Game system and program

Abstract

To provide a game system or the like capable of reducing an acoustic processing load regarding image processing concerned by associating sound effects to an image object in which acoustic processing tends to become complex.SOLUTION: A server device 10 is configured so as to execute particle arrangement control processing for disposing a particle object in a game space on the basis of at least one of an object parameter and a particle parameter, and sound effect output control processing for specifying sound effect information according to a particle object to be disposed when the particle object is disposed in a game space, and for controlling output of sound effects prescribed in the specified sound effect information on the basis of a particle parameter as game performance control processing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a game system, a program, and a game providing method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, various games have been provided, such as a game called RPG (Role-Playing Game: a game in which a player plays the role of a character in the game world and enjoys the process of growing through various experiences while achieving a predetermined goal), or a game called a battle action game that is enjoyed mainly by battles with enemy characters.

[0003] Particularly, in these games, various actions (actions) or events such as "running" or "jumping" of a character to be operated are controlled based on the operation of the player.

[0004] For example, in such a game system, it is known that a sound effect is associated in advance with the movement of a character, and when the movement of the character is detected, the sound effect associated with the movement of the character is output (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, in the game system described in Patent Document 1 above, when the content of the event becomes large or complicated, or when the terrain in the game space is complicated and the sound effect is controlled according to the surrounding environment such as reverberation sound control, the processing load related to the output control of the sound effect may become heavy.

[0007] The present invention was made to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a game system, etc., that can reduce the load of sound processing related to image processing by associating sound effects with image objects, which tend to have complex sound processing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] (1) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is A game system that generates particle objects in the game space, which are objects with visual effects and are composed of multiple moving particles, in conjunction with a given game event. A management means for managing a storage means that stores sound effect information, which defines sound effect information related to the game, for each of the aforementioned particle objects, A placement control means that performs a placement control process to place the particle object in the game space based on at least one of the particle parameters, which are object parameters that indicate the parameters of the particle object as a whole, and particle parameters that indicate the parameters of the particles that constitute the particle object. Output control processing means that, when the particle object is placed in the game space, identifies the sound effect information according to the particle object to be placed, and executes sound effect output control processing to control the output of the sound effect defined in the identified sound effect information based on the particle parameters, It has a configuration that includes the following:

[0009] With this configuration, the present invention can output sound effects in response to particle objects that have a visual effect for game events.

[0010] Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to output sound effects corresponding to the visual effects of a game event without having to perform sound effect processing separately from image processing, such as detecting the movements of player characters and other objects and assigning sounds and controlling the output of sound effects accordingly.

[0011] As a result, the present invention makes it possible to accurately output sound effects that provide a visual effect corresponding to the game event in a game event using particle objects, and to significantly reduce the load of sound processing when outputting such sound effects.

[0012] "Game events" include, for example, events where you fight enemy characters, events where you explore a designated area, events where enemy characters appear (are born), events when you win or lose a battle, events when you complete a task, events where a character collides with a wall or other placed object, events where the weather changes, or events where you play a mini-game.

[0013] Furthermore, "each particle object" refers to objects with different forms of image processing, such as water, fire, or explosions. However, even if objects have the same form, such as fire and fire, they may be defined as different if they have different attributes or characteristics, such as size, spread, or color.

[0014] Furthermore, a "particle object" is an object that represents a collection of particles, such as rocks scattered by destruction, or an object that represents the fog, smoke, or sparks generated. It is composed of numerous particles, and each particle has its own controllable properties, such as shape, movement (direction, speed, and distance), coordinates, display time (lifetime), and color (including brightness and transparency).

[0015] Furthermore, "object parameters" are parameters that define the entire particle object, such as its shape, size, color, placement (for example, the object's center position), overall brightness (the degree to which it changes depending on the emphasis of the visual effect), and the amount of change of these parameters.

[0016] Furthermore, "particle parameters" for each particle include the particle's shape, size, number, motion (direction of movement, velocity, distance traveled, range of movement, and the pattern of movement including these), coordinates, display time (lifetime), and color (including brightness and transparency).

[0017] In addition to the above, "identification of sound effect information" refers to identifying the base sound of the sound effect, such as timbre (frequency waveform) or pitch (frequency).

[0018] Furthermore, "controlling the output of sound effects" means controlling the timbre, pitch, playback time, volume, audible range (audible frequency range), or a combination of two or more of these, of the sound effect relative to the base sound. However, if the timbre is specified as part of the sound effect information identification, then the output control will consist of controlling the other sound elements.

[0019] Furthermore, "sound effect output control processing" refers to, for example, output control processing that controls the output of sound effects on terminal devices via a network when the game system functions as a server device, and output control processing that outputs sound effects to an external device such as a speaker when the game system functions as a standalone game system.

[0020] (2) Furthermore, the present invention is The output control processing means The aforementioned sound effect output control process has a configuration that controls the volume, playback time, pitch, and timbre of the sound effect based on the particle parameters.

[0021] With this configuration, the present invention can output sound effects according to the particle object having the production effect of the game event. Therefore, without performing the sound effect processing separately from the image production processing, it is possible to output the sound effects corresponding to the image production of the game event.

[0022] (3) Further, the present invention wherein the output control processing means As the sound effect output control processing, when a plurality of the particle objects are arranged in the game space, based on the priority order set for each of the particle objects, the sound effect output control processing for controlling the output of the sound effects associated with each of the particle objects is executed.

[0023] With this configuration, the present invention can control the output of the sound effects based on the priority order, so that the processing load on the output of the sound effects can be reduced without performing complicated acoustic processing.

[0024] The "priority order set for each of the particle objects" may be, for example, defined in advance as the priority order information in the sound effect information stored in the storage means, or the priority order processing for determining the priority order in advance for each of the particle objects according to the situation of the game event is executed, and the priority order set according to the result of the priority order processing is included.

[0025] In particular, the "priority order" is set based on the size of the particle object, the position of the virtual camera or the proximity from the position of the player character, the occupation ratio (the ratio of the number of specific types of particle objects to the total number of particle objects), the game situation or the event situation, and the degree of association with the player character.

[0026] (4) Further, the present invention The sound effect information includes sound color information indicating the sound color of the particle object. The output control processing means When multiple particle objects are placed in the game space, the sound effect output control process refers to the corresponding timbre information of each placed particle object and controls the output of the respective timbre combinations for each particle object as sound effects.

[0027] This configuration allows the present invention to control sound effects for multiple particle objects collectively, thereby reducing the processing load on sound effect output without requiring complex acoustic processing.

[0028] (5) Furthermore, the present invention is The output control processing means, When multiple particle objects are placed in the game space, the sound effect output control process is performed as follows: The distribution of the multiple particle objects in the game space is detected, Based on the detected distribution, multiple particle objects are set as a single object group. The system has a configuration that controls the output of the aforementioned sound effect for each group of objects.

[0029] With this configuration, the present invention can, for example, increase the volume of the sound effect associated with a dense cluster of particle objects of a particular type, and make the volume of the sound effect associated with a particle object placed in the center greater than the volume of the sound effect associated with a particle object placed at the edge.

[0030] Therefore, the present invention can reduce the processing load on the output of sound effects without performing complex acoustic processing.

[0031] (6) Furthermore, the present invention is The output control processing means, The system has a configuration that controls the sound effect output control process based on the distribution of the particle objects being placed.

[0032] With this configuration, the present invention can control the balance of, for example, volume, playback time, pitch, or timbre based on the distribution of particle objects (for example, the distribution of each type of particle object), so that even when many particle objects are placed, the output of sound effects can be accurately controlled.

[0033] (7) Furthermore, the present invention is The output control processing means, The aforementioned distribution configuration includes a setting that determines, based on the number of particle objects that have been placed, whether to control the output of the sound effects associated with the multiple particle objects collectively or to control the output of the sound effects individually.

[0034] With this configuration, the present invention can accurately control the output of sound effects according to the arrangement of particle objects, and even when a large number of particle objects are arranged, it can reduce the processing load on the output of sound effects without performing complex acoustic processing.

[0035] (8) Furthermore, the present invention is The aforementioned arrangement control means The system has a configuration that controls the placement of the particle objects in association with the game event character that caused the game event.

[0036] This configuration allows the present invention to accurately output sound effects related to game event characters.

[0037] In particular, the present invention allows for the control of the output of sound effects related to the central game event character of a game event by using particle objects that create the game event, thus enabling the realization of sound effects suitable for game events without complex processing.

[0038] (9) Furthermore, the present invention is The aforementioned game space is a space in which multiple player characters, each controlled by multiple players, can act. The output control processing means, The system has a configuration that executes the sound effect output control process for each of the aforementioned players.

[0039] With this configuration, the present invention can output appropriate sound effects to each player's terminal device, even in a multiplayer online game.

[0040] Furthermore, "sound effect output control processing per player" refers to output control processing that controls the output of sound effects on terminal devices via a network, for example, when the game system functions as a server device.

[0041] (10) Furthermore, the present invention is The output control processing means, The sound effect output control process for each player includes a configuration that performs control to prioritize the output of sound effects corresponding to the particle object associated with the player character being controlled by each player to the corresponding player.

