JP3320404B2 - Game system and computer-readable storage medium - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a computer game system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There are games in which players can register names and names of persons, objects, characters, etc. appearing during the progress of the game. For example, in a horse racing game in which a player simulates a horse owner or a trainer, a racehorse owned by the player is named and registered. In a role playing game, an adventure game, or the like, a player may register a name or name for a character, an item, or the like that is encountered during the progress of the game.

[0003] Registration of names as described above is usually performed by
The player selects and determines characters such as katakana displayed on the screen by designating the characters one by one.

[0004]

There is a case where a player wants to assign a name or name including a common character string or the like to a group of related name registration targets. For example, in a horse racing game, a horse owned by a certain owner is often given a common crown name based on his or her name (for a horse owned by Mr. Ichiro Yamada, "Yamaichi OO" Such as horse name).

[0005] However, when there are a plurality of such name registration objects and the name must be registered at once, it is troublesome to input a common part of the name every time.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to provide a game system capable of easily performing name registration.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect of the present invention,
A display device for displaying an image, an input device for outputting a signal according to a player's operation, and a game progressing while referring to an output of the input device, and an image corresponding to the progress is displayed on a screen of the display device. And a control device for displaying the name on the display device. The control device includes name registration means for registering, as a name, a character string designated by a player to a name registration target appearing during the progress of the game, The means may convert one or more first character strings input by the player for each category related to the attribute of the name registration target.
Storage means for and storing classified into, visited during the course of the game
When the name registration target is determined in the name registration scene
According to the attribute of the name registration target, 1
Determining means for automatically determining One of the first string, the name
Requesting means for requesting a player to input a second character string in a title registration scene; and combining the second character string input by the player with the one first character string determined by the determining means to form a third character Registering means for creating a column and registering the column as the name.

[0008] In the game system configured as described above,
According to the first character string entered by the player,
Is stored in the storage means as a part of the name. Name registration pair
Elephants have various attributes and are entered by the player
The first character string is classified by category related to the attribute.
The stored state is stored in the storage means. While the game is in progress
When the name registration scene comes and the name registration target is determined,
Is the storage means according to the attribute of the name registration target.
Automatically determine one first character string. For example, name
Decided if the registration target has the attribute of "mare"
Means are "sex of horse" corresponding to the attribute of "mare"
A plurality of first characters stored in the category
Automatically determine the first string corresponding to the mare from the column
You.

Further, in the name registration scene, the player
Enter two character strings. The second character string entered by the player
And one first character string automatically determined by the determining means
Combined to create a third string, which is the name
Registered. Therefore, the player is
This eliminates the need to input the first character string. Also,
In the name registration scene, the determining means determines the attribute to be registered.
The first character string is automatically determined according to the
The first character string that is always appropriate for the name registration target is determined
Can be secured.

[0010] One aspect of the above game system is that
Whether to use the first character string determined by the setting means
Means for receiving instructions from the player,
Dan receives an instruction to use the first character string
Register the third character string as the name in the first character
If you do not receive an instruction to use the column,
Register the second character string as the name instead of the character string
I do. If you do not use the first string,
Only the second character string entered by the player in the naming scene
It can be registered as a name.

In another aspect of the above game system,
The requesting means may be the one determined by the determining means.
Reading out the first character strings from the storage means,
Display on the device. This allows the player to automatically
Refer to the determined first character string and combine it
Input the second character string registered as the name
be able to.

Still another embodiment of the above-mentioned game system
Then, the storage means stores the first character input by the player.
Judgment method for judging whether a row is appropriate for game setting
A first character string with columns and entered only when appropriate
Is stored. As a result, the first inappropriate game setting
Strings are stored and used as part of the name
Is prevented. Here, the determination means is provided by the player.
The first string you entered is already used in the game settings
The first character string is inappropriate.
Wear. As a result, the same first character string is used repeatedly.
Is prevented.

In another aspect of the present invention, an input device for a game machine is provided.
Images according to the progress while referring to the output from the device
A program to display on the screen of the display device.
A recorded computer-readable storage medium is provided;
The program is stored in a computer provided in the game machine.
Data to the name registration target that appears during the game
Name to register character string specified by player as name
Function as registration means, and the name registration means
One or more first character strings input by the
Classify and store by category related to attribute of registration target
Storage means to register and name registration scenes visited during the progress of the game
When the name registration target is determined in
The first character stored in the storage means according to the attribute of the elephant
Determining means for automatically determining one first character string from a sequence
In the name registration scene, the player gives the second character
Request means to request column input and player input
Replace the second character string with the one determined by the determining means.
Creating a third character string in combination with the first character string of
Registration means for registering as a name.

