STORAGE MEDIUM STORING GAME PROGRAM, GAME DEVICE, GAME SYSTEM, AND GAME PROCESS METHOD

• US 20140206422A1
• Filed: 06/12/2013
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: ABE, Goro
• Granted Patent: US 9,539,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/7
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/076 for extraction of timing, tempo; Beat detection

Abstract

An example of a game device accepts inputs from a plurality of players to allow a game to progress. First, the game device accepts a first rhythm input by a first player. A model rhythm is generated and presented based on the first rhythm input. The game device accepts a second rhythm input by a second player. Then, the game device evaluates the second rhythm input using as a reference the model rhythm. Thus, by generating a model rhythm based on a rhythm which is input by a player, it is possible to provide a game with a high playability having an increased degree of freedom for the model rhythm.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a game program to be executed by a computer of a game device which accepts inputs from a plurality of players to allow a game to progress, the game program instructing the computer to execute:

accepting a first rhythm input made by a first player;

generating and presenting a model rhythm based on the first rhythm input;

accepting a second rhythm input made by a second player; and

evaluating the second rhythm input using as a reference the model rhythm.

2. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the model rhythm is generated so that a timing of the model rhythm coincides with any of one or more basic timings predetermined within a predetermined input period.

3. The storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the model rhythm is generated by correcting a timing of the first rhythm input so that the timing coincides with any of the basic timings.

4. The storage medium according to claim 2, wherein of all the input timings of the first rhythm input, any input timing that is outside a predetermined period including a basic timing therein is excluded, and the model rhythm is generated based on one or more remaining input timings.

5. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the model rhythm is generated by changing at least a tempo of the first rhythm input.

6. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein:

a timing in the model rhythm is set based on the first rhythm input; and

the evaluation is performed by comparing a timing in the model rhythm with a timing of the second rhythm input.

7. The storage medium according to claim 6, wherein:

a plurality of types of inputs are accepted as the first rhythm input;

a plurality of types of inputs are accepted as the second rhythm input;

a timing in the model rhythm is set based on a timing of an input in the first rhythm input, and a type of an input to be made at the timing in the model rhythm is set based on a type of an input in the first rhythm input; and

the comparison between a timing in the model rhythm and a timing of the second rhythm input is performed separately for each type of input.

8. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein:

a third rhythm input by the second player is further accepted after the evaluation of the second rhythm input using as a reference the model rhythm based on the first rhythm input;

a model rhythm is further generated and presented based on the third rhythm input;

a fourth rhythm input by the first player is further accepted after the model rhythm is generated based on the third rhythm input; and

the fourth rhythm input is evaluated using as a reference the model rhythm based on the third rhythm input.

9. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein:

the game device is capable of accepting an input from a predetermined input device;

an input from the input device is accepted as the first rhythm input;

another input from the same input device, from which the first rhythm input is accepted, is accepted as the second rhythm input.

10. The storage medium according to claim 9, wherein:

an input from a touch panel provided on the input device is accepted as the first rhythm input; and

another input from the same touch panel, from which the first rhythm input is accepted, is accepted as the second rhythm input.

11. The storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the game program instructs the computer to further execute:

displaying an image representing the model rhythm on a screen provided together with the touch panel, and displaying the image on another display device separate from the input device.

12. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the game program instructs the computer to further execute:

displaying an image representing the model rhythm on a display device.

13. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the game program instructs the computer to further execute:

playing music during an input period in which the first rhythm input is accepted, and during another input period in which the second rhythm input is accepted.

14. A game device for accepting inputs from a plurality of players to allow a game to progress, the game device comprising:

a first input-accepting section for accepting a first rhythm input by a first player;

a model generation section for generating and presenting a model rhythm based on the first rhythm input;

a second input-accepting section for accepting a second rhythm input by a second player; and

an evaluation section for evaluating the second rhythm input using as a reference the model rhythm.

15. A game system for accepting inputs from a plurality of players to allow a game to progress, the game system comprising:

a first input-accepting section for accepting a first rhythm input by a first player;

a model generation section for generating and presenting a model rhythm based on the first rhythm input;

a second input-accepting section for accepting a second rhythm input by a second player; and

an evaluation section for evaluating the second rhythm input using as a reference the model rhythm.

16. A game process method to be carried out in a game system for accepting inputs from a plurality of players to allow a game to progress, the game process method comprising:

accepting a first rhythm input by a first player;

generating and presenting a model rhythm based on the first rhythm input;

accepting a second rhythm input by a second player; and

evaluating the second rhythm input using as a reference the model rhythm.