[0042] This configuration allows the present invention to output appropriate sound effects to each player's terminal device, even in large-scale, multiplayer online games.

[0043] (11) Furthermore, the present invention is The system further includes a reference position setting means for setting a given reference position, The aforementioned arrangement control means A depth measurement process is performed to measure the depth from the reference position to the object placed in the game space. Based on the measured depth, a sound field condition detection process is performed to detect the sound field condition relative to the reference position. The system has a configuration that executes the placement control process to place the particle objects based on the detected sound field conditions and the particle parameters.

[0044] With this configuration, the present invention can appropriately recognize the sound field conditions that form the sound effect, so even in sound field conditions where it would be difficult to hear the sound effect if it were output as is, such as a sound field condition that contains many reverberations or echoes, or a sound field condition in which many sound effects are mixed, it is possible to control the output of a more appropriate sound effect.

[0045] In other words, the present invention can reduce the processing load on the output of sound effects without performing complex acoustic processing, and can also control the output of more appropriate sound effects.

[0046] Furthermore, for "depth measurement processing," techniques such as raycasting are used, which involves casting a ray from a reference position and obtaining information about the object that the ray hits.

[0047] (12) Furthermore, the present invention is The aforementioned arrangement control means The system has a configuration that executes the placement control process to place the particle objects based on the detected sound field conditions, the occurrence status of the game event, and the particle parameters.

[0048] With this configuration, the present invention can recognize a sound field space suitable for visualized game events, thereby enabling more appropriate sound effect output control and reducing the processing load on sound effect output without complex acoustic processing.

[0049] The "occurrence status of game events" includes, for example, the type of game event (combat situation (multiplayer or one-on-one), quiet game scenes (for example, serious game scenes or scenes with quiet presentation) or flashy game scenes), and the number of player characters.

[0050] (13) In addition, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention A program that generates a particle object in the game space, which is an object having visual effects in conjunction with a given game event, and is composed of multiple moving particles. A management means for managing a storage means that stores sound effect information, which defines sound effect information related to the game, associated with each particle object. A placement control means that performs a placement control process to place the particle object in the game space based on at least one of the particle parameters, which are object parameters that indicate the parameters of the particle object as a whole, and particle parameters that indicate the parameters of the particles that constitute the particle object, and Output control processing means that, when the particle object is placed in the game space, identifies the sound effect information according to the particle object being placed, and performs sound effect output control processing to control the output of the sound effect defined in the identified sound effect information based on the particle parameters, It has a configuration that allows it to function as a computer.

[0051] With this configuration, the present invention can output sound effects corresponding to the visual effects of a game event without having to perform sound effect processing separately from image processing, such as detecting the movements of player characters and other objects and assigning sounds and controlling the output of sound effects accordingly.

[0052] Therefore, the present invention enables the accurate output of sound effects that correspond to game events in game events using particle objects, while also significantly reducing the load of sound processing when outputting such sound effects.

[0053] (14) In addition, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention is A game provision method for providing information about a game to a terminal device operated by a player, which is connected via a network from a server device that controls the game, and which generates a particle object in the game space that has an image effect in conjunction with a given game event, and which is composed of multiple moving particles. The aforementioned server device A management means for managing a storage means that stores sound effect information, which defines sound effect information related to the game, for each of the aforementioned particle objects, A placement control means that performs a placement control process to place the particle object in the game space based on at least one of the particle parameters, which are object parameters that indicate the parameters of the particle object as a whole, and particle parameters that indicate the parameters of the particles that constitute the particle object. Output control processing means that, when the particle object is placed in the game space, identifies the sound effect information according to the particle object to be placed, and executes sound effect output control processing to control the output of the sound effect defined in the identified sound effect information based on the particle parameters, In cases where the following are provided, The terminal device receives information regarding the operation of the player and transmits it to the server device. The system has a configuration that receives information about the game from a server device that performs processing related to the game.

[0054] With this configuration, the present invention can output sound effects corresponding to the visual effects of a game event without having to perform sound effect processing separately from image processing, such as detecting the movements of player characters and other objects and assigning sounds and controlling the output of sound effects accordingly.

[0055] Therefore, the present invention enables the accurate output of sound effects that correspond to game events in game events using particle objects, while also significantly reducing the load of sound processing when outputting such sound effects. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0056] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of a network diagram of a game system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of a functional block diagram of a server device in one embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of a functional block diagram of a terminal device in one embodiment. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates the process of sound effect control associated with the placement of particle objects, which is performed by a server device according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of object parameters of a particle object stored in the particle information storage unit of one embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of particle parameters of a particle object stored in the particle information storage unit of one embodiment. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates the relationship between particle objects, particle objects, object parameters, and particle parameters in a particle placement control process according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the basic principle of sound effect output control processing in one embodiment. [Figure 9]This figure illustrates priority sound effect control in the additional processing of sound effect output control processing according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] This figure illustrates the control of sound effect combinations in the additional processing of the sound effect output control processing of one embodiment. [Figure 11] This figure illustrates the distribution status sound effect control in the additional processing of the sound effect output control processing of one embodiment. [Figure 12] This flowchart shows the operation of the sound effect control process associated with the placement of particle objects, which is performed by a server device according to one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0057] The following describes this embodiment. Note that the embodiment described below does not unduly limit the scope of the present invention as described in the claims. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in this embodiment are necessarily essential components of the present invention.

[0058] [1] Game System First, the overview and general configuration of the game system 1 of this embodiment will be explained using Figure 1. Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the game system 1 of this embodiment.

[0059] As shown in Figure 1, the game system 1 of this embodiment is configured such that a server device 10 that provides game services and terminal devices 20 (for example, terminal devices 20A, 20B, and 20C) can connect to the Internet (an example of a network).

[0060] Users can access the server device 10 from their terminal device 20 to play games transmitted from the server device 10 via the internet. Furthermore, users can communicate with other users by accessing the server device 10 from their terminal device 20.

[0061] The server device 10 is an information processing device capable of providing a service that allows users to play games using terminal devices 20 connected via the Internet. The server device 10 may also function as an SNS server providing communication-type services. Here, an SNS server may be an information processing device that provides services enabling communication among multiple users.

[0062] Furthermore, if the server device 10 functions as an SNS server, for example, it can provide games called social games that are executed using the SNS operating environment (API (Application Programming Interface), platform, etc.) it provides.

[0063] In particular, the server device 10 is capable of providing games on the web browser of the terminal device 20, such as browser games created in various languages ​​including HTML, FLASH®, CGI, PHP, Shockwave, Java® applets, and JavaScript® (games that can be launched simply by opening the installation site in a web browser).

[0064] Social games, unlike existing online games, include games that do not require dedicated client software and can be used with only a web browser and an SNS account. Furthermore, the server device 10 has a configuration that allows it to connect with other users' terminals (smartphones, PCs, game consoles, etc.) via a network and provide online games that allow simultaneous online sharing of the same game progress.

[0065] On the other hand, the server device 10 may consist of one (device, processor) or multiple (devices, processors).

[0066] Furthermore, information such as billing information and game information stored in the storage area of ​​the server device 10 (storage unit 140 described later) may be stored in a database (broadly speaking, a storage device, memory) connected via a network (intranet or internet). Alternatively, when functioning as an SNS server, information such as player information storage unit 146 stored in the storage area may be stored in a database (broadly speaking, a storage device, memory) connected via a network (intranet or internet).

[0067] Specifically, the server device 10 in this embodiment receives input information based on the operation of the user (i.e., the player running the game) of the terminal device 20, and performs game processing based on the received input information. The server device 10 then transmits the game processing results to the terminal device 20, and the terminal device 20 performs various processes to provide the game processing results received from the server device 10 to the terminal device 20 in a viewable format for the user.

[0068] The terminal device 20 is an information processing device such as a smartphone, mobile phone, computer, game console, PDA, tablet, portable game console, or image generation device, and is capable of connecting to the server device 10 via a network such as the Internet (WAN) or LAN. The communication line between the terminal device 20 and the server device 10 may be wired or wireless.

[0069] Furthermore, the terminal device 20 is equipped with a web browser capable of viewing web pages (data in HTML format). Specifically, the terminal device 20 is equipped with a communication control function for communicating with the server device 10, a web browser function that performs display control using data received from the server device 10 (web data, data created in HTML format, etc.), and sends user operation data to the server device 10, and performs various processes to provide the game screen to the user, allowing the user to run the game. However, the terminal device 20 may also obtain game control information provided by the server device 10, execute predetermined game processing, and run the game based on the game processing.

[0070] Specifically, when the terminal device 20 requests the server device 10 to play a predetermined game, it connects to the game site of the server device 10 and the game starts. In particular, the terminal device 20 has a configuration that allows it to execute the game by using an API as needed to cause the server device 10, which functions as an SNS server, to perform predetermined processing, or by obtaining the player information storage unit 146 managed by the server device 10, which functions as an SNS server.

[0071] [2] Server equipment Next, the server device 10 of this embodiment will be described using Figure 2.

[0072] Figure 2 shows the functional blocks of the server device 10 in this embodiment. Furthermore, the server device 10 in this embodiment may have a configuration in which some of the components (parts) shown in Figure 2 are omitted.

