a game device in the above invention, wherein the pointing direction is a direction passing through the center of rotation of the rotating display unit, and the game device is provided with a pointing direction detection function that detects the pointing direction, and controls the display of a predetermined marker image at a display position on the screen according to the detection result of the pointing direction detection function.

[0009] According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to realize an operating tool suitable for use in games, in which the operating tool is directed to the screen to specify the display position of the marker image on the screen.

[0010] A third invention is a game device in which, in the above invention, the operating tool has a rod-shaped portion whose longitudinal direction passes through the center of rotation of the rotating display unit and has the rotating display unit at its tip.

[0011] According to the third aspect of the present invention, the pointing direction can be indicated by the direction of the rod-shaped portion, and therefore, an operating tool suitable for gaming can be realized while utilizing a rotary display section.

[0012] A fourth invention is the game device according to the above invention, wherein the rotary display unit has the display surface on a side where the operation input unit is located.

[0013] According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to display the display image toward the player operating the operation input unit, so that the player can play the game while looking at both the display on the screen in the direction indicated by the operating tool and the display image on the rotation display unit of the operating tool.

[0014] A fifth invention is a game device in which, in the above invention, the operation input to the operation input unit includes at least a single operation input and a long press operation input which is an operation of pressing and holding for a longer period than the single operation input and then releasing the operation, and while the long press operation is being performed, a gradually changing image is displayed on the rotating display unit, and a predetermined activation effect is displayed on the screen in accordance with the release operation after the long press operation.

[0015] According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, a gradually changing image can be displayed as the display image during a long press operation, and an activation effect can be displayed in response to a subsequent release operation. Therefore, even if it takes time for a given image to be displayed on the rotating display section, it is possible to realize a technology suitable for games that hardly causes any problems in gameplay, such as giving the player a sense of discomfort.

[0016] A sixth invention is the game device according to the above invention, wherein the operating tool includes a transparent cover portion that covers the rotary display portion.

[0017] According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to protect the player from being injured by the rotating display section, and conversely, it is possible to protect the rotating display section from the outside.

[0018] A seventh invention is a game device in which, in the above invention, the rotating display unit has three disassemblable parts: a motor unit, a blade unit on which LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are arranged and which rotates by being connected to the rotor of the motor unit, and a support unit that supports the motor unit.

[0019] According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, in the event of a malfunction, the rotary display unit can be disassembled and replaced individually, thereby realizing a gaming operating tool that is easy to maintain. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of a game device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of the operating tool. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a game screen. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of a rotary display unit. [Figure 5] Exploded view of the rotary display unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an activation operation. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of a game screen. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example on a display surface. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of a game screen. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another display example of the display surface. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of a game screen. [Figure 12] 10A to 10C are diagrams showing examples of display transitions on a display surface. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the game device. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of a control data number table. [Figure 15] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing performed by the game device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and the forms to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to the following embodiments. In addition, in the description of the drawings, the same parts are given the same reference numerals.

[0022] [Overall configuration] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of a game device 1500 in this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of the operating tool 1. Also, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a game screen displayed on a display 1301. The game device 1500 is an arcade (commercial) device installed in a game center or amusement facility, and is configured to allow both one player and two players to play simultaneously.

[0023] The game device 1500 is equipped with a display 1301 arranged on the front of the housing to display the game screen, a speaker 1303 to output game sounds, two operating devices 1 for the player to input game operations, and a coin insertion device 1305 for paying the game fee. The game device 1500 also has a control board 1310 inside the housing.

[0024] The operating device 1 comprises a rod-shaped arm portion 10, a support 30 for holding the arm portion 10 at a height that allows the player to hold it in his hand and operate it, a joint portion 40 for connecting the arm portion 10 and the support 30, a rotating display portion 50 attached to the tip of the arm portion 10, and a transparent cover portion 60 for covering the rotating display portion 50.

[0025] The arm unit 10 has an operation input unit 20 located near the rear end. The operation input unit 20 has three button switches 21, 23, and 25 for inputting various activation operations, which will be described later. Hereinafter, button switch 21 will also be referred to as the "first button 21," button switch 23 as the "second button 23," and button switch 25 as the "third button 25."

