Game System

Abstract

To allow a character to perform an action by a non-uniform movement of a player in a VR game.SOLUTION: A VR game system (1) includes: a memory unit (11) for storing action data in which display data of a virtual space and a character, action contents, voice information, and effect information are associated with each other; a player terminal (30) having position detection units (41, 43) for detecting a predetermined site of a player, and a display unit (34); a voice detection unit (42); an operation reflection unit (21) for reflecting the trajectory of the player's predetermined site in a character operation; a progress control unit (22) for progressing a game; a display processing unit (23) for displaying an image captured from a character's viewpoint; and an action activation unit (24) for identifying an action from the voice emitted by the player, obtaining an operation amount of the character from the trajectory of the player's predetermined site, and activating the action with a magnitude determined from the effect information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a system used for playing games in a virtual space.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the spread of head-mounted displays (HMDs) and the like, the development of so-called VR games, in which games are played by operating characters in a virtual space (Virtual Reality: VR), has been advanced. In VR games, a player wears a head-mounted display on the head and plays the game while visually recognizing the virtual space displayed on the display unit, thereby obtaining a high sense of immersion.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a system including a head-mounted display, a game processing device, and a controller. The head-mounted display has functions such as acquiring information on its position and orientation, and displaying image data of a virtual space on a display unit. The game processing device has functions such as advancing a game in a virtual space, obtaining the position and orientation of a character operated by a player in the virtual space from the information on the position and orientation of the head-mounted display, and generating image data of the virtual space captured at the position and orientation. The controller can be held and operated by a player with one hand.

[0004] In this system, for example, when activating a magic spell on a character in an action game, a previously prepared trajectory (e.g., a spiral trajectory) is displayed in the virtual space, and the player is moved to move the controller along the trajectory. The game processing device activates the incantation on the character with an effect that is greater as the degree of coincidence between the trajectory of the controller moved by the player and the previously prepared trajectory is higher.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-201942 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In the system described in Patent Document 1, each time a player wants to cast a spell on their character, they must repeatedly move the controller along the same trajectory. Furthermore, to cast a spell with a significant effect, the player must move the controller precisely along a predetermined trajectory. Conventional systems like the one described in Patent Document 1 have the problem that players become bored with the game after repeatedly performing such uniform actions.

[0007] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to enable a character to perform actions based on the player's non-uniform movements when progressing through a game by manipulating a character in a virtual space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention, made to solve the above problems, is a game system that allows a player to control a character located in a virtual space in order to advance the game. A storage unit that stores the display data of the virtual space, the display data of the character, and action data for each of the one or more actions performed by the character, which includes the content of the action, sound information for activating the action, and effect information for determining the magnitude of the action's effect based on the amount of movement of the player or character. A player terminal to be worn by the aforementioned player, having a position detection unit that detects its posture and a predetermined part of the player, and a display unit, A sound detection unit that detects the sound emitted by the aforementioned player, A motion reflection unit that reflects the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player detected by the position detection unit into the character's movements, A progress control unit that processes the character's movements based on a predetermined algorithm to advance the game, A display processing unit that displays on the display unit an image of the virtual space from the character's viewpoint or an image of the character from a predetermined viewpoint, based on the orientation of the player terminal detected by the position detection unit, When the voice detection unit detects a voice corresponding to the voice information, the action corresponding to the voice information is performed n An action activation unit identifies a specific part of the player detected by the position detection unit, determines the amount of movement of the player or the character controlled by the player from the trajectory of that part of the player, and activates the identified action with a magnitude determined from the amount of movement and the effect information. It is characterized by being equipped with [the following features].

[0009] In the game system according to the present invention, the player wears a player terminal and plays the game by controlling a character through their own movements. A head-mounted display can preferably be used as the player terminal. During gameplay, the position of a predetermined part of the player is detected by a position detection unit, and the detected player movements are reflected in the character's movements. For example, if the player terminal is a head-mounted display, a specific part of the player (such as fingertips, arm joints, toes, or ankle joints) can be tracked by multiple cameras on the head-mounted display. Alternatively, a motion capture system provided separately from the head-mounted display may be used to detect a specific part of the player. If the player carries an input device such as a controller, the position of the input device may be tracked.

[0010] The game is controlled by a progress control unit, during which the player terminal's display unit shows an image of the virtual space from the character's perspective, or an image of the character from a predetermined viewpoint, based on the player terminal's orientation (e.g., the player terminal's position and orientation). The predetermined viewpoint is, for example, a viewpoint from diagonally above and behind the character.