[0073] The server device 10 includes an input unit 120 for administrator and other inputs, a display unit 130 for displaying predetermined information, an information storage medium 180 for storing predetermined information, a communication unit 196 for communicating with terminal devices 20 and others, a processing unit 100 for mainly performing processing related to the games provided, and a storage unit 140 for mainly storing various data used for games.

[0074] The input unit 120 is used by system administrators and others to input game-related settings and other necessary settings and data. For example, the input unit 120 in this embodiment is composed of a mouse, keyboard, etc.

[0075] The display unit 130 displays an operation screen for the system administrator. For example, the display unit 130 in this embodiment is composed of a liquid crystal display or the like.

[0076] The information storage medium 180 (a medium readable by a computer) stores programs, data, etc., and its function is comprised of optical discs (CDs, DVDs), magneto-optical discs (MOs), magnetic discs, hard disks, magnetic tapes, or memory (ROMs).

[0077] The communication unit 196 performs various controls for communicating with external parties (e.g., terminals, other servers, or other network systems), and its functions are comprised of hardware such as various processors or communication ASICs, as well as programs.

[0078] The memory unit 140 serves as a work area for the processing unit 100 and the communication unit 196, and its function is comprised of RAM (VRAM), etc. The information stored in the memory unit 140 may be managed by a database. Furthermore, the memory unit 140 constitutes the storage means of the present invention.

[0079] Furthermore, in addition to the main memory unit 142, the memory unit 140 of this embodiment includes a game data memory unit 144 that stores game information indicating information about the game, a player information memory unit 146 that stores player information indicating information about each player and information about the player's game (hereinafter referred to as "player-related information"), and a particle information memory unit 148 that stores information about particle objects used for image effects.

[0080] The game data storage unit 144 stores various information necessary for running the game, such as the game map, information on each object used in the game, various table information, information on each player's player character, and condition information used for various judgments.

[0081] The player information storage unit 146 stores player-related information for each player, including identification information such as the player's nickname and player ID, and, if the player belongs to a team, the name and ID of the team to which they belong (hereinafter referred to as "affiliation information"), as well as information about the player and information about the player character.

[0082] The particle information storage unit 148 stores information about particle objects (hereinafter referred to as "particle object information") for each type of particle object.

[0083] In particular, particle object information includes not only information about the placement of particle objects in the game space, but also information about sound effects related to the game (hereinafter referred to as "sound effect information").

[0084] The processing unit 100 performs various processes using the main memory unit 142 within the storage unit 140 as the work area. The functions of the processing unit 100 can be realized by hardware such as various processors (CPU, DSP, etc.) and ASICs (gate arrays, etc.) or by programs.

[0085] The processing unit 100 performs various processes of this embodiment based on the program (data) stored in the information storage medium 180. That is, the information storage medium 180 stores programs that cause the computer to function as each part of this embodiment (programs that cause the computer to execute the processing of each part).

[0086] For example, the processing unit 100 (processor) controls the entire server device 10 based on the program stored in the information storage medium, and also performs various processes such as controlling the transfer of data between each unit. Furthermore, it performs processes to provide various services in response to requests from the terminal device 20.

[0087] Specifically, the processing unit 100 of this embodiment includes at least a communication control unit 101, a Web processing unit 102, a game management unit 103, an object placement control unit 104, an input reception processing unit 105, a game calculation unit 106, a virtual camera control unit 107, an image generation unit 108, a sound effect output control unit 109, a timer management unit 110, and an information provision unit 111.

[0088] The communication control unit 101 performs processing to send and receive data with the terminal device 20 via the network. That is, the server device 10 performs various processing based on the information received from the terminal device 20 etc. by the communication control unit 101. In particular, the communication control unit 101 in this embodiment performs processing to transmit the game screen to the player's terminal device 20 based on a request from the player's terminal device 20.

[0089] In particular, the communication control unit 101 performs processes such as generating packets to be sent to the terminal device 20, specifying the IP address and port number of the terminal device to which the packets will be sent, storing the data contained in the received packets in the player information storage unit 146, analyzing the received packets, and other control processes related to the sending and receiving of packets.

[0090] The Web processing unit 102 functions as a Web server. For example, the Web processing unit 102 performs the process of sending data in response to a request from a Web browser 211 installed on the terminal device 20 via a communication protocol such as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), and the process of receiving data sent by the Web browser 211 on the terminal device 20.

[0091] In this embodiment, the example is given where the server device 10 also functions as an SNS server, but the server device 10 may be configured separately as a server for games and a server for SNS. Also, the game processing in this embodiment may be partially or entirely performed by the server device 10, or partially performed by the terminal device 20.

[0092] The game management unit 103 works in conjunction with the terminal device 20 to construct a game space as a virtual space, and based on the player's operations input via the terminal device 20, it executes various game processes for each player related to shooting games, competitive games (action games and sports games), music games, puzzle games, racing games, simulation games, and RPGs.

[0093] In particular, in the case of MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) and other online games with many simultaneous players, the game management unit 103 executes processes related to the progress of the game performed by each player, based on the actions of the player in question.

[0094] For example, the game management unit 103 includes processes for starting the game when the game start conditions are met (hereinafter also referred to as "game start processing"), game control processing that controls the player character and manages the progress of various games in response to the player's input, processes for ending the game when the game end conditions are met (hereinafter also referred to as "game end processing"), processes for progressing the ending when the final stage is cleared, and processes for restarting (continuing) a game that has ended (a game that has been game over) when the game end processing is executed, provided that certain conditions are met.

[0095] Furthermore, the game management unit 103 manages the memory unit 140 and manages sound effect information, for example, which defines sound effect information related to the game for each type of particle object.

[0096] The object placement control unit 104 performs the process of placing various objects (sprites, billboards, polygons, freeform surfaces, or primitive surfaces such as subdivision surfaces) that represent display elements such as player objects, moving objects, enemy objects, movement paths, buildings, trees, pillars, walls, and maps (terrain) into the object space.

[0097] Specifically, the object placement control unit 104 determines the position and rotation angle (synonymous with orientation or direction) of an object (model object), and places the object at that position (X, Y) or (X, Y, Z) with that rotation angle (rotation angle around the X, Y axes) or (rotation angle around the X, Y, Z axes).

[0098] Furthermore, the object placement control unit 104 executes placement control processing to place particle objects in the game space, which is the object space, in order to realistically display irregularly shaped objects such as flames.

[0099] The object space (game space) includes both so-called virtual 2D space and virtual 3D space. A 2D space is the space in which objects are placed, for example, in 2D coordinates (X,Y), while a 3D space is the space in which objects are placed, for example, in 3D coordinates (X,Y,Z).

[0100] When the object space is a two-dimensional space, objects are arranged according to the priority set for each of the multiple objects. For example, objects that you want to appear to be in the background (sprites) are placed in order, and objects that you want to appear to be in the foreground are placed on top of them.

[0101] Furthermore, by placing objects with a large drawing size at the bottom of the image and objects with a small drawing size at the top of the image, it is possible to make the object space corresponding to the top of the screen appear to be in the background, and the object space corresponding to the bottom of the screen appear to be in the foreground.

[0102] Furthermore, if the object space is a three-dimensional space, the objects are placed in the world coordinate system.

[0103] Meanwhile, the object placement control unit 104 executes the process of sequentially generating, moving, and eliminating particle objects (for example, flame particle or smoke particle objects) over time to represent irregularly shaped displays (for example, flame, smoke, water, or explosions) whose shapes deform.

[0104] Specifically, the object placement control unit 104 performs processing to randomly change the amount of particles (particle primitives) generated, their generation position, their movement state (velocity, acceleration, etc.), or their lifetime (lifetime) in the particle object.

[0105] Furthermore, the object placement control unit 104 generates multiple particles that will disappear within a given lifetime in the formation region (including the range in which the particles move) where each particle object is formed, and also performs processing to restrict the movement of these particles so that they do not move outside the formation region.

[0106] Furthermore, if an object is composed of multiple primitive surfaces arranged radially from a reference line, the object placement control unit 104 can use these primitive surfaces to divide the formation region.

[0107] Furthermore, each particle may be represented by a primitive surface (sprite polygon) to which a texture of an image such as fire or smoke is mapped, or it may be represented by primitive points or primitive lines.

[0108] The input receiving processing unit 105 receives input instructions from each player input by each terminal device 20 and outputs the received input instructions to the game calculation unit 106.

[0109] The game calculation unit 106 performs movement calculations for character objects that are the target of manipulation, such as moving objects (especially character objects such as player characters and enemy characters) within the object space.

[0110] In other words, the game calculation unit 106 performs processing to move a moving object in object space or to control the movement (motion, animation) of a moving object based on input data or programs (movement algorithms) and various data (motion data) input by the player via the input unit 260.

[0111] The virtual camera control unit 107 generates an image of the game space as seen from a given viewpoint for each player, which appears to have depth. In this case, the virtual camera control unit 107 performs control processing for a virtual camera (viewpoint) to generate an image as seen from a given (arbitrary) viewpoint in object space. Specifically, it performs processing to control the position (X, Y, Z) or rotation angle (rotation angle around the X, Y, Z axes) of the virtual camera (processing to control the viewpoint position and line of sight direction).

