Information processing program, information processing method, and information processing apparatus

Abstract

To obtain an information processing program, an information processing method, and an information processing device that can respond immediately to changes in sound. [Solution] The information processing program is an information processing program that causes a computer to perform a process to control the playback of sound data selected from a plurality of sound data prepared according to the situation in the game, and performs at least one of the following: control to play the end portion of a first sound data played in a loop format and the beginning portion of a second sound data played in a format other than a loop format, and control to play the end portion of the second sound data and the beginning portion of the first sound data together.

Description

Technical Field

[0006]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing program, an information processing method, and an information processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of setting a determination area based on the position of a player object and generating sound in a manner corresponding to the number of non-player objects existing in the determination area.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, a technique of reproducing one sound data in a loop format to reproduce sound by a simple mechanism while reducing the processing load is known. However, in this technique, since the same pattern of sound is repeatedly reproduced, it is difficult to respond to a responsive change in sound.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an information processing program, an information processing method, and an information processing apparatus that can respond to a responsive change in sound.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The first embodiment of the information processing program is an information processing program that causes a computer to perform a process to control the playback of sound data selected from a plurality of sound data prepared according to the situation in the game, and causes the computer to perform a process to perform at least one of the following: a control to play the end portion of a first sound data played in a loop format and the beginning portion of a second sound data played in a format other than a loop format, and a control to play the end portion of the second sound data and the beginning portion of the first sound data together.

[0007] The second embodiment of the information processing program causes the computer to perform the following processing in the information processing program of the first embodiment: The in-game situation is defined as at least one of the number of sound-generating objects, which are game objects that generate sound in a virtual space, and a parameter representing a predetermined state of the sound-generating objects; control is performed to play first sound data in a loop format corresponding to at least one of the number of sound-generating objects and the parameter of the sound-generating objects located within a predetermined range around a game object, which is a virtual listener located in the virtual space; if a predetermined condition is met while the first sound data is being played in a loop format, control is performed to play second sound data in a format other than a loop format, corresponding to the number of sound-generating objects and the condition that was met; and after the second sound data is played, control is performed to play the first sound data in a loop format.

[0008] The third embodiment of the information processing program causes the computer to perform a process in which, when the information processing program of the second embodiment controls the playback of the first sound data after the playback of the second sound data, the end portion of the second sound data and the beginning portion of the first sound data are played together by fading out the second sound data and fading in the first sound data.

[0009] The fourth aspect of the information processing program causes the computer to perform a process to play the first sound data in a number equal to the number of sound generation objects corresponding to the second sound data, when the information processing program of the second or third aspect of the information processing program performs control to play the first sound data after the second sound data has been played.

[0010] The fifth embodiment of the information processing program, in any one of the second to fourth embodiments, when controlling the playback of the first sound data after the playback of the second sound data, controls the playback of the first sound data in a loop format according to the degree of the state predetermined for the second sound data, and causes the computer to execute a process of switching the first sound data to be played while gradually approaching the degree of the state represented by the parameter corresponding to the first sound data that was played before the playback of the second sound data.

[0011] The sixth embodiment of the information processing program causes the computer to perform a process in which, when the predetermined conditions are met while the first sound data is being played back in a loop, the first sound data is faded out and the second sound data is played back at a predetermined volume, thereby playing back the end portion of the first sound data and the beginning portion of the second sound data in an overlapping manner.

[0012] The seventh embodiment of the information processing program causes a computer to execute a process that controls the display of the parameters in any one of the information processing programs of the second to sixth embodiments.

[0013] The eighth aspect of the information processing method is an information processing method in which a computer performs a process to control the playback of selected sound data from among a plurality of sound data prepared according to the situation in the game, and the computer performs at least one of the following: a control to play the end portion of a first sound data played in a loop format and the beginning portion of a second sound data played in a format other than a loop format, and a control to play the end portion of the second sound data and the beginning portion of the first sound data together.

