HK1171397A - Game system, data generation system, data generation method used for same, and computer program - Google Patents

Description

Game system, data generation method for data generation system, and computer program

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a game system, a data generation method for the data generation system, and a computer program for instructing a player of an operation timing of an operation unit provided in an input device.

Background

There are game machines in which a plurality of players alternately operate an operation portion in accordance with the rhythm of music. In such a game machine, a plurality of players play, and each player alternately operates an operation unit while determining a player who is to operate the operation unit next by operating the operation unit (see, for example, patent document 1). Further, there are known gaming machines in which: the two players play the game alternately in reverse striking on the object indicating the operation timing, and the speed of the object toward the opponent side changes according to the position of the object at the time when each player strikes the object (see, for example, patent document 2).

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2003-236243

Patent document 2: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2000-155543

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

In the game machine of patent document 1, a deviation between an intrusion timing of a photo-bullet as an operation instruction mark for instructing an operation of an operation unit into a control area of each player and an operation timing of each player is evaluated. In the game machine of patent document 1, BGM is mainly used as play time. On the other hand, in the game machine of patent document 2, although an operation in accordance with the rhythm of music is evaluated, the time on the music is not associated with the arrival timing of the object as the operation instruction mark. Therefore, in these game machines, the interval between one operation period and its next operation period does not become short due to the musical relationship. On the other hand, when the musical time and the operation timing are associated with each other, the interval between one operation timing and the next operation timing may become shorter due to musical relation. In such a case, since the moving time of the operation instruction mark is shortened, the moving speed of the operation instruction mark may be increased as the instruction of the operation timing becomes inappropriate.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a data generation system, a game system including the data generation system, a data generation method used for the data generation system, and a computer program, which are capable of generating sequence data serving as data for instructing an operation timing and an operation unit in a game, by referring to the sequence data by a computer, and which are capable of suppressing an excessively high moving speed of an operation instruction flag.

Means for solving the problems

A data generation system according to claim 1 of the present invention includes: a sequence data storage unit that stores sequence data in which operation timings of respective series of operations on a plurality of operation units operated by a player are described in association with information specifying any one of the plurality of operation units, the sequence data being referred to by a computer and used as data for instructing the operation timings and the respective operation units of a game in which operation instruction flags displayed for instructing operations on the respective operation units are moved so as to reach the operation reference unit corresponding to the operation timing at the operation timing in a game area in which the plurality of operation reference units corresponding to the plurality of operation units are set at intervals from each other; and a data generating unit that specifies, based on the sequence data, the next operation time in which a time interval between one operation time included in the sequence data and an operation time subsequent to the one operation time is smaller than a predetermined value, and generates additional sequence data in which display start information for setting a display start time of an operation instruction flag corresponding to the specified next operation time to a time earlier than the one operation time is added to the sequence data.

According to the present invention, it is possible to generate additional sequence data in which display start information for setting a timing earlier than a timing immediately preceding one operation timing of one operation timing for a display start timing of an operation instruction flag corresponding to the next operation timing in which a time interval between the one operation timing and the next operation timing of the one operation timing is short is added, based on sequence data in which the operation timing and the like are described. Then, by referring to the addition sequence data by the computer, in the case where the interval between one operation period and the next operation period is smaller than the predetermined value during the game, the operation instruction mark corresponding to the next operation period can be started to be displayed at a period earlier than the one operation period, differently from the operation instruction mark corresponding to the one operation period. Therefore, when the time interval between the operation times is short, the operation instruction marks are displayed before one operation time, and the moving time of the operation instruction mark corresponding to the next operation time having a short time interval can be extended as compared with the case where the operation time is indicated by only 1 operation instruction mark. This makes it possible to realize a game in which an excessive increase in the moving speed of the operation instruction mark can be suppressed even when the time interval between the operation timings is short.

As long as the display timing is earlier than the operation timing one before the next operation timing, an arbitrary timing may be set for the display start timing of the next operation timing set to have a short time interval. For example, in the data generating system according to the first aspect of the present invention, in the display start information of the additional sequence data, a time period corresponding to the display start time of the operation instruction mark of the operation time immediately preceding the one operation time may be set as the display start time of the operation instruction mark corresponding to the next operation time. In this case, by referring to the operation instruction mark by the computer, the display of the operation instruction mark corresponding to the next operation time with a short time interval can be started simultaneously with the operation instruction mark corresponding to the operation time immediately before the next operation time in the game. Thus, the movement time of the operation instruction mark corresponding to the next operation timing can be sufficiently secured, and a game in which the natural appearance of the operation instruction mark can be expressed can be realized.

The game system of the present invention includes: the above-mentioned data generating system; a display device that displays and outputs a game screen; an input device having a plurality of operation sections; a game area presenting unit that displays a game area in which a plurality of operation reference portions corresponding to the plurality of operation portions are set on the screen of the display device at intervals; and a flag display control unit that moves and displays an operation instruction flag for instructing an operation on each operation unit in the game area so that the operation instruction flag reaches an operation reference portion corresponding to the operation unit corresponding to the operation time at the operation time indicated by the sequence data stored in the sequence data storage unit of the data generation system, wherein the flag display control unit starts to display, as the operation instruction flag corresponding to the next operation time, an operation instruction flag different from the operation instruction flag corresponding to the one operation time at the display start time based on additional sequence data generated by the generation system.

According to the present invention, it is possible to generate additional sequence data in which display start information for setting a timing earlier than one operation timing before one operation timing for a display start timing of an operation instruction mark corresponding to the next operation timing in which a time interval between the one operation timing and the next operation timing of the one operation timing is short is added, based on sequence data in which the operation timing and the like are described. Then, according to the addition sequence data, when the interval between one operation period and the next operation period is smaller than the predetermined value, the operation instruction mark corresponding to the next operation period can be started to be displayed at a period earlier than the one operation period, differently from the operation instruction mark corresponding to the one operation period. Therefore, when the time interval between the operation times is short, the operation instruction marks are displayed before one operation time, and the moving time of the operation instruction mark corresponding to the next operation time having a short time interval can be extended as compared with the case where the operation time is indicated by only 1 operation instruction mark. Thus, even when the time interval between the operation timings is short, the excessive speed of movement of the operation instruction mark can be suppressed during the game.

Also, any device may be used as the input device. For example, in one aspect of the game system of the present invention, a touch panel arranged on the display device so as to cover the game area may be used as the input device.

Also, any type of area may be used as the game area. For example, in one aspect of the present invention, the game area presenting means may display, as the game area, an area formed in a square shape on the screen of the display device, the area being set such that 2 operation reference portions extending linearly face each other at one end of the square shape. In this case, for example, a match-up game can be realized in which operations are executed at appropriate times by two players corresponding to the operation reference portions at the two ends of the rectangle, respectively, based on the operation instruction markers moving at appropriate speeds.

In one aspect of the game system of the present invention, the game system may further include an evaluation unit that evaluates an operation in at least one of the operation units based on a timing of an operation on each of the operation units and an operation timing specified by the sequence data. In this case, the timing of the operation on each operation unit can be evaluated based on the operation timing described in the sequence data. This can further enhance the interest of the game.

In one aspect of the game system of the present invention, the game system may further include: a sound output device that reproduces an output sound; a music data storage unit that stores music data for reproducing music; and a music reproduction unit that reproduces the music from the audio output device based on the music data, wherein the sequence data describes operation timings of the plurality of operation units during reproduction of the music. In this case, a music game in which the operation instruction markers are moved between the operation reference portions so that the operation timing corresponding to the music tempo reaches the operation reference portion corresponding to the operation timing, that is, a music game in which a plurality of operation instruction markers are displayed in advance so that the movement speed of the operation instruction markers is not excessively fast when the interval between the operation timings is short can be realized.

A control method of a game system according to the present invention is a control method of a game system for causing a computer having sequence data storage means for storing sequence data in which operation timings of respective series of operations for a plurality of operation units operated by a player and information for specifying any one of the plurality of operation units are described in association with each other and the sequence data is used as data for instructing the operation timings and the respective operation units of a game in which an operation instruction flag displayed for instructing operations for the respective operation units is moved so as to reach the operation reference unit corresponding to the operation timing in a game area in which the plurality of operation reference units corresponding to the plurality of operation units are set at intervals from each other by reference to the computer, in the data generating step, the next operation time in which the time interval between one operation time included in the sequence data and the operation time subsequent to the one operation time is smaller than a predetermined value is determined based on the sequence data, and additional sequence data in which display start information for setting the display start time of the operation instruction mark corresponding to the next operation time to a time earlier than the one operation time is added to the sequence data is generated.

Further, a computer program for a game system of the present invention causes a computer having a sequence data storage unit storing sequence data in which operation timings of respective series of operations on a plurality of operation units operated by a player are described in association with information specifying any one of the plurality of operation units, the sequence data being used as data for instructing the operation timings and the respective operation units of a game in which operation instruction flags displayed for instructing operations on the respective operation units are moved so as to reach the operation reference unit corresponding to the operation timing at the operation timing in a game area in which the plurality of operation reference units corresponding to the plurality of operation units are set at intervals from each other by reference by the computer to function as data generating unit, the data generation means specifies the next operation time in which a time interval between one operation time included in the sequence data and the operation time subsequent to the one operation time is smaller than a predetermined value, and generates additional sequence data in which display start information for setting the display start time of the operation instruction mark corresponding to the next operation time to a time earlier than the one operation time is added to the sequence data. The data generation system of the present invention can be realized by executing the control method or the computer program of the present invention.

A data generation system according to claim 2 of the present invention includes: a sequence data storage unit that stores sequence data in which a reference time in a game is described and which is used as information indicating the reference time in a game in which an operation instruction mark displayed to instruct an operation on at least one operation unit operated by a player moves so as to reach at least one of the plurality of reference units at the reference time in a game area in which the plurality of reference units arranged at intervals are set, by being referred to by a computer; and a data generating unit that specifies the next reference time in which a time interval between one reference time included in the sequence data and a reference time next to the one reference time is smaller than a predetermined value, based on the sequence data, and generates additional sequence data in which display start information for setting a display start time of an operation instruction flag corresponding to the specified next reference time to a time earlier than the one operation time is added to the sequence data.

According to the 2 nd aspect of the present invention, it is possible to generate sequence data that can be used for a game in which the operation instruction flag reaches at least one reference portion at the described reference timing. Such a game can be played by one player because one operation unit is operated when one reference unit is reached. That is, according to this aspect, by referring to the sequence data by the computer, the sequence data that can suppress the excessive speed of movement of the operation instruction mark, that is, the sequence data that can be used for the game played by a single person can be generated.

Effects of the invention

As described above, according to the present invention, by referring to the sequence data used as data for instructing the operation timing and the operation unit in the game, the sequence data in which the movement speed of the operation instruction mark is excessively fast can be generated.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a profit gaming machine to which a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a gaming machine.

Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a game screen.

Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the region of the object.

Fig. 5 is a diagram schematically showing a game screen in a state where objects are added.

Fig. 6 is a diagram schematically showing a game screen in a state where a certain time has elapsed from the state of the game screen shown in fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a diagram schematically showing a game screen in a state where objects are further increased from the state of the game screen shown in fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the content of sequence data.

Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of the sequence processing routine.

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of the route determination processing routine.

Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of the operation evaluation routine.

Fig. 12 is a diagram showing an example of basic sequence data indicating only operation timings.

Fig. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of the data generation processing routine.

Fig. 14 is a diagram showing an example of sequence data after assigning each operation timing to each operation reference portion.

