Game program, game system, and audio processing method

Abstract

To increase fun by a game voice.SOLUTION: A computer is allowed to function as: a game progressing unit for progressing a game by operating a character within a virtual space; and an output setting unit for setting output of a game voice such that one of at least two identical game voices is delayed from the other and is outputted from a speaker when a first condition is established in which multiple identical game voices with an object in a virtual space as a sound source occur simultaneously or nearly simultaneously according to predetermined operation in the virtual space.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a game program, a game system, and an audio processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] Some game programs, when a projectile such as a bullet fired from a weapon hits an object in a virtual space, produce an effect that includes playing a sound effect (such as an explosion sound) based on the projectile's contact (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Such a sound effect is generated every time the bullet hits an object. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-221554 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, some weapon items used by characters fire bullets, such as guns. When a bullet fired from such a weapon item hits an object, an impact sound is generated as game audio. However, with a weapon item that fires multiple bullets simultaneously, such as a shotgun, the multiple bullets hit the object simultaneously or nearly simultaneously, and therefore the multiple impact sounds are output from the speaker simultaneously or nearly simultaneously. As a result, even though multiple bullets are actually hitting the object, the user is unable to get the feeling that multiple bullets are scattering and hitting the object, and the interest of the game due to the game audio is reduced.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to improve the entertainment value of game audio. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first aspect provides a computer comprising: a game progression unit that moves the character within the virtual space to progress the game; an output setting unit that sets the output of the game sounds so that one of at least two of the same game sounds is output from a speaker with a delay relative to the other when a first condition is met that a plurality of identical game sounds are generated simultaneously or approximately simultaneously in response to a predetermined action in the virtual space, the game sounds being generated from an object in the virtual space as a sound source; It is a game program that functions as a

[0007] In the above aspect, each of the audio data constituting the game audio has a unique identifier, and the output setting unit may set a delay time so that, when the first condition is met, the output order of multiple audio data having at least two identical identifiers is different.

[0008] In the above aspect, the predetermined action may be a movement of a game item in the virtual space, and the game sound may be a sound effect emitted from the object in response to the movement of the game item.

[0009] In the above aspect, the game item may be a weapon item that fires multiple bullets simultaneously, and the sound effect may be the sound of bullets hitting the object when the multiple bullets fired by the operation of the weapon item hit the object.

[0010] In the above aspect, further functioning as an image processing unit that continuously outputs images of the virtual space that change in response to the actions of the character; The case where a plurality of game sounds are generated simultaneously refers to the case where the plurality of identical sounds are generated in the same image, The case where a plurality of game sounds are generated substantially simultaneously may be the case where the same plurality of sounds are generated in a predetermined number of consecutive images.

[0011] The second aspect is a storage unit that stores a game program according to a first aspect; a control unit that executes the game program; It is a game system that includes:

[0012] The third aspect is By computer, a first determination step of determining whether a plurality of game sounds whose sound sources are objects in the virtual space are generated simultaneously or substantially simultaneously in response to a predetermined action in the virtual space; a second determination step of determining whether or not a plurality of sounds occurring simultaneously or substantially simultaneously are of the same type; and a setting step of setting the output of the game sounds so that one of the at least two identical game sounds is output from a speaker with a delay relative to the other. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to increase the interest of game audio. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the game device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the output setting of audio data by the output setting unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing the control of the output of audio data. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] [Embodiment] Hereinafter, embodiments of a program, a virtual space generation device, and a virtual space generation method will be described. In the embodiments, the program is implemented as a game program. The virtual space generation device is realized as a game device. The virtual space generation method is implemented in a game device that executes the game program.

[0016] A game based on this game program is played in a virtual space (three-dimensional). There are no limitations on the type of game. For example, the game may be a fighting action game in which a player character attacks and defeats enemy characters.

[0017] <<Configuration of the Game Device>> <Hardware configuration> 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a game device 5. The game device 5 executes a predetermined game based on user operations. The game device 5 has a display 61, a speaker 62, and a controller 63 either externally connected or built-in.

[0018] The game device 5 may be a commercially available device such as a personal computer, PlayStation (registered trademark), XBox (registered trademark), PlayStation Vita (registered trademark), or Nintendo Switch (registered trademark).

[0019] The game progresses on the game device 5 based on the installed game program and game data. Game devices 5 can also communicate data with each other using a communication network (not shown) or a short-range wireless communication device (not shown).

[0020] The game device 5 has a network interface 51, a graphics processing unit 52, an audio processing unit 53, an operation unit 54, a storage unit 55, and a control unit 56. The network interface 51, the graphics processing unit 52, the audio processing unit 53, the operation unit 54, and the storage unit 55 are electrically connected to the control unit 56 via a bus 59.

