JP2000153076A - Communication game system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make the sound field formed by the entire part of a communication game system distinct and to make it possible to impart more effective impression to a player by providing the above system with a synchronization data setting means for setting synchronization data in order to control the operation timing of a playing means. SOLUTION: Playing data 82 is segmented to playing data 1, playing data 2, playing data 3 and playing data 4 by each of the data quantity corresponding to 0.9 second corresponding to a half measure. A LABEL#1, LABEL#2, LA BEL#3 and LABEL#4 are inserted to each top of the playing data 1, playing data 2, playing data 3 and playing data 4 segmented to the data quantity corresponding to the half measure. If the playing data is read out of the position of such LABEL#N, playing is eventually started from any position of any of every half measure. Even if the sound volume rises high at such timing, the playing may be appreciated comfortably to the human auditory sensation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication game system in which a plurality of game machine units each having a board are connected by communication means, and more particularly, to playing music with background music (hereinafter referred to as BG) using the game machine unit.
Abbreviated as M. )).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a communication game system has emerged in which a plurality of game machine units are connected by communication means so that a plurality of players attached to each game machine unit can enjoy a game in the same game space. ing.

A game machine unit that constitutes such a communication game system plays some music while playing a game.
Generally, GM is reproduced from a speaker or the like. This is because it is intended to enhance the fun of the game by utilizing not only sight but also hearing.

[0004]

However, in the conventional communication game system, only a performance command is issued to the board mounted on each game machine unit, and the music played as BGM is performed between the boards mounted on each game machine unit. Was not being processed for synchronization. Therefore, when a delay due to data communication occurs between the boards mounted on each game machine unit, the BGM is applied between the boards mounted on each game machine unit.
In some cases, the progress of each piece of music played is shifted. Further, a delay occurs between the boards mounted on each game machine unit due to a difference in coin insertion timing and the like. In such a case, the sound field formed by arranging the communication game system is unclear as a whole. In this case, despite playing the music as BGM, it did not increase the fun of the game from hearing.

[0005] In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to clarify a sound field formed in the entire communication game system so that an effective impression can be given to a player.

[0006]

(1) In a communication game system in which a plurality of game machine units are connected by communication means, a storage means for storing performance data and tone color data for each of the game machine units, and A communication game system comprising: playing means for playing stream data obtained by synthesizing timbre data; and synchronous data setting means for setting synchronous data for controlling the operation timing of the playing means.

(2) In a communication game system in which a plurality of game machine units are connected by communication means, storage means for storing stream data for each of the game machine units and performance means for playing the stream data are provided. A communication game system comprising: synchronous data setting means for setting synchronous data for controlling operation timing of playing means.

(3) The synchronization data is obtained by subtracting a communication delay time from a counter value corresponding to a performance state of the performance means (1) or (2).
Communication game system.

(4) The storage means is provided with (1) or (2) wherein the performance data or timbre data is divided for each predetermined data length, and a label is attached to each division for storing. A communication game system according to item 1.

(5) A memory control means for accessing the storage means from a position corresponding to the synchronous data generated by the synchronous data setting means (1).
The communication game system according to any one of (1) to (4).

(6) A mode allocating means for allocating a master mode or a slave mode in performance processing to the plurality of game machine units is provided.
The communication game system according to any one of (5).

(7) Correspondence table storage means for storing a correspondence table comprising synchronization data set by the synchronization data setting means and a label attached to the performance data. system.

(8) The communication game system according to (6), wherein the game machine unit set to the master mode by the mode allocating means counts the performance status of music in units of one frame.

(9) The performance data is 小 bar or 1 bar.
(7) The communication game system according to (7), wherein the data is divided by a data length corresponding to / 3 measures.

(10) The communication game system according to (4), further comprising download means for downloading timbre data from an external storage device.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is configured to achieve a predetermined object by connecting a plurality of game machine units by a communication line. In the following description, an example will be described in which a plurality of game machine units each having an operation panel for two players are provided.

The communication game system according to the first embodiment is formed by installing a plurality of game machine units at a game center or the like so as to be adjacent to each other.
Each game machine unit is configured by providing a display device such as a video screen and an operation panel for two players on the front of the housing,
A predetermined substrate is provided inside each housing.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a communication game system according to the first embodiment. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration around a sequencer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a sequencer program according to the first embodiment.

The block diagram shown in FIG. 1 represents a plurality of game machine units connected by a communication line. The second and subsequent game machine units are the main CPU2
The configuration connected to 0 is omitted. This is omitted because the second and subsequent units can be connected with the same configuration.

