JPH1147437A - Video game device and control method for video game device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a game player to see his own image only so as to obtain an impressive game by displaying characters and items of plural players on the same position on the screen of a common display device in time-sharing, and controlling the shutter of liquid crystal spectacles of each player to be opened and closed in synchronization with the screen switching timing. SOLUTION: Controllers 6A, 6B as an input device or an operating device are removably connected to a game processor (game machine main body) 1, a game program of a storage medium 2 (memory cartridge, CD-ROM or the like) is read out by a reproducing device 3 to proceed with a game, and the game content is displayed on a display device 7. Further liquid crystal shutter spectacles 8A, 8B are removably connected to the game processor 1. The picture signals of the respective players A, B are alternately (1/60 sec.) on the display device 7, and in synchronization with the screen switching timing, the respective liquid crystal shutter spectacles 8A, 8B are controlled to be opened and closed so that only own image can be seen.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video game apparatus using a ROM cartridge, an optical disk memory or the like, and a plurality of players using the same video game apparatus or a personal computer to enjoy a game. Or, regarding the control device, in particular, in synchronization with the time when the character screen, the item screen, and the background screen of each player are switched in a time-division manner such that they are superimposed on the same position on the screen of the same common display device. The present invention relates to a video apparatus and a control method thereof, in which each player can recognize the character screen, the item screen, and the background screen through the liquid crystal glasses by switching the opening / closing timing of liquid crystal shutter glasses of a player.

[0002]

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, two players play a game on a screen of a common display device using a common video game device and a personal computer. In such a case, the character screen, the item screen, and the like of each player are displayed by dividing the display device screen into left and right or up and down. In this case, since the image is divided on a screen having a limited size, the pixels of characters and the like become small. Even if the image is zoomed up, the screen is divided and it is difficult to recognize the image. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7, in another embodiment, the screen is not divided, but when one's own character corresponds to the opponent, a separate screen is needed to see the expressions and gestures of the opponent. Since the simultaneous display cannot be performed at the same time, the flow of the game is stopped, so that the operator feels urgency. For this reason, since the characters and the items are divided and displayed, the size of the characters, the items, and the like is limited, and it is difficult to view the characters and the items. In addition, the continuous sense of urgency of the game is hindered.

According to the present invention, the timing of opening and closing the liquid crystal shutter glasses used by each player is synchronized with the timing of character screen display or item screen display of each player switched on a common screen in a time division manner. By switching, each player can view their own character screen or item screen etc. larger than before, and in the case of a tense scene, keep the flow of the game proceeding simultaneously. This is a technical issue.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has a display means for displaying data such as characters and / or items of each player, and executes processing in accordance with a program. The liquid crystal glasses of each player connected to the CPU, the basic program storage means for storing a basic program of the game, and images of characters and / or items of each player are displayed in a time-division manner on the same screen of the display means. Means for outputting a command signal for display, receiving the command signal from the command signal output means, and outputting the video data from the basic program storage means to the CRT display device in a time division manner,
A game processor having a CPU for outputting a synchronization signal for opening and closing the shutter of each player's liquid crystal shutter glasses. This video game device controls the opening and closing of a shutter so that only its own image can be recognized by the afterimage effect.

According to the present invention, the characters and items of a plurality of players are displayed in the same position on the screen of a common display device in a time-division manner, and the opening and closing of the shutters of the liquid crystal glasses of each player are controlled in synchronization with the timing. Therefore, unlike the conventional case where two players use one screen by dividing the screen, the images of the characters and the items are not reduced, so that the eyestrain of the eyes of the operator is reduced, and the player can play the game. It is something that can be enjoyed while having a sense of urgency.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the entirety of a video game device for implementing the present invention. This device includes a game processor (game machine body) 1 and a game processor 1
Controllers 6A and 6B as input devices or operating devices removably connected to a storage medium (e.g., a memory cartridge, a CD-ROM,
2, etc., detachably connected to the game processor 1,
It comprises a display device (for example, a TV receiver or a monitor display device) 7 for displaying a video screen for a game, and liquid crystal shutter glasses 8A, 8B detachably connected to the game processor 1.

