JP2013048913A - Game program, game device, and game control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game program for reflecting anticipation of the pitch by a player on a hitting result, and to provide a game device and a game control method.SOLUTION: The game program achieves: an area specifying function for specifying at least one area as a selection area, which is selected by the player via an operation part from among a plurality of areas constituting an actuation surface before and a flying object character reaches the actuation surface; a weighting function for assigning weights, to the respective selection areas, and assigning the weights which are smaller than the weights to be assigned to the selection areas, to respective non-selection areas which are not selected by the player among a plurality of areas; and an actuation force calculating function for obtaining the actuation force of the flying object character, based on the weight assigned to the selection area where the flying object character reaches, when the flying object character reaches one of the selection areas.

Description

  The present disclosure relates to a game program, a game apparatus, and a game control method for executing a game in which a player performs an operation on a working surface by a human character with respect to a flying character via an operation unit.

  Various game machines that allow a player to enjoy a game by executing a game program are widely used. For example, in a baseball game, a player who is a user moves a batter character by operating a controller and hits a ball character thrown by a pitcher character.

  A portable game machine according to the prior art is described in Patent Document 1.

Japanese Patent No. 3822215

  In real baseball, the batter anticipates the next course of the ball to some extent. If the batter's expectation (“reading”) actually hits, the probability of becoming a hit is high, and if it hits, it tends to be a long hit. Conversely, if the reading is missed (that is, if the ball comes to an unexpected course), the probability of a hit is low, and even if it becomes a hit, it is difficult to make a long hit.

  However, in the conventional game machine, the determination when the player who is a batter hits the ball is made based only on the distance between the bat and the ball. Therefore, the conventional game machine cannot reflect the prediction of the next ball by the batter in the hitting result. This is one reason for lacking the real feeling that makes you feel the real baseball.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a game program, a game device, and a game control method that can reflect a player's reading of a ball in a hit result.

  According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flying character set in the game space and the human character that acts on the flying character are displayed on the display unit, and the player can A game in which the human character performs an operation on the action surface by the human character can be executed for the flying character that flies toward a virtual action surface composed of a plurality of areas provided in the game space. The computer selects at least one area selected by the player via the operation unit from the plurality of areas constituting the action surface before the flying character reaches the action surface. An area specifying function to be specified as a function, a weight is assigned to the selected area, and the player selects one of the plurality of areas. A weighting function for assigning a weight smaller than a weight assigned to the selection area to the non-selected area that has not been present, and when the flying object character reaches the selection area, the selection area to which the flying object character has reached is selected. Based on the assigned weight, an action force calculation function for obtaining the action force of the flying character is realized.

  In the above configuration, the strike zone is divided into a plurality of regions. The player who is a batter selects an area where the next ball is expected to come. When selecting, the player selects from an area that is predicted to have the highest probability of coming. The game machine stores an area (selected area) selected by the player. Typically, an area in the strike zone is selected and no other areas are selected. The game machine assigns the stored weight to the selected area (selected area). The selected area is assigned a greater weight than the non-selected area. Therefore, when the ball passes through the selected area and is hit by the batter, it is more likely to be hit than when the ball passes through the non-selected area. With the above configuration, the player can expect an improvement in the hitting result by selecting an area where the ball is expected to come. On the other hand, when the ball does not come to the selected area, a penalty is imposed that the hit result does not behave, so the hit result is not only based on the distance between the bat and the ball at the time of hitting but also based on the batter's reading. Will change. As a result, the player is provided with a kind of euphoria aiming to enjoy a positive benefit, and at the same time, the player is given a tension that a demerit may be caused if it is not anticipated, thereby improving the interest of the game. Furthermore, since a weight is assigned to the selection area, the player selects an area where the ball is determined to pass with the highest probability according to his / her expectation. Therefore, an intuitive and easy selection operation is performed. It can be carried out.

  In one embodiment, the game is a baseball game, the human character is a batter character, the flying character is sent by a pitcher character, the action surface forms a strike zone, and after the sending, Let the computer realize a function that does not allow selection.

  The game program in the above configuration reproduces baseball. By reproducing popular baseball, the player can play the game with a sense of reality.

  In one embodiment, the computer further implements a function of allowing the player to cancel the selection and allow the selection again only when the player makes a new selection in the same manner as the selection already made.

  In the above configuration, when the player selects an area again, a condition is imposed such that the same trajectory as already selected is traced on the operation unit. If this condition is not satisfied, reselection is not permitted, so the game is tense and interesting.

  In one embodiment, the computer is further realized with a function of permitting the reselection only when a predetermined time has elapsed since the selection.

  In the above configuration, when the player selects an area again, a condition is imposed that reselection is not permitted until a predetermined time has elapsed. If this condition is not satisfied, reselection is not permitted, so the game is tense and interesting.

  In one embodiment, the sum of the weight assigned to the selected area and the weight assigned to the non-selected area is a predetermined constant value.

  In the above configuration, the smaller the weight assigned to the selected area, the smaller the weight assigned to the non-selected area. Therefore, the difference between the hit results when the reading is hit and when the reading is lost increases. Therefore, the interest of the game increases.

  In one embodiment, the sum of the weight assigned to the selected area and the weight assigned to the non-selected area is a different value depending on the batter character.

  In the above configuration, the assigned weight differs depending on the batter character. For example, in the case of a heavy hitter, the assigned weight is increased, and in the case of a player who is not strong, the weight is decreased. For this reason, the likelihood of hitting can vary greatly depending on the batter character, as in actual baseball. Therefore, the interest of the game increases.

  In one embodiment, the weight assigned to the non-selected area is set to zero so that the action by the batter character corresponds to the idling.

  In the above configuration, when the ball passes through the non-selected area, the batter character does not hit and hits idle. This increases the penalty when reading is lost and increases the tension of the game.

  In one embodiment, the operation unit includes a touch panel coupled to the computer, and the selection is performed by the player touching the touch panel.

  In the above configuration, the player can select an area by touching a touch panel provided on the liquid crystal screen while viewing the liquid crystal screen. As a result, the selection operation can be performed easily and quickly.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a game program, a game device, and a game control method capable of reflecting a player's reading of a ball in a hitting result.

1 is an external view of a game machine that is an example of a computer that can execute a game program according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows a screen when the game machine is performing the baseball game. It is a figure explaining the function in which a game machine specifies the area | region selected by the player. It is a figure which shows the selection area | region highlighted after selection by a user. It is a figure which shows the selection area | region selected by the player, the non-selection area | region which was not selected, and the weight allocated to them. It is a figure which shows the selection area | region selected by the player, the non-selection area | region which was not selected, and the weight allocated to them. It is a figure which shows the selection area | region selected by the player, the non-selection area | region which was not selected, and the weight allocated to them. It is a figure which shows the selection area | region selected by the player, the non-selection area | region which was not selected, and the weight allocated to them. It is a figure which shows the selection area | region selected by the player, the non-selection area | region which was not selected, and the weight allocated to them. It is a figure which shows the example which selected the same area | region continuously. It is a figure which shows the weighting function which allocates a continuous weight to a strike zone. It is a figure which shows the flow of the game program by one embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware of a game machine. It is a figure which shows the example of the area | region selection by a player. It is a figure which shows the example of the area | region selection by a player. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system including a game machine that is an example of a computer capable of executing a game program according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of a game program, a game device, and a game control method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or similar components are represented by the same reference numerals.