Fig. 15 is a diagram showing an example of sequence data after setting the information of the display start timing.

Fig. 16 is a diagram schematically showing a 1 st modification of the sequence data.

Fig. 17 is a diagram schematically showing a2 nd modification of the sequence data.

Fig. 18 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of a path correction processing routine.

Fig. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of the specific path correction routine.

Fig. 20 is a diagram showing an example of a flow chart of a route determination processing routine when determining whether or not a specific operation is performed.

Fig. 21 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a specific path when a specific operation is performed.

Fig. 22 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a path along which the moving distance of the object becomes equal to or longer than a predetermined distance.

Fig. 23 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which 2 game machines 1A and 1B can be connected to share game content.

Fig. 24 is a diagram showing an example of a game screen including a display in which the moving direction of an object changes due to a collision.

Detailed Description

(1 st mode)

Hereinafter, a game system 1 of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a profit gaming machine to which a game system according to embodiment 1 of the present invention is applied. As shown in fig. 1, the game machine 1 includes a casing 2, and a monitor 3 as a display device disposed on an upper surface of the casing 2 so as to be inclined toward the player P. A transparent touch panel 5 as an input device is superimposed on the surface of the monitor 3. The touch panel 5 is a known input device that outputs a signal corresponding to a contact position when the player P touches with a finger or the like. In addition, various input devices and output devices that are provided in a general profit game machine such as buttons, a power switch, a volume operation switch, and a power lamp for selection or determination are provided in the game machine 1, but these are not illustrated in fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram of the gaming machine 1. As shown in fig. 2, a control unit 10 as a computer is provided inside the housing 2. The control unit 10 has: a game control unit 11 as a control subject, a display control unit 12 that operates in accordance with an output from the game control unit 11, and a sound output control unit 13. The game control unit 11 is a unit in which a microprocessor and various peripheral devices such as an internal storage device (for example, ROM and RAM) necessary for the operation of the microprocessor are combined. The display control unit 12 causes the monitor 3 to display a predetermined image by drawing an image corresponding to the image data given by the game control unit 11 in the frame buffer and outputting a video signal corresponding to the drawn image to the monitor 3. The audio output control unit 13 generates an audio reproduction signal corresponding to the audio reproduction data given from the game control unit 11, and outputs the audio reproduction signal to a speaker 14, which is an audio output device connected to the control unit 10, thereby reproducing a predetermined audio (including musical tones and the like) from the speaker 14.

An external storage device 20 is connected to the game control unit 11. The external storage device 20 uses a storage medium that can hold a memory even without power supply, such as an optical storage medium such as a DVDROM or a CDROM, or a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device such as an EEPROM.

The external storage device 20 stores a game program 21 and game data 22. The game program 21 is a computer program required for executing a music game in a predetermined order by the game machine 1, and includes a sequence control block 23 and an evaluation block 24 for realizing the functions of the present invention. When the game machine 1 is started, the game control unit 11 executes the operation program stored in the internal storage device thereof, thereby executing various initial settings necessary for the operation of the game machine 1, and then reads and executes the game program 21 from the external storage device 20, thereby setting an environment for executing the music game in accordance with the game program 21. The sequence processing unit 15 is generated in the game control unit 11 by the game control unit 11 executing the sequence control module 23 of the game program 21. Then, the game control unit 11 executes the evaluation module 24 of the game program 21, thereby generating the operation evaluation unit 16 in the game control unit 11. The sequence processing unit 15 and the operation evaluation unit 16 are logical devices realized by a combination of computer hardware and a computer program. The sequence processing section 15 executes the following music game processing: the player is instructed to perform an operation in accordance with the reproduction of the music (musical composition) selected by the player, or an effect sound is generated in accordance with the operation by the player. The operation evaluation unit 16 evaluates the operation of the player and executes a process of game control corresponding to the evaluation result. In addition to the above-described blocks 23 and 24, various program blocks necessary for executing the music game are included in the game program 21, and logic devices corresponding to these blocks are generated in the game control unit 11, but their illustration is omitted.

The game data 22 includes various data to be referred to when executing the music game in accordance with the game program 21. For example, the game data 22 includes music data 25, sound effect data 26, and image data 27. The music data 25 is data necessary for reproducing and outputting music as a game target from the speaker 14. In fig. 2, one kind of music data 25 is shown, but in reality, a player can select a music to be played from among a plurality of music. The game data 22 is recorded with information for identifying each tune, and the plurality of pieces of music data 25 are recorded. The sound effect data 26 is data in which a plurality of kinds of sound effects to be output from the speaker 14 in response to the operation of the player are recorded in association with a unique code for each sound effect. The effect sound includes musical instruments and other various kinds of sounds. The sound effect data may prepare a prescribed number of octaves for each kind of change interval. The image data 27 is data for displaying a background image, various objects, icons, and the like in the game screen on the monitor 3.

Sequence data 28 is also included in the game data 22. The sequence data 28 is data defining an operation or the like to be instructed by the player. At least one sequence data 28 is prepared for a piece of music data. The sequence data 28 will be described in detail later.

Next, an outline of the music game executed by the game machine 1 will be described. The game machine 1 is a competitive music game machine including: two players (including a case where the game machine 1 functions as one player) perform operations in accordance with music, and evaluate the operation timings of the two players to perform a game. Although fig. 1 shows only 1 game machine, a game may be executed by a plurality of game machines 1 connected so that a game situation can be shared. Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a game screen. The game screen 50 includes a game area 52 for guiding operation timing to the player and an information area 53 for displaying a score or the like of each player. The play area 52 is formed in a rectangular shape. At both ends in the longitudinal direction of the game area 52, a 1 st operation reference portion 55A and a2 nd operation reference portion 55B as operation reference portions are arranged so as to face each other. The operation reference portions 55A and 55B extend linearly in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the game area 52. Each of the operation reference portions 55A and 55B is used as a reference of the current time on the game by the player of the game. Specifically, the 1 st operation reference portion 55A is used as a reference of the current time of the 1 st player, and the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B is used as a reference of the current time of the 2 nd player. In the example of fig. 3, the 1 st operation reference portion 55A uses a red straight line, the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B uses a blue straight line, and different colors are used for each player to distinguish the players. The information area 53 is disposed around the game area 52, and one end side in the longitudinal direction of the game area 52 displays the score of one player and the like, and the other end side displays the score of the other player and the like.

Each of the operation reference portions 55A and 55B includes a plurality of jump points arranged at predetermined intervals. The plurality of jump points R1 included in the 1 st operation reference unit 55A and the jump point R2 included in the 2 nd operation reference unit are connected to each other via a plurality of paths W. That is, a plurality of paths W are provided from one jump point R1 included in the 1 st operation reference unit 55A to a plurality of jump points R2 included in the 2 nd operation reference unit. In the example of fig. 3, 5 paths W1, W2, W3, W4, and W5 extending from the jump point R1 are shown by broken lines as an example of the plurality of paths W connecting the jump point R1 and the jump point R2. As shown in fig. 3, 5 paths W1, W2, W3, W4, and W5 extending toward the 5 jump points R2 included in the 2 nd operation reference unit 55B are provided at any one of the jump points R1 of the 1 st operation reference unit 55A. In the execution of the music game, that is, in the progress of music reproduction, on the path W connecting the jump-back point R1 and the jump-back point R2, the object 60 as an operation indication mark for indicating an operation is displayed in the order data 28. In fig. 3, for convenience of explanation, the paths W1, W2, W3, W4, and W5 are shown by broken lines, but a plurality of paths W are not displayed on the actual game screen 50.

The object 60 appears at the jump-back point R1 or the jump-back point R2 at an appropriate time in the music piece, and moves on the path W extending from the jump-back points R1 and R2 from the respective jump-back points R1 and R2 that have appeared toward the respective jump-back points R1 and R2 located on the opposite sides as the music piece progresses. Then, the jump points R1 and R2 at which the object 60 arrives become the appearance position of the next object 60, and move from the appearance position to the jump points R1 and R2 on the opposite side. Therefore, the object 60 alternately and repeatedly moves between the operation reference portions 55A and 55B as if it bounces at the bounce points R1 and R2. As the object 60 reaches the operation reference portions 55A and 55B, each player who uses the operation reference portions 55A and 55B where the object 60 has reached as a reference of the current time is requested to perform a touch operation of touching the position where the object 60 has reached the operation reference portions 55A and 55B. When each player performs a touch operation, the time difference between the time when the object 60 is matched with the operation reference portions 55A and 55B and the time when each player performs the touch operation is detected. The smaller the deviation time, the higher the evaluation of the operation by the player. Then, the effect sound is reproduced from the speaker 14 in accordance with the touch operation. As a method of reproducing the effect sound, a known method can be applied. For example, as a known method of reproducing an effect sound, there are a method of reproducing a music piece and adding an effect sound to the music piece, and a method of canceling a music piece sound and reproducing an effect sound corresponding to an erroneous operation in the case where an error occurs. Further, for example, there are the following methods: the music is divided and distributed to each operation time, and when an appropriate operation is performed, the sound part of the music distributed to the operation time is played (a method of forming music by an appropriate operation for each operation time.

In the example of fig. 3, while the object 60 moves on the path W2 toward the jump-back point R2 of the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B, the 2 nd player using the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B as a reference of the current time may touch the position where the object 60 of the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B arrives as the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B is reached. Then, the object 60 is displayed in a color corresponding to each of the operation reference portions 55A and 55B of the destination to which the object is directed. That is, in the example of fig. 3, the object 60 is displayed in blue before reaching the jump-back point R2 of the 2 nd operation reference unit 55B, and the next object 60 appearing at the reached jump-back point R2 is displayed in red. In the present embodiment, a plurality of operation units are formed by a combination of the operation reference units 55A and 55B on the monitor 3 and the touch panel 5 superposed thereon. In the following, the operation reference portions 55A and 55B may be used as terms representing operation portions.

The path W for moving from the jump points R1 and R2 reached by the object 60 to the jump points R1 and R2 on the opposite side is determined based on the position of the object 60 when the touch operation is performed on the operation reference portions 55A and 55B. The object 60 is divided into a plurality of regions for ease of position comparison. Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the region of the object 60. The broken lines in fig. 4 show paths W2, W3, and W4, respectively, and the one-dot chain lines 62 show the boundaries of the respective regions, respectively. In the example of fig. 4, the object 60 is divided into 4 areas, i.e., a contact area S near the contact point with which the operation reference portions 55A and 55B are first brought into contact, a right area R and a left area L which are bounded by the contact area S, and another area O. Further, as the path along which the object 60 moves, the straight path W3 directed toward R1 at the shortest distance is selected when a touch operation is performed in the vicinity of the contact region S and the other region O in the path W from the jump point R2 toward the jump point R1, the 1 st right path W4 directed toward R1 via the right side wall 52R in the longitudinal direction of the game region 52 is selected when a touch operation is performed in the vicinity of the left region L, and the 1 st left path W2 directed toward R1 via the left side wall 52L in the longitudinal direction of the game region 52 is selected when a touch operation is performed in the vicinity of the right region R. That is, the movement path of the object 60 when the object 60 moves to the next operation reference portion 55A or 55B is determined based on the positional relationship between the touched operation position and the position of the object 60. Since the movement distance differs depending on the movement path, a difference occurs in the movement distance for moving the object 60 to the next operation reference portions 55A and 55B depending on the positional relationship between the operation position and the position of the object 60. On the other hand, regardless of the movement path, the operation timing at which the touch operation should be performed on the object 60, that is, the timing at which the object 60 should reach the operation reference portions 55A and 55B is fixed. Therefore, a difference is generated in the moving speed of the object 60 according to the moving path. That is, the path W and the moving speed of the object 60 moving toward the other player according to the touch operation of the one player change. This changes the difficulty level of the game, and each player realizes the influence on the opponent player and executes the operation of the player. The case of selecting the 2 nd right path W5 and the 2 nd left path W1 will be described later.