[0011] During gameplay, when the sound detection unit detects that the player has emitted a sound corresponding to the audio information contained in the action data, the character action associated with that audio information is identified. The magnitude of this action is determined by the amount of movement obtained from the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player detected by the position detection unit, or the amount of movement of the character that reflects the trajectory of the predetermined part of the player, and effect information pre-stored in the memory unit. The amount of movement can be determined, for example, from the distance traveled or acceleration of a predetermined part of the player.

[0012] In the game system according to the present invention, as described above, the action associated with the sound emitted by the player is identified, and the magnitude of the action is determined according to the amount of movement the player makes. Since the content of the player's movement is free, the player can make the character perform an action with any movement they choose.

[0013] In the game system according to the present invention, An object that reflects the character's appearance is placed in the virtual space. It is preferable.

[0014] When the head-mounted display shows an image of the virtual space from the character's perspective, the player cannot directly see the movements of the character they are controlling. In the configuration described above, where an object reflecting the character's image is placed, the player can see the movements of the character reflected in the object.

[0015] In addition, the game system according to the present invention further includes an action data recording unit that records display data of the virtual space and operation data of the character while the action activation unit is activating the action. It is preferable to include.

[0016] In an embodiment including an action data recording unit, after the game play ends, the player can enjoy the image data of the scene where the character's action was activated.

Effect of the Invention

[0017] By using the game system according to the present invention, when a character is made to appear in a virtual space and the game is advanced by operating the character, an action can be executed on the character by the player's non-uniform actions.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] A main component configuration diagram of the control / processing device and the player terminal included in an embodiment of the game system according to the present invention. [Figure 2] An example of action data in this embodiment. [Figure 3] A diagram showing a state in which the player emits a voice for activating an action in this embodiment. [Figure 4] A diagram showing an example of the player's operation when activating an action on the character in this embodiment. [Figure 5] A diagram showing an example of the player's posture when an action is activated on the character in this embodiment. [Figure 6] A diagram showing an example of a state in which an action is activated on the character in this embodiment. [Figure 7] Another diagram showing an example of a state in which an action of a size corresponding to the amount of movement of the character is activated on the character in this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] An embodiment of the game system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the game system 1 of this embodiment, the player performs an action game by operating a character located in a virtual space. In this action game, multiple characters are divided into multiple groups and compete against each other. It is not necessary for the player to operate all of the multiple characters; for example, if there is only one player, the characters other than the one operated by that player are operated by, for example, the progress control unit 22 described later.

[0020] Figure 1 shows the overall configuration of the game system 1 of this embodiment. The game system 1 of this embodiment includes a control / processing device 10 and a player terminal 30. Although only one player terminal 30 is shown in Figure 1, multiple player terminals 30 are used in a multiplayer game. The control / processing device 10 is located, for example, on a cloud server and is configured to communicate with the player terminal 30 via a network such as the internet.

[0021] The control / processing unit 10 includes a memory unit 11. The memory unit 11 stores game setting data 111, character display data 112, and action data 113. The game setting data 111 includes display data for the virtual space in which the action game unfolds, display data for objects such as items used in each stage of the action game, and progress information for each stage (events in that stage and their occurrence conditions, conditions for clearing that stage, etc.). The character display data 112 includes display data for player characters that can be controlled by the player, and display data for non-player characters such as enemy characters that appear automatically as the stage progresses.

[0022] Action data 113 is information that associates, for each of the one or more actions that each character can perform, with the content of the action, the audio information to activate the action, and effect information to determine the magnitude of the action's effect based on the character's movement. Since the character's movements in the virtual space reflect the player's movements, the character's movement amount can be rephrased as the player's movement amount.

[0023] Figure 2 shows an example of action data 113. In this example, information on one or more actions is stored for each of the following groups: group X, to which the player-controlled character A belongs, and group Y, to which character B belongs.

[0024] One of the actions in Group X, "Fire a beam of light from the staff," is activated when the player controlling character A (or other character belonging to Group X) says "Command X" and moves the character with an action amount exceeding a predetermined threshold x. A beam of light of a size calculated based on the effect information is fired from the staff, dealing damage to enemy characters according to the size of the beam. Another action in Group Y, "Heal a companion character's health," is activated when the player controlling character B (or other character) says "Heal" and moves the character with an action amount exceeding a predetermined threshold x. The character's hit points (HP) are restored with an effect calculated based on the effect information. Furthermore, another action in Group Y, "Detoxify a companion character," is activated when the player controlling character B (or other character) says "Detox" and the character's action amount exceeds the threshold x. In this embodiment, the player can have their character perform an action at any time, except when they lack sufficient Magic Points (MP) or when the system prohibits them from casting spells due to the stage progression. The threshold x and upper limit y in Figure 2 may be common to all actions or may differ for each action. In this embodiment, as will be described later, the player's voice and the voice of the action data 113 are matched and the amount of movement of the character controlled by the player is calculated only while the player is operating the button 52 provided on the auxiliary device 51.

