JPH1024172A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make the self physical and mental state of a player recognizable during a game by a method wherein the color, the shape and the pattern of one part or the whole part of a control objective for a game being displayed in a game screen, are changed while making them relate with biological signals. SOLUTION: A CPU 9 is constituted of a color adjusting means 9a, a shape adjusting means 9b, a pattern adjusting means 9c, a combining means 9d, and a setting means 9e which outputs a setting signal to the combining means 9d. By the output of the setting means 9e, the combining means 9d determines a combination of respective adjusting means 9a-9c. By the determination, the color adjusting means 9a changes the color of a character based on a biological signal being detected and output by a pulse detector 1, etc. In the same manner, the shape adjusting means 9b changes the shape, and the pattern adjusting means 9c changes the pattern. For example, in response to the height of pulse, the color adjusting means 9a changes the color of the character being displayed on a CRT 6, e.g. to black when the pulse is 50 or less, to purple when the pulse is 55, and to deep blue when the pulse is 60, etc. By this method, a player can play a game while recognizing the physical and mental state while keeping the concentration for the game.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling the progress of a game by using biological signals such as a player's heart rate, brain waves, and blood pressure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional game machine using a computer, a gamer operates a keyboard or the like while watching a screen of a display to advance a game. During the course of the game, the gamer gets excited about a good operation or a failure. Next, it is common practice to operate well, and in similar situations, to fight at once. In recent years, there have been game machines that take in heart rate, pulse, brain waves, face temperature, skin resistance, etc. from the player as various biological signals and use these as parameters to change the progress and development of the game. Is being developed.

Conventionally, the above-mentioned biological signals (for example, pulse rate) are taken in to make it difficult and interesting to predict the game. However, depending on the game, the player's biological signal and changes in game content or comments such as comments may be made. The player did not know how the display corresponded, and the player was confused. The main reasons for this are as follows. That is, the BF game interprets the player's biological signal according to a certain rule and reflects it in the game. However, this rule is only for convenience and always always appropriately reflects the player's mental state. That is not always the case. As a game capable of displaying a screen that changes according to a change in the output of a biometric sensor, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
293253 and JP-A-7-16354. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-293253, the excitement of the player can be detected by the key pressing force of the player.
According to the degree of excitement, the red signal component in the background area is changed, the face of the character is turned red, and the expression is changed. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-16354 discloses that a heart-shaped figure is displayed on another display screen, and the heart-shaped figure is enlarged / reduced in synchronization with the pulse rate collected from the player. However, in any of these examples, it is not mentioned at all whether the image changed by the biological signal is operable. Therefore, the biological signal (pulse rate) from the player is visualized while maintaining the strictness of the original data, and is displayed on the game screen during the play. It was required to be able to play the game while grasping. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of a game machine (unknown) that visualizes the biological signal of the player as described above. In FIG. 7, reference numerals 1 and 1a denote heart rate detectors for detecting the heart rate of the game player (the same applies to the case where the pulse rate is used as the invention, but the heart rate is described below). A keyboard as an input device for giving an output instruction in accordance with the game; 5, a ROM as a game program storing means for storing a program including images and sounds of the game; It is. Reference numeral 7 denotes a speaker that sounds according to the progress of the game, 8 denotes a heartbeat detector 1,
The RAM 9 for storing the detection data from the keyboard 1a is activated by an operation signal from the keyboards 2 and 2a.
C as a central control device for proceeding the game from M5
PU. Also, the heart rate data from the heart rate detectors 1 and 1a of the CPU 9 are separately stored in the respective memory areas 8a and 8b in the RAM 8.

As shown in FIG. 8, two keyboards 2 and 2a are provided in the case of a competitive psychological game or a fighting game because there are opponents, and two heartbeat detectors 1 and 1a are similarly provided. As shown in FIG. 8, the heart rate detectors 1 and 1a are attached to fingers (or earlobes) of the players H and I, and
1 connects to each keyboard 2, 2a. The heartbeat detectors 1 and 1a use a known device that detects the pulse of the heartbeat interval by monitoring the blood flow in the finger. Of course, it may be obtained directly by an electrocardiograph or a heart rate monitor.

Prior to the start of the game, the game players H and I put the heart rate detectors 1 and 1a of their keyboards 2 and 2a on their fingers, respectively. The pulse is detected from the finger, but the pulse is derived from the heartbeat, and the difference between the two is not considered here. During the progress of the game, there is a change in the biological signals of the players H and I in connection with the success and failure of the game, and this change is caused by the windows 3 and 3 in the left and right corners on the screen 6a of the CRT 6. It can be known by looking at the indications FI and FH of 3a.