[0112] For example, when using a virtual camera to photograph an object (e.g., a character, a ball, a car) from behind, the position or rotation angle (orientation of the virtual camera) of the virtual camera is controlled so that the virtual camera follows changes in the object's position or rotation.

[0113] In this case, each virtual camera can be controlled based on information such as the position, rotation angle, or speed of the object obtained by the game control unit 214. Alternatively, each virtual camera may be controlled to rotate at a predetermined rotation angle or move along a predetermined path. In this case, each virtual camera is controlled based on virtual camera data used to specify the position (path) or rotation angle of each virtual camera.

[0114] Alternatively, each virtual camera may be set as the viewpoint of the player character controlled by each player.

[0115] The image generation unit 108 performs drawing processing based on the results of various processes (game processing) performed by the processing unit 100, thereby generating an image and creating data that can be displayed on the display unit (display) of each terminal device 20.

[0116] The image generated by the image generation unit 108 may be a so-called two-dimensional image or a so-called three-dimensional image. In particular, the image generation unit 108 generates images that are visible from each virtual camera in object space and are displayed on the screen.

[0117] When generating a 2D image, the image generation unit 108 draws objects in order from the lowest priority to the highest priority, and if objects overlap, it overwrites the object with the higher priority.

[0118] Furthermore, when generating a 3D image, the image generation unit 108 of this embodiment first receives object data (model data) containing vertex data (vertex position coordinates, texture coordinates, color data, normal vectors or alpha values, etc.) for each vertex of the object (model), and performs vertex processing based on the vertex data contained in the input object data. When performing vertex processing, vertex generation processing (tessellation, surface subdivision, polygon subdivision) to subdivide the polygon may be performed as needed.

[0119] Furthermore, vertex processing involves geometric processing such as vertex movement, coordinate transformation (world coordinate transformation, camera coordinate transformation), clipping, perspective transformation, and light source processing. Based on the results of this processing, the given vertex data for the vertices that make up the object is modified (updated, adjusted). Then, rasterization (scan transformation) is performed based on the vertex data after vertex processing, and the faces of the polygons (primitives) are associated with pixels. Following rasterization, pixel processing (fragment processing) is performed to draw the pixels that make up the image (fragments that make up the display screen).

[0120] In pixel processing, various processes such as texture reading (texture mapping), setting / modifying color data, semi-transparent blending, and anti-aliasing are performed to determine the final drawing color of the pixels that make up the image, and the drawing color of the perspective-transformed object is output (drawn) to the image buffer 272 (frame buffer, a buffer that can store image information on a pixel-by-pixel basis; VRAM, rendering target). In other words, pixel processing performs per-pixel processing to set or modify image information (color, normal, brightness, alpha value, etc.) on a pixel-by-pixel basis.

[0121] This generates an image as seen from a virtual camera (a given viewpoint) set up in object space. If multiple virtual cameras (viewpoints) exist, the images seen from each virtual camera can be generated as split images to be displayed on a single screen.

[0122] Furthermore, the vertex processing and pixel processing performed by the image generation unit 108 may be implemented by hardware that makes the polygon (primitive) rendering process programmable using a shader program written in a shading language, so-called programmable shaders (vertex shaders and pixel shaders). With programmable shaders, the processing at the vertex level and the processing at the pixel level become programmable, which increases the degree of freedom in the rendering process and can significantly improve expressiveness compared to fixed rendering processing by hardware.

[0123] The sound effect output control unit 109 performs sound processing based on the results of various processes performed by the processing unit 100, generates game sounds such as background music, sound effects, or voices, and provides them to each terminal device 20.

[0124] In particular, the sound effect output control unit 109 identifies the sound effect corresponding to the particle object when the particle object is placed, and controls the output of the identified sound effect based on the parameters of the particle object (i.e., particle parameters).

[0125] The timer management unit 110 has a timer function and is used to manage the progress of the game. In particular, the timer management unit 110 works in conjunction with the game management unit 103 and the game calculation unit 106, outputting the current time and a preset time to each unit. The timer management unit 110 is also used to synchronize with each terminal device.

[0126] The information provision unit 111 generates various game information and provides it to the terminal device 20 in order to allow the terminal device 20 to process the game.

[0127] Specifically, the information provision unit 111 generates information (i.e., game information) for controlling each player's target player character via the corresponding terminal device 20, and provides the generated game information to the player via the corresponding terminal device 20.

[0128] [3] Terminal device Next, the terminal device 20 of this embodiment will be described using Figure 3. Figure 3 is an example of a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the terminal device in this embodiment. Furthermore, the terminal device 20 of this embodiment may have a configuration in which some of the components (each part) in Figure 3 are omitted.

[0129] The input unit 260 is for the player to input operation data, and its function can be realized by a touch panel or a touch panel display. Specifically, the input unit 260 includes a detection unit 262 capable of detecting two-dimensional instruction position coordinates (x,y) on a screen where an image is displayed. For example, the input unit 260 includes a detection unit 262 capable of detecting two-dimensional contact position coordinates (x,y) in a contact detection area (touch panel).

[0130] Furthermore, touch operations on the display screen (hereinafter referred to as the "touch panel" unless otherwise specified) 12 may be performed using a fingertip or using an input device such as a stylus.

[0131] Furthermore, the input unit 260 may include buttons, levers, a keyboard, a steering wheel, a microphone, an acceleration sensor, etc., that can input operation information (operation signals) other than the indicated position.

[0132] The memory unit 270 serves as the work area for the processing unit 200 and the communication unit 296, and its functions can be realized by RAM (VRAM) or the like. In this embodiment, the memory unit 270 includes a main memory unit 271 used as the work area and an image buffer 272 where the final display image and the like are stored. Note that some of these components may be omitted, or the memory unit 140 of the server device 10 may constitute some of these components.

[0133] The information storage medium 280 (a medium readable by a computer) stores programs, data, etc., and its function can be realized by optical discs (CDs, DVDs), magneto-optical discs (MOs), magnetic discs, hard disks, magnetic tapes, or memory (ROMs).

[0134] Furthermore, the information storage medium 280 can store programs for making the computer function as each part of this embodiment (programs for causing the computer to execute the processing of each part). The processing unit 200 performs various processing of this embodiment based on the programs (data) stored in the information storage medium 280, as will be described later.

[0135] The display unit 290 outputs the image generated by this embodiment, and its function can be realized by a CRT, LCD, touch panel display, or HMD (head-mounted display), etc.

[0136] In particular, in this embodiment, the display unit 290 also functions as an input unit 260 for the player to perform game operations by using a touch panel display. Here, as the touch panel, for example, a resistive type (4-wire, 5-wire), a capacitive type, an electromagnetic induction type, an ultrasonic surface acoustic wave type, or an infrared scanning type touch panel can be used.

[0137] The sound output unit 292 outputs the sound generated by this embodiment, and this function can be realized by a speaker or headphones, etc.

[0138] The communication unit 296 performs various controls for communicating with external devices (e.g., host devices or other terminal devices), and its functions can be realized by hardware such as various processors or communication ASICs, or by programs.

[0139] Furthermore, the terminal device 20 may receive programs and data for making the computer function as each part of this embodiment, which are stored in the information storage medium or storage unit 270 of the server device 10, via the network, and store the received programs and data in the information storage medium 280 or storage unit 270. The case in which the terminal device 20 functions by receiving programs and data in this manner can also be included within the scope of the present invention.

[0140] The processing unit 200 (processor) performs processing such as game processing, image generation processing, or sound generation processing in conjunction with the server device 10, based on input data and programs from the input unit 260.

[0141] In particular, in this embodiment, the game processing includes processes to start the game when the game start conditions are met, processes to advance the game, processes to place objects such as player objects and enemy objects, processes to display objects, processes to calculate the game result, and processes to end the game when the game end conditions are met.

[0142] Furthermore, the processing unit 200 performs various processes using the storage unit 270 as a work area. The functions of the processing unit 200 can be realized by hardware such as various processors (CPU, DSP, etc.) and ASICs (gate arrays, etc.) or by programs.

[0143] In particular, the processing unit 200 of this embodiment includes an input receiving unit 201, a game processing unit 202, a web browser 211, a drawing unit 220, and a sound processing unit 230. Alternatively, some of these components may be omitted.

[0144] The input receiving unit 201 receives input instructions from the player entered by the input unit 260, and provides the received input instructions to the server device 10 under the control of the game processing unit 202.

[0145] The game processing unit 202 provides the commands received by the input receiving unit 201 to the server device 10.

[0146] Furthermore, the game processing unit 202 receives game data, display control data, and sound effect data provided from the server device 10, and controls the input reception unit 201, the drawing unit 220, and the sound processing unit 230 based on the received game data, display control data, or sound effect data.

[0147] Furthermore, the game processing unit 202 sets the player character and various items to be used in games such as competitive games for each player based on the player's operations input via the input unit 260, and provides them to the server device 10.

