U.S. patent application number 11/887517 was filed with the patent office on 2009-02-26 for game apparatus and game execution control method.
This patent application is currently assigned to Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Yutaka Fujiwara, Naoki Takahashi, Satoshi Uchiyama.
Application Number | 20090054138 11/887517 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37073245 |
Filed Date | 2009-02-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090054138 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Uchiyama; Satoshi ; et
al. |
February 26, 2009 |
Game Apparatus and Game Execution Control Method
Abstract
A game apparatus according to the present invention designed to
display a player's character and an opponent character on a monitor
3 in such a manner as to allow the player's character to take an
action for a match according to an instruction from the player to
thereby obtain a result in accordance with a predetermined rule.
The game apparatus comprises a card-mounting section 2 having a
mounting surface 20 for mounting thereon an athlete card 9, an
image pickup section 11 adapted to detect a card-mounted position
where the card is mounted on the mounting surface, a ROM 3001
adapted to store an action of the player's character, and an
attribute defining a mode of this action in a plurality of preset
levels, in associated relation, and an action-setting section 305
adapted to set the attribute corresponding to an action of the
player's character instructed by the player, at one of the levels,
depending on the card-mounted position detected by the image pickup
section 11. The game apparatus of the present invention makes it
possible to arbitrarily change a mode of the action of the player's
character so as to provide a highly-diverse game.
Inventors: |
Uchiyama; Satoshi;
(Kobe-shi, JP) ; Takahashi; Naoki; (Kobe-shi,
JP) ; Fujiwara; Yutaka; (Kobe-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JORDAN AND HAMBURG LLP
122 EAST 42ND STREET, SUITE 4000
NEW YORK
NY
10168
US
|
Assignee: |
Konami Digital Entertainment Co.,
Ltd.
Minato-ku
JP
|
Family ID: |
37073245 |
Appl. No.: |
11/887517 |
Filed: |
March 28, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
March 28, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2006/306312 |
371 Date: |
September 27, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/31 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 2300/69 20130101;
A63F 2300/206 20130101; A63F 13/428 20140902; A63F 13/213 20140902;
A63F 13/10 20130101; A63F 13/08 20130101; A63F 13/58 20140902; A63F
13/95 20140902; A63F 13/812 20140902 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/31 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 31, 2005 |
JP |
2005-105300 |
Claims
1. A game apparatus including image display control means which is
adapted to display a player's character and an opponent character
on a display unit in such a manner as to allow the player's
character to take an action for a match according to an instruction
from the player to thereby obtain a result in accordance with a
predetermined rule, said game apparatus being characterized by
comprising: a card-mounting section having a mounting surface for
mounting thereon a card with a predetermined shape; a position
detection section adapted to detect a card-mounted position where
said card is mounted on said mounting surface; a storage section
adapted to store an action of said player's character, and an
attribute defining a mode of said action in a plurality of preset
levels, in associated relation; and action-setting means adapted to
set said attribute corresponding to an action of said player's
character instructed by said player, at one of said levels,
depending on the card-mounted position detected by said position
detection section.
2. The game apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising
opponent processing means adapted to automatically issue an
instruction for an action of said opponent character, said opponent
processing means being operable to instruct said opponent character
to take a competitive action for a match against said player's
character and set a level of an attribute about said competitive
action.
3. The game apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a
communication section adapted to provide a communication with an
additional game apparatus, wherein: said opponent character is
installed in said additional game apparatus; said additional game
apparatus is adapted to instruct said opponent character to take a
competitive action for a match against said player's character and
set a level of an attribute about said competitive action; and said
image display control means is operable to instruct said display
unit to display an image having a same event as that in a display
unit of said additional game apparatus.
4. The game apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein: said mounting
surface is formed to allow said card to be slidingly moved
therealong in at least a primary direction; and said action-setting
means is operable to set said attribute about the action of said
player's character at one of said levels depending on a card-slid
position where said card is slidingly moved.