[0026] Joint unit 40 is installed at the upper end of support column 30 and has a base 41 that is rotatable in the horizontal direction (arrow A11), and a spherical support 43 that is rotatable in the vertical direction (arrow A13) on base 41. Support 43 has a through-hole 431 formed therein, through which arm unit 10 is inserted and whose midsection is fixed.

[0027] The joint unit 40 also incorporates a horizontal angle sensor 401 (see FIG. 13 ) that detects the horizontal rotation angle of the base 41 and a vertical angle sensor 403 (see FIG. 13 ) that detects the vertical rotation angle of the support 43. The command direction 7, which is set as a direction passing through the rotation center 91 of the rotatable display unit 50, is detected based on the detection signals from the angle sensors 401 and 403. In this embodiment, the rotation center 91 of the rotatable display unit 50 is coaxial with the central axis 93 of the arm unit 10. This allows the player to grasp and move the arm unit 10 in their hand to rotate the rotatable display unit 50 horizontally or vertically, thereby inputting the command direction 7. The game of this embodiment is a shooting game in which the player attacks and defeats an enemy character C that appears on the game screen. During the game, the game device 1500 executes an aim display control process to perform control to display an aim marker MK as a marker image at the indicated position on the game screen indicated by the pointing direction 7.

[0028] The rotating display unit 50 functions as a so-called versa writer. The rotating display unit 50 has a display surface 51 that intersects with the pointing direction 7 and displays a display image on the display surface 51 by utilizing the persistence of vision effect of the human eye. In this embodiment, the display surface 51 is formed on the side of the rotating display unit 50 opposite the side facing the display 1301, where the operation input unit 20 is located, and on the side that is visible to a player standing and holding the arm unit 10. That is, the rotating display unit 50 is driven by the motor unit 55, and the LED blades 53 rotate around the central axis 93 of the arm unit 10 as the center of rotation (arrow A15). The LEDs 531 are also illuminated under the control of the LED control unit 503 (see FIG. 13 ), forming a circular display surface 51 and displaying a display image. This allows the player to view the display image while playing the game. The transparent cover unit 60 is sized to cover the rotation range of the LED blades 53 and visibly covers the display surface 51.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the rotary display unit 50, and FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the rotary display unit 50. As shown in FIG. 5, the rotary display unit 50 can be disassembled into three parts: a motor unit 55, a blade unit 54, and a support unit 58 that supports the motor unit 55. The blade unit 54 includes an LED blade 53 and a first case 571 and includes various components housed inside the first case 571. For example, the blade unit 54 includes a blade-side board on which electronic components are mounted for driving the motor unit 55, controlling the illumination of the LEDs 531, and performing wireless communication with the outside. The LED blade 53 includes an array of multiple LEDs 531 and is connected to the rotor of the motor unit 55 via the first case 571. The support unit 58 includes a second case 573 and includes various components housed inside the second case 573. For example, the support unit 58 includes a power-supply board for supplying power from the arm unit 10 to each unit. The rotary display unit 50 is configured so that it can be disassembled into three parts, so that in the event of a malfunction, each part can be replaced individually, which is easy to maintain and reduces running costs compared to replacing the entire rotary display unit 50.

[0030] Returning to FIG. 1, the control board 1310 is equipped with electronic components such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1311, various microprocessors such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), various IC memories 1313 such as a VRAM, RAM and ROM, and a communication device 1315. The CPU 1311 etc. executes a game program to perform arithmetic processing, and controls each unit of the game device 1500 based on operation inputs to the operation input unit 20 to execute a game. A part or all of the control board 1310 may be realized by an ASIC, an FPGA, or the like. Note that a part or all of the control board 1310 may be realized by an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or an SoC (System on a Chip).