[0014] An information processing device in a ninth embodiment is an information processing device that includes a processor and controls the playback of sound data selected from a plurality of sound data prepared according to the situation in the game, wherein the processor performs at least one of the following: playing back the end portion of a first sound data played back in a loop format and the beginning portion of a second sound data played back in a format other than a loop format; and playing back the end portion of the second sound data and the beginning portion of the first sound data. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to this disclosure, it is possible to respond to changes in sound in an immediate manner. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the first tone data. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of second-tone data. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an information processing device. [Figure 5] This diagram illustrates the process of determining the number of characters surrounding the player character. [Figure 6] This diagram illustrates the switching from the first tone data to the second tone data and from the second tone data to the first tone data. [Figure 7]This is a diagram for explaining the switching from the second sound data to the first sound data. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart showing an example of the sound playback process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart showing an example of the sound playback process according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart showing an example of the sound playback process according to the third embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, exemplary embodiments for implementing the technology of the present disclosure will be described in detail.

[0018] [First Embodiment] First, referring to FIG. 1, the hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment will be described. The information processing apparatus 10 is, for example, a home game machine, a portable game machine, a business game machine, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, or the like. In the present embodiment, as an example, an example in which a home game machine is applied as the information processing apparatus 10 will be described. The information processing apparatus 10 is an example of a computer.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing apparatus 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a memory 12, a storage 13, an external I / F (InterFace) 14, a communication I / F 15, and an input I / F 16. Each of the CPU 11, the memory 12, the storage 13, the external I / F 14, the communication I / F 15, and the input I / F 16 is connected to be communicable with each other via a bus 20.

[0020] The CPU 11 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls various parts. The CPU 11 is an example of a processor. The memory 12 temporarily stores programs or data as a working area. The storage 13 consists of a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or flash memory, and stores various programs and various data.

[0021] The storage device 13 stores an information processing program 30 for running a predetermined game on the information processing device 10. The CPU 11 reads the information processing program 30 from the storage device 13 and executes it using the memory 12 as a working area. The information processing program 30 is not limited to being stored in the storage device 13, but may also be stored on a recording medium such as an optical disc, USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, or SD memory card. Furthermore, the information processing program 30 may be downloadable to the information processing device 10 via the communication interface 15. In addition, the information processing program 30 can be provided as a program product. A program product includes all forms of products for providing programs. For example, a program product includes programs provided via a network such as the Internet, and non-temporary computer-readable recording media such as optical discs on which programs are stored.

[0022] The external I / F 14 is an interface for connecting various external devices to the information processing device 10. In this embodiment, the speaker 21 and the display 22 are connected to the external I / F 14.

[0023] The speaker 21 outputs various sounds. The speaker 21 may be integrated with the information processing device 10 or integrated with the display 22. The display 22 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display, and displays various information. The display 22 may have an integrated touch panel. The display 22 may also be integrated with the information processing device 10.

[0024] Communication I / F15 is an interface for connecting the information processing device 10 to a network. Communication I / F15 may use, for example, wired communication standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark) or FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface), or wireless communication standards such as 4G, 5G, or Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0025] The input interface 16 is an interface for connecting the input device 23 to the information processing device 10. The input device 23 is a game controller, mouse, or keyboard, which has operation buttons and directional keys, and is used for various types of input. The user operates the game using the input device 23. Operation information indicating the content of the input operations performed by the user using the input device 23 is stored in the memory 12. The input device 23 may be integrated with the information processing device 10. Alternatively, the input device 23 may be detachable from the information processing device 10. Furthermore, there may be one or more input devices 23. Also, the input device 23 may be a touch panel integrated with the display 22.