5. The game apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein: said mounting
surface has a reference card-mounting position marked on an
approximately central region thereof, said mounting surface being
formed to allow said card to be slidingly moved therealong in a
reciprocating manner with respect to said primary direction; and
said action-setting means is operable, when said card is mounted at
said reference card-mounting position, to set said attribute about
the action of said player's character at an intermediate one of
said levels.
6. The game apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said mounting
surface is provided with a guide member which protrudes therefrom
to assist the sliding movement of said card in at least said
primary direction.
7. The game apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said guide
member consists of a pair of convex strip-shaped members extending
along said primary direction in spaced-apart relation to each other
by a width dimension of said card.
8. The game apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein: said card has
a position recognition mark which is marked on a specific region of
a first one of opposite surfaces thereof; said position detection
section includes an image sensor adapted to pick up an image of
said first surface of said card mounted on said mounting surface,
and an image pickup processing section adapted to determine an
image pickup position of said position recognition mark, based on
said image picked up by said image sensor, and detect the
card-mounted position on said mounting surface, based on said
determined image pickup position.
9. The game apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein: said position
detection section includes an infrared light-emitting section
adapted to emit infrared light onto said first surface of said card
mounted on said mounting surface; said position recognition mark of
said card is marked using a material capable of reflecting or
absorbing infrared light in a manner opposite to that in the
remaining region except said specific region of said first surface;
and said image sensor is provided with a filter adapted to allow
said image sensor to be sensible to infrared light or insensible to
only infrared light.
10. The game apparatus as defined in claim 1, which is designed to
configure a game by a series of sequences, and obtain a game result
depending on a content of said series of sequences, wherein one
instruction for said action given from said action-setting means
corresponds one of said sequences during said game.
11. The game apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein: said card
includes a plurality of cards each having different movement data;
said mounting surface is formed to allow said plurality of cards to
be mounted thereon; and said action-setting means is operable to
set a mode of said action to each of said cards in a given
sequential order with respect to each of said sequences.
12. The game apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said game is
configured to simulate a baseball, and said player's character is
configured to simulate a pitcher, wherein: said action-setting
means is operable, according to the card-mounted position detected
by said position detection section, to set a pitched-ball speed of
a ball character configured to simulate a ball to be thrown by said
player's character, as a level of an attribute representing a
pitching power of said player's character.
13. The game apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said game is
configured to simulate a baseball, and said player's character is
configured to simulate a hitter, wherein: said action-setting means
is operable, according to the card-mounted position detected by
said position detection section, to set a swing speed of a bat
character configured to simulate a bat to be swung by said player's
character, as a level of an attribute representing a swing power of
said player's character.
14. A method for controllably executing a game by a computer of a
game apparatus which includes a card-mounting section having a
mounting surface for mounting thereon a card with a predetermined
shape, and a position detection section adapted to detect a
card-mounted position where said card is mounted on said mounting
surface, in such a manner as to display a player's character and an
opponent character on a display unit, and allow the player's
character to take an action for a match according to an instruction
from the player based on the mounting of said card relative to said
mounting surface, to thereby obtain a result according to a
predetermined rule, said method comprising: storing, in a storage
section, an action of said player's character, and an attribute
defining a mode of the action of said player's character in a
plurality of preset levels, in associated relation, according to an
operation of storage control means; and setting said attribute
corresponding to an action of said player's character instructed by
said player, at one of said levels, depending on the card-mounted
position detected by said position detection section, according to
an operation of action-setting means.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a game apparatus comprising
image display control means which is adapted to display a player's
character and an opponent character on a display unit in such a
manner as to allow the player's character to take an action for a
match according to an instruction from the player to thereby obtain
a result in accordance with a predetermined rule. The present
invention also relates to a technique of controlling execution of
such a game.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] The following Patent Publication 1 discloses a card game
apparatus using a plurality of athlete cards having unique data
written in a back side thereof. The card game apparatus is designed
to allow a part of the athlete cards selected by a player in a
number required for making up a team to be mounted on a playing
field, and then read respective unique data written in the mounted
athlete cards by an image sensor, so as to create a game image
including corresponding athlete images according to the read data
and display the game image on a display unit. In this card game, a
player can change an arrangement of the athlete cards on the
playing field to give an instruction for changing respective
positions and a formation of the athletes. This makes it possible
to change a level of athletic ability as the entire team so as to
achieve enhanced diversity in the game.