As described above, the object 60 moves between the operation reference portions 55A and 55B, that is, between the players, in order to instruct the operation of each player. However, due to music, the interval from the operation of one player to the operation of another player is sometimes short in terms of the performance interval. As an example of this case, "5" indicating a quarter note and "5" indicating an eighth note are used "5"to explain. As an example of a musical composition, assume that there are music pieces in terms of "5",5”、“5"and" 5 "in this order. In this case, representing an octant "5"the playing interval is short compared with" 5 "representing a quarter note. Therefore, in the case where these performances are alternately executed by the operation reference portions (assuming that the operation reference portions are B and a), for example, the performance is performed in accordance with B (5) → a (5) → B: (B)5)→A(5) B (5), instruction B: (B: → B (5)5)→A(5) Is 2 times the moving speed of the object 60 indicating B (5) → a (5). When such a short interval is guided with only 1 object 60,the moving speed of the object 60 between the operation reference portions 55A and 55B is too high, and inappropriate guidance such as an inability of the player to recognize may occur. In order not to generate such inappropriate guidance, when the interval from the operation by one player to the operation by the other player is shorter than a predetermined value, the number of objects 60 to be displayed is increased to 2 in the previous operation period of the one player at which the short interval is generated. One object 60 of the 2 objects 60 moves toward the other player to guide the next operation period, and the other object 60 moves toward the other player more slowly than the one object 60 to guide an operation period that the other player should operate next to the operation of the other player, that is, an operation period of a short interval that can be generated after the operation of the one player in the case where the objects 60 are 1.

For example, a case (instruction) in which the moving time from the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B (B of the music example) to the 1 st operation reference portion 55A (a of the music example) is shorter than a predetermined value will be described "5"case of the same thing). In this case, a movement shorter than the predetermined value is generated (B (in the music example described above) ((B)5)→A(5) The appearance position of the object 60 in the first 2 movements (B (5) → a (5) of the music example), that is, the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B (B of the music example) in which the movement of the first 2 starts appears 2 objects 60. Then, one object 60 moves to the 1 st operation reference portion 55A to indicate the next operation timing (a (5) of the music example), and the other object 60 moves to the 1 st operation reference portion 55A to indicate the next operation timing (a (5) of the music example) relative to the next operation timing (a (5) of the music example)5)). That is, one object 60 moves so as to indicate the next operation timing (a (5) of the music example), and if only 1 object 60 is present, the other object 60 moves so as to indicate the previous 3 operation timings at intervals shorter than the predetermined value (based on B (B) (of the music example), (B) of the music example)5)→A(5) A of movement of (A), (B)5)). That is, in one operation period (B (of the music example described above) ((B)5) Until the next operation period (A (of the above-described music example) (A))5) When the time interval is shorter than a predetermined value, the display is startedThe number of objects 60 to be displayed increases to 2 in a period (B (5) → B (5) in a (5) of the above-described music example) corresponding to an operation period (B (5) → B (5) in a (5) of the above-described music example) before one operation period with a short time interval, one object 60 moves so as to indicate a latest operation period (the operation period before one operation period, i.e., a (5) of the above-described music example), and the other object 60 moves so as to indicate an operation period (the operation period next to one operation period, i.e., a: (5) of the above-described music example) in which the time interval becomes short5))。

Fig. 5 schematically shows a game screen in a state where the objects 60 are added. In the example of fig. 5, after the object 60 reaches the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B, the number of objects is increased so as to be split into 2 of the 1 st object 60a and the 2 nd object 60B. The 1 st object 60a and the 2 nd object 60b select the path W so as to move on different paths W from each other. In the example of fig. 5, a case where the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B performs a touch operation on the right region R of the object 60 is shown. In this example, one 1 st object 60a moves on the 1 st left route W2 corresponding to the right area R on which the touch operation has been performed, and the other 2 nd object 60b moves on the 2 nd left route W1 which shares a route with the 1 st left route W2 up to halfway and reaches a jump back point R1 different from that. In the example of fig. 5, when the vicinity of the left region L of the object region 60 is touched, the 1 st object 60a moves on the 1 st right route W4, and the 2 nd object 60b moves on the 2 nd right route W5 which has reached a different jump-back point R1 by sharing a route with the 1 st right route W4 up to halfway. That is, in the example of fig. 5, the 2 nd left path W1 and the 2 nd right path W5 are provided as paths for the 2 nd object 60b when the number of objects 60 is increased to 2. On the other hand, when the touch operation is performed in the vicinity of the touch area S and the other area O, the 2 nd object 60b moves on the same straight path W3 as the 1 st object 60 a. The 2 nd left route W1 and the 2 nd right route W5 are not limited to the 2 nd object 60b route. For example, these paths W1 and W5 may be used in common with the 1 st object 60a and the object 60. In the example of fig. 5, the one object 60a and the other object 60b move on different paths W according to a predetermined rule, but the relationship between the movement path of the one object 60a and the movement path of the other object 60b may be any. For example, unlike the example of fig. 5, the other object 60b may move on the 1 st right path W4 opposite to the one object 60a, or may move on the same 1 st left path W2.

Fig. 6 schematically shows a game screen in a state where a certain time has elapsed from the state of fig. 5. In fig. 6, after one 1 st object 60a of the objects 60a and 60B reaches the 1 st operation reference portion 55A, the object moves again toward the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B and is positioned in front of the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B, while the other 2 nd object 60B is positioned in front of the 1 st operation reference portion 55A. In the example of fig. 6, the distance from the 1 st object 60a, which bounces back at the 1 st operation reference portion 55A, to the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B is shorter than the distance from the 2 nd object 60B to the 1 st operation reference portion 55A. The 1 st object 60a moves faster than the 2 nd object 60 b. Therefore, the 1 st object 60a first reaches the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B, and immediately thereafter, the 2 nd object 60B reaches the 1 st operation reference portion 55A. Assuming that the operation timings of the objects 60 are indicated by only 1 object 60, the object 60 needs to be moved from the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B to the 1 st operation reference portion 55A located on the opposite side in a short time immediately after reaching the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B. However, in the example of fig. 6, instead of such a short-time movement of the object 60, the 2 nd object 60b is used in advance, and it is expected that the 2 nd object 60b reaches the 1 st operation reference portion 55A, that is, the operation timing is instructed to the 1 st player. In addition, the jump points R1, R2 reached by the objects 60a, 60b may not necessarily be used as appearance positions of the following objects 60a, 60 b. For example, in order to return to the state in which the operation timing is guided by one object 60, the 1 st object 60a or the 2 nd object 60B may disappear by reaching the operation reference portions 55A and 55B. Further, depending on the performance interval, the jump points R1 and R2 reached by the objects 60a and 60b may be used as the appearance positions of the next objects 60a and 60b, and the state of 2 objects 60 may be continuously displayed, and the 3 rd and 4 th objects 60 may appear at the jump points R1 and R2 reached by the objects 60a and 60 b.

Fig. 7 is a diagram schematically showing a game screen in a state where the objects 60 are further added. In the example of fig. 7, after the 1 st object 60a arrives at the 1 st operation reference portion 55A, the display of the 3 rd object 60c is further added to the position where the object arrives, and a total of 3 objects 60 are displayed in the game area 52. The 3 rd object 60c moves toward the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B at a slower speed than the 1 st object 60a, and guides the 2 nd player with an operation timing at which the playing interval is short, as with the 2 nd object 60B in the example of fig. 6. In addition, it is not necessary to make the 2 nd object 60B reach the 1 st operation reference portion 55A between the 1 st object 60a reaching the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B and the 3 rd object 60c reaching the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B in order to alternately guide the operation timing to each player. That is, the 1 st object 60a and the 3 rd object 60c may reach the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B continuously, and the operation timing may be continuously indicated to the 2 nd player. When these objects 60a to 60c are not distinguished, the following description is made of the object 60.

Next, the sequence data 28 will be described in detail with reference to fig. 8. As shown in fig. 8, the sequence data 28 includes a condition defining section 28a and an operation sequence section 28 b. The condition definition unit 28a describes information for specifying execution conditions of different games for each music piece, for example, information for specifying tempo, beat, and vocal tract of music, and sound effects to be generated when the object 60 is touched. In fig. 8, the condition defining unit 28a is provided only at the head of the sequence data 28, but the condition defining unit 28a may be added at an appropriate position in the middle of the operation sequence unit 28 b. This enables processing such as speed change in music and distribution change of effect sound.

On the other hand, the operation sequence unit 28B describes, for each object 60, a timing at which a touch operation should be performed on the object 60, a timing at which display should be started, and information indicating the player (or each of the operation reference units 55A and 55B). Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the content of sequence data. As partially illustrated in fig. 8, the operation sequence unit 28b includes: an operation timing section 28c for instructing a timing (operation timing) at which an operation should be performed on the music, a display start information section 28d for setting a display start timing at which the display of the object 60 should be started, a display position instruction section 28e for instructing a player (or each of the operation reference sections 55A and 55B) who starts the display of the object 60, and a mark information section 28f for instructing the object 60 to be displayed. The operation sequencing unit 28B is configured as a set of a plurality of records in which the operation timing to be operated in the music, the display start timing of the object 60, and the player who started displaying the object 60 (or each of the operation reference units 55A and 55B) are described in association with each object 60 to be displayed. The operation timing and the display start timing are described by dividing values indicating bar numbers, the number of beats, and the time of the beat in the music piece by commas. The time in one beat is an elapsed time from the beginning of one beat, and is represented by the number of units from the beginning of the beat when the time length of one beat is equally divided into n unit times. For example, when n is 100, and the second beat of the first bar of the music and the time at which 1/4 has elapsed since the beginning of the beat are designated as the operation time or the display start time, they are described as "01, 2, 025".

The operation timing unit 28c includes an operation timing in which the time interval between one operation timing and the next operation timing with respect to the one operation timing is smaller than a predetermined value. In the example of fig. 8, a specific operation period 28cs corresponding to such one operation period, a previous operation period 28cf of the specific operation period 28cs, and a next operation period 28cr corresponding to a next operation period as a next operation period of the specific operation period 28cs are enclosed by broken lines. In the example of fig. 8, at the display start timing of the next operation timing 28cr, a timing that matches the display start timing set at the previous operation timing 28cf is set. In the example of fig. 5, the operation period corresponding to the 1 st object 60a corresponds to the previous operation period 28cf, and the operation period corresponding to the 2 nd object 60b corresponds to the next operation period 28 cr. The operation timing corresponding to the 1 st object 60a in the example of fig. 6 corresponds to the specific operation timing 28 cs. The information indicating another object 60 corresponds to the next operation period 28cr, the previous operation period 28cf, and the specific operation period 28 cs.

The instruction to start the display of the object 60 is described as "P1" when the 1 st player is instructed and "P2" when the 2 nd player is instructed. The player's instruction corresponds to an instruction of the color of the object 60 to be displayed, and the blue object 60 is displayed in the case of "P1", and the red object 60 is displayed in the case of "P2".

