JP2001276291A - Dance game system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To store motions performed by a game player and converted them into data, and develop a dance game using the data in a dance game machine wherein motions such as step motions synchronizing with a dance music are indicated to the game player. SOLUTION: A music is selected by the game player, and the music is played as a dance music. The game player steps accompany the dance music on step boards 18 provided on the game machine. A game control section 10 receives signals which correspond with the steps from the step boards 18, and creates motion data based on the steps in order, and prepares created choreographic data corresponding with the steps of the game player based on the data. Then, whether or not the created choreographic data should be registered is asked to the game player. When it is registered, identification information such as the name of the game player is added, and the created choreographic data is registered on a hard disk, or the like. After that, the dance game cam be developed by indicating the step motions to the game player, based on the registered data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game machine, and more particularly, to a game machine for instructing a player to perform a predetermined action such as a step operation in accordance with the progress of music.
The present invention relates to a game machine capable of storing a game performed by a player as data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, dance game machines called dance dance revolution (DDR; trade name) have gained popularity in game centers and the like. The dance game machine stores a plurality of music data and choreography data for instructing a dance appropriate to each music data. When a player selects any one music, the selected music is played. At the same time, choreography data that changes every moment as the music progresses is displayed on the screen. The player takes a dance step according to the displayed choreography data. At this time, the choreography data at the present time and up to a predetermined time in the future are displayed on the screen, and this display is scrolled as time elapses. With this display, the player can perform the dance steps as the music progresses while foreseeing the next and subsequent step instructions. Further, the dance game machine is provided with a step sensor for detecting the step of the player, and the degree of coincidence between the choreography data and the step of the player is determined. Then, according to the degree of coincidence, the score is calculated so that the higher the degree of coincidence, the higher the score, and the score is presented to the player.

By the way, the above-mentioned dance game machine usually stores only one kind of choreography data for a certain music. Therefore, if the player repeatedly practices and masters the steps, it is said that "a good dance." You can't get a sense of accomplishment like "Tazo" or "I got a high score", and the dance game becomes boring as soon as possible. Further, the player must take steps in accordance with the dance pattern defined by the only choreographic data stored in the game machine, and cannot freely dance to the desired music.

[0004]

As means for solving such a problem, software for decoding and altering the above-mentioned choreography data is widely available, and the choreography data is taken into a computer or the like using this software. Attempts have been made to create unique steps by modifying that data.

[0005] However, since taking in data or changing the taken-in data requires a fairly high level of knowledge, not everyone can do it easily. Moreover, in this case, since the data is rewritten on the computer, it is impossible to imagine what an image would look like when the created steps are actually danced.

Therefore, the present invention provides a method of developing a dance game using data by storing and registering the unique steps actually danced by the player on the footstep sensor in accordance with the desired music. It is an object of the present invention to provide a game machine that can perform the game.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a dance game system according to the present invention stores music generation data of a plurality of songs as dance music and choreography data of each song in association with each other. Data storage means, music performance means for reading out the music generation data of a designated music piece from the storage means and outputting sound as dance music, and the choreography data associated with the dance music performed by this means. Instruction means for reading out from the storage means and visually instructing the dancer toward the dancer in synchronism with the music performance, an action detection means for detecting the action of the dancer and converting it into data, Means for evaluating the dance skill of the dancer by comparing the performance data obtained by the means and the choreography data in chronological order; An evaluation output unit for presenting the evaluation data obtained by the evaluation unit to the dancer in an appropriate information form, and detecting the gesture in a process in which a dance music of a certain music is played by the music performance unit. Choreography data creating means for creating creative choreography data in the same data expression format as the choreography data based on the action data detected by the means, and the dance music at the time of creating the choreography data obtained by this means. Creative choreography data registration means for storing the original choreography data in association with the music piece in the data storage means; and for the music piece in which the creative choreography data is registered, it is possible to select the question of the creative choreography data for the user. Music introducing means for presenting to the user.

[0008] The dance game system of the present invention may include user input means for enabling the choreography creation mode before starting to play the dance music of a certain music, and this means enables the choreography creation mode to be enabled. In this case, the choreography data creation means and the creation choreography data registration means may function.

[0009] The dance game system of the present invention may further comprise a user input means for issuing a request for registration of the creative choreography data after the dance music of a certain music piece has been played, and the registration request is issued by this means. In this case, the creative choreography data registration means may function.

