JP2002078964A - Entertainment device, command input acceptance method and command display method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technology concerning command inputs the combination way of which is imparted with a sense of playing game. SOLUTION: An input and output screen 400 has a command and character string display area 410 displaying correspondingly commands and character strings and a character string display area 310 displaying a character string corresponding to a selected command. When a plurality of commands are selected, if the last character (n) of a first character string corresponding to a first command matches the lead character (n) of a second character string corresponding to a second command, the matching character strings are displayed in a nonoverlapping state in the character string display area 310.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an entertainment device, and more particularly to a technique for receiving a command input from a player.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION At the start of a turn, a player inputs all commands for acting in the turn, and after inputting, enters an enemy in the turn based on the input command. There is a way to play a game in which each ally acts. In this turn system, the number or type of commands that can be input in each turn is determined, and the player has input commands according to that.

In the conventional turn-based system, the development of the game is influenced by the content of the command, but the number of commands that can be input does not differ depending on the combination of the input commands. For this reason, the command input has no game characteristics.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique relating to command input in which a method of combining commands has a game property.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention performs the following processing. That is, the command and the symbol string are displayed in the first area. When the first symbol string and the second symbol string are successively displayed in the second area, the last n-digit symbol of the first symbol string is replaced with the n-digit symbol from the beginning of the second symbol string. If they match, the remaining symbol strings of the first symbol string excluding the n-digit symbols, the n-digit symbols, and the remaining symbols of the second symbol string excluding the n-digit symbols Display columns continuously.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First, a hardware configuration of an entertainment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 shows an appearance of an entertainment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This entertainment device reads out a game program stored on, for example, an optical disk such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM, and executes the program in response to an instruction from an operator (player). The execution of the game mainly refers to an operation target object (for example, a player character or the like) displayed on a display screen of a display device (such as a television) connected to the entertainment device in response to an instruction from the player. (The object to be represented) is moved, and the display and sound of the moving image are controlled in accordance with the movement, thereby proceeding with the game.

As shown in the figure, a main body 2 of the entertainment apparatus 1 has an optical disk such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM as a recording medium for supplying an application program such as a video game and multimedia data in a central portion thereof. , A reset switch 4 for resetting the game, a power switch 5, a disk operation switch 6 for operating the mounting of an optical disk, and, for example, two slot sections 7A and 7
B.

Two controllers 20 can be connected to the slots 7A and 7B, and two players can play a game such as a battle game. The slot units 7A and 7B have a memory card device 2 that can save (store) and read game data.
6, or a portable electronic device 100 that can execute a game separately from the main body 2 can be mounted.

The controller 20 includes first and second operation units 21 and 22, an L button 23L, an R button 23R,
Analog operation units 31 and 32 having a start button 24 and a selection button 25 and capable of analog operation
And a mode selection switch 33 for selecting an operation mode of the operation units 31 and 32, and a display unit 34 for displaying the selected operation mode.

As shown in FIG. 2, the analog operation units 31 and 32 are connected to a fulcrum a with respect to a predetermined axis b passing through a predetermined fulcrum a.
, And operating shafts 31a and 32a configured to be tiltable around and rotatable in a tilted state. The controller 20 detects the inclination of the operation axes 31a and 32a with respect to the axis b and the direction of the inclination, and outputs a signal corresponding to the coordinate value on the XY coordinate determined from these. This coordinate value is
As shown in FIG. 3, the value in the Y (vertical) direction is
“0” to “25” according to the vertical inclination of
The value in the X (horizontal) direction is represented by 256 values from “0” to “255” in accordance with the horizontal inclination of the operation axes 31a and 32a.

Next, FIG. 4 shows an entertainment device 1
Is shown.