[0025] The control and processing unit 10 also includes, as functional blocks, an operation reflection unit 21, a progress control unit 22, a display processing unit 23, an action activation unit 24, an action data recording unit 25, and an action data registration unit 26. These functional blocks are realized by executing a dedicated control and processing unit program 20, which is pre-installed in the control and processing unit 10, using a processor.

[0026] The motion reflection unit 21 reflects the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player detected by the player terminal 30 into the movement of the character controlled by the player. A predetermined part of the player is, for example, the player's fingertips, arm joints, toes, or ankle joints. Also, as in the example described later, if the player holds an assistive device 51 (including a controller) in their hand while playing, the assistive device 51 may be considered a predetermined part. The predetermined part of the player may be one location or multiple locations. The more predetermined parts there are, the more precisely and faithfully the player's movements can be reflected in the character's movements. Conversely, reducing the number of predetermined parts reduces the computational load. Therefore, the number of predetermined parts should be determined by considering these balances. In addition, when the player makes a sound, the motion reflection unit 21 moves the mouth of the character controlled by the player in sync with the sound, making the character move as if it were speaking.

[0027] The progress control unit 22 processes the character's movements based on a predetermined algorithm and advances the game based on the game setting data 111. The progress control unit 22 also controls characters that are not being controlled by a player based on a predetermined algorithm. The display processing unit 23 determines the posture (position and orientation) of the character controlled by the player wearing the player terminal 30 in the virtual space based on the posture (position and orientation in this embodiment) of the player terminal 30, and generates an image that captures the virtual space from the character's viewpoint. The action activation unit 24 compares the player's voice detected by the player terminal 30 while the button 52 described later is being operated with the voice information contained in the action data 113 of the character controlled by the player, and identifies the action to be activated. It also determines the amount of movement from the character's movements that reflect the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player detected by the player terminal 30 while the button 52 described later is being operated, and activates the character's action based on the effect information of the action data 113. The action data recording unit 25 records image data and audio data of character actions performed in the virtual space during the game. The action data registration unit 26 accepts the registration of new action data or modifications to already saved action data.

[0028] In this embodiment, the player terminal 30 is a head-mounted display. The player terminal 30 includes a storage unit 31, a sound collection unit 32 provided on the side of the head-mounted display, an imaging unit 33 consisting of multiple cameras fixed to both sides and the top of the head-mounted display, and a display unit 34. An auxiliary device 51 is wirelessly connected to the player terminal 30. The auxiliary device 51 is provided with a button 52, and when the player presses the button 52, the fact that the button 52 has been pressed is transmitted to the player terminal 30 and the control / processing device 10.

[0029] The player terminal 30 comprises a posture detection unit 41, a sound detection unit 42, a body part detection unit 43, and a display processing unit 44 as functional blocks. The posture detection unit 41 detects changes in the position and direction of the player terminal 30 (head-mounted display) as changes in posture and transmits this information to the control / processing unit 10 at predetermined intervals. The sound detection unit 42 detects the player's voice through the sound collection unit 32 and transmits it to the control / processing unit 10. The body part detection unit 43 detects the position of predetermined body parts of the player (fingertips, arm joints, toes, ankle joints, assistive devices 51, etc.) from images captured at predetermined intervals by multiple cameras of the imaging unit 33 and transmits this information to the control / processing unit 10 at predetermined intervals (typically the frame rate described later). The display processing unit 44 displays the virtual space image data received from the control / processing unit 10 on the display unit 34. Furthermore, the display processing unit 44 has the function of displaying an image on the display unit 34, as well as the function of reading the player's input instructions on the screen and transmitting that information to the control / processing unit 10. Input instructions in the virtual space can be made, for example, by inputting to an operation unit provided on the head-mounted display, by the player's fingertip movements detected by the body part detection unit 43, or by inputting to buttons 52 provided on the assistive device 51. These functional blocks are realized by executing a dedicated player terminal program 40, which is pre-installed on the player terminal 30, on the processor.

[0030] Next, we will explain the flow of playing the game in the game system 1 of this embodiment.

[0031] When the user attaches the player terminal 30 (head-mounted display) to their head and instructs the system to start the game on the initial screen displayed on the display unit 34, the control / processing unit 10 has the display processing unit 23 generate the action game title screen data stored in the memory unit 11 and send it to the player terminal 30. On the player terminal 30, the display processing unit 44 displays the received screen data on the display unit 34. When the user selects the start button displayed on the title screen, that information is sent to the control / processing unit 10, and the action game starts.