A board mounted on each game machine unit includes a communication module 10 and a main CPU 2 as shown in FIG.
0, a shared memory 30, a sequencer 40, a PCM tone generator 50, a D / A converter 60, and a performance data memory 80.
And a timbre data memory 90. Amplifier 7
1 and the speaker 72 are connected to the D / A converter 60 via a lead wire.
Connected to The outline of each component configuration will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the functions of the communication game system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 discloses the sequencer 40 and the performance data memory 80 according to the first embodiment as specifically realized.

The communication module 10 corresponds to an example of a communication means described in the claims, and stores a communication protocol for controlling data communication between boards. The communication module 10 is supplied as a common module in which both the communication protocol for the master board and the communication protocol for the slave board are stored.

The main CPU 20 corresponds to a mode allocating means described in the claims, and controls the entire game machine unit by controlling the communication management and the operation of the sequencer 40. The main CPU 20 controls processing of the sequencer 40 by writing commands and the like to the shared memory 30.

The main CPU 20 stores a master / slave automatic allocation routine described with reference to FIG. 2, and in a state where the respective boards are connected to each other by a communication line.
When the power of the entire system is turned on, the master / slave assignment routine stored in each board is executed,
The game machine unit into which the coin is first inserted is set to the master mode in the communication processing, and is set to the slave mode in the communication processing of another game machine unit. In the first embodiment, a master and a slave in the communication process will be described as a master and a slave in the performance process as they are.

In the first embodiment, a case where a master mode or a slave mode is set on a communication protocol will be described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and communication without discrimination between the master mode and the slave mode is performed. It may be a protocol.

Although not shown, two operation panels, a coin insertion sensor, and a start button are connected to the main CPU 20.

The shared memory 30 is a memory shared by the main CPU 20 and the sequencer 40. The shared memory 30 includes a register 31 (hereinafter, referred to as a counter 31 (refer to FIG. 5)) that stores a counter value indicating the progress of music played as BGM in the game machine unit set in the master mode. It is provided. Such a counter value is synchronization data for synchronizing the timing of the performance operation.

The sequencer 40 constitutes a main part of the playing means for playing music. A specific configuration of the sequencer 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 6, the sequencer 40 includes a CPU 210, a ROM 220 for storing programs and the like shown in the flowcharts of FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, and a RAM 230 used as a program work area. Sequencer 40
Sends the performance data to the PCM sound source 50 while performing the synchronization processing realized by the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and performs the performance processing.

The CPU 210 has a timer capable of counting for each frame, and executes a counter process only when the main mode is set. One frame is the minimum time that can be processed by the hardware of the first embodiment, and is about 1/60 second.

In the first embodiment, the first reason for counting in the minimum time unit that can be processed by hardware is to enable fine correction of a delay between boards due to communication.

In the present embodiment, a second counter which counts in the minimum time unit that can be processed by hardware is used.
The reason is that if the minimum time unit that can be processed by hardware is used, it is possible to flexibly cope with a change in communication delay due to a change in communication topology, communication protocol, and the like. In the first embodiment, the communication topology will be described as a bus type and a communication protocol.
The present invention is not limited to this, and a star-type or a ring-type can similarly eliminate a delay between boards mounted on a game machine unit by communication.

The PCM tone generator 50 reads the timbre data from the timbre data memory 90 based on the data and the like input from the sequencer 40, and generates the timbre data. PCM
The sound source 50 has a function of generating a digital sound, a function of setting a volume, a function of setting a pan, and a mixer function of performing mixing, thereby transmitting L-channel and R-channel sound data. Here, the sound data is data obtained by synthesizing timbre data based on performance data.

The D / A converter 60 sends a music signal obtained by D / A converting the sound data to the amplifier 71. The sound signal amplified by the amplifier 71 is reproduced by the speaker 72. In FIG. 1, only one system is shown for the amplifier 71 and the speaker 72. However, actually, two systems of the amplifier 71 and the speaker 72 are provided, and stereo reproduction is performed.

The performance data memory 80 is a memory storing performance data. Hereinafter, a specific configuration of the performance data memory 80 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The performance data memory 80 stores the sequence processing program and the performance data 82 as shown in FIG.
It is stored in the OM 220. The performance data 82 is shown in FIG.
RO corresponding to the performance data memory as shown in FIG.
Only score data is described in a predetermined area of M220 (see FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 7B, a correspondence table 81 (see FIG. 5) corresponding to the correspondence table referred to in the claims and a performance start check processing routine for confirming the values are stored in the ROM 220 (FIG. 6) is described in a predetermined area in the sequencer program.