1, the entertainment apparatus 1 includes a central processing unit (CPU).
Unit) 51 and a control system 50 including its peripheral devices and the like.
, A graphic system 60 including an image processing device (GPU: Graphic Processing Unit) 62 for drawing in the frame buffer 63, and a sound processing device (SPU: Sound Proc) for generating audio signals such as musical sounds and sound effects.
essing unit) 71 and other sound systems
An optical disk control unit 80 that controls an optical disk on which application programs, multimedia data, and the like are recorded; a memory card 26 that stores a signal from the controller 20 to which an instruction from a player is input, game settings, and the like; A communication control unit 90 that controls input and output of data from the portable electronic device 100 and the like, a bus BUS to which the above units are connected, and the like are provided.

The control system 50 includes a CPU 51, interrupt control, and direct memory access (DMA: Dynamic Memory).
ry Access) Peripheral device controller 52 for controlling transfer and the like
And a random access memory (RAM)
A main memory (main storage device) 53 comprising
A main memory 53, a read only memory (ROM: Read Only Memory) 54 for storing programs such as an operating system for managing the graphic system 60, the sound system 70, and the like are provided.

The CPU 51 controls the entire entertainment apparatus 1 by executing an operating system recorded in the ROM 54.
For example, it comprises a RISC-CPU.

The entertainment device 1
When the power is turned on, the CPU 51 of the control system 50
The operating system stored in the OM 54 is executed. Thus, the CPU 51 controls the graphic system 60, the sound system 70, and the like.

When the operating system is executed, the CPU 51 initializes the entire entertainment apparatus 1 such as operation check, and then controls the optical disk control section 8.
0 to execute an application program such as a game recorded on the optical disc. By executing a program such as a game, the CPU 51 controls the graphic system dem 60, the sound system 70, and the like in accordance with an input from the player to control display of an image and generation of sound effects and musical sounds.

The graphic system 60 includes a geometry transfer engine (GTE) 61 for performing processing such as coordinate conversion, and a CPU.
GPU 62 that performs drawing in accordance with a drawing instruction from 51
A frame buffer 63 for storing an image drawn by the GPU 62; and an image decoder 64 for decoding image data coded by being subjected to orthogonal transform such as discrete cosine transform.

The GTE 61 has, for example, a parallel operation mechanism for executing a plurality of operations in parallel, and performs operations such as a matrix or a vector for coordinate conversion. Specifically, this G
The TE 61 configures a virtual three-dimensional object with a set of triangular polygons, for example, when an application program such as a game recorded on an optical disk uses so-called 3D graphics. And
Various calculations for generating an image obtained by photographing the three-dimensional object with a virtual camera, that is, perspective transformation (raster of each polygon constituting the three-dimensional object is performed by virtual camera (Calculation of coordinate values when projected on the screen).

Next, the GPU 62 uses the GTE 61 as necessary according to instructions from the CPU 51,
An image is created by rendering a three-dimensional object on the frame buffer 63. Then, a video signal representing the created image is output. In addition, as a method of erasing hidden lines and hidden surfaces used for rendering, a Z buffer method, a scan line method, a ray tracing method, or the like is used. Shading techniques for shading include:
Use flat shading, Gouraud shading, ray tracing, etc. In addition, texture mapping or the like is used as a technique for expressing the surface material or pattern of the surface of the three-dimensional object.

Next, the frame buffer 63 comprises a so-called dual port RAM, so that rendering for the GPU 62 or transfer from the main memory and reading for display can be performed simultaneously. In addition, in the frame buffer 63, in addition to the image area where reading for rendering and display is performed,
A texture area in which a texture used for the texture mapping or the like is stored is provided.

Next, under the control of the CPU 51, the image decoder 64 decodes the still or moving image data stored in the main memory 53 and stores it in the main memory 53. The reproduced image data is stored in the frame buffer 63 via the GPU 62, so that the reproduced image data can be used as a background of the image rendered by the GPU 62.

Next, the sound system 70 includes the CPU 5
The SPU 71 outputs an audio signal such as a musical sound or a sound effect based on an instruction from the SPU 71, and a sound buffer 72 in which waveform data and the like are recorded by the SPU 71.

