Game software and game machine

• US 7,037,197 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Konami Corporation (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Corporation (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US10/673,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20040077405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 463 30- 38, 463 43- 44
• US Class Current: 463/30
• 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 13/54 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 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• 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 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images

Abstract

A process for controlling sound producing produces predetermined sound according to a distance between a position for obtaining an invisible item and an operation character, to be computed by process for computing item distance, and outputs from sound output means. A process for obtaining invisible item executes a processing for obtaining invisible item for a corresponding operation character in such a state that the distance becomes a predetermined value or lower. Then, the perception of a player through hearing sense concerning acquisition of an item can be introduced as an element of the game. So, the player can search the item with assistance of predetermined sound produced, thereby increasing a fun of the game.

Claims

1. Game software being embodied in a computer readable medium for instructing a computer to execute the following processes, comprising:

a process for producing a virtual game space, wherein an operation character can move by instruction of a controller connected with said computer;

a process for setting a position for obtaining an invisible item which can be obtained by said operation character in said virtual game space;

a process for computing item distance;

in said virtual game space between said operation character and said invisible item set at said position for obtaining;

a process for producing predetermined sound according to the distance computed by said process for computing item distance, and outputting the predetermined sound from sound output means connected with said computer;

a process for removing said invisible item from said position for obtaining when being instructed to obtain said item through said controller in such a state that said distance computed with said process for computing item distance becomes a predetermined value or lower;

a process for stopping output of said predetermined sound from said sound output means when instructed to obtain said item through said controller; and

a process for obtaining the invisible item when said distance computed by said process for computing item distance becomes said predetermined value or lower.

2. The game software according to claim 1, wherein said process for producing predetermined sound changes a style of outputting sound outputted from said sound output means according to said distance computed by said process for computing item distance.

3. The game software according to claim 1, wherein said process for setting a position for obtaining an invisible item controls said position for obtaining in said virtual game space.

4. A game machine, comprising:

means for producing a virtual game space, wherein an operation character can move by instruction of a controller connected with said game machine;

means for setting a position for obtaining an invisible item which can be obtained by said operation character in said virtual game space;

means for computing item distance, in said virtual game space between said operation character and said invisible item set at said position for obtaining;

means for producing a predetermined sound according to the distance computed by said means for computing item distance, and outputting the predetermined sound from sound output means connected with said game machine;

means for removing said invisible item from said position for obtaining when instructed to obtain said item through said controller in such a state that a distance computed with said means for computing item distance becomes a predetermined value or lower;

means for stopping output of said predetermined sound from said sound output means when instructed to obtain said item by said controller; and

means for executing processing for obtaining the invisible item when said distance computed by said means for computing item distance becomes said predetermined value or lower.