JPH07112073A - Video game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the video game machine having satisfactory operability, which can miniaturize an operating part and can reduce the number of parts, and an operating variation also can be imparted to a character by a desired amount. CONSTITUTION:This game machine is provided with a pressing member 431 operated by a player, a piezoelectric element 433 for converting strength of pressing force to a level voltage, a detecting means 71 for detecting a voltage level, etc., from this level voltage, a converting part 72 for outputting an INT signal allowed to correspond in accordance with a level of this voltage, a control part 73 for allowing a character to respectively execute an operating variation of the amount allowed to correspond to this INT signal, and a monitor 5 for displaying a game screen by an image signal of the control part 73.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video game machine which gives a character a change in movement such as movement or shooting in response to an operation by a player.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In conventional video game machines,
In many cases, the amount of movement of the character that is operated by one operation is constant. Therefore, when it is necessary to change the operation amount, change the length of the pressing time of the switch, or attach a plurality of switches with the operation amount set in advance and select one of the switches to operate. A control format was adopted in which the amount was changed.

[0003]

In the above-described control form in which the change amount of a certain action of the character is changed by a plurality of switches, it is necessary to increase the space for mounting the operation section in which the switches are mounted. Further, in the above control form, in order to change the operation amount, it is necessary to hold down the pressing time of the switch for a long time, or it is necessary to select and press the switch set to the desired operation amount. Since it takes extra time, it is difficult to operate the character at a suitable timing according to the quick motion of the character.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to reduce the size of the operation unit and the number of parts, and at the same time, change the motion of the character by a desired amount. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a video game machine with good operability.

[0005]

The invention according to claim 1 is
In a video game machine which is provided on the operation surface of the main body so as to be able to perform a pressing operation and which changes a character on the display screen in response to the pressing operation, a pressing member which is displaced in response to the pressing operation and a striking force applied to the pressing member. , A detection means for detecting the operation timing and the voltage level from the generated voltage of the piezoelectric element, and a movement change to the character in synchronization with the operation timing from the detection means. At the same time, an operation control means for changing the amount of the operation change according to the voltage level is provided.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the piezoelectric element is fixed in the main body and within the displacement range of the pressing member.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the pressing force transmitting member formed of a bag body in which a fluid is sealed is provided between the piezoelectric element and the pressing member.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the motion control means outputs a prohibition signal to the detection means during the motion of the character, and the detection means detects the voltage level while the prohibition signal is being output. The configuration is such that no operation is performed.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the invention, when the pressing member is pressed, the piezoelectric element generates a level voltage according to the pressing force, and the detecting means detects the voltage level or the like from the level voltage. The motion control means moves the character in an amount according to this voltage level.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the pressing member is displaced by the pressing force and abuts against the piezoelectric element, and the pressing force is applied to the piezoelectric element.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the pressing member is displaced by the pressing force, this pressing force is somewhat alleviated by the pressing force transmitting member and applied to the piezoelectric element.

According to the invention of claim 4, the motion control means outputs the prohibition signal during the motion of the character.
The detecting means does not detect the level signal.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a video game machine according to the present invention. This video game machine 1 has a main body 2 into which a coin insertion slot 3 is inserted, a central front operation panel section 4 to which various operation sections are attached, a monitor 5 for displaying a game screen, and a sound effect depending on a game situation. It is provided with a speaker 6 for emitting sound. On the operation panel section 4, a start button 41 for starting a game, a lever switch section 42 for selecting a moving direction of the character, and a character pressed by the player according to the game content, for example, movement, jump, shoot, shooting, etc. The push button switch section 43 for performing the operation of is provided.

FIG. 1 shows a block configuration of the video game machine 1. The video game machine 1 is pressed by a player and generates a voltage at a level corresponding to the pressing force, a push button switch section 43, a detection means 71 for waveform shaping the level voltage, and a waveform shaped analog signal. To a INT signal described later
2. A control unit 7 that synchronizes with the INT signal and causes the character on the monitor 5 to change the action such as the corresponding movement.
3, and the conversion unit 72 and the control unit 73 constitute the operation control means.

As shown in FIG. 2, the push button switch section 43 has a cylindrical main body 430 which is fitted into a mounting port 211 formed in the operation supporting section 21 of the main body 2 which supports the operation panel section 4, and a cylindrical main body 430. A pressing member 431 that is beaten or pressed by the player in the cylindrical main body 430 and is mounted so as to be retractable with respect to the operation panel 4, a pressing force transmission member 432 that slightly relaxes the pressing force applied to the pressing member 431, A piezoelectric element 433 that generates a level voltage corresponding to the pressing force applied from the pressing force transmission member 432, and a coil spring 434 that urges the pressing member 431 toward the initial position before being operated are provided. .

The pressing member 431 is a columnar member,
It is composed of a head portion 431a and a flange portion 431b at the lower peripheral edge thereof so as not to come off from the cylindrical main body 430.
The pressing force transmitting member 432 is one in which a gas such as liquid or air is enclosed in a columnar bag made of synthetic resin or the like, and is attached to the lower surface of the collar portion 431b.
The coil spring 434 is loosely fitted in the shaft 32.