[0021] The network interface 51 is communicably connected to the communication network in order to transmit and receive various data to and from, for example, other game devices 5 and external server devices (not shown).

[0022] The graphics processing unit 52 renders game images including the player character and various objects in the virtual space in a moving image format in accordance with game image information output from the control unit 56. The graphics processing unit 52 is connected to a display 61 (e.g., a liquid crystal display). The game images rendered in a moving image format are displayed on the display 61 as a game screen.

[0023] The audio processing unit 53 is connected to the speaker 62. The audio processing unit 53 plays digital game sounds in accordance with instructions from the control unit 56. Specifically, the audio processing unit 53 converts the sound data output by the control unit 56 into an analog signal and outputs it to the speaker 62.

[0024] The audio processing unit 53 is configured to be capable of multi-channel audio output in order to reproduce three-dimensional sound. Accordingly, a plurality of speakers 62 are connected to the game device 5. These speakers 62 may be placed to the left and right, front and rear, or above a listener (e.g., a game player) in order to reproduce three-dimensional sound.

[0025] The operation unit 54 is connected to the controller 63. The operation unit 54 transmits and receives signals to and from the controller 63. A game player operates various controls such as buttons on the controller 63 to input signals (commands, data, etc.) to the game device 5.

[0026] The storage unit 55 is composed of an HDD, SSD, RAM, ROM, etc. Game data, various programs including game programs, etc. are stored in the storage unit 55. Examples of game data include game media and user account information.

[0027] The control unit 56 controls the operation of the game device 5. The control unit 56 includes a CPU (microcomputer) and a semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory stores programs and data for operating the CPU.

[0028] <Functional Configuration of Control Unit 56> The control unit 56 executes the game program to function as a game progression unit 561, an output setting unit 562, an image processing unit 563, and an audio processing unit 564 (see FIG. 1).

[0029] -Game Progression Section 561- The game progression unit 561 progresses the game by moving (player) characters within a virtual space in response to operations by a user (here, a game player). The game progression unit 561 also moves non-player characters and predetermined objects (such as vehicles) within the virtual space.

[0030] The game progression unit 561 controls the actions of non-player characters and predetermined objects using, for example, AI (artificial intelligence). The game progression unit 561 progresses the game in accordance with the actions of the player characters and non-player characters.

[0031] -Output setting section 562- When a first condition is met that multiple identical game sounds with objects as sound sources are generated simultaneously or approximately simultaneously in response to a predetermined action in the virtual space, the output setting unit 562 sets the output of the game sounds so that the multiple identical game sounds are output from the speakers consecutively. "Multiple game sounds are output from the speakers consecutively" means that the multiple game sounds are output with a delay from each other so that they are not output from the speakers simultaneously.

[0032] In this embodiment, the predetermined action is the action of a game item in the virtual space. The game item is, for example, a weapon item that fires multiple bullets simultaneously, such as a shotgun or a scattergun. The weapon item is held by the player character controlled by the user.

[0033] The action of a game item means the firing of multiple bullets from a weapon item. When the player character activates the weapon item at an object in the virtual space through a user operation, multiple bullets are fired from the weapon item toward the object in the virtual space. Here, the object is, for example, an enemy character (zombie or monster).

[0034] The game sound in this embodiment is a sound effect. Specifically, the sound effect is an impact sound that is emitted when a bullet fired by the operation of a weapon item hits an enemy character, which is an object. When a bullet hits an enemy character, an impact sound is generated with the enemy character as the sound source. The impact sound may be any sound effect that indicates that the enemy character has been hit, and may include explosion sounds or popping sounds. The sound effect may differ depending on the type of weapon item, the type of bullet, the type of object, etc.

[0035] (1) First condition Next, the first condition will be explained. The first condition in this embodiment is met when, in response to the firing of multiple bullets from a weapon item (i.e., in response to the movement of the weapon item), multiple identical impact sounds with enemy characters as the sound source are generated simultaneously or approximately simultaneously. The first condition is that the multiple impact sounds are the same and that the multiple impact sounds are generated simultaneously or approximately simultaneously.

[0036] (1-1) The sounds of multiple bullets hitting the ground are the same. Game sounds are generated from audio data. Each piece of audio data has a unique identifier. The same game sound is composed of the same identifier. "Multiple impact sounds being the same" means that the identifiers of the audio data representing the impact sounds are the same. In other words, even if the audio data is the same as the impact sound, if the identifiers are different, the impact sounds (game sounds) heard from the speaker will be different.

[0037] (1-2) The sounds of multiple bullets hitting the ground occur simultaneously or almost simultaneously. "Simultaneous generation of multiple impact sounds" means that multiple impact sounds are generated simultaneously within the same frame displayed on the screen, with enemy characters as the sound source. There may be one or more enemy characters within the same frame.