The tone data memory 90 stores the PCM sound source 50.
This is a memory that stores sampled sound data used in. The sound data is sampling data of sounds constituting a musical piece, for example, sounds of a piano, a violin and the like.
Further, the sound data may be obtained by sampling a sound other than the sound constituting the music, for example, a so-called sound effect such as a sound of a wave, a sound of a rain, and a sound of an animal. In this case, the sound effects can be generated in a synchronized state by a plurality of game machine units.

Next, the procedure of automatic assignment of master / slave will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a master / slave assignment routine. When the system is powered on, a master / slave assignment routine operates on the boards mounted on each game machine unit, and hardware standby processing is performed on each board (step 1). This standby process includes temporarily setting the mode of each communication module 10 to the reset mode.

The main CPU 20 determines whether or not a coin has been inserted (step 2). Main CPU 20
If it is detected in step 2 that a coin has been inserted, it checks whether any game machine unit has already been set to the master mode (step 3). Main CPU 20
If it is determined in step 3 that there is no game machine unit set to the master mode yet, a process to become a master is executed (step 4), and the main CPU 20 instructs another game machine unit to enter the master mode. Contact (step 5). As a result, the main CPU 20 sets the communication module 10 to the master mode and executes the communication protocol for the master board.

On the other hand, if the main CPU 20 confirms in step 3 that a master already exists, the main CPU 20 executes processing for becoming a slave (step 6). Thereby, the main CPU 20 sets the communication module 10 to the slave mode and starts the communication protocol for the slave board.

The main CPU 20 executes step 5 described above.
Alternatively, when the processing of step 6 is completed, the present routine ends.

As described above, according to the first embodiment,
The game machine unit in which a coin is inserted first among the plurality of game machine units connected via the communication line is set as the master in the performance processing.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a music performance routine in the first embodiment, FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a performance start check processing subroutine, and FIG. 5 is a performance state in the game machine unit in the slave mode. FIG. 4 is a data flow diagram showing Prior to the description of the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 and 4 for convenience of description,
The data flow in the performance processing in the game machine unit in the slave mode will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 5, a correspondence table 81 is a table including a counter value and a label indicating a position at which the performance starts in the game machine unit set in the slave mode.
This label corresponds to the position on the score. Therefore, the correspondence table 81 can be used to determine the performance timing of the game machine unit set in the slave mode.

The time corresponding to 1/2 bar in the first embodiment is about 0.9 seconds, which corresponds to 54 frames. In the first embodiment, a delay between boards due to communication corresponding to three frames occurs due to a communication protocol or the like. As shown in the correspondence table 81, three frames are subtracted from the counter value corresponding to the first half bar to obtain 51 frames, 105 frames, 159 frames, and so on. Thus, the performance can be started at a timing considering the delay between the boards mounted on the game machine unit set in the slave mode.

The performance data 82 is, for example, data rewritten from a musical score to musical score data. The performance data 82 includes performance data 1, performance data 2, performance data 3, and performance data 4 for each data amount of 0.9 seconds corresponding to 1/2 bar.
It is divided into. LABEL # 1 and LAB # 1 for each head of performance data 1, performance data 2, performance data 3 and performance data 4 divided into data amounts corresponding to these 1/2 measures.
EL # 2, LABEL # 3, and LABEL # 4 are inserted. If the performance data is read from the position of LABEL # N, the performance is started from any position in every 1/2 bar. Even when the volume is increased at such a timing, it is possible to comfortably appreciate human hearing. The reason why the performance data 82 includes the musical score data is that it is convenient to control the performance time of the performance data separated by the label.

In the first embodiment, the performance data 8
The reason why 2 is divided into 1/2 bars is that the music adopted as BGM is equivalent to 1.8 seconds per bar, and if it is half of that, it is less than 1 second and the human being is not conscious of waiting. Because it is a time interval. Therefore, if the time interval is such that a human is not aware of waiting, the unit for dividing the performance data 82 is not limited to 1/2 bar. For example, in the case of a tune of three beats, it may be one-third measure.

Next, the performance processing when the game machine unit is set to the master mode will be described with reference to FIGS. After being set to the master mode in the master / slave assignment routine shown in FIG.
When the music performance routine shown in FIG. 3 is started, the master mode is determined in step 11 and the counter is initialized to 0 (step 12).

