JP2021010720A - Game system, computer program used for the game system, and control method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a game system capable of inducing a user's action to a more appropriate action.SOLUTION: A game machine includes a display device for displaying a game screen 30 and a stage for inputting a step of a user in a tread, and provides a dance game for giving a player an instruction on execution timing of each step to be executed on the tread through the game screen 30. The game machine acquires image data for displaying, in the game screen 30, a silhouette image 38 including a tread image 38B that functions as a guide of the tread and a character image 38A that functions as a moving image for executing a series of steps that constitute a dance in the tread image 38B, and displays the silhouette image 38 in the game screen 30 on the basis of the image data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present invention inputs a display device that displays a game screen including an instruction sign corresponding to each action of a series of actions constituting the dance and a reference sign corresponding to the current time, and a user action within a predetermined range as a play action. The position of the instruction sign and the position of the reference sign by sequentially displaying the instruction signs on the game screen so that the instruction signs move toward the reference signs along a predetermined route. The present invention relates to a game system or the like that provides a game that instructs a user when to execute each operation to be executed within a predetermined range as a play act through the agreement with.

A display device that displays a game screen including an instruction sign corresponding to each action of a series of actions constituting the dance and a reference sign corresponding to the current time, and an input for inputting the user's action in a predetermined range as a play action. Through matching the position of the instruction sign with the position of the reference sign by connecting to the device and sequentially displaying the instruction signs on the game screen so that the instruction signs move toward the reference signs along a predetermined route. There is a game system that provides a game that instructs the user when to execute each operation to be executed within a predetermined range as a play act. As such a series of operations, there is known a game machine that uses steps constituting a dance and provides a game for instructing a user of the timing of such steps (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2019-4921

In the game of Patent Document 1, a stage having a tread surface is used as an input device, and the tread surface is divided into four determination areas corresponding to four lanes. Then, a step (stepping motion) for each such determination area is instructed and evaluated. On the other hand, although each determination region has a certain length in the extending direction of the lane, the position of the step in such a direction has not been evaluated. Therefore, the user is relatively free to take steps in this direction. On the other hand, when the user's movement is viewed as a dance, the position in which the step is executed in such a direction may affect the appearance or the ease of movement. Similarly, regardless of whether it is evaluated or not, when viewed as a dance, movements other than the step, such as the posture during the step, may also affect the appearance. However, in the game of Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that steps such as these or other movements cannot be sufficiently guided to good-looking movements. As a result, although the evaluation results are the same, there is a possibility that the appearance of the user's operation will be different.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a game system or the like that can guide a user's movement to a more appropriate movement.

The game system of the present invention plays a display device that displays a game screen including an instruction sign corresponding to each action of a series of actions constituting the dance and a reference sign corresponding to the current time, and a user's action within a predetermined range. The instruction sign is connected to an input device for inputting as an act, and the instruction sign is sequentially displayed on the game screen so that the instruction sign moves toward the reference sign along a predetermined route. A game system that provides a game for instructing the user of the execution time of each operation to be executed in the predetermined range as the play action through the coincidence of the position of the above and the position of the reference marker, and is a guideline of the predetermined range. A data acquisition means for acquiring image data for displaying a dance image including a guideline range that functions as a game screen and a character image that functions as a moving image that executes the series of operations in the guideline range, and the image data. An image display means for displaying the dance image on the game screen based on the above.

On the other hand, the computer program of the present invention is configured to cause the display device and the computer connected to the input device to function as each means of the above-mentioned game system.

Further, the control method of the present invention includes a display device that displays a game screen including an instruction sign corresponding to each movement of a series of movements constituting the dance and a reference sign corresponding to the current time, and a user's movement within a predetermined range. Is connected to an input device for inputting as a play act, and the instruction signs are sequentially displayed on the game screen so that the instruction signs move toward the reference signs along a predetermined route. A computer incorporated in a game system that provides a game that instructs the user to execute each operation to be executed in the predetermined range as the play action through matching the position of the instruction sign and the position of the reference sign. A data acquisition procedure for acquiring image data for displaying a guide range that functions as a guide for a predetermined range and a dance image including a character image that functions as a moving image that executes the series of operations in the guide range on the game screen. , An image display procedure for displaying the dance image on the game screen based on the image data is executed.

The figure which shows an example of the game system including the game machine which concerns on one form of this invention. The figure which shows the structure of the game machine. The figure which shows the stage sensor. A functional block diagram showing a main part of the control system of a game machine. The figure which shows an example of the game screen in the case of one-person play schematically. The explanatory view for demonstrating an example of the relationship between the operation instructed by an instruction sign and the operation which a player should perform. The explanatory view for demonstrating an example of the relationship between the movement shown by a silhouette image and the movement which a player should perform. Explanatory drawing for demonstrating an example of the relationship between a tread surface and a tread surface image. The figure which shows an example of the game screen in the case of two-player play schematically. An explanatory diagram for explaining an example of the correspondence relationship between the instruction sign in the case of two-player play and each determination area set on the tread surface. Explanatory drawing for demonstrating an example of a silhouette image at the time of performing a swap operation. The figure which shows an example of the structure of sequence data. The flowchart which shows an example of the procedure of an image selection process. A flowchart showing an example of the procedure of image display processing. The flowchart which shows an example of the procedure of a step evaluation process. The figure which shows an example of the modification of the silhouette image schematically.

Hereinafter, an example of a game system configured to include a game machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, the overall configuration of the game system will be described with reference to FIG. The game system 1 includes a center server 2 and a plurality of game machines 3 as client devices that can be connected to the center server 2 via a predetermined network 5. The center server 2 is configured as one logical server device by combining the server units 2A, 2B, etc. as a plurality of computer devices. However, the center server 2 may be configured by a single server unit. Alternatively, the center server 2 may be logically configured by using cloud computing.

The game machine 3 is configured as a commercial (commercial) game machine that allows a user to play a game within a range corresponding to the play fee in exchange for payment of a predetermined play fee. This type of game machine 3 is sometimes called an arcade game machine. The game machine 3 is a computer device installed in a predetermined facility such as a store 6 for the main purpose of making a large number of users repeatedly play a game to generate profits. The term of the user is a general term for a person who uses the game system 1, and a user who plays a game on the game machine 3 may be called a player.

The game machine 3 instructs the player as an action for playing at least a part of the actions (movements) of various actions (movement groups) constituting the dance, for example, actions such as taking steps in a predetermined order according to music. , It is configured as a dance game machine for playing a dance game that evaluates the actions actually performed by the player in response to those instructions. A dance game is a type of music game. A music game is a kind of timing game that guides the execution time of an action for play and evaluates the actual execution time of the player based on the execution time. A dance game is a type of music game that utilizes actions such as steps that compose a dance as an action for such play, and requests the player to perform such steps or the like in accordance with the rhythm of music (musical piece). More specifically, in a dance game, the instruction sign is directed toward the reference sign along a predetermined route on the game screen including the instruction sign corresponding to such a part of the action and the reference sign corresponding to the current time. This is a game in which the instruction signs are sequentially displayed so as to move, and the execution time of each action is instructed to the user according to the rhythm of the music by matching the position of the instruction sign and the position of the reference sign. The game machine 3 is configured to provide both one-player play in which one player plays such a dance game, and two-player play in which two players play (share progress) at the same time.

The network 5 may be appropriately configured as long as the game machine 3 and the user terminal device 4 can be connected to the center server 2. As an example, the network 5 is configured to realize network communication using the TCP / IP protocol. Typically, the Internet 5A as a WAN and the LANs 5B and 5C connecting each of the center server 2 and the game machine 3 to the Internet 5A are connected via the router 5D. A local server may be installed between the game machine 3 and the router 5D of the store 6, and the game machine 3 may be communicably connected to the center server 2 via the local server. The server units 2A, 2B ... Of the center server 2 may be connected to each other in place of LAN5C or additionally by WAN5A.

The user terminal device 4 may be connected to the game system 1 via the network 5. The user terminal device 4 is a computer device that can be connected to a network and is used for personal use by the user. For example, a stationary or book-type personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) 4a, or a mobile terminal device 4b such as a mobile phone (including a smartphone) is used as the user terminal device 4. In addition, various computer devices that can be connected to a network and are used for personal use of users, such as stationary home-use game machines, portable game machines, and portable tablet terminal devices, are used as the user terminal device 4. You can. By implementing various computer software, the user terminal device 4 can allow the user to enjoy various services provided by the center server 2.

The center server 2 provides various game machine services to the game machine 3 or its users. The game machine service includes a distribution service that distributes and updates the program or data of the game machine 3 via the network 5. The center server 2 appropriately distributes various programs or data necessary for providing a dance game to each game machine 3 through such a distribution service. In addition, the game machine service is a matching service that matches users when a plurality of users play a common game via the network 5, and receives user identification information from the game machine 3 and the user. It may include a service for authenticating the game, a service for receiving and storing the play data of the authenticated user from the game machine 3, or a service for providing the play data to be saved to the game machine 3. Alternatively, the game machine service may include a billing service or the like that collects a fee from the user. Similarly, the center server 2 may provide various Web services to the user of the user terminal device 4 via the network 5. The Web service is a game information service that provides various information about the game provided by the game machine 3, a distribution service that distributes various data or software (including updates of data and the like) to each user terminal device 4, and a user. It may include services such as a community service that provides a place for exchange such as information transmission, exchange, and sharing, and a service that assigns a user ID for identifying each user.

Next, the configuration of the game machine 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 shows an example of one game machine 3. The game machine 3 of the illustrated example has a housing 10. The housing 10 has a stage 11 installed on a horizontal surface on which the game machine 3 should be installed, such as the floor of a facility such as a store 6, and a vertical wall 12 extending substantially vertically from the end of the stage 11. It is configured to have a substantially L-shaped appearance shape as a whole. A display device 13 is attached to the upper part of the front surface of the standing wall 12 so that the display surface 13a faces the stage 11 side. The display device 13 is, for example, a flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display. The direction orthogonal to the display surface 13a of the display device 13 is the front-rear direction of the game machine 3, and the direction orthogonal to the front-back direction on the horizontal plane is the direction orthogonal to the left-right direction, the front-back direction, and the left-right direction of the game machine 3. Is the vertical direction of the game machine 3. However, regarding the front, back, left, and right of the game machine 3, the front side, the rear side, the right side, and the left side are defined based on the state in which the game machine 3 is viewed so as to face the display surface 13a. For example, the side facing the display surface 13a is the front side, and the side away from the display surface 13a is the rear side.

As an example, the stage 11 is formed in a substantially rectangular flat plate shape that is long in the front-rear direction. The upper surface of the stage 11 has a size that allows two players PL1 and PL2 (hereinafter, sometimes represented by PL) to take a dance step while the game machine 3 is lined up in the front-rear direction. It is configured as a surface 11a. In the case of two-player play, the tread surface 11a of the stage 11 is divided into two play areas in the front-rear direction so that the tread surface 11a is bisected in the front-rear direction, corresponding to the configuration in which two player PLs are lined up in the front-rear direction. AR1 and AR2 (hereinafter, may be represented by AR) are set. In FIG. 2, the boundary positions of the play areas AR1 and AR2 are shown by the alternate long and short dash line BL.