(Outline of game console)
FIG. 1 is an external view of a game machine 100 which is an example of a computer capable of executing a game program according to an embodiment of the present invention. The game machine 100 includes various electronic elements provided on and inside the housing 102. The game machine 100 is typically a portable game machine or a mobile phone, and has a liquid crystal display unit having a touch panel. The game machine 100 is not limited to a portable type, and may be a stationary type video game machine or an arcade machine found in a game center as will be described later.

  The game machine 100 generates a character in a virtual game space, and moves a human character and a flying character (collectively referred to as a game character) according to game rules. The game program describes a game space, game characters, game rules, and the like.

  For example, in the case of a game program for a baseball game, the game space is a space that simulates a baseball field. Human characters include, for example, a pitcher character, a batter character, and a fielder character. The flying character includes a ball character. Other characters include bat characters and background characters.

  The game rules include various rules for advancing the game while exchanging information with the player. For example, in the case of a game program for a baseball game, there are various rules for defining a baseball game, such as a rule that a ball is regarded as a strike when it passes through a strike zone without being hit by a batter.

  The housing 102 is provided with an opening, from which a player (also called an operator or a user) can see the display unit 104. The display unit 104 is typically a liquid crystal display, but is not limited thereto and may be an arbitrary display device. The display unit 104 can display various GUIs (graphical user interfaces). For example, the display unit 104 can display various icons such as a cross key 106 (also referred to as a cross button or direction key) for inputting the direction in which the cursor is moved, and a button 108 for swinging a bat in a baseball game. The display unit 104 is not limited to the cross key 106 and the button 108, and can display any GUI and character necessary for executing the game program.

  On the display unit 104, an operation unit 150 that receives an input from the player is provided. Since the electrode used for the operation unit 150 is transparent, the operation unit 150 can detect an input from the player by touching an icon displayed on the display unit 104.

  The player can move the character in the game space by operating the operation unit 150. For example, in the case of a baseball game, a pitcher character, a batter character, a fielder character, etc. are arranged in the game space. The player can operate the character by touching the cross key 106 or the button 108 displayed on the display unit 104. For example, the player can control the position of the hit portion of the bat, the strength of the force of swinging the bat, the timing of swinging the bat, and the like by touching the operation unit 150 when the batter character swings the bat. By such control, the player can perform an operation of causing the batter to hit the ball.

  The operation unit 150 is typically a capacitive touch panel. An electric field is generated on the touch panel on the operation unit 150. When the player's finger as the instruction means comes into contact with the operation unit 150, the charge slightly changes on the surface of the operation unit 150. The contact position is detected based on this change in charge. As an example, this embodiment uses a projected capacitive touch panel, but this type can detect multiple fingertips (also referred to as multi-touch), and therefore can receive complex input from the player. it can. The instruction means may be a player's finger, stylus (also called a touch pen), etc., depending on the type of touch panel. Although the contour of the operation unit 150 is drawn smaller than the contour of the display unit 104 in FIG. 1, the present invention is not limited to this, and the size of the display unit 104 and the operation unit 150 may be substantially the same. Good.

  The game machine 100 also includes input devices such as a home button 110, a volume button 112, and a sleep button 114 on the housing 102. When the player presses the home button 110, the game machine 100 displays the home screen or returns from the sleep state. When the player operates the volume button 112, the game machine 100 increases or decreases the volume depending on the place where the player presses on the volume button 112. When the player presses the sleep button 114, the game machine 100 transitions to the sleep state.

  The game machine 100 includes a microphone 116, a speaker 118, and a speaker 120. For example, when using a telephone, the user listens to the sound from the speaker 118 and speaks into the microphone 116. The speaker 120 can output sound with a louder volume than the speaker 118. Therefore, the speaker 120 is typically used when enjoying the sound of the game emitted by the game machine 100 without using headphones.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a screen when the game machine 100 is executing a baseball game. The game machine 100 typically executes a game program for a baseball game, but is not limited thereto. More generally, the game machine 100 is a flying character (for example, a ball character) set in a game space (for example, a baseball field) and a human character (for example, a hit) that acts on the flying character (for example, a hit). Batter character) 220 is displayed on the display unit 104. A virtual operation surface is provided in the game space. The human character 220 controlled by the player via the operation unit 150 acts on the flying character on this action surface. A plurality of areas (for example, a strike zone 200) are provided on the action surface, and another human character (for example, a pitcher character) launches (for example, throws) a flying character toward the plurality of areas.

  In the case of a baseball game, on the display unit 104, for example, a strike zone 200 including nine areas 201 to 209 having three vertical and three horizontal areas and a batter character 220 that is a human character are displayed. The number of regions is not limited to nine, and may be any number such as 16 vertical 4 squares and 16 horizontal 4 squares.

  Before the ball character thrown by the pitcher character reaches the virtual action surface including the strike zone 200, the player touches the operation unit 150 with a finger to select an area that the ball character is expected to reach. When the ball character is hit in the predicted area, it is more likely to hit than in the case where the ball character is hit in an area other than the expected area.

  The type of game executed by the game machine 100 is not limited to baseball, and may be a game that generally handles flying character. For example, the game machine 100 can execute a game such as a shooting game, an action game, or a simulation game. Depending on the game being executed, the flying character may be a ball, a frisbee, a disk, a spear, a monster or the like.

(Area selection by player)
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a function in which the game machine 100 specifies an area selected by the player. For example, if the player predicts that the ball character will be higher in the next pitch, the player traces the areas 201, 202, and 203 corresponding to the higher outer angle in the strike zone 200 with the finger 300 in this order. In other words, the player's finger 300 first selects the region 201 at the position 301. Next, the player's finger 300 selects the region 202 at the position 302. Finally, the player's finger 300 selects the region 203 at the position 303. The operation unit 150 of the game machine 100 outputs a signal associated with an area (hereinafter referred to as “selected area”) 201, 202, 203 selected by the player (for example, with the finger 300) to the data processing unit 1300 (see FIG. 13). To be described later. The data processing unit 1300 identifies the selection areas 201, 202, and 203.

    In this embodiment, the player can easily select a region by simply “tracing” a plurality of regions that the ball is expected to reach. In this specification, “tracing” means that a finger or the like moves on the operation unit 150 while being in contact with the operation unit 150 without being substantially separated from the operation unit 150. Therefore, touching and selecting a plurality of areas separately described later with reference to FIG. 8 is different from “tracing”.

  In the present embodiment, after the pitcher character has thrown (that is, released) the ball character, the game machine 100 does not permit area selection. As a result, it is possible to impose a temporal restriction on area selection on the player who operates the batter character 220. Such time restrictions can help to create a sense of game tension.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing selection areas 201, 202, and 203 that are highlighted after the selection by the user shown in FIG. Until the human character 220 (for example, a batter character) hits the flying character (for example, a ball character), the game machine 100 highlights the selected selection areas 201, 202, and 203. The highlight display can be realized, for example, by increasing the brightness of the selected area, but is not limited to this, and can be realized in any manner.