The sign information portion 28f has information indicating the object 60 to be displayed written in a letter such as "a". "a" is used as a letter corresponding to the 1 st object 60 displayed in the game area 52, "B" is used as a letter corresponding to the 2 nd object 60, and "C" is used as a letter corresponding to the 3 rd object 60. That is, as the information indicating the objects 60 to be displayed, the kinds of letters corresponding to the number of objects 60 displayed in the game area 52 are used. In the examples of fig. 5 to 7, "a" is described when the object 60 or the 1 st object 60a is indicated, "B" is described when the 2 nd object 60B displayed on the screen is indicated, and "C" is described when the 3 rd object 60C is indicated. Also, the information of the instruction object 60 shows the correspondence relationship between the operation timings. Specifically, between operation timings corresponding to information indicating the common object 60, the position where the object 60 corresponding to one operation timing arrives has a function as the appearance position of the object 60 corresponding to the other operation timing: the other operation period is set with a display start period closest to (or equal to) the one operation period. In the case where there are a plurality of records in which the same operation timing is designated, it is sufficient to specify the appearance position of the object 60 (object 60 to appear next) corresponding to the other operation timing by specifying one of the records in which the same operation timing is designated, such as the one in which the display start timing is earlier or the one in which the arrangement described in the sequence data 28 is earlier, based on a predetermined specific condition or the like. Further, information associating the arrival position and the appearance position of each object 60, such as information of the object 60 as a division source, may be described separately in the sequence data.

In the example of fig. 8, at the start time (000) of the fourth beat of the first bar, the object 60 of blue color is displayed on the 1 st operation reference portion 55A, which is used as a reference by the 1 st player, and the operation reference portions indicating the display start timing, the operation timing, and the start display object 60 are moved along the path W from the 1 st operation reference portion 55A so as to reach the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B after a period corresponding to "010" has elapsed from the start time point of the fourth beat of the first bar. Then, at the time when the time corresponding to "010" has elapsed since the start point of the fourth beat in the first bar, the jump point R2 at which the object 60 reaches is made the object 60 whose appearance position is displayed in red, and the object 60 moves from the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B along the path W corresponding to the touch operation position of the player to the 1 st operation reference portion 55A at the time when the time corresponding to "016" has elapsed since the start point of the fourth beat in the first bar. Then, at a time corresponding to "024" elapsed from the start point of the second beat of the second bar, at the jump point R2 reached by the object 60 before the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B used as the reference by the 2 nd player, the 1 st object 60a of red corresponding to the previous operation time 28cf and the 2 nd object 60B of red corresponding to the next operation time 28cr appear, the 1 st object 60a moves on the path W so as to reach the 1 st operation reference portion 55A through a time corresponding to "030" elapsed from the start point of the second beat of the second bar, and the 2 nd object 60B moves on the path W so as to reach the 1 st operation reference portion 55A through a time corresponding to "036" elapsed from the start point of the second beat of the second bar. In the example of fig. 8, after the 1 st object 60a reaches the 1 st operation reference portion 55A by a time period corresponding to "030" from the start time point of the second beat of the second bar, the 1 st object 60a instructs a record from the arrival position to the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B by a time period corresponding to "034" from the start time point of the second beat of the second bar to correspond to a record of the specific operation time period 28 cs.

Next, a process of the game control unit 11 when the music game is executed by the game device 1 will be described. The game control unit 11 reads the game program 21, finishes the initial setting necessary for executing the music game, and then stands by until an instruction from the player to start the game is given. The instruction to start the game includes, for example, the following operations: data used in a game, such as selection of a musical composition to be played in the game or a difficulty level, is determined. The order of receiving these instructions may be the same as a known game or the like.

When the start of the game is instructed, the game control unit 11 reads the music data 25 corresponding to the music selected by the player and outputs the read data to the audio output control unit 13, thereby starting the reproduction of the music from the speaker 8. Thereby, the control unit 10 functions as a music reproducing unit. The game control unit 11 reads the sequence data 28 corresponding to the player's selection in synchronization with the reproduction of the music, generates image data necessary for drawing the game area 52 and the information area 53 with reference to the image data 27, and outputs the image data to the display control unit 12, thereby displaying the game area 52 and the information area 53 on the monitor 3. Further, during execution of the music game, the game control unit 11 repeatedly executes the sequence processing routine shown in fig. 9, the route determination processing routine shown in fig. 10, and the operation evaluation routine shown in fig. 11 as necessary processes for displaying the game area 52 and the like at predetermined intervals. The routine of fig. 9 and 10 is carried by the sequence processing unit 15, and the operation evaluation routine of fig. 11 is carried by the operation evaluation unit 16.

Fig. 9 shows an example of a flowchart of a sequence processing routine executed by the sequence processing unit 15. When the routine of fig. 9 is started, the sequence processing unit 15 of the game control unit 11 first acquires the current time on the music at step S1. For example, the time is started by an internal clock of the game control unit 11 with reference to the reproduction start time of the music, and the current time is acquired based on the value of the internal clock. In the next step S2, the sequence processing unit 15 acquires data of the display start timing and the operation timing existing within the time length corresponding to the display range of the game field 52 from the sequence data 28. As an example, the display range is set to a time range corresponding to 2 bars of music from the current time toward the future.

In the next step S3, the routes W of all the objects 60 to be displayed in accordance with the acquired operation times are determined. This determination is achieved, for example, by executing the routine of fig. 10. Fig. 10 shows an example of a flowchart of a route determination processing routine executed by the sequence processing unit 15. After the routine of fig. 10 is started, the sequence processing unit 15 first determines whether or not the game is started in step S11. If the answer in step S11 is yes, the process proceeds to step S20, and if the answer is no, the process proceeds to step S12. In step S20, a preset initial route is selected as the route for the object 60 to be displayed, and the process proceeds to step S19. As an example, a path W3 extending from the nth jump point R1 on the left side included in the 1 st operation reference unit 55A is set in advance as the initial path.

On the other hand, in step S12, it is determined whether or not the display of the object 60 is a display as a display start timing. If the determination in step S12 is negative, that is, if it is determined that the display of the object 60 is not the display as the display start time and the route to be displayed has already been selected, the process proceeds to step S21. In step S21, the route that has been selected is selected as the current route that is the route to be displayed, and the process proceeds to step S19.

On the other hand, if the determination in step S12 is affirmative, that is, if it is determined that the display of the object 60 is the display as the display start time and the route to be displayed is not selected, the process proceeds to step S13. In step S13, it is determined whether or not the operation reference portions 55A and 55B have been touched with reference to the output signal of the touch panel 5. If the determination in step S13 is negative, the process proceeds to step S22, and if the determination is positive, the process proceeds to step S14. In step S22, the predetermined route is selected as the route of the object 60 to be displayed, and the process proceeds to step S19. The selection of the predetermined route in step S22 can be realized, for example, as follows: a route adjacent to the route on which the object 60 corresponding to the object 60 whose display is started is displayed, or a route having the shortest distance from the appearance position to each of the operation reference portions 55A and 55B to be reached is set as a predetermined route, and the corresponding object 60 is the object 60 that has recently reached each of the jumping points R1 and R2 serving as the appearance position of the object 60 whose display is started.

On the other hand, in step S14, the operation reference portion where the touch operation is performed and the timing (time on music) at which the touch operation is performed are determined based on the signal output from the touch panel 5. In the next step S15, the operation reference portion that has performed the touch operation specifies the most recent operation timing described in the sequence data 28, that is, the operation timing closest in time to the object 60 that has performed the touch operation and corresponds to the sequence data 28, and acquires the time difference between the operation timing and the time at which the touch operation has been performed.

In the next step S16, the sequence processing unit 15 determines whether or not the operation of each player is appropriate by determining whether or not the deviation time is within a certain range. A fixed range is set within a predetermined time range in front and rear with the operation timing of the comparison target as the center. If the determination at step S16 is negative, the process proceeds to step S22, and a predetermined route is selected as the route of the object 60 to be displayed, as described above, and the process proceeds to step S19. On the other hand, if the determination in step S16 is positive, the process proceeds to step S17.

In step S17, the positional relationship between the touched operation position of each operation reference portion 55A, 55B and the position of the object 60 is determined based on the signal output from the touch panel 5. Specifically, it is determined which area among the contact area S, the right area R, the left area L, and the other areas of the object 60 that has reached the appearance position most recently is the touched position. In the next step S18, a route on which the object 60 is to be placed is selected based on the positional relationship determined in step S17. This path selection is performed as follows, for example. First, any one of the right area R, the left area L, the contact area S, and the other area O is assigned to each route W (in the case where there are routes used when the number of objects 60 increases, such as the 2 nd left route W1 and the 2 nd right route W5 in the example of fig. 5, these routes may be eliminated). Next, according to the determination result of step S17, a path assigned to the position touched is selected among the plurality of paths W extending from the appearance position. In the example of fig. 3, at the jumping point R1, the straight path W3 is assigned to the contact area S and the other areas O, the 1 st right path W4 is assigned to the left area L, and the 1 st left path W2 is assigned to the right area R. Then, the straight path W3 is selected when the vicinity of the contact region S or the other region O of the object 60 is touched, the 1 st left path W2 is selected when the vicinity of the right region R is touched, and the 1 st right path W4 is selected when the vicinity of the left region L is touched. In the example of fig. 3, it is preset that the 2 nd left route W1 is selected as the route of the 2 nd object 60b when the 2 objects 60a and 60b are displayed when the vicinity of the right region R of the object 60 is touched, and the 2 nd right route W5 is selected as the route of the 2 nd object 60b when the 2 objects 60a and 60b are displayed when the vicinity of the left region L of the object 60 is touched. On the other hand, when the touch operation is performed in the vicinity of the touch area S or the other area O, the straight path W3 identical to the 1 st object 60a is selected as the path of the 2 nd object 60 b.

In the next step S19, the route selected in each of steps S18, S20, S21, and S22 is determined as the route of the display object 60, and the routine of this time is ended.

Returning to the routine of fig. 9, in step S4, the sequence processing unit 15 calculates the coordinates of all the objects 60 to be displayed on each path W in the game area 52. This operation is performed as follows, for example. First, the route W of each object 60 to be displayed in the display range is determined based on the processing result of step S3. Next, the position of each object 60 in the time axis direction from each operation reference unit 55A, 55B (i.e., the moving direction of the object 60) is determined based on the moving direction corresponding to each object 60 (each operation reference unit 55A, 55B to be reached) and the time difference between each operation time and the current time. This makes it possible to obtain a path W on which each object 60 is to be placed and the coordinates of each object 60 required to place each object 60 on the path W along the time axis from each operation reference unit 55A, 55B.

In the next step S5, the sequence processing unit 15 generates image data necessary for drawing the game area 52 based on the coordinates of the object 60 calculated in step S4. Specifically, the image data is generated such that each object 60 is arranged at the calculated coordinates. An image of the object 60 or the like may be acquired from the image data 27. In the next step S6, the sequence processing section 15 outputs the image data to the display control section 12. Thereby, the game area 52 is displayed on the monitor 3. After the process of step S6 is completed, the sequence processing unit 15 ends the present sequence processing routine. By repeating the above processing, the object 60 is displayed on the specified operation reference portions 55A and 55B at the display start timing described in the sequence data 28, and the object 60 moves between the 2 operation reference portions 55A and 55B so as to reach the specified operation reference portions 55A and 55B at the operation timing described in the sequence data 28.