The SPU 71 performs adaptive prediction coding (ADPC
M: an ADPCM decoding function for reproducing the audio data subjected to Adaptive Differential PCM, and a sound buffer 72
A reproduction function of reproducing and outputting an audio signal such as a sound effect by reproducing the waveform data stored in the
A modulation function for modulating and reproducing waveform data stored in the sound buffer 72 is provided. By providing such a function, the sound system 70
Is a sound buffer 72 according to an instruction from the CPU 51.
Is generated so as to generate an audio signal such as a musical sound or a sound effect based on the waveform data stored therein.

Next, the optical disk control unit 80 is provided with an optical disk device 81 for reproducing programs, data, and the like recorded on the optical disk, for example, an error correction code (ECC: Erro).
r Correction Code), a decoder 82 for decoding a program or data recorded with the data added thereto, and a buffer 83 for temporarily storing data from the optical disk device 81 to speed up the reading of data from the optical disk. And The decoder 82 has a sub C
PU84 is connected.

The audio data read by the optical disc device 81 and recorded on the optical disk includes:
In addition to the above-described ADPCM data, there is so-called PCM data obtained by converting an audio signal from analog to digital. A
After the DPCM data is decoded by the decoder 82, it is supplied to the above-described SPU 71, and subjected to processing such as digital / analog conversion by the SPU 71, and then from an audio device such as an audio device connected to the entertainment device 1. It is output as musical sound, sound effect, etc. Further, the PCM data is subjected to processing such as digital / analog conversion by the SPU 71, and is similarly output from the audio device as musical sounds, sound effects, and the like.

Next, the communication control unit 90 includes a communication controller 91 for controlling communication with the CPU 51 via the bus BUS.
It has. The communication controller 91 includes an operation device connection unit 12 to which a controller 20 for inputting an instruction from the player is connected, a memory card 26 as an auxiliary storage device for storing game setting data and the like, a portable electronic device 100 And the like are provided with memory card insertion sections 8A and 8B.

The controller 20 connected to the operating device connection unit 12 receives the instruction from the player and, in accordance with the instruction from the communication controller 91, changes the states of the buttons and the operating unit by synchronous communication. It is transmitted to the communication controller 91. Then, the communication controller 91 transmits the state of each button of the controller 20 or the state of the operation unit to the CPU 51.

Thus, the instruction from the player is transmitted to the CPU.
Input to the CPU 51, the CPU 51 performs a process according to an instruction from the player based on a game program or the like being executed. Specifically, an image including the operation target object is generated in cooperation with other units of the control system 50 and the graphic system 60, and is displayed on the display screen of the display device. Then, in accordance with an instruction from the player input to the controller 20, an image in which the display position, the state, and the like of the operation target object are changed (the background is also changed as necessary) is sequentially generated and displayed on the display screen of the display device. By doing so, a moving image is generated such that the operation target object is operated according to the player's operation input to the controller 20. Also, it controls the sound and music output from the sound device in cooperation with the sound system 70 as needed.

Here, the main memory 53, the GPU 62,
It is necessary to transfer image data between the image decoder 64 and the decoder 82 at a high speed when reading a program, displaying an image, or drawing an image. Therefore, in the entertainment apparatus 1, the main memory 53, the GPU 62, and the image decoder 64 are controlled by the peripheral device control unit 52 without the intervention of the CPU 51 as described above.
A so-called DMA transfer in which data is directly transferred between the decoder 82 and the decoder 82 can be performed. Thus, the load on the CPU 51 due to data transfer can be reduced, and high-speed data transfer can be performed.

When it is necessary to store the setting data of the game being executed, the CPU 51 transmits the stored data to the communication controller 91, and transmits the stored data to the communication controller 91.
Transmits data from the CPU 51 to the memory card insertion unit 8A.
Or, the memory card 26 inserted in the 8B slot,
Write it to the portable electronic device 100 or the like.

Here, the communication controller 91 has a built-in protection circuit for preventing electrical destruction. The memory card 26, the portable electronic device 100, and the like are separated from the bus BUS, and can be detached while the power of the apparatus body is turned on. Therefore, the memory card 26,
When the storage capacity of the portable electronic device 100 or the like becomes insufficient, a new memory card or the like can be inserted without turning off the power supply of the apparatus main body. Therefore, it is possible to insert a new memory card and write necessary data to the new memory card without losing the game data that needs to be backed up.