(Selection area and its weight)
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing selection areas 201, 202, and 203 selected by the player, non-selection areas 204 to 209 not selected, and weights assigned to them. According to various embodiments of the present invention, the player selects an area that a flying character (eg, a ball character) is expected to reach. An area that is not selected by the player is called a “non-selected area”. When a human character (for example, a batter character) acts on a flying character (for example, a ball character) in the selected region (for example, hits), a larger acting force acts on the flying character than in the non-selected region ( That is, the hitting force is increased).

  Taking a baseball game as an example, the player operates the batter character and tries to hit the ball character. By the time the ball character thrown by the pitcher character reaches the home base, the player selects an area where the ball character reaches. In actual baseball, this corresponds to the batter's prediction of the position of the next ball ("hit point"). When the batter hits “reading” and hits the ball at the predicted hitting point, the hitting force increases. On the other hand, if the batter's “reading” is missed and a ball is hit at a position that is not the expected hitting point, the hitting force is reduced as compared with the normal hitting. In other words, when the batter character hits the ball character in the selected area, the game machine 100 has an acting force (also called “high hit”) so that the probability of hitting is higher than in the non-selected area (also called “high hit”). For example, the striking force or hitability is calculated. It is one of the objects of the present invention to reproduce such a batter's reading in actual baseball and a change in hitting force depending on whether or not the reading is hit.

  For example, in the specific examples shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, when the player predicts that a higher ball is coming, the player selects by tracing the areas 201, 202, and 203. Larger weights are assigned to the selection areas 201, 202, and 203 than the non-selection areas 204 to 209. The game machine 100 assigns a monotonically decreasing weight to the selected area in accordance with the order of specifying the area selected by the player. As used herein, “monotonically decreasing” means the same or decreasing. For example, when the area weights are 5.0, 5.0, and 3.0 in the order of identification, it is said to be monotonously decreasing.

  For example, when the player touches the operation unit 150 in the order of the areas 201, 202, and 203, weights of 5.0, 3.0, and 2.0 are assigned to the areas 201, 202, and 203, respectively. In FIG. 5, numerical values of 5.0, 3.0, and 2.0 are shown at the lower right of the areas 201, 202, and 203, respectively. These numerical values are shown in order to express the weights assigned to the respective areas stored in the game machine 100, and the game machine 100 actually displays these numerical values on the display unit 104. It does not have to be. Conversely, the game machine 100 may display the weight assigned to each area on the display unit 104. For example, the game machine 100 may display a numerical value representing a weight on the display unit 104. As an alternative, the game machine 100 may fill each area with a color corresponding to a numerical value representing the weight on the display unit 104. For example, the game device 100 may fill the areas 201, 202, and 203 with red corresponding to a weight of 5.0, orange corresponding to a weight of 3.0, and yellow corresponding to a weight of 2.0.

When the flying character reaches one of the selected areas, the game machine 100 obtains the acting force of the flying character based on the weight assigned to the area reached by the flying character. Typically, the gaming machine 100 determines the action force of the flying character (i) the weight assigned to the area reached by the flying character (for example, the ball character), and (ii) the flying character and the human character. The degree of proximity of an object (for example, a batter character) acting on a flying character (for example, a bat) (for example, a value that is larger as the distance is smaller, such as a value that is inversely proportional to the distance)
Calculated as the product of However, the game machine 100 is not limited to the product of the weight and the proximity, and the game machine 100 operates by an arbitrary method in which the action force of the flying object character reflects the weight assigned to the area reached by the flying object character. You can determine the power.

  In this specification, “the magnitude of the acting force” means the magnitude of the acting force given to the flying character by the human character, and is typically the magnitude of the striking force. Therefore, in the baseball game, the magnitude of the acting force correlates with the hit property and the probability of becoming a hit. Examples of parameters that determine the hit property include a hitting speed and a hitting angle. As the acting force increases, the flying character flies farther, for example.

  In a specific example, the player selects the areas 201, 202, and 203 until the pitcher character throws (that is, releases) the ball character. If the ball character reaches the area 201 and the player presses the button 108 in a timely manner, for example, the ball character is hit by the batter character 220. For the hit determination at this time, an acting force reflecting the weight assigned to the region 201 is used. Therefore, compared to hitting a ball character that has reached the non-selected area, the hit rate in the area 201 is higher, and for example, the flight distance is increased even in the same hit. In this example, it is determined whether the batter character 220 has hit the ball character based on whether the ball character has reached the selected area without using a meet cursor described later.

  In another specific example, game machine 100 displays meet cursor 500 on display unit 104. The meat cursor 500 corresponds to a portion of the bat character that can hit the ball character. The player can move the meet cursor 500 in the strike zone 200 by operating the cross key 106 displayed on the display unit 104, for example. However, the movement of the meet cursor 500 is not limited to this, and the meet cursor 500 may be moved using a gyro sensor included in the game machine 100. In this case, the meat cursor 500 can be moved by tilting the game machine 100 by the player. As in the above example, the player selects the areas 201, 202, and 203 until the pitcher character throws (that is, releases) the ball character. If the ball character reaches the area 201 and the player presses the button 108 in a timely manner, for example, if the distance between the meat cursor 500 and the ball character is sufficiently close, the ball character is hit by the batter character 220. Similar to the above example, for the hit determination, an acting force reflecting the weight assigned to the region 201 is used. Therefore, compared to hitting a ball character that has reached the non-selected area, the hit rate in the area 201 is higher, and for example, the flight distance is increased even in the same hit.

  In any of the above specific examples, when the ball character is hit, the acting force increases according to the larger weight (here, 5.0) assigned to the selection area 201. This increases the probability of a hit.

(Non-selected area and its weight)
An example of calculating the weight of an area not selected by the player, that is, a non-selected area will be described. The weights of the non-selected areas 204 to 209 are calculated to be lower than the selected areas 201, 202, and 203 that the flying character is expected to reach. For example, if there are three selection areas,
(Weight of the selection area touched first)> (weight of the selection area touched next)> (weight of the selection area touched last)> (normal hit weight) = 1.0> (of the non-selection area weight)
--- Expression 1
The game machine 100 performs weighting so that the relationship is satisfied. Here, the “normal hitting weight” corresponds to the weight when the player does not expect the area where the ball reaches (that is, there is no selection area). A weight of 1.0 does not change the applied force, and thus corresponds to a default hit. By assigning weights that satisfy the relationship of Equation 1, when the ball comes into the selected area (that is, when the reading is hit), the striking power is increased, but conversely, the ball is placed in the non-selected area. If it comes (ie, the reading is lost), the hitting force is reduced, which is disadvantageous. In this embodiment, the player also has an option not to select an area where the ball reaches.