[0014]

[0015]

[0016]

According to the storage medium of the present invention, by causing a computer to read and execute the program,
The computer can function as a control device in the game system of the present invention. Note that the storage medium includes a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, a magneto-optical storage medium, a semiconductor storage element, and other various storage means.

[0018]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control system of a home horse racing game system to which the present invention is applied. This game system executes a predetermined game according to a game program recorded on a CD-ROM 15 as a storage medium.

This game system includes a CPU 1 mainly composed of a microprocessor, a ROM 2 and a RAM 3 as a main storage device for the CPU 1,
It has a graphics processing unit (GPU) 4 and a sound processing unit (SPU) 6 for image processing and audio processing, buffers 5 and 7 for these units, and a CD-ROM reader 8. The ROM 2 stores an operating system as a program necessary for controlling the overall operation of the game machine. CD-ROM as a storage medium in the RAM 3
The program and data for the game read from 15 are written as needed. The GPU 4 receives the image data from the CPU 1, draws the game screen on the frame buffer 5, converts the data of the drawn image into a predetermined video reproduction signal, and outputs it to the monitor 9 at a predetermined timing. The SPU 6 reproduces data such as voice and musical sound, sound source data, and the like read from the CD-ROM 15 and recorded in the sound buffer 7 and outputs the data from the speaker 10. The CD-ROM reader 8 reads a program or data recorded on the CD-ROM 15 in accordance with an instruction from the CPU 1, and outputs a signal corresponding to the read content. Programs and data necessary for executing the game are recorded on the CD-ROM 15, and details thereof will be described later. A home television receiver is generally used for the monitor 9, and a built-in speaker of the television receiver is generally used for the speaker 10.

Further, a communication control device 11 is connected to the CPU 1 via a bus 14, and a controller 12 and an auxiliary storage device 13 are detachably connected to the device 11. The controller 12 functions as an input device, and is provided with an operation member for receiving an operation by a player. Communication control device 1
1 is a controller 12 at a constant period (for example, 1/60 second).
The operation state of the operation member is scanned, and a signal corresponding to the scanning result is output to the CPU 1. The CPU 1 determines the operation state of the controller 12 based on the signal. The controller 12 and the auxiliary storage device 13 are the communication control device 1
More than one can be connected in parallel.

In the above configuration, the other components except the monitor 9, the speaker 10, the controller 12, the CD-ROM 15, and the auxiliary storage device 13 are integrally accommodated in a predetermined housing to form the game machine body 16. .

Various configurations can be used for the controller 12. For example, the general-purpose controller 12A shown in FIG.
Can be used.

The general-purpose controller 12A shown in FIG. 2 is generally used irrespective of the type of game, and four push button switches PB1 to PB4, PB5 to PB8 are respectively formed on the left and right sides of the resin main body MB. Provided in the mold,
Two push button switches P on the front side of the main body MB
B9 to PB12 are provided. Small push button switches PB13 and PB14 are provided at the center of the main body MB. The left push button switches PB1 to PB4 are generally used as means for designating the moving direction of a character, a cursor or the like, and may be collectively referred to as a direction indicating switch. Various commands of the game and the like are assigned to the four push button switches PB5 to PB8 on the right side. On the push-button switches PB5 to PB8, for example, symbols of “△”, “×”, “□”, or “「 ”are displayed as these symbols. The front-side push-button switches PB9 and PB11 each have a numeral “1”, and the push-button switches PB10 and P12 have a numeral “2”.
Are displayed, the push button switch PB9 is the “L1 button”, the PB10 is the “L2 button”, and the push button switch PB1 is
1 is called "R1 button", and the push button switch PB12 is called "R2 button". Further, the push button switch PB13 is called a select button, and the push button switch PB14 is called a start button.

Next, registration of a crown name according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, when registering the name of the racehorse, the crown used by the player is registered in advance. The crown name is a common part that a horse owner or the like generally gives to a part of the name of a racehorse owned by the owner. For example, Ichiro Yamada uses "Yamaichi" as the title and names his racehorse "Yamaichi XX"("YamaichiFighter"
"Yamaichi Champ" etc.) may be registered. By registering such crown names in advance and calling the registered crown names at the time of horse name registration, it is possible to save the player from having to input the crown names every time.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a horse name registration screen displayed on the monitor 9 during the progress of the horse racing game. On the horse name registration screen 20, an image of a racehorse to be registered is displayed on the display unit 21, and information such as the pedigree of the horse is displayed on the display unit 22. The display unit 23 is an input box for a horse name to be registered, and the display unit 24 is a kana character display box for inputting a horse name. In the display section 24, an item 25 (“NameEntry”) 25 selected at the time of registering a crown name, and an item 26 (“HeadNa”) for selecting and specifying an already registered crown name are displayed.
me1 ”), 27 (“ HeadName2 ”), and an item 28 (“ END ”) for ending the horse name registration mode are displayed.
The title input section 30 shown in (a) is displayed. A cursor 29 is displayed in the display unit 24. The player moves the cursor 29 up, down, left and right using, for example, the push button switches PB1 to PB4 of the controller 12 illustrated in FIG. 2, and determines the desired character or character by using the push button switch PB8 assigned as the determination button. Items can be entered and specified.