[0003] The card game apparatus disclosed in the Patent Publication
1 is intended to solely play a team game which is designed to allow
a player to give an instruction for changing respective positions
and a formation of the athletes depending on where each of the
athlete cards is arranged on the playing field by the player, so as
to change a level of athletic ability as the entire team. That is,
the card game apparatus is not designed to change game-related
information of each of the athletes. Thus, there is a certain limit
on amusement of the game.
[0004] In view of the above situation, the present invention is
directed to pre-define an attribute about an action to be
instructed for a player's character, such as an athlete to be
displayed on a display unit, and set a content of the attribute
depending of a mounted position of a card, so as to provide a game
apparatus and a game execution method capable of achieving
variations in the action of the player's character, even though the
apparatus and method are designed to play a game by mounting the
card on a mounting surface.
[0005] Patent Publication 1: JP 2002-301264A
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In order to solve the above problem, according to one aspect
of the present invention, there is provided a game apparatus
including image display control means which is adapted to display a
player's character and an opponent character on a display unit in
such a manner as to allow the player's character to take an action
for a match according to an instruction from the player to thereby
obtain a result in accordance with a predetermined rule. The game
apparatus comprises a card-mounting section having a mounting
surface for mounting thereon a card with a predetermined shape, a
position detection section adapted to detect a card-mounted
position where the card is mounted on the mounting surface, a
storage section adapted to store an action of the player's
character, and an attribute defining a mode of the action in a
plurality of preset levels, in associated relation, and
action-setting means adapted to set the attribute corresponding to
an action of the player's character instructed by the player, at
one of the levels, depending on the card-mounted position detected
by the position detection section.
[0007] In the game apparatus of the present invention, respective
images of the player's character and the opponent character are
displayed on the display unit, and the game is played through these
characters. Specifically, in response to mounting the predetermined
shaped card on the mounting surface of the card-mounting section,
the card-mounted position on the mounting surface is detected by
the position detection section. Further, according to an
instruction from the player to the player's character displayed on
the display unit, based on the mounting of the card relative to the
mounting surface, an action for the match will be carried out
through the player's character to obtain a result in accordance
with the predetermined rule. More specifically, an action of the
player's character and an attribute defining a mode of the action
in a plurality of preset levels are stored in the storage section
in associated relation, and, depending on the card-mounted position
detected by the position detection section, the attribute
corresponding to an action of the player's character instructed by
the player is set at one of the levels by the action-setting means.
Thus, when the player's character takes an action on the display
unit, the attribute defining a mode of this action is set at one of
the levels, depending on where the card is mounted on the mounting
surface. This makes it possible to arbitrarily change a mode of the
action of the player's character so as to provide a highly-diverse
game. For example, when the player's character is a pitcher or
hitter character in a baseball game, depending on whether the card
is mounted on the mounting surface, a pitched-ball speed of a ball
character configured to simulate a ball will be variably set as a
level of an attribute representing a pitching power of the player's
character, or a swing speed of a bat character configured to
simulate a bat will be variably set as a level of an attribute
representing a swing power of the player's character.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic external view showing a game apparatus
according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing one example of the
configuration of a card-mounting section.
[0010] FIG. 3 illustrates the configuration of an athlete card and
a relationship with a mounting surface, wherein A is a perspective
view showing the configuration of the athlete card and the
relationship with the mounting surface, and B is a schematic
diagram showing a mark which is marked on a bottom surface of the
athlete card.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the game apparatus.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a front view of the game apparatus.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a hardware comprising a
control unit incorporated in a control board section, and various
sections.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a block diagram for explaining a function of the
control unit.
[0015] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a general flow of a game
process.
[0016] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a pitching/batting subroutine
included in a sequence execution processing in Step S5 illustrated
in FIG. 8.
[0017] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a tactical-item setting
subroutine included in a strategy setting/display processing in
Step S23 illustrated in FIG. 9.
[0018] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a hitting determination
processing in Step S33 illustrated in FIG. 9.
