Video game apparatus, game progress method and game progress program

• US 20020198045A1
• Filed: 06/17/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, Inc. (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Okubo, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,192,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/88 Mini-games executed independently while main games are being loaded
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6036 for offering a minigame in combination with a main game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games

Abstract

A game progress program is provided that allows a player to play an interesting secondary game while the main program and associated data are being loaded, without increasing the amount of data to be stored. While the main program and associated data are being loaded into the RAM, the background sound output controller reads the background sound data from the background sound data storage unit and outputs background sounds from the speaker, and the operation sound output controller receives player operations via the first key, second key and fourth key located on the controller, reads out from the operation sound data storage unit the operation sound data associated with each key, and outputs operation sounds from the speaker.

Claims

1. A video game apparatus comprising:

storage means for reading in and storing a main program and associated data for performing a main game; and

secondary game execution means for executing a secondary game different from the main game using a part of the main program and associated data for the main program that were read into the storage means.

2. The video game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage means stores a part of the main program for executing the secondary game in a resident area.

3. The video game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operation member operable by a player to input operation instructions, wherein the secondary game execution means comprises:

background sound output means for outputting background sounds while the main program and associated data for the main program are being loaded; and

operation sound output means for outputting prescribed operation sounds corresponding to the operations input by the player using the operation member.

4. The video game apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the storage means stores sound source data used to output the background sounds in a resident area.

5. The video game apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the storage means stores sound source data used to output the operation sounds in a resident area.

6. A game progress method for causing a main game to progress using a video game apparatus including a storage unit, the method comprising the steps of:

reading in and storing a main program and associated data for the main game; and

executing a secondary game different from the main game using a part of the main program and associated data for the main program that were read into the storage means.

7. The game progress method according to claim 6, wherein a part of the main program for executing the secondary game is stored in a resident storage area.

8. The game progress method according to claim 6, wherein the video game apparatus further comprises an operation member operable by a player to input operation instructions, and the secondary game is executed by outputting background sounds while loading the main program and associated data for the main program, and outputting prescribed operation sounds corresponding to the operations input by the player using the operation member.

9. The game progress method according to claim 8, wherein sound source data used to output the background sounds are stored in a resident storage area.

10. The game progress method according to claim 8, wherein sound source data used to output the operation sounds are stored in a resident storage area.

11. A game progress program for causing a main game to progress, wherein the program causes a video game apparatus to function:

as storage means that reads in and stores a main program for executing a main game and associated data for the main program; and

as secondary game execution means for executing a secondary game different from the main game, using a part of the main program and associated data that were read into the storage means.

12. The game progress program according to claim 11, wherein the storage means stores a part of the main program for executing the secondary game in a resident area.

13. The game progress program according to claim 11, wherein the video game apparatus comprises an operation member used by a player to input operation instructions, and the secondary game execution means comprises:

background sound output means for outputting background sounds while the main program and associated data for the main program are being loaded; and

operation sound output means for outputting prescribed operation sounds that correspond to the operations input by the player using the operation members.

14. The game progress program according to claim 13, wherein the storage means stores the sound source data used to output the background sounds in a resident area.

15. The game progress program according to claim 13, wherein the storage means stores the sound source data used to output the operation sounds in a resident area.

17. The recording medium according to claim 16, wherein the storage means stores a part of the main program for executing the secondary game in a resident area.

18. The recording medium according to claim 16, wherein the video game apparatus comprises an operation member used by a player to input operation instructions, and the secondary game execution means comprises:

background sound output means for outputting background sounds while the main program and associated data for the main program are being loaded; and

operation sound output means for outputting prescribed operation sounds that correspond to the operations input by the player using the operation members.

19. The recording medium according to claim 18, wherein the storage means stores the sound source data used to output the background sounds in a resident area.

20. The recording medium according to claim 18, wherein the storage means stores the sound source data used to output the operation sounds in a resident area.

16. A recording medium storing a game progress program for causing a main game to progress, wherein the program causes a video game apparatus to function:

as storage means that reads in and stores a main program for executing a main game and associated data for the main program; and

as secondary game execution means for executing a secondary game different from the main game, using a part of the main program and associated data that were read into the storage means.