[0026] The information processing device 10 according to this embodiment provides a game in which a player, who is a user of the information processing device 10, controls a character (hereinafter referred to as "player character") in a virtual space within the game, and cooperates with an ally character to compete against an enemy character. "Competition" includes not only "combat as a battle" where life or death is at stake within the game, but also "competition as a sport" as seen in various sports such as baseball and soccer. In this embodiment, the case in which the ally character and enemy character are NPCs (Non-Player Characters) will be explained as an example. A game is a collection of activities and rules for playing or competing. A game is played, for example, by a player using strategies and techniques to achieve a specific objective. A game is played to achieve various objectives, such as competitive objectives such as winning, combat objectives such as defeating an enemy, educational objectives such as learning, and narrative objectives such as completing the progression of a scenario. A game may be in a competitive format or a non-competitive format.

[0027] A player character is an example of a game object that acts as a virtual listener located within a virtual space. The information processing device 10 can control the playback of sound data according to the positional relationship between the player character and the virtual sound source within the virtual space.

[0028] In this embodiment, we will explain using the example of applying friendly characters and enemy characters as sound-generating objects, which are game objects that generate sound in the virtual space. Note that the sound-generating objects may consist only of enemy characters, or only of friendly characters, or any character that exists in the virtual space without distinction between friend and foe. Game objects are objects that appear in the game, such as characters, tools, and gimmicks. Characters are humans, animals, robots, machines, or fictional creatures that appear in the game, and their types are not particularly limited. Hereinafter, friendly characters and enemy characters will be collectively referred to as characters.

[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, each character is assigned a parameter that represents the degree of a predetermined state. Specifically, each character is assigned a parameter that represents the degree of that state, such as fighting spirit, which is an example of a parameter that represents the level of motivation. Fighting spirit is a parameter that represents the willingness to fight. The higher the fighting spirit, the higher the character's morale. For example, fighting spirit increases when the battle situation becomes advantageous, such as when winning a battle, capturing an enemy base, or successfully carrying out a surprise attack. Conversely, fighting spirit decreases when the battle situation becomes unfavorable, such as when losing a battle, having an allied base captured, or successfully carrying out a surprise attack. For example, the higher a character's fighting spirit, the easier it becomes to inflict damage on an opponent's character when attacking, and the less damage they take when attacked. The CPU 11 may control the game screen to display a gauge or numerical value indicating fighting spirit.

[0030] Furthermore, in the game according to this embodiment, a first group to which one or more allied characters belong and a second group to which one or more enemy characters belong engage in combat in a virtual space. Each group is also assigned a morale level, and in this embodiment, the morale level set for a group is carried over and set for the morale levels of the characters belonging to that group.

[0031] Storage 13 stores sound data representing sounds emitted by characters. Storage 13 stores first sound data 32, which is prepared according to the number of characters and their fighting spirit. Storage 13 also stores second sound data 34, which is prepared according to the number of characters. First sound data 32 is sound data that is played in a loop format. Second sound data 34 is sound data that is played in a single-shot format according to the situation in the game, and is sound data that has a message appropriate to the situation. Loop format playback means that one sound data is played repeatedly. Single-shot format playback means that one sound data is played once. Single-shot format is an example of a format other than loop format. Figure 2 shows an example of first sound data 32, and Figure 3 shows an example of second sound data 34. In Figures 2 and 3, one rectangle represents one sound data, and the string of characters within the rectangle indicates the identification information of the sound data.

[0032] The first sound data 32 and the second sound data 34 are prepared according to the number of characters. In the examples in Figures 2 and 3, the 5-digit number in the identification information indicates the number of characters, and the number of characters associated with the sound data increases as you go down the list. For example, the sound data with the number "00001" corresponds to a number of characters between 1 and 10. Also, for example, the sound data with the number "00002" corresponds to a number of characters between 11 and 20.

[0033] The alphabet at the end of the first sound data 32 (A-D in the example in Figure 2) represents the level of fighting spirit. In the example in Figure 2, the level of fighting spirit associated with the sound data decreases as you move to the right. In the following explanation, for the sake of clarity, we will use the example of a case where fighting spirit is set in four stages from A to D, but fighting spirit is not limited to four stages.