Each play area AR is set as a range in which one player PL should take a dance step in the case of two-player play. Each play area AR has the same shape and the same size. The size of one play area AR may be appropriately set according to the age group, physique range, and the like of the player PL assumed as the target of the dance game. As an example, in the case of providing a dance game for an adult player PL, the player PL changes the position in the left-right direction and takes a step in one play area AR, and requests to change the step position in the front-back direction. When the dance game is configured so as not to prevent, one play area AR may be set to be approximately 0.5 m or larger in the front-rear direction. In that case, the size in the left-right direction may be appropriately set according to how much the step position is changed. When the game machine 3 is configured for children, the play area AR may be set smaller than the above range. However, the size of the play area AR is not limited to the above example, and depends on what layer of player PL the dance game is set as the target and what steps are required of the player PL. It may be configured to have an appropriate size. Further, the stage 11 is provided with a stage sensor 14 that outputs a signal according to the actual step position as the position where the player PL is actually stepping on the tread surface 11a. The stage sensor 14 will be described later.

The display surface 13a of the display device 13 may be arranged at the same level as the line of sight when the player PL standing on the tread surface 11a looks horizontally forward. The height of the line of sight of the player PL changes according to the age group and physique of the player PL, but here, the display surface so that the player PL of the age group targeted by the dance game can reasonably observe the image of the display surface 13a. The height of 13a may be set.

A mirror 15 is attached to the vertical wall 12 of the housing 10 so as to be located below the display device 13. The mirror 15 is arranged so as to face the chest of the player PL standing facing the display surface 13a, or the portion below the abdomen. Therefore, the player PL1 located in the play area AR1 on the front side of the stage 11 can visually recognize what kind of step the player PL2 located in the play area AR2 on the rear side is taking by using the mirror 15. is there.

The vertical wall 12 of the housing 10 is further provided with a speaker device 16 for reproducing dance music, sound effects of games, and the like, and a camera 17 for photographing the player PL on the tread surface 11a of the stage 11. The camera 17 can shoot a moving image, and acquires a dance image of the player PL dancing during the game. The camera 17 is arranged above the display device 13 and substantially at the center in the left-right direction so that the player PL is photographed from diagonally above the front. A plurality of cameras 17 may be attached to the standing wall 12 in order to photograph the player PL from a plurality of viewpoints. Alternatively, a frame-shaped structure may be provided around the stage 11, and a camera 17 for photographing the player PL from the side or the rear may be provided in the structure.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the stage sensor 14. The stage sensor 14 has a rectangular frame 14a that surrounds the tread surface 11a of the stage 11. Infrared light as an example of scanning light focused in a beam shape is emitted to each of one long side (left side in FIG. 3) and one short side (upper side in FIG. 3) of the frame 14a. A plurality of light emitting units 14b are provided at a predetermined pitch (arrangement interval), and on each of the other long side and short side, a light receiving unit 14c that receives infrared light emitted from the light emitting unit 14b is a light emitting unit 14b. It is provided at the same pitch. Although only a part of the light emitting portion 14b and the light receiving portion 14c are shown in FIG. 3, in reality, the light emitting portion 14b and the light receiving portion 14c extend from one end to the other end of the frame 14a in the long side direction and the short side direction. It is provided at a constant pitch. The emission direction of infrared light from the light emitting portion 14b provided on the long side side of the frame 14a is parallel to the short side direction of the frame 14a, and the infrared light of those light emitting portions 14b is received in the short side direction. It is incident on the portion 14c. The emission direction of infrared light from the light emitting unit 14b provided on the short side side of the frame 14a is parallel to the long side direction of the frame 14a, and the infrared light of the light emitting unit 14b is received in the long side direction. It is incident on the portion 14c. Therefore, the space on the tread surface 11a of the stage 11 is scanned vertically and horizontally in a grid pattern by infrared light.

The light receiving unit 14c outputs different signals depending on the detection or non-detection of infrared light. As an example, the light receiving unit 14c outputs an ON signal when it detects infrared light, and outputs an OFF signal when it does not detect infrared light. When the player PL steps on any position on the tread surface 11a, the foot of the player PL prevents infrared light from being incident on a part of the light receiving portion 14c. Therefore, by determining ON / OFF of the output signal of each light receiving unit 14c, it is possible to detect which position on the tread surface 11a the player PL is stepping on. The pitches of the light emitting unit 14b and the light receiving unit 14c may be appropriately set according to the resolution related to the detection of the foot position of the player PL, that is, how accurate the foot position needs to be detected. .. The pitches of the light emitting unit 14b and the light receiving unit 14c in the long side direction of the frame 14a and the pitches of the light emitting unit 14b and the light receiving unit 14c in the short side direction of the frame 14a may be the same as or different from each other. ..

As described above, in the case of two-player play, two play areas AR1 and AR2 are formed on the tread surface 11a of the stage 11 with a boundary line BL that bisects the tread surface 11a in the front-rear direction (vertical direction in FIG. 3). Set. In FIG. 3, the play area AR2 on the rear side of the stage 11 is shown by hatching. Further, in each play area AR, a plurality of (four in the illustrated example) determination areas DA are set by shifting their positions in the left-right direction. Therefore, a total of eight determination areas DA are set on the tread surface 11a. In FIG. 3, the determination area DA in the play area AR1 on the front side is distinguished by adding reference numerals of DA11, DA12, DA13, and DA14 in order from the left, and the determination area DA in the play area AR2 on the rear side is in order from the left. DA21, DA22, DA23, and DA24 are designated by reference numerals to distinguish them, but when they are not distinguished, they are referred to as determination area DA. The determination area DA is an area that is a unit for instructing the player PL of the step position and determining the suitability of the actual step position. That is, in the game machine 3, the player PL is instructed to step on the tread surface 11a in any of the determination areas DA, and the player's stepping motion or foot is stepped on in the instructed determination area DA. Whether or not the player PL has appropriately taken steps in response to the instruction is determined based on whether or not the lifting motion is detected.

The light receiving unit 14c is assigned a unique sensor number to each other, and the control unit 20 is given in advance data for associating the sensor number with the determination area DA. Therefore, the control unit 20 determines to which determination region DA the position where the player PL is stepping on the tread surface 11a belongs by acquiring the sensor number of the light receiving unit 14c that outputs the OFF signal. be able to. The determination area DA may be set so that its outer circumferences overlap each other, or the outer circumferences may be set so as to be in contact with each other. Alternatively, some gaps may be set between the determination areas DA. Further, each light emitting unit 14b is not necessarily arranged so that infrared light passes through only a single determination region DA in each of the play regions AR1 and AR2. When the overlap of the determination regions DA is allowed, a part of the light emitting unit 14b may be arranged so that infrared light passes through the overlapping portion. The foot to be detected by the player PL has a certain size, and when the player PL is instructed to step on any one of the determination areas DA, the determination area other than the instructed determination area DA It is terrible to demand strict steps that keep the DA out of reach. Therefore, in the game machine 3, as long as the step is detected in the instructed determination area DA, it is determined that the instructed step has been taken. Therefore, it is permissible to overlap a part of the determination region DA and to arrange the light emitting unit 14b so that infrared light passes through the overlapping part.

The play areas AR1, AR2, and each determination area DA may or may not be visually distinguished and clearly indicated on the tread surface 11a so that the player PL can visually distinguish them. Further, the stage sensor 14 may use light in a wavelength range other than infrared light, for example, visible light, as scanning light.

In the case of one-player play, a plurality of determination areas DA similar to those in the case of two-player play are set on the tread surface 11a. However, since the entire tread surface 11a is used by one player PL, the play area AR is not divided into front and back. That is, the tread surface 11a is determined as one play area AR connecting two front and rear play area ARs in the example of FIG. Therefore, in the case of one-person play, the tread surface 11a is divided into four determination areas DA in which two front and rear determination areas such as the two leftmost determination areas DA11 and DA21 are connected. Specifically, four determination areas DA extending over the two play areas DA before and after are set so as to straddle the boundary line BL. That is, the range in which the two play areas DA before and after are connected in each determination area DA functions as each determination area DA in the case of one-person play. Then, the player PL uses such four determination areas DA by one person. In the following, the four determination areas DA in the case of one-person play may be distinguished by assigning symbols DA1, DA2, DA3, and DA4 in order from the left in FIG. Further, in this example, the tread surface 11a functions as a predetermined range of the present invention.

Next, the configuration of the control system of the game machine 3 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 shows the configuration of a main part in the control system of the game machine 3. The game machine 3 is provided with a control unit 20 and a storage device (storage means) 21. The control unit 20 is configured as a computer in which a microprocessor and peripheral devices such as an internal storage device (ROM and RAM) necessary for the operation of the microprocessor are combined. The storage device 21 is a non-volatile storage device capable of holding storage, such as a hard disk storage device or a flash memory. The storage device 21 stores the game program PG to be executed by the control unit 20 and the game data GD to be referred to by the program PG.

The game program PG is an application program that operates on the operating system of the game machine 3 in order to make the game machine 3 function as a dance game machine capable of playing a predetermined dance game. The game data GD includes various data such as image data necessary for drawing a game screen according to the game program PG, music data necessary for playing music constituting a dance game, and the like. Such various types of data include, for example, sequence data SD and image data group IG. The sequence data SD is data for each musical piece that describes a series of operations to be instructed to the player according to the musical piece to be played during the game. The sequence data SD is used for instructing and evaluating a series of operations. Various actions may be adopted as a series of actions, but for example, an action (step) of stepping on each determination area DA of the tread surface 11a may be adopted. In such a case, in order to execute the instruction and evaluation of the step, for example, the information indicating each determination area DA and the step (stepping operation) should be executed in each such determination area DA in the sequence data SD. Time information is described. The contents of the sequence data SD will be described later.

The image data group IG includes a plurality of image data, and each image data is configured as data for displaying an image used on the game screen GS. Such images include moving images. That is, a part of the image data group IG may be configured as moving image data for displaying a moving image. Such a moving image includes a silhouette image as a dance image. A dance image is a moving image of a humanoid character image performing a dance. Such a dance includes a series of movements evaluated in a dance game. Therefore, the silhouette image functions as a moving image showing a sample of a series of operations. Further, in the operation data (image data group IG) for displaying such a silhouette image, information indicating the operation speed of the silhouette image such as a BPM (Beats Per Minute) value may be described. The details of the silhouette image will be described later.

The dance video data DM is further stored in the storage device 21 as needed. The dance video data DM is moving image data in which the dance video of the player taken by the camera 17 during the play of the dance game is stored in a predetermined format.