[0019] FIG. 12 illustrates a game image for guiding a selection of
strategic items.
[0020] FIG. 13 illustrates a game image for guiding a selection of
tactical items, in case where a player plays the game on the side
of a pitcher.
[0021] FIG. 14 illustrates a game image for guiding a selection of
tactical items, in case where a player plays the game on the side
of a hitter.
[0022] FIG. 15 illustrates a game image for guiding a selection of
directive items, in case where a player plays the game on the side
of a pitcher.
[0023] FIG. 16 illustrates a game image for guiding a selection of
directive items, in case where a player plays the game on the side
of a hitter.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic external view showing a game apparatus
according to one embodiment of the present invention. The game
apparatus according to this embodiment comprises a housing 1 with a
predetermined three-dimensional structure, for example, having an
approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape. The housing 1 is
formed with a card-mounting section 2 in an approximately central
region of an upper surface thereof. The card-mounting section 2 has
a mounting surface 20 (see FIG. 2) for allowing to a player (i.e.,
game player) to mount thereon an athlete card with a predetermined
shape. The housing 1 is provided with a monitor 3 such as a CRT
display unit or a liquid-crystal display unit, which is adapted to
display a game image thereon and disposed on an upper side of the
card-mounting section 2, and a pair of speakers 41, 42 adapted to
output audio and produce sound effects and disposed on right and
left sides of the monitor 3, respectively. The housing 1 also
includes a personal-card loading slot 5 formed on an upper side of
one of the right and left speakers 41, 42 (in this embodiment, on
an upper side of the right speaker 41), and an athlete-card issue
slot 6 formed on an upper side of the left speaker 42. Further, the
housing 1 is provided with a pair of light-emitting sections 71, 72
adapted to produce illumination effects and disposed on respective
upper sides of the personal-card loading slot 5 and the
athlete-card issue slot 6. The card-mounting section 2 is formed
with a coin input slot 8 for guiding a coin input which is a
condition for starting a game, at a predetermined position
thereof.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing one example of the
configuration of the card-mounting section 2. The card-mounting
section 2 has an upper surface formed in a predetermined shape (in
this embodiment, a quadrilateral shape) to extend horizontally and
flatly. The game apparatus according to this embodiment is designed
to simulate a baseball game, and therefore a picture simulating a
playing field of a baseball stadium is drawn on the card-mounting
section 2. As the athlete card 9, a predetermined shaped card may
be employed, and a rectangular-shaped card is employed in this
embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3A. In the card-mounting section 2,
the mounting surface 20 is provided in a plural number to allow a
plurality (in this embodiment, ten) of the athlete cards to be
mounted thereon at predetermined intervals along a
rightward/leftward (i.e., lateral) direction thereof. Each of the
mounting surfaces 20 is formed to have a width dimension
corresponding to that of the athlete card 9. The mounting surface
20 is formed with a guide member on right and left sides thereof to
serve as an assist member for guiding the athlete card 9 to
facilitate a sliding movement of the athlete card 9 from a loading
position in a primary direction, for example, in a
frontward/rearward (i.e., longitudinal) direction. For example, the
guide member consists of a pair of convex strip-shaped members 21
extending in a sliding direction (in this embodiment, the
longitudinal direction) in spaced-apart relation to each other by
the width dimension of the athlete card 9. Each of the convex
strip-shaped members 21 has a longitudinal dimension set to be
equivalent to a sliding range of the athlete card 9.
