JP3252580B2 - Video game device having a composite screen of live action and CG - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video game device, and more particularly to a video game device having a composite screen of a real image and a CG.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Video game devices which execute and control a game program by a computer and display the output on an image display device such as a TV monitor are widely used. Many of such video game devices scroll an image digitally generated as a background image, and further display a sprite superimposed on the background image.

In such a video game apparatus, a player can control the movement of a sprite using an input device such as a keypad in the course of the game to compete for points or to continue the game.

On the other hand, in the field of movies, a real image is photographed (hereinafter referred to as a real photograph), and a graphic (computer graphic: CG) generated by computer processing is taken.
Are superimposed to produce an image.

[0005]

As described above, in a conventional video game apparatus, digitally generated images are often used, and it is not sufficient for a player to experience a sense of reality.

[0006] However, there is no example of the above-described synthesis of a live-action image and CG performed in the movie field in an interactive field such as a video game apparatus. Furthermore, it is difficult to change the contents of a live-action image once the image is taken.

[0007] Therefore, in the case of using actual images in an interactive video game device, the degree of freedom is low and only uniform use is possible. For this reason, it is difficult to make the content of the game uniform or to increase the interest of the player in the game.

Accordingly, the present invention is a novel video game device that combines live action and CG, and allows a creator of a game program to easily add an intended background, person, and obstacle. It is an object of the present invention to provide a versatile video game device.

[0009]

A video game device according to the present invention captures a real background image and converts an image signal into a digital signal. The digital signal from the image input circuit is input to the video input device. It has a video game device main body that displays an image of digital data generated by computer graphics (CG) and digital data of a sprite on an image of a digital signal from the image input circuit and displays the image on a monitor.

Further, the computer graphic (C)
The image of the digital data generated by G) is displayed as a part of the background real image.

[0011]

According to the present invention, a background real image is picked up and an image pickup signal is converted into a digital signal. At the same time, an image of digital data generated by computer graphics (CG) and an image of digital data of a sprite are superimposed on the image of the digital signal.

Further, the computer graphic (C)
The image of the digital data generated by G) is displayed as a part of the background real image. This makes it possible to give an arbitrary change to the background real image that is actually photographed, so that it is easy to use the real photograph in an interactive video game device.

[0013]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an image input circuit which captures a background real image 40 and converts it into a digital image signal.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a video game apparatus main body to which a digital signal from the image input circuit 1 is input. The video game apparatus main body 2 receives a digital signal from the image input circuit 1 and superimposes an image of digital data generated by computer graphics (CG) and digital data of a sprite on the image based on the game program, thereby generating a CRT or the like. Is displayed on the monitor display element 32.

In the image input circuit 1, a video camera 10 captures a real image 40 as a background image. 11
Denotes a camera control circuit, which controls a camera imaging function for amplifying an imaging signal from the video camera 10 and the like. Reference numeral 12 denotes an A / D conversion circuit, and the video camera 1
The analog imaging signal from 0 is converted to a digital signal.

Camera control circuit 11 and A / D conversion circuit 1
2 is synchronously controlled by a synchronization signal generated by a synchronization signal generation circuit 24 in the game apparatus main body 2. The digital signal converted by the A / D conversion circuit 12 is guided to a digitization map circuit 13 and developed in a memory for one frame.

A digital signal for one frame is supplied from the digitizing map circuit 13 to the first RA of the game apparatus main body 2.
It is input to M22. The game apparatus main body 2 has a data bus 20 to which each circuit is connected, and control signals and data between the circuits are transmitted and received.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a CPU which reads a game program stored in the ROM 23 and controls execution of the program. Note that R for storing the game program
The OM 23 may be a ROM cassette, a CD-ROM, or the like that is configured to be inserted into and removed from the game apparatus main body 2.

In the ROM 23, sprite data is similarly stored in a format inserted into the game program data or read out by the game program.

The background real image data derived from the digitizing map circuit 13 of the image input circuit 1 and stored in the RAM 22 is guided to the scroll circuit 26 through the data bus 20. Then, the background real image data is sequentially read from the scroll circuit 26 in synchronization with the clock timing signal from the synchronization generation circuit 24 so that the background image is scrolled and displayed on the monitor 32.

The second RAM 25 stores data created by computer graphics (CG) which is approximately displayed as a part of the background real image 40. This data is also sequentially read from the scroll circuit 26.

On the other hand, the sprite data displayed in a manner superimposed on the background image in accordance with the content of the game is stored in the ROM 2.
3 is stored. This sprite data can be stored in the ROM 23 as a part of the game program or as read out by the game program.

The data is transferred from the ROM 23 to the RAM 27 through the data bus 20 under the control of the CPU 21. Further, the RAM is synchronized with the progress of the game under the control of the CPU 21.
27, the sprite data is input to the sprite circuit 28, converted into sprite image data, and output.

The background image data from the scroll circuit 26 and the sprite image data from the sprite circuit 28 are guided to a priority circuit 29, and the background image data is masked in accordance with the image display timing. The output from the priority circuit 29 is the color RA
It is guided to M30, and a color signal is provided.

The output of the color RAM 30 is stored and stored in the frame memory 31 for each frame.
Is read out in synchronization with the display scanning timing of the display.

Reference numeral 33 denotes a sound generator, which generates a sound signal corresponding to sound data included in the game program and guides the sound signal to a speaker 34 to generate a sound. Reference numeral 35 denotes an input device such as a joystick pad, which is used for controlling the movement of a sprite by a player's operation.

FIG. 2 is a principle diagram for explaining a composite screen displayed according to the embodiment of the present invention. Further FIG.
Is an example of an image displayed on the monitor display element 32 corresponding to the principle diagram of FIG.

In FIG. 2, A is an image of a real image 40 captured by the video camera 10. B is an image based on the data generated in the game apparatus main body 2 and 5
0 is an image based on data created by computer graphics (CG). In particular, it is desirable that this image has an approximation degree that can be recognized as a part of the captured real image 40.

That is, the background image is fixed while being captured by the video camera 10. According to the present invention, a change can be given to this by superimposing an image based on data created by computer graphics (CG).

For example, in the example shown in FIG. 2, the real image 40 is a scene of a forest, and an image based on data created by computer graphics (CG) is a part of the undergrowth growing in the forest. The scene of the forest changes as shown in the composite image 320 shown.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, reference numeral 60 denotes a sprite.
5 moves on the background screen.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and can be modified within the same concept as the invention.

For example, embodiments are possible in which an obstacle such as a rock is newly added to the actual photograph of the background real image of the cave by CG, or an enemy such as a turret is arranged.
Further, a change such as adding a new branch road by CG to a real image which is a single road can be made.

[0034]

According to the present invention, it is possible to compose a game device by synthesizing a real image and a CG, thereby realizing a more flexible game image. Therefore, it is possible to provide a game device capable of increasing interest in a player.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a principle diagram for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an example of a monitor screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image input circuit 2 Game device main body 40 Background real image 50 Computer graphic (CG) image 60 Sprite image 10 Television camera 20 Data bus 21 CPU 22 First RAM 23 ROM 32 Monitor display element

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A capturing a background real, an image input circuit for converting an image signal into a digital signal, and inputs the digital signal from the image input circuitry, the digital data generated by computer graphics (CG), the synthesized display as part of the background real image of the digital signal inputted from the image input circuit, and the synthetic
Control of the player by the input device on the displayed background real image
A video game device comprising a video game device main body for displaying a sprite moved by a video game device.