JP2002360927A - Game device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game device capable of obtaining a virtual cockpit according to the status by expressing a part of the cockpit by an image so that the cockpit can be changed according to the contents of game software and comparing the same with a previously molded cockpit, improving a sense of reality and a concentration combined with curved screen projection, improving flexibility and reducing a cost of the device. SOLUTION: An input means 31 is provided inside a curved screen 15, a cutout 19 is formed in the screen 15 near the input means 31, and an image forming a part of the cockpit is projected on the screen 15 in the periphery of the input means 31 from a projector.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game apparatus for projecting an image on a curved screen.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image display device for displaying an image on a curved screen has been known. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-80239 discloses a display device for projecting an image on a hemispherical curved screen. In this display device, the image is projected on the entire projection surface of the curved screen by projecting the image with a fisheye lens. Since the player covers the entire field of view with the image on the curved screen, the immersion feeling can be further improved.

[0003] On the other hand, in arcade game machines, a housing which is generally called a cockpit-type housing and which partially imitates a cockpit or an external shape of a real automobile or an aircraft is used, and as a general environment, it becomes immersive. Is playing a role in improving

[0004]

However, in recent years, there have been games in which the type and model of a vehicle can be selected according to the player's intention and the progress of the game, even in the same game. In such a game, no matter how finely the casing simulates the cockpit, a cockpit configuration corresponding to the vehicle type and model cannot be obtained, and a moderate configuration has to be adopted.

Further, these cockpit type casings are more effective as they are closer to the real one, but on the other hand, their versatility is reduced. In addition, such a projection device is more expensive than a general display device, and further, the cost of the housing itself is increased, so that the projection device as a whole is expensive and versatile.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above technical problems, and an object of the present invention is to express software (games, etc.) by expressing a part of a cockpit with video.
The cockpit shape can be changed according to the content of the cockpit, so that it is possible to obtain an appropriate cockpit shape according to the situation compared to the pre-molded cockpit, and to combine with the curved screen projection to make it more realistic And the feeling of immersion is improved,
Another object of the present invention is to provide an amusement device capable of greatly improving versatility and reducing the overall cost of the device.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an amusement apparatus comprising: a curved screen having a curved projection surface; and a projection device for projecting an image onto the projection surface of the curved screen at a wide angle. And an input means provided inside the curved screen, a notch is formed in a screen near the input means, and a part of a cockpit is formed on a screen around the input means. And projecting from the projecting means.

A game device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the game device according to the first aspect, wherein the projection means is arranged above a player's head, and the position of the player's eyes is arranged near the center of the curved screen. And a correction means for performing correction due to deviation from the center.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the game apparatus according to the first aspect, the projection means is disposed near the center of the curved screen in front of the player's chest, and the position of the player's eyes is positioned above the projection means. And a correction unit that corrects the observation position of the player when the observation position of the player is shifted from the center of the curved screen.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An amusement device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the game device 11 of the present embodiment simulates an actual cockpit because the player P plays a game assuming that the player P is located in a cockpit of a vehicle such as a vehicle or an airplane. An apparatus main body 13 having a simulated cockpit 10 and provided with a seating section (seating means) 12 in which only one player P can raise his / her upper body vertically and face the front of the apparatus, and an opening on one side. A curved screen which is formed in a hemispherical shape with the portion 14 formed thereon and is arranged on the front side of the device, in which the seating portion 12 of the device body 13 is provided, that is, on the front side so as to cover the field of view of the player P seated on the seating portion 12. 15 and a projector 16 provided on the apparatus main body 13 and projecting an image on the curved screen 15. The seating section 12 forms a part of the simulated cockpit 10.

The curved screen 15 has a diameter of 1 to 1.5.
m, and the projection surface 18 on the inner peripheral side has a spherical shape. In the curved screen 15, a notch 1 having a shape in which a part in the circumferential direction is cut off at an edge 21 on the opening 14 side so as to be concave toward the convex side of the curved screen 15.
9 are formed.

The apparatus main body 13 is rotatable about an axis extending in the horizontal left and right direction through a support section (support means) 20 provided on the upper front side thereof, on the opening 14 side of the curved screen 15. Is supported at the upper end of the edge 21. Here, the curved screen 15 is in a state where the notch 19 is located on the most opposite side with respect to the support portion 20 so that the above-described notch 19 is located at the lowermost position.
When the opening 14 is directed to the second side, the seat 14 is connected to the support 20 in a state of being convex on the opposite side to the seat 12.