Further, the dance game system of the present invention
A means may be provided for registering the personal information of the dancer who originated the data in association with the creative choreographic data, and the music introduction means presents the presence of the creative choreographic data with the personal information of the dancer. You may make it.

[0011] The dance game system of the present invention further comprises:
The present invention may further include creative choreography data deleting means for deleting the creative choreography data stored in the data storage means.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A housing type DDR game machine installed in a game center or the like will be described below as an embodiment of the present invention. When a player selects a favorite song from a plurality of songs stored in this DDR game machine,
The music is played, and a choreography instruction image indicating a dance step corresponding to the music is displayed on the display of the game machine. When the player steps on the foot pad provided on the game machine in accordance with the step instruction image, a score corresponding to the degree of coincidence between the step instruction information and the step performed by the player is displayed on the display. The game machine not only develops the DDR game as described above, but also detects a step performed by the player on the foot pad and converts the step into appropriate data to generate a unique dance step for the player. It has a function of storing and registering.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of the game machine of the present embodiment. The game machine includes a game control unit 10 that is built in the main body 1 and controls the entire game machine, music generation data of a plurality of music pieces that are also built in the main body 1 and that become dance music, choreography data corresponding to each music piece, Display 14
A hard disk 12 storing various data such as video data for generating various game videos to be displayed on the display, a display 14 for displaying the game videos, an operation input unit 16 for receiving a player's manual input command, Step sensor 18 provided for performing a dance step
And a speaker 2 for outputting a song to be dance music
0. The game control unit 10 includes a CPU, a RAM,
A ROM is included, and the hard disk 12, the display 14, the operation input unit 16, the foot sensor 18 and the speaker 20 are connected to the game control unit 10, respectively. At an appropriate position of the main body 1, a coin insertion slot 22 for inserting coins is provided.

When the player inserts a coin into the coin slot 22, the DDR game starts. The game control unit 10 firstly stores video data for displaying a guide screen for allowing a player to select a song on the hard disk 12.
Read from The video data is appropriately processed, and a guide screen is displayed on the display 14. The player selects a desired song from the plurality of songs displayed on the guidance screen, and operates the operation input unit 16 as appropriate to input the selection. Upon receiving the music selection information, the game control unit 10 generates music generation data of the selected music and choreography data from which a choreography instruction image for instructing a player to perform a dance step synchronized with the music is generated. The background video data for generating the background video to be displayed on the display during the game is read from the hard disk 12.

The music generation data has a data format suitable for generating music, such as a MIDI format. A synchronization signal is attached for synchronization with choreography data. For example, if the first beat is “strong beat” and the remaining second, third and fourth beats are “weak beats” in a quadruple song, the signal is turned on at “strong beats”. It has a simple structure.

The game control unit 10 includes a hard disk 12
This music generation data read out from is appropriately processed and supplied to the speaker 20 to output dance music,
The choreography data synchronized with the music generation data is appropriately processed together with the background video data, and the background video and the choreography instruction image synchronized with the dance music being played are displayed on the display 1.
4 is displayed.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the choreographic data. The choreography data according to the present example is configured using a 5-digit numerical value (hereinafter, referred to as unit instruction data) in which each digit is “0” or “1” as a basic unit. The least significant digit of the unit instruction data corresponds to the synchronization signal. For example, when the synchronization signal attached to the music generation data of the music is on, that is, when the beat is a strong beat, “1” is set. “0” is set for a weak beat. The remaining four digits of the unit instruction data indicate steps for one beat, and the leftmost arrow (“←”), the upward arrow (“↑”), the downward arrow (“↓”), and the Corresponding to a rightward arrow (“→”), “1” indicates that the corresponding stepping sensor should be stepped on, and “0” indicates that the corresponding stepping sensor should not be stepped. In other words, what is shown in FIG. 2 is, "In a four-beat song, between two measures,
"Up", "down", "left and right", "up and down", "left",
Step in the order of "right", "up and down", and "left and right". The choreography data is not limited to such a configuration.
It may be described as numerical data of a base number. in this case,
“←” is “1”, “↑” is “2”, “↓” is “4”,
A numerical value of “8” is assigned to “→”, and for example, when “↓” and “→” are simultaneously depressed, “12” is allocated as “4 + 8”, and the numerical values are listed. In any case, any data configuration may be used as long as the DDR game can be executed.

