Game Apparatus Switching Notification and Scene-Aware Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulty in easily switching between multiple games on a game apparatus and grasping which game they have switched to, especially when switching during play, leading to confusion and poor usability.
Innovation Solution
A game apparatus configuration that displays a notification image when switching games, including a switching game notification image and an order notification image, to help users recognize the switched game and its position in a predetermined order, while also allowing for simple operation and effective screen space use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a menu is displayed to select a game, then the user can choose from multiple games, but the operation becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring the user to actively select a game from a menu, the system automatically cycles through games in reverse order of the traditional selection process. The simple directional input triggers automatic game switching, inverting the conventional menu-selection paradigm into an automatic cycling mechanism that reduces operational steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The game switching function serves itself by automatically cycling through available games without requiring user intervention for each selection. Once the user provides a simple directional input, the system autonomously manages the game switching process, eliminating the need for complex menu navigation and multiple input operations.
2Loss of information
If games are switched sequentially without notification, then the switching operation is simple, but the user cannot easily grasp which game has been switched to
Solution Approach 1:
The notification image changes its display characteristics (such as color or visibility) to indicate the current game state. When a game is switched to, the notification image provides visual feedback that helps the user immediately identify which game is currently active, using visual property changes to convey information.
Solution Approach 2:
A notification image is introduced as an intermediary element between the game switching operation and the user. This intermediate visual indicator mediates the information transfer, allowing the user to grasp which game has been switched to without adding complex operational steps, as the notification passively displays game identification information.
3Loss of information
If a notification image is always displayed during game switching, then the user can easily identify the switched game, but the title screen visibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The notification image dynamically adjusts its display state based on the game scene context. It is selectively displayed only when the current game is in the title scene, and hidden when the game is in the play scene, making the notification image's visibility dynamic rather than static. This resolves the contradiction by adapting the notification presence to the actual game state.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the interface have different quality characteristics based on the game scene. In the title scene, the notification image is prominently displayed to provide clear game identification. In the play scene, the notification is hidden to maintain full title screen visibility. This local differentiation of notification visibility resolves the contradiction between identification clarity and screen visibility.
Data Source
AI summary
In a game apparatus in which game programs for a plurality of games each including a title scene and a play scene are stored in a storage medium, a game to be executed is switched in a predetermined order by a user operating a first input device. At a time of the switching, in the case where a currently executed game is in the play scene, the game is interrupted and switching is performed to another game, and, when the game is executed again later, the game is restarted from the time of the interruption of the play scene, and a first image showing the game is displayed on a display. Meanwhile, in the case where the currently executed game is in the title scene, switching is performed to another game, and then when the game is executed again, the game is restarted from the title scene without displaying the first image.