During the progress of the game, the horse name registration screen 20 is displayed when a 3-year-old horse is registered as a racehorse. For example, when the calendar in the game enters a new year and a horse name of a 3-year-old horse managed by a player at that time is registered, or when a 3-year-old horse is purchased by participating in a game, the horse name registration screen 20 is displayed.
Is displayed. Note that these are merely examples, and the horse name registration screen can be displayed in various other situations according to the game situation setting and the story configuration.

In this embodiment, the player first performs a crown registration process, and determines and registers a crown in advance.
Then, the horse name of each racehorse is registered by using the registered crown name by the horse name registration process.

First, referring to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. When the player selects the item NameEntry 25 while the horse name registration screen 20 shown in FIG. 3 is displayed (Step S2), a title input box 30 shown in FIG. 4A is displayed (Step S4). In this example, two titles can be registered, and the player selects one of them using the cursor 29 (step S).
6). Next, the player operates the controller 12 to move the cursor 29 in the display section 24, and inputs a title (step S8). In this example, the horse name is determined to be 9 characters or less, and the crown name is determined to be 5 characters or less. When the input of the title is completed, the player presses the enter button to determine the title (step S10).

Next, the computer checks whether the specified crown name is appropriate (step S12). For example, if the specified title is already used as the title of another owner in the game settings at that time, it is generally inappropriate to use or display as a part of the horse name If such a character string is included, a warning message is displayed and the player is instructed to re-enter another crown (step S14). Then, the process returns to step S8, and the player re-enters the title. On the other hand, if the designated crown name is appropriate, the crown name is registered. Similarly,
The other crown name can be registered. The crown name thus determined is stored in the auxiliary storage device 13 in FIG.

Next, the horse name registration process will be described with reference to FIGS. The horse name registration process is performed in a state where the crown name has been registered as described above. First, horse name registration screen 2
In the state where 0 is displayed, the player moves the cursor 29 to specify the item “HeadName1” or “HeadName2”, and selects one of the registered crown names (step S2).
0). Thereby, as shown in FIG. 4 (b), the pre-registered crown names are automatically displayed in the horse name input box 23 (step S22). The example in FIG. 4B shows a case where the registered crown name “Goemon” is selected. Even if other characters have already been entered in the horse name input field 23,
If a crown name is designated by the item “HeadName1” or “HeadName2”, the character string is displayed in the horse name registration column 23.

Next, the player inputs the remaining part of the horse name (step S24). This is performed by the player operating the controller 12 to move the cursor 29 in the display field 24 and sequentially specifying the kana characters. When the input of the horse name is completed, the player presses the enter button (step S26), and the horse name registration is completed. The horse name thus determined is stored in the auxiliary storage device 13 shown in FIG.

As described above, by registering the crown in advance, the trouble of repeatedly inputting the same crown every time a horse name is registered can be omitted. This is particularly useful when performing horse name registration for many horses at once. It should be noted that both the crown name registration processing and the horse name registration processing described above
A program stored in advance in the D-ROM 15 is
1 is executed.

When the player wants to register the horse name without using the crown name on the horse name registration screen of FIG. 3, the cursor 29 is moved, the character string of the horse name is input, and the enter button is pressed. Just press it.

In the above example, two crown names can be registered. This is because one stony name can be prepared for a stallion (male horse) and a mare (female horse). However, it is of course possible to configure so that a larger number of crown names can be registered.

As an application of the crown name registration, the crown name can be classified and registered for each category. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, crown names can be classified into categories such as gender, hair color, and stallion (stallion), and a crown name can be registered for each category.

Also, as shown in FIG. 6, after classification into a certain category, different titles are prepared in advance for each category on the game side, and the corresponding titles are automatically given on the computer side. You can also. For example, FIG.
In the case of the category classification as shown in (a), the title "mama" is set in advance for the mare and the title "dad" is set in the game for the stallion. Since the attributes (sex, etc.) of the horse to be registered are known in the course of the game, the title "Mama" is automatically adopted when the horse name of the mare is registered.