The game control unit 10 processes the choreography data as appropriate to visually present the instruction content of the choreography data to the player, and generates a choreography instruction image synchronized with the accompaniment music. The bit map is sequentially developed in the provided RAM. The developed choreography instruction image is superimposed on a background video generated based on the background video data, and is sequentially scroll-displayed on the display 14.

One embodiment of a game screen displayed on the display 14 during music performance will be described with reference to FIG.
On the display 14, a choreography instruction image 102 is superimposed and displayed on a background video 100. Choreography instruction image 102
From the four display areas corresponding to the left arrow (“←”), the upward arrow (“↑”), the down arrow (“↓”), and the right arrow (“→”), respectively, in order from the left side of the game screen. A plurality of unit instruction images 104 are provided vertically (five in FIG. 3).
The unit instruction image 104 in each stage corresponds to the unit instruction data, and displays a choreography instruction for a predetermined number of beats (five in this example) from the upper stage to the lower stage. That is, the four display areas of each unit instruction image 104 correspond to the upper four digits of the unit instruction data, and an arrow is displayed when the corresponding digit is “1”, and an arrow is displayed when the corresponding digit is “0”. Is hidden.

The game control unit 10 includes a choreography instruction image 102
The unit instruction images 104a, which have reached the uppermost stage, sequentially scroll the unit instruction images 104 sequentially upward in synchronization with the synchronizing signal of the music generation data so that the unit instruction images 104a indicate the steps to be taken at the present time. For example, in the example shown in FIG.
The current step instruction is “up”, the next step instruction is “down”, the step instruction two beat ahead is “left and right”, the step instruction three beat ahead is “up and down”, and the step instruction four beat ahead is “left”
It represents that. Note that the top unit instruction image 104a indicating the current step instruction is highlighted by, for example, frame surrounding or reverse display.

At the start of the dance music, the player is waiting on the foot sensor 18.
This footstep sensor 18 is installed on the floor in front of the display 14 as shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the footstep sensors 18 are arranged in front, rear, left, and right directions, respectively, with a leftward arrow (“←”), an upward arrow (“↑”), a downward arrow (“↓”), and a rightward arrow (“→”). Is provided with four footstep sections 18a to 18d to which the display of
Each of the foot sections 18a to 18d is provided with a pressure sensor. When the player steps on one of the sections, a signal is output to the game control section 10 from the stepped section. Then, the game control unit 10 creates the result data based on this signal. Note that the stepping position that can be detected by the stepping sensor 18 is not limited to four directions, and for example, a configuration that can detect stepping positions in eight directions including an oblique direction may be used.

When the performance of the dance music is started, the choreography instruction image 102 is scrolled and displayed on the display 14 as described above. Are sequentially stepped on the footsteps 18a to 18d marked with “←”, “↑”, “↓”, and “→”. As described above, each of the footstep sections 18a to 18d outputs a signal to the game control unit 10 when stepped on. Based on this signal, the game control unit 10 detects at what timing the player has stepped on which step section, and creates action data from the detection result. And game control unit 1
0 compares the result data and choreography data in chronological order in real time, and evaluates the degree of coincidence between the two.
A score according to the degree of coincidence is calculated, and the calculated value is displayed on the display 14 as a score indicating the skill of the player's dance.

By the way, the game machine according to the present invention uses the DD based on the choreographic data registered in advance as described above.
In addition to developing the R game, the footstep sensor 18
From the dance steps performed by the player above, create choreography data in the same format as the choreography data, register this data in the hard disk 12 or other storage means, and use the creation choreography data to execute the DDR game. It also has the function of deploying. For example, an embodiment in which a player starts a DDR game with the intention of registering a dance created by himself / herself will be described.

In this embodiment, the operation input unit 16 of the game machine is used.
Is provided with a "choreography creation" button. When a player presses the “choreography creation” button while the guide screen is displayed on the display 14 after receiving a coin from the coin insertion slot 22, the game control unit 10 of the game machine sets “ Choreography creation mode "starts.

First, the game control section 10 reads from the hard disk 12 video data for generating a guide screen for asking which music the player wants to dance with. Then, the video data is appropriately processed, and such a guide screen is displayed on the display 14. The player selects his / her favorite music from the plurality of music displayed on the guide screen, and inputs his / her own selection by operating the operation input unit 16 as appropriate. Upon receiving the music selection information, the game control unit 10 reads from the hard disk 12 the music generation data of the selected music and the background video data for generating the game background video to be displayed on the display during the game execution (here, Note that in the "choreography creation mode", choreography data corresponding to the music generation data is not read.)