[0007] The game processor 1 has an insertion opening (not shown) in the upper central portion thereof in which the memory cartridge 2 is detachably mounted, and further has controllers 6A and 6B detachably connected to the front end thereof. I have. Furthermore,
The liquid crystal glasses 8A, 8B are connected to the side of the game processor 1. The liquid crystal glasses 8A and 8B are of a polarization type, for example, that block or pass incident light depending on the presence or absence of a voltage applied to a TN cell provided between left and right lenses.

FIG. 2 mainly shows an outline of an electric configuration of the game processor 1. The game processor 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 2, and the CPU 2 controls a video game system. The execution program of the CPU 2 is stored in advance in a memory cartridge or a ROM built in the CD-ROM 2. Display device 7 in ROM
Contains data representing the image to be displayed. The memory cartridge or CD-ROM 2 is the game processor 1
Is connected, a CD-ROM playback device 4 for reading stored data is connected. The CD-ROM playback device 3 is a CD-R
It includes a drive mechanism 4 for driving the OM and a conversion / transfer control circuit 5 for transferring data read by the drive mechanism, converting the format of the data, and providing the converted data to the CPU 11.

In the game processor 1, a work RAM 12 used as a counter for storing various data relating to the progress of the game, and a video RAM 14 for storing image data read from a CD-ROM for display and performing necessary processing. An image processing unit 13 for creating a video signal for display based on image data in the video RAM 12 is connected to the control bus. The video signal is supplied from the image processing unit 13 to the display device 7.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Prior to the start of the game, a CD-ROM or a memory cartridge 2 is stored in the game processor 1.
CD-ROM with CD-ROM2 set
The playback device 3 connects to the game processor 1. It starts when the power switch is turned on. First, in step (shown by an abbreviation “S” in the figure) 1, the CPU 11
Drives the drive mechanism 4 on the basis of the read program stored in the storage area to read the identification code stored in the storage area (not shown);
Let AM load. The CPU 11 proceeds to step S2
In step 2, the collation program stored in the storage area is executed to determine whether or not the identification data and the identification code stored in the semiconductor ROM have a predetermined relationship. The read operation of the CD-ROM shown in step 6 is executed. In step 2, the CD-ROM playback device 4 is driven,
A storage area and storage data are called. If there is no predetermined relationship, the CD-ROM read operation shown in steps 2 to 6 is not executed. In step 3, a part of the image data stored in the storage area is read out, and the transfer control circuit 5 reads the W-RAM 1
2 In step 4, the image data is V
Transferred to RAM 14; The CPU 11 controls the image processing unit 13 (PPU) to perform image processing, and performs processing based on the operation states of the controllers 6A and 6B. Specifically, the CPU 11 displays the font data of the corresponding moving image character stored in the V-RAM 14 based on the code specifying each character of the moving image to display the image and the coordinate data specifying the display position. At the same time, the timing is read out to display the font data of each back screen character based on the back screen display position stored in the V-RAM, and a signal is given to the display device.

The display device 7 displays character images (C1, C2 in FIGS. 4 and 5) and / or item images (not shown) of a plurality of (for example, two) players at the same position on a common display device. The characters are displayed alternately in a time-sharing manner, and the character of the player A, the item of the player A, the character of the back or the player B, the item of the player B, the background, etc. are displayed in accordance with the operation command of each operator.

The concept of alternately displaying images at the same position on the screen of the display device 7 in a time-division manner is already known in the stereoscopic television technology.
The D-ROM 2 previously stores the video signals of the player A and the player B in field units.
During reproduction, the images of the players are displayed alternately (at 1/60 second intervals). Since the images of the two players are simultaneously displayed on the screen at the same position and superimposed on the screen, when viewed with the naked eye, the two images are mixed with each other due to the afterimage effect, so that the image appears to be double.

