JP3248677B2 - Gaming machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gaming machine that adapts a gaming environment based on information about the situation of a player obtained from the player.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, sensation-type game machines having a computer control mechanism have become widespread, and game centers are open everywhere and are popular as entertainment for ordinary people. A gaming machine having a computer control mechanism is not limited to a game center, and a monitor is installed at a position facing the front of a player, as represented by a home video game, and a place where the player is located is a fixed place. In general, A sensational game having a computer control mechanism means that a player gets on a seat of a gaming machine, stands in front of the gaming machine, or
A monitor mounted on the head, a handle installed on the gaming machine,
By operating a lever or a button, etc., by responding to the phenomenon displayed on the display or on the projector, a part or whole of the gaming machine can move or vibrate, By providing a function of transmitting a signal to a player, the player is provided with a more realistic dynamism and is actually used.

A sensation-type gaming machine having such a function can be a part of the gaming machine, or
The whole is determined to be movable or to transmit a signal to the player to provide a more realistic playing state to the player, and a higher dynamism is obtained in relation to the degree of skill of the player. Because it is gaining popularity.

[0004] Such recent gaming machines have a large number of CPU control mechanisms due to advances in electronics technology. That is, most of the operating devices provided in gaming machines are operated by electronics technology,
The CPU device controls and determines this operation.
It is a so-called microprocessor or computer. The role of such a computer is to calculate various kinds of information obtained from operation of a handle, a lever, or a button installed on the gaming machine and to issue a specific operation instruction according to a predetermined procedure (program). To give. However, these are device-oriented computerizations, and basically, the player has no choice but to wait for a decision to make a computer. Therefore, when the game level of the player is improved to some extent, the game tends to be monotonous.

[0005]

As described above, in the case of a sensation-type gaming machine having a computer control mechanism, the content of the game is much more varied than that of a conventional static gaming machine. . However, while playing the game for a while as in the case of the related art, a gap comes to occur. This is because the response on the machine side becomes uniform according to a predetermined procedure or program. On the other hand, since the player is a human, emotions, sensations, health states, and physical and mental states change from time to time. For this reason, if the response on the machine side is always the same, there has been a gap.

Further, the environment in which such a gaming machine is installed does not realize an environment in which game contents are particularly considered, and the gaming machine is operated in a poor environment or an environment where no decoration is provided. A game machine is installed, and even such environmental conditions affect the player's interest in the game.

[0007]

As one solution to the above-mentioned problem, the present invention proposes a game room facility that can provide a more varied response by adding a player's mental and physical condition and emotions. Is what you do.

[0008] One of the constitutions of the present invention is characterized in that in the gaming machine, a sensor unit for taking in information from a player and a gaming machine based on the information taken in from the sensor correspond to each other. The feature is that information is taken in from a fingertip.

In another configuration, the sensor unit is provided on a handle, a lever, or a glove attached to a game machine.

Further, as another configuration, a sensor unit for capturing information from a player, a chaos attractor generating unit for calculating a chaos attractor by numerically processing data captured by the sensor, and defining the chaos by the chaos attractor A gaming machine equipped with a mental and physical state grasping system unit having a Lyapunov exponent generating unit for calculating an index indicating a degree matching the condition is installed, and based on information on the physical and mental state of the player from the bodily-type game, the in-store A game arcade equipped with changing means for changing a player's environment or an installation environment of a gaming machine, such as a type of music to be played, a volume, a sound quality, a degree of lighting, and a color tone of lighting.

In another configuration, information from a gaming machine having means for acquiring information about the current player from a player is provided to one computer for a plurality of gaming machines, and the information is used as a basis. By distributing the situation of the player using the plurality of gaming machines to a plurality of levels set in advance, and obtaining distribution information of the player in a specific situation, in accordance with this distribution information, A game arcade facility characterized by changing the game environment.

In another configuration, the gaming machine is a bodily-type gaming machine having a computer control mechanism using a dedicated or general-purpose chip.

As described above, in the present invention, a chaos attractor unique to a player obtained by numerically processing information collected from the player, and the chaos attractor data are already known, and are classified into a certain class. The game environment of the sensation type gaming machine is changed according to the psychological state of the player by grasping the state of mind and body of the player at that time by comparing with the definition condition of the chaos that is present. This is intended to prevent the game from becoming monotonous or being felt monotonous.

[0014] Further, by changing the game environment or adjusting to the optimum game environment according to the situation of the player who is playing the game at present, a more comfortable game or a game room where the user does not feel tired is provided. Things.

[0015] In addition, even if the information is such that the chaotic idea does not hold, the situation of the player who is currently playing the game is determined based on information obtained from the player. It is intended to provide a game arcade where the game is divided into levels and the correspondence is changed according to the levels.