The sequencer 40 executes a performance start check processing routine shown in FIG. 4 (step 13). FIG.
The process start check process of step 13 shown in FIG. 4 will be specifically described with reference to FIG. 4. The sequencer 40 determines that the master mode is set (step 13).
1). According to the command set in the shared memory 30 from the main CPU 20, the sequencer 40 is a LABEL which is the head (corresponding to the head of the music) of the performance data 82 stored in the performance data memory 80 as shown in FIG.
A read start position is set to # 1 (step 136 shown in FIG. 4). Thereby, the sequencer 40 returns to step 13 shown in FIG.

After processing step 13, the sequencer 40 executes a music performance process (step 14). As shown in FIG. 5, the sequencer 40 reads the performance data from the read start position indicated by LABEL # 1 and executes the performance process. That is, in the first embodiment, the sequencer 40 corresponds to a memory control unit.

The sequencer 40 performs step 1 shown in FIG.
At 5, it is determined that the master mode has been set, and the counter is incremented (step 16). Subsequent to this process, the CPU 210 constituting the sequencer 40 sends the counter value of the counter to the game machine unit in the slave mode via the communication module 10. This counter value is a counter value written to the counter 31 of the shared memory 30 of the game machine unit in the slave mode described later. That is, in the first embodiment, the sequencer constituting the game machine unit set in the master mode for performance corresponds to the synchronous data setting means. More specifically, the CPU 210 is a synchronous data setting unit.

The sequencer 40 determines whether or not the music performance has ended after the processing of step 16 (step 17).
If the sequencer 40 determines in step 17 that the musical performance has not been completed, the sequencer 40 returns to step 14 described above and executes the subsequent steps.

On the other hand, if the sequencer 40 determines in step 17 shown in FIG. 3 that the music performance has ended, the sequencer 40 ends this routine. The above is the music performance processing in the game machine unit in the master mode. The music is played as BGM simultaneously with the setting of the master mode or after an elapse of an arbitrary time.

Next, the music performance processing in the game machine unit set in the slave mode in the master / slave assignment routine shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. When the sequencer 40 is set to the slave mode in the master / slave assignment routine shown in FIG. 2 and then starts the performance routine shown in FIG.
In step 1, it is determined that the master mode has not been set, and the process proceeds to step 13, where the sequencer 40 executes a performance start check processing routine shown in FIG.

The sequencer 40 performs step 1 shown in FIG.
If it is determined at 31 that the master mode has not been set,
The value of the counter 31 in the shared memory 30 is referred to (Step 132).

The sequencer 40 determines whether or not the value read from the counter 31 of the shared memory 30 is specified as a counter value in the correspondence table 81 (step 13).
3). More specifically, referring to FIG. 5, the sequencer 40 compares the counter value read from the counter 31 of the shared memory 30 with the counter value of the correspondence table 81 read from the performance data memory 80.

If the sequencer 40 determines that it is not in the correspondence table 81 in the determination at step 133, the sequencer 40 returns to step 132. More specifically, when the counter value read from the counter 31 is different from the counter value set in the correspondence table 81, the sequencer 40 determines the counter values: 51, 10
., And waits without performing the performance operation.

On the other hand, if the sequencer 40 determines in step 133 shown in FIG. 4 that the sequence exists in the correspondence table 81, the sequencer 40 selects a position to start playing from the correspondence table 81 (step 134) and executes the performance start processing. (Step 13
5).

The processing from step 134 to step 135 will be specifically described with reference to FIG. 5. If the sequencer 40 determines that the counter value read from the counter 31 is, for example, 105 frames, the sequencer 40
A value of 0 performs a read process from the beginning of the performance data 3 of the performance data 82, with LABEL # 3 indicating a performance start position corresponding to the counter value: 105 as an address.

The sequencer 40 ends the performance start check processing subroutine shown in FIG.
Return to 4. As a result, the sequencer 40 executes the music performance processing in step 14 shown in FIG. As a result, the game machine unit according to the first embodiment starts from the beginning of the performance data 3 corresponding to the beginning of the second bar approximately 1.8 seconds after the game machine unit set in the master mode starts playing. The music as BGM will be reproduced.

The sequencer 40 performs step 1 shown in FIG.
Since it is determined that the master mode is not set in step 5,
Proceeding to step 17, it is determined whether or not the music performance has been completed. If the sequencer 40 determines in step 17 that the music performance has not been completed, the sequencer 40 proceeds to step 13 described above.
And the subsequent steps are executed.

On the other hand, if the sequencer 40 determines in step 17 that the music performance has ended, the sequencer 40 ends the music performance routine shown in FIG.

The above is the control operation of the performance processing in the game machine unit in the slave mode. The game machine unit set in the slave mode refers to the counter value in the CPU 210 constituting the game machine unit in the master mode via the communication module 10 without incrementing the counter by the sequencer 40, thereby obtaining 1
Since the start position of the performance data can be changed in units of / 2 bars, B
The music played as GM can be synchronized.