[0031] In this game device 1500, the player holds the arm unit 10 in front of the cabinet and aims the rotary display unit 50 toward the display 1301. As shown in Fig. 3, when the game starts, an enemy character C appears on the game screen of the display 1301, and a targeting marker MK is displayed at the position indicated by the pointing direction 7. The player moves the arm unit 10 so that the pointing direction 7 is directed toward the enemy character C, aligns the targeting marker MK with the enemy character C that appears, and then operates the operation input unit 20 to activate a magic spell, thereby enjoying the shooting game.

[0032] [detail] In this embodiment, three categories of magic, "normal magic," "sub magic," and "great magic," are associated with the button switches 21, 23, and 25 of the operation input unit 20. The player activates a magic spell by operating any of the button switches 21, 23, and 25 in a manner appropriate for the corresponding category, and activates the magic spell of that category to attack the enemy character C.

[0033] More specifically, in the game of this embodiment, a "normal magic" attack is the basic attack, and a single press or long press of the first button 21 is accepted as the activation operation. While the player holds down the first button 21, "normal magic" spells are fired continuously. The player then presses the second button 23 to activate a more powerful "sub-magic" depending on the enemy appearance or defeat status, or presses the third button 25 to activate an even more powerful "major magic" in an effort to clear the game. When the player performs an activation operation, a display image corresponding to the activation operation is displayed on the display surface 51 of the rotating display unit 50 at the player's hand. The display surface 51 is located close to the player. The displayed image may be, for example, a magic circle. This allows the arm unit 10 held in the player's hand to resemble a magic wand, with a magic circle appearing at its tip. When the player operates the operating tool 1 while looking at the game screen, an image of the magic square is displayed on the display surface 51 of the operating tool 1 held in the hand, so the player can enjoy playing the game while looking at both the game screen and the display surface 51.

[0034] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an activation operation. In this embodiment, the activation operation is determined by a combination of button switches 21, 23, and 25 and an operation mode, as shown in Fig. 6. Then, the game device 1500 displays a display image corresponding to the activation operation on the display surface 51, and executes an activation control process corresponding to the activation operation to control the progress of the game.

[0035] First, the operation to activate a "normal magic" is a single operation input or a long press operation input of the first button 21. When the first button 21 is pressed, the game device 1500 executes a normal magic activation control process and immediately activates the "normal magic." Then, the game device 1500 repeats the magic attack while the first button 21 is being pressed and held. Furthermore, while the normal magic activation control process is being executed, the game device 1500 displays an image of a magic circle for normal magic on the display surface 51. When the first button 21 is released, the game device 1500 turns off the LED 531 and erases the display on the display surface 51. As a result, the image of the magic circle for normal magic continues to be displayed on the display surface 51 while the first button 21 is being pressed and held. That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, while the first button 21 is being pressed and held, the game screen displays an attack scene involving rapid firing of "normal magic." Then, on the display surface 51, an image of a magic circle for normal magic is displayed, as shown in FIG.

[0036] As described above, the "normal magic" spell is activated immediately when the first button 21 is pressed. On the other hand, the display image (magic circle image) on the display surface 51 is displayed by individually controlling the lighting of each LED 531 according to the lighting pattern of the LEDs 531 prepared as LED control data (described later). Therefore, there is a time lag between the pressing of the first button 21 and the completion of the display of the display image on the display surface 51. However, in this embodiment, the "normal magic" spell, which is a basic attack, is fired in rapid succession in response to a long press of the first button 21, and the display image is continuously displayed on the display surface 51 during the long press. In other words, the display image is not displayed each time an activation operation is accepted. Therefore, the delay in the display on the display surface 51 occurs only at the beginning of the pressing of the first button 21, minimizing the discomfort the player may feel due to the time lag.

[0037] The operation to activate a "sub magic" is a single operation input of the second button 23. When the second button 23 is pressed, the game device 1500 executes a sub magic activation control process, first controlling the display of an activation preparation effect on the game screen, and then activating the "sub magic." Furthermore, while the sub magic activation control process is being executed, the game device 1500 displays an image of a magic circle for the sub magic on the display surface 51, and performs control to erase the display when the sub magic activation control process is completed.

