JPH10113470A - Tv game device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve a mode for two players with a program for one player. SOLUTION: This game device main body 2 has a monitor 4, a start button, and such operation means as a handle 6, a shift lever 7, an accelerator 8, and a brake pedal 9, and a mode selection switch 18 for one player/two players. Also a control means 11 is installed inside the game device. The control means 11 consists of a road data memory 12 in which data on road images are inputted, an image processing part 13 which displays a road image on the monitor 4 based on the data on road images, a general car control part 14 which makes a general car run on the road image, a player's car control part 15 which makes a player's car run on the road image according to the operations of the operation means, and a communication control part 17 which obtains data on a competitor's car through a communication cable 20 when the mode for two players is selected. The general car control part 14 has a function of converting the data on a competitor's car obtained by the communication control part 17 into data on another general car.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video game such as a driving game machine in which a vehicle and a plurality of ordinary vehicles are driven on a road image based on road image data, and a battle (time trial or competition for ranking) is performed. Related to the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a player sits on a seat provided with operating means having a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a shift lever, and the like, imitating a driver's seat of an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art Driving game apparatuses, in which operating means are operated while watching a road image displayed on a monitor screen to drive a vehicle simulated on the screen, have become widespread. In this driving game device, a general vehicle functioning as a simple obstacle is displayed on the road image in addition to the own vehicle driven by the player.

[0003] Further, in this type of driving game apparatus, a selection means for selecting a single-player play mode or a two-player play mode is usually provided, and when the two-player play mode is selected, one driving game mode is selected. The position data on the monitor screen of the vehicle on the other driving game device side adjacent to the driving game device connected to the device is transmitted to one driving game device side via the communication cable, and the transmitted position data is Based on the other driving game device, the own vehicle is displayed on the monitor screen of one driving game device as an enemy vehicle to be a competitor, and the own vehicle, the general vehicle, and the enemy vehicle are displayed on the same road image. Has become.

At this time, a road image based on the same road image data is displayed on the monitor of the other driving game apparatus, and the own vehicle, ordinary vehicle, and enemy vehicle are displayed in the same manner. However, in this case, the enemy vehicle displayed on the monitor screen of the other driving game apparatus is the one displayed on the monitor screen of one driving game apparatus as the own vehicle.

[0005]

However, in the case of a conventional driving game machine, both a single-player program and a two-player program are provided, and when a single-player play mode is selected, a single-player program is provided. Is executed, and the two-player program is executed when the two-player play mode is selected. Therefore, there is a problem that the amount of the program becomes too large.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a television game apparatus capable of realizing at least a two-player play mode with a one-player program even when a two-player play mode is selected. The purpose is to do.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A course display including a game device main body having display means for displaying a character and operation means for moving the displayed character on the screen, and displaying a course image stored in a course storage unit on the display means Means, a general character control means for moving a general character on the course, a self-character control means for moving a self-character on the course in response to an operation of the operation means, and another game apparatus body In a video game apparatus provided with communication means for enabling the position data of the own character to be received via a communication cable, and selection means for selecting one-player play mode and two-player play mode, the communication means When the two-player play mode is selected by the operation of the selection means, The general character control means uses the captured position data of the self-character of the other game apparatus main body to convert the self-character of the other game apparatus main body into one of the general characters. Is moved on the course.

According to this configuration, when the two-player play mode is selected by the operation of the selection means, the general character control means controls the self-character (book title) of another game apparatus main body connected via the communication cable. From the point of view of the game device, since the rival (enemy) in the competition is controlled to move on the course as one of the general characters, the general character control means is no different from executing the one-person program. There is no need to provide a separate program for

Further, the self-character may be a self-vehicle, and the self-character of another game apparatus body may be an enemy car. In this case, the driving game apparatus competes for a ranking (claim 2).

Further, the general character control means sets the captured position data of the own character of the other game apparatus main body as position data for one of the general characters. Thus, the position data of the self-character of the other game device body is treated as one of the general characters and displayed on the display means (claim 3).

Further, the display means does not display a general character for which the position data is not set by the general character control means, whereby a single-player play mode is selected. In such a case, the display of the enemy vehicle is not automatically performed (claim 4).

