Game controller simulating a musical instrument

• US 7,459,624 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2007
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Daniel A., Egozy, Eran, LoPiccolo, Gregory B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher; Marlon T
• Application Number:
  US11/683,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20070234885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 84/477.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/342 for guitar-like instruments with or without strings and with a neck on which switches or string-fret contacts are used to detect the notes being played electric guitars in which the tones are generated by the vibration of strings G10H3/18
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/091 for performance evaluation, i.e. judging, grading or scoring the musical qualities or faithfulness of a performance, e.g. with respect to pitch, tempo or other timings of a reference performance
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/135 Musical aspects of games or videogames; Musical instrument-shaped game input interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/135 Spint guitar, i.e. guitar-like instruments in which the sound is not generated by vibrating strings, e.g. guitar-shaped game interfaces

Abstract

A simulated musical instrument may be used to alter the audio of a video game, the video aspects of video game, or both. Use of a controller simulating a musical instrument allows a rhythm-action game can be enjoyed in a manner closer to a realistic state of playing an instrument.

Claims

1. A method for providing realistic interaction by a player with a music-based video game using a game controller simulating a guitar and having a strum bar and a plurality of fret buttons, the method comprising:

a) displaying to a player first target musical data associated with a musical composition;

b) receiving first music performance input from the player comprising activation of a first one of a plurality of fret buttons and a strum bar;

c) displaying to a player second target musical data associated with the musical composition, the second target musical data visually indicating to a player that the musical event represented by the second target musical data is amenable to a hammer-on technique;

d) receiving second music performance input from the player consisting essentially of activation of a second one of a plurality of fret buttons.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises displaying to a player first target musical data associated with a musical composition, the first target musical data disposed along a musical time axis that does not lie in the image plane of a display associated with the player.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises displaying to a player second target musical data associated with a musical composition, the second target musical data disposed along a musical time axis that does not lie in the image plane of a display associated with the player.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises displaying to a player second target musical data associated with a musical composition, the second target musical data having a visual appearance different from that of the first target musical data.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein step (c) comprises displaying to a player second target musical data comprising a shape different from that of the first target musical data.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein step (c) comprises displaying to a player second target musical data with a color different from that of the first target musical data.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of reproducing a portion of the musical composition in response to the received second music performance input.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of altering a characteristic of the music-based video game in response to the received second music performance input.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of altering comprises altering a gameplay characteristic of the music-based video game in response to the second musical performance input.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the altered gameplay characteristic is selected from the group consisting of score bonus, star power, player score, character health, character money, in-game power-ups, and crowd excitement.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying to a player third target musical data associated with the musical composition.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of receiving third music performance input from the player consisting essentially of activation of one of the plurality of fret buttons.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of receiving third music performance input from the player consisting essentially of activation of the first one of the plurality of fret buttons.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of receiving third music performance input from the player consisting essentially of deactivation of one of the plurality of fret buttons.

15. A method for providing realistic interaction by a player with a music-based video game using a game controller simulating a guitar and having a strum bar and a plurality of fret buttons, the method comprising:

a) displaying to a player first target musical data associated with a musical composition,

b) receiving first music performance input from the player comprising activation of a plurality of fret buttons and activation of a strum bar;

c) displaying to a player second target musical data associated with the musical composition, the second target musical data visually indicating to a player that the musical event represented by the second target musical data is amenable to a pull-off technique;

d) receiving second music performance input from the player consisting essentially of deactivation of one of a plurality of fret buttons.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein step (a) comprises displaying to a player first target musical data associated with a musical composition, the first target musical data disposed along a musical time axis that does not lie in the image plane of a display associated with the player.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein step (c) comprises displaying to a player second target musical data associated with a musical composition, the second target musical data disposed along a musical, time axis that does not lie in the image plane of a display associated with the player.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein step (c) comprises displaying to a player second target musical data associated with a musical composition, the second target musical data having a visual appearance different from that of the first target musical data.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein step (c) comprises displaying to a player second target musical data comprising a shape different from that of the first target musical data.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein step (c) comprises displaying to a player second target musical data with color different from that of the first target musical data.

21. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of reproducing a portion of the musical composition in response to the received second music performance input.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of altering a characteristic of the music-based video game in response to the received second music performance input

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of altering comprises altering a gameplay characteristic of the music-based video game in responses to the second musical performance input.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the altered gameplay characteristic is selected from the group consisting of score bonus, star power, player score character health, character money, in-game power-ups, and crowd excitement.

25. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of displaying to a player third target musical data associated with the musical composition.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of receiving third music performance input from the player consisting essentially of deactivation of another of the plurality of fret buttons.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of receiving third music performance input from the player consisting essentially of activation of a fret button.