Fighting video game machine

• US 6,918,829 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2001
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Corporation
• Inventors: Ikariko, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Scott E.
• Application Number:
  US09/923,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20020022508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/2, 463/5, 463 7- 8, 463 30- 36, 463/47.2, 463 48- 54, 381/1, 381/17, 381/61, 382/254, 382/276, 382/293, 382/307, 382/325, 345/7, 345/8, 345/706, 345/156, 345/158, 345/418, 345/501, 345/204, 340/500, 434/237, 434/238, 434/258, 434/307.R, 434/314, 434/365, 434/247
• US Class Current: 463/5
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• 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 13/573 using trajectories of game objects, e.g. of a golf ball according to the point of impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/577 using determination of contact between game characters or objects, e.g. to avoid collision between virtual racing cars
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/643 by determining the impact between objects, e.g. collision detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6676 by dedicated player input
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

Loudspeakers 12 are arranged at left and right sides at an upper part of a game machine casing 10 provided with a monitor 11, and a loudspeaker 21 is arranged in the center of the front surface of the casing 10. A hitting sound made in a distant position is outputted as a sound effect from the loudspeakers 12, whereas a sound of a bullet hurtling through the air when the bullet passes in a near position is outputted as a sound effect from the loudspeaker 21. Accordingly, an acoustic presence in response to an attacking result from a game machine side can be given.

Claims

1. A fighting video game machine wherein an enemy character appearing in a game image is displayed at an attacking position from a viewing point of a simulated camera on a monitor launching an attack, said fighting video game machine comprising:

a detecting unit arranged to detect the position of the viewing point in a play area in front of and apart from the monitor,

a game control unit for controlling the progress of the game,

a display control unit for generating a three-dimensional image including the enemy character viewed from the viewing point of the simulated camera and displaying it on the monitor,

a first sound generator and a second sound generator arranged in different positions to produce sound output based on the enemy character,

a sound control unit for controlling a sound output from the first and second sound generators based on the enemy character, and

attacking position judging means arranged to determine whether a distance between a calculated trajectory of a bullet fired by the enemy character displayed on the monitor at the attacking position and the viewing point of the simulated camera is less than or greater than a threshold distance value,

wherein the sound control unit is coupled to said attacking position judging means and arranged to cause a sound to be outputted from the first sound generator when the distance between the calculated trajectory of the fired bullet and the viewing point is determined by the attacking position judging means to be greater than the threshold value and to cause the sound to be outputted from the second sound generator when the distance is determined by the attacking position judging means to be less than the threshold value.

2. A fighting video game machine according to claim 1, wherein the first sound generator is arranged in a position distant from the play area and the second sound generator is arranged in a position proximate to the play area.

3. A fighting video game machine according to claim 1, wherein the attack is shooting, the sound control unit causes a hitting sound to be outputted from the first sound generator when the attacking position judging means determines that the fired bullet has hit an obstacle displayed before the viewing point of the simulated camera while causing a sound hurtling through the air to be outputted from the second sound generator when the attacking position judging means determines that the fired bullet has passed beside the viewing point of the simulated camera.

4. A fighting video game machine according to claim 3, wherein the attacking position judging means is arranged to determine that the bullet has hit the viewing point of the simulated camera, and the sound control unit causes a target-hitting sound to be outputted from the second sound generator when the attacking position judging means makes such a determination.

5. A fighting video game machine according to claim 1, wherein the attack is shooting, the sound control unit causes a hitting sound to be outputted from the first sound generator when the attacking position judging means determines that the fired bullet has hit an obstacle displayed at a distance before the viewing point of the simulated camera while causing a hitting sound to be outputted from the second sound generator when the attacking position judging means determines that the fired bullet has hit an obstacle displayed right before the viewing point of the simulated camera.

6. A fighting video game machine according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit comprises a head detecting unit arranged to detect a position of the head of a game player in the play area along a left-right direction of said fighting video game machine such that the head detecting unit detects the position of the game player'"'"'s head during linear movement of the game player.

7. A fighting video game machine according to claim 6, wherein the second sound generator includes two loudspeakers provided at different respective positions along the left-right direction of the fighting video game machine.

8. A fighting video game machine according to claim 7, wherein the sound control unit controls the outputted sound volumes of the loudspeakers depending upon the detected position of a head of the player along the left-right direction.

9. A fighting video game machine according to claim 6, further comprising an image control unit for performing calculation of coordinates of the enemy characters when viewed from the viewing point of the simulated camera.