The game machine 3 is provided with a card reader 22 in addition to the stage sensor 14 and the camera 17 shown in FIG. 2 as an input device for the control unit 20. The card reader 22 reads predetermined information from the card 7 possessed by the user and provides it to the control unit 20. The card 7 includes a storage medium in which a unique card ID is recorded for each card. The card ID is used as identification information when, for example, the play data recording the history of the user playing the game on the game machine 3 is stored in the center server 2 or the play data is acquired from the center server 2 to the game machine 3. Will be done. Further, the game machine 3 is provided with the display device 13 and the speaker device 16 shown in FIG. 2 as output devices for the control unit 20. Further, a network control device 23 is connected to the control unit 20. The network control device 23 is a communication control unit that connects the control unit 20 to the network 5 and controls the processing necessary for establishing a communication procedure and transmitting / receiving data when communicating with the center server 2 or another game machine 3. ..

The control unit 20 includes a dance instruction unit 25, a dance evaluation unit 26, and camera image processing as logical devices realized by combining the hardware resources of the control unit 20 and the game program PG as software. A unit 27 is provided. Based on the sequence data SD, the dance instruction unit 25 performs a series of actions of the dance to be performed by the player PL during the dance game (in the case of two-player play, the dance to be performed by each of the two players PL1 and PL2). The guidance image to be instructed (guided) is displayed on the display surface 13a of the display device 13. In the case of two-player play, the dance instruction unit 25 instructs the player PL to perform a dance action by distinguishing each of the play areas AR1 and AR2 based on the sequence data SD. For example, when a step is instructed as a series of operations, the instruction given by the dance instruction unit 25 includes an instruction of a position (step position) at which the player PL should step on the tread surface 11a during the dance game. The instructed position changes appropriately in each play area AR according to the progress of the music, and the step position is instructed to the player PL separately for each play area AR. The same applies to the case of solo play. The dance instruction unit 25 executes such an instruction through the display of instruction signs corresponding to each step. Therefore, the guide image includes an image corresponding to such an instruction sign. Similarly, the guide image also includes the silhouette image described above. Then, the dance instruction unit 25 controls the display of such a guide image. The process executed by the dance instruction unit 25 for controlling the display of such a guide image includes an image selection process and an image display process. Details of these processes will be described later. Further, the details of the guide image will be described later together with the details of the silhouette image in the details of the dance game.

On the other hand, the dance evaluation unit 26 evaluates each movement of a series of movements actually executed by the player PL as a play action. For example, when the dance evaluation unit 26 executes a step as a series of operations, the dance evaluation unit 26 steps the player PL based on a comparison between the step position instruction status by the dance instruction unit 25 and the actual step position detection status by the stage sensor 14. Evaluate (operation). More specifically, the dance evaluation unit 26 indicates the time of a series of steps (execution time) and the determination area described in the sequence data SD, the time of the actual step by the stage sensor 14 (actual execution time), and The steps of the player PL are evaluated based on the comparison with the position detection result. The process executed by the dance evaluation unit 26 for such evaluation includes a step evaluation process. The details of the step evaluation process will be described later.

The camera image processing unit 27 appropriately stores the dance image acquired by the camera 17 during game play in the storage device 21, or appropriately transmits the dance image acquired by the camera 17 to the network 5 via the network control device 23. The destination of the dance image may be appropriately selected from the center server 2, another game machine 3, or the user terminal device 4. By delivering the dance video to the game machine 3 or the user terminal device 4 immediately or at an appropriate time, the user of the game system 1 can watch the dance video of another person. Alternatively, the user can confirm his / her own dance image via the user terminal device 4 or the like.

Next, the details of the dance game will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 11. The dance game is provided through a game screen displayed on the display surface 13a of the display device 13. FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a game screen for providing a dance game. The example of FIG. 5 shows an example of a game screen in the case of one-person play. As shown in FIG. 5, in this case, the game screen 30 includes the guide image 31. As described above, the guide image 31 is an image instructing a series of actions (for example, steps) to be performed by the player PL during the dance game. The guide image 31 includes a lane area 37. The lane area 37 is an area formed by each lane LN that functions as a time axis in the game. Each lane LN is formed so as to extend from the back side (upper end side) toward the front side (lower end side). Specifically, each lane LN forms a time axis so that the depth direction from the depth side to the front side indicates the passage of time, and extends in this depth direction with a length corresponding to a predetermined time length. Further, each lane LN is formed so that the width gradually increases from the back side (upper end side) to the front side (lower end side) in order to express (produce) a virtual three-dimensional space (or perspective). To. The same applies to the lane area 37.

An instruction sign 35 and a reference sign 36 are arranged in each lane LN. The instruction sign 35 is an image that functions as a sign corresponding to each operation of a series of operations to be instructed by the player PL. The instruction sign 35 is displayed on each lane LN at an appropriate time. On the other hand, the reference sign 36 is an image that functions as a sign indicating a position corresponding to the current time in the game. The reference sign 36 is displayed as a strip-shaped image extending in the left-right direction of the guide image 31 so as to cross each lane LN in the left-right direction. The guide image 31 advances the music along each lane LN so that the instruction sign 35 overlaps with the reference sign 36 (these positions match) at the time when each operation of the series of operations should be performed. By gradually moving toward the reference sign 36 in accordance with the above, the player PL is instructed at the time when each operation of the series of operations should be performed. The length of the indicator 35 varies depending on the length of time that the action should be continued. This point is the same as the method of instructing the operation time such as the operation time in various known music games or dance games.

A silhouette image 38 is further arranged in the lane area 37. The silhouette image 38 is an image that functions as a moving image showing a sample of a series of operations as described above. The silhouette image 38 includes a character image 38A and a tread image 38B. The character image 38A is an image corresponding to a humanoid character, and is an image that functions as a moving image showing a series of operations. The tread image 38B is an image showing a range corresponding to the tread 11a. The silhouette image 38 presents a series of motion samples through these character images 38A and tread images 38B. Specifically, as shown by the player PL that executes a series of operations on the tread surface 11a, the character image 38A executes an operation that serves as a sample of the series of operations on the tread image 38B. That is, the tread image 38B functions as a guide for the actual tread 11a, and the character image 38A functions as a guide for the player PL that operates there, and the operation of the character image 38A in the tread image 38B is the actual tread. It is presented as a model operation of the player PL on the surface 11a. The character image 38A is not limited to the humanoid shape, and may be appropriately configured as long as it can represent a series of motion samples of an animal, a robot, or the like. Further, in this example, the tread image 38B functions as a reference range of the present invention.

In the example of FIG. 5, the lane region 37 includes four lane LNs of the first lane L1 to the fourth lane L4 located so as to be arranged in the left-right direction. Further, a band-shaped reference sign 36 is arranged on the front side of the lane area 37 so as to straddle these four lanes LN. Then, in each lane LN, the instruction sign 35 appears on the back side at an appropriate time and moves on the lane LN toward the reference sign 36 on the front side (the instruction sign 35 moves toward the reference sign 36). The actual movement may occur on the indicator sign 35 or on the reference sign 36) as long as it appears to be. Further, information of "R" or "L" is displayed on each instruction sign 35. These "R" and "L" function as information indicating the steps of the right foot and the left foot, respectively. That is, as a series of operations, the left and right steps (the operation of stepping on the tread surface 11a) are instructed through each instruction sign 35. Then, in the fourth lane L4, the instruction sign 35 displaying the information of “R” has reached the reference sign 36.

On the other hand, the silhouette image 38 is arranged at a predetermined position (a position corresponding to a predetermined time before) in front of the instruction sign 35 in the moving direction (time axis). The predetermined position is set at a position where the player PL enters the visual field range while giving a line of sight to the instruction sign 35 reaching the reference sign 36. In the example of FIG. 5, such a predetermined position eventually corresponds to a position substantially at the center of the game screen 30. Further, such a predetermined position is located in the lane area 37, and the instruction sign 35 is displayed in the lane area 37. The silhouette image 38 is displayed as a transparent image (transparent image) that transmits such an instruction sign 35 through the background so that the player PL can see it. That is, the silhouette image 38 is displayed at a predetermined position in the lane area 37 while passing through the instruction sign 35 behind. Then, the silhouette image 38 instructs (guides) a dance (movement group) including a series of movements as a sample (model) at such a predetermined position through the character image 38A and the tread image 38B. That is, the silhouette image 38 shows not only a series of movements to be performed by the player PL, but also movements of the entire body including such a series of movements. The relationship between the operation shown by the silhouette image 38 and the operation to be executed by the player PL will be described later. Further, in this example, each lane LN and four lane LNs function as a predetermined route of the present invention and a plurality of routes, respectively.

Next, with reference to FIG. 6, the relationship between the operation instructed by the instruction sign 35 and the operation to be performed by the player PL in the case of one-person play will be specifically described. The instruction sign 35 is an appropriate movement such as an upper body movement such as an arm or hand movement, a lower body movement such as a stepping movement, or a whole body movement such as a jumping or bending down movement as a series of movements constituting the dance. An operation may be instructed, but the example of FIG. 6 shows a case where the instruction sign 35 instructs a step (an operation of stepping on the tread surface 11a) as a series of operations. Further, the example of FIG. 6 schematically shows an example of the correspondence relationship between the lane area 37 and the determination area DA on the tread surface 11a in the case of one-person play. The example of FIG. 6 shows the lane area 37 of the example of FIG. 5 in a developed state on a paper surface. Then, in the example of FIG. 6, the moving direction of the instruction sign 35 is indicated by the arrow MD. However, the example of FIG. 6 shows the correspondence relationship between the lane area 37 and the determination area DA in the example of FIG. 5, and the dimensional relationship in the figure does not necessarily show that of the actual game machine 3. .. For example, the determination area DA is shown with some gaps with respect to the inner circumference of the stage sensor 14, but there is no gap, in other words, the periphery of the determination area DA is the inner circumference of the stage sensor 14. It may be set in a matching state. The vertical and horizontal dimensions of the tread surface 11a may also be appropriate.

As is clear from FIG. 6, the four lane LNs of the lane region 37 are associated with the four determination regions DA1 to DA4 in the left-right direction on the tread surface 11a. Specifically, the leftmost lane L1 corresponds to the leftmost determination area DA1. The other lanes L2 to L4 also correspond to the determination areas DA2 to DA4 according to the arrangement order in the left-right direction. Then, the instruction sign 35 is displayed on the lane LN corresponding to the determination area DA designated by the sequence data SD. Further, the instruction sign 35 is visually differentiated and displayed so that it can be distinguished whether it corresponds to the left foot or the right foot of the player PL. Such differentiation may be achieved using various visual elements such as colors, patterns, etc., but in the example of FIG. 6 (also in FIG. 5), "R" (right foot) and "L" (left foot) are used. It is realized by adding characters (information). The instruction sign 35 instructing the step of the left foot does not necessarily have to be located on the left side of the display surface 13a with respect to the instruction sign 35 instructing the step of the right foot. That is, it is also permissible that the instruction sign 35 is displayed so that the left-right direction of the stage 11 and the left-right relationship of the foot to be stepped on are reversed. By appropriately mixing such instructions, the player PL can be guided to turn so as to turn his back to the display surface 13a and take a step.