  The non-selected areas 204 to 209 are weighted according to the following rules. In general, the weight of a certain non-selected region is set to correspond to the sum of values obtained by reducing the weight of the selected region in accordance with an increase in the distance between the non-selected region and the selected region. For example, the weight of a certain non-selected region can be obtained by multiplying the sum of values obtained by dividing the weight of the selected region by the distance between the non-selected region and the selected region by an appropriate coefficient. This coefficient is for making the weight of the non-selected area smaller than the normal hit weight of 1.0. A weight smaller than 1.0 in the non-selected area means a kind of penalty imposed on the player when reading is missed. That is, when the batter character hits the ball character in the non-selected area contrary to the player's reading, the hitting force is reduced as compared with the normal hitting. In this way, the game machine 100 can improve its playability by increasing the striking power when reading and reducing the striking power when reading is missed.

  As a specific example, the weight of the non-selected region can be expressed as, for example, Equation 2 below.

(Weight of non-selected area) = (Σ (weight of selected area / distance from non-selected area)) × coefficient (where Σ is the sum for each selected area)
For example, the weight of the non-selected area 204 is taken as an example. If the coefficient is 0.1,
(Weight of non-selected area 204) = (5.0 / 1 + 3.0 / 2 + 2.0 / 3) × 0.1≈0.7
Can be calculated. Here, the distance is the “number of steps” when moving vertically and horizontally from the non-selected area to the selected area. For example, in order to move from the non-selected area 204 to the selected area 203, it is necessary to move a total of 3 squares, 1 square upward and 2 squares right. Therefore, the distance between the non-selected area 204 and the selected area 203 is 3. Similar to the non-selected area 204, the weights of the non-selected areas 205 to 209 are calculated as shown in FIG.

  However, the distance is not limited to the above and can be defined in any way. For example, the definition of distance in mathematics may be used. In this case, the distance between the non-selected area 204 and the selected area 203 is √5 if the vertical length of the area = 1 and the horizontal length of the area = 1.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing selection areas 601 605, and 609 selected by the player, non-selection areas 602 to 604 and 606 to 608 not selected, and weights assigned to them. In the example of FIG. 5, the player moves his / her finger horizontally on the operation unit 150, but in the example of FIG. 6, the player moves his / her finger diagonally (for example, from a higher inner angle to a lower outer angle) on the operation unit 150. . Thereby, the selection areas 601, 605, and 609 located obliquely in the strike zone 600 are specified by the game machine 100. Similarly to the case described with reference to FIG. 5, the weight distribution shown in FIG. 6 is obtained by calculating the weights for the selected region and the non-selected region.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing selection areas 705 and 706 selected by the player, non-selection areas 701 to 704 and 707 to 709 not selected, and weights assigned to them. In the example of FIGS. 5 and 6, the player has selected three areas. In the example of FIG. 6, the player selects two areas in the strike zone 700. In the present embodiment, the sum of weights in the selected region is constant. Specifically, in the examples of FIGS. 5 and 6, the weight in the selected area is 5.0 + 3.0 + 2.0 = 10.0, which is constant. In FIG. 7, the selection area is two, but the same rule is applied, and 6.0 is assigned to the area touched first, and 4.0 is assigned to the area touched next, and the sum of these is 10.0. is there. As described with reference to FIG. 5, the weight distribution shown in FIG. 7 is obtained by calculating the weights for the selected region and the non-selected region.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing selection areas 801, 803, and 805 selected by the player, non-selection areas 802, 804, and 806 to 809 not selected, and weights assigned to them. 5 to 7, the player selects an area by tracing the operation unit 150 with a finger. In the example of FIG. 8, the player selects by touching the three areas separately. When the selection is performed by touching separately, the weight reduction is increased according to the distance between the selected regions. As a result, when selecting by touching separately, the sum of the weights of the selected areas is less than when selecting by tracing. For example, in the example of FIG. 8, the contact 811 to the region 801, the contact 812 to the region 805, and the contact 813 to the region 803 are separately made to the operation unit 150 in this order. As a result, the weights of the regions 801, 805, and 803 are 5.0, 2.0, and 1.5, respectively. Compared to 5.0, 3.0, and 2.0 shown in FIG. 6, these weights decrease more rapidly with distance. As described with reference to FIG. 5, the weight distribution shown in FIG. 8 is obtained by calculating the weights for the selected region and the non-selected region. In this example of selecting one area at a time, the position where the ball is aimed can be selected independently, so that the player has more freedom to select the area. On the other hand, a penalty is imposed on the player that the weight assigned to the second and third selected areas is greatly reduced. As a result, playability is improved.

  If the example of FIG. 8 is expressed more generally, the difference between the weights assigned to two selection areas that are not spatially continuous is larger than the difference between the weights assigned to two selection areas that are spatially continuous. It can be said that it is big. For example, the difference in weight between the regions 801 and 805 which are not spatially continuous is 3.0, which is larger than 2.0 which is the difference in weight between the regions 201 and 202 which are spatially continuous. By setting weights in this way, when the player selects a discrete area, a penalty is imposed accordingly.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing selection areas 901 and 903 selected by the player, non-selection areas 902 and 904 to 909 not selected, and weights assigned to them. In the example of FIG. 8, the player has selected by touching the three areas separately. In the example of FIG. 9, the player selects two areas by touching them separately. In the example of FIG. 8, the sum of the weights of the selected areas is 5.0 + 2.0 + 1.5 = 8.5. In the example of FIG. 9 as well, the game machine 100 performs weighting so that the total sum of the weights of the selected regions is the same as 5.0 + 3.5 = 8.5. Similarly to the case described with reference to FIG. 5, the weight distribution shown in FIG. 9 is obtained by calculating the weight for the selected region and the non-selected region. In this example in which only two regions are selected, the weight of the region selected second is larger than that in the case of selecting three regions. Specifically, the weight of the area 805 is 2.0 and the weight of the area 803 is 1.5, whereas the weight of the area 903 is 3.5, and the weight is concentrated in one area. As a result, when it is read that the ball comes to the area 903, the hitting force is increased as compared with the areas 805 and 803. Such weighting improves playability. As in the example of FIGS. 8 and 9, the player can select only one area. In this case, a weight of 8.5 is assigned to one area. As a result, compared with the case where a plurality of areas are selected, the striking power when reading is further increased, and the playability is improved.

(Sequential selection of the same area)
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the same region is continuously selected. In one embodiment, when the same area is selected continuously, such as the first ball and the second ball in one at-bat, the game machine 100 performs weighting so that the weight of the selected area is increased. For example, it is assumed that an area is selected as shown in FIG. 5 for the first ball and the area is selected in the same way for the second ball. At this time, in the second ball, the weight of each selected area is increased by 1.0 as shown in FIG. Specifically, 6.0, 4.0, and 3.0 are assigned to areas 1001, 1002, and 1003, respectively. For example, in the first ball, the coefficient = 0.1 is used in Expression 2, and in the second ball, the coefficient = 0.07 is used in Expression 2. Since the weight of each selected area increases, the coefficient is set so that the weight is reduced by that amount for the non-selected area. As described with reference to FIG. 5, the weight distribution shown in FIG. 10 is obtained by calculating the weights for the selected region and the non-selected region.