Here, the apparatus main body 13 includes an edge 2 on the opening 14 side of the curved screen 15 supported by the support 20.
1, a stopper portion 22 that determines a rotation limit angle of the curved screen 15 is formed on the front side. That is, in a state in which the curved surface 15 is in contact with the stopper portion 22 (a state of the curved screen 15 indicated by a solid line in FIG. 1), the edge 21 on the opening 14 side of the curved screen 15 is vertically aligned as a whole. Here, in FIG. 1, for convenience of illustration, the stopper portion 22 is shown only on the upper portion. However, in actuality, the stopper portion 22 is formed at the edge of the curved screen 15 on the opening portion 14 side in order to be structurally rigid. 21
The device is provided on the apparatus main body 13 so as to abut substantially the entire periphery except the lower portion overlapping the seating portion 12.

This position is a game execution position of the curved screen 15 when the player P plays a game. Here, the curved screen 15 is in the closed state closest to the seated portion 12 and the player P seated in the seated portion 12 in the state where the game is executed, but at this time, the cutout portion 19 provided at the lower portion is By locating the leg Pc of the player P who is seated on the seating section 12 on the inner side, interference with the player P is avoided.

In the state where the curved screen 15 is in the play position, the seating section 12 adjusts the position of the eyes of the player P seated on the curved screen 15 (the center position between both eyes, the same applies hereinafter). 15 is arranged near the center.

The projector main body 1 is arranged so that the projector 16 is disposed directly above the player P seated on the seating section 12.
3 is attached. The projector 16 uses a fisheye lens 24 as a projection lens, and projects an image via the fisheye lens 24 onto the curved screen 15 at the play position.

Here, a player P sitting in the seating section 12
The screen position of the curved screen 15 at the play position is greater than the projection center of the fisheye lens 24 (the center of the projection optical system).
The positional relationship between the seat portion 12 and the fisheye lens 24 is set so as to be arranged at a position close to the center of the camera. Note that while the position of the eyes of the player P seated in the seating section 12 is arranged at a position close to the center of the curved screen 15, the projector 16 in which the fisheye lens 24 is arranged above the player P's head has the Correction or the like is performed to deal with the deviation from the center.

Here, the seat 12 can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction, so that the position of the eyes of the player P with individual differences can be adjusted in the direction approaching the center position of the curved screen 15 by the seat 12. Is also good.

Further, when the curved screen 15 is in the play position, the projection center of the fisheye lens 24 is
The curved screen 15 is arranged on the same plane as the edge 21 on the opening 14 side. That is, the projection center of the fisheye lens 24 is arranged on a virtual plane including the entire edge 21 on the opening 14 side of the curved screen 15.

The seating section 12 has a head support section 26 for supporting the head Pa of the player P on the rear side, and a seat section 27 for supporting the buttocks Pb of the player P from below.
The player P with the buttocks Pb placed on the seat 27 naturally has a posture in which the lower body projects forward of the device with respect to the upper body. Then, the curved screen 15 at the game execution position covers the upper body side of the player P seated on the seating portion 12, and the leg Pc of the player P is located in the cutout portion 19.

A controller 29 which constitutes a part of the simulated cockpit 10 and is provided in front of the player P who is seated in the seating section 12 and which is operated by the player P in front of the seating section 12. An input device (input means) 31 having a support 30 for supporting the controller 29 is provided, and the cutout portion 19 of the curved screen 15 at the play position of the game machine is provided with the support 30 of the input device 31 inside thereof. , The support 3
The interference with zero is also avoided. Further, the amusement device of the present embodiment includes a sound generation unit that reproduces sound and background sound in synchronization with the image projected on the curved screen 15.

The controller 29 of the input device 31 performs an input by the player P in accordance with an image and a sound projected from the projector 16 on the curved screen 15 during execution of a game. When the game is a so-called shooting game, for example, , The player P performs operations such as aiming at the target and shooting.