The instruction sign 35 is a short step (one stepping motion), a long step (a motion of maintaining the depressed state for a predetermined time), or a slide step (sliding the foot in the left-right direction between a plurality of determination areas DA). It may be configured to instruct various steps such as (operation), but in the example of FIG. 6, the instruction sign 35 (instruction sign 35 having the same length as the reference sign 36) corresponding to the short step is the fourth lane. The reference marker 36 has been reached at L4. Therefore, the player PL is required to take a short step to the rightmost determination area DA4. Specifically, the player PL steps on the rightmost determination area DA4 corresponding to the fourth lane L4 on which the instruction sign 35 is displayed with the right foot RF at the time Tx when the instruction sign 35 overlaps with the reference sign 36, and gives an instruction. The foot may be raised by the time the sign 35 passes the reference sign 36.

On the other hand, on the tread surface 11a, the determination regions DA are arranged in the left-right direction so as to correspond to each lane LN, and are arranged in the vertical direction CD orthogonal to the left-right direction, in other words, in the moving direction MD of the instruction sign 35. Although it is formed with a constant length in the corresponding direction, the position of such a vertical CD is not evaluated in each determination region DA. In other words, in each determination area DA, any position of the vertical CD is uniformly evaluated as the same result (score). Therefore, each player PL may move the right foot RF to any position from the first movement destination RF1 to the third movement destination RF3 in the determination area DA4 at the right end, as indicated by the semicircular arrow. In this way, in the lane area 37, the time at which the player PL should take a step by using visual elements such as the vertical and horizontal positions of the instruction sign 35 and the characters, colors, and patterns of the instruction sign 35. The length of time to continue the step, the determination area DA to be stepped on, and the foot to be stepped on are indicated. Further, in this example, the four determination regions DA function as a plurality of regions of the present invention.

Next, with reference to FIG. 7, the relationship between the operation shown by the silhouette image 38 and the operation to be executed by the player PL will be described. Further, the example of FIG. 7 shows a case where the silhouette image 38 represents a sample of the operation to be executed corresponding to the instruction sign 35 of the fourth lane L4 that has reached the reference sign 36 in the example of FIG. ing. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, the character image 38A performs a dance including a sample step on the tread image 38B, but such a step is a vertical CD on the tread 11a in the tread image 38B. It is executed to indicate a specific position in the direction corresponding to. That is, although it is not subject to evaluation (scoring), the character image 38A shows the rightmost determination area DA4 corresponding to the fourth lane L4 in the left-right direction as a sample of the steps (series of operations), and the vertical direction CD. A step is performed on such a tread image 38B to indicate a particular position.

Specifically, in the example of FIG. 7, the tread image 38B has a horizontal ruled line SL1 that divides the tread image 38B in the depth direction and left and right so as to show each of these determination areas DA and a guideline of a specific position. It is displayed so as to include both of the vertical ruled lines SL2 that divide the directions. A plurality of these are provided at predetermined intervals (may be appropriately set). As a result, the tread image 38B is divided into grids by the horizontal ruled lines SL1 and the vertical ruled lines SL2, and the specific position (position of the CD in the vertical direction) on the tread surface 11a and each determination are made through these divisions. A guideline for both areas DA (horizontal direction) is shown. Then, as a sample for the instruction sign 35 of “R” reaching the fourth lane L4, the character image 38A executes a step so as to step on the position on the back side near the right end in such a tread image 38B. There is. In this case, although any position of the rightmost determination area DA4 is uniformly evaluated, the silhouette image 38 shows that it is preferable to step to the upper position of the vertical CD in the rightmost determination area DA4. As a result, for example, among the first movement destination RF1 to the third movement destination RF3 in the example of FIG. 6, the player PL is required to step on the right end RF to the first movement destination RF1 located on the upper side in the right end determination area DA4. To. In this example, the vertical CD functions as the predetermined direction of the present invention. Further, the horizontal ruled line SL1 and the vertical ruled line SL2 function as the position dividing line and the area dividing line of the present invention, respectively. Further, the position of the first movement destination RF1 in the rightmost determination region DA4 functions as a specific position of the present invention.

The position of the vertical CD on the tread surface 11a may be appropriately evaluated. For example, such a specific position of the vertical CD is also described in the sequence data SD, and the position of the vertical CD in which the player PL actually executes the step in each determination area DA is evaluated based on the specific position. May be done. Such an evaluation may be evaluated as a score in the same manner as each determination area DA, or may be evaluated as a mere feedback separately. That is, such an evaluation may be reflected in the score, or may not be reflected in such a score, and may be presented as advice such as "a little higher" or "its condition". The same applies to operations other than the series of operations executed by the character image 38A. Specifically, for example, when a step is guided and evaluated as a series of movements, movements other than the step such as the position of the arm or the movement of swinging the arm may be similarly evaluated as a score or feedback. .. In this case, for example, for such an evaluation, data for specifying an operation other than the step executed by the character image 38A (for example, information such as an operation part, its position, or its operation is described) is prepared. The evaluation may be performed on the basis of such data.

Next, the relationship between the tread surface 11a and the tread surface image 38B will be described with reference to FIG. In the example of FIG. 8, the tread image 38B existing in the virtual three-dimensional space is shown in a state of being developed on the paper surface at the same scale as the tread 11a. As described above, the tread image 38B is presented on the game screen 30 as a range corresponding to the tread 11a. Therefore, when the tread image 38B is developed and arranged on the paper surface, the tread image 38B is shown as having the same shape as the tread surface 11a. Then, the tread image 38B is appropriately divided through, for example, the horizontal ruled line SL1 or the vertical ruled line SL2 so as to indicate each determination region DA of the tread surface 11a. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the tread image 38B is divided into four virtual determination areas VDA through the vertical ruled line SL2 so as to indicate the four determination areas DA of the tread surface 11a. More specifically, it is divided into four virtual determination areas VDA of the first virtual determination area VDA1 to the fourth virtual determination area VDA4 corresponding to the first determination area DA1 to the fourth determination area DA4, respectively. Each virtual determination area VDA extends in the depth direction DD corresponding to the vertical direction CD of the tread surface 11a, and is formed so as to be arranged in the horizontal direction. That is, each virtual determination region VDA is formed in the same shape and arrangement so as to correspond to each determination region DA on the tread surface 11a.

Similarly, the tread image 38B is divided into three virtual step range VSAs in the depth direction DD through the horizontal ruled line SL1. These virtual step range VSAs are formed so as to indicate each range of the vertical CD of the tread surface 11a. As a result, the tread surface 11a is divided into three step ranges SA in the vertical direction CD. Specifically, the tread image 38B is divided into the first virtual step range VSA1 to the third virtual step range VSA3 in order from the top, and the tread 11a corresponds to each of them in the first step range SA1 to the third step. It is divided into the range SA3. Then, these first step ranges SA1 to 3rd step ranges SA3 function as ranges corresponding to the first movement destination RF1 to the third movement destination RF3 in the example of FIG. 6, respectively. Specifically, for example, the first step range SA1 to the third step range SA3 function as ranges corresponding to the first destination RF1 to the third destination RF3 in the example of FIG. 6, respectively. However, as described above, since the position of the vertical CD in each determination area DA is not subject to evaluation, the first virtual step range VSA1 to the third virtual step range VSA3 and the first step range SA1 to the third step range SA3 The correspondence (or the division of the first step range SA1 to the third step range SA3) is merely a conceptual guideline.

In the example of FIG. 8, the tread image 38B is divided into ten in both the left-right and up-down directions by nine horizontal ruled lines SL1 and nine vertical ruled lines SL2. Then, it is divided into the first virtual judgment VDA1 and the fourth virtual judgment area VDA4 by the vertical ruled line SL2 of three, two, two, and three (the third is the outer edge of the tread image 38B) in order from the left. There is. In this case, the character image 38A executes the step in the fourth virtual determination area VDA4 (the area divided by the three vertical ruled lines SL2 from the right end), for example, as a sample of the steps to the fourth determination area DA4. Similarly, the tread image 38B has three, four, and three (third is the outer edge of the tread image 38B) horizontal ruled lines SL1 in order from the top, so that the first virtual step range VSA1 to the third virtual step range VSA3 It is divided into each. In this case, the character image 38A executes the step in the first virtual step range VSA1 (the area divided by the three horizontal ruled lines SL1 from the top), for example, as a sample of the steps to the first step range SA1. That is, the character image 38A executes a step in the first virtual step range VSA1 of the fourth determination area DA14 as a sample of the steps to the first step range SA1 of the fourth determination area DA14. The same applies to the other determination area DA and the step range SA.

The number of horizontal ruled lines SL1 and vertical ruled lines SL2 may be appropriate. For example, the horizontal ruled line SL1 and the vertical ruled line SL2 correspond to the number of light emitting parts 14b (or light receiving parts 14c) in the long side direction and the number of light emitting parts 14b in the short side direction provided on the stage 11, respectively. May be good. Alternatively, the horizontal ruled line SL1 and the vertical ruled line SL2 may be set regardless of the number of such light emitting units 14b (in other words, sensors). Further, the tread image 38B may not include either one or both of the horizontal ruled line SL1 and the vertical ruled line SL2.

Next, a dance game in the case of two-player play will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. In FIGS. 9 and 10, the same configurations as those in FIGS. 5 and 6 are designated by common reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the game screen 40 in the case of two-player play. As shown in FIG. 9, the game screen 40 in the case of two-player play includes a silhouette image 41 for two-player play. The silhouette image 41 for two-player play includes two character images 38A and a tread image 38B. The tread image 38B is as described above, but in the case of two-player play, the tread 11a is divided into front and rear play areas AR corresponding to the two player PLs, respectively. Therefore, the tread image 38B is also divided into two virtual play area VARs corresponding to the play area ARs before and after them. Specifically, the virtual play area VAR1 corresponding to the front play area AR and the virtual play area VAR2 corresponding to the rear play area AR are set in the tread image 38B, respectively. These virtual play areas VAR1 and VAR2 may be composed of an appropriate number of horizontal ruled lines SL1. For example, in the example of FIG. 9, the front virtual play area VAR1 is formed by five horizontal ruled lines SL from the front, and five behind them. The rear virtual play area VAR2 is formed by the horizontal ruled line SL (fifth is the outer edge of the tread image 38B). In this example, the two virtual play areas VAR1 and VAR2 function as the plurality of play ranges of the present invention.