[0016]

[Action] First, we will explain what chaos is.
There are many predictable phenomena in the natural and man-made worlds. It can also predict and respond to Halley's comet and satellite positions. Deterministic predictability, in which the relationship between cause and effect is clear, seems to be one of the great powers of science. However, weather forecasts can be thought of as the motion of the atmosphere, which obeys the laws of physics, but often deviates. Such phenomena in which the cause and effect appear unclear are said to have random factors. Basically, if complete parameters describing the system are clear, in other words, sufficient information about the system is collected. If possible, it was believed that accurate predictions were possible.

That is, it has been considered that the randomness is caused by a lack of information in a multi-degree-of-freedom system. However, the discovery that even simple systems with a small number of degrees of freedom (three or more dimensions) can behave messy, suggesting that some are deterministic but have messy nature. Was found. Such randomness came to be called chaos.

However, the concept of chaos is not yet unified. Like evolution, its definition is wide-ranging and, depending on the object, the concept may even be walking alone. For this reason, in the present specification, the following will be summarized. Chaos refers to a phenomenon in which a very complex behavior appears as nonlinear but is essentially random, despite being a system with deterministic rules.
It also shows that there is a complex order and rules behind the seemingly random disorder with no regularity or predictability.

A topology that characterizes the behavior of chaos is called a chaos attractor, and is a mathematical structure in which the behavior of a system that generates chaos converges. From these viewpoints, pulse waves detected from the body are known to behave chaotically.
The first person in this field reported the psychosomatic information of the chaos indicated by the finger plethysmogram, and at the same time, the same person has applied for a patent for a medical diagnosis method using this chaos.
(JP-A-4-208136)

The present invention relates to a chaos attractor obtained by numerically processing a pulse wave, an electroencephalogram, a heart beat or a body temperature collected from a body, and a Lyapunov number indicating the degree to which this data conforms to the definition condition of chaos. Are applied devices that positively utilize the fact that there is a correlation with the physical and mental information of the body. Also, if it can be correlated with the physical and mental state of the player,
Other information can be used.

Based on this, player information is obtained by generating a chaos attractor obtained by numerically processing a pulse wave, an electroencephalogram, a heart rate, or a temperature collected from a player. It is possible to grasp the state of mind and body of the player from the Lyapunov number which is a numerical value indicating the degree to which this data meets the definition condition of chaos. As an example of a means for obtaining the fingertip pulse wave, there is a method using a sensor in which an infrared light emitting diode and a photo sensor are combined or a semiconductor pressure sensor.

The relationship between the psychosomatic state and the chaotic attractor of the finger plethysmogram is as follows. The chaos attractor of the finger plethysmogram reflects the psycho-psychological state sensitively and shows a unique topology. The chaotic attractor obtained from the pulse wave has a structure unique to an individual on the basic structure common to humans, and further changes depending on a psycho-psychological state or a disease. In general, when the psycho-psychological state, physiological state becomes unstable or becomes ill, the overall structure of the attractor is simplified,
Unstructured and smaller. The rhythm has a mechanical and monotonous periodic structure. That is, it is less chaotic. In a healthy state, the whole structure is complex and dynamic, and the local structure also involves complicated structures such as entanglement, torsion, and screw structure. And the rhythm becomes aperiodic. That is,
Healthy ecology is chaos and is full of chaos. Concentrating consciousness makes the chaos attractor complicated,
Local structures such as entanglement and torsion appear, and a stress exceeding a certain threshold value is applied. When fatigue occurs, the structure becomes simple and the local structure disappears.

Based on the above concept, the current state of the player is divided into several cases, and according to the cases,
By knowing the distribution of players in a specific mental and physical state in the hall and changing the gaming environment in the hall according to this information, the interest of the players can be increased. Also, since the state of the player changes from time to time, the game environment also changes according to the change,
It will be possible to invite the interest of the player even more.

As a part for obtaining information on the mind and body of the player, it is easiest to obtain a chaos attractor by information from a fingertip, palm or hand, in the form of a game machine currently in practical use. Although it is a preferred portion, the present invention is not particularly limited to this portion, and the present invention is not limited thereto, and any other portion, such as a player's head, buttocks, or skin surface, can be used.

Similarly, the positions of the sensors provided on the gaming machine are various, such as a handle, a lever portion installed on the gaming machine, a glove attached to the gaming machine, a head-mounted helmet, a gaming machine frame or a chair on which the player sits. Although it can be installed at a position, in the sense of improving the current gaming machine, it is the simplest and cheapest to install it on the handle, lever or gaming machine frame installed on the gaming machine. By installing the aforementioned photocoupler or semiconductor pressure sensor at such a position, information on the player can be easily obtained.

