JPH09239154A - Rally game device and memory medium therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a navigation player to join a game in addition to a drive player by applying the constitution that a first player controls a vehicular drive, a second player inputs information regarding a course, and a course image or a voice sound is shown or outputted to a display part for the first player's observation. SOLUTION: Input operation parts 11 and 11, and a display part 12 are connected to a body part 10 having a software stored game cartridge or the like mounted for executing software, via a cable or a radio wave. The input operation part 11 inputs information regarding a steering direction via the four-way operation of an input key 13, and information regarding the operation of a brake and a transmission via the operation of buttons 14. Also, when the input keys 13 and 14 are pressed, information regarding a course is entered, and an image 26 is shown on the display part 12. According to this construction, one player operates one of the input keys 13 and 14 for a vehicular drive, and another player operates the other key for navigation, thereby enabling two players to enjoy a rally game.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a car rally game, and more particularly to a rally game device and a storage medium for inputting and outputting navigation information, which is the most characteristic part of a rally.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various game devices such as car races using a computer system have been developed and put into practical use for arcade and home use. In addition, car races range from a type that runs on a fixed race course for weeks to a rally type that runs on a course in a desert or grassland. In particular, in the case of a rally, the main feature is the presence of a navigator that gives navigation information to the driver in addition to the person driving the car.

[0003] Some conventionally developed rally type game devices provide the driver with useful information for the progress of the game by displaying navigation information on the game screen or outputting it by voice. .

[0004]

However, even in the case of such a game device, it is the driver who enjoys the game, and the interest of the game is the driving technique of the driver. Therefore, there is no viewpoint as a game device that makes use of the technology of the navigator, which is a major feature of the rally, and the interest in the rally game has been halved.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a rally game device and a storage medium for the rally game, which allows one player to participate in the rally game as a navigator when two players play the rally game. Especially.

Another object of the present invention is to allow a single player to participate in a game as a navigator when he / she plays a rally game by himself and drive a car by a computer according to the technique and information. To provide a rally game device and a storage medium thereof.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the above object is to execute a car rally game program stored in a storage medium and to supply an image signal and a sound signal to a display unit. A game main body that displays a game screen and outputs a game sound, and an input operation unit that allows a player to input an operation to the game main body in response to the game image. The first player supplies an operation input corresponding to the driving of the car from the input operation unit, controls the car in the game according to the operation input signal, and the second player follows the course information from the input operation unit An operation input is supplied, and a predetermined course image or sound corresponding to the course information is displayed or output from a display unit observed by the first player according to an operation input signal including the course information. Lari It is accomplished by providing a game device.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the second aspect of the present invention executes a car rally game program stored in a storage medium and supplies an image signal and a sound signal to a display unit to display and display a game image. A game main body that outputs game sounds,
An input operation section for a player to input an operation to the game main body corresponding to the game image.
The game program for the rally is executed, the course image observed from the driver's seat when the car is driven is displayed and output on the display unit, and the player inputs an operation according to the course information from the input operation unit. And a predetermined change is given to the execution of the game program according to an operation input signal including the course information.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the game main body portion displays the front course information according to the position of the car in the course. It is achieved by providing a rally game device characterized by displaying the course information to the player.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, an image signal is displayed on a display unit for executing a car rally game program according to an operation signal from a player and displaying a game image and outputting a game sound. And a storage medium connected to the rally game device for supplying a sound signal, the storage medium comprising:
The car rally game program is stored, and at least the course image or sound data corresponding to the course information and the driving of the car in the rally game supplied from the first player to the rally game device are supported. Corresponding to the course information in accordance with the program code of the step of calculating the position of the vehicle according to the operation input signal to be performed and the operation input signal according to the course information supplied from the second player to the rally game device It is achieved by providing a computer-readable storage medium having the program code of the step of displaying or outputting the predetermined course image or sound described above from the display section observed by the first player.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, an image signal is displayed on a display unit for executing a car rally game program in accordance with an operation signal from a player and displaying a game image and outputting a game sound. And a storage medium connected to the rally game device for supplying a sound signal, the storage medium comprising:
At least a program code of a step of displaying and outputting a course image observed from the driver's seat when the vehicle is driven on the display unit, and an operation input according to the course information supplied from the player to the rally game device. It is achieved by providing a computer readable storage medium having a program code of steps for causing a predetermined change in execution of the game program according to a signal.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided the seventh or eighth aspect of the invention, further, the front course information is displayed on the display unit according to the position of the vehicle on the course. This is accomplished by providing a computer readable storage medium having the program code of the steps.

According to the above-mentioned invention, when the player playing the role of the navigator plays the rally game with two players, he / she inputs the course information according to the course information output from the game screen or the course information printed on a paper separately, The course information or the sound output from the display unit can be used to provide course information to the player who is the driver.