[0038] That is, for example, as shown in Fig. 9, when the second button 23 is pressed, the game screen displays an attack scene using a "sub-magic" spell, after which an activation preparation effect (not shown) is displayed. Then, as shown in Fig. 10, an image of a magic circle for the sub-magic is displayed on the display surface 51. In this case, a time lag occurs as described above, but in the case of a "sub-magic," the activation preparation effect is displayed before the magic is activated. Therefore, the display on the display surface 51 can be made to appear as if the magic circle is being completed over the time between the effect displays, thereby reducing the sense of incongruity caused by the time lag.

[0039] The operation to activate the "big magic" is a long press of the third button 25. When the third button 25 is pressed, the game device 1500 executes a big magic activation control process, and first controls the display of a charge effect on the game screen. Then, when a predetermined charge time has elapsed while the third button 25 is being pressed and the charge effect display has ended, and when the third button 25 is subsequently released, the game device 1500 activates the "big magic." When the third button 25 is pressed under this control, a charge effect display is displayed on the game screen (FIG. 11(a)), and then, when the third button 25 is released, a magic activation effect display for the "big magic" is displayed, and an attack scene using that magic is displayed (FIG. 11(b)).

[0040] Furthermore, upon receiving the start of the great magic activation control process, the game device 1500 displays on the display surface 51 a display image that changes so that the magic circle for the great magic is gradually completed, and then displays an image of the completed magic circle. That is, for example, as shown in Fig. 12, the display surface 51 displays an image in which rings of light gradually increase and spread, and the magic circle for the great magic is completed (Fig. 12(a) → (b) → (c) → (d)), and then the image of the completed magic circle is displayed (Fig. 12(e)). In this case, too, the display on the display surface 51 can be made to appear as if the magic circle is gradually being completed over the time between charge effect displays, thereby reducing the sense of incongruity caused by the time lag.

[0041] [Function Configuration] Fig. 13 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of game device 1500. Fig. 14 is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of control data number table 521. As shown in Fig. 13, game device 1500 includes horizontal angle sensor 401 and vertical angle sensor 403 for detecting pointing direction 7, operation input unit 20, processing unit 200, image display unit 390, sound output unit 392, communication unit 394, and storage unit 500. Also, arm-side processing unit 101 is provided as a functional unit on the arm unit 10 side, and motor drive unit 501, LED control unit 503, and LED control data storage unit 505 are included as functional units on the rotation display unit 50 side.

[0042] Here, multiple types of LED control data are stored in LED control data storage unit 505, each associated with a control data number which is a unique identification number. LED control data is data for displaying a display image on display surface 51, and is defined by the lighting pattern of LED 531. In this embodiment, the following data are stored, each associated with a control data number: LED control data for normal magic for displaying an image of a magic circle for normal magic; LED control data for sub-magic for displaying an image of a magic circle for sub-magic; and LED control data for great magic for changing the display image so that a magic circle for great magic is gradually completed, and then displaying an image of the completed magic circle.

[0043] As will be described later, in this embodiment, the rotating display unit 50 (LED blades 53) constantly rotates during the game under the control of the rotation / stop control unit 231. When a control data number is specified by the display surface display control unit 237, the LED control unit 503 reads out and uses the corresponding LED control data from the LED control data storage unit 505, and displays a display image on the display surface 51 by individually illuminating the LEDs 531 based on the rotation position of the LED blades 53.

[0044] The operation input unit 20 is used by the player to input various operations. For example, it can be realized by a known operation input device such as a joystick, button switch, lever, volume, pedal switch, keyboard, mouse, touchpad, trackball, acceleration sensor, angular velocity sensor, CCD module, gesture input device, etc. The three button switches 21, 23, and 25 in Figure 2 correspond to this.

[0045] The processing unit 200 can be realized by a processor, which is an arithmetic circuit such as a CPU, GPU, ASIC, or FPGA, or electronic components such as an IC memory, and controls the input and output of data between each unit of the device. The processing unit 200 performs various arithmetic processes based on predetermined programs and data, operation input signals from the operation input unit 100, and generally controls the operation of the game device 1500. In FIG. 1, this corresponds to the control board 1310 and its CPU 1311. For example, the processing unit 200 includes a game calculation unit 230, an image generation unit 290, a sound generation unit 292, and a communication control unit 294.