[0148] The web browser 211 is an application program for viewing web pages (game screens and gameplay videos), and it downloads HTML files, image files, etc. from the web server (server device 10), analyzes the layout, and controls the display. The web browser 211 also sends data to the web server (server device 10) using input forms (links, buttons, text boxes, etc.).

[0149] The Web browser 211 of this embodiment can enable the viewing of browser games or live game commentary. For example, the Web browser 211 may execute programs written in JavaScript®, FLASH®, Java®, etc., received from a Web server.

[0150] The terminal device 20 can display information from a web server specified by a URL via the internet using its web browser 211. For example, the terminal device 20 can display a game screen (data such as HTML) received from the server device 10 using its web browser 211.

[0151] The drawing unit 220 performs drawing processing based on the results of various processes (game processing) performed by the processing unit 200, thereby generating an image and outputting it to the display unit (display) 290.

[0152] The sound processing unit 230 performs sound processing based on the results of various processes performed by the processing unit 200, generates game sounds such as background music, sound effects, or voices, and outputs them to the sound output unit 292.

[0153] [4] The method of this embodiment [4.1] Overview Next, using Figure 4, we will describe the overview of the sound effect control process associated with the placement of particle objects, which is performed by the server device 10 of this embodiment.

[0154] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the sound effect control processing associated with the placement of particle objects, performed by the server device 10 of this embodiment.

[0155] The server device 10 of this embodiment has a configuration that allows multiple players to run a given game, such as an RPG, a battle game, a shooting game, a simulation game, a competitive game, and a city-building game, in the same game space.

[0156] In other words, the server device 10 of this embodiment has a configuration for executing a given game in a game space where multiple player characters, each operated by multiple players, can act.

[0157] Furthermore, the server device 10 of this embodiment has a configuration for controlling the sound effects of the game when generating particle objects in the game space in conjunction with game events such as events where the player fights an enemy character, events where the player explores a predetermined area, events where enemy characters appear (are born), events when the player wins or loses a battle, events when the player completes a task, events where a character collides with a placed object such as a wall, events where the weather changes, or events where a mini-game is played.

[0158] In particular, the server device 10 of this embodiment has a configuration that allows it to output sound effects corresponding to the visual effects of a game event without having to perform sound effect processing separately from the image effect processing, such as detecting the movements of player characters and other objects and assigning sounds and controlling the output of sound effects accordingly.

[0159] Specifically, the server device 10 of this embodiment has a configuration that performs game performance control processing, which controls game performance using particle objects, using sound effect information, in which information about game-related sound effects is defined for each particle object.

[0160] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the server device 10 of this embodiment performs game presentation control processing as follows: (A1) A placement control process (hereinafter referred to as the "particle placement control process") that places a particle object in the game space based on at least one of the particle parameters, which are object parameters that indicate the parameters of the particle object as a whole, and particle parameters that indicate the parameters of the particles that make up the particle object, and (A2) When a particle object is placed in the game space, sound effect information is identified according to the particle object being placed, and a sound effect output control process is performed to control the output of the sound effect specified in the identified sound effect information based on the particle parameters. It has a configuration that performs the following:

[0161] Furthermore, the server device 10 of this embodiment is configured to work in conjunction with each terminal device 20 to control the output of sound effects on the terminal devices 20 operated by each player via the network, as a sound effect output control process.

[0162] Figure 4 shows an example where, when input operation data is provided from the terminal device 20 to the server device 10 and the game is being executed, the server device 10 provides game control data including image data and sound effect output control data (i.e., sound effect output control data) for the game, and a game screen based on this data is displayed on the terminal device 20.

[0163] In particular, in Figure 4, the server device 10 performs particle placement control processing, (B1) Identifying the particles to be placed, (B2) Setting of object parameters and particle parameters, and, (B3) Generation of image data for displaying particle objects, This shows an example of what is being done.

[0164] Furthermore, in Figure 4, the server device 10 performs sound effect output control processing, (C1) Setting sound effect information based on identified particle objects. (C2) Generation of output control data for controlling the output of sound effects in the terminal device 20 based on object parameters and particle parameters. This shows an example of what is being done.

[0165] With this configuration, the server device 10 of this embodiment is able to output sound effects in response to particle objects that have a visual effect for game events.

[0166] Furthermore, the server device 10 of this embodiment can accurately output sound effects that provide visual effects corresponding to game events using particle objects, and can also significantly reduce the load of sound processing when outputting such sound effects.

[0167] [4.2] Particle Objects Next, the particle object of this embodiment will be described using Figure 5.

[0168] Figure 5 shows an example of object parameters of a particle object stored in the particle information storage unit 148 of this embodiment, and Figure 6 shows an example of particle parameters of a particle object stored in the particle information storage unit 148 of this embodiment.

[0169] (Particle object) A particle object is a type of object placed in a game space that has visual effects and is composed of multiple moving particles.

[0170] In particular, particle objects are collections of particles that represent rocks scattered by destruction, or objects that represent generated fog, smoke, or sparks. They are composed of numerous particles, and each particle has its own controllable properties, such as shape, movement (direction, speed, and distance), coordinates, display time (lifetime), and color (including brightness and transparency).

[0171] In other words, particle objects are objects that represent the movement of numerous particles as models of objects or phenomena that not only have an unstable shape but also lack a clear surface. ru.

[0172] Specifically, particles have properties defined by parameters such as color and lifetime, and are generated, move, and annihilate by a particle source (emitter), given rules determined by the parameters, and forces acting on each particle after its generation.

[0173] Furthermore, the position of each particle in each frame is determined by performing calculations that determine its position in three-dimensional space, such as fluid dynamics calculations, collision calculations, and motion calculations, based on the emitter or force.

[0174] (Particle object information) Particle object information is stored in the particle information storage unit 148 for each type, and information on particle objects corresponding to the game (hereinafter referred to as "particle object information") is read out and the corresponding particle objects are placed in the game space.

[0175] Specifically, particle object information includes identification information that defines the type (hereinafter referred to as "type ID"), parameters that define the entire particle (hereinafter referred to as "object parameters"), and parameters for defining each individual particle among the multiple particles that make up the particle (hereinafter referred to as "particle parameters").

[0176] For example, the object parameters include, as shown in Figure 5, for each type ID, (A1) The overall shape of the object, (A2) The overall size of the object, (A3) The color of the entire object, (A4) The overall position of the object (for example, the center position of the object), (A5) The overall brightness of the object (the degree to which it changes depending on the emphasis of the visual effect), and (A6)(A1)-(A5) change, This includes things like:

[0177] Furthermore, for example, the particle parameters are as shown in Figure 6, for each particle (particle ID). (B1) Shape of each particle, (B2) Size of each particle, (B3) Number of each particle, (B4) The movement of each particle (direction of movement, velocity, distance traveled, range of movement, and the pattern of movement including these), (B5) Coordinates of each particle, (B6) Display time (lifetime) of each particle, and, (B7) Color of each particle (including lightness and transparency), This includes things like:

[0178] Particle sound effect information is stored and associated with various types of particle objects, along with the particle object information.

[0179] Specifically, particle sound effect information is information used to identify the base sound of a sound effect, such as timbre (frequency waveform), pitch (frequency), or both. For example, it is sound source information formed in a given format, such as a waveform file in WAV format.

[0180] [4.3] Particle Placement Control Processing [4.3.1] Basic principle Next, the basic principle of the particle placement control process in this embodiment will be explained using Figure 7.

[0181] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between particle objects, particle objects, object parameters, and particle parameters in the particle placement control process of this embodiment.

[0182] The object placement control unit 104 executes placement control processing to place the particle object in the game space based on the parameters of the particle object.

[0183] Furthermore, the object placement control unit 104 executes placement control processing based on object parameters that indicate parameters relating to the particle object as a whole, particle parameters that indicate parameters of the particles constituting the particle object, or both sets of parameters.

[0184] In particular, as shown in Figure 7, the object placement control unit 104 uses the shape, size, color, placement position (for example, the center position of the object), overall brightness (the degree to which it changes according to the emphasis of the visual effect), and the amount of change of these as object parameters.

[0185] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the object placement control unit 104 uses particle parameters such as the shape, size, number, movement (direction of movement, velocity, distance of movement, movement range, and movement pattern including these), coordinates, display time (lifetime), and color (including brightness and transparency) for each particle.

[0186] The object placement control unit 104 then performs various processes based on the particle parameters, such as sequentially generating, moving, or eliminating each particle over time, and randomly changing the amount generated, generation position, movement state (velocity, acceleration, etc.), or lifespan of each particle.

[0187] In other words, the object placement control unit 104 performs placement control of particle objects, including not only the placement of the particle objects themselves, but also the movement of the particles after placement.

[0188] Figure 7 shows examples of the defined object parameters and particle parameters for a flame particle object and its particles.

[0189] In particular, Figure 7 shows an example where the size is based on the longer side (length + width + height), the particle is the 25th out of 100 particles generated in the particle object, and its coordinates are +5 in the x-direction, +30 in the y-direction, and ±0 in the z-direction from the object's center coordinates.

[0190] Specifically, the object placement control unit 104 sets object parameters, particle parameters, or both parameters according to the game situation or game presentation as the game progresses.