(Sum of weights depending on batter character)
In some embodiments, the sum of the weights assigned to the selected area depends on the batter character. For example, a large batter (a batter with high ability) has a sum of weights of 15.0, a normal batter has a sum of weights of 10.0, and a batter with a low ability has a sum of weights of 7.0. It is. Thus, the hit rate according to the batter character can be realized by setting the sum of the weights depending on the player character. For example, even if a batter with low ability selects one area, it becomes only 7.0, but when a big batter selects one area, it becomes 15.0, which is that the batting power is almost 2 depending on the batter's ability. Means to double. This makes it possible to create a tendency that a big hit will lead to a big hit, as happens in actual baseball. This increases the interest of the game.

  In some embodiments, the individual weights can be set such that the sum of the weight assigned to the selected region and the weight assigned to the non-selected region takes a predetermined constant value. As a result, the smaller the number of areas (ie, selected areas) that the ball character is expected to reach, the larger the hit will be if the reading is successful. Conversely, the greater the number of selected areas, the less hits will be made when reading. Such weighting increases the fun of the game.

  Further, in an embodiment, individual weights can be set such that the sum of the weight assigned to the selected area and the weight assigned to the non-selected area takes a different value depending on the batter character. Thereby, the probability of a hit etc. will depend on a batter character, and the interest property of a game will increase.

(Continuous weight assignment)
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a weighting function for assigning continuous weights 1101 to the strike zone 1100. In FIG. 11, the x axis represents the horizontal direction of the strike zone, the y axis represents the horizontal direction of the strike zone, and the z axis represents the weight. In the example described above, the strike zone 200 is divided into nine regions, and a weight is assigned to each region. Thus, in the above example, nine discrete weights are used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a larger number of regions may be provided, and a weight may be assigned to each of them. Alternatively, weights may be assigned continuously over the entire strike zone without dividing the strike zone. For example, in FIG. 11, when the player traces the operation unit 150 like a trajectory 1102, a continuous weight 1101 is assigned to the strike zone 1100. In order to generate a two-dimensional continuous weight distribution as shown in FIG. 11 from the trajectory 1102 traced by the player, any appropriate interpolation method such as two-dimensional spline interpolation can be used. In order to generate a continuous weight distribution and use it for calculating the acting force, a resource for calculation is required. For this reason, a distribution of weight values that are discrete at appropriate intervals may be used.
In the example of FIG. 11, the game machine 100 may display a strike zone with gradation corresponding to the weight 1101 on the display unit 104. For example, a portion having a large weight may be displayed in red, a portion having a small weight may be displayed in blue, and an intermediate portion thereof may be displayed in yellow. Conversely, the game machine 100 may display only the trajectory 1102 traced by the player on the display unit 104 without displaying the gradation representing the weight.

(Non-selected area that becomes empty)
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 11, the weight of the non-selected region is not zero. In other words, there was a possibility of hit even in the non-selected area. On the other hand, in one embodiment, the weight assigned to the non-selected area is set to a value that causes the batter character to miss. For example, as described above, the acting force of the flying character is (i) the weight assigned to the area reached by the flying character, and (ii) the flying character and the object on which the human character acts on the flying character. Is calculated as the product of the proximity of In this case, if the weight of the non-selected region is set to zero, the resulting product is also zero, that is, the acting force is zero. As a result, in the hit result determination to be described later, it is missed. When the reading is lost, that is, when the ball character does not reach the selected area, the player is idle. By imposing a penalty for area selection on the player in this way, a sense of tension is produced in the game.

(Game program flow)
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a flow 1200 of a game program according to an embodiment of the present invention. The flow 1200 corresponds to the process of the batter character 220 while the pitcher character throws one. Accordingly, the flow 1200 is a part of a game program for executing a baseball game. When the batter character 220 enters the batter box, the flow 1200 is started.

  The flow diagrams herein represent a process for performing desired data processing. Such a process typically includes a plurality of steps (ie, functions). The step group corresponds to an act (act) for realizing the process. Such steps are typically implemented in software. Alternatively, the blocks may be realized by hardware or a combination of software and hardware. A flow 1200 in FIG. 12 is realized by a CPU included in the game apparatus 100 executing a game program stored in a memory associated with the CPU.

  Various steps shown in FIG. 12 are executed by a data processing unit 1300 of the game apparatus 100 (which will be described later with reference to FIG. 13). Specifically, the steps executed by the data processing unit 1300 are realized by the CPU 1302 included in the game apparatus 100 executing a group of instructions stored in the RAM 1304 or the cache of the CPU 1302.

  In step 1202, the strike zone 200 is displayed. At this time, another human character, that is, a batter character 220, a pitcher character (not shown), or the like may be displayed on the display unit 104.

  In step 1204, the data processing unit 1300 of the game machine 100 specifies the selected area by receiving information representing the area selected by the player (referred to as area information) from the operation unit 150. For example, the data processing unit 1300 of the game machine 100 stores the area information received from the operation unit 150 in a buffer configured on the memory while maintaining the order of reception. Thereby, the data processing unit 1300 of the game machine 100 can assign a monotonically decreasing weight to the selected region in the specified order when performing weighting to be described later. The data processing unit 1300, which will be described later, implements an area specifying function by executing step 1204. In other words, the data processing unit 1300 constitutes an area specifying unit by hardware and software.

  In step 1206, the data processing unit 1300 of the game machine 100 assigns weights to the selected region and the non-selected region so as to satisfy, for example, Equation 1 and Equation 2. The relationship that the weights of the selected region and the non-selected region should satisfy is not limited to Equation 1 and Equation 2. More generally, a weight that decreases monotonously in the specified order may be assigned to each selected area, and a weight smaller than the weight assigned to the selected area may be assigned to each non-selected area. The data processing unit 1300 described later implements a weighting function by executing step 1206. In other words, the data processing unit 1300 constitutes a weighting unit by hardware and software.

  In step 1208, the data processing unit 1300 of the game machine 100 permits reselection by the player when a predetermined condition is satisfied. Specifically, like the selection that has already been made, the player is allowed to cancel the selection that has already been made and reselect it only when the player makes a selection again. For example, when the same area as the area already selected by the player is selected again, reselection is permitted. Such reselection gives the player the opportunity to select an area again when the player selects an unintended area (for example, when he touches a wrong area) or when the player changes his mind.

  As an example, when the player selects three areas by tracing the operation unit 150, the player must trace the operation unit 150 again so as to pass through the already selected three areas. The data processing unit 1300 of the game machine 100 recognizes that the same three areas are selected again by the player tracing in the same manner. Only when this is recognized, the data processing unit 1300 of the game machine 100 permits the player to reselect. Therefore, when the player wants to re-select, input such as tracing on the operation unit 150 is performed twice, once for canceling the selection and once for re-selection.

  In a more specific example, the data processing unit 1300 of the game machine 100 permits the upper reselection only when a predetermined time has elapsed from the selection that has already been made. This works as a kind of penalty for the player. That is, since the time at which the pitcher character throws the ball character is approaching while the predetermined time elapses, a quick operation is required for reselection. If the re-selection cannot be performed by the time when the pitcher character throws the ball character after the predetermined time has elapsed, the normal hit weight is applied without selecting any area.