When the rally game is played by one person, the running of the car in the game can be changed depending on the accuracy of the operation input timing of the course information.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[Structure of Playing Device] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a basic structure of the playing device and an example of a basic display image.
The basic configuration is a game cartridge that stores game software or a compact disc ROM (C
(DROM) is mounted and is connected to the main body 10 that executes the software and the main body by wire or wirelessly, and the main body 10 is used for vehicle operation information such as accelerator, steering direction, brake, and transmission, and for navigation. An input operation unit 11 for inputting course information of
The display unit 12 displays the image processed by the main body.

The operation unit 11 includes four-direction input keys 13
The steering direction of the vehicle is input by pressing, and the operation information of the accelerator, brake, and transmission is input by pressing various buttons 14. Also, by pressing those input keys 13 and 14, course information described later is input.

The main body 10 has the same configuration as that of a computer system used for a general game, for example,
It has a built-in CPU and the like for loading and executing programs in a game cartridge or a compact disc.

In the present embodiment, the basic structure of the display image is, as shown in the figure, composed of the scene seen from the windshield when the player gets in the car of the race and the information necessary for the race. . As shown in the figure, the center of the screen has a course 20 extending from the front, a tachometer display 21 located at the lower left of the screen, a current transmission stage number display 22, and a current speed display 23. In addition, the upper right corner also includes a ranking information display 24 in which the number of cars in the competition is the denominator and the player's car ranking is the numerator. In addition, in the upper right corner of the screen, the elapsed time of the game itself (Total Time
e) has a display 25. Then, an image 26 for giving navigation information to the player who is the navigator is displayed in a small window in the lower right of the screen, and a car driving operation is performed in a large window in the center of the screen. An image 27 for displaying the course information to the player is displayed. Course information will be explained later.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a basic structural example of the inside of the main body 10. The outline is as follows.

In the figure, reference numeral 50 denotes a main CPU, which performs game processing and image calculation processing in accordance with a game program. Through the CPU bus 52, the main CPU 50 provides a work memory area during calculation processing, stores data obtained as a result of calculation, stores game programs and course information data from outside, cars, background image data, etc. It is connected to a random access memory (RAM) 54 for storing and a read only memory 56 for storing a program (IPL) for initial program loading.
Also connected to the CPU bus 52 is a system manager / peripheral controller 58 that controls the reset management of the entire system and the interface with external devices such as the input operation unit 11. 62 is an interface circuit.

Reference numeral 64 denotes a system control unit (SCU), which serves as a coprocessor for the CPU 50 and controls the buses 52 and 66. Further, it has a built-in direct memory access (DMA) controller and transfers display data to an image memory (VRAM) 78 while the main CPU 50 is operating.

The system controller unit 64 includes a first image display processor (VD) via a bus 66.
P1) 68, second image display processor (VDP2) 7
0, audio processor 72, display device 12, CDROM
A (compact disc ROM) 76 is connected. 73 is an encoder, and 75 is an interface for CDROM.

The first image display processor 68 is a processor for controlling image data of parts such as course information, cars, backgrounds, game information, etc., and the main CPU 50 writes image processing commands and accompanying character data. Image memory 78 and two frame buffers 8 for storing display data to be displayed in pixel units
0 and 82 are connected. Further, the second image display processor 70 is a processor that controls the data written in the frame buffers 80 and 82 to display an image on the display device 12 according to a predetermined priority, and stores the image memory 84 and color information. A color RAM 86 and the like are connected.

A CDROM 75 storing image data and sound data such as a program for the rally game according to the present invention, course part data and pace note data for each course is attached to the main body 10 having the above-described structure. Then, the stored data are appropriately loaded into the memory 54 according to the progress of the game.

In addition, the inside of the system of the main body 10 is 1/6.
Although various operation controls are performed in synchronization with the system clock having a cycle of 0 second, the display data is written to the frame buffers 80 and 82 by halving the frequency by 1/30.
The data in the frame buffer is drawn on the display device 12 once every 1/60 second. Therefore, in this example, the same display data written in the frame buffer is displayed twice by the display device 12.
Will be drawn in.

[Game Operation Flow] FIGS. 6 and 7 show flowcharts of the game operation of the present embodiment.
Before describing the operation flow of the game according to these flowcharts, first, an outline of navigation, course information, and the like in the rally game will be described.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a rally course layout, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an expression method used in a pace note in which course information is described, and FIG. 5 is an expression method shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the pace note created for the course layout of FIG. 3 using it.

