MUSIC-BASED VIDEO GAME WITH USER PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE

• US 20110028214A1
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Chrzanowski, Michael J. JR., Hilliker, Jonathan L., Bright, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,696,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/35
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/847 Cooperative playing, e.g. requiring coordinated actions from several players to achieve a common goal
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console
• 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 1/40 Rhythm
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/076 for extraction of timing, tempo; Beat detection tempo display G10H2220/081; tempo control G10H2210/375
• 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 2220/145 Multiplayer musical games, e.g. karaoke-like multiplayer videogames
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/201 for movement interpretation, i.e. capturing and recognizing a gesture or a specific kind of movement, e.g. to control a musical instrument
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/395 Acceleration sensing or accelerometer use, e.g. 3D movement computation by integration of accelerometer data, angle sensing with respect to the vertical, i.e. gravity sensing. conductor baton movement sensing G10H2220/206, angle sensing without reference to gravity G10H2220/391; player body joint angle sensing G10H2220/321

Abstract

A music-based video game additionally evaluates a game player'"'"'s physical performance. The game player'"'"'s physical performance is evaluated in some embodiments by determining if an indication of controller movement matches predefined patterns while the game player responds to instructive cues to operate a representation of a musical instrument. A representation of a musician may be provided, with the game player to mimic movements of the representation of the musician. The game player may be provided additional points for properly responding to instructive cues while moving in predefined manners.

Claims

1. A method of evaluating game player movement in a music-based video game, comprising:

commanding presentation of instructive cues for operation of a controller;

determining compliance with the instructive cues by a first game player operating the controller;

recording information indicative of movement of the first game player;

determining if information indicative of movement of a second game player matches the information indicative of movement of the first game player; and

commanding presentation of feedback to at least the second game player based on extent of matching of the indication of movement of the second game player movement and the information indicative of the first game player movement.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information indicative of movement of the first game player is information indicative of movement of a controller operated by the first game player.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the information indicative of movement of the second game player is information indicative of movement of a controller operated by the second game player.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the feedback to at least the second game player comprises a score.

5. A system for use in providing for music-based video game play, the system comprising:

a processor configured by program instructions to;

command presentation of instructive cues for operation of input devices of a controller;

determine extent of compliance by a game player with the instructive cues based on signals from the controller;

command presentation of feedback to the game player as to extent of compliance with the instructive cues;

command storage of information indicative of movement of the game player;

compare information indicative of movement of another game player with the information indicative of movement of the game player; and

command presentation of feedback to the other game player as to an extent of matching of the information indicative of movement of the other game player with the information indicative of movement of the game player.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a display for displaying the instructive cues and the feedback to the game player and the feedback to the other game player.

7. The system of claim 5 further comprising the controller, the controller having the input devices, and a further controller.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the controller and the further controller each include at least one accelerometer, the information indicative of movement of the game player being based on output of the at least one accelerometer of the controller and the information indicative of movement of the other game player being based on output of the at least one accelerometer of the further controller.

9. A method of evaluating game player movement in a music-based video game, comprising:

commanding presentation of instructive cues for operation of a controller;

determining compliance by a game player operating the controller with the instructive cues;

commanding presentation of audio associated with a musical piece based on compliance with the instructive cues;

determining if an indication of game player movement matches a predefined movement pattern repeating in time with a beat of the musical piece; and

commanding presentation of feedback to the game player as to the extent of compliance with the instructive cues and extent of matching of game player movement with the predefined movement pattern repeating in time with the beat of the musical piece.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the indication of game player movement is an indication of controller movement.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the feedback to the game player comprises a score.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the controller is in the shape of a musical instrument.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the controller is in the shape of a guitar.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the indication of controller movement is based on outputs of at least one accelerometer in the controller.

15. A method performed by a processor configured by program instructions, the method comprising:

commanding presentations for game play of a music-based video game, the presentations including instructive cues for operation by a game player of at least some input devices of a controller and feedback to a game player as to compliance with the instructive cues;

determining if information indicative of position of the controller indicates that the controller is behind a head of the game player; and

increasing a measure of feedback to the game player if the information indicative of position of the controller indicates that the controller is behind the head of the game player.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the information indicative of position of the controller is based on output of at least one accelerometer of the controller.