Next, the operation evaluation routine of fig. 11 is explained. After the operation evaluation routine of fig. 11 is started, the operation evaluation unit 16 first determines whether or not the touch operation on the object 60 is present, referring to the output signal of the touch panel 5 in step S31. At this time, when a position other than the operation reference portions 55A and 55B is touched, it is determined that there is no touch operation. If there is no touch operation, the operation evaluation unit 16 ends the routine of this time, and if there is a touch operation, the operation evaluation unit 16 proceeds to step S32. In step S32, the operation evaluation unit 16 determines the timing (time on music) at which the touch operation was performed, based on the position signal output from the touch panel 5. In the next step S33, the operation evaluation unit 16 specifies the most recent operation timing described in the sequence data 28 with respect to the operation reference unit that has performed the touch operation, that is, specifies the operation timing that is closest in time to the operation reference unit that has performed the touch operation on the sequence data 28, and acquires the offset time between the operation timing and the time at which the touch operation has been performed.

In the next step S34, the operation evaluation unit 16 determines whether or not the operation of the player is appropriate by determining whether or not the deviation time is within the evaluation range. The evaluation range is set within a predetermined time range before and after the operation time of the comparison object. For example, a plurality of levels are set around the operation time, and a time range in which these levels are set is treated as an evaluation range. In step S34, the operation evaluation unit 16 ends the routine of this time when the deviation time is outside the evaluation range, and proceeds to step S35 when the deviation time is within the evaluation range. In step S35, the operation evaluation unit 16 obtains a positional deviation between the operation position touched by the operation reference unit 55A or 55B and the arrival position of the object 60 that specifies the operation timing closest in time to the operation reference unit touched and indicates the operation timing on the sequence data 28.

In the next step S36, the operation evaluation unit 16 determines an evaluation of the touch operation by the player based on the deviation time acquired in step S34 and the positional deviation acquired in step S35. These evaluations are performed as follows, for example. First, the offset time is determined to which of a plurality of levels set within a time range the timing of the touch operation belongs. The plurality of levels are set so that the evaluation is higher for each fixed period division time range as the division belongs to the operation time period close to the respective division. The offset position is realized by comparing the center position of the object 60 with the touch operation position. For the evaluation of the deviation position, for example, a region 2 times or less the diameter of the object 60 is evaluated as "GOOD", and the other regions are evaluated as "MISS". Alternatively, a constant evaluation range is set so that the evaluation is lowered every certain distance from the outer periphery with the inner side of the outer periphery of the object 60 being the highest evaluation, and the position of the touch operation is determined as to which position of the evaluation range the position belongs. In this case, the difficulty level of the game is improved. Then, the operation evaluation unit 16 proceeds to step S37, and controls the output to the display control unit 12 so that the evaluation result is displayed in at least one of the game area 52 and the information area 53. After the process of step S37 is completed, the operation evaluation unit 16 ends the routine of this time. The step of acquiring the deviation between the target position and the touch operation position in the example of fig. 11 may be performed before the step of acquiring the deviation between the latest operation timing of the operation reference portion and the time when the touch operation is performed. In the example of fig. 11, the evaluation of the deviation position is configured to evaluate as "GOOD" or "MISS" depending on the region, but when the deviation position is out of the fixed range, the routine of this time may be configured to skip the subsequent process and end the process, as in the process of step S34. In this case, for example, when an operation is requested with respect to the 1 st operation reference portion 55A, an operation with respect to an inappropriate position outside a certain range, such as an operation performed with respect to the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B, may be excluded from the evaluation targets.

As described above, according to this aspect, the movement path and the movement speed of the object 60 toward the next operation reference portion can be selected by the touch operation. Thus, one player can change the difficulty level of the game of the other player in a variety of ways by the operation of the player, and the interest of the game can be improved.

Further, according to this aspect, the sequence data 28 includes the display start information part 28d in which the display start information part 28d sets the display start timing that matches the display start timing of the previous operation timing 28cf at the next operation timing 28cr in which the time interval with the specific operation timing 28cs is smaller than the predetermined value. Therefore, the display of the 2 nd object 60b corresponding to the next operation period 28cr can be started simultaneously with the 1 st object 60a corresponding to the previous operation period 28 cf. Thus, when the time interval between the operation timings is short, since 2 objects 60a and 60b can be displayed from the display start timing of the 1 st object 60a corresponding to the previous operation timing 28cf, the moving time of the object 60 corresponding to the next operation timing 28cr can be extended as compared with the case where only 1 object 60 is used. Thus, even when the time interval between the operation timings is short, the excessive speed of the movement of the operation instruction mark can be suppressed. Also, the display start timing of the 2 nd object 60b coincides with the display start timing of the 1 st object 60a corresponding to the previous operation timing 28cf, and therefore, the natural appearance of the 2 nd object 60b can be expressed.

In the above-described embodiment, the external storage device 20 of the game machine 1 functions as a music data storage unit and a sequence data storage unit. The control unit 10 causes the sequence processing unit 15 to execute the routines of fig. 9 and 10, thereby functioning as a game area presenting unit and a flag display control unit. Further, the control unit 10 causes the operation evaluation unit 16 to execute the routine of fig. 11, thereby functioning as an evaluation unit.

(2 nd mode)

In the 1 st aspect, a game played by a plurality of players is executed by a plurality of players or a game machine itself functioning as another player, but is not limited to this aspect. The 2 nd embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, and the configuration common to the 1 st embodiment will be omitted, and the main points of difference from the 1 st embodiment will be described below. As the game system according to the 2 nd aspect of the present invention, for example, the game executed by the game machine 1 may be set such that only one 1 st operation reference portion 55A corresponds to the operation portion, and the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B is arranged to function only as a wall for jumping back the operation instruction mark. Also, the following game may be executed: only the 1 st operation reference portion 55A is provided on the game screen, the operation instruction flag is moved so as to jump back at a wall as a reference portion provided at the boundary of the game area, and the timing described in the sequence data reaches only the 1 st operation reference portion 55A, or reaches the 1 st operation reference portion 55A and a wall (or other wall or the like) disposed at a position facing the 1 st operation reference portion 55A. In this case, a game in which the difficulty level of the game can be variously changed, that is, a game played by one person can be realized. In this case, the 1 st operation reference portion 55A, the wall disposed at a position facing the 1 st operation reference portion 55A, and the like function as a plurality of reference portions in the present invention. Further, as the timing described in the sequence data, a reference timing is used instead of the operation timing, and the timing of reaching the 1 st operation reference portion 55A in the reference timing functions as the operation timing.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be implemented in an appropriate manner. In the above-described embodiments, the sequence data 28 in which the display start timing, the operation timing, and the information indicating the operation reference portions 55A and 55B are associated with each other for each object 60 is prepared in advance as the sequence data, but the method is not limited to the embodiment in which such sequence data 28 is prepared in advance. For example, the display control device may further include a data generating unit that generates additional sequence data in which the display start timing, the operation timing, and the information indicating the operation reference portions are associated with each other for each object, based on basic sequence data that is prepared in advance and indicates only the operation timing without distinction of the operation reference portions and the like. The addition sequence data may be used in each of the routines of fig. 9 to 11. In this case, the control unit 10 may be configured to function as a data generation unit. Fig. 12 is a diagram showing an example of basic sequence data indicating only operation timings. The basic sequence data 80 includes a vertical axis 81 indicating the passage of time (progress in music). The vertical axis 81 indicates that the time elapsed increases as the direction is upward. The vertical axis 81 is provided with a plurality of horizontal lines 83 set for each fixed time. As shown in fig. 12, in the basic sequence data 80, blocks 85 are arranged at appropriate timings corresponding to the progress of music. Each block 85 represents an operating period.

On the other hand, fig. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a data generation processing routine for generating additional sequence data to be executed by the control unit 10 when the control unit 10 functions as a data generation unit. After starting the data generation processing routine of fig. 13, the control unit 10 first acquires operation timings included in the display range from the basic sequence data 80 in step S41. In the next step S42, the operation timings indicated by the basic sequence data 80 are classified for each of the operation reference units 55A, 55B, and the operation timings are assigned so that the operation timings alternately arrive at the 1 st operation reference unit 55A and the 2 nd operation reference unit 55B. Specifically, information for instructing the operation reference units 55A and 55B is added to the basic sequence data, and the information of the operation reference units 55A and 55B is associated with the operation timings so that the operation timings alternately arrive at the operation reference units 55A and 55B. Fig. 14 is a diagram showing an example of distributed sequence data 80a (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as distributed data) after distributing each operation timing to each operation reference portion 55A, 55B. In the allocation data 80a, a horizontal axis 886 is set with respect to a vertical axis 81 indicating the passage of time, and a thick line 88 extending parallel to the vertical axis 81 is provided at the center of the horizontal axis 86. The thick line 88 divides the horizontal axis 86 for each operation reference portion. Also, the left side of the thick line 88 serves as a 1 st region indicating the 1 st operation reference section 55A, and the right side of the thick line 88 serves as a2 nd region indicating the 2 nd operation reference section 55B. As shown in fig. 14, in the distribution data 80a, the blocks 85 are alternately arranged in the regions of the operation reference portions 55A and 55B as time passes.

Returning to fig. 13, in step S43, information for instructing the display start timing of the object 60 corresponding to each operation timing is set for each operation timing. The display start timing is set in accordance with the operation timing immediately before each operation timing. Specifically, as the display start timing for one operation timing, the operation timing immediately before the one operation timing is determined, and the timing corresponding to the immediately preceding operation timing is set. Fig. 15 is a diagram showing an example of sequence data 80b (hereinafter, may be referred to as display start timing data) after information of a display start timing is set for the allocation data 80 a. As shown in fig. 15, in the display start timing data 80b, one end 85a of each block 85 arranged at the operation timing of the distribution data 80a is extended to a position corresponding to the other end 85b of the block 85 arranged immediately before each block 85. That is, in the display start timing data 80b, one end 85a of each block 85 is set as information indicating a display start timing, and the other end 85b is set as information indicating an operation timing.

Returning to fig. 13, in step S44, the time interval between the operation timings is calculated, and it is determined whether or not the time interval between the operation timings is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Specifically, the time interval between one operation period and the next operation period is calculated, and whether or not the time interval is equal to or greater than a predetermined value at which the operation timing can be appropriately guided to each player is determined. If the determination in step S44 is affirmative, that is, if it is determined that the time interval between all the objects 60 included in the display range is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the process proceeds to step S45.

On the other hand, if the determination in step S44 is negative, that is, if it is determined that the operation time interval is smaller than the predetermined value, the process proceeds to step S46. In step S46, one operation time and the next operation time determined that the time interval is smaller than the predetermined value are specified, and information indicating an object 60 different from the object 60 corresponding to the specified one operation time is added to the specified next operation time. In the next step S47, the information on the display start timing set for the next operation timing specified is changed so that the display start timing corresponding to the next operation timing specified in step S46 matches the display start timing set for the operation timing immediately before the specified one operation timing.