[0032] In the control / processing device 10, the progress control unit 22 generates screen data that lists the characters available in the action game selected by the user and the groups to which those characters belong, and sends it to the player terminal 30. In the player terminal 30, the display processing unit 44 displays the received screen data on the display unit 34. When the user selects any character, that information is sent to the control / processing device 10. Based on the received information, the control / processing device 10 stores information in the storage unit 11 that associates the player terminal 30 used by the player with the character. During gameplay of the action game, only audio information related to actions associated with the group to which the character associated with the player terminal 30 belongs is valid. In other words, even if the player makes a sound corresponding to the audio information contained in action data 113 associated with a group other than the group to which the character they are controlling belongs, that action will not be activated. As described above, only the sounds made by the player while they are operating button 52 are matched with the audio information contained in action data 113, and sounds made by the player at other times are not matched with the audio information in action data 113. Any sounds emitted when the player is not pressing button 52 will be transmitted to the game participants. Furthermore, while the sound is being emitted, the mouth of the character controlled by that player will move to simulate conversation.

[0033] Once an action game and character are selected, the progress control unit 22 starts the action game. If the character selected by the player possesses an item 61 that triggers an action (for example, the wizard character's wand shown in Figures 6 and 7), the player holds an auxiliary tool 51 that mimics that item (for example, an auxiliary tool that mimics the handle of the wand, shown in Figures 3 to 5) in their hand (see Figure 3). These items are pre-placed in the virtual space, and when the player moves the auxiliary tool 51, bringing the character's hand in the virtual space within a predetermined distance of the wand's handle, the character will hold the wand. If the player moves the auxiliary tool 51 after the character is holding the wand, its trajectory is reflected in the trajectory of the wand in the virtual space. The display processing unit 23 generates 3D image data of the initial scene of the virtual space where the action game unfolds and places the character at that initial position. It also generates image data of the virtual space from the character's perspective and transmits it to the player terminal 30. Thereafter, each time a change in the orientation (position and direction) of the player terminal 30 is received, new image data is generated and transmitted to the player terminal 30. In the player terminal 30, the display processing unit 44 sequentially displays the received screen data on the display unit 34.

[0034] When a player changes settings through a predetermined input operation, the display processing unit 23 places a mirror object that reflects the character's image in a position opposite the character in the virtual space. The object's position is moved or hidden as appropriate to a location that does not interfere with the progress of the game. Through this object, the player can see the appearance of the character they are controlling. In an action game like this embodiment, displaying the mirror object during a battle with an enemy character may interfere with the battle. In such cases, the mirror object can be hidden, for example, when using magic. In this case, the player cannot see the appearance of the character they are controlling during a battle with an enemy character, but they can confirm the effect of the magic cast by their character by checking the size and changes of effects such as magic circles that appear in the virtual space when magic is cast. Furthermore, as will be described later, the video during the action is automatically recorded, so by reading this data after the battle with the enemy character is over, the player can confirm how their character performed the action.

[0035] After the action game starts, the progress control unit 22 performs appropriate processing in response to the player's character operations to advance the game. During gameplay, the character's posture (position and direction) in the virtual space is changed according to changes in the posture (position and direction) of the player terminal 30 received from the player terminal 30. The motion reflection unit 21 also reflects the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player's body, received from the player terminal 30, into the character's movements, and if the player makes a sound, it moves the character's mouth in accordance with that sound.

[0036] During gameplay of an action game, when predetermined conditions are met (for example, when a character moves a predetermined distance in a virtual space, or reaches a predetermined position on the field), the progress control unit 22 generates an event. One typical event in this embodiment is the appearance of an enemy character.

[0037] The sounds emitted by the player are detected by the sound detection unit 42 and sequentially transmitted to the control / processing device 10. When the player emits a sound that triggers an action of the character they are controlling while pressing the button 52 of the assistive device 51 (see Figure 3), the action activation unit 24 compares that sound with the sound information of the action data of the character controlled by the player, which is stored in the action data 113. When the action activation unit 24 detects that the two match, it identifies the action corresponding to the sound emitted by the player. The player may also perform any action at the same time as, before, or after emitting the sound while continuing to press the button 52 of the assistive device 51. While the button 52 is pressed, the action activation unit 24 calculates the amount of movement of the character controlled by the player operating the button 52. If the player does not emit a sound while pressing the button 52, the input operation to the button 52 is canceled.