When the game control unit 10 completes reading the music generation data and is ready to play dance music, the display 14 displays “READY? ], Etc. to see what the players are doing. If the player is ready to take a dance step on the foot sensor 18,
By pressing an appropriate button of the operation input unit 16 or stepping on the foot sensor 18, the user inputs that fact and instructs the start of dance music performance. Upon receiving this instruction, the game control unit 1
0 starts processing the read music generation data, starts outputting dance music to the speaker 20, and starts processing the background video data to display the game background video on the display 14. At the same time as the start of the dance music, the game control unit 10
, And a work memory such as a RAM included in the game control unit 10 itself becomes a writable state.

In response to the dance music output from the speaker 20, the player can use the “←”,
The dance steps are freely performed on the step sections 18a to 18d of "↑", "↓", and "→". As described above, the pressure sensors are provided in each of the stepping sections 18a to 18d, and when the player steps on any of the sections, a signal is output from the stepping section to the game control unit 10. Based on this signal, the game control unit 10 detects at what timing the player has stepped on which step section, and creates action data from the detection result. Then, based on the action data, “creative choreography data” is created and written into the working memory.

One embodiment of a method for creating the creative choreography data will be described with reference to FIG. The creative choreography data has the same structure as the choreography data, that is, five-digit numerical data in which each digit is “0” or “1”. Similarly to the choreography data, the numerical value of the least significant digit is equivalent to the synchronization signal, and is synchronized with the synchronization signal of the music generation data of the dance music being played, that is,
According to the example described above, it is automatically set to “1” at the timing corresponding to “strong beat” of dance music (FIG. 5).
(A)). The numerical values of the upper four digits indicate which of the footsteps 18a to 18d the player steps on. That is, the game control unit 10 is configured, for example, as shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, when the player steps on the step section 18a marked with “←” at the timing of the “strong beat” of the music, the uppermost and lowermost digits of the creative choreography data are set to “1”. Then, numerical data "1.0.0.1" is created. For example, as shown in FIG. 5B, when the player simultaneously steps on the footsteps 18a and 18b marked with “←” and “↑” at the timing of “weak beat” of the music, the creative choreography data Set the upper two digits of “1” to “1”
Create numerical choreography data sequentially, such as creating numerical data of "1.0.0.0.0", and write the created creative choreographic data into the working memory. Then, the game control unit 10 enters a state in which the output signal from the footstep sensor 18 is not received at the same time as the music generation data reaches the data end and the dance music ends. In this way, the creative choreography data is created from the start time to the end time of the music generation data and in synchronization with the music generation data.

At this stage, the created choreography data is stored in a work memory such as a RAM provided in the game control unit 10. Therefore, the game control unit 10 asks the player whether to store the created creative choreography data in the hard disk 12 in association with the music generation data, and displays a guidance screen as shown in FIG. Display. If the player is satisfied with his own dance and wants to register the created choreography data, the player operates the operation input unit 16 according to the guidance screen displayed on the display 14. Input the intention of the registration. Game control unit 10
Receives this registration intention information, displays a guide screen as shown in FIG. 6 (b) on the display 14, and prompts the player to input an identification ID such as his / her name or nickname.
The operation input unit 1 gives an instruction that the player has finished inputting the name.
6, the game control unit 10 sets the RA
M, after adding the player's identification ID data to the creative choreography data stored in the M.
2 is stored in the hard disk 12 in association with the corresponding music generation data. Thus, the registration of the dance steps unique to the player is completed.

Instead of inputting the name and nickname of the player, a unique numerical value assigned in advance to the player by, for example, membership registration may be input and used as the identification ID. Also, instead of storing the creative choreography data on the hard disk 12 built in the game machine main body 1, the original choreography data is stored on an appropriate storage medium such as a memory card which is an external memory for a home game machine such as a PlayStation. Alternatively, if the game machine has a communication means such as a modem, the game machine may store the communication means in an external storage means such as a network server connected via the communication means.