Fig. 16 is a diagram showing an example of sequence data (hereinafter, may be referred to as adjustment data) 80c in which information of the instruction target 60 is added to the display start timing data 80b and the set display start timing information is changed. As shown in fig. 16, a plurality of tracks R are provided on the horizontal axis 86 of the adjustment data 80 c. Each track R is used as information indicating the object 60. The plurality of tracks R are divided into a plurality of tracks Ra of the 1 st area included in the area of the 1 st operation reference portion 55A and a plurality of tracks Rb of the 2 nd area included in the area of the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B with a thick line 88 as a boundary. There is a correspondence relationship with the object 60 as a common item between each track Ra of the 1 st area and each track Rb of the 2 nd area. Specifically, the 2 nd track Ra2 from the left of the 1 st player's area is used as information indicating display of the 1 st object 60, the 4 th track Ra4 from the left is used as information indicating display of the 2 nd object 60, and the 6 th track Ra6 from the left is used as information indicating display of the 3 rd object 60. Further, the 2 nd track Ra2 from the left of the zone of the 1 st player and the 1 st track Rb1 from the left of the zone of the 2 nd player have a correspondence relationship, the 4 th track Ra4 from the left of the 1 st player and the 3 rd track Rb3 from the left of the 2 nd player have a correspondence relationship, and the 6 th track Ra6 from the left of the 1 st player and the 5 th track Rb5 from the left of the 2 nd player have a correspondence relationship. That is, in the examples of fig. 5 to 7, the 2 nd track Ra2 from the left of the region of the 1 st player and the 1 st track Rb1 from the left of the region of the 2 nd player indicate display of the object 60 or the 1 st object 60a, the 4 th track Ra4 from the left of the 1 st player and the 3 rd track R32 from the left of the 2 nd player indicate display of the 2 nd object 60b, and the 6 th track Ra6 from the left of the 1 st player and the 5 th track Rb5 from the left of the 2 nd player indicate display of the 3 rd object 60 c.

In the example of fig. 15 and 16, a next block 85R corresponding to a next operation period in an operation period in which a time interval between one operation period and the next operation period with respect to the one operation period is smaller than a prescribed value is enclosed by a thick line. When the display start timing data 80b shown in fig. 15 and the adjustment data 80c shown in fig. 16 are compared, the next blocks 85R1 and 85R2 surrounded by thick lines of the display start timing data 80b move to other tracks in the adjustment data 80 c. Specifically, the 2 next blocks 85R1, 85R2 of the 1 st region of fig. 15 move to the 6 th track Ra6 and the 4 th track Ra4 in fig. 16 in order from the near end of the time series. Further, the 2 nd next blocks 85R1, 85R2 of the 2 nd area move to the 3 rd track Rb3 and the 5 th track Rb5 in fig. 16 in order from the near side of the time series of fig. 15.

In the display start timing data 80b, the position of the one end 85Ra of each of the next blocks 85R1 and 85R2 also changes. Specifically, in the display start timing data 80b, the position of one end 85Ra of the next block 85R1 of the 1 st region corresponds to the position of the other end 85Fb of the previous block 85F1 located before the next block 85R1 of the 2 nd region. Similarly, the position of one end 85Ra of the next block 85R1 in the 2 nd region corresponds to the position of the other end 85Rb of the next block 85R1 in the 1 st region, the position of one end 85Ra of the next block 85R2 in the 2 nd region corresponds to the position of the other end 85Fb of the previous block 85F2 positioned in front of the next block 85R2 in the 1 st region, and the position of one end 85Ra of the next block 85R2 in the 1 st region corresponds to the position of the other end 85Fb of the next block 85R2 in the 2 nd region (when the previous blocks 85F1 and 85F2 are not distinguished, the previous block 85F is hereinafter referred to as a previous block 85F). That is, in the display start timing data 80b, the position of one end 85Ra of each next block 85R corresponds to the position of the other end 85b of each block 85 positioned immediately before in time series. Therefore, the length of each next block 85R from the position indicating the display start timing of the one end 85Ra to the position indicating the operation timing of the other end 85Rb is short.

On the other hand, in the adjustment data 80c, the one end 85Ra of each of the next blocks 85R1, 85R2 extends in the time-reversal direction so as to correspond to the one end 85Fa of each of the previous blocks 85F1, 85F2 positioned two-before in time series, respectively, and the previous blocks 85F1, 85F2 are the immediately previous blocks positioned in the same region as the next blocks 85R1, 85R2, respectively. Therefore, the length from the position indicating the display start timing of the one end 85Ra to the position indicating the operation timing of the other end 85Rb of each of the next blocks 85R1, 85R2 is longer than the display start timing data 80 b. As a result, the adjustment data 80c instructs to display the objects 60 different from the previous blocks 85F1 and 85F2 at the display start timing of the objects 60 corresponding to the previous blocks 85F1 and 85F2 located in the time series in the same region as the next blocks 85R1 and 85R 2. That is, the adjustment data 80c instructs the object 60 corresponding to the previous block 85F and the 2 objects 60 of the object 60 corresponding to the next block 85R to be displayed at the display start timing corresponding to the previous block 85F, and the objects 60 to reach the operation reference portions 55A and 55B corresponding to the blocks 85F and 85R at the operation timings instructed by the blocks 85F and 85R. The operation timing corresponding to the next block 85R corresponds to the next operation timing 28cr of the sequence data 28, and the operation timing corresponding to the previous block 85F corresponds to the previous operation timing 28cf of the sequence data 28. The operation timing corresponding to the block 85F1 immediately before the block 85R1 next to the 2 nd area also functions as the specific operation timing 28cs corresponding to the block 85R1 next to the 1 st area. Similarly, the operation timing corresponding to the next block 85R1 in the 1 st region also functions as a specific operation timing 28cs corresponding to the next block 85R1 in the 2 nd region, the operation timing corresponding to the previous block 85F2 in the next block 85R2 in the 1 st region also functions as a specific operation timing 28cs corresponding to the next block 85R2 in the 2 nd region, and the operation timing corresponding to the next block 85R2 in the 2 nd region also functions as a specific operation timing 28cs corresponding to the next block 85R2 in the 1 st region.

Returning to fig. 13, in step S45, the display start timing data 80b or the adjustment data 80c is generated as additional sequence data based on the result of step S43 and the result of step S47, and the routine of this time is ended. In the above example, the additional sequence data is generated for each display range, but a data generation processing routine may be executed for all the basic sequence data 80 in one processing.

In the above embodiments, the embodiment in which the control unit 10 functions as the data generation unit has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, a computer different from the game machine 1 may be prepared and may be caused to function as the data generation means by executing the routine of fig. 13. The computer may be configured to execute the routine of fig. 13, provided that it has a means for storing the basic sequence data 80.

In the above-described embodiments, the sequence data 28 in which information for instructing the display start timing, the operation timing, and the operation reference portions 55A and 55B is described in numerical values or letters for each object 60 is stored in the external storage device 20, but the sequence data stored in the external storage device 20 is not limited to this embodiment. For example, as a modification 1 of the sequence data, the adjustment data 80c separately generated may be stored in the external storage device 20. In the example of fig. 16, since the disappearance of the 2 nd object 60 is shown in the adjustment data 80c, a special block 87 of a predetermined size is provided which is set shorter than the normal block 85. The special block 87 is provided corresponding to the operation timing of the 2 nd object 60 or the 3 rd object 60, respectively, and indicates the appearance of disappearance of the object 60 as a target in the operation timing, respectively, but may be omitted. Further, as a modification 2 of the sequence data, for example, the sequence data shown in fig. 17 may be stored in the external storage device 20.

Fig. 17 is a diagram schematically showing a2 nd modification of the sequence data. The vertical axis 91 of the sequence data 90 shown in fig. 17 indicates the passage of time (progress of music), and the thick line 93 in the center indicates the boundary of the instructions of the operation reference portions 55A and 55B. The vertical axis 91 indicates that the time elapsed increases as the vertical axis is directed upward. The left side of the thick line 93 is used as a region indicating the 1 st operation reference section 55A, and the right side of the thick line 93 is used as a region indicating the 2 nd operation reference section 55B. The vertical axis 91 is provided with a plurality of horizontal lines 95 set at predetermined intervals. The sequence data 90 includes a plurality of blocks 97 indicating operation timings. The blocks 97 are arranged at appropriate timings in the regions of the operation instruction units as the music progresses. And, the blocks 97 are connected to each other by a connection line 98. The connection line 98 indicates a correspondence relationship of the objects 60 indicating the respective operation periods. Specifically, when only one connection line 98 extends from one block 97 to the next block 97, it is instructed to display one object 60 while moving from the operation reference portions 55A and 55B corresponding to the one block 97 to the operation reference portions 55A and 55B corresponding to the next block 97. On the other hand, when two connection lines 98 extend from one block 97 to the next two blocks 97, the instruction displays two objects so as to instruct 2 operation timings instructed by the next two blocks 97 from the operation reference portions 55A and 55B corresponding to the one block 97 to the operation reference portions 55A and 55B corresponding to the next two blocks 97. Also, the connecting line 98 shows the continuity of the objects 60 corresponding to each object 60. That is, the arrival position of the object 60 corresponding to the block 97 that is the starting point of the connection line 98 in time series is shown as a relationship in which the movement starting position of the object 60 corresponding to the block 97 that is the ending point of the connection line 98 functions. Therefore, a case is shown in which the object 60 corresponding to the block 97 which is not the starting point of the connection line 98 disappears from the game screen with the arrival of the operation timing. In this modification, the start point of the connection line 98 functions as information for instructing the display start timing. Also, one of the blocks 97F, from among the end points of the 2 connection lines 98 extending from one of the blocks 97, whose operation period comes first corresponds to the previous operation period 28cf in the sequence data 28, and the other block 97R, which comes after the operation period, corresponds to the next operation period 28 cr. The display start timings of these two blocks 97F, 97R, i.e., the start points of the connecting line 98 coincide. The specific block 97S corresponds to the specific operation timing 28cs, and the specific block 97S is formed in a different region from the one block 97F and the other block 97R with the thick line 93 in the center therebetween, and is configured to indicate the operation timing between the respective blocks 97F and 97R. The number of connection lines 98 extending from one block 97 is not limited to 1 or 2, and a plurality of 3 or 4 connection lines may be provided as necessary. The present invention can be realized by these modifications.

In the example of fig. 17, an example in which 3 connection lines 98 extend from one block 97 is shown enclosed by a thick line 100. In the example enclosed by the thick line 100 in fig. 17, a case is shown in which all of the previous block 97FB of the specific block 97SB and the next block 97R of the specific block 97S indicating one operation timing are shorter than a predetermined value. Also, in this example, the connection line 98 is set so that the display start timings of the objects 60 corresponding to the three blocks 97RB, 97SB, 97FB, respectively, coincide with the previous block 97 FB. Therefore, in the data of fig. 17, at the display start timing of the object 60 corresponding to the previous block 97FB, in the position where the display of the object 60 is started, in addition to the object 60, 2 objects 60 corresponding to the specific block 97S and the next block 97RB, respectively, are displayed. That is, 3 objects 60 are displayed at the same time in the same place, and an instruction to move the display is made to indicate operation timings corresponding to the next block 97RB, the specific block 97SB, and the previous block 97 FB. As described above, the number of objects 60 to be displayed and the display start timing of each object 60 are not limited to the above embodiments insofar as the display start timing of the operation indicator corresponding to each operation timing can be extended so that the time interval between the operation timings is not less than the predetermined value.