Further, the communication means transmits position data of its own character to another game apparatus main body irrespective of the single player play mode or the two player play mode selected by the selection means. According to this, 1
Regardless of the selected state of the play mode for two people and the play mode for two people, the play mode for two people can be executed by the program for one person. In this case, when the one-player mode is selected, it is sufficient to prohibit reception of data from another game apparatus main body, so that it is sufficient to have only the one-player program. (Claim 5).

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a driving game machine will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows a communication cable (not shown) for each other.
The figure shows a state in which first and second game devices 1a and 1b, which are two driving game devices, connected in parallel are arranged by a game device main body 2 and a seat portion 3 on which a player sits. This game device main body 2
A monitor 4 which is a display means comprising a CRT for displaying a game screen, a start button 5 for starting a game, a steering wheel 6 for changing a traveling direction of a car on the game screen, and a shift for switching a transmission of the car. Operating means such as a lever 7, an accelerator pedal 8 for accelerating the automobile, and a brake pedal 9 for decelerating the automobile are provided.
Further, although not shown in FIG. 1, the game apparatus main body 2 is provided with a selection switch as selection means for selecting the single player play mode and the double player play mode (see FIG. 2).
A coin slot is also provided.

Further, in addition to the above-described monitor 4 and various operation means, the game device main body 2 of each of the game devices 1a and 1b incorporates a control means 11 comprising a CPU or the like as shown in FIG. The control unit 11 includes a road data storage unit 12, a drawing processing unit 13, a general vehicle control unit 14, an own vehicle control unit 15, a position determination unit 16, and a communication control unit 17. Note that a timer for counting the game time is provided in the control means 11 in a built-in or external form.

The road data storage unit 12 stores predetermined road image data, and the drawing processing unit 13 displays a road image based on the road image data stored in the road data storage unit 12 on the screen of the monitor 4. It has a function as a road display section to be displayed.

The general vehicle control unit 14 controls a plurality of general vehicles that function as simple obstacles on the road image displayed on the monitor 4 to travel under conditions such as preset speed and lane change frequency. The drawing control unit 13 is controlled, and the own vehicle control unit 15 uses the operation data of the operating means such as the steering wheel 6 and the behavior program based on automobile engineering stored in a ROM or the like (not shown) to display the own vehicle on the road image. The drawing processing unit 13 is controlled so as to travel.

At this time, the road image R as shown in FIG. 1 is displayed on the screen of the monitor 4 by the drawing processing unit 13, and the own vehicle J traveling on the road image R and n of the first to n-th vehicles are displayed. The images of the general cars P1, P2,..., Pn are displayed. The general-vehicle control unit 14 sequentially calculates the position data so that the general vehicle runs, and temporarily stores the position data until the calculation of the next position data (n + 1) storage units. No. 1 to n are position data of general cars P1 to Pn, and (n + 1) is another game device 1b when the two-player play mode is selected.
The position data of the enemy vehicle received from the vehicle is stored so as to be handled in the same manner as a general vehicle. Then, in the single-player play mode, the general vehicle control unit 14 controls the first to n-th general vehicles P1 to P (n).
Is read out from the storage unit, and a car having a given color or design (which may be the same) is displayed at a corresponding position on the screen. However, the general vehicle P (n + 1) for which the position data is not taken in is not displayed because there is no position data (or the initial position).

The position determining unit 16 determines the positional relationship between the own vehicle and a general vehicle, such as contact and collision, and the positional relationship between general vehicles on a road image, and also determines the positional relationship within a predetermined visibility range of the own vehicle. Is determined to be a general vehicle located at

When the two-player play mode is selected by operating the selection switch 18 shown in FIG. 2, the communication control unit 17 of the control means 11 operates. Own vehicle on the second game device 1b side via the second game device 20, ie, the first game device 1
The constantly changing position data of the enemy vehicle viewed from the side a is taken into the communication control unit 17, and the general vehicle control unit 14
The position data of the enemy vehicle taken in by the reception function unit in the communication control unit 17 is replaced with the position data of the (n + 1) th general vehicle P (n + 1), and the position data is displayed on the road image displayed on the monitor 4. The drawing processing unit 13 is controlled so that the (n + 1) -th general vehicle Pn + 1 travels. It should be noted that the (n + 1) th general vehicle P (n + 1) has display data such that a different color, design, or specific mark from the first to nth general vehicles P1 to Pn is displayed. If so, it is possible to identify the particular enemy vehicle on the screen.