The information of the player obtained in this way is subjected to numerical operation processing, and it is determined whether or not the level matches the level already set, and the Lyapunov exponent is calculated according to the degree.
Computer processing is required for this numerical processing and the calculation of the Lyapunov exponent, but this processing method and the expression of the chaos attractor after processing are not particularly fixed in the calculation formula and processing procedure, and can be expressed arbitrarily. Can be processed.

The level already set for calculating the Lyapunov exponent can be set in various ways depending on the method of classifying and organizing the chaos attractors. For example, if you set “Excitement” and “Other”, 2
It is a stage, but if you add "Concentration Concentration" and "Distraction" in addition to these two stages, there will be a total of 4 stages, and the game environment will be changed for this stage, so a more complex and more varied playground Can be realized.

Based on such information from the player,
The measures taken by the game arcade equipment include the actions relating to a change in the degree of the function of transmitting a signal to the player, such as a part or the whole of the game machine being movable or vibrating, and the music played from the game machine during the game. Correspondence of the game environment to the player such as the type, change of display on the game monitor or change of brightness on the game monitor, or change of the initial speed of the game operation, sensitivity of the handle, lever or button installed on the game machine Alternatively, a wide variation such as a change in the correspondence of the launching device such as a change in the degree of opening of a handle or a lever installed in the game machine or a change in an installation environment of the game machine is considered. Further, various measures other than the above are also applicable within the scope of the present invention.

Such a concept of chaos is not limited to a single device, but a multi-psychological battle in which a plurality of such devices are played by a plurality of players, or a playground in which a plurality of such devices are provided. It is possible to adapt to the whole. That is, the current state of mind and body of a plurality of players using a plurality of sensation-type gaming machines is collected as information,
According to the state, the type of music to play in the playground, volume,
The sound quality or the brightness and color tone of the lighting in the hall can be partially changed in accordance with the entire hall or the distribution of players in a specific state of mind and body.

Further, the distribution of the player in the specific state is known, and the game environment adapted to the player in the specific state is partially changed according to the distribution,
For a player in another state, it is possible to reduce the influence of a change in the environment of the game arcade from the current state. By doing so, it is possible to enhance the interest of the player in the game and to play the game in a more comfortable environment.

In the above description, information from a player to which the concept of chaos can be mainly applied has been described. However, even if the information that can be obtained from the player does not apply to the concept of chaos, it is set in advance. The player who is currently playing the game is assigned to the level, and the game environment is changed according to the level, so that the game can be made more complicated and the interest of the player can be attracted.

Specifically, the current body temperature of the player is measured using a temperature sensor, and the measured body temperature is distributed to a preset level. That is, 36 ° C. or less, over 36 ° C. and 36.5 ° C. or less, over 36.5 ° C.
Four levels of 7 ° C. or lower and 37 ° C. or higher are set, and the gaming environment taken by the game hall is changed depending on which of the four levels the current player's body temperature belongs to.

As information from the player, various information such as pulse, respiratory rate, face surface temperature or weight can be used in addition to the above-mentioned body temperature. can do. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to examples.

[0034]

【Example】

Embodiment 1 In this embodiment, a case where the concept of chaos of the present invention is applied to a shooting-type gaming machine will be described. First, the basic configuration of the shooting type gaming machine of the present embodiment will be described. This gaming machine is composed of a spherical cockpit, is rotatable 360 degrees in all directions by gimbal support, and has a function of giving vibration and the like to the whole. Inside the cockpit, there are a seat that can fix the player's body, a monitor that represents a virtual space, and a lever that has a trigger and a button as an operating device. Further, it has an accelerator function, a lighting function, a sound generation function, an emergency stop button, and the like. The player operates a lever or the like in response to the phenomenon displayed on the monitor, and accordingly, the cockpit performs a realistic behavior. As described above, the appearance is not particularly changed, and is almost the same as that of a part of the conventionally used gaming machines.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart when the chaotic concept of the present invention is applied to a game arcade. First, in the gaming machine, a sensor unit 40 for collecting information from a player is provided.
The pulse wave data taken in from is converted into a chaotic tractor by the numerical operation processing unit 41. Next, the converted chaos attractor is compared with the already defined chaos definition condition, and the Lyapunov exponent representing the degree of conformity with the condition is calculated by the game machine using the exponent calculated by the calculation unit 42. The instruction or information from the computer 43 is sent to a controlling means 43 for changing the content of the game, and the content of the game changes according to the situation of the player at that time.