[0191] In particular, the object placement control unit 104 of this embodiment sets object parameters, particle parameters, or both, based on the game event status, the placement position of the particle objects, and the number of particle objects to be placed, from the viewpoint of controlling the output of sound effects.

[0192] For example, the object placement control unit 104 detects the occurrence status of a game event, such as the type of game event (battle situation (multiplayer or one-on-one), quiet game scene (e.g., a serious game scene or a scene with quiet effects), or a flashy game scene), and the number of player characters, and sets the object parameters, particle parameters, or both parameters according to the detected situation.

[0193] Furthermore, for example, the object placement control unit 104 sets object parameters, particle parameters, or both parameters based on the position of the particle object, which is its position in game space (world coordinates), its position relative to other objects such as the player character or other particle objects (local coordinates), or the position of both.

[0194] Furthermore, for example, the object placement control unit 104 sets the object parameters, particle parameters, or both of the parameters based on the number of particle objects of the same type, the proportion of particle objects of the same type among the placed particle objects, etc.

[0195] [4.3.2] Particle placement control processing based on sound field conditions Next, the particle placement control process of this embodiment, which places particle objects based on the sound field conditions in the game space, will be described.

[0196] (Basic principle) In this embodiment, particle objects are used to control the output of sound effects. However, when various particle objects are placed in sound field conditions where it would be difficult to hear the sound effects if they were output directly, such as sound field conditions containing many reverberations or echoes, or sound field conditions where many sound effects are mixed together, it may become difficult to hear the sound.

[0197] Therefore, the object placement control unit 104 of this embodiment may have a configuration that performs particle placement control processing based on the sound field conditions in order to appropriately recognize the sound field conditions that form the sound effect.

[0198] Specifically, as described above, the object placement control unit 104 performs the following specific processing when a virtual camera is placed within the game space and the game space is imaged with the virtual camera as the viewpoint.

[0199] The object placement control unit 104 performs the following specific processing: (A1) Depth measurement process that measures the depth from the virtual camera's position in the game space to an object placed in the game space, and (A2) Sound field condition detection process that detects the sound field condition based on the position of the virtual camera in the game space, based on the measured depth. Execute this.

[0200] Then, the object placement control unit 104 executes placement control processing to place particle objects based on the detected sound field conditions and particle parameters.

[0201] (Depth measurement processing) The object placement control unit 104, as part of its depth measurement process, uses the placement position of the virtual camera within the game space as a reference position, and from the placement position of the virtual camera, it recognizes the types and characteristics of various objects that constitute the terrain or occluders within the range visible to the virtual camera, and measures the depth to those objects.

[0202] At this time, the object placement control unit 104 measures the depth to various objects placed around the virtual camera, relative to the virtual camera's position, by moving the viewpoint up, down, left, and right (for example, by rotating it 360 degrees).

[0203] In particular, the object placement control unit 104 of this embodiment performs a depth measurement process by outputting a virtual ray from one reference point (i.e., the position as the viewpoint of the virtual camera) toward the other reference point (i.e., the placement position of the object), checking whether or not there is an object that intersects with the ray, and performing a raycast process to check the positional relationship between objects in the game space.

[0204] In this example, the virtual camera's position was used as the reference point for depth measurement. However, instead of the virtual camera's position, the player character's position, a position related to the player character, or, if multiple player characters are present, their center position may be used.

[0205] (Sound field condition detection processing) The object placement control unit 104, as part of its sound field condition detection process, detects the sound field environment relative to the virtual camera's position based on the positional relationship with surrounding objects relative to the virtual camera, as well as the type and characteristics of those objects, through depth measurement processing.

[0206] Specifically, the object placement control unit 104 detects, for example, sound field environments such as enclosed spaces with obstacles in the surroundings, flat areas without terrain objects, and urban areas with many buildings and characters.

[0207] (Sound field condition detection processing) The object placement control unit 104 controls the object parameters and particle parameters according to the sound field environment detected as described above, and places the corresponding particle objects in the game space according to the controlled parameters.

[0208] In particular, the object placement control unit 104 places particle objects according to the relationship between the sound field conditions and the parameters, as the volume, timbre, or pitch of the sound effect changes according to the object parameters and particle parameters.

[0209] Specifically, the object placement control unit 104 arranges the particle objects such that when the particle object is small, the volume of the assigned sound effect is low, when the number and movement of particles are small, the volume of the assigned sound effect is low, and when the sound field environment is a confined space, it reduces the size of the particle objects and decreases the number and movement of particles.

[0210] (Game event occurrence status) The object placement control unit 104 in this embodiment may perform the placement control process to place particle objects in accordance with the occurrence of game events, in addition to the sound field conditions.

[0211] Even when the sound field space is different, depending on the type of game event, such as whether it's a battle or a quiet scene, it may be better to consider the circumstances of the game event in addition to the sound field conditions when controlling the output of sound effects based on particle objects.

[0212] Therefore, the object placement control unit 104 of this embodiment may execute the placement control process to place particle objects based on the detected sound field conditions, the occurrence status of game events, and particle parameters.

[0213] For example, the object placement control unit 104, in conjunction with the game calculation unit 106, detects, for example, the type of game event (battle situation (multiplayer or one-on-one), quiet game scene (for example, a serious game scene or a scene with quiet effects) or a flashy game scene), and the number of player characters.

[0214] For example, in the case of a one-on-one match, the object placement control unit 104 increases the size of the particle objects used in the performance of the match and controls their size according to the size of the enclosed space.

[0215] [4.3.3] Placement control based on game event characters Next, the particle placement control process of this embodiment, which places particle objects based on characters in game events, will be described.

[0216] The object placement control unit 104 controls the output of sound effects related to the game event character that is central to the game event, using particle objects that create the game event. Therefore, it may control the placement of particle objects in association with the game event character that caused the game event.

[0217] In other words, the object placement control unit 104 may control the placement of particle objects in association with the game event character that generated the game event.

[0218] Specifically, the object placement control unit 104 performs particle placement control processing based on, for example, the position in the game space of a character that executes or leads a game event, such as a player character, or a character that is affected by such a game event, such as by acquiring a benefit, the influence of the character, such as attack power or magic power, and the size of the character.

[0219] For example, the object placement control unit 104 controls the placement of particle objects, such as increasing the size of the particle objects or increasing the number of particles, when the distance between the game event character (player character) and the enemy character is close, or when the distance between the event generating character (other character) and the player character is close.

[0220] Furthermore, for example, when a game event character (player character) uses the weapon "sword," the object placement control unit 104 controls the placement of particle objects to which sound effects for sword attacks are assigned.

[0221] [4.4] Sound effect output control processing [4.4.1] Basic principle Next, the basic principle of the sound effect output control process of this embodiment will be explained using Figure 8.

[0222] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the basic principle of the sound effect output control process in this embodiment.

[0223] (Basic principle) As described above, when a particle object is placed, the sound effect output control unit 109 refers to the particle information stored in the particle information storage unit 148 and identifies the sound effect information corresponding to the placed particle object.

[0224] Furthermore, the sound effect output control unit 109 executes sound effect output control processing to control the output of the sound effect defined in the identified sound effect information, based on the parameters of the placed particle object (i.e., particle parameters).

[0225] In particular, the sound effect information defines the base sound of the sound effect, such as timbre (frequency waveform), and the sound effect output control unit 109 controls the pitch (sound level), playback time, volume, audible range (audible frequency range), or a combination of two or more of these, for this base sound based on particle parameters.

[0226] Alternatively, if the sound effect information specifies the pitch (frequency) of the base sound of the sound effect, the sound effect output control unit 109 controls the timbre, playback time, volume, audible range (audible frequency range), or a combination of two or more of these, of the sound effect based on the particle parameters.

[0227] For example, as shown in Figure 8, the sound effect output control unit 109 controls the output of sound effects such as increasing the playback time of the sound effect as the average lifetime of each particle is longer, increasing the volume of the sound effect as the size of the particle object is larger (i.e., the spread range of the particles is larger) or as the number of particles is larger, and emphasizing the high-frequency range of the audible frequency when the average transparency of the particles is higher.

[0228] Figure 8 shows an example where the sound effect "Flame Pattern 1" is identified based on the flame (mountain shape) of a particle object, and the volume, frequency, and playback duration of the sound effect are determined based on the control parameters 1-4 (size of the object parameter, number of particle parameters, lifetime, and transparency) used to control the sound effect.

[0229] Furthermore, the sound effect output control unit 109 executes sound effect output control processing for each player in a game space where multiple player characters, each controlled by multiple players, can act.

[0230] In other words, the sound effect output control unit 109 performs the sound effect output control process for each player, which prioritizes outputting sound effects corresponding to the particle object associated with the player character being controlled by each player to the corresponding player.

[0231] Specifically, the sound effect output control unit 109 performs sound effect output control processing for each player, based on the virtual camera that serves as the viewpoint of each player, the player character operated by each player, or both.

[0232] [4.4.2] Additional processing Next, the additional processing for the sound effect output control processing of this embodiment will be explained using Figures 9 to 11.