The liquid crystal glasses 8A and 8B are polarization type liquid crystal glasses that block or pass incident light depending on the presence or absence of a voltage signal to a TN cell provided between the left and right lenses. The switching of the shutter is synchronized with the timing of switching the image on the screen. That is, when the play character and / or item of the player A is displayed on the screen, the synchronization signal is transmitted to the TN cell used for the liquid crystal glasses 8B of the player B, so that the incident light is blocked, The image of the play character and / or play item of the player B in between cannot be seen.
On the other hand, the T used in the liquid crystal glasses 8A of the player
Since no synchronizing signal is transmitted to the N cell, the incident light sees through the liquid crystal glasses 8A and views the image of the player's own play character and / or item by time division (one frame every 1/60 second). Can be.

When the play character and / or play item of the player B is displayed on the screen, the TN used for the liquid crystal glasses 8A of the player's instep is displayed.
Since the synchronization signal is transmitted to the cell, the incident light is blocked, and the image of the play character or play item of the fellow player's instep cannot be seen. On the other hand, since the synchronization signal is not transmitted to the TN cell used for the liquid crystal glasses 8B, the incident light passes through the liquid crystal glasses 8B to time-divide the image of the play character or play item of the player B himself (60).
One frame per second). The eyes have an afterimage effect, and the effect can be used to continuously capture the movement of the character. As an example in the action game, it is assumed that a scene in which the play character and the enemy character in FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. Although the player himself becomes a player on the screen and captures the opponent's facial expressions and movements, he thinks how to make a duel strategy or not shown, but in the car race scene, each operator If you display the positional relationship of your opponent's car from the inside of the car in a time-sharing manner as if you were a driver, you can enjoy the nervous race feeling of being chased and chased.

[0015]

Even if the image is drawn in the form of being superimposed on the common screen of the same display device 7, if the operator opens and closes the shutter of the liquid crystal glasses used by the operator in accordance with the switching timing of the screen, the other party's Because I made only my image visible without seeing the operator's image,
Unlike the prior art, the screen of the display device had to be divided, and the size of the character had to be reduced.However, according to the present invention, the screen can be widely used, and the character can be enlarged. You can enjoy powerful games and at the same time reduce the eyestrain of players
You can spend more time in the game.

In this embodiment, an image on the screen of the display device is displayed in a time-division manner in which characters and / or items of a plurality of operators are superimposed on the same position on the same display device, and the images are displayed by liquid crystal glasses. The operator explained the method of identifying his or her own image. Alternatively, the operator projected his or her own character image through a polarizing screen through a polarizing filter by using a different polarizing image through the operator's polarizing glasses. May be used.

Furthermore, the case where a video game machine is used has been described. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to such a device configuration, and can be easily realized on a personal computer equipped with a general-purpose CD-ROM drive device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of hardware connection according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration showing an embodiment of the present invention; a block diagram showing a hardware configuration showing an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a screen on which a character of each operator can be recognized on a display device when the LCD glasses are removed and viewed according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view showing a screen on which characters of each operator are displayed on a display device in a conventional example.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a screen on which characters of each operator are displayed on a display device in a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... game processor 2 ... recording medium (CD-
ROM), 3 ... playback device, 4 ... CD-ROM drive device, 5 ... transfer control device, 6A, 6B ...
Controller, 7 ... CRT display device, 8A, 8B
..LCD glasses, 11 ... Central processing unit (CP
U), 12: W-RAM, 13: Image processing unit, 14: V-RAM

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A video game device having a plurality of players, comprising: display means for displaying character and / or item data of each player; and liquid crystal glasses of each player connected to a CPU for executing processing according to a program. A basic program storage unit for storing a basic program of a game; a unit for outputting a command signal for displaying an image of a character and / or an item of each player on the same screen of the display unit in a time-division manner; Upon receiving a command signal from the command signal output means, the video data from the basic program storage means is time-divisionally divided into the CRT data.
A CPU for outputting to a display device and outputting a synchronization signal for controlling shutter opening / closing of liquid crystal shutter glasses for each player. A video game apparatus wherein a shutter of glasses is controlled to recognize its own image. 2. A method for controlling a video game apparatus by a plurality of players, wherein a display image of each player is displayed in a time-division manner at the same position on a common display device by a program or an input operation of each player, and synchronized therewith. And a control method of a video game device that controls opening and closing of a liquid crystal glasses shutter when a character of the character appears on a screen so as to recognize an image of the character.