In the example of the course layout shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle makes one round through the 12 curves from the start and finish points SG. Reference numerals 31 to 42 show the 12 curve points. Course information is written in the pace note used for the rally, and the navigator who rides on the board tells the driver the course information at the optimum timing while watching the pace note. As shown in the example of FIG. 4, the course information includes, for example, eight types of curve information with different bend angles, and other than that, jumps (points where the car jumps) and crestas (points where the road surface is at the top). , Information such as straight (straight line) is also included. The curve information includes, in the order of the bending angle, Long Easy, Easy, Long Medium, Medium, K, Kint, and Nint.
y), Open Hairpin (Open Hairpi)
n) and hairpin (Hairpin).

At each of the curve points 31 to 42 of the course layout shown in FIG. 3, word-type notation according to the curve information shown in FIG. 4 is described. In the case of such a course layout, pace notes describing course information in order are created for the navigator, and an example thereof is shown in FIG. Due to space limitations, start from the left column,
Here is an example of a pace note ending at the bottom goal (Goal) in the right column. In this pace note, right and left information is added to the information about the angle of the curve. Further, the straight line distance between curves is also described by an expression such as "ST100". For the sake of understanding, the pace notes also include the numbers of the points described in the course layout of FIG.

In the case of a rally traveling at a speed of about 200 km / h, it is necessary for the navigator to give the driver accurate course information at the optimum timing while watching such a pace note. It is a condition that can pass the and other obstacles. Therefore, not only the driver's driving skill but also the navigator's skill is an important factor. Therefore, in the rally game of the present invention,
The technology of such a navigator is competing.

The case of the rally game by two people in FIG. 6 will be described below. When the game starts, various game initial values are set (step 90). For example, when a rally course is selected, the data of the course and the corresponding data of pace note information are also set as initial values. This is because the CPU 50 in FIG.
This is done by storing those data in the area of AM54. And the operation flow of the whole game is 1/3
Various operations are repeated with 0 second as one cycle until the game is over.

After the various initial values are set, the time t is incremented (step 91) and the game program is executed and the position of the car is calculated (step 9).
2). The game program is executed by the CPU 50 in response to an operation input signal from the player. In addition, the calculation of the position of the car is also one of the executions of the game program.
Performed at PU50.

When the game is performed by two players, one person drives the car and the other person plays the role of a navigator.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the information of the pace note acquired by the initial setting is displayed as an image 26 for giving the course information in the lower right of the display screen. The player on the driving side pays attention to the course 20 at the center of the screen, and therefore cannot usually see the small window 26 at the lower right of the screen. Instead, another player who is a navigator views the information and inputs an operation corresponding to the course information from the input means.

Therefore, in the operation flow, it is determined whether or not there is an input from the navigator (step 93), and if there is an input, the navigation information display data corresponding to the input signal is temporarily stored in the area of the RAM 54 ( Step 94). Then, as described with reference to FIG. 2, the command for displaying the game screen, the data of the navigation information and the like are written in the video RAM 78 (step 9).
6). Then, as described above, the first image display processor (VDP1) 68 and the second image display processor (VDP2) 70 shown in FIG. 2 display on the game screen. At that time, an image or a comment corresponding to the navigation information display data is displayed so that the player who is driving can recognize it, as indicated by 27 in the central portion of FIG.

Therefore, the technique of whether or not the second player acting as the navigator can give the appropriate course information to the driver acting as the driver at an appropriate timing can be tested in the rally game. In addition, by making the information in the window 26 displayed at the lower right of the screen different from the information in the screen central portion 27 to give to the player who is the driver, the driver can play the game that is the navigator. It becomes necessary to drive only the input information of the person as a clue, and more realistic navigation technology can be tried. Further, as a method of transmitting the course information to the player who plays the role of the driver, it is possible to realize it by outputting a sound in addition to displaying the image corresponding to the screen central portion 27 as described above. In an actual rally, the navigator conveys the course information by voice, so it can be said that voice output is a more realistic method.

If it is determined that the game is over for some reason (step 97), the game is over.

FIG. 7 shows an operation flow when one player plays a rally game as a navigator. FIG.
The same reference numbers are attached to the same processing parts as in the case of. From the game start, the game initial value setting 90, time increment 91, game program execution, and vehicle position calculation 92 are the same. However, in the case of a rally game by one player, there is no operation input corresponding to driving, and the CPU 50 operates according to a predetermined reference program to control the traveling of the car and control the game image.

In the case of a rally game by one person,
The player who plays the role of the navigator inputs the course information about the curve from the input unit at an appropriate timing before entering the curve, for example, while looking at the game screen. In that case, as shown in FIG. 8, for example, if there is an operation input from the player while the vehicle is traveling within a predetermined range 101 a certain distance before from the entrance 100 of the hairpin curve to the right, navigation information Is recognized as being properly input (step 98).