The parallel I / O interface (P
An IO) 96 and a serial I / O interface (SIO) 97 are interfaces for connecting the memory card 26, the portable electronic device 100, and the like to the entertainment apparatus 1.

Next, one mode of receiving a command input using the entertainment apparatus 1 will be described. This command input accepting process is realized by the CPU 51 executing an application program read from the optical disc by the optical disc control unit 80, and has an internal function as shown in FIG. That is, the entertainment device 1 includes the input control unit 210, the display control unit 22
0 and a command table 240 as internal functions.

The input control unit 210 receives an input from the controller 20.

The display control unit 220 generates information to be displayed on a display device connected to the main body 2 and causes the display device to display the information. For example, information for displaying the input / output screens 300, 400, and 500 shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 on the display device is generated and displayed on the display device. Input / output screen 30
Details of 0, 400, and 500 will be described later.

FIG. 9 shows the contents of the command table 240. The command table 240 includes a command 241 and
One or more character strings 24 assigned to the command
2 are associated with each other. Here, the character string of the alphabet is associated with the command, but is not limited to this. For example, it may be a character string such as hiragana, katakana, kanji, etc. other than the alphabet, or a string of figures other than letters, figures, circles, triangles, squares, pictographs, and other symbols. Further, these may be combined with colors. Specifically, colored characters or triangles may be painted in various colors, or a part of a rectangle may be painted.

Next, the input / output screen 3 shown in FIGS.
00, 400, and 500 will be described. The command input receiving device can be applied to, for example, a battle scene that receives a turn-based input. In the turn system, a plurality of scenes called "turns" are set, and at the start of the turn, a player inputs all commands to act in the turn. After the input is completed, the turn is started, and the enemy and the ally act in the turn based on the input command. This "turn" is repeated a certain number of times to advance the game.

The input / output screen 300 shown in FIG. 6 includes a character string display area 310 for the current turn, a character string display area 320 for the previous turn, and a character string display area 3 for the next turn.
30, a command category display area 340, and a comment display area 350.

The character string display area 310 of this turn is
This is an area for displaying a character string corresponding to a command input by the player as a command to be executed in this turn. The character string display area 320 of the previous turn is an area for displaying a character string corresponding to the command executed in the previous turn. The character string display area 330 for the next turn is an area for displaying a character string corresponding to the command input by the player as a command to be executed in the next turn.
The number of characters that can be displayed in each of the character string display areas 310, 320, and 330, that is, the number of characters that can be input may be limited to a certain number. Here, for example, it is possible to display up to 10 characters. That is, a plurality of commands can be input in one turn, but the total number of those characters must be within 10 characters. However, some characters are omitted in certain cases. This will be described later.

The command category display area 340 is an area for displaying a category of commands that can be input by the player. As shown in the figure, the command category includes a moving action, an attack action, and the like. The comment display area 350
The cursor 360 in the command category display area 340 is an area for displaying an explanation of a command category or the like selected. Here, a sentence describing an operation when “moving action” is selected is displayed.

The movement of the cursor 360 and the selection input are performed by the player from the controller 20. On the input / output screen 300, first, the player selects “moving action”. When "moving action" is selected, an input / output screen 400 shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the display device.

The input / output screen 400 has a character string display area 31
It is similar to the input / output screen 300 in that the input / output screen 300 includes 0, 320, 330 and a comment display area 350. In addition, a command / character string display area 410 is provided. Here, a command related to the movement action and a character string corresponding to the command are displayed. The player inputs data from the controller 20 to the cursor 36 in the command / character string display area 410.
Move 0 to select a command.

Here, when the player selects a command, a character string corresponding to the command is displayed in the character string display area 3.
10 is displayed. FIG. 7 shows a state where “change direction” is selected.