[0034] The alphabet before the number at the end of the second sound data 34 indicates the situation in which the character makes the sound. For example, the sound data for "E" indicates a situation in which the character is participating in a charge, and the sound data for "F" indicates a situation in which the character is preparing a tactic to be launched by a large group composed of multiple units. Also, for example, the sound data for "G" indicates a situation in which the character is making a victory cry, such as after winning a battle, and the sound data for "H" indicates a situation in which the character is part of the audience watching a duel. The first sound data 32 and the second sound data 34 may be sound data common to both allied and enemy characters, or they may be sound data prepared separately for each of them. Furthermore, the second sound data 34 may also be prepared according to the character's fighting spirit, similar to the first sound data 32.

[0035] The second sound data 34 has a pre-set morale level depending on the situation. For example, in the "G" situation, the character's morale is high, so the "G" sound data has a morale level set to "A". Note that the second sound data 34 may also contain sound data for which no morale level is set.

[0036] The information processing device 10 according to this embodiment controls the playback of selected sound data from among the multiple sound data prepared as described above.

[0037] Next, the functional configuration of the information processing device 10 will be described with reference to Figure 4. As shown in Figure 4, the information processing device 10 includes an output unit 40 and a playback control unit 42. The CPU 11 executes the information processing program 30, thereby enabling the output unit 40 and the playback control unit 42 to function.

[0038] The derivation unit 40 derives the number of characters located within a predetermined range around the player character. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5 as an example, the derivation unit 40 counts the number of allied characters and enemy characters located within a predetermined distance range R centered on the player character, group by group. In this way, the derivation unit 40 derives the number of allied characters and enemy characters located within range R, group by group. In the example in Figure 5, stars represent the player character, circles represent allied characters, and triangles represent enemy characters. Also in the example in Figure 5, the numbers written inside the circles and triangles indicate the group to which the character belongs. The predetermined distance may change depending on the situation in the game.

[0039] Furthermore, the derivation unit 40 derives the morale of characters located within range R. In this embodiment, the derivation unit 40 derives the morale of characters located within range R for each group. As mentioned above, in this embodiment, the morale set for a group is set for the characters. Therefore, the derivation unit 40 derives the morale of the characters for each group, for example, by obtaining the morale of any character in each group. If morale is set individually for each character within a group, the derivation unit 40 may derive the morale of the characters for each group by averaging the morale of the characters for each group.

[0040] The playback control unit 42 controls the playback of the first sound data 32, which corresponds to the number of characters and the fighting spirit of the characters derived by the derivation unit 40, in a loop format. In this embodiment, the playback control unit 42 controls the playback of the first sound data 32, which corresponds to the number of characters and the fighting spirit of each group, with a sound source position determined for each group. Examples of positions determined for each group include the position of the center of gravity of multiple characters belonging to the group, and the position of a specific character within the group, such as the group's leader.

[0041] The playback control unit 42, when playing the first sound data 32 in a loop format and a predetermined condition is met, controls the playback of the second sound data 34 in a single-shot format for the group that meets the condition, based on the number of characters derived by the derivation unit 40 and the condition that was met. In this case, as shown in Figure 6 as an example, the playback control unit 42 controls the playback of the end portion of the first sound data 32 and the beginning portion of the second sound data 34 by fading out the first sound data 32 and playing the second sound data 34 at a predetermined volume, thereby overlapping the playback of the end portion of the first sound data 32 and the beginning portion of the second sound data 34. The predetermined condition is, for example, a condition for a character to transition to a specific situation or state. More specifically, the predetermined condition is, for example, a condition defined as a condition for a character to participate in an attack. For each specific situation or state, a second sound data 34 representing a different sound is associated and set. The playback control unit 42 controls the playback of sound data, which means encoding sound data based on the positional relationship between the player character and the sound source location, and outputting it to the speaker 21. This control causes speaker 21 to output sound corresponding to the sound data.

