Game program and game device

Abstract

To improve immersive feeling by effective sound in a game.SOLUTION: A computer 56 is caused to function as a game progress unit 561 that progresses a game according to operation by a user, and an acoustic processing unit 562 that reproduces sound. The game progress unit 561 outputs a sound emission signal for instructing sound emission according to progress of the game to the acoustic processing unit 562. The acoustic processing unit 562 suppresses sound volume of sound related to the same sound emission according to the number of times of the same sound emission in a predetermined period.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a game program and a game device. [Background technology]

[0002] Some game programs control the volume of sounds to be played (for example, Patent Document 1). In the example of Patent Document 1, in a shooting game, sounds such as gun sounds are played during the game. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-156589 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In games, sound effects determine the sense of immersion.

[0005] The purpose of the present disclosure is to improve the sense of immersion provided by sound effects. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first aspect is Computer, a game progression unit that progresses the game in accordance with user operations; an acoustic processing unit for reproducing audio; It functions as the game progression unit outputs a sound generation signal to the sound processing unit instructing sound generation in accordance with the progress of the game; The acoustic processing unit includes: Suppressing the volume of the voice relating to the same pronunciation according to the number of times the same pronunciation occurs within a predetermined period It is a game program.

[0007] In a first aspect, When the number of times the sound is produced in the predetermined period is greater than a threshold, the volume may be reduced after the threshold is exceeded.

[0008] In the above aspect, The volume may have a minimum value set.

[0009] In the above aspect, The game progression unit may continuously output the sound generation signal to the sound processing unit while the user continues the operation to instruct the sound generation.

[0010] A second aspect is a storage unit that stores the program of the above aspect; a control unit that executes the program; It is a game device equipped with the above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present disclosure, the sense of immersion provided by sound effects is improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the game device. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the concept of volume related to the sound produced by the game medium. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] [Embodiment] Hereinafter, embodiments of a game program and a game device will be described.

[0014] 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.

[0015] <<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 is equipped with a display 61, a speaker 62, and a controller 63, which are either externally connected or built-in.

[0016] 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).

[0017] 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).

[0018] 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.

[0019] 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).

[0020] 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.

[0021] 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.

[0022] 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.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] <Functional Configuration of Control Unit 56> The control unit 56 executes the game program to function as a game progression unit 561 and a sound processing unit 562 (see FIG. 1).

[0027] -Game Progression Section 561- The game progression unit 561 causes player characters to move within a virtual space in response to operations by the user (here, the game player). The game progression unit 561 also causes non-player characters and predetermined objects (such as vehicles) to move within the virtual space.

[0028] 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.

[0029] In this game program, a character such as a player character may possess game content within the game screen. "Possession" here means, for example, that the character and the game content are displayed together on the display 61. In some games, this "possession" may be expressed as "equipping."

[0030] In this game, the game media possessed by the character can be a virtual sound source in the virtual space. In other words, in this game, sounds are reproduced as sounds emitted by the game media. Hereinafter, the reproduction of sounds as sounds emitted by the game media may be expressed as "the game media making a sound."

[0031] An example of a game medium possessed by a character is a weapon. In the following description, it is assumed that the player character possesses a firearm (for example, a machine gun) as a game medium.

[0032] In this game, the firearm may emit a gunshot sound (more precisely, a sound simulating the sound of a gunshot may be reproduced). For example, in this game program, the user can instruct the player character to fire a firearm by operating a control on the controller 63. In response to the user's instruction to fire, the game progression unit 561 outputs a signal indicating that the game medium (firearm) will make a sound (hereinafter referred to as a sound generation signal) to the sound processing unit 562.

[0033] -Audio Processing Unit 562- In this game program, various types of audio data are prepared in advance. The audio processing unit 562 outputs the audio data in accordance with the progress of the game. Specifically, the audio processing unit 562 selects audio data in accordance with the progress of the game and outputs the selected audio data to the audio processing unit 53. When outputting the audio data, the audio processing unit 562 instructs the audio processing unit 53 on the volume at which the selected audio data should be played back.

[0034] The sound processing unit 562 acquires the number of times the speaker 62 reproduces the sound associated with the audio data within a predetermined period of time (hereinafter referred to as the number of pronunciations). In this example, the number of pronunciations is the number of times the gunfire sound of the same game medium (firearm) is reproduced. Hereinafter, the reproduction of sound as a sound emitted by the same game medium may be referred to as the "same pronunciation." The sound processing unit 562 counts the number of times it instructs the audio processing unit 53 to produce a pronunciation. In this way, the sound processing unit 562 counts the number of pronunciations.

[0035] The sound processing unit 562 instructs the audio processing unit 53 on the volume of the sound data to be produced depending on the number of times the sound is produced in the "predetermined period." In this example, the "predetermined period" is set as the period before the sound processing unit 562 outputs the sound data to the audio processing unit 53. In this embodiment, the "predetermined period" is several seconds. The length of the "predetermined period" may be set for each game medium. The "predetermined period" may be determined, for example, by the number of frames of a moving image.