In the above-described embodiments, the case where the number of paths W extending from one jump-back point R1 or R2 is 5 is exemplified, but the number of paths extending from each jump-back point is not limited. Therefore, a plurality of paths extending in all directions from the jump points can be set. Further, the return points R1 and R2 included in the plurality of operation reference portions 55A and 55B may be provided. In other words, the plurality of paths may be provided such that the operation instruction mark is movable in all directions between all positions of each operation reference portion. Further, a plurality of bounce points and paths from the bounce points may be provided between the two side walls 52R and 52L of the play area 52. This enables setting of a plurality of paths to the bounce point and a plurality of paths after the bounce. In the above-described embodiments, the object 60 is divided into 4 regions, and the movement path is determined by comparing the position of the touch operation with the 4 regions of the object 60, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. The operation instruction mark may be divided into a plurality of areas corresponding to a plurality of paths provided for the game area. Thus, the operation instruction mark can be moved on a free path between the operation reference portions in accordance with the touch operation. The method of dividing the operation instruction mark into a plurality of areas is not limited. For example, the movement path of the operation instruction mark may be determined by comparing a fixed position such as the center position of the operation instruction mark with the touch operation position. In addition, when a plurality of movement paths of the operation instruction mark are provided, the touch panel may further include a restriction unit that restricts a change in the movement path corresponding to the touch operation to a path in which the movement speed of the operation instruction mark falls within a certain range so that the movement speed of the operation instruction mark is not so fast as to be inappropriate for the operation instruction. In this case, the control unit 10 may be configured to function as a limiting unit. When the control unit 10 is configured to function as the limiting unit, for example, in step S18 of the route determination processing routine shown in fig. 10, the selection of the route may be limited to a predetermined route having a travel speed within a certain range according to the relationship between the operation timing and the travel distance. Further, the control unit 10 may be separately configured so as to execute a route correction processing routine for correcting the route determined in the route determination processing.

Fig. 18 is a diagram showing an example of a path correction processing routine executed by the control unit 10 when the control unit 10 functions as a restriction unit. The path correction processing of fig. 18 may be executed, for example, between step S3 and step S4 of the sequence processing routine of fig. 9, that is, after the path is decided in the path decision processing of step S3. After the routine of fig. 18 is started, first, in step S51, the control unit 10 acquires the determined route and the operation timing to be instructed by the target object 60, and calculates the moving speed of the object 60 based on the distance between the acquired route and the operation timing. In the next step S52, it is determined whether or not the moving speed calculated in step S51 is within a certain range. If the answer in step S52 is yes, the following processing is skipped and the routine of this time is ended. On the other hand, if the determination in step S52 is negative, the process proceeds to step S53. In step S53, the determined route is corrected to a route in which the moving speed of the object 60 falls within a certain range, and the routine of this time is ended. When the route is corrected in the route correction processing, the routine of fig. 9 may be configured to use the route corrected in the route correction processing after step S4 of fig. 9.

In each of the above embodiments, the movement path for the object 60 to move to the next operation reference portion is determined in accordance with the positional relationship between the position of the touch operation and the position of the object 60, but the determination of the movement path is not limited to the one corresponding to such positional relationship. For example, the movement path may be determined in accordance with an operation for specifying a direction in which the position of the touch operation changes continuously, or the movement speed may be determined in accordance with a change speed of such continuous change. Further, the movement path of the object 60 may be configured such that, when a touch operation is performed on the operation reference portion and a specific operation is performed to specify a predetermined movement direction and a predetermined speed with respect to the object, the object moves on a specific movement path corresponding to the specific operation. When such a specific operation is performed, the object 60 can be moved on a specific path by executing the routine of fig. 19 by the sequence processing unit 15, for example.

Fig. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of the specific path correction routine. The routine of fig. 19 may be executed between step S3 and step S4 of the sequence processing routine of fig. 9, that is, after the path is decided in the path decision processing of step S3. After the routine of fig. 19 is started, the sequence processing portion 15 determines in step S61 whether or not a specific operation is performed. This determination is performed as follows, for example. First, a continuous change in the position of the touch operation is determined with reference to a signal from the touch panel 5. When the position of the touch operation does not change continuously, it is determined that the specific operation is not performed. In the case where the position of the touch operation is continuously changed, the direction and speed of the continuous change are calculated. Then, by comparing the calculated direction of the change with a predetermined direction and comparing the calculated speed with a predetermined speed, it is determined whether or not a specific operation is performed. When it is determined in step S61 that the specific operation has not been performed, the sequence processing unit 15 skips the subsequent processing and ends the routine of this time.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S61 that the specific operation has been performed, the sequence processing section 15 proceeds to step S62. In step S62, the sequence processing unit 15 corrects the route determined in step S3 to the specific route, and ends the routine of this time. After step S4 in fig. 9, the object 60 can be moved on the specific path when the specific operation is performed, using the processing result in fig. 19.

Alternatively, as a configuration for moving the object 60 on the specific path when the specific operation is performed, for example, the routine of fig. 20 may be performed instead of the routine of fig. 10. Fig. 20 is a diagram showing an example of a route determination processing routine when determining whether or not a specific operation is performed. When the routine of fig. 10 and the routine of fig. 20 are compared, the routine of fig. 20 is added with the processing of step S23 before step S14 of the routine of fig. 10. In the case of executing the routine of fig. 20, the sequence processing section 15 proceeds to step S23 after the process of step S13, and determines whether or not a specific operation is performed in step S23. This determination may be made in the same manner as in step S61 of the routine of fig. 19.

If a negative determination is made in step S23, the sequence processing unit 15 proceeds to step S14. The subsequent processing may be configured as in the case of fig. 10. On the other hand, if the answer is yes in step S23, the sequence processing unit 15 proceeds to step S24. In step S24, the sequence processing unit 15 selects the specific route as the movement route of the object 60, and the process proceeds to step S19. The following processing in step S19 may be configured in the same manner as in fig. 10. In this case, the movement path of the object 60 can be determined as the specific path in accordance with the specific operation.

In addition, various modes can be adopted as a specific operation for specifying a predetermined moving direction and a predetermined speed to the object. For example, the following operations may be employed: the object 60 moved toward the operation reference portion is touched by the operation reference portion (is instantaneously in a holding state), and the object 60 is pushed out in a predetermined direction in this state (the position of the touch operation is continuously changed in a state where the touch operation is performed). As the specific operation, the following striking operation may be adopted: the touch operation is performed on the position near the operation reference portion, and the position of the touch operation is slid so that the position of the touch operation overlaps with the ball at the timing when the operation reference portion and the object 60 coincide with each other, from the position toward the operation reference portion in the state where the touch operation is performed. Further, as the specific operation, a time of the touch operation obtained by: the time from the start to the end of the touch operation (the end of the contact by the finger of the player or the like) is calculated for the touch operation on each of the operation reference portions 55A and 55B, and the positional relationship between the position of the touch operation and the position of the object 60 (for example, which area of the 4 areas S, L, R, O the touch operation is performed in the vicinity thereof) is calculated as information indicating a predetermined speed as information indicating a predetermined direction. In this case, for example, as the time of the touch operation is shorter, the speed is faster, and it is possible to determine whether or not the predetermined speed is designated by determining whether or not the time of the touch operation is shorter than a fixed value. The indication of the direction and speed of the object 60 can be discriminated in any manner.

As the specific route, for example, a route having a moving speed of the object 60 equal to or higher than a predetermined distance such as a fixed value or more may be used. Fig. 21 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a specific path when a specific operation is performed. Arrow a of fig. 21 indicates the operation direction. In the example of fig. 21, the 1 st operation reference portion 55A is shown as a touch operation is performed on the arrival position of the object 60 as the object 60 arrives, and the operation position is changed at a predetermined speed in the arrow a direction in a state where the touch operation is performed. In this case, it is determined that a specific operation at a predetermined speed is performed in a predetermined direction, and the object 60 moves as a specific path WS on a path WS of a predetermined distance or more toward the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B on the opposite side while bouncing back a plurality of times on the side walls 52L, 52R extending in the longitudinal direction of the game area 52. This makes it possible to determine, for example, a striking operation such as pressing the object 60 at a high speed, and to set the moving speed of the object 60 to a fixed value or more in accordance with the operation. In this case, since an option for causing the object to consciously move toward the opponent player at high speed can be prepared, options for the game are expanded, and the interest of the game can be improved.

In the above-described embodiments, the movement path of the object 60 changes according to the touch operation, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration in which the movement path is changed according to the operation of the player. For example, the movement path may be changed by the development or expression of the game. That is, the movement path of the object may be changed according to a predetermined condition such as an operation on the operation unit, development or expression of the game. As an example of changing the movement path of the object 60 as the performance of the game, the movement path of the object 60 may be determined at a time interval between one operation timing and the next operation timing. In this case, instead of the determination of the presence or absence of the specific operation, it may be configured to determine whether or not the time interval between one operation timing and the next operation timing is equal to or greater than a fixed value, and to select a path having a movement distance equal to or greater than a fixed distance as a movement path instead of the specific path selected when the specific operation is performed. For example, by adopting a fixed value with a monotonous impression as the time interval between one operation timing and the next operation timing, the object 60 can be moved at a speed equal to or higher than the fixed value at such a time interval, and thereby the development of the game can be suppressed from becoming monotonous by extending the operation interval.

Further, as the path at a distance or more, a path in which the moving direction changes at regular intervals may be adopted. Fig. 22 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a path along which the moving distance of the object 60 becomes equal to or longer than a predetermined distance. In the example of fig. 22, as the path having a fixed distance or more, a path WR is used in which both side walls 52L and 52R extending in the longitudinal direction of the game area 52 bounce at a time corresponding to the rhythm of music and face the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B on the opposite side. In the example of fig. 22, the rhythm of the music is the number of beats of music, and the sidewall 52R on the right side of the game area 52 bounces at beats 2 and 4, and the sidewall 52L on the left side bounces at beat 3 and reaches the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B. The number of rebounds is calculated from the number of beats existing between one operation period and the next operation period, and points at which the calculated number of rebounds can be calculated while a certain distance or more is secured are calculated, thereby determining the respective rebounding points with respect to the two side walls 52L, 52R of the play area 52. Then, as a route at a distance or more, a route connecting the calculated bounce points is selected. This makes it possible to move at a speed equal to or higher than a fixed value and to exhibit a bounce following the tempo of music, and therefore, it is possible to further suppress the development of a game from becoming monotonous. In addition, in the case where the moving speed is too fast when the bounce with the tempo is set according to the interval between the front and rear operation timings and the music, the expression of the bounce with the tempo can be omitted.

In the above-described embodiments, the path along which the operation instruction mark moves is provided between the operation reference portions, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. For example, each path may extend beyond each operation reference portion to both ends of the game area. In this case, for example, each operation instruction mark is moved so that the operation timing described in the sequence data reaches each operation reference portion, and when the operation reference portion is reached and the operation portion is not appropriately operated, the operation instruction mark can be moved until the operation instruction mark exceeds the operation reference portion and hits the end portion of the game area. In this case, a jump back point may be provided at the end of the game area, and the arrival position of the operation instruction mark at the end of the game area may function as the appearance position of the next movement of the operation instruction mark. In each of the above-described embodiments, the object 60 moves as if it jumps back between the operation reference units 55A and 55B by the object 60 disappearing at the arrival position and the arrival position functioning as the appearance position of the object 60 corresponding to the operation timing for instructing the common object 60, but the movement of the object 60 is not limited to such an embodiment. For example, instead of disappearing at each arrival at the jump-back point at which the operation instruction mark arrives, the common object 60 may be directly used to actually jump back at the jump-back point. In this case, for example, the operation reference portion toward which the operation instruction mark is directed can be guided by changing the color after the jump back point jumps back to the color corresponding to the operation reference portion to be reached next.