The cylindrical main body 430 has a mouth portion 4 at its upper end.
30a, the pressing amount of the pressing member 431 to the intermediate position is shown in FIG.
The restricting portion 430b that restricts the position of the coil spring 4 to the position shown by the alternate long and short dash line, and the coil spring 4 is provided just above the lower end piezoelectric element 433.
An abutting portion 430c that prevents the 34 from coming off is formed so as to project to the inner surface.

The piezoelectric element 433 has a flat plate shape and has electrodes 433a and 433b formed on both surfaces thereof. This piezoelectric element 433 has a bottom surface 4 of the cylindrical main body 430.
In 30d, it is fixed at a position facing the pressing force transmitting member 432 with a slight gap or in contact with the pressing force transmitting member 432, and signal lines are connected to the electrodes 433a and 433b, respectively, and generated between both electrodes 433a and 433b. The generated voltage can be sent to the detecting means 71. With this configuration, when the pressing force transmitting member 432 descends due to the pressing force applied to the pressing member 431 and the lower end surface of the pressing member 432 comes into contact with (or collides with) the upper surface of the piezoelectric element 433, the pressing force at this time is reduced. The voltage of the corresponding level is applied to both electrodes 433a,
It is designed to be taken out between 433b. The level voltage from the piezoelectric element 433 is an AC signal generated by the vibration and reverberation of the piezoelectric element 433.

The detecting means 71 is a double-wave rectifying circuit 711.
And a peak hold circuit 712, and a piezoelectric element 433.
The signal of the level voltage is input to the full-wave rectifier circuit 711 via the coupling capacitor Cc. The coupling capacitor Cc cuts off the DC component on the input side, so that only the voltage component of the level corresponding to the pressing force is input to the double-wave rectification circuit 711. The double wave rectifier circuit 711 is composed of a diode bridge, an operational amplifier or the like, and rectifies an input voltage signal and converts it into a DC signal.

The peak hold circuit 712 holds the peak value of the maximum level from the level voltage signal.

The conversion section 72 includes an A / D converter 721 and a decoder 722. The A / D converter 721 converts an analog signal into a digital signal, and converts the held peak voltage into a digital value and outputs it.

The decoder 722 divides (decodes) the converted digital value into n stages and outputs an INT signal corresponding to each stage to the control unit 73.

The control unit 73 is provided with a ROM and a RAM for storing a game program, a game score and the like, a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as CPU) 731 for controlling the game development, and each of the subroutine programs PROG1 to PROGn read by interruption. RO to remember
It has M732. These subroutine programs PROG1 to PROGn control a predetermined amount of movement change such as movement of a display character on the monitor 5, and are associated with the INT signals.

Further, when any one of the subroutine programs PROG1 to PROGn is selected, the control section 73 generates an image signal based on the contents of the program, and at the same time, the subroutine programs PROG1 to PROGn.
During execution of n, a prohibition signal for prohibiting the detection operation is output to the peak hold circuit 712. As a result, the subroutine programs PROG1 to PRO
During the execution of the Gn process, the operation of the peak hold circuit 712 is prohibited, and the signal of the level voltage by the next pressing operation input during that period is not accepted. Further, the control unit 73 outputs a sound effect signal to the speaker 6 according to the game situation.

Next, the operation when a basketball game is played on the video game machine 1 according to the present invention is shown in FIG.
It will be described based on 2, 3, and 4. Note that FIG. 3 is a time chart showing the signals of the main part. In this case, the lever switch unit 42 moves the player (character) in the horizontal direction, the push button switch unit 43 moves in the vertical direction, that is, the jump is performed, and the subroutine programs PROG1 to PROGn send the INT signal. It is set in advance so that the larger the value is associated with the level area having the larger value, the larger the jump amount becomes.

First, the game is started by the player inserting coins from the insertion slot 3 and pressing the start button 41. When the player strongly presses the pressing member 431 with a finger or hand, the pressing member 431 moves in the direction of arrow F shown in FIG. 2 while resisting the biasing force of the coil spring 434. As a result, the lower surface of the pressing force transmitting member 432 presses the piezoelectric element 433, and an AC signal having a level voltage corresponding to the strength of the pressing force is generated between the electrodes 433a and 433b.

This AC signal is coupled to the coupling capacitor C.
After passing through c, the waveform is input to the full-wave rectifier circuit 711 in the state shown in FIG. 3A, and the DC signal shown in FIG. 3B is output to this output side. Then, the peak value Vm of this DC signal is held by the peak hold circuit 712, and the voltage Vm as shown in FIG.
Level signal (hereinafter referred to as a peak hold signal). This peak hold signal is sent to the A / D converter 721.
3 is converted into a digital voltage value Vm by the decoder 722, and the decoder 722 divides the voltage value Vm into the digital voltage value Vm shown in FIG.
It is specified which of the level areas (1 to n) shown in (d) corresponds to, and the INT signal INTm associated with the level area is output.

The control unit 73 controls the input INT signal IN.
Subroutine program PR associated with Tm
OGm is read from ROM732 and this program P
An image signal is generated so that the player jumps by an amount determined by ROGm. The monitor 5 displays that the player jumps high at the height Hm by the image signal as shown in FIG.