[0046] The game calculation unit 230 performs various game processes related to controlling the progress of the game, such as 1) a process for setting up a three-dimensional virtual game space, 2) a process for placing and controlling a virtual camera, 3) a process for placing an enemy character in the game space and automatically controlling its movement, 4) a process for determining whether an attack has been hit, whether damage has been caused, and whether the damage has been reflected, and 5) a process for determining whether a game end condition has been met.

[0047] The game calculation unit 230 also includes a rotation / stop control unit 231 , a target display control unit 233 , an activation control unit 235 , and a display surface display control unit 237 .

[0048] The rotation / stop control unit 231 controls the start and stop of rotation of the LED blade 53. In this embodiment, the game starts when the player completes payment of the play fee. The rotation / stop control unit 231 outputs a rotation instruction signal to the arm-side processing unit 101 to instruct the start of rotation at the start of the game. In response to this input, the arm-side processing unit 101 controls the transmission of a motor drive signal to the motor driving unit 501. In response to receiving the motor drive signal, the motor driving unit 501 drives the motor unit 55 to rotate the LED blade 53. Furthermore, the rotation / stop control unit 231 outputs a stop instruction signal to the arm-side processing unit 101 to instruct the rotation display unit 50 to stop rotation at the end of the game. In response to this input, the arm-side processing unit 101 controls the transmission of a motor stop signal to the motor driving unit 501. In response to receiving the stop instruction signal, the motor driving unit 501 stops the motor unit 55 to stop the rotation of the LED blade 53.

[0049] The aim display control unit 233 is a functional unit that executes aim display control processing to display an aim marker, and detects the pointing direction 7 of the operating tool 1 based on detection signals from the horizontal angle sensor 401 and the vertical angle sensor 403, and controls the display of the aim marker at the pointing position on the game screen indicated by the pointing direction 7.

[0050] The activation control unit 235 is a functional unit that executes activation control processing in response to activation operations, and executes normal magic activation control processing in response to a single operation input or a long press operation input of the first button 21, executes sub-magic activation control processing in response to a single operation input of the second button 23, and executes great magic activation control processing in response to a long press operation input of the third button 25.

[0051] The display surface display control unit 237 performs control for displaying a display image on the display surface 51. In this embodiment, when the activation control unit 235 receives an operation input from the first button 21 and starts a normal magic activation control process, the display surface display control unit 237 reads the control data number associated with the first button 21 from the control data number table 521 and outputs it to the arm-side processing unit 101. Then, at the end of the normal magic activation control process, the display surface display control unit 237 outputs a display end signal to the arm-side processing unit 101. Also, when the activation control unit 235 receives an operation input from the second button 23 and starts a sub-magic activation control process, the display surface display control unit 237 reads the control data number associated with the second button 23 from the control data number table 521 and outputs it to the arm-side processing unit 101. Then, at the end of the sub-magic activation control process, the display surface display control unit 237 outputs a display end signal to the arm-side processing unit 101. Furthermore, when the activation control unit 235 receives an operation input from the third button 25 and starts the great magic activation control process, the display surface display control unit 237 reads out the control data number associated with the third button 25 from the control data number table 521 and outputs it to the arm-side processing unit 101. Then, at the end of the great magic activation control process, the display surface display control unit 237 outputs a display end signal to the arm-side processing unit 101. In response to this input from the display surface display control unit 237, the arm-side processing unit 101 transmits the control data number to the LED control unit 503, or performs control to transmit a display end signal to the LED control unit 503.

[0052] The image generation unit 290 generates one game image per frame time (for example, 1 / 60 seconds) based on the calculation results of the game calculation unit 230, and outputs an image signal of the generated game image to the image display unit 390. For example, it can be realized by a processor such as a GPU or a digital signal processor (DSP), a video signal IC, a program such as a video codec, an IC memory for drawing frames such as a frame buffer, etc.

[0053] The sound generation unit 292 is realized, for example, by a digital signal processor (DSP), a processor such as a voice synthesis IC, an audio codec for playing audio files, etc., and generates audio signals for game sound effects, background music, and various operation sounds, and outputs them to the sound output unit 392.