In each of the above embodiments, the game area 52 is a rectangular area, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, various shapes such as a polygon and a circle may be used as the game area. In each of the above embodiments, 2 operation reference portions 55A and 55B corresponding to both ends in the longitudinal direction of the game area 52 are provided, but the number of operation reference portions is not limited to 2. For example, an area around which 3 or more operation reference portions are set may be used as a game area so that three or more players can play the game.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the control unit 10 functioning as the evaluation unit evaluates the touch operation by comparing the operation timing with the operation timing described in the sequence data, but the function as the evaluation unit may be omitted. In this case, it is possible to use the player as a battle type game machine that operates at the rhythm of music while inducing an error in the opponent player.

In the above-described embodiments, the touch panel is used as the input device, but the input device is not limited to such an embodiment. As long as the input device has a plurality of operation portions, for example, a controller provided with a plurality of buttons as the operation portions, a plurality of controllers including one button as the operation portion, or the like, various configurations of the input device can be used. For example, when a device provided with a direction selection button and an operation determination button is used as the input device, the operation determination button may be set so as to correspond to the operation reference portion, and the movement path of the operation instruction mark when the device is moved to the next operation reference portion may be selected by the direction selection button.

In the above-described embodiments, the information of the display start timing that matches the previous operation timing 28cf is associated with the next operation timing 28cr, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. The next operation timing 28cr may be set to a timing earlier than the specific operation timing 28cs as the display start timing. This can extend the display period of the operation instruction mark indicating the next operation period 28cr having a short interval between operation periods.

Further, although the operation timing is described in each of the above embodiments as the timing described in the sequence data, the display duration may be described instead of the operation timing. In this case, the object 60 is moved so as to reach any one of the operation reference portions at a time point after the display duration has elapsed from the display start time point, whereby the operation time point can be instructed.

In each of the above-described embodiments, only one game machine 1 is illustrated in fig. 1, but a plurality of game machines 1 may be connected so that game contents can be shared. Fig. 23 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which 2 game machines 1A and 1B are connected so that game contents can be shared. In the example of fig. 23, 2 game machines 1 in which monitors 3 are arranged side by side in a horizontal direction to form a slight inclination are shown. As shown in fig. 23, in the monitor 3A used by one 1 st player P1, the 1 st operation reference part 55A is disposed on the 1 st player P1 side, and in the monitor 3B used by the other 2 nd player P2, the 2 nd operation reference part 55B is disposed on the 2 nd player P2 side. That is, the game screen 50A played by the 1 st player P1 and the game screen 50B played by the 2 nd player P2 are arranged in an upside-down manner. The 1 st player P1 uses the 1 st operation reference portion 55A as an operation portion through the touch panel 5A superimposed on the monitor 3A, and the 2 nd player uses the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B as an operation portion through the touch panel 5B superimposed on the monitor 3B. In this case, the 1 st operation reference portion 55A of the 1 st game machine 1A and the 2 nd operation reference portion 55B of the 2 nd game machine 1B function as a plurality of operation portions, respectively. As an example similar to the example of fig. 23, 2 game machines 1 may be back-mounted, that is, 2 game machines 1 may be back-mounted. In this case, since the players are located at positions facing each other to execute the game, the feeling of each player in play can be further improved. In the above-described embodiments, the monitor 3 is disposed obliquely on the player P side, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the monitor may be arranged substantially horizontally. In this case, the two players use one monitor, and can use the 1 st operation reference unit and the 2 nd operation reference unit as the plurality of operation units through the common monitor and touch panel.

In each of the above-described aspects, there may be a plurality of operation instruction marks in the game area. In this case, the operation instruction marks may be displayed so as to change at least one of the moving direction and the moving speed by colliding with each other. In this case, the direction of movement of the operation instruction mark during movement can be changed naturally. Fig. 24 is a diagram showing an example of a game screen including a display in which the moving direction of an object changes due to a collision. In this example, a game screen at the time of play of one player is used. As shown in fig. 24, the 2 nd manipulation reference portion 55B is not provided in the game area 52 of this example. Therefore, the object as the operation instruction mark moves so as to jump back on the wall around the game area 52 and so that the operation timing described in the sequence data reaches the 1 st operation reference portion 55A. In the example of fig. 24, 2 objects 60a and 60b are displayed in the game area 52. The 2 dotted lines of fig. 24 represent the predetermined path FP1 along which the 1 st object 60a moves and the predetermined path FP2 along which the 2 nd object 60b moves, respectively. The 1 st object 60a moves along the predetermined path FP1 to a position in front of the 1 st operation reference portion 55A after the wall at the position facing the 1 st operation reference portion 55A bounces back and the left side wall 52L bounces back further. On the other hand, the 2 nd object 60b moves from the 1 st operation reference part 55A toward the wall at the position opposed to the 1 st operation reference part 55A along the predetermined path FP 2. In the example of fig. 24, 2 objects 60a and 60b collide with the 1 st manipulation reference portion 55A. The 2 one-dot chain lines show the respective post-collision paths CP1, CP2 after the respective predetermined paths FP1, FP2 are changed due to the collision. The path of the 1 st object 60a changes from the predetermined path FP1 to the post-collision path CP1 due to the collision, and the arrival position at the 1 st operation reference part 55A changes. Also, the moving distance of the post-collision path CP1 is longer than the predetermined path FP1, and thus the moving speed also changes. Likewise, the path of the 2 nd object 60b also changes from the predetermined path FP2 to the post-collision path CP2 due to the collision, and the moving distance also changes. In this way, the movement direction of the operation indication mark changes during the movement, and it is difficult to predict the movement path and the arrival position of the operation indication mark. Therefore, the difficulty level of the game can be changed more variously.

In each of the above embodiments, the moving path of the object 60 when it moves to the next operation reference portion is changed by a predetermined condition such as an operation on the operation portion. Specifically, the routine such as step S3 of the routine of fig. 9 and the routine of fig. 10 may be omitted.

In each of the above embodiments, the game device 1 is configured as a music game device that reproduces a music piece and moves the operation instruction marker toward the operation reference portion in accordance with the playing time of the music piece, but the configuration is not limited to this. In the game machine 1, a plurality of games can be executed as long as the operation timing is indicated by video. Further, the game system according to the present invention can be realized in an appropriate form such as a profit game machine installed in a commercial establishment, a home-use desktop game machine, a portable game machine, and a game system realized by a network.

Claims (10)

1. A data generation system, wherein the data generation system has:

a sequence data storage unit that stores sequence data in which operation timings of respective series of operations on a plurality of operation units operated by a player are described in association with information specifying any one of the plurality of operation units, the sequence data being referred to by a computer and used as data for instructing the operation timings and the respective operation units of a game in which operation instruction flags displayed for instructing operations on the respective operation units are moved so as to reach the operation reference unit corresponding to the operation timing at the operation timing in a game area in which the plurality of operation reference units corresponding to the plurality of operation units are set at intervals from each other; and

and a data generating unit that specifies the next operation time in which a time interval between one operation time included in the sequence data and an operation time subsequent to the one operation time is smaller than a predetermined value, based on the sequence data, and generates additional sequence data in which display start information is added to the sequence data, the display start information setting a display start time of an operation instruction flag corresponding to the specified next operation time to a time earlier than the one operation time.

2. The data generation system according to claim 1, wherein a period that coincides with a display start timing of the operation instruction mark corresponding to a previous operation period to the one operation period is set as the display start timing of the operation instruction mark corresponding to the next operation period in the display start information of the additional sequence data.

3. A game system, wherein the game system has:

the data generation system of claim 1 or 2;

a display device that displays and outputs a game screen;

an input device having a plurality of operation sections;

a game area presenting unit that displays a game area in which a plurality of operation reference portions corresponding to the plurality of operation portions are set on the screen of the display device at intervals; and

a flag display control means for moving and displaying an operation instruction flag for instructing an operation on each operation unit in the game area so that the operation instruction flag reaches an operation reference portion corresponding to the operation unit corresponding to the operation timing at the operation timing indicated by the sequence data stored in the sequence data storage means of the data generation system,

the mark display control unit starts to display, as the operation instruction mark corresponding to the next operation period, an operation instruction mark different from the operation instruction mark corresponding to the one operation period at the display start period, in accordance with the additional order data generated by the generation system.

4. The game system according to claim 3, wherein as the input device, a touch panel arranged on the display device so as to cover the game area is used.

5. The game system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the game area presenting unit displays, as the game area, an area formed in a quadrangle on the screen of the display device, the area being set such that 2 operation reference portions extending linearly face each other at one both ends of the quadrangle.

6. The game system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, further comprising an evaluation unit that evaluates an operation in at least one of the operation units based on a timing of an operation for each of the operation units and an operation timing specified by the sequence data or the additional sequence data.

7. The game system according to any one of claims 3 to 6,

the game system further has:

a sound output device that reproduces an output sound;

a music data storage unit that stores music data for reproducing music; and

a music piece reproducing unit that reproduces the music piece from the sound output device in accordance with the music piece data,

the sequence data and the additional sequence data describe operation timings and display start information of the plurality of operation units during reproduction of the music.

8. A data generating method, wherein the data generating method causes a computer having sequential data storage units to execute a data generating step,

the sequence data storage means stores sequence data in which operation timings of respective series of operations on a plurality of operation units operated by a player are described in association with one another and information specifying any one of the plurality of operation units is referred to by a computer, the sequence data being used as data for instructing the operation timings and the respective operation units of a game in which operation instruction flags displayed for instructing operations on the respective operation units are moved so as to reach the operation reference unit corresponding to the operation timing at the operation timing in a game area in which the plurality of operation reference units corresponding to the plurality of operation units are set at intervals from one another,

in the data generating step, the next operation time in which the time interval between one operation time included in the sequence data and the operation time subsequent to the one operation time is smaller than a predetermined value is determined based on the sequence data, and additional sequence data in which display start information is added to the sequence data, the display start information setting the display start time of the operation instruction mark corresponding to the next operation time to a time earlier than the one operation time is generated.

9. A computer program for causing a computer having a sequential data storage unit to function as a data generation unit,

the sequence data storage means stores sequence data in which operation timings of respective series of operations on a plurality of operation units operated by a player are described in association with one another and information specifying any one of the plurality of operation units is referred to by a computer, the sequence data being used as data for instructing the operation timings and the respective operation units of a game in which operation instruction flags displayed for instructing operations on the respective operation units are moved so as to reach the operation reference unit corresponding to the operation timing at the operation timing in a game area in which the plurality of operation reference units corresponding to the plurality of operation units are set at intervals from one another,

the data generation unit specifies the next operation time in which a time interval between one operation time included in the sequence data and the operation time subsequent to the one operation time is smaller than a predetermined value, and generates additional sequence data in which display start information is added to the sequence data, the display start information setting a display start time of an operation instruction flag corresponding to the next operation time to a time earlier than the one operation time.

10. A data generation system, wherein the data generation system has:

a sequence data storage unit that stores sequence data in which a reference time in a game is described and which is used as information indicating the reference time in a game in which an operation instruction mark displayed to instruct an operation on at least one operation unit operated by a player moves so as to reach at least one of the plurality of reference units at the reference time in a game area in which the plurality of reference units arranged at intervals are set, by being referred to by a computer; and

and a data generating unit that specifies the next reference time in which a time interval between one reference time included in the sequence data and a reference time next to the one reference time is smaller than a predetermined value, based on the sequence data, and generates additional sequence data in which display start information is added to the sequence data, the display start information setting a display start time of an operation instruction flag corresponding to the specified next reference time to a time earlier than the one reference time.