On the other hand, the two character images 38A correspond to the two player PLs in the case of two-player play. These two character images 38A may be appropriately distinguished through various visual effects such as color, shape, presence / absence of items such as hats, or characters, but in the example of FIG. 9, there is no such effect and they are mutually exclusive. It is configured as the same image. Further, the two player PLs play the game in the play areas AR1 and AR2 before and after corresponding to each other on the tread surface 11a. Therefore, in these two character images 38A, the front and rear virtual play areas VAR1 and VAR2 are arranged so that the character image 38A corresponding to each player PL is located in the virtual play area VAR corresponding to the play area AR of the player PL. Are placed in each. Then, the two character images 38A execute a sample operation (dance) of the two player PLs in the front and rear virtual play areas VAR1 and VAR2, respectively. In addition, such an operation includes an operation peculiar to two-player play. That is, in the case of two-player play, the silhouette image 41 may show a dance sample that is not performed in the case of one-player play. Such a peculiar operation will be described later.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a correspondence relationship between the instruction sign 35 and each determination area DA set on the tread surface 11a in the case of two-player play. The example of FIG. 10 is a view in which the lane area 37 is developed on a paper surface as in the example of FIG. 6, and shows a case where the same steps as in the example of FIG. 6 are instructed through the instruction sign 35. As shown in FIG. 10, each lane L1 to L4 is associated with the determination areas DA11 to DA14 and DA21 to DA24 of the play areas AR1 and AR2, respectively. Further, the instruction sign 35 is visually differentiated and displayed so that it can be distinguished whether it corresponds to the play areas AR1 and AR2 and whether it corresponds to the left foot or the right foot of the player PL. In FIG. 10, the indicator 35 is distinguished by the difference in hatching (for example, the vertical indicator 35 is the player PL1 and the diagonal indicator 35 is the player PL2), but using various visual elements such as colors and patterns. The indicator 35 may be distinguished. Then, through the instruction sign 35 distinguished for each player PL, the two player PLs are required to take steps in the two play area ARs corresponding to the two player PLs. In the case of two-player play, on the game screen 40, a step to the play area AR corresponding to each player PL is instructed for each player PL in this way.

Next, with reference to FIG. 11, a silhouette image 41 showing an example of an operation peculiar to the case of two-player play will be described. Such peculiar movements include various movements realized by the cooperation of two players, and in the example of FIG. 11, two player PLs play each other's play area AR as an example of such movements. The case where the silhouette image 41 expresses the exchange operation of exchanging is shown. In the example of FIG. 11, for convenience of explanation, both of the two character images 38A are distinguished from each other by vertical line display and whitewashed display as non-transparent images. The silhouette image 41 on the left side shows before the replacement, and the silhouette image 41 on the right side shows after the replacement. As shown in FIG. 11, the two character images 38A corresponding to the two player PLs execute a switching operation on the tread image 38B, which operates so as to switch the positions of the two players PL.

Specifically, in the silhouette image 41 on the left side, the vertical line character image 38A is located in the front virtual play area VAR1, and the white-painted character image 38A is located in the rear virtual play area VAR2. Then, as shown by the two arc-shaped arrows TD, the vertical line character image 38A located in the front is clockwise from the right side to the rear, and the character image 38A located in the rear is similarly clockwise from the left side to the front. The silhouette image 41 on the left side shows the switching operation of moving each. On the other hand, in the silhouette image 41 on the right side, contrary to the silhouette image 41 on the left side, the white-painted character image 38A is in the front virtual play area VAR2, and the vertical line character image 38A is in the rear virtual play area VAR1. positioned. That is, in the silhouette image 41 on the right side, the position of the character image 38A on the front vertical line and the position of the character image 38A on the rear side are exchanged with each other as compared with the silhouette image 41 on the left side. More specifically, in the silhouette image 41 on the right side, the front vertical line character image 38A is rearward and the rear character image 38A is accompanied by the switching operation of moving the two character images 38A clockwise (arrow TD). 38A is moving forward, respectively. Along with such a switching operation of the two character images 38A, the two player PLs are also required to have a similar switching operation, that is, an operation of exchanging the play area ARs of each other. Further, as for the switching operation of the two player PLs, the same clockwise TD switching operation is preferable.

As with the specific position, such a replacement operation may or may not be evaluated. As described above, since each instruction sign 35 is associated with each play area AR, the step indicated by each instruction sign 35 may be executed by any player PL. Therefore, if the replacement operation is not evaluated, the replacement operation is not performed, and for example, the player PL1 in the front play area AR is located in the front play area AR even after the replacement operation (or may include the operation), and the instruction is given. There is no change in the evaluation even if the step corresponding to the marker 35 is executed. On the other hand, when the replacement operation is evaluated, the replacement direction (for example, the clockwise TD in the example of FIG. 11) may not be evaluated or may be evaluated.

Similarly, the dance performed by each character image 38A may perform various other actions as long as it includes a step corresponding to the indicator 35. The same applies to the case of solo play. Therefore, a plurality of character images 38A that execute a plurality of types of dances may be prepared for the same series of operations (in other words, one sequence data SD). Then, as long as the time and position (determination area DA) described in the sequence data SD are common to those character images 38A, for example, steps are executed in different step range SAs of the same determination area DA, or steps other than the foot are executed. Dances that differ from each other, such as different movements of other parts, may be performed. That is, a plurality of character images 38A that perform different dances that commonly include at least a step for the determination area DA of the sequence data SD (including an operation of the sequence data SD for the determination area DA and a case where the positions of the CDs in the vertical direction are different). It may be prepared so as to correspond to the one sequence data SD. For example, such a plurality of character images 38A may be classified according to attributes by the player PL such as gender and age. Further, the character image 38A for play such as these may be determined from the plurality of character images 38A according to appropriate conditions such as selection of the player PL, play status, or randomness.

Further, these character images 38A may be realized by an appropriate method such as motion capture or captured video. Therefore, the image data (moving image data) for displaying the character image 38A of the image data group IG may be appropriately configured according to these methods. Further, for example, as a captured image, an image obtained by photographing a player PL (either self or another player PL) who actually plays a dance game on the tread surface 11a, or a similar image imitating the tread surface 11a. An appropriate image (in any case, it may be appropriately modified) such as an image of a dancer dancing in the range may be adopted. Then, image data (moving image data) for displaying such a captured image may be appropriately prepared. For example, the game system 1 may provide an audition service for accepting an application for such video data from a user, and the video data received through such a service may be used as video data for the character image 38A. That is, the moving image data for the character image 38A may be provided by the player PL (or the user of the game system 1). In this case, the audition service may be realized as follows, for example.

Specifically, the audition service includes an application process, a screening process, a shooting process, and a distribution process. The application process is a process for accepting applications for such video data. Specifically, the application process may include a process in which the user dances based on the task song provided by the game machine 3 and the camera 17 acquires a dance image of the dance. Further, the application process may be provided via the user terminal device 4 through, for example, a dedicated application or a website. The judging process is a process for judging the captured video corresponding to the moving image data applied by the application process. The examination process may include, for example, a plurality of examinations performed by a dance game operator, a user of the game system 1, an external expert (a prominent dancer, etc.), or the like. Specifically, the dance game operator conducts a primary screening before the shot video to be examined is released to the user (or an outside expert), and then the shot video is released to the user (or an outside expert). ) May be published and a secondary examination may be conducted. Before the shot video to be judged is released to the user, the dance game operator performs the first screening, so that an inappropriate shot video (for example, a video showing a portrait or copyrighted work other than the applicant) is reflected. , Or images that do not form a dance body, etc.) can be prevented from being released. Further, such an examination may be realized in a voting format through, for example, a dedicated application or a website. Here, if the examination is realized in the form of voting, voting may be performed based on the voting tickets that can be obtained by gameplay. Specifically, when the user logs in to the game machine 3 using the ID card and then plays the game, the play count information is managed in association with the user ID. After that, when the user logs in to a predetermined website, he / she may be able to vote for the number of plays based on the play count information associated with the user ID. The mode of voting is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the user may vote through the game machine 3 each time the game is finished playing on the game machine 3. As a result, the process of associating the play count information with the user ID can be omitted. The shooting process is a process of re-shooting the dance expressed by the shooting result under better conditions. This step may be omitted as appropriate. The distribution process is performed on the game machine 3 so that the video data corresponding to the shot video re-shot in the shooting process (or the submitted video data if the shooting process is omitted) is used for displaying the character image 38A. This is the process of delivery. For example, moving image data corresponding to the character image 38A may be prepared through such an audition service.

The same applies to the tread image 38B. For example, such a tread image 38B may also be realized by appropriate image data such as a captured image. For example, when both the character image 38A and the tread image 38B are displayed based on the captured image, the moving image data may be configured as data for displaying these two. That is, moving image data for displaying the entire silhouette images 38 and 41 may be prepared. Alternatively, the image data for displaying the tread image 38B and the image data for displaying the character image 38A may be separately prepared as a part of the image data group IG. Then, the silhouette images 38 and 41 may be realized by combining the tread image 38B and the character image 38A based on these image data.

Next, the details of the sequence data SD will be described. As described above, the sequence data SD includes information on the time when a series of operations should be executed and the contents of the operations. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the sequence data SD. The example of FIG. 12 shows a case where a plurality of character images 38A are prepared in one sequence data SD. Further, the example of FIG. 12 shows a case where a step is adopted as each operation of a series of operations. In this case, as shown in FIG. 12, the sequence data SD includes the condition unit SD1 and the sequence unit SD2. The condition part SD1 is a part in which conditions related to the use of the sequence data SD are described. The condition unit SD1 includes a condition record CR for managing such a condition. The condition record CR includes, for example, information of "sequence ID", "music ID", "difficulty", "silhouette image", and "number of people".

The “sequence ID” is information of a sequence ID unique to each sequence data SD in order to identify each sequence data SD. Each sequence data SD is distinguished by such a sequence ID, and is prepared for each difficulty level, each song, and each number of players. The "music ID" is information on a music ID unique to each music in order to identify each music. This information is used to identify the music corresponding to each sequence data SD. The "difficulty level" is information indicating the difficulty level of each sequence data SD. The “silhouette image” is information of an image ID unique to each character image 38A that executes different dances in order to identify a plurality of silhouette images 38, 41 corresponding to the plurality of character images 38A, respectively. The "number of people" is information indicating whether each sequence data SD is for one-player play or two-player play. As the "number of people" information, for example, information such as "1" indicating one-player play and "2" indicating two-player play is described. The condition record CR records such information so as to be related to each other.

On the other hand, the sequence unit SD2 is a part in which information regarding a series of steps to be instructed to the player PL is described. The sequence unit SD2 includes a sequence record SR that manages the time for instructing each step as a series of operations for each such step. The sequence record SR includes information of "time", "step designation", "foot designation", "determination area", and "player designation". “Time” is information indicating the time when each step of a series of steps should be executed. The "time" information is described so as to specify, for example, the elapsed time from the start of playback in the music played in the dance game, or the position in the music. The “step designation” is information for designating each step to be instructed to the player PL as a series of operations. As described above, the series of steps may include a plurality of steps such as a short step and a long step. Therefore, in the "step designation", information for specifying the type of such a step is described. In addition to the steps, various operations such as jumping may be adopted for the series of operations. When such an operation is instructed, information indicating these jumps and the like may be appropriately described in the "step designation".