[0054] The communication control unit 294 performs communication connection and data processing for data communication with an external device via the communication unit 394, thereby realizing data exchange with the external device.

[0055] The image display unit 390 displays various screens, such as a game screen, based on the image signal input from the image generation unit 290. For example, this can be realized by an image display device such as a flat panel display or a head-mounted display. In FIG. 1, this corresponds to the display 1301.

[0056] The sound output unit 392 emits sound effects, background music, etc. related to the game based on the audio signal input from the sound generation unit 292. In FIG.

[0057] The communication unit 394 connects to a network to realize communication. For example, it can be realized by a wireless communication device, a modem, a TA (terminal adapter), a jack for a wired communication cable, a control circuit, etc. In FIG. 1, this corresponds to the communication device 1315.

[0058] The storage unit 500 stores in advance or temporarily stores each time processing is performed programs for operating the game device 1500 and implementing various functions of the game device 1500, as well as data used during execution of the programs. For example, this can be implemented by an IC memory such as RAM or ROM, a magnetic disk such as a hard disk, or an optical disk such as a CD-ROM or DVD. In FIG. 1, this corresponds to the IC memory 1313.

[0059] The storage unit 500 also stores a game program 510, game setting data 520, and play data 530. In addition, other necessary data such as timers, counters, and various flags are also stored as appropriate.

[0060] The game program 510 is a program for causing the processing unit 200 to function as the game calculation unit 230. Note that it may also include programs for causing the processing unit 200 to function as the image generation unit 290, sound generation unit 292, and communication control unit 294, as appropriate.

[0061] Game setting data 520 stores various setting data that define the game space, game rules, objects to be placed in the game space, etc. In addition to data necessary for executing the activation process for each magic in the categories of "normal magic," "sub magic," and "great magic," the data also includes model data for enemy characters, motion data used to control their movements, and ability parameter values ​​such as attack power and defense power. Game setting data 520 also includes a control data number table 521.

[0062] 14, the control data number table 521 is a data table in which the control data numbers of the LED control data stored in the LED control data storage unit 505 for each category are set in association with the type of button switch (first button 21 / second button 23 / third button 25). In this embodiment, the LED control data itself is stored in the LED control data storage unit 505 on the rotary display unit 50 side in association with the control data number. Therefore, the display surface display control unit 237 reads out the control data number from the control data number table 521 depending on which button switch has been pressed to perform the activation operation, and instructs the LED control unit 503 via the arm-side processing unit 101.

[0063] The play data 530 stores various data that define the progress of the game, including, for example, the position coordinates and posture control data of enemy characters, status data such as hit points, and the like.

[0064] [Processing flow] Fig. 15 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing performed by the game device 1500. Fig. 15 shows the flow of processing focusing on one game execution. The processing described here is realized by the processing unit 200 reading and executing the game program 510.

[0065] When a game is started in the game device 1500, first, the rotation / stop control unit 231 controls the start of rotation of the rotation display unit 50 (step S1). Through this control, a rotation instruction signal is output to the arm-side processing unit 101, and the rotation instruction signal is transmitted to the motor driving unit 501, causing the LED blades 53 to start rotating.

[0066] Furthermore, the aim display control unit 233 starts the aim display control process, and displays an aim marker at the indicated position on the game screen indicated by the indicated direction 7 (step S3).

[0067] Thereafter, the activation process is performed in response to the activation operation by the player, and control of the display on the display surface 51 is performed in response to the activation operation. That is, when an activation operation is performed using the first button 21 (step S5: YES), the activation control unit 235 starts a normal magic activation control process (step S7). Through this process, the magic attack of "normal magic" is repeated until the first button 21 is released.

[0068] Then, with the start of the normal magic activation control process in step S7, the display surface display control unit 237 reads out the control data number set in the control data number table 521 for the first button 21, and controls the display on the display surface 51 (step S9). Through this control, the control data number is output to the arm-side processing unit 101, and the control data number is sent to the LED control unit 503. Then, the LED control unit 503 reads out the LED control data for that control data number from the LED control data storage unit 505, controls the lighting of the LED 531, and displays an image of a magic circle for normal magic on the display surface 51.