The description of the first embodiment has been completed.
According to the above embodiment, it is possible to clarify the entire sound field formed by the communication game system, and to give a more effective impression to the player of the game even in the effect.

In the first embodiment, the master mode and the slave mode in the music performance routine described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 are described as being the same as the master mode or the slave mode in the communication processing. It is.
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the master mode or the slave mode in the music performance routine described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 means a master or a slave in music performance. When a communication protocol other than the above-described embodiment is adopted, the game machine unit in the master mode in the communication processing may function as the slave mode in music performance. A game machine unit in a slave mode in communication processing may function as a master mode in music performance.

The performance means in the above-described first embodiment separates the performance data 82 constituting the musical composition into predetermined data lengths, attaches a label to each of the divisions, and assigns a label to the ROM 220.
Main CPU for storing a master mode or a slave mode in performance processing to a plurality of game machine units
Table 8, which is composed of a counter value indicating the timing at which the main CPU 20 performs in the game machine unit set to the slave mode and a label attached to the performance data 82.
1 and a ROM 22 and a counter value counted in accordance with the progress of music played by the game machine unit set in the master mode by the main CPU 20.
CPU for selecting a label indicating the position at which the performance starts from the counter value specified in the correspondence table 81 read from 0
210 is adopted as the one adopting the look-up table method.

However, the present invention is not limited to this. The playing means may be any means that plays the music in synchronism with each game machine unit. Any music can be played from the performance data at the position corresponding to the information indicating the start position of the performance from the signal indicating the timing of the performance.

Next, a modified example 1 of the first embodiment
Will be described. The communication game system according to the first modification performs a music synchronizing process according to an instruction in the performance data memory 80. This will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration around a sequencer according to a first modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a sequencer program of Modification 1 and Modification 2 in the first embodiment. 8 and 9 show:
FIG. 2 shows a specific configuration example of a sequencer 40 and a performance data memory 80 conceptually shown in FIG.

The performance data memory 80 stores a sequence processing program and performance data 82 in a ROM as shown in FIG.
320. The sequence processing program is described from the head address of the ROM 320 corresponding to the performance data memory 80 as shown in FIG. The performance data 82 is stored in the performance data memory 8 as shown in FIG.
The score data is described in a predetermined area of the ROM 320 (see FIG. 8) corresponding to 0 following the sequence processing program. The performance start check processing routine for checking the correspondence table 81 and its value is described in the musical score data as shown in FIG.

In the above modification, the provision of the above configuration makes it possible to clarify the entire sound field formed by the communication game system, and to give a more effective impression to the player of the game from the viewpoint of the effect.

A communication game system according to a second modification of the first embodiment will be described. The communication game system according to the second modification is such that the main CPU 20 downloads timbre data and score data. FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a communication game system according to a modification 2 of the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration around a sequencer according to a second modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the data structure of the compressed timbre data in Modification 2 of the first embodiment.

The communication game system according to the second modification of the first embodiment has the same configuration as that described with reference to FIG. 1, and a decompression device 95 is added to each game machine unit. Further, in order to reproduce stream data, a hard disk control device 120 and a hard disk 130 connected by a LAN, which constitute a download means, are added.

Members having the same configuration as those already described in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. Only newly added components will be described.

The main CPU 20 includes the communication module 10
And sends a command to the hard disk controller 120 via the communication module 110 to request transfer of necessary tone color data. The main CPU 20 is the communication module 1
A function of transmitting the compressed timbre data received via the decompression unit 95 via the decompression unit 95 is newly added.

The sequencer 40 includes a CPU 410,
As described above, while performing the synchronization processing realized by the flowcharts shown in FIGS.
This is transmitted to the CM sound source 50 for performance processing.
R storing the sequence processing program as shown in FIG.
OM420 and RAM used as program work area
430 is used.

The performance data memory 80 is realized by storing performance data 82 in a RAM 430 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9, the musical performance data 82 describes musical score data behind the program work area of the RAM 430 corresponding to the musical performance data memory 80. Correspondence table 81
And the performance start check processing routine that checks the value
This is realized by describing it in the musical score data as shown in FIG.

The decompression device 95 is a fixed length MPEGA
The timbre data compressed by any compression method such as audio or variable length is expanded and mapped to the timbre data memory 90.