[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates the configuration of the athlete card and
a relationship with the mounting surface, wherein A is a
perspective view showing the configuration of the athlete card and
the relationship with the mounting surface, and B is a schematic
diagram showing a mark which is marked on a bottom surface of the
athlete card. In FIG. 3A, the athlete card 9 is illustrated in a
floated state relative to the mounting surface 20, for facilitating
understanding. As shown in FIG. 3A, the mounting surface 20 has a
central region 201, and front and rear sliding regions 202. The
central region 201 has the same size as that of the athlete card 9,
and each of the sliding regions 202 has a desired longitudinal
dimension relative to the central region. For example, the
dimension of the sliding region 202 may be set to be approximately
one-half of a longitudinal length of the athlete card. The sliding
regions 202 are provided as a means to allow the athlete card 9 to
be mounted while being offset (slidingly moved) relative to the
central region 201 in the range indicated by the arrow, so as to
provide variations in mode of an after-mentioned action of a
character to be displayed on the monitor 3 correspondingly to the
athlete card 9, as will be described in detail later. The athlete
card 9 has a top surface printed with an athlete character image,
and a bottom surface printed with visible information about an
athlete, such as a photographic image of athlete's face and
athlete's name, and invisible athlete identification data.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 3B, a mark printed on the bottom surface of
the athlete card 9 includes a position detection mark 91 for
detecting a card-mounted position where the athlete card 9 is
mounted on the mounting surface 20, and a character mark 92
representing character data (hereinafter referred to as
"parameter") which is identification data of an athlete character
corresponding to each of the athlete cards 9. An identification
number may be used as the athlete identification data. For the sake
of simplifying explanation, in this embodiment, the athlete card 9
is formed in a grid pattern of 6 columns.times.10 rows, wherein
peripheral ones of the grids are used as the position detection
mark 91, and the remaining inward grids (4 columns.times.8 rows)
are used as the character mark 92. In practice, the athlete card 9
may be formed in a grid pattern having an adequate number of
columns and rows capable of storing desired data.
[0028] As the position detection mark 91, a predetermined material
is attached on all the grids in adjacent two of four peripheral
edges thereof, and every other ones of the grids in the two
remaining column-wise and row-wise peripheral edges, through a
coating process or the like. That is, the position detection mark
91 consists of the continuous grid region, and the alternate grid
region. This makes it possible to detect that the athlete card is
erroneously mounted back to front, so as to reliably perform the
position detection in a correct orientation of the athlete
card.
[0029] As to the character mark 92, the athlete identification data
is created by attaching the predetermined material on specific ones
of the grids (each serving as one bit) on the inward side relative
to the grids in the four peripheral edges, through a coating
process or the like. The character data (parameters) of entire
athletes are essentially pre-stored in a desired memory section of
the game apparatus, in associated relation with the athlete
identification data. Then, during a course of the game, one of the
athlete parameters which is pre-stored in the memory section and
identified by the athlete identification data obtained through a
reading operation of the athlete card 9 is read from the memory
section and used.
[0030] The coating material may be a visible material. In this
embodiment, an invisible material, such as a material sensitive to
infrared light, is use as the coating material, because
infrared-light detection means is employed as will be described in
detail later. As one example, the athlete card 9 is made of an
infrared-light absorbing material, or the bottom surface of the
athlete card 9 is coated with an infrared-light absorbing material,
and then the position detection mark is marked thereon. Further, at
least the mounting surface 20 of the card-mounting section 2 is
made of a material transparent to infrared light. The character
mark 92 indicates identification information for identifying a
corresponding athlete character, and an ability (including skills)
of the athlete character.
[0031] For example, in a hitter (batter) character, the ability
includes, as a common item, fielder parameters, such as "trajectory
of batted ball (or hitting distance)", "bat control", "swing
power", "running ability", "throw distance", "defensive skill",
"error-free level" and "main position". Further, the ability
includes, as a specific ability item in each of the characters,
fielder parameters, such as "intimidating power", "bat control
correction against left-handed pitcher", "hitting power correction
against left-handed pitcher", "correction in chance", "swing
timing", "average hitter", "power hitter", "table-setter", "winning
hitter", "coping with adversity", "hitting to opposite field",
"spray-hitting style", "infield single", "bunt skill", "grand-slam
hitter", "pinch hitter", "strikeout leader", "first-pitch swinger",
"multi-hit", "hitting streak", "cleanup batter", "back-to-back home
run hitter", "tenacious player", "glove man", "stolen base leader",
"hard-charging", "base running", "home base-sliding", "throwing",
"blocking", "ability to inspire other players", "run-scoring
error", "leadoff home run hitter in first inning", "pitcher-leading
level of catcher" and "laser-beam throw (quick throw-in)".