[0069] Furthermore, when the normal magic activation control process is completed (step S11: YES), the display surface display control unit 237 performs control to turn off the display on the display surface 51 (step S13). Through this control, a display end signal is output to the arm-side processing unit 101, and a display end signal is sent to the LED control unit 503. Then, the LED control unit 503 turns off the LED 531 to turn off the display on the display surface 51.

[0070] When an activation operation is performed using the second button 23 (step S15: YES), the activation control unit 235 starts the sub-magic activation control process, controls the activation preparation performance display, and then activates the "sub-magic" magic (step S17).

[0071] Then, with the start of the sub-magic activation control process in step S17, the display surface display control unit 237 reads out the control data number set in the control data number table 521 for the second button 23, and controls the display on the display surface 51 (step S19). Through this control, the control data number is output to the arm-side processing unit 101, and the control data number is sent to the LED control unit 503. Then, the LED control unit 503 reads out the LED control data for that control data number from the LED control data storage unit 505, controls the lighting of the LED 531, and displays an image of a magic circle for the sub-magic on the display surface 51.

[0072] Furthermore, when the sub-magic activation control process is completed (step S21: YES), the display surface display control unit 237 performs control to turn off the display on the display surface 51 (step S23). Through this control, a display end signal is output to the arm-side processing unit 101, and a display end signal is sent to the LED control unit 503. Then, the LED control unit 503 turns off the LED 531, turning off the display on the display surface 51.

[0073] When an activation operation is performed using the third button 25 (step S25: YES), the activation control unit 235 starts the great magic activation control process and controls the charge effect display (step S27).

[0074] Then, with the start of the great magic activation control process in step S27, the display surface display control unit 237 reads out the control data number set in the control data number table 521 for the third button 25 and controls the display on the display surface 51 (step S29). Through this control, the control data number is output to the arm-side processing unit 101, which then transmits the control data number to the LED control unit 503. The LED control unit 503 then reads out the LED control data for that control data number from the LED control data storage unit 505 and controls the lighting of the LED 531, displaying an image of the magic circle for the great magic on the display surface 51 so that the magic circle is gradually completed.

[0075] Furthermore, if the third button 25 is released after the charge effect display in step S27 (step S31: YES), the activation control unit 235 controls the activation effect display and activates the "great magic" magic (step S33).

[0076] Furthermore, when the great magic activation control process is completed (step S35: YES), the display surface display control unit 237 performs control to turn off the display on the display surface 51 (step S37). Through this control, a display end signal is output to the arm-side processing unit 101, and a display end signal is sent to the LED control unit 503. Then, the LED control unit 503 turns off the LED 531 to turn off the display on the display surface 51.

[0077] Then, when the game is over (step S39: YES), the rotation / stop control unit 231 controls the rotation stop of the rotation display unit 50 (step S41). By this control, a stop instruction signal is output to the arm-side processing unit 101, and a stop instruction signal is sent to the motor driving unit 501, and the rotation of the LED blade 53 is stopped.

[0078] As described above, according to this embodiment, when the player holds the arm unit 10 in front of the cabinet and points it toward the game screen, the display surface 51 is disposed at a position closer to the game screen than the operation input unit 20, so as to intersect with the instruction direction 7 and face the operation input unit 20 side (the player side). More specifically, the instruction direction 7 is a direction passing through the rotation center of the rotatable display unit 50, and the rotation center is coaxial with the central axis of the arm unit 10. Therefore, when the player looks in the instruction direction, the display surface 51 comes into view. This allows the player to move the instruction direction 7, align the aiming marker with an enemy character on the game screen, and perform an activation operation, while enjoying the game by viewing the display image that changes in response to the activation operation.