FIG. 12 shows a data structure of the compressed timbre data which can be processed by the decompression device 95. For example, as shown in FIG. 12 (a), a block having a variable length and one block of one data, as shown in FIG. 12 (b), a block having a fixed length and a plurality of blocks of one data, FIG.
As shown in (c), a block having a variable length and a plurality of blocks of one data is considered. FIG. 12D shows the structure of a block, which is composed of a header and compressed data. The content of the header is an address and a data compression rate when mapping to a tone color data memory in the case of a block variable length.
In the case of io, it is a bit rate index or the like.

The communication module 110 connects the hard disk 130 to each game machine unit via a LAN. The hard disk control device 120 controls reading of the hard disk 130, and the hard disk 130 stores musical score data and timbre data.

Modification 2 has the above configuration,
LA and timbre data previously stored in the timbre data memory 90 and performance data stored in the performance data memory 80.
Since the tone data and the musical score data can be reproduced as stream data from the N-connected hard disk 130, in addition to the effects of the above-described first embodiment, the tone data and the performance data memory 80 can be completely stored. Since long tone data that does not exist can be reproduced, it is possible to give a more effective impression to the player by enriching the tone color and the like.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 13 is a data flow diagram showing a performance state in the second embodiment. Since the communication game system according to the second embodiment is almost common to the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 1, the same reference numerals are given to the same components, and detailed descriptions are given. The description will be omitted, and different configurations will be described in detail.

The communication game system according to the second embodiment is a system in which communication is synchronized when playing music by playing back stream data.

The stream data in the present embodiment is tone data in which sound data sampled for use in the PCM sound source 50 is arranged so as to be played as a music piece. In the present modification, the stream data is simply referred to as timbre data. The game machine unit constituting the communication game system according to the present embodiment does not need to include the performance data memory 80 and the sequencer 40. Since each game machine unit constituting the communication game system according to the present embodiment does not include performance data, unlike the first embodiment, the musical score data is not labeled.

Each game machine unit constituting the communication game system includes a communication module 10 as shown in FIG.
The main CPU 20, the shared memory 30, the controller 45, the PCM tone generator 50, the D / A converter 60, and the timbre data memory 90 are mounted on the board. Amplifier 71
And the speaker 72 are connected to the D / A converter 60 via a lead wire.

The shared memory 30 is a memory shared by the main CPU 20 and the controller 45 as in the first embodiment. The shared memory 30 is provided with a counter 31 for holding a counter value indicating the progress of music played as BGM in the game machine unit set in the master mode.

The controller 45 has a CPU as shown in FIG. 6 similarly to the sequencer 40 shown in the first embodiment.
It comprises a ROM 210 for storing programs and the like represented by the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and a RAM 230 used as a program work area.
Note that, unlike the sequencer 40 described in the first embodiment, the controller 45 does not have a function of generating sound data from musical score data and timbre data.

Each game machine unit constituting the communication game system has a timbre data memory 90 as shown in FIG.
A label is attached to the tone data stored in. The tone color data in the present embodiment is stream data that does not include sequence data.

FIG. 13 does not clearly show the correspondence table 81 for determining the performance timing. However, in each game machine unit constituting the communication game system, a correspondence table 81 (see FIG. 5) and a performance start check processing routine for checking the values are described in a predetermined area of the ROM 220. Note that items which are not particularly described are the same as those in the above-described first embodiment.

The communication game system according to the second embodiment performs the synchronization processing performed by the sequencer 40 in the first embodiment with reference to FIGS.
Perform step 5. The controller 45 refers to the counter 31 of the shared memory 30. The controller 45 selects LABEL # n corresponding to the performance start position from the value of the counter 31. The controller 45 uses the correspondence table 8 shown in FIG.
3, the address is obtained from LABEL # n obtained as described above and transmitted to the PCM sound source 50.

The conversion from LABEL # n to an address will be described below. As shown in FIG. 13, the controller 45 stores an address conversion table 83 in the ROM 220 in order to convert the label attached to the timbre data in the timbre data memory 90 into an address and pass it to the PCM tone generator 50.

The address conversion table 83 is a LABEL
The address 0H is passed to the controller 45 by the input of # 1, the address 1000H is passed to the controller 45 by the input of LABEL # 2, and the address 2000H is passed to the controller 45 by the input of LABEL # 3.
The address 3000H is passed to the controller 45 in response to the input of EL # 4.

The controller 45 sends the address obtained from the address conversion table 83 to the PCM tone generator 50. The PCM tone generator 50 reads the stream data from the address input from the controller 45 and plays.

According to the second embodiment described above,
By executing the same performance processing as in the first embodiment, it is possible to clarify the entire sound field formed by the communication game system, and to give a more effective impression to the player of the game even in the effect.