On the other hand, on the second game apparatus 1b side, the own vehicle on the first game apparatus 1a side,
The position data of the enemy vehicle viewed from the game device 1b is transmitted by the transmission function unit in the communication control unit 17, is captured, and is displayed on the monitor 4 as the (n + 1) -th general vehicle Pn + 1. It is run on.

The operation of the selection switch 18 causes 1
When the human play mode is selected, the communication control unit 17
Does not operate, and the position data of the enemy vehicle from another game device is not taken in. Further, only the capturing function may be prohibited by the receiving function unit. In this case, the transmitting function unit only needs to always transmit the position data of the own vehicle.

Next, a series of operations will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. However, the operation of the first game device 1a will be described below.
The operation of b is performed similarly.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the power is turned on,
First, a demonstration screen is displayed on the monitor 4 by the drawing processing unit 13 (step S1), and it is determined whether or not a coin has been inserted into the coin insertion slot (step S2). If the determination result is NO, the process proceeds to step S1. Returns, the judgment result is Y
If it is ES, it is determined that a coin has been inserted, and a start screen is displayed by the drawing processing unit 13 (step S).
3).

Next, by operating the selection switch 18,
It is determined whether or not the human play mode has been selected (step S4). If the determination result is NO, it is subsequently determined whether or not the start switch 5 has been turned on (step S5). If the result is NO, the process returns to step S3.

On the other hand, if the decision result in the step S5 is YES, an image display process of the own vehicle and each general vehicle is performed (step S6), and more specifically, the own vehicle control unit 15 controls the steering wheel 6 and the accelerator pedal. The operation data of the operation means such as 8 is fetched, the simulation processing based on the vehicle engineering is performed according to the vehicle behavior program stored in the ROM, and the monitor 4 displaying the road image is displayed.
The image of the own vehicle is displayed substantially at the center of the screen of the vehicle, and the image of the general vehicle traveling within the field of view of the own vehicle among the general vehicles is displayed on the road image by the general vehicle control unit 14. The determination unit 16 determines a positional relationship such as contact or collision between the own vehicle and a general vehicle.

By the way, if the determination result of step S4 is YE
If S, the process proceeds to step S7 and the second game device 1b
The communication control unit 17 can take in the position data of the enemy vehicle as seen from the first game apparatus 1 a, which changes from moment to moment, via the communication cable 20. Next, after step S5, the process proceeds to step S6, where the general vehicle control unit 1
In 4, the position data of the enemy vehicle captured by the communication control unit 17 is replaced with the position data of the (n + 1) th general vehicle Pn + 1 (that is, the position data of the general vehicle Pn + 1 in the storage unit described above is replaced with the position data of the general vehicle Pn + 1). Is stored in the storage position). In the single-player play mode (NO in step S4), there is no data in the storage unit for temporarily storing the position data of the general vehicle P (n + 1). 14 is a general vehicle P (n +
1) is not displayed. Conversely, in the two-player play mode, the data is stored in the storage unit that stores the position data of the general vehicle P (n + 1), or the display of the vehicle is performed from a state that the vehicle is not left at the initial position. I have to.

Then, in step S6, the host vehicle control unit 1
5 and display by the general vehicle control unit 14
In addition to the display of the general vehicle images, the general vehicle control unit 14 performs a drawing process to cause the (n + 1) th general vehicle Pn + 1 newly captured on the road image displayed on the monitor 4 to travel. The unit 13 is controlled.

Thereafter, it is determined whether the game is over based on whether the time counted by the timer has reached a predetermined game time (step S8). If the determination result is NO, the game is over. It is determined that there is no game, and the process returns to step S6. If the determination result is YES, it is determined that the game has ended, and the operation ends. here,
The end of the game may be conditioned on the goal of the leading car or the goal of both cars of the own car and the general car P (n + 1).