[0079] It is also possible to configure the system so that a login procedure can be completed before the game begins, the registered player's play data can be managed, and the player's level can be updated as the game progresses. The magic categories ("normal magic," "sub magic," and "major magic") activated by pressing the three button switches 21, 23, and 25 may be changed according to the player's level. In this case, magic for each category and level is prepared. LED control data for displaying magic circle images for each category is also prepared for each level and stored in the LED control data storage unit 505 in association with control data numbers. Meanwhile, the control data number table 521 stores the control data numbers of the LED control data corresponding to each type of button switch and each level. The display surface display control unit 237 then reads the control data number corresponding to the type of button switch pressed and the player's level, and instructs the LED control unit 503 via the arm-side processing unit 101 to display an image on the image display unit 390.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the horizontal angle sensor 401 is provided in the joint unit 40 of the manipulating tool 1 to detect the pointing direction 7, but the method for detecting the pointing direction is not particularly limited. For example, light emitters may be disposed on the front of the housing, such as around the display 1301, and emit light toward the front of the display 1301. Meanwhile, an image sensor may be disposed on the top of the transparent cover unit 60, and an image of the area around the display 1301, including the light emitters, may be captured, and the captured image data may be transmitted to the processing unit 200. The processing unit 200 may then analyze the image data, and determine the position and attitude of the rotatable display unit 50 from the positions, areas, etc. of the light emitters in the image, thereby detecting the pointing direction 7. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1500...Game device 1...Operating tool 10...Arm section 101...Arm side processing section 20...Operation input section 21, 23, 25...Button switches 30…post 40...Joint part 401...Horizontal angle sensor 403...Vertical angle sensor 50...Rotating display 51…Display surface 53...LED blade 531...LED 55...Motor section 501...Motor drive unit 503...LED control unit 505...LED control data storage unit 60...Transparent cover 100...Operation input section 200...Processing section 230...Game calculation unit 231...Rotation / stop control unit 233...Aiming display control unit 235...Activation control unit 237...Display surface display control unit 290...Image generation unit 292...Sound generation section 294...Communication control unit 390...Image display unit 392...Sound output unit 394…Communications Department 500...Storage section 510...Game program 520...Game setting data 521...Control data number table 530...Play data 7…Indicated direction MK...Aiming marker C...Enemy character

Claims

1. A game device in which a player plays a game by pointing an operating tool, for which a pointing direction is set, at a screen, The operating tool is a rotary display unit whose display surface intersects with the indication direction; an operation input unit; and when the instruction direction is a direction toward the screen, the rotary display unit is disposed closer to the screen than the operation input unit, A game device that controls the change of the image displayed on the rotary display unit based on an operation input to the operation input unit, and controls the progress of the game in accordance with the operation input.

2. the indication direction is a direction passing through a rotation center of the rotary display unit, a pointing direction detection function for detecting the pointing direction; and performing control to display a predetermined marker image at a display position on the screen according to a detection result of the pointing direction detection function.

2. The game device according to claim 1.

3. The operating tool has a rod-shaped portion whose longitudinal direction passes through the rotation center of the rotary display unit and has the rotary display unit on its tip side.

2. The game device according to claim 1.

4. the rotary display unit has the display surface on a side where the operation input unit is located, 2. The game device according to claim 1.

5. The operation input to the operation input unit includes at least a single operation input and a long press operation input which is an operation of pressing and holding the button for a longer period than the single operation input and then releasing the button, While the long press operation is being performed, a gradually changing image is displayed on the rotating display unit, and a predetermined activation effect is displayed on the screen in response to a release operation after the long press operation.

2. The game device according to claim 1.

6. The operating tool includes a transparent cover portion that covers the rotary display portion.

2. The game device according to claim 1.

7. The rotary display unit is A motor unit; a blade unit connected to a rotor of the motor unit and rotating, the blade unit having an array of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes); a support portion that supports the motor portion; The three parts can be disassembled.

2. The game device according to claim 1.

8. A control device for game play in which an instruction direction toward a game screen is set, a rotary display unit whose display surface intersects with the indication direction; an operation input unit; and configured such that when the instruction direction is directed toward the game screen, the rotating display unit is closer to the game screen than the operation input unit, and the rotating display unit has the display surface on the side where the operation input unit is located.

Images