The "determination area" and "foot designation" information is information used when a step is adopted as each operation of a series of operations. Specifically, the "determination area" is information that specifies the determination area DA to be stepped on. In the "judgment area", for example, in the case of two-player play, the information for designating any of the eight judgment areas DA shown in FIG. 3 is, and in the case of one-player play, for example, the four pieces shown in FIG. Information that specifies any of the determination areas is described respectively. Further, the "foot designation" is information for designating the foot on which the player PL should take a step. In the "foot designation", information that specifies whether the player PL should take a step with the right foot or the left foot, that is, information indicating the right foot or the left foot is described. The "player designation" is information for designating a player PL to execute each step in the case of two-player play. The information of "player designation" is used to distinguish the display of each instruction sign 35 for each player PL. In the "player designation", information for designating each player PL such as "1P" or "2P" is described. Alternatively, information that specifies the play area AR such as "AR1" or "AR2" may be described. Further, the information of "player designation" may be omitted in the sequence data SD for one-person play. In this example, the information of the "determination area" functions as the area of the sequence data of the present invention.

In the sequence record SR, such information is recorded so as to be related to each other. Then, the dance instruction unit 25 shown in FIG. 4 sequentially reads the sequence record SR included in such sequence data SD during the play of the game, and performs a series of steps (jumping and the like) to the player PL according to the record SR. The lane area 37 instructing (which may be included) is repeatedly generated at a predetermined cycle (for example, the frame rate of the display device 13) and displayed on the display surface 13a of the display device 13. More specifically, the dance instruction unit 25 has a predetermined time length from the current time to the future among the times of the series of steps described in the sequence data SD (for example, the time corresponding to two measures of the music). The record SR included in the range of is acquired, the position, display mode, characters, etc. of the instruction sign 35 are determined according to the information described in those record SRs, and the instruction sign 35 is displayed in the lane area 37 according to the determined contents. Let me. The sequence data SD is not limited to these pieces of information, and appropriate information may be described according to the type of a series of operations and the like.

Next, the image selection process, the image display process, and the step evaluation process executed by the control unit 20 in order to provide the dance game will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 to 15. As an example, the image selection process and the image display process are executed by the dance instruction unit 25, and the step evaluation process is executed by the control unit 20 via the dance evaluation unit 26. The image selection process is used for playing when a plurality of character images 38A (or a plurality of silhouette images 38, 41 corresponding to them) are prepared for one sequence data SD. This is a process for causing the player PL to select the character image 38A. The dance instruction unit 25 starts the image selection process of FIG. 13 every time the sequence data SD for play (in other words, the music for play and the difficulty level) is selected for playing the dance game. First, it is determined whether or not a plurality of candidates for the character image 38A are prepared in the selected sequence data SD (step S101). For example, the dance instruction unit 25 refers to the information of the “silhouette image” of the condition record CR and executes this determination. Specifically, when information on image IDs indicating a plurality of silhouette images 38 and 41 is described as a "silhouette image", if there are candidates for a plurality of character images 38A, the information on such image IDs is available. If it is not described, it is determined that there are no candidates for the plurality of character images 38A. Then, when there are no candidates for the plurality of character images 38A, the dance instruction unit 25 skips the subsequent processing and ends the current image selection processing.

On the other hand, when there are a plurality of candidates for the character image 38A, the dance instruction unit 25 gives a selection opportunity (step S102). Specifically, the dance instruction unit 25 provides a selection screen (not shown) for selecting the character images 38A to be used as the silhouette images 38 and 41 for play from the candidates of the plurality of character images 38A. Such grant is realized. Subsequently, the dance instruction unit 25 acquires the selection result in such a selection opportunity (selection screen) (step S103). Next, the dance instruction unit 25 determines the silhouette images 38, 41 including the character image 38A corresponding to the acquired selection result as the silhouette images 38, 41 to be displayed on the game screens 30, 40 (step). S104). Then, after such a determination, the dance instruction unit 25 ends the image selection process this time. As a result, when a plurality of candidates for the character image 38A are prepared in the sequence data SD for play, the player PL is given a selection opportunity for selecting the character image 38A for play from such candidates. Then, through the selection result in such a selection opportunity, the character image 38A for play, in other words, the silhouette images 38 and 41 for play are determined by the selection of the player PL.

The image display process is determined via the image selection process when the silhouette images 38, 41 (when a plurality of character image 38A candidates are prepared in the sequence data SD for play) at predetermined positions on the game screens 30 and 40. This is a process for displaying the silhouette images 38 and 41). The example of FIG. 14 shows the case where the silhouette images 38 and 41 correspond to the captured video. In this case, the dance instruction unit 25 is satisfied when the start conditions for starting the dance game are satisfied (for example, the preparation for the start such as the selection of the music, the selection of the difficulty level, and the selection of the character image 38A is completed). The image display process of FIG. 14 is started each time (step S201), and first, image data (image data IG) for displaying silhouette images 38 and 41 for play is acquired (step S201). Subsequently, the dance instruction unit 25 specifies an arrangement position where such silhouette images 38 and 41 should be arranged (step S202). For example, the dance instruction unit 25 specifies, as such an arrangement position, a predetermined position in front of the reference sign 36 in the moving direction of the instruction sign 35, more specifically, near the center of the game screens 30 and 40 as the arrangement position. ..

Next, the dance instruction unit 25 determines the reproduction speed of the silhouette images 38 and 41 displayed through the image data acquired in step S201 (step S203). Specifically, in the dance instruction unit 25, the time when the character image 38A executes a series of operations is the sequence data so that the reproduction speed of the silhouette images 38 and 41 matches the reproduction speed of the music for play. The reproduction speed of the silhouette images 38 and 41 is determined so as to correspond to the time described in the SD. The dance instruction unit 25 may appropriately perform such determination of the reproduction speed through various well-known methods. For example, the dance instruction unit 25 may appropriately execute the determination of the reproduction speed, and for example, the image for displaying the music data for reproducing the music and the silhouette images 38 and 41. If the data contains information on BPM values, the playback speed may be determined so that they match through such comparison of BPM values.

Subsequently, the dance instruction unit 25 displays the silhouette images 38 and 41 on the game screens 30 and 40 so that the silhouette images 38 and 41 operate at the reproduction speed determined in step S203 at the arrangement position determined in step S202. Step S204). As a result, the silhouette images 38 and 41 are displayed at predetermined positions on the game screens 30 and 40. Then, the character images 38A of the silhouette images 38 and 41 at such predetermined positions perform a dance so as to execute a sample operation at the execution time of a series of operations (for example, steps) to be executed by the player PL. To do. The dance instruction unit 25 may repeatedly display the silhouette images 38 and 41 as a part (same layer) of the lane area 37 at the same rate as the lane area 37, or as a layer different from the lane area 37. It may be displayed (reproduced) independently of the lane area 37.

The step evaluation process is a process for evaluating a step when the player PL is instructed as each operation of a series of operations. The dance evaluation unit 26 repeatedly starts the process of FIG. 15 at a predetermined cycle during the play of the dance game (during the display of the game screens 30 and 40), and first determines whether or not the operation for play has been executed (step). S301). More specifically, the dance evaluation unit 26 detects a change in the output signal from ON to OFF by any of the light receiving units 14c of the stage sensor 14 in order to determine the presence or absence of a step as an operation for play. Whether or not it is determined (step S301). If the step is not executed, that is, if the change in the output signal of the light receiving unit 14c is not detected, the dance evaluation unit 26 skips the subsequent processing and ends the current step evaluation processing.

On the other hand, when the change in the output signal of the light receiving unit 14c is detected, that is, when the step is executed, the dance evaluation unit 26 determines the details of the step (step S302). Specifically, the dance evaluation unit 26 determines the detection time and the detection position of such a change in the output signal. In this case, the detection position may be determined as long as it determines the determination region DA corresponding to the light receiving unit 14c in which the change from ON to OFF is detected. The determination area DA detected here is the actual step position of the player PL.

Subsequently, the dance evaluation unit 26 determines whether or not the step corresponding to the time or the like determined in step S302 is specified in the sequence data SD (step S303). Specifically, the dance evaluation unit 26 sequences, for example, a step record RS in which a time within a predetermined evaluation range is specified for the detected time and a determination area DA same as the actual step position is specified. It is determined whether or not it is included in the data SD.

When the step S303 is positively determined, that is, when the step of the player PL is specified in the sequence data SD, the dance evaluation unit 26 performs the step of the player PL according to the type of the step specified in the step record RS. Evaluate (step S304). In the case of two-player play, this determination is performed separately for each play area AR. When the step type is a short step, the evaluation according to the step type is performed as follows, for example. When the short step is specified in the step record RS, the short step is successful if the amount of deviation between the detection time determined in step S302 and the time specified in the step record RS is within a predetermined allowable range. It is determined that it has been done. The smaller the deviation amount, the higher the evaluation of the step may be. Regarding the short step, it is said that the specified step was executed when the output signal of the light receiving unit 14c corresponding to the specified determination area DA within the allowable range for the specified time changed from ON to OFF. It is enough to judge. If such a change is detected, even if the OFF signal is continuously output even after the indicator 35 instructing the short step has passed the reference indicator 36, it is treated as not affecting the evaluation. Can be done. In the case of a long step, a slide step, or the like, it may be evaluated appropriately through a well-known technique or the like. The same applies when an operation other than a step, such as an upper body operation, is evaluated as a series of operations.

After evaluating the steps of the player PL in step S304, the dance evaluation unit 26 stores the evaluation result of step S304 in the internal memory of the control unit 20 or the storage device 21 (step S305), and ends the current evaluation process. If it is determined in step S303 that there is no instruction for the corresponding step, the dance evaluation unit 26 skips steps S304 and S305 and ends the current evaluation process. That is, when a step other than the designated step is executed as an operation for play, such as when a step other than the designated step is taken, the operation is not evaluated by the step evaluation process of FIG. Therefore, even if the player PL steps on the tread surface 11a at a position different from the determination area DA indicated by the instruction sign 35, the action is ignored by the dance evaluation unit 26 and does not affect the evaluation.

By the process of FIG. 15, the steps of the player PL are evaluated as a series of operations based on the time and position described in the sequence data SD. In the process of FIG. 15, it is not determined whether the player PL is stepping on the designated determination area DA with either the left or right foot. That is, even if the foot to be stepped on is specified in the guide image 31, whether or not the player PL has stepped on the designated foot is not subject to evaluation. Therefore, for example, even if the player PL takes a step with the left foot with respect to the instruction sign 35 with the right foot specified, the step of the player PL is appropriate as long as the time and position of the step match the instruction of the step record RS. Is evaluated as. However, it may be detected whether the step is performed on the left foot or the right foot, and whether or not the step is performed on the designated foot may be added to the evaluation target. If the resolution of the stage sensor 14 is sufficiently high, the right foot or the left foot can be discriminated in a pattern in which the stage sensor 14 detects the foot, that is, a light receiving unit 14c that outputs an ON signal and a light receiving unit that outputs an OFF signal. It can be determined based on how the parts 14c are distributed. Alternatively, the orientation of at least a part of the body of the player PL (for example, the lower body or the face) may be determined based on the image of the player PL captured by the camera 17, and the left foot or the right foot may be distinguished based on the determination result. The left foot or the right foot may be distinguished by combining the orientation determined from the image of the camera 17 and the detection status of the stage sensor 14. Of course, in addition to the stage sensor 14 and the camera 17, sensors that can distinguish and detect the left foot or the right foot may be used.