[0036] The sound processing unit 562 instructs the volume according to the "number of times the sound is produced in a predetermined period of time." In this example, the volume to be instructed decreases as the number of times the sound is produced in a predetermined period of time increases. The sound processing unit 562 suppresses the volume to be instructed to the audio processing unit 53 according to the number of times the sound is produced in a predetermined period of time.

[0037] The sound processing unit 562 determines whether the number of sounds produced in a predetermined period of time is greater than a "threshold." When the number of sounds produced in a predetermined period of time is greater than the "threshold," the sound processing unit 562 instructs the audio processing unit 53 to set a volume corresponding to the number of sounds produced in the predetermined period of time. In this example, the volume of the sound produced by the game media is reduced after the number of sounds produced exceeds the "threshold." On the other hand, when the number of sounds produced is equal to or less than the "threshold," the sound processing unit 562 instructs the audio processing unit 53 to set an initial volume set for each game media.

[0038] The volume that the sound processing unit 562 instructs the audio processing unit 53 to produce is set to a minimum volume as a minimum value for each game medium. In this example, the volume that the sound processing unit 562 instructs decreases as the number of pronunciations in a predetermined period increases. When the volume corresponding to the number of pronunciations in a predetermined period becomes lower than the minimum volume, the sound processing unit 562 instructs the audio processing unit 53 to produce the minimum volume. Therefore, the volume of the sound related to the pronunciation does not fall below the minimum volume.

[0039] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the concept of the volume instructed by the sound processing unit 562 to the audio processing unit 53. In FIG. 2, the horizontal axis of the graph represents the number of times a firearm (game medium) produces a sound in a predetermined period of time. For example, when the firearm (game medium) fires continuously and the sound of the gunfire is reproduced, the value on the horizontal axis increases. On the other hand, when the firearm (game medium) does not fire and the sound of the gunfire is not reproduced, the value on the horizontal axis decreases. Furthermore, the vertical axis of the graph represents the volume of the sound related to the firing of the firearm (game medium).

[0040] 2, the volume instructed by sound processing unit 562 to audio processing unit 53 is indicated by a solid line. Also, the volume corresponding to the number of sounds produced in a predetermined period is indicated by a dashed line. In this game program, an initial volume, a minimum volume, and a predetermined period are set for each firearm (game medium).

[0041] 2, if the number of sounds produced in a predetermined period is equal to or less than a threshold, the sound processing unit 562 instructs the initial volume. If the number of sounds produced in a predetermined period is greater than the threshold, the sound processing unit 562 instructs the volume corresponding to the number of sounds produced in the predetermined period. As the number of sounds produced in the predetermined period increases, the volume instructed by the sound processing unit 562 decreases. If the volume corresponding to the number of sounds produced is lower than the minimum volume set in the game media, the sound processing unit 562 instructs the minimum volume.

[0042] <<Example of operation>> When the game starts, the game progression unit 561 causes the player character to move in accordance with the user's (here, the game player's) operation of the controller 63. The game progression unit 561 also causes objects such as non-player characters to move as necessary.

[0043] As the game progresses, the player character encounters an enemy character, and the user instructs the player character to fire the firearm they are carrying, causing the game progression unit 561 to output a sound output signal to the sound processing unit 562.

[0044] When the sound processing unit 562 receives the sound signal, it performs the following processing.

[0045] (1) Acquisition of audio data related to the firing of a firearm (2) Determine whether the number of sounds produced in a given period is greater than a threshold. (3) Comparison of the volume according to the number of times sound is pronounced in a given period with the minimum volume (4) Audio data output and volume instructions

[0046] For example, assume that the player character is holding a machine gun. Assume that the machine gun fires in response to a command from the user (player) to fire. Under these assumptions, assume that the user commands the player character to fire the machine gun. When the user commands the machine gun to fire, the machine gun fires.

[0047] The user instructs the machine gun to fire by operating the controller 63. In this example, when the user operates the button on the controller 63 to instruct the machine gun to fire once, the machine gun fires multiple times. Furthermore, while the user continues to operate the button on the controller 63 to instruct the machine gun to fire, for example by continuing to press it, the machine gun fires continuously.

[0048] The game progression unit 561 outputs a sound signal to the sound processing unit 562 in response to the firing of a machine gun. Therefore, when the user operates the button on the controller 63 once to instruct the machine gun to fire, the game progression unit 561 continuously outputs a sound signal to the sound processing unit 562 multiple times. Furthermore, while the user continues to operate the button on the controller 63 to instruct the machine gun to fire, the game progression unit 561 continuously outputs a sound signal to the sound processing unit 562. When the user performs an operation to instruct the machine gun to fire, the interval between shots of the machine gun and the interval between sound signals output by the game progression unit 561 may be set for each game medium, and may be determined by, for example, the number of frames. The sound processing unit 562 outputs audio data selected as the sound of the machine gun firing to the audio processing unit 53 in response to the input of the sound signal.