Next, a modification of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 14 is a data flow diagram showing a performance state in a modified example of the second embodiment. Note that members having the same configuration as those already described in the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, description thereof will be omitted, and only newly added functions will be described.

The communication game system according to this modification is
13 is provided with the same configuration as that described with reference to FIG. 13, a decompression device 95 is added to each game machine unit, and a LAN which constitutes means for downloading stream data to the timbre data memory 90 as shown in FIG. The hard disk control device 120 and the hard disk 130 connected by the above are added. Hard disk 1 in the present modified example
Reference numeral 30 stores compressed stream data.

The stream data in this modification is P
This is timbre data arranged so that sound data sampled for use in the CM sound source 50 is played as a musical piece. In the present modification, the stream data is simply referred to as timbre data.

As shown in FIG. 10, the main CPU 20 controls the hard disk device 13 via the communication module 110.
A command is transmitted to request the transfer of necessary stream data. The main CPU 20 includes the communication module 1
A function of transmitting the compressed timbre data received via the decompression device 10 to the decompression device 95 is added.

The controller 45 has a function of controlling data output from the decompression device 95 in addition to the sound source control function as described in the first embodiment.

The controller 45 instructs in which area of the timbre data memory 90 the timbre data decompressed by the decompression device 95 is to be stored. The controller 45 writes the LABEL # n added to the tone color data newly stored in the tone color data memory 90 and the address corresponding thereto to the address conversion table 83. Therefore, the address output from the address conversion table 83 and the L
The relationship with ABEL # n changes in accordance with the progress of the music.

Address conversion table 8 in this modified example
3 is frequently rewritten, the address conversion table 83 is configured on the RAM. The timbre data is stored in the timbre data memory 90 with LABEL # n separated by a predetermined block length as in the first embodiment. The timbre data memory 90 is realized by a RAM. This is because it is premised that frequent rewriting is performed like the address conversion table 83.

The communication game system according to this modification is
When the capacity of the downloaded timbre data is larger than the storage capacity of the RAM corresponding to the timbre data memory 90, it is suitable for the case where the performance is performed while new timbre data is stored again in a free area or a used area.

In this modification, the music synchronous performance processing is performed by the same processing as described with reference to FIGS. The communication game system according to the present modified example,
As in the first embodiment, the shared memory 30 has a function of holding a counter value indicating the progress of music played on the game machine unit set in the master mode.
Further, it is necessary to execute the master / slave assignment routine described with reference to FIG.

According to the above-described modification, the sound field formed by the entire communication game system is clarified similarly to the first embodiment, and an effective impression is given to the player of the game from the viewpoint of the effect. be able to.

FIGS. 1 and 15 show a third embodiment.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 15 is a data flow diagram showing a performance state in the third embodiment. The communication game system according to the third embodiment has a function of adjusting the time of a clock provided in each game machine unit, and performs the performance synchronization based on the elapsed time from the coin insertion time of the game machine unit in the master mode. Is performed. Hereinafter, the configuration of each part of the present embodiment will be described.

The communication game system according to the third embodiment has almost the same configuration as the communication game system according to the first embodiment. The description will be omitted, and the description will focus on the newly added configuration.

Each game machine unit constituting the communication game system according to the third embodiment includes a communication module 10, a main CPU 20, a shared memory 30, a sequencer 40, and a PCM sound source 50 as shown in FIG. And D
A / A converter 60, a performance data memory 80, and a timbre data memory 90 are mounted. The amplifier 71 and the speaker 72 are connected to the D / A converter 60 via lead wires.

As shown in FIG. 15, the performance data memory 80 stores performance data consisting only of musical score data in a predetermined block length on a ROM. The musical score data is data rewritten from the musical score as described in the first embodiment.

Each of the game machine units constituting the communication game system according to the third embodiment is replaced with a function of holding a counter value indicating the progress of music played by the game machine unit set in the master mode. In addition, a function of holding the coin insertion time data of the game machine unit set in the master mode in the shared memory 30 and a time setting device 140 and a clock 141 are added as shown in FIG.

The time setting device 140 includes a receiving unit and an analyzing unit, and decodes a standard time signal into a time code. The receiving unit includes, for example, an antenna, a 40 KHz tuner, a demodulator, an amplifier, and the like, selectively receives only standard radio waves, and generates a standard time signal. The analysis unit is configured by a logic circuit or the like, analyzes a standard time signal input from the reception unit using a time code, and decodes it into time information.