[0038] In this embodiment, the action activation unit 24 matches the player's voice with the voice information of the action data 113 only while the player continues to press the button 52 of the auxiliary device 51. However, the player's voice may be matched with the voice information of the action data 113 every time they make a sound, regardless of whether the button 52 is being pressed. However, in that case, the action activation unit 24 would be constantly running, resulting in a heavy load. Therefore, it is preferable to configure the system to perform voice matching only while the button 52 is being pressed, as in this embodiment. Furthermore, in the configuration of this embodiment, an upper limit time (for example, 1 minute) may be set to recognize the state of the button 52 being held down, and the system may be configured to reset the input operation from the button 52 once this upper limit time has elapsed. This makes it possible to limit the time during which the action activation unit 24 continues to operate to less than or equal to the upper limit time, even if the player continues to press the button 52.

[0039] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the amount of character movement is calculated only while the player continues to press the button 52 of the assistive device 51. However, the amount of character movement may be calculated for a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) from the moment the player presses the button 52.

[0040] Figure 4 shows an example of the player's actions while the player is pressing button 52. Figure 5 shows an example of the player's posture when the player releases button 52 (when the character activates an action).

[0041] In this embodiment, the magnitude of the action's effect is determined as follows. In this embodiment, the amount of character movement is defined by the sum of the distance moved by the character's left hand and the distance moved by the character's right hand. While the player is pressing the button 52 of the assistive device 51, the action activation unit 24 calculates the distance moved by the character's left and right hands in the virtual space (Euclidean distance) at regular time intervals (for example, time intervals corresponding to the video frame rate of 60 frames / second), and sequentially adds up the distance moved by the left hand and the distance moved by the right hand. It then determines whether the accumulated value k exceeds a predetermined threshold x. Subsequently, when the accumulated value reaches the upper limit y (y > x), the accumulation of movement distances ends even if the button 52 of the assistive device 51 is still pressed. The accumulation of movement distances also ends when the player releases the button 52 of the assistive device 51, or when a predetermined upper limit time is reached.

[0042] For example, when a player controlling character A utters the voice command "Command X", the action "fire a beam of light from the staff" in action data 113 is identified (see Figure 6). For example, if the amount of movement k of character A while the player holds down button 52 before and after uttering this voice command is 400, and the threshold x of the effect information in action data 113 is 100 and the upper limit y is 1,100, then the action activation unit 24 causes character A to fire a beam of light from the staff towards the enemy character with a magnitude equivalent to the value obtained by (400-100) / (1,100-100)=0.3 (i.e., 30% of the maximum effect amount; Level 3) (see Figure 7).

[0043] The method for determining the magnitude of an action's effect is not limited to the above. For example, various methods can be used, such as determining the magnitude of an action's effect based on a simpler formula, where the character's movement amount k is divided by a threshold x to obtain a value m. Furthermore, other actions in group X to which character A belongs, and actions in other groups, are processed in the same manner as above. The time taken to calculate the character's movement amount may be common to all actions or may differ for each action.

[0044] The action data recording unit 25 saves 3D data and audio data of the virtual space to the storage unit 11 while the player is pressing button 52 or during the time the character is performing an action. The 3D data may be saved as an image file or a video file, or as various 3D motion data files in the virtual space. If saved as an image file or a video file, subsequent playback can be performed quickly. On the other hand, if saved as a 3D motion data file, the file size can be kept small. 3D motion data refers to data that represents the movement of objects or characters when they move. 3D motion data is a numerical record of the movement of each part of a three-dimensional model (object or character) in a three-dimensional virtual space over time, and using this data format allows for the reproduction of natural movements in the model.

[0045] The saved 3D data and audio data of an action can be read and viewed from the memory unit 11 at an appropriate time not only by the player controlling the character that performed the action, but also by players controlling other characters in the same action game, or by those participating (logged in) as game viewers or game scene photographers without controlling a character themselves. When playing back the 3D data, it is possible to set an arbitrary viewpoint in the 3D space and view images or videos of the action. These files can also be downloaded from the memory unit 11. For example, the downloaded data can be uploaded to an internet viewing site to be widely viewed.

[0046] In the game system 1 of this embodiment, as described above, when a player controlling a character emits a sound corresponding to audio information associated with a pre-set action for that character, the action corresponding to that audio information is identified. Furthermore, the magnitude of the effect of that action is determined according to the amount of movement of the character in the virtual space. At this time, since it does not matter what kind of movement the character is making in the virtual space, the player can make the character perform an action with any movement.

[0047] Furthermore, in the game system 1 of this embodiment, users such as players can add new actions. When a user instructs to add an action through a predetermined input operation, the action data registration unit 26 displays a screen for inputting the content of the action, the scene in which the action can be performed, sound information, and effect information. For example, the content of the action can be selected by the user from those pre-stored in the storage unit 11 of the control / processing device 10. The scene in which the action can be performed can be selected by the user from those pre-stored in the storage unit 11. For sound information, the user can register a sound (for example, by actually having the user utter the sound) and register it. For effect information, the user can select one or more parameters from parameters (thresholds, reference values, etc.) pre-stored in the storage unit 11, and specify the calculation method and coefficients. This allows players to increase the types of actions that their characters can perform in the action game. Furthermore, the content of the action, sound information, or effect information can also be changed in the same manner as described above.