[0042] The playback control unit 42 controls the playback of the first tone data 32 in a loop format after the playback of the second tone data 34. As an example, as shown in Figure 6, when the playback control unit 42 controls the playback of the first tone data 32 after the playback of the second tone data 34, it controls the playback by fading out the second tone data 34 and fading in the first tone data 32, thereby overlapping the end of the second tone data 34 and the beginning of the first tone data 32 during playback.

[0043] Furthermore, when the playback control unit 42 controls the playback of the first sound data 32 after the playback of the second sound data 34, it controls the playback of the first sound data 32 in the same number as the number of characters corresponding to the second sound data 34. This suppresses the sense of incongruity caused by the switching of sound data during playback.

[0044] Furthermore, when the playback control unit 42 controls the playback of the first sound data 32 after the playback of the second sound data 34, it controls the playback of the first sound data 32 in a loop format, corresponding to the morale level that has been pre-set for the second sound data 34. In this case, the playback control unit 42 switches the first sound data 32 to be played, gradually approaching the level of morale corresponding to the first sound data 32 that was played before the playback of the second sound data 34. A specific example of this control will be explained with reference to Figure 7.

[0045] In the example shown in Figure 7, the playback of the first sound data 32, which corresponds to a morale of C, is interrupted when the playback of the target sound data is switched to the second sound data 34, which is set to a morale of A. As shown in Figure 7, when the playback control unit 42 is playing the first sound data 32, which corresponds to a morale of C, in a loop and a predetermined condition is met, it controls the playback of the second sound data 32 in a single-shot format according to the condition. Next, after the playback of the second sound data 34, the playback control unit 42 does not immediately play the first sound data 32, which corresponds to a morale of C, but rather plays the first sound data 32, which corresponds to a morale of A set in the second sound data 34. Furthermore, the playback control unit 42 switches the target first sound data 32 for playback, gradually approaching the morale level C, which corresponds to the morale level of the first sound data 32 that was playing before the playback of the second sound data 34, in the order of A, B, and C. This suppresses the sense of incongruity caused by the switching of the sound data during playback.

[0046] Furthermore, if the second sound data 34 is sound data for which no fighting spirit is set, the playback control unit 42 may perform control to play the first sound data 32, which was played before the second sound data 34 was played, in a loop format after the second sound data 34 has been played.

[0047] Next, the operation of the information processing device 10 will be explained with reference to Figure 8. The CPU 11 executes the information processing program 30, thereby performing the sound playback process shown in Figure 8.

[0048] In step S10 of Figure 8, the derivation unit 40 derives the number of characters located within a defined range R around the player character. The derivation unit 40 also derives the morale of the characters located within range R. In step S12, the playback control unit 42 controls the playback of the first sound data 32 in a loop format, corresponding to the number of characters and the morale of the characters derived in step S10.

[0049] In step S14, the playback control unit 42 determines whether a predetermined condition is met while the first sound data 32 is being played back in a loop. If this determination is negative, the process returns to step S12; if it is positive, the process proceeds to step S16.

[0050] In step S16, the playback control unit 42 controls the playback of the second sound data 34 in a single-shot format for groups that meet the conditions, corresponding to the number of characters derived in step S10 and the conditions that were met. When the processing in step S16 is completed, the process returns to step S12. If step S12 is executed after step S16, the playback control unit 42 controls the playback of the first sound data 32 in the same number as the number of characters corresponding to the second sound data 34. In this case, the playback control unit 42 controls the playback of the first sound data 32 in a loop format, corresponding to the morale level that was pre-set for the second sound data 34. In this case, the playback control unit 42 switches the first sound data 32 to be played, gradually approaching the level of morale corresponding to the first sound data 32 that was played before the playback of the second sound data 34.

[0051] As described above, according to this embodiment, if a predetermined condition is met during the playback of sound data in loop format, the second sound data 34 can be played immediately. Therefore, it is possible to respond to changes in sound in an immediate manner.