[0049] The sound processing unit 562 acquires the number of times the sound is emitted within a predetermined period for each shot of the machine gun. The predetermined period for the machine gun is set to 60 frames before the sound processing unit 562 outputs audio data to the audio processing unit 53. The sound processing unit 562 acquires the number of times the sound of the machine gun fire is played within the 60 frames before the audio data is output as the number of times the sound is emitted within the predetermined period. For each shot of the machine gun, the sound processing unit 562 determines whether the number of times the sound is emitted within the predetermined period is greater than a threshold. When the number of times the sound is emitted within the predetermined period is greater than the threshold, the sound processing unit 562 reduces the volume after the threshold is exceeded.

[0050] If the number of times the machine gun is sounded in a predetermined period is less than the threshold, the sound processing unit 562 instructs the audio processing unit 53 to set the initial volume as the volume of the machine gun sound.If the number of times the machine gun is sounded in a predetermined period is more than the threshold, the sound processing unit 562 compares the volume corresponding to the number of times the machine gun is sounded in a predetermined period with the minimum volume.The sound processing unit 562 instructs the audio processing unit 53 to set the volume of the machine gun sound, whichever is greater, between the volume corresponding to the number of times the machine gun is sounded in a predetermined period and the minimum volume.

[0051] The sound processing unit 562 outputs the selected sound data (the sound of a machine gun firing) and instructs the volume of the sound data to the audio processing unit 53. As a result, the sound of a machine gun firing is reproduced from the speaker 62.

[0052] 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 progresses the game in accordance with user operations and an audio processing unit 562 that plays audio, whereby the game progression unit 561 outputs a pronunciation signal to the audio processing unit 562 that instructs pronunciation in accordance with the progress of the game, and the audio processing unit 562 controls the volume of audio related to the same pronunciation in accordance with the number of times the same pronunciation is made within a predetermined period of time.

[0053] Effect of this embodiment In this game, for example, when a firearm is fired multiple times in succession, the volume of the firearm's gunshot sound is controlled for each shot. For example, if the volume of the gunshot sound is suppressed by applying the same effect to all shots, the gunshot sound heard by the user (listener) will be muffled, hindering the user's sense of immersion. Therefore, by controlling the volume of the gunshot sound for each shot, the gunshot sound heard by the user will be clearer, improving the user's sense of immersion.

[0054] [Other embodiments] The voice data does not necessarily have to be prepared in advance, but may be synthesized or generated each time based on some data or information.

[0055] The "threshold" for the number of sounds to be produced may be set to the same number at all times, or may vary depending on the game situation, or may differ for each type of game media or type of audio data.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the volume is described as varying linearly in response to the number of sounds produced in a predetermined period (see FIG. 2), but this is not limited to this. The volume may decrease exponentially or in stages as the number of sounds produced increases, for example. As long as the volume is controlled in response to the number of sounds produced by the game medium, the volume change pattern is not limited to the one described above.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the description has been given assuming that there is one game medium (firearm), but this is not limiting. There may be a plurality of identical game mediums. In this case, the sound processing unit 562 may control the sounds of the identical game medium to be the same sound or to be different sounds. Specifically, when a player character and a non-player character are equipped with the same firearm, the sound processing unit 562 may control the sounds of the firearm to be the same sound or to be different sounds.

[0058] In the above embodiment, the game contents whose volume is controlled by the sound processor 562 are described as being equipped by the player character, but this is not limiting. Specifically, the sound processor 562 can also be applied to sounds emitted by game contents equipped by non-player characters or enemy characters.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the sound processing unit 562 was described as controlling the volume of a firearm as a game medium, but this is not limiting. The game medium may be any type that continuously emits sound. Specifically, the sound processing unit 562 may be applied to the operating sound of a machine, the driving sound of a motor, and the like.

[0060] The processing of this program may be performed by a server device to which a user device (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.

[0061] 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]

[0062] 5. Gaming devices 55 Storage section 56 Control Unit (Computer) 561 Game Progression Department 562 Acoustic Processing Unit

Claims

1. Computer, a game progression unit that progresses the game in accordance with user operations; an acoustic processing unit for reproducing audio; It functions as the game progression unit outputs a sound generation signal to the sound processing unit instructing sound generation in accordance with the progress of the game; The acoustic processing unit includes: suppressing the volume of the voice associated with the same pronunciation in accordance with the number of times the same pronunciation occurs within a predetermined period of time; The game progression unit outputs a plurality of the sound signals in response to one predetermined operation by the user. Game program.

2. The game program of claim 1, When the number of times of sound generation in the predetermined period is greater than a threshold, the volume is reduced after the threshold is exceeded. Game program.

3. In the game program of claim 2, The volume has a minimum value. Game program.

4. The game program of claim 1, The game progression unit continuously outputs the sound generation signal to the sound processing unit while the user continues the operation to instruct the sound generation. Game program.

5. a storage unit that stores the program according to any one of claims 1 to 4; a control unit that executes the program; A game device comprising:

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