Further, in the process of FIG. 15, even when two players PL1 and PL2 are playing, it is not determined which player PL has taken the step. Therefore, even if the front player PL1 takes a step in the rear determination areas DA21 to 24, or conversely, the rear player PL2 takes a step in the front determination area DA11-14, the time of the step. And if the position is correct, it is judged that an appropriate step has been taken. Therefore, it is possible for two players PL1 and PL2 to help each other and play a dance. Alternatively, it is also permissible for one player PL to play so as to cover both the front and rear play areas AR1 and AR2. Further, by providing a sufficient margin on the tread surface 11a of the stage 11, it is possible that a plurality of player PLs take a dance step in at least one play area AR.

Further, in the process of FIG. 15, the position of the vertical CD in the determination area DA (for example, which of the first step range SA1 to the third step range SA3) is not determined and is not evaluated. That is, within the determination area DA designated by the sequence data SD, the same evaluation result (for example, a score) is uniformly evaluated regardless of the position of the CD in the vertical direction. However, as with the distinction between left and right, the position of such a vertical CD (for example, which of the first step range SA1 to the third step range SA3 belongs to) may be evaluated. In this case, the information on the position of the vertical CD may be managed by the sequence data SD, or may be managed by other data. Further, such evaluation of the position of the vertical CD is executed based on, for example, whether or not the position of the step corresponds to the score as in the determination area DA (for example, as a part of the step evaluation process of FIG. 15). Alternatively, it may be evaluated separately as a degree of agreement with the silhouette images 38 and 41 (for example, as feedback by advice or the like).

As described above, according to this embodiment, the silhouette images 38 and 41 are displayed on the game screens 30 and 40. Further, such silhouette images 38 and 41 function as a tread image 38B that functions as a guideline for the tread 11a (a predetermined range for playing) and as a moving image that executes a series of steps instructed by the player PL. The character image 38A is included. Further, the silhouette images 38 and 41 perform such a series of steps in the tread image 38B. Therefore, through a series of steps of the character image 38A in such a tread image 38B, in other words, a series of steps shown by the silhouette images 38 and 41, a sample of the steps to be actually executed on the tread 11a is presented. be able to. Thereby, the step of the player PL to be configured as a dance can be guided to such a sample step, that is, a more appropriate step.

Further, the step indicated by the character image 38A includes not only the determination area DA designated by the sequence data SD but also a specific position of the vertical CD in the determination area DA. That is, through the silhouette images 38 and 41, a sample of the position in such a vertical CD is presented. Therefore, the position of the step of the player PL in the vertical direction CD can be guided to a specific position indicated by the silhouette images 38 and 41. If it is the judgment area DA specified by the sequence data SD, any position of the vertical CD is uniformly evaluated, but when viewed as a dance, either the top or the bottom is within the same judgment area DA. The appearance may change depending on whether the step is performed at the position of. As a result, even if the position of the vertical CD in each determination area DA is out of the evaluation, the step of the player PL can be guided to a more attractive one.

Similarly, when a plurality of silhouette image 38, 41 candidates are prepared for one sequence data SD, different steps (or dances) that commonly include a step to the same determination area DA through the silhouette images 38, 41. ) Can be guided to the player PL. As a result, different steps can be requested from the player PL even when the same sequence data SD is used for play. In other words, while requesting steps to the same determination area DA through the same sequence data SD (although the difficulty is the same in terms of the score that can be obtained as a result), the dance is different when viewed as a whole. Can be requested from the player PL. Therefore, a plurality of ways of playing (how to play, how to take steps, or how to dance) can be prepared in one sequence data SD. As a result, it is possible to give diversity to the play using the same sequence data SD. More versatility can be added if specific actions are provided for two-player play. Specifically, for example, through a silhouette image 41 including two character images 38A, an operation corresponding to the number of people, such as a switching operation, can be presented as a unique operation. Therefore, it is possible to provide the player PL with a way of playing peculiar to the number of people. That is, even when the same sequence data SD is used for play, it is possible to propose different ways of playing depending on the number of people. This can give more variety to the play of the game.

Further, the tread images 38B of the silhouette images 38 and 41 are provided with horizontal ruled lines SL1 and vertical ruled lines SL2 at predetermined intervals. Therefore, through these horizontal ruled lines SL1 and vertical ruled lines SL2, a guideline for the vertical direction CD or the horizontal direction (each determination area DA) can be shown. As a result, the player PL can relatively easily recognize the position of the appropriate determination region DA or the appropriate vertical CD on the tread surface 11a by using such a guideline. As a result, it is possible to more easily guide the step of the player PL to an appropriate one. And, by these, it is possible to improve the fun of the dance game.

In the above embodiment, the dance instruction unit 25 of the game machine 3 executes the process of step S201 of FIG. 14 to execute the process of step S204 of FIG. 14 as the data acquisition means of the present invention. Each functions as an image display means. Similarly, the dance instruction unit 25 of the game machine 3 functions as an opportunity-giving means of the present invention by executing the process of step S102 of FIG. On the other hand, the dance instruction unit 25 of the game machine 3 functions as the motion evaluation means of the present invention by executing the process of step S304 of FIG.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned form, and can be appropriately modified or modified. For example, in the above embodiment, the silhouette images 38 and 41 are always displayed on the game screens 30 and 40 regardless of the type of the instruction sign 35. However, the present invention is not limited to such a form. For example, the display of the silhouette images 38 and 41 may be limited to a part of the period during play. For example, rust or the like of a musical piece may be used as such a period. Alternatively, such a period may be determined according to the type (type of operation) or number of the instruction signs 35 displayed on the game screens 30 and 40. That is, the silhouette images 38 and 41 may be displayed according to the display of a specific type or a predetermined number of instruction signs 35.

Similarly, in the above embodiment, the silhouette images 38 and 41 are fixedly arranged at predetermined positions of the lane area 37 (corresponding to the vicinity of the center of the game screens 30 and 40). However, the present invention is not limited to such a form. The positions of the silhouette images 38 and 41 may be variable. Specifically, for example, the silhouette images 38 and 41 appear behind the lane area 37 (or may be outside the lane area 37) along with the display of the instruction sign 35 instructing a specific operation, and the instruction sign thereof. It may move toward the reference sign 36 in accordance with the movement of 35. Further, the silhouette images 38 and 41 such as these may be set so that the presence or absence of display can be switched by selecting the player PL or the like. That is, the presence / absence of the display of the silhouette images 38 and 41 may be appropriately switched through the selection of the player PL or the like.

In the above-described form, the silhouette images 38 and 41 uniformly display movements that are not evaluated, such as hand movements, and steps that are evaluated. However, the present invention is not limited to such a form. For example, the silhouette images 38 and 41 may be displayed so that the motion to be evaluated is emphasized more than the other motions. FIG. 16 is a diagram schematically showing a modified example of the silhouette image 38. As shown in FIG. 16, when a step is evaluated as a series of movements, a highlight 38C (dot pattern in the example of FIG. 16) may be provided on the foot portion that is the target of such a step. Then, such a highlighting 38C may distinguish the step (stepping motion) from the motion of other hands or the like. The highlighting 38C may be realized by an appropriate visual effect such as color.

Further, in the above-described form, the silhouette images 38 and 41 are displayed so that the character images 38A perform the entire dance. However, the present invention is not limited to such a form. The silhouette images 38 and 41 may be displayed so that the character image 38A shows only the steps (movements to be evaluated) of the dance. Specifically, for example, in the silhouette images 38 and 41, only the portion to which the highlighting 38C is added in the example of FIG. 16 may be displayed as the character image 38A. That is, the silhouette images 38 and 41 may be configured to show only a sample of a part of the dance (movement to be evaluated). Alternatively, the series of actions is not limited to a part of the dance (for example, a step). For example, as a series of movements to be evaluated, all the movement groups (movements of the whole body) constituting the dance may function.

Further, the center server 2 may execute all or part of the roles (various processes, etc.) of the game machine 3 in the above-described form. That is, the game system of the present invention may be configured so that the center server 2 and the game machine 3 appropriately cooperate with each other to realize each function of the game machine 3 and the center server 2 of the present embodiment. On the other hand, the center server 2 may be omitted. In this case, one game machine 3 may function as the game system of the present invention. Alternatively, the user terminal device 4 may function as a game machine 3 that provides the above-mentioned dance game. In this case, the center server 2 may take charge of the processes of FIGS. 13 to 15 instead of the user terminal device 4. Further, for such a user terminal device 4, a dedicated mat type controller corresponding to the stage 11 may be separately prepared.

Various aspects of the present invention derived from the above-described embodiments and modifications will be described below. In the following description, reference numerals of the accompanying drawings are added in parentheses to facilitate understanding of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated form.

The game machine of the present invention displays a game screen (30, 40) including an instruction sign (35) corresponding to each movement of a series of movements constituting the dance and a reference sign (36) corresponding to the current time. The reference marker is connected to the device (13) and an input device (11) for inputting a user's action in a predetermined range (11a) as a play action, and the instruction sign is along a predetermined path (LN). By sequentially displaying the instruction signs on the game screen so as to move toward, the action to be executed in the predetermined range as the play action through the matching between the position of the instruction sign and the position of the reference sign. A game system (1) that provides a game that instructs the user to execute a game, and functions as a guideline range (38B) that functions as a guideline for the predetermined range, and as a moving image that executes the series of operations in the guideline range. A data acquisition means (25) for acquiring image data (IG) for displaying a dance image (38, 41) including a character image (38A) to be displayed on the game screen, and the dance image based on the image data. It includes an image display means (25) to be displayed on the game screen.

According to the present invention, the dance image is displayed on the game screen. Further, the dance image includes a guideline range that functions as a guideline for a predetermined range for playing, and a character image that functions as a moving image that executes a series of operations instructed by the user. Further, the character image executes such a series of operations within a reference range. Therefore, through a series of actions of the character image in such a reference range, a sample of actions to be executed in a predetermined range can be presented. Thereby, the user's movement to be configured as a dance can be guided to such a sample movement, that is, a more appropriate movement.

In the character image, each operation of the series of operations may be executed at an appropriate timing. For example, the character image may execute each operation of a series of operations at the execution time indicated by the instruction sign. Alternatively, the character image may perform a series of actions shortly before or shortly after such an execution time in order to prepare the user for a series of actions or to verify the series of actions. .. That is, the timing of the series of operations executed by the character image may coincide with or may differ from the execution timing instructed by the user. Therefore, for example, in one aspect of the game system of the present invention, the image display means displays the dance image on the game screen so that the character image executes each operation of the series of operations at the execution time. It may be displayed.