[0048] The above embodiments are examples and can be modified as appropriate in accordance with the spirit of the present invention.

[0049] Although the above embodiment described playing an action game, the type of game played is not limited to role-playing games, fighting games, sports games, etc., and action data appropriate to the type of game being played should be prepared. In addition, although the above embodiment used an auxiliary device 51 with a button 52, whether or not to use an auxiliary device 51, and what kind of auxiliary device 51 to use, should be decided as appropriate depending on whether or not the character possesses an item. If an auxiliary device 51 is not used, an input operation unit that replaces the button 52 may be provided on the player terminal 30.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player's body is first converted into the movement of the character controlled by the player, and then the effect of the action is calculated from the amount of movement of the character. However, the amount of movement of the player may be calculated from the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player's body, and the magnitude of the effect of the character's action may be determined from that amount of movement and effect information. Also, in the above embodiment, multiple characters were grouped into multiple groups and actions were associated with each group, but actions may be associated with each character. Alternatively, both actions common to the group and actions different for each character may be used.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the amount of character movement was calculated while the player was pressing button 52, or for a predetermined time after the player started pressing button 52. However, other methods can also be used. For example, the magnitude of the action's effect may be calculated using the amount of character movement for a predetermined time after the player starts emitting sound corresponding to the audio information included in the action data. Alternatively, the amount of character movement for a predetermined time from the moment the player finishes emitting the sound may be used. Alternatively, the amount of character movement after a predetermined delay after the player finishes emitting the sound may be used. Furthermore, the amount of character movement may be calculated continuously, and the accumulation of movement may start when the amount of movement per unit time exceeds a predetermined threshold, and end when the amount of movement per unit time falls below a predetermined threshold. In these cases, the amount of character movement for a predetermined time is calculated even if the player does not operate button 52.

[0052] In the above embodiment, the player performs input operations on a screen displayed on the display unit of the player terminal 30. However, instead (or in addition to this), the player may perform input operations via a controller connected to the player terminal 30 by wire or wirelessly. Also, in the above embodiment, changes in the position and orientation of the player terminal 30 are reflected in the position and orientation of the character in the virtual space. However, instead (or in addition to this), the character's position and orientation may be changed in response to operations performed by the controller. For example, in an action game where it is necessary to move a long distance across the field, if only the change in the position of the player terminal 30 is reflected in the character's position, the player wearing the player terminal 30 would need to move a long distance themselves. In such cases, it is effective to adopt a configuration that allows the character's position to be moved by input through the controller.

[0053] In the above embodiment, a mirror object is placed in the virtual space and the character's image is reflected in it. However, instead of this (or in addition to this), a window that displays the character's image may be provided on the display unit 34, either separately from the part that displays the virtual space, or superimposed on the part that displays the virtual space. When a mirror object is placed in the virtual space, if the character is facing a different direction from the mirror object, the character's image cannot be seen through the mirror object. On the other hand, if the above window is provided separately from the virtual space, the window will continue to be displayed at a predetermined position on the display unit 34 regardless of the character's orientation in the virtual space, so the character's image can be seen regardless of which direction the character is facing. The position where the window is displayed may be variable, and the display / hide of the window may be switchable.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the display unit 34 is configured to display an image of the virtual space from the character's perspective. However, instead, the display unit 34 may display an image of the character captured at a predetermined field of view. For example, if an image of the character captured from diagonally above and behind is displayed, the player can see the character without having to place any objects or windows. Of course, objects and windows may be used in combination.

[0055] In the above embodiment, the game system is configured with a control / processing device 10 and a player terminal 30. However, the player terminal 30 may be equipped with the same configuration as the control / processing device 10, and the game system may be configured with only the player terminal 30. Alternatively, some of the functions of the control / processing device 10 may be made into functions of the player terminal 30, or conversely, some of the functions of the player terminal 30 may be made into functions of the control / processing device 10.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the player terminal 30 is configured to include a posture detection unit 41, a sound collection unit 32, and a sound detection unit 42. However, motion capture may be used separately from the player terminal 30 instead of the posture detection unit 41, or a sound detection device may be provided separately from the player terminal 30 instead of the sound collection unit 32 and the sound detection unit 42. If motion capture or a sound detection device is provided separately from the player terminal 30, they should be configured to communicate with the control / processing device 10 and / or the player terminal 30.

[0057] [Aspect] It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments described above are specific examples of the following embodiments.