[0233] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating priority sound effect control in the additional processing of the sound effect output control processing of this embodiment, Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating sound effect combination control in the additional processing of the sound effect output control processing of this embodiment, and Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating distribution status sound effect control in the additional processing of the sound effect output control processing of this embodiment.

[0234] (overview) When the sound effect output control unit 109 executes the sound effect output control process, in addition to the sound effect control described above, (A1) Priority-based control of sound effects to output sound effects corresponding to game events (hereinafter referred to as "priority sound effect control"), and (A2) Control of multiple sound effects combined together (hereinafter referred to as "sound effect combination control") (A3) Control of sound effects based on the distribution of multiple particle objects in the game space (hereinafter referred to as "distribution-based sound effect control") Each of the following additional processes may be performed.

[0235] (Priority sound effect control) The sound effect output control unit 109 may, as part of the sound effect output control process, execute a sound effect output control process to control the output of sound effects (for example, sound effects of each type) associated with each particle object, based on the priority set for each particle object, when multiple particle objects are placed in the game space.

[0236] For example, if multiple particle objects of different types are placed and sound effects associated with each type of particle object are output, the output of multiple sound effects will result in a loss of unity in the sound effects and an increased processing load.

[0237] Furthermore, if particle objects of the same type are placed simultaneously, they will have the same sound, so from the perspective of reducing processing load, it is sufficient to output only one of the sound effects.

[0238] Therefore, the sound effect output control unit 109 may have a configuration that performs priority control when multiple particle objects are placed in the game space, in order to give the sound effects an overall sense of unity and to reduce the processing load related to the output control of sound effects.

[0239] Specifically, in this case, if multiple particle objects of different types are placed in the game space, the sound effect output control unit 109 refers to the priority information defined in the particle information for each type of particle object stored in the particle information storage unit 148.

[0240] The sound effect output control unit 109 then determines which sound effects to output (and which sound effects not to output) based on the referenced priority information, determines the volume or pitch of each sound effect, or determines both, and executes sound effect output control processing according to the determined content.

[0241] For example, as shown in Figure 9, if priority information is stored indicating that explosion particle objects have a higher priority than smoke particle objects, and both smoke and fire particle objects are placed, the sound effect output control unit 109 executes sound effect output control processing to stop outputting the sound effect associated with the smoke particle object and output the sound effect associated with the explosion particle object.

[0242] Figure 9 shows an example where three smoke particle objects (priority: 5th) and one explosion particle object (priority: 1st) are placed in the game space.

[0243] On the other hand, the sound effect output control unit 109 may set a priority during the particle object placement control process, instead of using pre-stored priority information.

[0244] In this case, the sound effect output control unit 109 may execute sound effect output control processing based on the set priority order.

[0245] For example, the sound effect output control unit 109 performs priority processing to determine the priority of each particle object to be placed, depending on the distance to the virtual camera or the player character that is the target of the game event, the screen occupancy ratio of each particle object, the relationship or type of other particle objects, and the game situation.

[0246] (Sound effect combination control) When multiple particle objects are placed in the game space, the sound effect output control unit 109 may, as part of the sound effect output control process, refer to the corresponding timbre information of each placed particle object and control the output of each timbre combination corresponding to each particle object as a sound effect.

[0247] In other words, the sound effect output control unit 109 of this embodiment has a configuration that performs sound effect combination control in order to reduce the processing required to output each sound effect associated with a particle object.

[0248] Specifically, each sound effect information includes timbre information indicating the timbre of the particle object, and the sound effect output control unit 109 controls the output of each timbre combination corresponding to each particle object as a sound effect, depending on the distance to the virtual camera or the player character targeted by the game event, the screen occupancy ratio of each particle object, the relationship or type of other particle objects, and the game situation.

[0249] For example, as shown in FIG. 10, in the sound effect output control process, when arranging a plurality of particle objects of the same type in multiple game spaces, the sound effect output control unit 109 identifies one of the sound effects, sums the sizes of the object parameters, and performs output control to output a sound effect corresponding to the summed size.

[0250] Note that FIG. 10 shows a case where three identical flame particle objects (mountain shape) are arranged in the game space. The sound effect of the flame particle object (mountain shape) 1 is adopted, and the volume is controlled based on the sum of the sizes of all the flame particle objects (mountain shape).

[0251] Also, for example, when a player character attacks an enemy character with a sword having a flame attribute, the arrangement of the flame particle object and the metal particle object is controlled. In this case, the sound effect output control unit 109 outputs a combination of the flame sound effect and the metal sound effect.

[0252] When arranging a plurality of particle objects of different types in multiple game spaces, the sound effect output control unit 109 combines different sound effects, performs parameter control on the combined sound effects, and provides them to the corresponding terminal device 20.

[0253] (Distribution Situation Sound Effect Control) When a plurality of particle objects are arranged in the game space, as a sound effect output control process, the sound effect output control unit 109 (B1) detects the distribution situation of the plurality of particle objects in the game space, (B2) sets the plurality of particle objects as one object group based on the detected distribution situation, (B3) performs output control of the sound effect for each object group.

[0254] In other words, the sound effect output control unit 109 sets multiple particle objects as a single object group based on the distribution of each particle object placed in the game space, and adjusts and outputs a sound effect (sound effect 1) for each of the object groups.

[0255] Specifically, the sound effect output control unit 109 controls the sound effect output control process as a sound effect for one object of each type, based on the distribution status of each type of particle object that is placed.

[0256] In particular, the sound effect output control unit 109 detects the distribution of multiple particle objects in the game space, such as the number of particles of multiple identical particle objects, or the number of particles relative to the size of the particle object (so-called density).

[0257] The sound effect output control unit 109 then adjusts the sound effects associated with multiple identical particle objects based on the detected distribution, and provides the adjusted sound effects to the corresponding terminal device 20.

[0258] Furthermore, the sound effect output control unit 109 performs adjustments to the volume, playback duration, pitch, timbre balance, or combinations thereof of the sound effect based on the distribution status.

[0259] For example, as shown in Figure 11, when multiple particle objects of the same type are placed in the game space, the sound effect output control unit 109 detects the number of particles in each particle object as a distribution.

[0260] Figure 11 shows an example where three identical flame particle objects (mountain-shaped) are placed in the game space, the sound effect of flame particle object (mountain-shaped) 1 is used, and its volume is controlled based on the total number of particles of all flame particle objects (mountain-shaped).

[0261] Furthermore, the sound effect output control unit 109 sets each particle object as an object group, and sets a sound effect for the object group that has the same volume as the sound effect of one particle object having the same number of particles as the object group.

[0262] The sound effect output control unit 109 then provides the set sound effect to the corresponding terminal device 20.

[0263] The sound effect output control unit 109 may also determine, based on the number of particle objects arranged in the distribution, whether to control the output of sound effects associated with multiple particle objects collectively or to control the output of each sound effect individually.

[0264] In other words, if the sound effect output control unit 109 has a distribution of many particle objects (for example, four or more), it may manage these as a group of particles and perform distribution control on the sound effect.

[0265] [4.5] Provision of sound effect output control data Next, the process for providing sound effect output control data according to this embodiment will be described.

[0266] The information provision unit 111 generates various game information (information related to game progress) and provides it to the terminal device 20 in order to allow the terminal device 20 to process the game.

[0267] In other words, during the game, the information provision unit 111 provides the terminal device 20 with various game information related to game control and display, along with sound effect output control data for outputting sound effects that are assigned to particle objects and whose parameters are controlled.

[0268] In particular, when the sound effects to be output on each terminal device 20 are set for each player, the information providing unit 111 provides sound effect output data corresponding to each terminal device 20 respectively.

[0269] When the terminal device 20 receives the sound effect output control data, it outputs a sound effect based on the sound effect output control data.

[0270] [5] Operations in this embodiment Next, the operation of the sound effect control process associated with the placement of particle objects executed by the server device 10 of this embodiment will be described using FIG. 12.

[0271] Note that FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the sound effect control process associated with the placement of particle objects executed by the server device 10 of this embodiment.

[0272] This operation is an operation when a given game is in progress and an instruction to start a given game event is received, and is an operation executed for each player.

[0273] Also, in this operation, it is assumed that predetermined particle information is stored in the particle information storage unit 148 for each type.

[0274] Note that this operation is a sound effect control process including the placement control process of particle objects, and for other objects such as object objects including terrain and character objects including player characters, it is assumed that they have already been formed or the processes for separately forming them have been executed.

[0275] First, when the object placement control unit 104 receives an instruction to place a particle object (step S101), it identifies the type of the particle object included in the placement instruction (step S102).

[0276] Next, the object placement control unit 104 identifies the corresponding particle information stored in the particle information storage unit 148 according to the type of particle identified (step S103).

[0277] Next, the object placement control unit 104 defines object parameters and particle parameters according to the game situation, etc., while referring to the identified particle information (step S104).

[0278] Next, the sound effect output control unit 109 acquires sound effect information based on the identified particle information (step S105).

[0279] Next, the object placement control unit 104 places the identified particle object in the game space and starts controlling the movement of each particle, while the sound effect output control unit 109 starts executing sound effect output control processing to control the output of the sound effect defined in the identified sound effect information based on the identified particle parameters (i.e., object parameters and particle parameters) (step S106), and then terminates this operation.

