Music Game Program Estimating Operation Data to Suppress Communication Delay

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Solution Overview

Problem

In multiplayer music games, communication delays cause discomfort due to asynchronous sound output among players, disrupting the real-time performance experience.

Innovation Solution

A music game program that includes a communication unit to obtain operation data from other game devices, a presentation data generation unit to create presentation data based on received data, and an estimated presentation data generation unit to estimate and generate data for unreceived data, ensuring synchronized sound output.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If real-time communication is used to transmit operation data between game devices, then multiplayer interaction is enabled, but communication delay causes asynchronous sound output and player discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemultiplayer interactionVSAvoidcommunication delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by storing operation data locally and predicting future operation data before actual communication occurs. This allows the game device to prepare presentation data in advance, reducing the perceived delay when communication data arrives later.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a copy of the communication data reception process by simulating what the operation data should be based on stored patterns. This predicted/copied data is then used to generate presentation data, allowing asynchronous operations to appear synchronous to the player.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If operation data from other game devices is obtained through communication, then multiplayer game functionality is achieved, but sound output becomes asynchronous causing player discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemultiplayer game functionalityVSAvoidsynchronization of sound output

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback by comparing received communication data with predicted operation data, and uses this comparison to adjust future predictions. This feedback mechanism improves the accuracy of predicted data over time, maintaining better synchronization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters by adjusting the prediction accuracy based on communication data reception status. When communication data is received, the system modifies its prediction parameters to align with actual player operations, maintaining sound synchronization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If prediction of unreceived operation data is performed, then sound output synchronization is improved, but accuracy of predicted data may be insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound output synchronizationVSAvoidaccuracy of predicted data

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by using only the necessary portion of prediction - enough to maintain basic synchronization - while accepting that complete accuracy cannot be achieved. This balances synchronization needs with prediction accuracy limitations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS9630094B2Non-transitory storage medium encoded with computer readable music game program with which, in playing multiplayer game through communication, uncomfortableness due to influence such as delay in communication is suppressed and operation is performed in more real-time performance environment, game device, method of controlling game device, and game system

Publication Date: 2017.04.25 NINTENDO CO LTD

AI summary

A non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable music game program, the music game program causing the one or more processors to perform including a communication unit configured to obtain from another game device through communication, data relating to operation input to another game device, a presentation data generation unit configured to generate presentation data in accordance with the operation input to the game device, an estimated presentation data generation unit configured to estimate, based on data relating to the operation input to another game device for a first portion of the music data obtained through the communication unit, presentation in accordance with the operation input to another game device for a second portion of the music data and generate estimated presentation data representing the presentation, and a game processing unit configured to perform the game process based on the presentation data and the estimated presentation data.