[0052] In this embodiment, the playback control unit 42 does not have to play back the second sound data 34 associated with the same number of characters as derived by the derivation unit 40. For example, the playback control unit 42 may, depending on the situation, play back the second sound data 34 associated with a number greater than the number of characters derived by the derivation unit 40. In this case, the second sound data 34 or the above conditions may be provided with information indicating that the second sound data 34 associated with a number greater than the actual number of characters derived by the derivation unit 40 should be played back.

[0053] In this embodiment, when the playback control unit 42 controls the playback of the first sound data 32 after the playback of the second sound data 34, it may control the playback of the first sound data 32 in the same number as the number of characters corresponding to the second sound data 34. Furthermore, in this case, the playback control unit 42 may switch the first sound data 32 to be played back while gradually approaching the number corresponding to the first sound data 32 that was being played before the playback of the second sound data 34.

[0054] [Second Embodiment] A second embodiment of the disclosed technology will now be described. The hardware configuration of the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, so the description will be omitted. In this embodiment, an example is described in which the first sound data 32 is the sound data to be played back, but the second sound data 34 may be the sound data to be played back, or both the first sound data 32 and the second sound data 34 may be the sound data to be played back.

[0055] Referring to Figure 4, the functional configuration of the information processing device 10 will be described. As shown in Figure 4, the information processing device 10 includes an output unit 40A and a playback control unit 42A. The CPU 11 executes the information processing program 30, thereby enabling the output unit 40A and the playback control unit 42A to function.

[0056] The derivation unit 40A derives the number of characters located within range R. Specifically, the derivation unit 40A derives the total number of allied and enemy characters as the number of characters located within range R at a first time interval. This number of characters is used in the first control described later. In this case, the derivation unit 40A may identify the group to which the characters located within range R belong and derive the total number of characters belonging to the identified group as the number of characters located within range R.

[0057] Furthermore, the derivation unit 40A derives the morale of characters located within range R. Specifically, at a first time interval, the derivation unit 40A derives a statistical value of the morale of characters located within range R as the morale of characters located within range R. This morale of characters is used in the first control described later. In this embodiment, the case where the average value is applied as the statistical value is explained as an example, but the statistical value is not limited to the average value and may be the median, etc. In this embodiment as well, the morale set for the group is set for the character. Therefore, the derivation unit 40A derives the morale of all characters located within range R by deriving the average value of the morale of each group to which the characters located within range R belong.

[0058] Furthermore, the derivation unit 40A derives the number of characters in each group to which characters located within range R belong. This number of characters is used in the second control described later. Specifically, the derivation unit 40A derives the number of allied characters belonging to each group to which allied characters located within range R belong, at a second time interval shorter than the first time interval. Also, at the second time interval, the derivation unit 40A derives the number of enemy characters belonging to each group to which enemy characters located within range R belong.

[0059] Furthermore, the derivation unit 40A derives the morale of characters for each group to which characters located within range R belong, at a second time interval. Specifically, the derivation unit 40A derives the morale of characters for each group by obtaining the morale of the groups to which characters located within range R belong. This morale of characters is used in the second control described later.

[0060] The playback control unit 42A performs a first control to play back the first sound data 32, which corresponds to the number of characters and the fighting spirit of the characters derived by the derivation unit 40A, using 2D (Dimensions) sound.

[0061] The playback control unit 42A performs a second control to play back the first sound data 32, which corresponds to the number of characters for each group and the fighting spirit of the characters, derived by the derivation unit 40A, using 3D sound reproduction with the position set for the group as a virtual sound source position in the virtual space. In this embodiment, the case in which the position set for the group is the position of a specific character belonging to the group will be explained as an example. The specific character is, for example, the character of the group's leader.

[0062] Next, the operation of the information processing device 10 will be explained with reference to Figure 9. The CPU 11 executes the information processing program 30, thereby performing the sound playback process shown in Figure 9.

[0063] In step S20 of Figure 9, the derivation unit 40A derives the total number of allied and enemy characters as the number of characters located within range R in the first time interval. The derivation unit 40A also derives the morale statistics of the characters located within range R as the morale of the characters located within range R in the first time interval.