From here, a command can be continuously selected. At this time, n characters (n is 1 or more) from the beginning of the character string of the selected command (n is 1 or more in the case of a symbol string) are replaced by n characters at the end of the character string of the command selected immediately before. If the characters match, the matching character string is not displayed in the character string display area 310 in an overlapping manner. That is, when a character string corresponding to a command selected later is displayed in the character string display area 310, the remaining character strings excluding the overlapping character strings are displayed.

For example, if “Slide” is selected after “Change direction”, “T” is displayed in the character string display area 310.
“TWG” is displayed instead of “WWG”. That is,
One overlapping "W" character is omitted. When “run” is selected further continuously, “G” is further omitted by one character, and “TWGFFG” is displayed in the character string display area 310 as shown in FIG. Or run "GF
When the dash “FFGFFF” is selected after “FG”, the three characters “FFG” are omitted, and the character string display area 3
10, "GFFFGFFF" is displayed.

If the commands are properly combined, the number of characters can be reduced. Such points are provided with game characteristics. If there is a limit on the number of characters that can be input, the number of commands may differ depending on the combination, which further enhances game characteristics.

The input / output screen 500 shown in FIG. 8 includes character string display areas 310, 320, and 330, a command category display area 340, and a comment display area 350.
This is the same as the input / output screen 300. In addition, a current status display unit 510 and a selected command display unit 520 are provided.
The current status display section 510 is an area for displaying the current status. The example in FIG. 8 indicates that the action is being input. The selected command display unit 520 displays the commands selected as the commands of the current turn from the top in the order of selection.

As a result, the number of command inputs may differ depending on how the commands are combined. As a result, the combination of commands can have game characteristics.

Further, the character string display area 3 of the previous turn
The character string displayed at 20 and the character string of this turn can also be made continuous.

[0051]

According to the present invention, a method of combining commands can be provided with game characteristics.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an appearance of an entertainment device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a controller that can be used in the entertainment device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing signals output by a controller usable in the entertainment device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an entertainment device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing one mode of a functional configuration of the entertainment device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an input / output screen in the entertainment device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an input / output screen in the entertainment device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an input / output screen in the entertainment device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a command table in the entertainment device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Entertainment device, 2 ... Main body, 20 ... Controller, 50 ... Control system, 60 ... Graphics system, 70 ... Sound system, 80 ... Optical disk control unit, 90 ... Communication control unit, 210 ... Input control unit, 220 ...
Display control unit, 230 ... command table, 300, 40
0, 500: Input / output screen.

Claims (12)