When the navigation information is input while the vehicle is traveling outside the predetermined range 101, it is determined that the navigation information is not input at an appropriate timing, and the operation input is the vehicle traveling according to the game program. It has no effect on the running of the car. On the other hand, if there is an input while traveling within the predetermined range 101, the speed of the vehicle is increased according to the input navigation information (step 99).

Even if the course information from the player playing the role of navigation is not input at an appropriate timing, the running of the vehicle is guaranteed according to the above-mentioned standard program. However, the speed in that case is relatively slow. On the other hand, when the course information from the player is input at an appropriate timing, the speed of the car is increased. In that case, the degree of speed improvement differs depending on the accuracy of the input information. For example, when "medium" or "ninety" is input in the curve of "K" in FIG. 4, the speed is changed to an intermediate speed between the case where it is input correctly and the case where it is not input. . Also, if the left and right are mistakenly input, let the driver follow the standard program,
Crashing a car against a wall of the course slows the car according to a standard program.

As described above, when the navigation information from the player who plays the role of the navigator is properly performed at the proper timing, the vehicle traveling according to the program can run faster and win the game. .

The player can input the course information from the input unit or by voice through the voice recognition device while looking at the pace notes printed on the paper. Further, as described above, the course information may be output to the window at the lower right of the game screen and the player may input it while watching it.

Various methods are conceivable for expressing the pace note in the above embodiment. If you want to play a game with two players, prepare two game screens,
It is also possible to output the course information only to the game screen observed by the navigator player. Also, like a game played by one player, while watching the pace note printed on paper, the course information is transmitted to the driver who plays the role of a driver by performing an operation input or voice input from the input unit. You may do it.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the input of the course information from the player playing the navigation role in the rally game can influence the running of the car during the rally, it is more realistic. You can experience a game similar to a rally.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a game device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a game device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a rally course layout.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method of expressing a pace note.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a pace note.

FIG. 6 is an operation flowchart of a game played by two people.

FIG. 7 is an operation flowchart of a game played by one person.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a game played by one person.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Game Main Body Section 11 Input Operation Section 12 Image Display Section 26 Image for Providing Course Information 27 Image for Providing Course Information to Driver 50 CPU 54 RAM

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A game main unit for executing a car rally game program stored in a storage medium, supplying an image signal and a sound signal to a display unit to display a game screen and output a game sound, The game player has an input operation section for performing an operation input to the game main body section corresponding to the game image, and the game main body section corresponds to driving of a car from the input operation section by the first player. An operation input is supplied and a car in the game is controlled according to the operation input signal, and an operation input according to the course information is supplied from the input operation unit by the second player, and according to the operation input signal including the course information. A rally game device characterized in that a predetermined course image or sound corresponding to the course information is displayed or output from a display section observed by the first player. 2. A game main body unit for executing a car rally game program stored in a storage medium and supplying an image signal and a sound signal to a display unit to display a game image and output a game sound. The game player has an input operation unit for performing an operation input to the game main body corresponding to the game image, and the game main body executes the rally game program and drives the car. In this case, the course image observed from the driver's seat is displayed and output on the display unit, the player inputs an operation input according to the course information from the input operation unit, and the game program of the game program is supplied according to the operation input signal including the course information. A rally game device characterized in that a predetermined change is given to execution. 3. The game main unit according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays the front course information according to the position of the car in the course, and provides the player with the course information. A rally game device characterized in that 4. A rally game device for executing a car rally game program in accordance with an operation signal from a player, and supplying an image signal and a sound signal to a display section for displaying a game image and outputting a game sound. A storage medium that stores a game program for the car rally, and at least data of a course image or sound corresponding to course information, and a rally game device from a first player. The program code of the step of calculating the position of the car according to the operation input signal corresponding to the driving of the car in the rally game, and the course information supplied from the second player to the rally game device. In accordance with the operation input signal according to the step 1, a step for displaying or outputting a predetermined course image or sound corresponding to the course information from the display section observed by the first player. Readable storage medium a computer having a program code flop. 5. A rally game device for executing a car rally game program in accordance with an operation signal from a player and supplying an image signal and a sound signal to a display unit for displaying a game image and outputting a game sound. And a program code of a step of displaying and displaying on the display unit a course image observed from the driver's seat when the vehicle is driven, and the storage medium from the player. A computer-readable storage medium having a program code of a step for giving a predetermined change to the execution of the game program according to an operation input signal according to the course information supplied to the rally game machine. 6. The storage medium according to claim 4, further comprising a program code of a step of displaying forward course information on the display unit according to a position of the vehicle in the course.