[0064] In step S22, the derivation unit 40A derives the number of characters in each group to which the characters located within range R belong at a second time interval. The derivation unit 40A also derives the morale of the characters in each group to which the characters located within range R belong at a second time interval.

[0065] In step S24, the playback control unit 42A performs a first control to play back the first sound data 32, corresponding to the number of characters and the characters' fighting spirit, derived in step S20, using 2D sound. The playback control unit 42A also performs a second control to play back the first sound data 32, corresponding to the number of characters and the characters' fighting spirit, derived in step S22, using 3D sound, with the positions set for each group as virtual sound source positions in the virtual space. When the processing in step S24 is completed, the process returns to step S20.

[0066] As explained above, according to this embodiment, the sound source position in the second control is set to the position set for the group. Therefore, compared to the case where the sound source position is derived based on the positions of individual characters belonging to the group, the amount of computation can be reduced, and as a result, the processing load when playing sound data can be reduced.

[0067] Furthermore, this embodiment combines the playback of sound data using 2D sound and sound data using 3D sound. Therefore, it is possible to provide the player with an immersive environment. Alternatively, the base sound source for a group may be 2D sound, and the point sound source indicating the direction of the group may be 3D sound. In addition, the volume of the 2D sound can be adjusted to create a foundation for immersion, and the approximate number of people (i.e., the scale of the sound) can be estimated by adding up the number of characters belonging to each group surrounding the player character. Furthermore, the update frequency of the 2D and 3D sound can be changed. In addition, if the situation in the game changes frequently, it is preferable to set the update frequency of the 3D sound higher than that of the 2D sound. With such a configuration, effects that respond to changes in the situation in the game can be produced.

[0068] [Third Embodiment] A third embodiment of the disclosed technology will now be described. The hardware configuration of the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, so its description will be omitted. In this embodiment, an example of a configuration combining the first and second embodiments will be described.

[0069] The operation of the information processing device 10 will be explained with reference to Figure 10. The CPU 11 executes the information processing program 30, thereby performing the sound playback process shown in Figure 10. Steps in Figure 10 that perform the same processes as in Figures 8 and 9 are given the same step numbers as in Figures 8 and 9, and their explanations are omitted.

[0070] Steps S20 to S24 in Figure 10 are the same as in the second embodiment. When step S24 is completed, the process moves to step S14. Step S14 is the same as in the first embodiment. If the determination in step S14 is negative, the process returns to step S20; if the determination is positive, the process moves to step S30.

[0071] In step S30, the playback control unit 42A controls the playback of the second sound data 34 in single-shot format and with 2D sound for groups that meet the conditions, corresponding to the number of characters and conditions derived in step S20. The playback control unit 42A also controls the playback of the second sound data 34 in single-shot format and with 3D sound for groups that meet the conditions, corresponding to the number of characters and conditions derived in step S22. When the processing in step S30 is completed, the process returns to step S20.

[0072] In addition, in each of the above embodiments, only one of the number of characters or their fighting spirit may be used. Furthermore, instead of the number of characters and their fighting spirit, sound data may be played according to the situation in the game, such as the type of character and the character's motion. Examples of character types include characters with loud voices and characters with quiet voices. Examples of character motions include indirect attacks (e.g., attacks with bows and arrows and artillery fire), close attacks (e.g., attacks with swords, spears and halberds), and special army situations (e.g., character reactions according to the battle situation (e.g., fleeing footsteps and voices of distress)). Moreover, the sound data is not limited to characters that produce sound, but may also be applied to terrain and items owned by characters. Specifically, for example, if the sound played in a loop is a battle cry of the army, the sound played in a single-shot format can be a sudden war cry. Also, for example, if the sound played in a loop is an engine sound, the sound played in a single-shot format can be the sound of the engine suddenly revving up. Furthermore, for example, if the looped sound is the sound of a river, the single-shot sound could be the sound of an object jumping into the water. Also, for example, if the situation in the game is a one-on-one duel, the 2D sound could be the shouts of the troops surrounding the duel, and the 3D sound could be the sound of sword clashes.