[Claims] An entertainment device connected to an input receiving device for receiving an input and a display device for displaying various information, wherein an input of a first command is received via the input receiving device, Is displayed on the display device, the input of the second command is received via the input receiving device, and the first symbol string corresponding to the second command is displayed from the beginning of the second symbol string corresponding to the second command. If the n-digit symbol matches the last n-digit symbol of the first symbol string, the second
An entertainment apparatus, comprising: a display control unit configured to continuously display the remaining symbol strings of the symbol strings except for the matching symbol in the first symbol string. 2. The entertainment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit sets an area for displaying the symbol string on the display device, and the area for displaying the symbol string includes: An entertainment device, wherein the number of digits of a displayable symbol is determined. 3. The entertainment device according to claim 1, wherein the symbol is an alphabet. 4. A method for accepting a command input in an entertainment device connected to a display device for displaying various information, the method comprising accepting an input of a first command and receiving a first command corresponding to the first command. A process of displaying a symbol string on the display device; and accepting an input of a second command, and a symbol of n digits from the beginning of the second symbol string corresponding to the second command is displayed in the first symbol string. A process of displaying the remaining symbol strings of the second symbol string, excluding the matching symbols, continuously on the first symbol string when the symbols match the last n digits. A command input receiving method characterized by performing. 5. A computer-readable recording medium recording a program for causing an entertainment device connected to a display device for displaying various information to execute a process of receiving a command input, the program comprising: A process of receiving a command input and displaying a first symbol string corresponding to the first command on the display device; and receiving a command of a second command and displaying a first symbol string corresponding to the second command. If the n-digit symbol from the beginning of the column matches the n-digit symbol at the end of the first symbol sequence, the remaining symbol sequence of the second symbol sequence excluding the matching symbol is And a process of continuously displaying the first symbol string on the recording medium. 6. A program for causing an entertainment device connected to a display device for displaying various information to execute a process of receiving a command input, the program receiving an input of a first command and responding to the first command. Displaying the first symbol string to be displayed on the display device, and accepting the input of a second command, and the n-digit symbol from the beginning of the second symbol string corresponding to the second command is the first symbol string. In the case of matching with the last n digits of the symbol string, the remaining symbol strings of the second symbol string excluding the matching symbol are displayed successively on the first symbol string. And a program for causing an entertainment apparatus to execute the processing. 7. A first area for displaying a command and a symbol string, and a command for displaying the selected symbol string among the commands and the symbol strings selected from the first area. And a second region, wherein a first symbol string and a second symbol string are provided in the second region,
When displaying continuously, when the last n-digit symbol of the first symbol string matches the n-digit symbol from the beginning of the second symbol string, the n-digit symbol of the first symbol string , The remaining symbol strings excluding the symbol, the n-digit symbol, and the remaining symbol strings of the second symbol string excluding the n-digit symbol are continuously displayed. Entertainment device. 8. A process for displaying a first area for displaying a command and a symbol string, and a step of displaying a selected symbol string among commands and symbol strings selected from the first area. When the first symbol string and the second symbol string are successively displayed in the second area for display, the last n-digit symbol of the first symbol string is replaced by the second symbol string. When the symbol matches the n-digit symbol from the beginning, the remaining symbol string excluding the n-digit symbol in the first symbol string, the n-digit symbol, and the n symbol in the second symbol string Displaying the remaining symbol strings excluding the digit symbols in a continuous manner. 9. A process for displaying a first area for displaying a command and a symbol string, and for selecting a selected symbol string among commands and symbol strings selected from the first area. When the first symbol string and the second symbol string are successively displayed in the second area for display, the last n-digit symbol of the first symbol string is replaced by the second symbol string. When the symbol matches the n-digit symbol from the beginning, the remaining symbol string excluding the n-digit symbol in the first symbol string, the n-digit symbol, and the n symbol in the second symbol string A computer-readable recording medium in which a program for causing an entertainment apparatus to execute a process of continuously displaying the remaining symbol strings excluding digit symbols is recorded. 10. A process of displaying a first area for displaying a command and a symbol string, and a step of displaying the selected symbol string among the commands and the symbol strings selected from the first area. When the first symbol string and the second symbol string are successively displayed in the second area for display, the last n-digit symbol of the first symbol string is replaced by the second symbol string. When the symbol matches the n-digit symbol from the beginning, the remaining symbol string excluding the n-digit symbol in the first symbol string, the n-digit symbol, and the n symbol in the second symbol string A program for causing an entertainment apparatus to execute a process of continuously displaying the remaining symbol strings excluding digit symbols. 11. An area for displaying a selected command, and an area for displaying a symbol string associated with the selected command, wherein the area for displaying the command includes When the first command and the second command are displayed, the last n-digit symbol of the first symbol string corresponding to the first command is changed to the second symbol string corresponding to the second command. When it matches the n-digit symbol from the beginning of the first symbol string, the remaining symbol string excluding the n-digit symbol in the first symbol string, the n-digit symbol, and the second symbol string An entertainment device for continuously displaying a remaining symbol string excluding n-digit symbols. 12. A process for displaying a first command and a second command in an area for displaying a selected command, and a process for displaying the last n digits of a first symbol string corresponding to the first command. If the symbol matches the n-digit symbol from the beginning of the second symbol string corresponding to the second command, the remaining symbol string excluding the n-digit symbol in the first symbol string; The n-digit symbol and the remaining symbol string of the second symbol string excluding the n-digit symbol are continuously arranged in an area for displaying the symbol string associated with the selected command. And a computer-readable recording medium on which a program for causing an entertainment apparatus to execute the process of displaying by means of an entertainment device.