[0038] "Multiple impact sounds occurring substantially simultaneously" refers to the occurrence of multiple impact sounds within a predetermined number of consecutive frames. Specifically, if the number of frames continuously displayed on the screen within a predetermined period (for example, 0.5 seconds) is 30, then "substantially simultaneously" refers to the occurrence of impact sounds within these 30 frames, with the enemy character serving as the sound source. There is no limit to this predetermined period, and it can be, for example, 0 to 1 second. There is also no limit to the number of frames continuously displayed within the predetermined period, and for example, the frame rate can be 30 to 60 fps.

[0039] (2) Delay time setting Normally, the impact sound is generated at the same time as the frame indicating that the enemy character has been hit is output. In this embodiment, if there are multiple identical identifiers, different delay times are set for each identifier.

[0040] 2, if there are three identifiers A, the first identifier A is set to a delay time of 0 seconds, the second identifier A is set to a delay time of 0.1 seconds relative to the first identifier A, and the third identifier A is set to a delay time of 0.1 seconds relative to the second identifier A. Therefore, when game sounds having three identifiers A occur simultaneously or approximately simultaneously, the output setting unit 562 applies delay times to the three identifiers A, so that the three game sounds having identifiers A are output from the speaker consecutively for 0.1 seconds each.

[0041] -Image processing unit 563- The image processing unit 563 continuously outputs images of the virtual space that change in response to the actions of the character. For example, the image processing unit 563 generates images (frames) of the reaction of an enemy character that has been hit in response to the movement of a weapon item. Any image that shows that the enemy character has been hit will suffice. The image processing unit 563 outputs the generated moving image data to the graphics processing unit 52. The graphics processing unit 52 draws the multiple image data that are continuously output on the display 61 in moving image format.

[0042] -Audio processing unit 564- The audio processing unit 564 generates audio data based on the identifier. The audio processing unit 564 outputs the generated audio data to the audio processing unit 53. The audio data is output at a preset timing. The preset timing is when the virtual space is changed by the movement of the player character or when a game item is used. In particular, when a delay time is set by the output setting unit 562 for the output of audio data for multiple impact sounds, the audio processing unit 564 outputs the audio data for each impact sound to the audio processing unit 53 according to the delay time.

[0043] -Audio processing method- Next, the audio processing method according to the game program of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0044] In step S11, the control unit 56 determines whether multiple game sounds (impact sounds) originating from objects (enemy characters) are generated simultaneously or approximately simultaneously (first determination step). If it is determined that multiple game sounds are generated simultaneously or approximately simultaneously (YES in step S11), step S12 is executed. If it is determined that multiple game sounds are not generated simultaneously or approximately simultaneously (NO in step S11), step S14 is executed.

[0045] In step S12, the control unit 56 determines whether the multiple game sounds determined to occur simultaneously or approximately simultaneously in step S11 are the same (second determination step). Specifically, in step S12, the control unit 56 determines whether there are multiple pieces of sound data with the same identifier among the multiple game sounds occurring simultaneously or approximately simultaneously (step S12). If there are multiple pieces of sound data with the same identifier (YES in step S12), step S13 is executed for those pieces of sound data. If it is determined that there are not multiple pieces of sound data with the same identifier (NO in step S12), step S14 is executed.

[0046] In step S13, the control unit 56 applies a delay time to each of the plurality of pieces of audio data having the same identifier determined in step S12.

[0047] In step S14, the control unit 56 outputs the audio data to the audio processing unit 53. Specifically, the control unit 56 outputs each piece of audio data to the audio processing unit 53 based on the delay time applied in step S13.

[0048] To summarize the above, this is a game program that causes a computer (control unit 56) to function as a game progression unit 561 that moves a character within a virtual space to progress the game, and an output setting unit 562 that sets the output of audio data that constitutes the game audio so that one of at least two identical game sounds is output from the speaker with a delay compared to the other when a first condition is met that multiple identical game sounds with objects within the virtual space as sound sources are generated simultaneously or approximately simultaneously in accordance with a predetermined action in the virtual space.

[0049] Effect of this embodiment In this game program, by applying a unique delay time to each of multiple pieces of audio data with the same identifier, it is possible to prevent the same game sounds from being output from the speaker simultaneously, even if they are generated simultaneously or nearly simultaneously. As a result, even if multiple bullets fired from a weapon item hit an enemy character at the same time, the same game sounds will be heard consecutively, which enhances the user's sense of reality, such as the feeling of using the weapon item and the feeling of hitting an enemy character.