[0058] (Section 1) One aspect of the present invention is a game system that allows a player to control a character located in a virtual space in which the game progresses. A storage unit that stores the display data of the virtual space, the display data of the character, and action data for each of the one or more actions performed by the character, which includes the content of the action, sound information for activating the action, and effect information for determining the magnitude of the action's effect based on the amount of movement of the player or character. A player terminal to be worn by the aforementioned player, having a position detection unit that detects its posture and a predetermined part of the player, and a display unit, A sound detection unit that detects the sound emitted by the aforementioned player, A motion reflection unit that reflects the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player detected by the position detection unit into the character's movements, A progress control unit that processes the character's movements based on a predetermined algorithm to advance the game, A display processing unit that displays on the display unit an image of the virtual space from the character's viewpoint or an image of the character from a predetermined viewpoint, based on the orientation of the player terminal detected by the position detection unit, The sound detection unit detects a sound corresponding to the sound information and identifies an action corresponding to the sound information. The position detection unit determines the amount of movement of the player or the character controlled by the player from the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player detected by the position detection unit, and the action activation unit activates the identified action with a magnitude determined from the amount of movement and the effect information. It is characterized by being equipped with [the following features].

[0059] In the game system described in paragraph 1, the player wears a player terminal and plays the game by performing actions themselves. A head-mounted display can preferably be used as the player terminal. During gameplay, the position of a predetermined part of the player is detected by a position detection unit, and the detected player actions are reflected in the character's actions. For example, if the player terminal is a head-mounted display, the head-mounted display has multiple cameras that can track specific parts of the player (such as the player's fingertips, arm joints, toes, and ankle joints). Alternatively, specific parts of the player may be detected by motion capture provided separately from the head-mounted display. If the player carries an input device such as a controller, the position of the input device may be tracked.

[0060] The game is controlled by a progress control unit, during which the player terminal's display unit shows an image of the virtual space from the character's perspective, or an image of the character from a predetermined viewpoint, based on the player terminal's orientation (e.g., the player terminal's position and orientation). The predetermined viewpoint is, for example, a viewpoint from diagonally above and behind the character.

[0061] During gameplay, when the sound detection unit detects that the player has emitted a sound corresponding to predetermined audio information, the character action associated with that audio information is identified. The magnitude of this action is determined by the amount of movement obtained from the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player detected by the position detection unit, and by effect information pre-stored in the memory unit. The amount of movement is determined, for example, from the distance traveled and acceleration of a predetermined part of the player.

[0062] In the game system described in paragraph 1, as stated above, the action associated with the sound emitted by the player is identified, and the magnitude of the action is determined according to the amount of movement the player makes. Since the content of the player's movement is free, the player can make the character perform an action with any movement they choose.

[0063] (Section 2) The game system relating to paragraph 2 is, in the game system relating to paragraph 1, An object that reflects the appearance of the character is placed in the virtual space.

[0064] (Section 3) The game system relating to paragraph 3 is, in the game system relating to paragraph 1 or 2, A window displaying the character's image is shown on the display unit.

[0065] In the game system described in paragraph 1, when the display unit of the head-mounted display shows an image of the virtual space from the character's perspective, the player cannot directly see the movements of the character they are controlling. The system places objects that represent the character's appearance in a virtual space, and in the game system described in paragraph 3, a window displaying the character's appearance is shown on the display unit, allowing the player to see the character's movements.

[0066] (Section 4) The game system relating to paragraph 4 is, in addition to the game system relating to any of paragraphs 1 through 3, While the action activation unit is activating the action, the action data recording unit records the display data of the virtual space and the movement data of the character. It is equipped with.

[0067] In the game system described in paragraph 4, after the game is finished, players can enjoy image data of the scenes in which they performed character actions.

[0068] (Section 5) The game system relating to paragraph 5 is, in addition to the game system relating to any of paragraphs 1 through 4, Action data registration unit: Allows input of the content of the action, the audio information, and the effect information, and saves new action data to the storage unit based on the input information. It is equipped with.

[0069] In the game system described in paragraph 5, players and others can add arbitrary action data.

[0070] (Section 6) The game system relating to paragraph 6 is, in addition to the game system relating to any of paragraphs 1 through 5, Input operation unit that receives input operations from the aforementioned player Equipped with, The action activation unit operates based on the input received by the input operation unit.