  The passage of the predetermined time can be realized, for example, by displaying an already selected region with brighter highlights (for example, highlights with higher brightness than normal highlights) for a predetermined time. After a predetermined time has elapsed, the selected area is displayed with normal highlighting. Thus, the player knows that reselection is not accepted while the selected area is displayed with bright highlights. When the predetermined time has elapsed and the selected area is displayed with normal highlights, it can be seen that reselection is possible.

  When the data selection unit 1300 of the game machine 100 determines that the reselection performed by the player satisfies the above conditions (YES branch), the process returns to step 1204. When the data selection unit 1300 of the game machine 100 determines that the reselection performed by the player does not satisfy the above-described condition (NO branch), the process proceeds to step 1210. The data processing unit 1300, which will be described later, implements a reselection permission function by executing step 1208. In other words, the data processing unit 1300 constitutes a reselection permission unit by hardware and software.

In step 1210, the data processing unit 1300 of the game machine 100
(I) the weight assigned to the area reached by the flying character (eg, ball character), and (ii) the object (eg, bat) that the flying character and human character (eg, batter character) act on the flying character. ) (For example, a value that is inversely proportional to the distance, such as a value that increases with decreasing distance)
From the above, the acting force on the flying character is obtained. The data processing unit 1300, which will be described later, implements an acting force calculation function by executing step 1210. In other words, the data processing unit 1300 constitutes an action force calculating means by hardware and software.

  In step 1212, the data processing unit 1300 of the game machine 100 determines the hitting result of the flying character (eg, ball character) based on the acting force obtained in step 1210. Specifically, the result of hitting by the batter character 220 is determined according to the magnitude of the acting force (for example, hitting force). For example, when the acting force is greater than a predetermined threshold, a long run such as a home run is output as a result. On the other hand, when the acting force is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, golo or fly is output as a result. This output is used for the progress of the game in the main body of the game program. The data processing unit 1300, which will be described later, implements an impact result determination function by executing step 1212. In other words, the data processing unit 1300 constitutes an impact result determination unit by hardware and software.

(hardware)
FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing hardware of the game machine 100. The game machine 100 includes a housing 102 that includes various hardware elements. The housing 102 is provided with a display unit 104, a speaker 120, and an operation unit 150.

  The CPU 1302 is connected to each component of the game apparatus 110, and controls the overall operation by exchanging control signals and data. The CPU 1302 implements a desired function by executing a group of steps constituting the game program stored in the RAM 1304. Specifically, the CPU 1302 implements a desired function group defined by the step group by executing the step group shown in FIG.

  The CPU 1302 performs arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, etc., logical operations such as logical sum, logical product, logical negation, bit sum, bit product, bit inversion, bit shift, bit using ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit) for the register. Bit operations such as rotation can be performed. The CPU 1302 may be configured to perform high-speed vector operations such as saturation operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division for multimedia processing, and trigonometric functions. The CPU 1302 may include a coprocessor in order to perform calculations at high speed.

  The RAM 1304 temporarily stores data and programs. The RAM 1304 stores a game program, data associated with the game program, data related to other players in the network battle mode, data related to communication, and the like. The CPU 1302 may provide a variable area in the RAM 1304 and directly perform operations on the values stored in the variable area. The CPU 1302 may temporarily store the value stored in the RAM 1304 in the register, perform an operation on the register, and write back the operation result in the memory.

  The ROM 1308 stores an IPL (initial program loader) that is executed immediately after the power is turned on. The CPU 1302 reads out the game program recorded on the recording medium 120 by executing IPL. The CPU 1302 stores the read game program in the RAM 1304 and performs processing necessary for executing the game program. The ROM 1308 records an operating system program and various data necessary for controlling the game machine 100.

  The interface 1310 sends data associated with the movement of the player's finger detected by the operation unit 150 to the CPU 1302 or the like via the bus 1306. The signal processor 1312 and the image processor 1314 are connected to the CPU 1302 through the bus 1306. The CPU 1302 interprets instructions from the game program and performs various data processing and control. For example, the CPU 1302 instructs the signal processor 1312 to supply image data to the image processor. The signal processor 1312 performs, for example, calculation of various characters in the game space, coordinate conversion calculation from the game space to the display screen, light source calculation, and generation of image and audio data.

  The image processor 1314 executes a two-dimensional image overlay calculation, a transmission calculation such as α blending, various saturation calculations, and the like at high speed. In the game space, which is a virtual three-dimensional space, various characters represented as polygons with various texture information added are arranged. The image processor 1314 renders this polygon by the Z buffer method. The image processor 1314 can execute at high speed an operation for obtaining a rendering image in which a polygon arranged in the game space is looked down from a predetermined viewpoint position in a predetermined line-of-sight direction.

  The CPU 1302 cooperates with the image arithmetic processor 1314 to draw a character string as a two-dimensional image in the frame memory or draw it on the surface of each polygon according to font information that defines the character shape.

  The data processing unit 1300 is typically configured by a CPU 1302, a RAM 1304, a ROM 1308, a signal processor 1312, and an image processor 1314. The data processing unit 1300 causes the game machine 100 to realize functions corresponding to the respective steps by causing the CPU 1302 to execute various steps described with reference to FIG. Specifically, the data processing unit 1300 includes at least an area specifying unit corresponding to step 1204, a weighting unit corresponding to step 1206, and an acting force calculating unit corresponding to step 1210.

  The data processing unit 1300 may further include other hardware or software elements in addition to the above-described components. For example, the data processing unit 1300 may perform parallel processing by using a plurality of CPUs instead of the single CPU 1302 to increase the calculation speed.

  Conversely, the data processing unit 1300 may not include some of the above-described components. For example, when the performance of the CPU 1302 is sufficiently high, the steps in FIG. 12 may be executed without using the signal processor 1312. In this case, the data processing unit 1300 is configured by the CPU 1302, the RAM 1304, the ROM 1308, and the image processing processor 1314.

  The image output unit 1316 typically includes a digital / analog converter and a frame memory. This frame memory stores, for example, image data processed by the image processor 1314. The image output unit 1316 outputs the image data to the display unit 104.

  The audio output unit 1318 typically includes a digital-to-analog converter. The audio output unit 1318 converts audio data generated by a game program or the like into an analog signal and outputs the analog signal to the speaker 120.

  The CPU 1302 may generate sound effects and music data and output them as audio signals during the execution of the game. When the audio data recorded in the ROM 1308 is MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) data, the audio output unit 1318 converts the MIDI data into PCM data by referring to the associated sound source data. When the audio data is compressed in an ADPCM (adaptive differential pulse code modulation) format, an Ogg Vorbis format, or the like, the audio output unit 1318 expands the compressed data and converts it into PCM data. The audio output unit 1318 performs digital-analog conversion on the PCM data at a timing corresponding to the sampling frequency and outputs the result.

  The game program according to the present invention is typically loaded into the game machine 100 from an external recording medium or through the Internet.