That is, the display F in the windows 3, 3a
I and FH are controlled so that their shapes, patterns, and the like change according to the status of the biological signals of the players H and I. For example, if the game of the player H progresses well and the probability of the success of the game increases, the player H gradually calms down and feels calm down, so that the heart rate and the like per predetermined time decrease, and the display FH is inversely proportional thereto. And then it gets bigger.

[0007] As the display FH gradually increases, the control target J controlled by the player H accordingly.
H is programmed to be more powerful than the control target JI controlled by the player I so that the game progresses favorably for the player H. Therefore, the player H further enjoys the game by the calm amount. It can be expanded to.

[0008] Therefore, in the BF game, the player can develop the game in an advantageous manner by controlling the player to intentionally calm down his / her own feelings. Will also help.

Conventionally, in such a fighting fighting game, a biofeedback game is one that changes a game program by performing a predetermined signal processing on a biological signal extracted from a sensor. Conventionally, when the player is in an excited state, the character's defense ability as a control target on the screen is weakened, making it easier for the opponent to take a lot of damage, and conversely, increasing the attack ability, making it easier to damage the opponent It was done.

[0010]

However, in order to display the whole image without deteriorating the image, it is necessary to set a display window at the periphery of the screen. Since the window came out of view, I had to shift my viewpoint. The more the player becomes more enthusiastic about the game, the more the viewpoint is limited to the vicinity of the character. Therefore, according to the conventional method, the game tends to progress without being actually confirmed even if it can be confirmed during the play.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and it is an object of the present invention to grasp a player's mental state without shifting the viewpoint from a character to be operated, that is, a control target. That is, according to the present invention, the player changes the color, shape, or pattern of the control target being operated or scheduled to be operated by the player to change the mental or physical state of the player, and the player directly displays the character or the like displayed by the control target image. The present invention provides a method of displaying a biological signal that enables the user to easily confirm his / her own physical and mental state while concentrating on the operation of the operation target while further enhancing the sense of unity with the user.

[0012]

According to the present invention, a color, a shape, or a pattern of a part or all of a control target of a game displayed on a game screen is related to the biological signal. Change.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 and 2 are a block diagram and a simplified configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a game machine according to the present invention, wherein the same components as those in FIGS. 7 and 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In each figure, 9a is a color adjusting means for changing the color of the control target, that is, the character to be operated based on the biological signal, and 9b is a shape adjusting means for changing the shape (size) of the control target based on the biological signal. , 9c are pattern adjusting means for changing the pattern to be controlled based on the biological signal. 9d is a combination means for setting a combination of controls of the color adjustment means 9a, shape adjustment means 9b and pattern adjustment means 9c based on the output of the setting device 9e.
This is based on the output of the setting device 9e and the color adjustment means 9a.
Whether the control of only the screen 6 is valid, the control of both the color adjusting means 9a and the shape adjusting means 9b is valid, or the control of the three means of each means 9a, 9b, 9c is valid Can be switched.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the color adjusting means 9a changes the color of a face to be controlled, for example, according to a biological signal, for example, the pulse height.
For example, if the pulse is 50 or less, the pulse is black, 55 is purple,
Indigo at 60, blue at 65, green at 70, yellow at 75, 8
It is set to be orange at 0 and red at 85 and above.

As shown in FIG. 3, the shape adjusting means controls a specific portion to be controlled, for example, the thickness of the arm and the fist so that the pulse becomes thicker as the pulse rate decreases and becomes thinner as the pulse rate increases.

As shown in FIG. 4, the pattern adjusting means changes the hatching number of the hatching pattern of the control object, for example, the upper body, according to the pulse, and reduces the number of hatching when the pulse becomes low, and decreases the number of hatching when the pulse becomes high. To change the pattern.

Therefore, according to the above configuration, for example, regarding the player I, when the game progresses to the player I in the course of the game, the pulse (or heart rate) of the player changes so as to decrease. Alternatively, when the self-control of the player I is made as desired and the pulse rate becomes lower, as shown in FIG. 2, the color of the face to be controlled by the player I changes from a red-like color to a blue->indigo-> It changes from purple to black.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG.
Is responsible for a specific part of the control object, for example, the shoulder,
The arm and fist change so as to be thicker.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG.
It changes so that the number of hatching patterns of the upper body torso to be controlled is reduced. Such a combination of the change of the color, the shape, and the pattern is set according to the contents of the combination means 9d controlled by the setting device 9e.

For example, when the shape adjusting means 9b and the pattern adjusting means 9e are selected by the combining means 9d, both the thickness of the shoulder and the like to be controlled and the hatching pattern of the torso are adjusted. The player I can judge his or her mental state by recognizing the color, shape or pattern of the control object in charge in the course of the game in the course of the game. It can also be used for self-control.