As shown in FIG. 2, a part of the simulated cockpit 10 connected to the input device 31 through the fisheye lens 24 by the projector 16 around the notch 19 of the curved screen 15 at the play position. More specifically, an instrument panel 33 including the instruments 32
To the player P with computer graphics images
Is displayed on the input device 31 so as not to be discontinuous (so-called seamless). Further, in front of the instrument panel 33, a vehicle front portion 34 is provided.
Is also displayed as a computer graphics image.
It should be noted that in FIG.
5 and the input device 31 are indicated by bold lines, and the instrument panel 33 and the body front portion 34, which are images of computer graphics, are indicated by thin lines.

As shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.
When rotated through 0, the curved screen 15 moves upward and forward with the input device 31 being pulled out of the notch 19 centering on the upper portion, and becomes an open state separated from the seating portion 12.

The device body 13 of the curved screen 15
The opening and closing operation via the support portion 20 may be manually performed, or a driving source such as a motor may be provided and opened and closed by the driving force of the driving source. The central axis of the opening / closing operation of the curved screen 15 via the support portion 20 is not limited to the horizontal direction, but may be any direction such as a vertical direction as long as it is structurally possible.

In the game apparatus 11 having such a configuration, before the game is executed, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. Open in the direction away from 22. Then, a sufficient gap is formed in front of the seating section 12 so that people can easily enter and exit. In this state, the player P sits on the seating section 12 from outside the game device 11. At this time, the player P places the buttocks Pb on the seat portion 27 of the seating portion 12,
The head supporting portion 26 supports the rear side of the head Pa.

Then, from this state, the curved screen 1
5 is closed around the support portion 20 to a play execution position where it comes into contact with the stopper portion 22 of the apparatus main body 13 as shown by a solid line in FIG. When located at the play position, the curved screen 15 is displayed by the player P seated in the seating section 12.
With respect to the leg Pc and the support 30 of the input device 31,
By locating these inside the notch 19, they rotate while avoiding interference with them. When positioned at the play position, the curved screen 15 is disposed in front of the player P and the input device 31, and partially covers the upper body of the player P and the controller 29 of the input device 31 from the front of the device. Become.

When the game is started in this state, an image is projected from the fish-eye lens 24 of the projector 16 onto the entire projection surface 18 of the curved screen 15, and the player P operates the controller 29 of the input device 31 in accordance with the image. Play by doing. At this time, an instrument panel 33 including instruments 32 and a body front 34 are projected from the projector 16 via the fisheye lens 24 around the cutout 19 of the curved screen 15, that is, around the input device 31. It will be displayed in video.
Here, the instruments 32 and the like of the instrument panel 33 change the display according to the situation of the game and the like.

When the game is over, the curved screen 15 is opened centering on the support portion 20 in a direction away from the stopper portion 22 of the apparatus main body 13 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. Then, a sufficient gap is formed in front of the seating section 12 so that people can easily enter and exit. In this state, the player P
Goes out of the game device 11 from the seating portion 12.

According to the above-described play apparatus 11 of the present embodiment, the instrument panel 33, which is a part of the simulated cockpit 10 connected to the input device 31, is displayed on the curved screen 15 by the projector 16 through the fisheye lens 24. , The real feeling that the player P is located in the cockpit increases. As a result, a higher immersion feeling can be given to the player P. Moreover, the simulated cockpit 1 connected to the input device 31
In order to display the instrument panel 33 which is a part of the camera lens 33 on the curved screen 15 in the form of an image, the instrument panel 33 is
4 does not hinder the projection of the image, and does not create a shadow in the image. Therefore, a higher immersion feeling can be given to the player P. In addition, by expressing a part of the simulated cockpit 10 with video, the form of the cockpit can be freely changed according to the contents of software (games and the like), so that the versatility is higher than that of a shaped cockpit. Is greatly improved.

Further, a cut-out portion 19 for positioning the input device 31 inside at the game execution position is formed below the edge portion 21 of the curved screen 15 on the opening 14 side. The instrument panel 33 of the simulated cockpit 10 connected to the input device 31 is displayed on the curved screen 15 through the fisheye lens 24 by the projector 16 in a state where the input device 31 is inserted into the unit 19, so that the input device 31 and the input device 31 Further visual integration with the image of the continuous instrument panel 33 can be achieved.