(Modification of area selection)
In the above example, the player traces the operation unit 150 linearly with a finger when selecting an area. However, the region selection method is not limited to this. For example, you may trace the operation part 150 with a finger so that a locus | trajectory may draw a curve and a polygon.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of area selection by the player. The strike zone 1400 displayed on the display unit 103 is divided into nine areas 1401 to 1409. When the player wants to select the areas 1409, 1408, 1405, 1406 in this order, the operation unit 150 may be traced from the start point 1450 to the end point 1452 as shown in FIG. At this time, the game machine 100 identifies the selection areas 1409, 1408, 1405, and 1406, and assigns a weight that decreases monotonously to each of the selection areas 1409, 1408, 1405, and 1406.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of region selection by the player. The strike zone 1500 displayed on the display unit 103 is divided into nine areas 1501 to 1509. When the player wants to select the areas 1509, 1506, and 1508 in this order, the operation unit 150 may be traced from the start point 1550 to the end point 1552 through the intermediate point 1551 as shown in FIG. At this time, the game machine 100 identifies the selection areas 1509, 1506, and 1508, and assigns a monotonically decreasing weight to each of the selection areas 1509, 1506, and 1508.

  In another specific example, when the trajectory traced by the player on the operation unit 150 is a shape such as an L-shape, U-shape, Z-shape, or S-shape, the game machine 100 selects a region including those trajectories as a selection region. As specified.

(Alternative hardware)
FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of a system 1600 including a game machine 1610 that is an example of a computer capable of executing a game program according to an embodiment of the present invention. System 1600 typically includes a game console 1610, a controller 1630, and a display 1640. The game machine 1610 is different from the game machine 100 in that the game machine 1610 is not a portable game machine but a stationary game machine. Specifically, in system 1600, display 1640 outputs an image and sound instead of display unit 104. Instead of the operation unit 150, a controller 1630 is used. However, the basic operation of the game machine 1610 is the same as that of the game machine 100 described above. Therefore, the game machine 1610 includes a data processing unit 1300, an interface 1310, an image output unit 1316, an audio output unit 1318, and the like shown in FIG.

  The game machine 1610 includes a drive 1612 that reads data from the recording medium 1620. Like the game machine 100, the game machine 1610 generates a character in a virtual game space by executing a game program, and moves the character in accordance with game rules.

  The recording medium 1620 is any suitable computer-readable recording medium that records the game program according to the present invention, and is, for example, a DVD-ROM (read only memory). However, the recording medium 1620 is not limited to this, and may be a BD (Blu-ray disc) -ROM, a CD (compact disc) -ROM, a semiconductor memory, or the like.

  The player can move the character in the game space by operating the controller 1630. For example, in the case of a baseball game, a pitcher character, a batter character, a fielder character, etc. are arranged in the game space. The player can operate the character by pressing a button provided in the controller 1630. For example, when the batter character swings the bat, the player can control the position of the hit portion of the bat, the strength of the force to swing the bat, the timing to swing the bat, and the like by pressing a button on the controller. By such control, the player can perform an operation of causing the batter to hit the ball.

  The controller 1630 typically includes an L1 button 1631 and a cross key 1632, but may include various other buttons in addition to this. For example, the controller 1630 is coupled to the game machine 1610 by wire, but is not limited thereto, and may be coupled wirelessly.

  The game machine 1610 executes various games based on the game program. Typically, game device 1610 is a dedicated hardware for executing a game program, called a TV game machine. The game machine 1610 is not limited to this, and may be a personal computer capable of executing a game program.

  The game machine 1610 has a drive 1612 for reading a game program or the like from the recording medium 1620. The drive 1612 is an arbitrary drive corresponding to the recording medium 1620, and may be, for example, a DVD drive, a BD drive, or a CD drive. When a semiconductor memory is used as the recording medium 1620, a connector that electrically couples the memory device and the game apparatus 1610 is used instead of the drive 1612.

  The display 1640 displays various characters in the game space generated by the game machine 1610 to the player. Display 1640 may be a liquid crystal television, a plasma television, or the like. The display 1640 is typically connected to the game apparatus 1610 with a wire, and for example, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) cable is used. In system 1600, the image signal output from image output unit 1316 and the audio signal output from audio output unit 1318 are provided to display 1640.

  The game machine 1610 may include a network interface. The network interface is used to communicate with other game devices through the network. For example, various data related to the opponent team used by the user in the network battle mode are received through the network by the network interface. Conversely, various data related to the team used by the opponent in the network battle mode is sent to the opponent game device through the network via the network interface. As a result, it is possible to play a game between players in a remote place in the network battle mode. The system 1600 may execute the game program by the game device 1610 alone without being connected to the network.

  In this embodiment, the game program is typically loaded from the recording medium 1620 to the game device 1610. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and all or part of the game program according to the present invention may be loaded from a remote computer (for example, a server) via a network. Further, all or part of data used in connection with the game program according to the present invention may be loaded from a computer (for example, a server) at a remote location via the network 715.

(Alternate area selection method)
In system 1600, display 1640 does not have a touch panel. Therefore, by tracing the display 1640, it is not possible to select an area where the player expects the ball to reach. In the system 1600, the player selects an area using the controller 1630 instead of the touch panel. Specifically, for example, the player can select the reaching area of the ball by moving the cross key 1632 while pressing the L1 button 1631 of the controller 1630, as in the case of tracing the touch panel.

  As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, some of the various elements described above (hardware elements, software steps, etc.) may be omitted. Conversely, additional elements may be used.

  According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flying character set in the game space and the human character that acts on the flying character are displayed on the display unit, and the player can A game in which the human character performs an operation on the action surface by the human character can be executed for the flying character that flies toward a virtual action surface composed of a plurality of areas provided in the game space. The computer selects at least one area selected by the player via the operation unit from the plurality of areas constituting the action surface before the flying character reaches the action surface. And sequentially assigning a weight that monotonously decreases in the specified order to each of the region specifying function to specify and the selected region, and A weighting function that assigns a weight smaller than a weight assigned to the selected area to each of the non-selected areas that are not selected by the player among the number of areas, and the flying character is one of the selected areas An action force calculation function for obtaining the action force of the flying character is realized based on the weight assigned to the selected area reached by the flying character when it has reached.

  In the above configuration, the strike zone is divided into a plurality of regions. The player who is a batter selects an area where the next ball is expected to come. When selecting, the player selects from an area that is predicted to have the highest probability of coming. The game machine stores the area selected by the player (selected area) together with the order. Typically, some areas in the strike zone are selected and other areas are not selected. The game machine assigns a weight that decreases monotonously in the stored order to each area. The selected area is assigned a greater weight than the non-selected area. Therefore, when the ball passes through the selected area and is hit by the batter, it is more likely to be hit than when the ball passes through the non-selected area. With the above configuration, the player can expect an improvement in the hitting result by selecting an area where the ball is expected to come. On the other hand, when the ball does not come to the selected area, a penalty is imposed that the hit result does not behave, so the hit result is not only based on the distance between the bat and the ball at the time of hitting but also based on the batter's reading. Will change. As a result, the player is provided with a kind of euphoria aiming to enjoy a positive benefit, and at the same time, the player is given a tension that a demerit may be caused if it is not anticipated, thereby improving the interest of the game. Furthermore, since a weight that decreases monotonously in a specific order is assigned to each of the selection areas, the player first selects the first area that is determined to have the highest probability of passing the ball. Since a plurality of subsequent areas are sequentially selected, it is only necessary to select them in an important order, so that an intuitive and easy selection operation can be performed.