[0073] Furthermore, the various processes that the CPU 11 reads and executes in each of the above embodiments may be executed by various processors other than the CPU. Examples of such processors include PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices) such as FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacturing, and dedicated electrical circuits that are processors with circuit configurations specifically designed to execute specific processes, such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). In addition, the various processes may be executed by one of these various processors, or by a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, multiple FPGAs, and a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). More specifically, the hardware structure of these various processors is an electrical circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] 10 Information Processing Devices 11 CPU 30 Information Processing Programs 40, 40A lead-out part 42, 42A Regeneration control unit

Claims

1. An information processing program that causes a computer to perform a process to control the playback of selected sound data from among multiple sound data prepared according to the situation in the game, The system performs at least one of the following actions: playing the end portion of the first tone data, which is played in a loop format, and playing the beginning portion of the second tone data, which is played in a format other than a loop format, by overlapping them; and playing the end portion of the second tone data and the beginning portion of the first tone data by overlapping them. An information processing program that causes a computer to perform a task.

2. The in-game situation is at least one of the number of sound-generating objects, which are game objects that generate sound in a virtual space, and a parameter that represents the degree of a predetermined state of the sound-generating objects. Control is performed to play the first sound data in a loop format, corresponding to at least one of the number of sound generating objects located within a defined range around a game object which is a virtual listener located in the virtual space, and the parameters of the sound generating objects. If a predetermined condition is met while the first sound data is being played back in a loop, control is performed to play back the second sound data in a format other than a loop, depending on the number of sound generation objects and the condition that was met. After the second audio data is played, control is performed to play the first audio data in a loop format. An information processing program according to claim 1 for causing a computer to perform processing.

3. When controlling the playback of the first sound data after the playback of the second sound data, the control is performed to play the end portion of the second sound data and the beginning portion of the first sound data together by fading out the second sound data and fading in the first sound data. An information processing program according to claim 2 for causing a computer to perform processing.

4. When controlling the playback of the first sound data after the playback of the second sound data, the control is performed to play the first sound data in a number equal to the number of sound generation objects corresponding to the second sound data. An information processing program according to claim 2 or claim 3 for causing a computer to perform processing.

5. When controlling the playback of the first sound data after the playback of the second sound data, the control is performed to play the first sound data in a loop format according to the degree of the state that has been set in advance for the second sound data. The first sound data to be played is switched while gradually approaching the degree of the state represented by the parameter corresponding to the first sound data that was being played before the second sound data was played. An information processing program according to claim 2 or claim 3 for causing a computer to perform processing.

6. When the predetermined conditions are met while the first sound data is being played in a loop, the control is performed to fade out the first sound data and play the second sound data at a predetermined volume, thereby overlapping the end portion of the first sound data and the beginning portion of the second sound data during playback. An information processing program according to claim 2 or claim 3 for causing a computer to perform processing.

7. The control is performed to generate the aforementioned parameters. An information processing program according to claim 2 or claim 3 for causing a computer to perform processing.

8. An information processing method in which a computer performs a process to control the playback of selected sound data from among multiple sound data prepared according to the situation in the game, The system performs at least one of the following actions: playing the end portion of the first tone data, which is played in a loop format, and playing the beginning portion of the second tone data, which is played in a format other than a loop format, by overlapping them; and playing the end portion of the second tone data and the beginning portion of the first tone data by overlapping them. Information processing methods.

9. An information processing device equipped with a processor and capable of controlling the playback of selected sound data from among multiple sound data prepared according to the situation in the game, The aforementioned processor, The system performs at least one of the following actions: playing the end portion of the first tone data, which is played in a loop format, and playing the beginning portion of the second tone data, which is played in a format other than a loop format, by overlapping them; and playing the end portion of the second tone data and the beginning portion of the first tone data by overlapping them. Information processing device.

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