[0032] In a pitcher character, the ability includes, as a common
item, pitcher parameters, such as "pitched-ball speed"; "slider",
"curveball", "fork-ball", "sinker" and "screwball" (hereinafter
referred to as "breaking-ball level"); "ball control"; "pitching
velocity of fastball"; "physique"; "adjusting ability as starting
pitcher"; and "reconditioning ability". Further, the ability
includes, as a specific ability item in each of the characters,
pitcher parameters, such as "intimidating power", "correction
against left-handed batter", "toughness in pinch", "toughness
against hits", "coping with base runner", "level of initial
pitching", "getting a boost in last innings", "emergency pitching
start", "ball release", "luckiness in games", "pickoff throw",
"pitching response", "tetchiness", "rate of four wide ones", "rate
of mistake pitches", "quick pitching", "coping with close game",
"sense of responsibility", "pacing", "pitching stability" and
"poker face". In this embodiment, the above fielder and pitcher
parameters are set to all athlete characters. Further, a level of
the ability or tendency (positive direction/negative direction) of
each of the parameters is defined based on a desired number of
stages, for example, two grades (presence and absence), three
grades (high, intermediate and low) or four or more stages.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the game apparatus, and
FIG. 5 is a front view of the game apparatus. In FIG. 4, a touch
panel 10 consisting of a transparent thin-layer-shaped
pressure-sensitive element is disposed on a surface of a tube
(i.e., screen) of the monitor 3 in a superimposed manner. This
touch panel 10 is designed such that, when it is pressed by
operator's finger or the like, the pressed position is output in
the form of a voltage level indicative of horizontal and vertical
positions. Specifically, the touch panel 10 is formed, for example,
by arranging a transparent line-shaped pressure-sensitive material
on a rectangular-shaped thin-layer member at a predetermined pitch
and in horizontal and vertical directions, and then covering the
obtained composite member by a transparent cover. The touch panel
10 is attached onto the surface of the tube of the monitor 3. As
the touch panel 10, a conventional type may be employed and
designed to detect a designated one of a plurality of buttons
displayed on a screen of the monitor 3 to prompt selection or the
like, based on an address and a pressed position of the designated
button.
[0034] An image pickup section 11 is disposed inside the housing 1
and below the mounting surface 20. The image pickup section 11
serves as a means to detect a card-mounted position of the athlete
card 9 mounted on each of the mounting surfaces 20 and read the
information written on the bottom surface of the mounted athlete
card 9. The image pickup section 11 comprises a casing which
receives therein an image pickup processing section 111 adapted to
control an image pickup operation and perform a processing of a
picked-up image, an image sensor 112 serving as an image pickup
means (a digital image-pickup device, such as a CCD camera)
attached onto an upper portion of the casing, and a light source
113 adapted to generate infrared light. The image sensor 112 has a
field angle which is set to provide a field of view covering all
the mounting surfaces 20 so as to pick up images of the marks 91,
92 written on the bottom surface of each of the athlete cards 9
mounted on respective ones of the mounting surfaces 20. Although
not seen in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, a predetermined plural
number (e.g., two) of the image sensors 112 are disposed parallel
to each other in the lateral direction (in FIG. 4, a depth
direction of the drawing sheet), wherein one of the two image
sensors 112 is set to have a field of view for covering the
right-half five mounting surfaces 20, and the other image sensor
112 is set to have a field of view for covering the left-half five
mounting surfaces 20.