  In one embodiment, the weighting function decreases the weight in each of the non-selected areas, and decreases the weight of each of the selected areas as the distance between each of the non-selected areas and each of the selected areas increases. Set to the value corresponding to the sum of the values.

  In the above configuration, the weight of the non-selected region reflects the weight of the selected region existing in the vicinity to some extent. For example, if there is a selection region in the vicinity, the weight of the non-selection region is increased due to the influence. As the distance between the selected area and the non-selected area increases, the degree of influence decreases, that is, the degree to which the weight increases. Thereby, weights can be distributed smoothly from the selected area to the non-selected area.

  In one embodiment, the weighting function is configured such that the difference between the weights assigned to the two selection areas that are not spatially continuous is greater than the difference between the weights assigned to the two selection areas that are spatially continuous. The weight is assigned so as to be larger.

  In the above configuration, a penalty is imposed on the player by selecting an area that is not spatially continuous. Therefore, the player is encouraged to make a more careful selection when selecting a region, and the tension of the game is increased.

  In one embodiment, the game is a baseball game, the human character is a batter character, the flying character is sent by a pitcher character, the action surface forms a strike zone, and after the sending, Let the computer realize a function that does not allow selection.

  The game program in the above configuration reproduces baseball. By reproducing popular baseball, the player can play the game with a sense of reality.

  In one embodiment, the computer further implements a function of allowing the player to cancel the selection and allow the selection again only when the player makes a new selection in the same manner as the selection already made.

  In the above configuration, when the player selects an area again, a condition is imposed such that the same trajectory as already selected is traced on the operation unit. If this condition is not satisfied, reselection is not permitted, so the game is tense and interesting.

  In one embodiment, the computer is further realized with a function of permitting the reselection only when a predetermined time has elapsed since the selection.

  In the above configuration, when the player selects an area again, a condition is imposed that reselection is not permitted until a predetermined time has elapsed. If this condition is not satisfied, reselection is not permitted, so the game is tense and interesting.

  In one embodiment, the sum of the weight assigned to the selected area and the weight assigned to the non-selected area is a predetermined constant value.

  In the above configuration, the smaller the weight assigned to the selected area, the smaller the weight assigned to the non-selected area. Therefore, the difference between the hit results when the reading is hit and when the reading is lost increases. Therefore, the interest of the game increases.

  In one embodiment, the sum of the weight assigned to the selected area and the weight assigned to the non-selected area is a different value depending on the batter character.

  In the above configuration, the assigned weight differs depending on the batter character. For example, in the case of a heavy hitter, the assigned weight is increased, and in the case of a player who is not strong, the weight is decreased. For this reason, the likelihood of hitting can vary greatly depending on the batter character, as in actual baseball. Therefore, the interest of the game increases.

  In one embodiment, the weight assigned to the non-selected area is set to zero so that the action by the batter character corresponds to the idling.

  In the above configuration, when the ball passes through the non-selected area, the batter character does not hit and hits idle. This increases the penalty when reading is lost and increases the tension of the game.

  In one embodiment, the operation unit includes a touch panel coupled to the computer, and the selection is performed by the player touching the touch panel.

  In the above configuration, the player can select an area by touching a touch panel provided on the liquid crystal screen while viewing the liquid crystal screen. As a result, the selection operation can be performed easily and quickly.

  According to the present invention, the player's reading of the ball can be reflected in the hitting result. Therefore, it is useful in that a game program, a game device, and a game control method with improved interest can be provided.

1200 Game Program Flow 1202 Strike Zone Display Step 1204 Area Identification Step 1206 Weighting Step 1208 Reselection Condition Determination Step 1210 Action Force Calculation Step 1212 Impact Result Determination Step

Claims (10)

A flying character set in the game space and a human character that acts on the flying character are displayed on the display unit, and the player can select from a plurality of areas provided in the game space via the operation unit. A computer capable of executing a game for performing an operation of exerting an action on the action surface by the human character with respect to the flying character that flies toward a virtual action surface configured.
An area that specifies, as a selection area, at least one area selected by the player via the operation unit from among a plurality of areas constituting the action surface before the flying character reaches the action surface. Specific functions,
A weighting function that assigns a weight to the selection area and assigns a weight smaller than a weight assigned to the selection area to a non-selection area that is not selected by the player among the plurality of areas;
When the flying object character reaches the selection area, an action force calculation function for obtaining an action force of the flying object character is realized based on a weight assigned to the selection area reached by the flying object character. Game program. The game is a baseball game;
The human character is a batter character;
The flying character is sent by the pitcher character,
The working surface constitutes a strike zone,
The game program according to claim 1, wherein a function that does not permit the selection after the sending is realized in a computer. The game program according to claim 2, further causing the computer to realize a function of canceling the selection and permitting the selection again only when the player makes a new selection in the same manner as the selection already made. The game program according to claim 3, further causing the computer to realize a function of permitting the reselection only when a predetermined time has elapsed since the selection.   The game program according to claim 2, wherein the sum of the weight assigned to the selected area and the weight assigned to the non-selected area is a predetermined constant value.   The game program according to claim 2, wherein the sum of the weight assigned to the selected area and the weight assigned to the non-selected area is a different value depending on the batter character. The game program according to claim 2, wherein the weight assigned to the non-selected area is set to zero so that the action by the batter character corresponds to the idling. The operation unit includes a touch panel coupled to the computer,
The game program according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the selection is performed by the player touching the touch panel. A flying character set in the game space and a human character that acts on the flying character are displayed on the display unit, and the player can select from a plurality of areas provided in the game space via the operation unit. A game device for executing a game for performing an operation on the action surface by the human character with respect to the flying character that flies toward a configured virtual action surface,
An area that specifies, as a selection area, at least one area selected by the player via the operation unit from among a plurality of areas constituting the action surface before the flying character reaches the action surface. Specific means,
A weighting unit that assigns a weight to the selected area and assigns a weight smaller than a weight assigned to the selected area to a non-selected area that is not selected by the player among the plurality of areas;
A game comprising action force calculation means for obtaining the action force of the flying object character based on the weight assigned to the selection area reached by the flying object character when the flying object character reaches the selected area. apparatus. A flying character set in the game space and a human character that acts on the flying character are displayed on the display unit, and the player can select from a plurality of areas provided in the game space via the operation unit. A method of controlling, by a computer, a game for performing an operation on the action surface by the human character with respect to the flying character that flies toward a configured action surface,
Before the flying character reaches the action surface, the computer selects, as a selection area, at least one area selected by the player via the operation unit from among a plurality of areas constituting the action surface. An area identification step to identify;
A weight is assigned to the computer in the selection area, and a weight smaller than a weight assigned to the selection area is assigned to the non-selection area that is not selected by the player among the plurality of areas. A weighting step,
When the flying object character reaches the selection area, an action force calculation step for causing the computer to determine the action force of the flying object character based on the weight assigned to the selection area reached by the flying object character. A game control method comprising:

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