[0050] In addition, it is possible to prevent volume saturation caused by the same game audio being input to the audio processing unit at the same time, thereby preventing sudden excessive volume input and providing a pleasant auditory experience for the user.

[0051] [Other embodiments] The use of the virtual space is not limited to games. The administrator of the virtual space (who may be called the user of this program) can provide various services through the virtual space (for example, use as a metaverse).

[0052] The output setting unit 562 only needs to set the output of audio data so that, when the first condition is met, one of at least two identical game sounds is output from the speaker with a delay relative to the other. In other words, it is not necessary to set different delay times for multiple game sounds with the same identifier, as long as at least two of them are different. For example, if five game sounds with the same identifier are generated simultaneously or approximately simultaneously, it is not necessary to set different delay times for all five game sounds.

[0053] The audio data to which a delay time is applied is not limited to audio data whose sound source is an object in a virtual space, but may be audio data of game audio generated in a virtual space.

[0054] The delay time does not have to be 0.1 seconds, and may be any time that allows the sound to be heard continuously within a relatively short period of time. For example, the delay time may be 0.05 to 0.5 seconds.

[0055] The game item is not limited to a weapon item that fires multiple bullets simultaneously. For example, the weapon item may be a single-shot gun. For example, if two player characters each carry a single-shot gun in the same virtual space, and bullets fired from the two single-shot guns hit an object at the same time, resulting in two impact sounds (game sounds) being generated simultaneously, a delay time is applied to the output of the audio data for the two game sounds.

[0056] The game item is not limited to a weapon item that fires a bullet. The game item may be a projectile such as a knife or a shuriken, or a non-projectile item such as a sword or a bomb. Furthermore, the game item does not have to be a weapon item.

[0057] Game sounds are not limited to sound effects, but may also include sounds and music emitted during game play, pronunciations and conversations from player characters or non-player characters, and the like.

[0058] This game program is applicable even if there are two or more objects appearing in the same virtual space.

[0059] The processing by this program may be performed by a server device to which a user device (e.g., game device 5) is connected, or may be shared between the user device and the server device. This is the form assumed when this program is implemented as a game program for an online game or a program for the above-mentioned metaverse.

[0060] The effects of the present embodiment can be achieved even when these other embodiments are adopted. Furthermore, this embodiment can be combined with other embodiments, and other embodiments can be combined with each other as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 5. Game device (virtual space generation device) 55 Storage section 56 Control Unit (Computer) 561 Game Progression Department 562 Output setting section 563 Image Processing Unit

Claims

1. Computer, a game progression unit that moves the character within the virtual space to progress the game; an output setting unit that, when a first condition is met that a plurality of identical game sounds whose sound source is an object in the virtual space are generated simultaneously or substantially simultaneously in response to a predetermined action in the virtual space, sets a delay time for at least one of the plurality of game sounds such that the timing at which the game sounds are output from a speaker is delayed from its original timing, thereby setting the output of the game sounds so that one of the at least two identical game sounds is output from a speaker with a delay relative to the other. A game program that functions as a

2. The game program of claim 1, Each piece of audio data constituting the game audio has a unique identifier, When the first condition is satisfied, the output setting unit sets a delay time so that an output order of a plurality of pieces of audio data having at least two identical identifiers is different. Game program.

3. 3. The game program according to claim 1, the predetermined action is an action of a game item in the virtual space, The game sound is a sound effect emitted from the object in response to the action of the game item. Game program.

4. In the program of claim 3, the game item is a weapon item that fires multiple bullets simultaneously, The sound effect is a bullet impact sound that is generated when a plurality of bullets fired by the operation of the weapon item hit the object. Game program.

5. 3. The game program according to claim 1, an image processing unit that continuously outputs images of the virtual space that change in response to the actions of the character to a screen; It further functions as The case where a plurality of game sounds are generated simultaneously refers to the case where the plurality of identical sounds are generated in the same image, The case where a plurality of game sounds are generated substantially simultaneously refers to the case where the same plurality of sounds are generated in a predetermined number of consecutive images. Game program.

6. a storage unit that stores the game program of claim 1 or 2; a control unit that executes the game program; A gaming system with.

7. By computer, a first determination step of determining whether a plurality of game sounds whose sound sources are objects in the virtual space are generated simultaneously or substantially simultaneously in response to a predetermined action in the virtual space; a second determination step of determining whether the plurality of game sounds generated simultaneously or substantially simultaneously are the same; a setting step of setting a delay time for at least one of the plurality of game sounds such that the timing of outputting the game sounds from the speaker is delayed from the original timing, thereby setting the output of the game sounds so that one of the at least two identical game sounds is output from the speaker with a delay compared to the other game sounds; An audio processing method that performs

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