[0280] Furthermore, when the particle object placement and particle movement control is initiated, and the sound effect output control processing is initiated, the information provision unit 111 generates the respective control data and transmits it to the corresponding terminal device 20, for example, in a streaming format.

[0281] [6] Variant In this embodiment, the sound effect control process associated with the placement of particle objects is implemented by executing a game provided by the server device 10 on the terminal device 20. However, it may also be implemented by a single game device equipped with the functions of the server device 10, that is, a standalone device that operates independently without relying on other devices such as a server device.

[0282] In this case, to make the game enjoyable for multiple players, one can simply provide multiple input terminal devices.

[0283] Furthermore, it is also possible to connect multiple standalone game devices via wired or wireless connections, with one game device functioning as a server device 10, and to implement this using multiple game devices.

[0284] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the server device 10, which operates in conjunction with the terminal device 20 via a network, is made to perform sound effect control processing associated with the placement of the particle objects in this embodiment. However, it can also be applied to tablet-type information terminal devices, personal computers, or game devices installed in amusement parks.

[0285] [7] Others The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible. For example, terms cited in the specification or drawings as broad or synonymous terms can be replaced with broad or synonymous terms in other descriptions in the specification or drawings. Although this embodiment describes it as an input method for an RPG game, it can also be used in other games such as competitive games or simulation games.

[0286] Furthermore, in this embodiment, each game may be provided to the terminal device 20 by a single server device 10, or a server system may be constructed by linking multiple server devices 10 together to provide each game to the terminal device.

[0287] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the game provided by the server device 10 is executed by the terminal device 20, but the functions of the processing unit 100 of the server device 10 and the execution of the game program may also be performed by the terminal device 20.

[0288] The present invention includes configurations that are substantially identical to those described in the embodiments (for example, configurations with the same function, method, and result, or configurations with the same purpose and effect). Furthermore, the present invention includes configurations in which non-essential parts of the configurations described in the embodiments are replaced. Furthermore, the present invention includes configurations that produce the same effects or achieve the same purpose as those described in the embodiments. Furthermore, the present invention includes configurations that add known technology to the configurations described in the embodiments.

[0289] As described above, embodiments of the present invention have been explained in detail, but it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications are possible without substantially departing from the novel aspects and effects of the present invention. Therefore, all such modifications are included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0290] 1: Game System 10: Server device 20: Terminal device 100: Processing Unit 101: Communication Control Unit 102: Web Processing Unit 103: Game Management Department 104: Object Placement Control Unit 105: Input reception processing unit 106: Game Calculation Unit 107: Virtual Camera Control Unit 108: Image generation unit 109: Sound effect output control unit 110: Timer Management Department 111: Information provision department 120: Input section 130: Display section 140: Storage section 142: Main memory 144: Game data storage unit 146: Player Information Storage Unit 148: Particle Information Storage Unit 180: Information storage medium 196: Communications Department 200: Processing Unit 201: Input Reception Section 202: Game Processing Unit 211: Web browser 220: Drawing section 230: Sound Processing Unit 260: Input section 262: Detection unit 270: Storage section 271: Main memory 272: Image buffer 280: Information storage medium 290: Display section 292: Sound output section 296: Communications Department

Claims

1. A game system that generates particle objects in the game space, which are objects with visual effects and are composed of multiple moving particles, in conjunction with a given game event. A management means for managing a storage means that stores sound effect information, which defines sound effect information related to the game, for each of the aforementioned particle objects, A placement control means that performs a placement control process to place the particle object in the game space based on particle parameters that indicate the parameters of the particles constituting the particle object, When the particle object is placed in the game space, an output control processing means executes a sound effect output control process to control the output of the sound effect of the particle object based on the particle parameters and the sound effect information, Equipped with, A game system characterized in that the particle parameter is at least one particle parameter from among the parameters that define the shape of the particle, the size of the particle, the number of the particle, the movement of the particle, the coordinates of the particle in game space, the display time of the particle, and the color of the particle.

2. In the game system described in claim 1, The output control processing means A game system that controls the volume, playback time, pitch, and timbre of a sound effect based on the particle parameters, as part of the sound effect output control process.

3. In the game system described in claim 1, The output control processing means As part of the sound effect output control process, if multiple particle objects are placed in the game space, the game system executes a sound effect output control process to control the output of the sound effect associated with each particle object, based on the priority set for each particle object.

4. In the game system described in claim 1, The aforementioned sound effect information includes timbre information indicating the timbre of the particle object. The output control processing means A game system that, when multiple particle objects are placed in the game space, controls the output of sound effects by referring to the corresponding timbre information of each placed particle object and outputting the respective timbre combinations as sound effects.

5. A game system that generates particle objects in the game space, which are objects with visual effects and are composed of multiple moving particles, in conjunction with a given game event. A management means for managing a storage means that stores sound effect information, which defines sound effect information related to the game, for each of the aforementioned particle objects, A placement control means that performs a placement control process to place the particle object in the game space based on at least one of the particle parameters, which are object parameters that indicate the parameters of the particle object as a whole, and particle parameters that indicate the parameters of the particles that constitute the particle object. Output control processing means for determining the sound effect information according to the particle object being placed in the game space, and for controlling the output of the sound effect defined in the determined sound effect information based on the particle parameters, when the particle object is placed in the game space. Equipped with, The output control processing means, When multiple particle objects are placed in the game space, the sound effect output control process is performed as follows: The distribution of the multiple particle objects in the game space is detected, Based on the detected distribution, multiple particle objects are set as a single object group. A game system characterized by controlling the output of the aforementioned sound effect for each group of objects.

6. In the game system described in claim 5, The output control processing means, A game system that controls the sound effect output control process based on the distribution of the particle objects being placed.

7. In the game system described in claim 5, The output control processing means, A game system that determines, based on the distribution status, the number of particle objects that have been placed, whether to control the output of the sound effects associated with the multiple particle objects collectively or to control the output of the sound effects individually.

8. In the game system according to claim 1 or 5, The aforementioned arrangement control means A game system that controls the placement of particle objects in association with the game event character that triggered the aforementioned game event.

9. In the game system according to claim 1 or 5, The aforementioned game space is a space in which multiple player characters, each controlled by multiple players, can act. The output control processing means, A game system that executes the sound effect output control process for each of the aforementioned players.

10. In the game system described in claim 9, The output control processing means, A game system that, as the sound effect output control process for each player, executes control to prioritize the output of sound effects corresponding to the particle object associated with the player character controlled by each player to the corresponding player.

11. In the game system according to claim 1 or 5, The system further includes a reference position setting means for setting a given reference position, The aforementioned arrangement control means A depth measurement process is performed to measure the depth from the reference position to the object placed in the game space. Based on the measured depth, a sound field condition detection process is performed to detect the sound field condition relative to the reference position. A game system that executes the placement control process for placing particle objects based on the detected sound field conditions and the particle parameters.

12. In the game system according to claim 11, The aforementioned arrangement control means A game system that executes the placement control process for placing particle objects based on the detected sound field conditions, the occurrence status of the game event, and the particle parameters.

13. In the game system described in claim 1, A game system in which the particle parameters are defined by a combination of two or more particle parameters, each of which defines the shape of the particle, the size of the particle, the number of particles, the movement of the particle, the coordinates of the particle in game space, the display time of the particle, and the color of the particle.

14. A program that generates a particle object in the game space, which is an object having visual effects in conjunction with a given game event, and is composed of multiple moving particles. A management means for managing a storage means that stores sound effect information, which defines sound effect information related to the game, associated with each particle object. A placement control means that performs a placement control process to place the particle object in the game space based on particle parameters that indicate the parameters of the particles constituting the particle object, and Output control processing means that, when the particle object is placed in the game space, executes sound effect output control processing to control the output of sound effects of the particle object based on the particle parameters and the sound effect information, To make the computer function as, A program characterized in that the particle parameter is at least one particle parameter from among the parameters that define the shape of the particle, the size of the particle, the number of the particle, the movement of the particle, the coordinates of the particle in game space, the display time of the particle, and the color of the particle.

15. A program that generates a particle object in the game space, which is an object having visual effects in conjunction with a given game event, and is composed of multiple moving particles. A management means for managing a storage means that stores sound effect information, which defines sound effect information related to the game, associated with each particle object. A placement control means that performs a placement control process to place the particle object in the game space based on at least one of the particle parameters, which are object parameters that indicate the parameters of the particle object as a whole, and particle parameters that indicate the parameters of the particles that constitute the particle object, and Output control processing means that, when the particle object is placed in the game space, identifies the sound effect information according to the placed particle object and performs sound effect output control processing to control the output of the sound effect defined in the identified sound effect information based on the particle parameters, To make the computer function as, The output control processing means, When multiple particle objects are placed in the game space, the sound effect output control process is performed as follows: The distribution of the multiple particle objects in the game space is detected, Based on the detected distribution, multiple particle objects are set as a single object group. A program characterized by controlling the output of the aforementioned sound effect for each group of objects.

Images