[0035] The light source 113 is supported by a light-source support
member 113a in its support region extending obliquely downwardly
relative to the longitudinal direction of the card-mounting section
1. The light source 113 is adapted to emit light of a predetermined
wavelength range [in this embodiment, infrared light (including
far-infrared light)] from the obliquely downwardly-extending region
toward the loading surfaces 20, so as to irradiate the mounting
surfaces 20 with the infrared light, i.e., irradiate the respective
bottom surfaces of the athlete cards 9 mounted on the mounting
surfaces 2 with the infrared light. With a view to uniformly
irradiating all the mounting surfaces 20, a plurality of the light
sources 113 are arranged over the lateral direction at desired
intervals or approximately continuously. In order to achieve
further uniform irradiation, the light sources 113 are disposed,
respectively, on frontward and rearward sides of the mounting
surfaces 20, and located out of the field angle of the image sensor
112 so as not to hinder the image pickup operation. The image
sensor 112 comprises a large number of photoelectric conversion
elements arranged, for example, in a matrix pattern. The image
sensor 112 is adapted to periodically receive an optical image of
infrared light which is emitted from the light source 113 and then
reflected by the bottom surface of the athlete card 9 on each of
the mounting surfaces 20 to represent the marks 91, 92, by each of
the photoelectric conversion elements, and convert the received
optical image to an electric signal having a level corresponding to
an amount of the received infrared light. Although not illustrated,
a filter is preferably disposed in front of the photoelectric
conversion elements to transmit only infrared light therethrough.
The image pickup processing section 111 is operable to, after
performing a processing of transferring (loading) a
periodically-picked-up image into an internal memory (not shown),
extract the position detection mark 91 from the picked-up image
developed in the memory, as a memory address, and identify a shape
of the position detection mark 91 through the use of a pattern
recognition technique or the like so as to calculate a card-mounted
position of the athlete card 9 on the mounting surface 20. The
image pickup processing section 111 is also operable to read the
athlete identification data of the character mark 92, for example,
in the form of bit information of the grids in the column and row
directions, based on address information of a pixel which has
detected the position detection mark 91 in the picked-up image.
[0036] The housing 1 is internally provided with a power supply
section 12 adapted to supply a desired level of electric power to
each section of the game apparatus, and a control board section 13
internally equipped with various control boards for generally
executing a game processing.
[0037] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a hardware comprising a
control unit incorporated in the control board section, and various
sections. In FIG. 6, an interface between the control unit 300 and
each section, and a section adapted to generate a drive signal for
driving each section, in response to receiving a control
instruction, may be configured in a conventional manner, and will
be omitted where appropriate.
[0038] A communication section 130 is adapted to receive and
transmit data from/to an additional game apparatus AGM, and
transmit data, such as game signal information, to a center monitor
CM, according to need. The game apparatus according to this
embodiment is intended to be placed in a hall (game hall or game
arcade) in a desired plural number. The center monitor CM is
internally equipped with a computer including a center-monitor
image display processing section, and adapted to receive an
operational signal, such as a signal representing a use state or a
game state during execution of the game, from each of the game
apparatuses, and selectively display information about the use
and/or game states in the hall, or display, in the hall,
information about the game state, such as large score difference or
even score, or a game image of a particular state, such as a pinch
or chance in the 9-th inning, to promote motivation to the
play.
[0039] In a system where the game apparatuses are placed in a
plurality halls separately, the system will be configured to allow
the game to be played between the different ones of the halls
through the communication section 130.
[0040] The touch panel 10 and the image pickup section 11 make up a
manual operation section 10A. A coin sensor 81 is disposed inside
the coin input slot 8 provided as the game start condition, to
check whether the input coin is true or false, and count a required
number of input coins. The input coins will be stored in a cashbox
(not shown) disposed inside the housing. A personal-card acceptance
section 51 is disposed inside the personal-card loading slot 5, and
adapted to read information about whether a player is a membership,
and/or a game record, from a loaded personal card, so as to use the
read information as management information, and, every time the
game is terminated, update the record and return the personal card
from the personal-card loading slot 5. An athlete-card issue
section 60 is internally provided with a card container (not shown)
where a large number of athlete cards 9 are contained in a stacked
state, and adapted to carry a predetermined number (in this
embodiment, one) of athlete cards 9 from the card container to the
athlete-card issue slot 6 and offer (give away) the athlete card 9
to the player. This is intended to create a scheme where a player
collects the athlete cards, and arouse the player to play the game.
The number of athlete cards to be issued may be changed depending
on a game result.
[0041] A ROM 3001 stores a game program for operating the game,
entire image data to be displayed on the monitor 3, and an imaging
processing program for creating a three-dimensional image in a game
space. The ROM 3001 also stores various parameters necessary for
determining a game progress and a game result, and various data to
be used as factors for judgment, in the form of a table.