Further, a curved screen 15 having a hemispherical shape
In order to allow the player P to see a more accurate image when projecting an image on the curved screen 15, the position of the fisheye lens 24 that projects the image toward the curved screen 15 and the eye position of the player P are set at the center of the curved screen 15. Ideally, the player P is placed so that the seating portion 12 is closer to the center of the hemispherical curved screen 15 than the fisheye lens 24 as described above. The position of the eye is arranged, and the fisheye lens 24 of the projector 16 arranged above the head of the player P corresponds to the deviation from the center by correcting the projected image or the like. In this way, the player P can be shown an accurate video.

A support section 20 for supporting the curved screen 15 so as to be openable and closable about an axis extending in the horizontal direction.
Therefore, when the player P is seated on the seating section 12, the curved screen 15 is opened through the support section 20, and after the player P is seated on the seating section 12, the support section 20 is closed.
, The curved screen 15 is closed. As a result, the seating operation of the player P on the seating section 12 is facilitated.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the curved screen 15 has a hemispherical shape has been described as an example. However, the curved screen 15 may have a shape (for example, an elliptical shape) that is curved in at least two directions intersecting with each other. In this case, the above effects can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, the curved screen 15 at the play position is the edge 2 on the opening 14 side.
1 has been described as an example, but the notch 19 is provided in the curved screen 15, and the edge 21 on the opening 14 side of the curved screen 15 in the play position is entirely vertical. On the other hand, the lower part may be inclined at a predetermined angle in a direction away from the seating section 12 (in other words, the lower part is located in front of the apparatus). In this way, by combining the curved screen 15 with the inclination, the notch 19 can be made small, and an image can be displayed on almost the entire hemispherical shape.

In addition, although not shown, in the above embodiment, the curved screen 15 may be fixed without opening and closing, and the seating portion 12 may be able to advance and retreat with respect to the curved screen 15. Thereby, when the player P is seated on the seating section 12, the seating section 12 is set back to the curved screen 15, and after the player P seats on the seating section 12, the seating section 12 is moved to the curved screen 15. The player P is moved forward, and as a result, the player P
The seating operation of the user on the seating portion 12 becomes easy. In this case, the relationship with the curved screen 15 when the seating portion 12 is at the most advanced position is the above-mentioned game execution position.

In addition, as shown in FIG.
4 is arranged near the center of the curved screen 15 in front of the chest of the player P, and the position of the eyes of the player P is
May be arranged at the upper part of the. In this case, the correction is performed when the observation position of the player P is shifted from the center of the curved screen 15.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a game machine in which the player P performs an input operation in accordance with an image is described as an example of the game apparatus 11, but a similar game apparatus 11 to which the above can be applied includes, for example, There is a simulator such as a driving simulator for allowing the player P to perform a simulated experience.

[0039]

As described above in detail, according to the amusement apparatus of the present invention, the projection means including the image forming a part of the cockpit on the screen around the input means is projected from the projection means. A part can be expressed in video, and the cockpit form can be changed according to the contents of the software (game, etc.). And the projection of the curved screen,
The sense of presence and immersion can be further improved, and the versatility can be greatly improved and the overall cost of the device can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a game machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the curved screen and the input device of the game device according to the embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the opening side of the curved screen.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing a modification of the game machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Simulated cockpit 11 Amusement apparatus 12 Seating part (seating means) 14 Opening part 15 Curved screen 19 Notch part 21 Edge part 24 Fisheye lens 31 Input device 33 Instrument panel (Part of the simulated cockpit connected to input means) P player

Claims (3)

[Claims] An amusement apparatus comprising: a curved screen having a curved projection surface; and projection means for projecting an image on the projection surface of the curved screen at a wide angle. An input means is provided inside the curved screen. A game device, wherein a notch is formed in a screen near the means, and the projection means projects an image including an image forming a part of a cockpit on a screen around the input means. 2. A correction means for arranging the projection means above a player's head, arranging the position of the player's eyes near the center of the curved screen, and correcting the projection means for being displaced from the center of the curved screen. The game device according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The projection means is arranged near the center of the curved screen in front of the player's chest, and the position of the player's eyes is arranged above the projection means. 2. The game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a correction unit configured to perform correction based on a shift from the center.