After the registered crown name is selected, the remaining part of the horse name may be automatically determined on the computer side. In this case, the computer prepares character strings of a plurality of horse names (parts other than crown names) in advance, and can determine the horse names from them randomly or according to a certain standard.

Further, the present invention can be applied to a case where names are given to characters and items appearing in a game other than a horse racing game. For example, if a new character appears during the progress of an adventure game, role playing game, etc., an attack item is acquired, or a new skill is acquired in a fighting game, they will have their own names, The present invention can be applied when giving a name.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By registering the common part in advance when assigning a name, a name, etc., it is possible to eliminate the trouble of the player performing duplicate input.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control system of a horse racing game system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an appearance of a controller that can be used in the game system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a horse name registration screen.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen during a crown name registration process.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a crown name registration process and a horse name registration process.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of registering a crown name by category.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... CPU 2 ... ROM 3 ... RAM 4 ... GPU 5 ... Frame buffer 6 ... SPU 7 ... Sound buffer 8 ... CD-ROM reader 9 ... Monitor 10 ... Speaker 11 ... Communication control device 12 ... Controller 13 ... Auxiliary storage device 14 ... bus 22 ... horse name registration screen

Claims (9)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image display device, an input device for outputting a signal in accordance with an operation of a player, and a game progressing while referring to an output of the input device, and an image corresponding to the progress of the game is displayed on the display device. And a control device for displaying on the screen of the game system,
The control device includes name registration means for registering, as a name, a character string designated by a player with respect to a name registration target appearing during the progress of the game, wherein the name registration means comprises one or more first input characters input by the player. String before
Classify by the category related to the attribute to be registered
Storage means for storing Te, the name registered in the name registration scene to visit during the course of the game
When the target is determined, it depends on the attribute of the name registration target.
Te, determining means for automatically determining one of the first character string from said storage means, in the name registration scene, and request means for requesting an input of the second string to the player, the second character the player has entered A string is combined with the one first character string determined by the determining means to form a third
Registration means for creating a character string and registering it as the name;
A game system comprising: 2. A first character determined by said determining means.
How to receive instructions from the player as to whether to use columns
The registration means receives an instruction to use the first character string.
If taken, register the third character string as the name
If you do not receive an instruction to use the first character string
Substitutes the second character string for the name in place of the third character string.
2. The game device according to claim 1, wherein
System. 3. The requesting means is determined by the determining means.
Reading the one specified first character string from the storage means;
And displaying it on the display device.
Item 3. The game system according to item 1 or 2. 4. The storage means according to claim 1, wherein said storage means is provided by a player.
Determines whether the first character string is appropriate for game settings
Has a decision means that, first was only entered if appropriate
4. A method according to claim 1, wherein one character string is stored.
The game system according to any one of the above. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit is configured to input the information by a player.
When the first character string is already used in the game settings
Determining that the first character string is inappropriate.
The game system according to claim 4. 6. Referring to an output from an input device of the game machine.
While displaying an image corresponding to the progress on the screen of the display device.
Computer on which a program for displaying is recorded
A readable storage medium, wherein the program is
The computer installed in the game machine can be used while the game is in progress.
Sentence specified by player for name registration target appearing in
Functions as a name registration unit that registers character strings as names
The name registering means stores one or more first character strings input by the player
Classify by the category related to the attribute to be registered
Storage means, and name registration in a name registration scene visited during the progress of the game
When the target is determined, it depends on the attribute of the name registration target.
The first character string stored in the storage means,
Determining means for automatically determining one character string; and, in the name registration scene, a player
Request means for requesting input, and the second character string input by the player,
The third character string in combination with the one determined first character string.
Registration means for creating a character string and registering it as the name;
Computer readable storage characterized by comprising:
Medium. 7. A first character determined by said determining means.
How to receive instructions from the player as to whether to use columns
The registration means receives an instruction to use the first character string.
If taken, register the third character string as the name
If you do not receive an instruction to use the first character string
Substitutes the second character string for the name in place of the third character string.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the information is registered as a name.
Storage medium. 8. The requesting means is determined by the determining means.
Reading the one specified first character string from the storage means;
Out, claims and displaying on said display device
Item 8. The storage medium according to item 6 or 7. 9. The storage means according to claim 1, wherein said storage means inputs the information by a player.
Determines whether the first character string is appropriate for game settings
Judgment means, and only when appropriate,
9. The method according to claim 6, wherein one character string is stored.
The storage medium according to any one of the above.