Now, in the game machine in which the original choreography data corresponding to the player's own dance steps are registered in accordance with the above-described procedure, the DDR game is started by the player or another player, and When the corresponding music is selected, the game control unit 10
For example, a guide screen as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the display 14, and in addition to choreography data registered by default for the music, creative choreography data created based on the player's own dance steps are displayed. Present that it exists. Then, when a player or another player who intends to play the game inputs an intention to “dance to the original choreography data” by an appropriate operation of the operation input unit 16 (in FIG. 7, “DK version”). Button 200 is selected), the game control unit 10 reads out the music generation data of the selected music and the original choreography data registered earlier from the hard disk 12, and
The DDR game is developed based on these data.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the player starts the DDR game with the intention of registering a unique dance step from the beginning has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, it may have the following configuration.

Each time the DDR game is executed, the choreography data is obtained from the action data based on the signal from the footstep sensor 18 even if the player does not give an instruction such as "start the choreography creation mode" at the start of the game. Is created and stored in the RAM, and after completion of the music, an inquiry is made to the player as to whether or not to register the current dance step. By doing so, for example, during the execution of a normal DDR game,
Even if the player accidentally dances a cool dance step, the dance step can be stored as original choreography data.

When assigning an ID to the creative choreographic data, a password is issued to the player. After registering the original choreography data, the music number, the identification ID and the password are input to the player to determine whether or not the player who created the original choreography data is the original player.
If you are the person, you can edit or delete the data.

The dance game system of the present invention is not a housing type DDR game machine installed in a game center, but, for example, functions as a communication karaoke device and karaoke music played by the karaoke device. A communication karaoke / game device having a function as a game machine for developing the DDR game may be employed.
In such an apparatus, the music generation data and the choreography data are downloaded from a host server connected by wire / wireless via a telephone line or the like and used by the apparatus itself, and the created creative choreography data is transmitted to the remote host server. You may make it upload and register with a host server.

[0036]

The dance steps can be converted into data and stored / registered simply by the player dancing on the footstep sensor in accordance with the desired music. Therefore, since many dance steps can be provided for one music, the player does not easily get bored with the game. In addition, since the dance steps created by the player himself can be registered in the game machine, the registered unique dance steps can be made to dance by other players, so that the game becomes more interesting.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a game machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a specific example of choreography data.

FIG. 3 is an example of a screen displayed on a display during execution of a game.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a footstep sensor provided in the game machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram when creating creative choreography data.

FIG. 6 is an example of a guide screen displayed on a display.

FIG. 7 is an example of a guide screen displayed on a display.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 10 Game control part 12 Hard disk 14 Display 18 Footstep sensor

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A data storage unit for storing music generation data of a plurality of songs to be dance music and choreography data for each song in association with each other, and storing the music generation data of a designated song from the storage unit. A music playing means for reading and outputting sound as dance music; and reading the choreographic data associated with the dance music played by the means from the storage means and synchronizing with the music performance to perform a dance toward a dancer. A gesture instructing means for visually instructing the gesture, a gesture detecting device for detecting the dancer's gesture and converting it into data, and comparing the gesture data obtained by the detecting device with the choreography data in chronological order. Evaluation means for evaluating the dance skill of the dancer, and directing the evaluation data obtained by the evaluation means to the dancer in an appropriate information form. A dance game system provided with an evaluation output means for presenting the music data. Choreography data creation means for creating creative choreography data in a data expression format, and creation in which the creative choreography data obtained by this means is stored in the data storage means in association with the dance music at the time of data creation. Choreography data registration means, and music introduction means for presenting to the user that the question of the original choreography data can also be selected for the music in which the creative choreography data is registered. A dance game system characterized by the following. 2. The dance game system according to claim 1, further comprising user input means for activating a choreography creation mode before starting to play a dance music of a certain music, said choreography being performed by said means. The choreography data creation means and the creation choreography data registration means function when the creation mode is enabled. 3. The dance game system according to claim 1, further comprising user input means for issuing a request for registration of creative choreography data after completion of dance music of a certain music piece, When the registration request is issued by this means, the creative choreography data registration means functions. 4. The dance game system according to claim 1, further comprising: means for registering personal information of a dancer who originated the data in association with the creative choreographic data, The music introducing means presents the existence of the original choreography data with personal information of the dancer. 5. The dance game system according to claim 1, further comprising a creative choreography data deleting unit for deleting the creative choreography data stored in the data storage unit. .