During the jump operation from the start of the player's jump to the landing, the control section 73 sends a prohibition signal to the peak hold circuit 712. By this prohibition signal,
The peak hold circuit 712 suspends the output of the level voltage Vm and waits for a signal input by the next operation.

Next, when the pressing member 431 is lightly operated, the peak value held by the peak hold circuit 712 becomes a small voltage value V1, and as a result, the decoder 72 is operated.
Control signal INT1 associated with a voltage value from 2 to a small value
Is output. In this case, the control unit 73 controls the control signal I
Subroutine program P associated with NT1
Since the ROG1 is called to generate the image signal, the screen of the monitor 5 displays that the player makes a small jump at the height H1.

In addition to the basketball game, the video game machine according to the present invention has a soccer ball,
It can also be applied to a game such as boxing or fighting. In this case, the pressing force can be adjusted to change the strength of the shot and the punching force in multiple stages. Furthermore, the video game machine according to the present invention may be applied to a shooting video game machine so that the destructive force of the character is changed by adjusting the pressing force of the player. It is not limited to.

In the above embodiment, the piezoelectric element 433 is fixed to the bottom surface 430d of the cylindrical main body 430. However, the piezoelectric element 433 is fixed to the lower surface of the pressing member 431 and the pressing force transmitting member 432 is fixed. It may be configured such that it is interposed between the bottom surface 430d. According to this configuration, when the player presses the pressing member 431 to perform an operation, the piezoelectric element 43
3 moves downward and contacts the bottom surface 430d of the cylindrical main body 430 via the pressing force transmission member 432. Therefore, a pressing force is applied to the piezoelectric element 433 from the bottom surface 430d via the pressing force transmission member 432, and a level voltage is taken out between the electrodes 433a and 433b thereof as in the above-described embodiment. When the mounting position of the piezoelectric element 433 is set in this way, the positioning between the pressing member 431 and the piezoelectric element 433 becomes unnecessary, and the push button switch part 43 can be easily assembled.

Further, in the above embodiment, the decoder 722
However, the digital output signal of the A / D converter 721 is directly input to the control unit 73 and the function of the decoder 722 is controlled by the C in the control unit 73.
You may make it implement | achieve by PU731.

The pressing force transmitting member 432 prevents damage or the like due to the collision between the pressing member 431 and the piezoelectric element 433, and may be any one having appropriate elasticity, and may be a solid material such as rubber or synthetic resin. But it's okay.

[0035]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the piezoelectric element for generating the level voltage corresponding to the pressing force of the pressing member is provided, and the movement of the character changes according to the voltage level of the voltage by the piezoelectric element. Since the amount is changed, it is possible to cause the character to make a desired movement change by the pressing force of the player. Further, as described above, since various movement changes can be given to the character by merely pressing one pressing member, the operability can be greatly improved and the space for operating the main body can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the piezoelectric element is fixed within the displacement range of the pressing member, the signal line from the piezoelectric element does not move, and failures such as disconnection are suppressed.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the pressing force transmitting member is provided between the pressing member and the piezoelectric element.
The pressing force acting on the piezoelectric element is alleviated to some extent, and damage to the piezoelectric element is suppressed.

According to the invention of claim 4, the detecting means does not perform the detecting operation during the motion of the character.
It is possible to provide a video game machine in which the next pressing operation is not accepted until the character's motion change with respect to the previous pressing operation is completed, and the character's motion is normally performed so that the player does not feel confused.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a video game machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a push button switch part.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing waveforms in each part of FIG. 1 or an explanation of operation, where (a) is an input waveform of a double-wave rectification circuit, and (b) is
Is an output waveform of the double-wave rectifier circuit, (c) is an output waveform of the peak hold circuit, and (d) is an operation explanatory diagram of the decoder.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a video game machine according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Video game machine 2 Main body 3 Input port 4 Operation panel 5 Monitor 43 Push button switch section 71 Detection means 72 Conversion section 73 Control section 431 Pressing member 433 Piezoelectric element

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A body is provided on the operation surface so that it can be pressed.
In a video game machine that gives a motion change to a character on a display screen in response to pressing, a pressing member that is displaced in response to a pressing operation, and a piezoelectric element that generates a level voltage corresponding to the striking force applied to the pressing member. , Detecting means for detecting an operation timing and a voltage level from the voltage generated by the piezoelectric element, and giving a motion change to the character in synchronization with the operation timing from the detecting means, and changing the motion according to the voltage level. And a motion control means for changing the amount of the video game. 2. The piezoelectric element in the main body,
The video game machine according to claim 1, wherein the video game machine is fixed within a displacement range of the pressing member. 3. The video game machine according to claim 2, wherein the pressing force transmitting member formed of a bag body in which a fluid is sealed,
A video game machine characterized by being interposed between the piezoelectric element and the pressing member. 4. The motion control means outputs a prohibition signal to the detection means during the motion of the character, and the detection means does not perform the voltage level detection operation while the prohibition signal is being output. The video game machine according to claim 1, 2, or 3.