10. A fighting video game machine according to claim 9, wherein a head position detected by the head detecting unit is transmitted to the game control unit as viewing point information of the simulated camera so that the viewing point of the simulated camera is changed as to correspond to the position of the game player'"'"'s head.

11. A fighting video game machine according to claim 10, wherein the viewing point of the simulated camera substantially coincides with the eyes of the game player.

12. A fighting video game machine according to claim 6, wherein a head position detected by the head detecting unit is transmitted to the game control unit as viewing point information of the simulated camera so that the viewing point of the simulated camera is changed to correspond to the position of the game player'"'"'s head.

13. A fighting video game machine according to claim 1, wherein the first sound generator is arranged at a position higher than the monitor while the second sound generator is arranged at a position lower than the monitor.

14. A fighting video game machine according to claim 1, wherein the first sound generator includes a single loudspeaker provided substantially at a central position along a left-right direction of said fighting video game machine and the second sound generator includes a pair of loudspeakers provided above the monitor and left and right sides of the monitor, respectively.

15. A fighting video game machine according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit comprises a head detecting unit which is arranged to transmit waves into an area occupied by the game player while playing the video game machine and receive waves reflected by the game player and determine the position of the head of the game player based on the received waves.

16. A fighting video game machine according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit comprises a head detecting unit which is arranged to periodically detect the position of the head of the game player while allowing linear movement of the game player in a left-right direction of the video game machine.

17. A fighting video game machine according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit comprises a head detecting unit arranged to detect a position of the head of a game player in the play area relative to the monitor and along a left-right direction of said fighting video game machine such that the head detecting unit detects the position of the game player'"'"'s head during linear movement of the game player relative to the monitor.

18. A fighting video game machine wherein an enemy character appearing in a game image is displayed at an attacking position from a viewing point of a simulated camera on a monitor launching an attack, said fighting video game machine comprising:

a detecting unit for detecting the position of the viewing point in a play area in front of and apart from the monitor,

a display control unit for generating a three-dimensional image including the enemy character viewed from the viewing point of the simulated camera and displaying it on the monitor,

a first sound generator arranged at a first position for outputting the sound based on the enemy character;

a second sound generator arranged at a second position for outputting the sound in accordance with the based on the enemy character, said first position being more distant from the play area than the second position,

a sound control unit for controlling an output of a sound from the first and second sound generators according to an attacking position of the enemy character, and

attacking position judging means arranged to determine whether a distance between an attacked position by the attack of the enemy character displayed on the monitor and the viewing point of the simulated camera is less than or greater than a threshold distance value,

wherein the sound control unit is coupled to said attacking position judging means and arranged to cause a sound to be outputted from the first sound generator when the distance is greater than the threshold distance value and to cause a sound to be outputted from the second sound generator when the distance is less than the threshold distance value.

19. A fighting video game machine wherein an enemy character appearing in a game image is displayed at an attacking position from a viewing point of a simulated camera on a monitor launching an attack, the viewing point being situated in front of and apart from the monitor, said fighting video game machine comprising:

a game control unit for controlling progress of the game,

an image control unit for performing calculation of coordinates of the enemy characters when viewed from the viewing point of the simulated camera;

a head detecting unit arranged to detect a position of a head of a game player in the play area along a left-right direction of said fighting video game machine such that the head detecting unit detects the position of the game player'"'"'s head during linear movement of the game player;

a head position detected by the head detector is transmitted to the game control unit as viewing point information of the simulated camera so that the viewing point of the simulated camera is changed as to correspond to the position of the game player'"'"'s head;

a first sound generator provided at a first position for outputting the sound in accordance with the attacking position;

a second sound generator provided at a second position for outputting the sound in accordance with the attacking position;

said first position being more distant from the play area than the second position,

a sound control unit for controlling an output of a sound from the first and second sound generators according to an attacking position of the enemy character, and

attacking position judging means for determining whether a distance between an attacked position by the attack of the enemy character displayed on the monitor and the viewing point of the simulated camera is less than or greater than a threshold distance value,

wherein the sound control unit is coupled to the attacking position judging means and arranged to cause a sound to be outputted from the first sound generator when the distance is greater than the threshold distance value and to cause a sound to be outputted from the second sound generator when the distance is less than the threshold distance value.

20. A fighting video game machine according to claim 19, wherein the head detecting unit is arranged to detect the position of the head of a game player in the play area relative to the monitor such that the head detecting unit detects the position of the game player'"'"'s head during linear movement of the game player relative to the monitor.