As a series of movements, appropriate movements constituting the dance may be adopted. For example, a series of movements may be a part of a group of movements constituting a dance, or may be an entire movement. Further, when the series of movements is a part of the movement group constituting the dance, the dance image may perform the entire dance (including the non-referents) including the series of movements (referents). , Only a series of actions may be performed. When the dance image performs the entire dance, samples of other movements can also be presented, so that the user's movements can be guided to a more appropriate movement group. Further, for example, when an operation that allows freedom in a certain range is adopted as a series of operations, the dance image may show a sample in such a certain range. For example, a series of steps constituting a dance is adopted as a series of movements, and such steps may be freely executed in a certain area within a predetermined range (a demerit such as deduction of points within a certain area). If not), the dance image may be performed to sample a particular position within such a given area. More specifically, for example, a step for any of the regions formed on the tread so as to correspond to the route through the route in which the instruction sign is arranged among the plurality of routes is regarded as each operation of a series of operations. Where indicated and the suitability of such an area is assessed, the dance image may be sampled at a particular position within such area. Such a specific position may be an evaluation target or a non-evaluation target. Similarly, each such route may be appropriately configured to extend in various directions.

Specifically, for example, as one aspect of the game system of the present invention, a plurality of routes (L1 to L4) are prepared as the predetermined routes, and a plurality of regions (DA1 to DA4) corresponding to the plurality of routes are provided. When the predetermined range is divided into the plurality of regions so that each region of the above extends in a predetermined direction (CD) corresponding to the extending direction of each path, each of the series of operations at the execution time and the execution time. The image display means includes an operation evaluation means (26) for evaluating an area in which the user's operation is executed based on sequence data (SD) described so as to be associated with an area in which the operation should be executed. , The mode in which the dance image including the character image is displayed on the game screen is adopted so that the character image indicates a specific position (RF1) in the predetermined direction in each region through each operation of the series of operations. May be done. In this case, a sample position of each region in a predetermined direction is presented through the dance image. Therefore, even if the position in the predetermined direction in each region is not evaluated, the position of the user's operation in such a predetermined direction can be guided to a specific position.

When a sample of the position of each region in a predetermined direction is presented through the dance image, the position in such a predetermined direction may be appropriately evaluated. For example, such a position in a predetermined direction may be evaluated so as to change depending on the position, or any position may be evaluated uniformly. Specifically, for example, in an embodiment in which a sample position of each region in a predetermined direction is presented through a dance image, the motion evaluation means executes each motion for any position in the predetermined direction of each region. In these cases, the same result may be evaluated.

The dance image may be realized by an appropriate method. For example, the dance image may be realized by using a motion capture technique, or may be realized by a photographed image of a person who actually performs a dance. Therefore, in order to display such a dance image, image data for the dance image may be appropriately configured. Further, a plurality of such dance images may be prepared. For example, when sequence data including an instruction of execution time and area is used for a series of operation instructions, one such sequence data (execution time and area) as long as the execution time and area are common. Multiple types of dance images may be associated with the same instructions). More specifically, for example, a plurality of dance images, the same area, and the same predetermined direction in which a series of operations are executed in the same area at the same execution time, but the positions in different predetermined directions within the area are indicated as a sample. Multiple dance images in which a series of movements are performed at the position of, but with different hand movements, or multiple dance images including other movements such as a rotating movement before such a series of movements, as well as left and right. When the step using the foot is used as a series of movements and the difference between the left and right is not evaluated in such a step, a plurality of dance images in which the foot of the step differs between the left and right in the same area and in the same predetermined direction position, etc. A plurality of dance images including various differences in the above may be associated with one sequence data. Further, among such a plurality of dance images, the dance image for play may be determined based on various conditions such as randomness, play situation, or user selection.

Specifically, for example, as a mode in which sequence data including an instruction of an execution time and an area is used for an instruction of a series of operations, a plurality of operations different from each other, which commonly include an operation for the area of the sequence data, are executed. When the character image is prepared so as to correspond to the sequence data, the opportunity giving means (25) for giving a selection opportunity for selecting any one of the plurality of character images for the dance image is provided. Aspects may be adopted. In this case, a plurality of sample character images are prepared for the same sequence data. Therefore, even when the same sequence data is used, it is possible to guide the user to different operations including the operations for the same area in common by using them. In other words, multiple ways of playing (how to play) can be prepared for the same sequence data. As a result, it is possible to give diversity to the play using the same sequence data.

The input device may be appropriately configured. Similarly, appropriate ranges and actions may be employed as predetermined ranges and actions, respectively, depending on such input device. For example, in one aspect of the present invention, the input device, the operation of the user, and the stage (11) having a tread surface (11a) on which the operation of the user is to be performed as the predetermined range, the step of the user When the operation and the tread surface are used respectively, and the stepping operation is executed by the user as each operation of the series of operations through the tread surface, the image display means uses the tread surface as the reference range. The tread image (38B) shown may be used.

When the stage is used as an input device, the tread image may be appropriately configured. For example, when sequence data including an instruction of an execution time and an area is used for an instruction of a series of operations, the tread image may include information that serves as a guide for each area or information that serves as a guide for a predetermined direction. It may or may not contain such information. Further, when the tread image contains such reference information, the information may be appropriately configured. For example, in one aspect of the present invention using stage and sequence data, the image display means serves as a guideline for the area division line (SL2) that divides the tread image as a guideline for each region, and as a guideline for the position in the predetermined direction. At least one of the area division line and the position division line is displayed so that at least one of the position division lines (SL1) that divides the tread image in the predetermined direction is displayed on the tread image. The tread image including the tread image may be used for the dance image. In this case, a guideline for the position of each area or a predetermined direction can be indicated through such an area division line or a position division line. Thereby, using such a guideline, the user can be made to recognize an appropriate area in a predetermined range or a position in an appropriate predetermined direction relatively easily.

When a dance involves movements other than a series of movements and the character image performs such a dance as a sample, the series of movements may be displayed to distinguish them from others, and such distinction may be omitted. May be done. For example, in one aspect of the game system of the present invention, when the character image performs the dance including other movements other than the series of movements in the reference range, the image display means of the series of movements. The character image including the distinction display may be used for the dance image so that the character image is provided with a distinction display (38C) for distinguishing each action from the other actions.

The game may be played by an appropriate number of users. In addition, the predetermined range may be appropriately divided according to the number of players. For example, in one aspect of the game system of the present invention, in the image display means, the game is played by a plurality of users (PL1, PL2) at the same time, and the predetermined range corresponds to each of the plurality of users. When divided into (AR1, AR2), the reference range is divided into a plurality of play ranges (VAR1, VAR2) corresponding to the plurality of play areas, and a plurality of character images corresponding to the plurality of users. The dance image including the plurality of play ranges and the plurality of character images may be displayed on the game screen so that is located in each of the plurality of play ranges.

Further, when the game is played by a plurality of users, the dance image may or may not perform a peculiar action according to the number of people. For example, as such a peculiar operation, an operation that requires the participation of a predetermined number of people may be adopted. Specifically, for example, as a peculiar action in the case of two-player play, an action in which two people cooperate, such as holding hands by two people or exchanging the positions of two people, may be adopted. The same applies to three or more people. Specifically, for example, in one aspect of the game system of the present invention, when each character image performs the dance including the series of operations in each play range, the plurality of character images The plurality of character images for executing the replacement operation may be used for the dance image so that the replacement operation for switching the plurality of play ranges is executed as the dance. In this case, it is possible to present the user with an action according to the number of people as a sample of the dance. In other words, it is possible to prepare a way of playing (how to play) peculiar to the number of people. Specifically, for example, it is possible to propose different ways of playing depending on the number of people even if the play uses the same sequence data. This can give diversity to the play of the game.

The dance image may be arranged at an appropriate position on the game screen. For example, the dance image may be placed at a position related to the movement of the indicator such as on the route, or may be placed at a position unrelated to that such as outside the route. In such a case, the dance image may be displayed so as to hide the display of the instruction sign, or may be displayed so that the display of the instruction sign is transparent with the background as a transparent image. Further, the arrangement position of the dance image may be determined based on, for example, the position of the reference sign, or may be determined at the center of the game screen or the like regardless of the position of the reference sign. Similarly, the position of the dance image may be fixed or variable. For example, in one aspect of the game system of the present invention, the image display means uses a transparent image that passes through the background as the reference range and the character image, and moves the instruction sign on the predetermined route. The dance image may be displayed at a position in front of the reference sign corresponding to a predetermined time in advance along the direction.

On the other hand, the computer program of the present invention is configured to cause the display device and the computer connected to the input device to function as each means of the above-mentioned game system.

Further, the control method of the present invention displays a game screen (30, 40) including an instruction sign (35) corresponding to each movement of a series of movements constituting the dance and a reference sign (36) corresponding to the current time. The instruction sign is connected to the display device (13) and the input device (11) for inputting the user's action in the predetermined range (11a) as a play action, and the instruction sign is described along the predetermined route (LN). By sequentially displaying the instruction signs on the game screen so as to move toward the reference signs, each of the play actions to be executed in the predetermined range through the matching between the positions of the instruction signs and the positions of the reference signs. A guideline range (38B) that functions as a guideline for the predetermined range on a computer (20) incorporated in a game system (1) that provides a game that instructs the user to execute an operation, and a series of the above-mentioned series in the guideline range. Based on a data acquisition procedure for acquiring image data (IG) for displaying dance images (38, 41) including a character image (38A) that functions as a moving image for executing an operation on the game screen, and the image data. The image display procedure for displaying the dance image on the game screen is executed. The game system of the present invention can be realized by executing the computer program or the control method of the present invention.

1 Game system 3 Game machine 13 Display device 14 Stage (input device)
20 Control unit (computer)
25 Dance instruction unit (data acquisition means, image display means, opportunity giving means)
26 Dance evaluation department (motion evaluation means)
30 Game screen 35 Instruction sign 36 Reference sign 38 Silhouette image (dance image)
11a Tread surface (predetermined range)
38A character image 38B tread image (reference range)
38C highlighting (distinguished display)
SD sequence data LN lane (predetermined route)
DA judgment area (area)
AR play area CD vertical direction (predetermined direction)
VAR virtual play area (play range)
SL1 horizontal ruled line (position division line)
SL2 vertical ruled line (area division line)

Claims (1)

A display device that displays a game screen including an instruction sign corresponding to each action of a series of actions constituting the dance and a reference sign corresponding to the current time, and an input for inputting the user's action in a predetermined range as a play action. By connecting to the device and sequentially displaying the instruction sign on the game screen so that the instruction sign moves toward the reference sign along a predetermined route, the position of the instruction sign and the reference sign can be displayed. A game system that provides a game for instructing the user of the execution time of each operation to be executed in the predetermined range as the play action through matching with the position.
Data acquisition means for acquiring image data for displaying a guide range that functions as a guide for the predetermined range and a dance image including a character image that functions as a moving image that executes the series of operations in the guide range on the game screen. When,
An image display means for displaying the dance image on the game screen based on the image data,
A game system equipped with.