The clock 141 is composed of a clock section, a register for storing time information, and a counter, and has a function of updating the time based on the time information stored in the register. The clock unit is a circuit that generates a clock signal, and includes, for example, a crystal oscillator, a frequency divider, a PLL, and the like.

The time code is composed of hour, minute, total day, year (last two digits of the Christian era), day of the week, leap second information, parity corresponding to hour and minute, spare bit, and wave stop notice information. The leap second information is performed just before 9:00 on the first day of the implementation month in Japan time.
It should be noted that the time information is precisely detected at the rising timing of the standard time signal and decoded with an accuracy of 1/60 sec.

The time correction corrects only the time information on the spot. When a clock different from the clock used for image generation is employed, the time is corrected by slightly increasing or decreasing the clock until the target value is achieved. The time correction is performed in consideration of a predetermined time, a reception state, or the like at predetermined time intervals according to the accuracy of the clock. As a result, the time of the clock of each game machine unit constituting the communication game system according to the present embodiment is reliably adjusted.

The correspondence table 81 in the present embodiment has been changed as follows. The correspondence table 81 is used to determine the performance timing of the game machine unit in the slave mode in performance, and as shown in FIG. 15, the elapsed time from the coin insertion and the position at which the game machine unit starts playing as shown in FIG. Is a table composed of a label indicating "." The elapsed time since the coin insertion indicates the elapsed time from the time when the coin was first inserted among the game machine units constituting the communication game system. In the present embodiment, it is the elapsed time from the coin insertion time in the game machine unit set in the master mode.

The communication game system according to the present embodiment is provided with the above-described configuration, so that the game machine unit in the slave mode performs the performance synchronization based on the elapsed time from the coin insertion time of the game machine unit in the master mode. Is performed. This makes it possible to clarify the sound field formed by the entire communication game system, and to give a more effective impression to the player of the game even in the effect.

[0114]

According to the present invention, by providing the above structure, the entire sound field formed by the communication game system can be clarified, and an effective impression can be given to the player of the game even from the stage of production. Further, according to the present invention, by providing the above configuration, it is possible to enrich the tone and the like and give an effective impression to the player.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a communication game system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a master / slave assignment routine;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a music performance routine according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a performance start check processing subroutine.

FIG. 5 is a data flow diagram showing a performance state of the game machine unit in the slave mode.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration around a sequencer according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a sequencer program according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a sequencer according to a first modification of the first embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing sequencer programs according to Modification Examples 1 and 2 in the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a communication game system according to a second modification of the first embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration around a sequencer according to a second modification of the first embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure of compressed timbre data according to a second modification of the first embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a data flow diagram showing a performance state in the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a data flow diagram showing a performance state in a modification of the second embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a data flow diagram showing a performance state in the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 110 Communication module 20 Main CPU 30 Shared memory 31 Counter 40 Sequencer 50 PCM sound source 60 D / A converter 71 Amplifier 72 Speaker 80 Performance memory 81 Correspondence table 82 Performance data 90 Tone data memory 120 Hard disk controller 130 Hard disk

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A communication game system in which a plurality of game machine units are connected by communication means. A communication game system comprising: playing means for playing data; and synchronous data setting means for setting synchronous data for controlling operation timing of the playing means. 2. A communication game system in which a plurality of game machine units are connected by communication means, wherein a storage means for storing stream data and a performance means for playing the stream data are provided for each game machine unit. A communication game system comprising: synchronous data setting means for setting synchronous data for controlling operation timing of the means. 3. The communication game system according to claim 1, wherein said synchronization data is obtained by subtracting a delay time due to communication from a counter value corresponding to a playing state of said playing means. . 4. The storage means according to claim 1, wherein the performance data or the timbre data is divided for each predetermined data length, and a label is attached to each division and stored.
The communication game system according to claim 2. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a memory control unit that accesses the storage unit from a position corresponding to the synchronization data generated by the synchronization data setting unit. Communication game system. 6. The communication game system according to claim 1, further comprising a mode allocating means for allocating a master mode or a slave mode in performance processing to the plurality of game machine units. 7. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: a correspondence table storage means comprising synchronization data set by said synchronization data setting means and a label attached to said performance data.
A communication game system according to item 1. 8. The communication game system according to claim 6, wherein the game machine unit set to the master mode by the mode allocating unit counts the performance of the music in units of one frame. 9. The performance data may be 小 bar or 小 bar.
The communication game system according to claim 7, wherein the communication game system is divided by a data length corresponding to a bar. 10. The communication game system according to claim 4, further comprising download means for downloading timbre data from an external storage device.