[0071] In the game system described in paragraph 6, the action activation unit operates when the player operates the input control unit. This may be done by operating the action activation unit during continuous input operations by the player, or by operating the action activation unit for a predetermined time after the player has performed an input operation on the input control unit. In the game system described in paragraph 6, the operating time of the action activation unit is limited, which reduces the load on the system. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0072] 1…Game System 10…Control and Processing Units 11...Storage section 111...Game settings data 112... Character display data 113…Action Data 20…Programs for control and processing units 21…Operation reflection section 22…Progress Control Unit 23…Display Processing Unit 24... Action activation unit 25…Action Data Recording Unit 26…Action Data Registration Section 30...Player terminal 31...Storage section 32…Sound collecting section 33…Imaging Unit 34…Display section 40... Program for player terminals 41...Attitude detection unit 42…Sound detection unit 43...Body part detection unit 44…Display Processing Unit 51…Assistive devices 52... Button 61... Item

Claims

1. A game system in which the game progresses by having the player control a character located in a virtual space, A storage unit that stores the display data of the virtual space, the display data of the character, and action data for each of the one or more actions performed by the character, which includes the content of the action, sound information for activating the action, and effect information for determining the magnitude of the action's effect based on the amount of movement of the player or character. A player terminal to be worn by the aforementioned player, having a position detection unit that detects its posture and a predetermined part of the player, and a display unit, A sound detection unit that detects the sound emitted by the aforementioned player, The position detection unit detects the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player, determines the player's actions, and the action reflection unit causes the character to perform the same actions as the player. A progress control unit that processes the character's movements based on a predetermined algorithm to advance the game, A display processing unit that displays on the display unit an image of the virtual space from the character's viewpoint or an image of the character from a predetermined viewpoint, based on the orientation of the player terminal detected by the position detection unit, The sound detection unit detects a sound corresponding to the sound information and identifies an action corresponding to the sound information. The position detection unit determines the amount of movement of the player or the character controlled by the player from the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player detected by the position detection unit, and the action activation unit activates the identified action with a magnitude determined from the amount of movement and the effect information. A game system characterized by having the following features.

2. An object that reflects the character's appearance is placed in the virtual space. The game system described in item 1.

3. A game system that allows a player to control a character located in a virtual space, and progresses through the game by doing so. A storage unit that stores the display data of the virtual space, the display data of the character, and action data for each of the one or more actions performed by the character, which includes the content of the action, sound information for activating the action, and effect information for determining the magnitude of the action's effect based on the amount of movement of the player or character. A player terminal to be worn by the aforementioned player, having a position detection unit that detects its posture and a predetermined part of the player, and a display unit, A sound detection unit that detects the sound emitted by the aforementioned player, A motion reflection unit that reflects the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player detected by the position detection unit into the character's movements, A progress control unit that processes the character's movements based on a predetermined algorithm to advance the game, A display processing unit that displays on the display unit an image of the virtual space from the character's viewpoint or an image of the character from a predetermined viewpoint, based on the orientation of the player terminal detected by the position detection unit, The sound detection unit detects a sound corresponding to the sound information and identifies an action corresponding to the sound information. The position detection unit determines the amount of movement of the player or the character controlled by the player from the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player detected by the position detection unit, and the action activation unit activates the identified action with a magnitude determined from the amount of movement and the effect information. Equipped with, A window displaying the character's image is shown on the display unit. A game system characterized by the following features.

4. moreover, While the action activation unit is activating the action, the action data recording unit records the display data of the virtual space and the movement data of the character. The game system according to claim 1, characterized by comprising the following features.

5. A game system that allows a player to control a character located in a virtual space, A storage unit that stores the display data of the virtual space, the display data of the character, and action data for each of the one or more actions performed by the character, which includes the content of the action, sound information for activating the action, and effect information for determining the magnitude of the action's effect based on the amount of movement of the player or character. A player terminal to be worn by the aforementioned player, having a position detection unit that detects its posture and a predetermined part of the player, and a display unit, A sound detection unit that detects the sound emitted by the aforementioned player, A motion reflection unit that reflects the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player detected by the position detection unit into the character's movements, A progress control unit that processes the character's movements based on a predetermined algorithm to advance the game, A display processing unit that displays on the display unit an image of the virtual space from the character's viewpoint or an image of the character from a predetermined viewpoint, based on the orientation of the player terminal detected by the position detection unit, An action activation unit that, upon detection of sound corresponding to the sound information by the sound detection unit, identifies an action corresponding to the sound information, determines the amount of movement of the player or the character controlled by the player from the trajectory of a predetermined part of the player detected by the position detection unit, and activates the identified action with a magnitude determined from the amount of movement and the effect information, Action data registration unit: Allows input of the content of the action, the audio information, and the effect information, and saves new action data to the storage unit based on the input information. A game system characterized by having the following features.

6. moreover, Input operation unit that receives input operations from the aforementioned player Equipped with, The action activation unit operates based on the fact that input has been received by the input operation unit. The game system described in item 1.

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