Therefore, according to the above embodiment, when the two-player play mode is selected by operating the selection switch 18, the communication control unit 17 connects the second game device 1 b connected via the communication cable 20. The enemy vehicle data of the general vehicle control unit 1
4, (n +) except n general vehicles P1, P2,.
Since the vehicle travels on the road image after being replaced with the 1) -th ordinary vehicle Pn + 1, the control means 11 performs traveling control processing for the ordinary vehicles P1, P2,..., Pn in the one-person program (actually, The traveling control is also performed for the general vehicle P (n + 1) (flow chart for P1 to Pn + 1), but since the position data of the general vehicle P (n + 1) has not been input, it is simply displayed. This is no different from executing the program, and there is no need to additionally provide a program for two players so as to be able to respond to the selection of the play mode for two players as in the related art. As a result, the cost can be reduced.

The above embodiment shows a case where the present invention is applied to a so-called arcade game apparatus. However, the present invention is not particularly limited to arcade game apparatuses, and any game apparatus in which a two-player play mode can be selected. For example, it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to a home-use TV game device, and the same effect as above can be obtained.

The present game apparatus is not limited to the play mode for two players, and is applicable to a game apparatus in which two, three,... In this case, for example, if it is possible to have a play mode for four players,
In addition to 1 to Pn, three extra P (n + 1), P (n + 2), and P (n + 3) may be prepared as ordinary cars, and other game machines 1b, The position data of the own vehicles 1c and 1d may be allocated to the general vehicles P (n + 1), P (n + 2), and P (n + 3) in a predetermined order.

In the present embodiment, the driving game device has been described as an example. However, the present device has its own character that can be operated by the player in the one-player play mode and another general character (game device) corresponding thereto. (Operation controlled by the side) can be displayed in an identifiable manner, in addition to cars, bicycles, yachts, fighters, and competitions by competitors (for example, competitions with specific opponents in marathon or track competitors) ) Can also be applied to a competitive game.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the two-player play mode is selected by the operation of the selecting means, the other game devices connected via the communication cable by the general character control means. Since the self-character (enemy) on the main body side is moved on the course as one of the general characters, the general character control means only needs to have a program for one person, and only one program for one person and two people There is no need to have a play mode program,
The capacity can be reduced, and the load on software can be reduced.

Further, by treating the position data of the self-character of the other game apparatus main body as one of the general characters, it can be displayed on the display means by the same processing as that of the general character. For example, when the mode is selected, it is possible to prevent the enemy vehicle from being automatically displayed.

The position data of the player's own character is transmitted to another game apparatus main body regardless of the selected state of the single player play mode and the two player play mode. , Regardless of the selected state of the two-player play mode
The human play mode can be executed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a, 1b 1st, 2nd game device 2 Game device main body 3 Seat portion 4 Monitor (display means) 6 Handle (operation means) 7 Shift lever (operation means) 8 Accelerator pedal (operation means) 9 Brake pedal (operation means) DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Control means 12 Road data storage part 13 Drawing processing part 14 General vehicle control part 15 Own vehicle control part 16 Position determination part 17 Communication control part 18 Selection switch (selection means) 20 Communication cable

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A game device having a display device for displaying a character and an operation device for moving the displayed character on a screen, and displaying a course image stored in a course storage unit on the display device. A course display means for displaying a game character, a general character control means for moving a general character on the course, a self-character control means for moving a self-character on the course in accordance with an operation of the operation means, and In a video game device provided with communication means for enabling reception of position data of a self-character of another game device main body via a communication cable, and selection means for selecting one-player play mode and two-player play mode The communication means, when the two-player play mode is selected by the operation of the selection means, The position data of the self-character of the game device main body is fetched, and the general character control means uses the fetched position data of the self-character of the other game device main body to change the self-character of the other game device main body to the general character. A video game device characterized by being moved on the course as one of the above. 2. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein the self-character is a self-vehicle, and the self-character of another game device body is an enemy car. 3. The general character control means sets the captured position data of the own character of the other game apparatus main body as position data for one of the general characters. The video game device according to claim 1. 4. The video game apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said display means does not display a general character for which said position data is not set by said general character control means. 5. The communication means according to claim 1, wherein:
5. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position data of the own character is transmitted to another game apparatus main body regardless of the selection state of the play mode for two persons and the play mode for two persons. Video game device.