As other information, information from the gaming machine itself or other related information may be input to the computer section 43. For example, cockpit rotation, vibration information, tone of the gaming machine, Alternatively, a queue of customers, the number of spectators, and the like are given as examples of such information. The computer unit processes the plurality of pieces of information and sends instructions or information of various changes to the correspondence to the change means 44, so that the gaming machine can perform various changes.

The pulse wave sensor in this embodiment is composed of an infrared light emitting diode and a photo sensor, and obtains information on a player's pulse wave by detecting the reflection of infrared light emitted from the diode by the photo sensor. It is.

As an example of providing a sensor at a position other than the above-mentioned position, there is a form of wearing a glove having a pulse wave sensor inside as shown in FIG. In such a case, since the sensor can be brought into close contact with the fingertip, a pulse wave from the player can be obtained more reliably. In addition to the above, a configuration in which a pulse wave sensor is provided in a band portion around the wrist, such as a wristband, is also possible. In addition, a sensor using a pressure sensor other than a sensor using a photocoupler can be used similarly.

The pulse wave information from the player obtained in this manner is converted into a chaos attractor by the arithmetic processing means, and is converted into chaos attractor information indicating the current state of mind and body of the player currently playing the game. Be recognized. Next, the recognized chaos attractor is compared with the registered chaos attractor, and the Lyapunov number corresponding to the preset level is obtained from the arithmetic processing means. In response, the response taken by the gaming machine is changed.

In the present embodiment, the correspondence of the gaming machine is varied by using the chaos attractor obtained by the pulse wave of the player. In order to obtain the state of mind and body of the player, the present embodiment In the operating device lever portion, a pulse wave sensor for measuring a pulse wave at the fingertip of the player is provided.

Next, as the correspondence of the game arcade facilities, the management computer 50 which is provided with the information processed in such an individual game and divided into a specific level in the game arcade.
Send to Here, such information is sent from a plurality of games in the hall, and it is possible to know the distribution with respect to the state of mind and body of the player in the current game hall. The game environment in the hall is changed arbitrarily or automatically by the computer in accordance with this distribution. Hereinafter, changes in correspondence between information from a player and a game arcade will be specifically described.

For example, the current state of mind and body of a player is
When the device is in the “not excited” state, the data obtained from the above-described sensor is subjected to arithmetic processing, and when the apparatus or the arithmetic processing unit recognizes the situation, the state differs from the normal game start pattern. Activate the flashing of lights inside the cockpit, the siren, etc. in the setting of system announcement. After that, if the degree of excitement increases, a normal state is set.

A large number of gaming machines are usually installed in a game arcade in a block or matrix. All or a part of this installed gaming machine can be used as a gaming machine that can grasp the current state of mind and body of the player, and the information from this gaming machine is transmitted to another computer provided at the amusement arcade. Process and grasp the state of distribution of the game in a specific mental and physical situation.

For example, by grasping the distribution situation of “unexcited” players, and changing the type of music to be played in a specific area of the game arcade according to the distribution situation, Change the environment so that you are in a state of mind and body that excites you or excites you. By changing the way of this change partially or entirely according to the distribution of players in a specific state or the entire game hall, it is possible to further appropriately adjust to the current situation of the player.

In each of the above embodiments, the idea of chaos is applied. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Even if the idea of chaos cannot be applied, a specific condition level is set in advance. Is set, and the player is assigned to that level, so that a change in correspondence slightly similar to the case where the idea of chaos is applied can be given to the gaming machine. In this case, various measures can be realized by setting the level in advance and changing the type of information from the player.

[0046]

As described above, by adopting the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to provide a game content and environment suitable for the current physical and mental state of the player. Further, since the content of the game, the correspondence of the game, and the game environment can be changed according to the situation of the player, the interest in the game can be maintained for a long time without leaving the player.
Realize a new game center centered on the player because the content of the game can be changed according to the mental and physical situation of the player or any of the levels set in advance by the player instead of one pattern Was completed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a game arcade to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a part for obtaining player information according to the present invention.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A63F 13/00-13/12 A63F 5/04 A63F 7/02 A63F 9/24

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A sensor unit for taking in information from a player, and numerically processing the information taken in from the sensor unit.
A system for grasping the psycho-psychological state and physiological state of the player
The stem , the psycho-psychological state and the physiological state of the player are not correct.
Means for changing the game environment of the player when stable
A gaming machine having a door, the game environment on the type of music, sound volume, sound quality, lighting brightness
Make sure that the color of the light or the brightness of the gaming monitor
A gaming machine characterized by: 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor section is located in front of a fingertip of the player.
Information, and the sensor unit can handle, lever, or
The lobe is provided on the lobe.
Gaming machine.