The present invention can also be applied to a Tetris game in which four falling blocks are assembled and set at an optimum position. In this case, the color of the block to be controlled in the game is adjusted by the color adjusting means 9a.
Specifically, it is as follows. (1) While the falling block is operable, the color of the block fluctuates according to the pulse rate of the player. (2) If it falls down and cannot be dropped any more, fix it at that position. (3) At that time, the color of the block is also fixed. (4) The relationship between the color of the block and the pulse rate is set in a predetermined table. (5) The setting example of the block color and the pulse rate changes to a preset color according to the pulse height as described above. (6) The relationship between the block color and the pulse rate can be set by the player. According to the above configuration, the color pattern of the blocks stored below changes in various ways reflecting the heart rate during the game, thereby increasing the fun of the game. Further, in the case where the rows disappear all together, the “role” may be defined by the color pattern of the row. For example, "all green" or "all red". In the above embodiment, the color of the entire block composed of four squares is changed at once in response to a change in heart rate, but the color of one square is determined in accordance with the heart rate of one beat. There is also a method of changing the pattern such that the whole block changes every four beats. In this way, the player can know how much the current heart rate has changed with respect to the previous three heart rates, or not. This is because when a certain event is generated by a change in the pulse, the relationship between the pulse and the occurrence of the event is easy to understand for the player and is kind. This is also possible by the following method. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, each of the squares 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D constituting the block is made up of the same four smaller squares, and the small squares are arranged in a predetermined order corresponding to the heart rate of one beat. To change. By making the same change in any of the squares constituting the block, the player can know the degree of change of the current heart rate with respect to the previous three heart rates. This is the same even if the small square is made smaller, but the image given to the player is different and can correspond to another aspect of the heart rate data of the player. In the present invention, in FIG.
The three types (a), (b), (c) and (d)
It is possible to change the design pattern (pattern) of each square constituting the block in accordance with the variation of the heart rate in the predetermined period. The type in FIG.
The squares that make up the block are divided into four, and the small squares change in the order of the numbers, for example, to increase the luminance. The type shown in FIG. 6B is composed of four patterns of the type shown in FIG. 6A, and the type shown in FIG.
6 (d) is composed of 16 symbols of the type shown in FIG. 6 (a). If the variation of the heart rate is smaller than the reference, the pattern is as shown in FIG. 6A. If the heart rate exceeds the reference L1, the pattern is as shown in FIG. 6B. If the heart rate exceeds L2, the pattern is as shown in FIG. If it exceeds L3, it will change to the pattern of FIG. In this manner, by changing the combination of the symbol pattern (pattern) and the color of the operation target image, the change in the magnitude and the variation in the heart rate can be displayed on the block. The following can be said according to the above control method. Generally, in the case of a biofeedback type game controlled by a pulse rate, it is possible to give an effect such that, for example, when the pulse rate falls within a specific range, the type of the appearing block changes when the pulse rate falls within a specific range. Even if the player looks at the appearance pattern of the block, it is difficult for the player to notice the fluctuation of his pulse. Therefore, the heart rate is displayed simultaneously on the screen during play, but since the player concentrates on the operation of the block, it is difficult to pay attention to places other than the block being operated, and other parts , You will hardly see it. On the other hand, forcing the player to pay attention to other parts of the game may cause the user to concentrate on the operation, which may detract from the interest of the game. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the operation required for play is performed while constantly confirming a biological signal such as a heart rate by changing the operation target image itself, in which attention is concentrated most during play, according to the heart rate. I was able to do it. In the present invention, a plurality of locations to be controlled can be controlled independently of each other, and each of them can be controlled by an electroencephalogram,
The heart rate, pulse rate, face temperature, and skin resistance may be independently controlled.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, the color, shape or pattern of a part or all of the control target of the game displayed on the game screen is changed in relation to the biological signal. Since the color, shape or pattern of the control target where the player's viewpoint concentrates during the game is changed and the biometric information is always displayed on the control target, the concentration on the play is not hindered. The user can play the game while checking the biological signal. In particular, even when a plurality of players are present in a competitive game and each of them has a character, it is possible to easily confirm a change in the biological signal while each of them operates their own character. Further, by giving a meaning to an area reflecting the change of the biological signal by an appropriate rule and reflecting the meaning in the game content, the game can be made more interesting.
Moreover, in the role playing game, the sense of unity with the game hero can be increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a conventional game machine.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a conventional game machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 heart rate detector 1a heart rate detector 2 keyboard 2a keyboard 5 ROM 7 speaker 8 RAM 9 CPU 9a color adjustment means 9b shape adjustment means 9c pattern adjustment means 9d combination means 9e setting means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A game machine in which a game progress program is changed based on a biological signal, wherein a color, a shape or a pattern of a part or all of a control target of a game displayed on a game screen is changed. A game machine characterized by changing in relation to the biological signal.