Particularly, in connection with the assumption that considering
that the game apparatus according to this embodiment is designed to
simulate a baseball, a control program for executing a
defensive-side processing and an offensive-side processing in
conformity to actual baseball rules is created and stored in the
ROM 3001, and the fielder parameters and pitcher parameters for
each of all athletes who will appear in the game as the characters
are stored in the ROM 3001, in associated relation with the athlete
identification data.
[0042] A RAM 3002 is provided as a means to temporarily store data
during a course of a processing, and adapted to store various data
read from the ROM 3001, and various parameters, such as abilities
of each of the athlete cards 9 picked up by the image pickup
section 11, during the game, and allow the data and parameters to
be read therefrom and reflected on the game, according to need.
[0043] A video RAM 31 is designed to have a memory capacity
corresponding to at least that of display pixels of the monitor 3,
and used for forming a display image. An imaging processing section
3021 is a hardware circuit section operable, in response to
receiving an imaging command from the control unit 300, to develop
a display image to the video RAM 31.
[0044] FIG. 7 is a block diagram for explaining a function of the
control unit. The control unit 300 comprises: a game program
processing section (i.e., game progress control section) 301
operable to generally control a progress of the game, based on the
game program and an input operation relative to the manual
operation section 10A; an image display control section 302
operable to controllably display a game image onto the monitor 3;
an acceptance section 303 operable to accept input operation
information from the manual operation section 10A; a tactical-item
setting section 304 operable to set a tactical item (item of
competitive tactics), i.e., a type of tactical item and/or a number
of tactical items, to be displayed on the monitor 3, and calculate
a success probability of each of the tactical items; an
action-setting section 305 operable to create pitching data or
batting data, based on a content accepted by the acceptance section
303; a communication processing section 306 operable to allow an
exchange about the pitching data or the batting data between the
game apparatus and the additional game apparatus AGM, and a
communication about data necessary for the center monitor CM,
through the communication section 130; a determination section 307
operable to determine a result of a match, based on data received
from the action-setting section 305 and the additional game
apparatus AGM; a random number generation section 308 operable to
generate a pseudo-random number for use in a probability
processing; a game state determination section 309 operable to
judge a game state having an impact on a result of a match in the
game; a unit-sequence execution section 310 operable to
controllably execute a series of sequences individually, based on a
content of the determination by the determination section 307, a
content of the input operation from the manual operation section
10A, and the pitcher parameters when the player's character is a
pitcher or the fielder parameters when the player's character is a
fielder, or without the input operation; an athlete-card issue
processing section 313 operable to issue an athlete card 9; and an
opponent-side strategy setting section 314 operable to
substitutionally execute an opponent-side processing for the
purpose of a so-called CPU match where a player plays the game
against an internal computer of the game apparatus.
[0045] The image display control section 302 is adapted to display
a desired image in conjunction with the game progress, and provided
with the video RAM 31.
[0046] In this embodiment, the baseball game is configured on the
assumption that an action for one at-bat (this action will
hereinafter be referred to as "one sequence"), where a player's
character given with an action-related instruction from a player,
i.e., a game player operating the game apparatus, has a match
against an opponent player given with an instruction from an
opponent player (additional game apparatus or internal CPU player),
in a relation of a pitcher and a batter, is executed total 27 times
(sequentially or serially), i.e., 3 outs/inning.times.9 innings, in
conformity to the baseball rule, and the two players compete on a
final score, i.e., a game result. More specifically, in this
embodiment, the game is configured to make progress every execution
of a match consisting of one pitch to one batter, on the game.
[0047] With a view to three-dimensional imaging, each of the
player's character, the opponent character, and optionally other
athlete characters and a background image simulating a baseball
field, is formed of a desired number of polygons. The imaging
processing section 3021 (see FIG. 6) is operable, based on an
imaging instruction from the image display control section 302, to
perform a calculation for conversion from a position on a
three-dimensional space to a position on a pseudo three-dimensional
space, a light-source calculation processing and others, and then
perform a processing of writing data of a target image in the video
RAM 31, e.g., a processing of writing (pasting) texture data to an
area of the video RAM 31 designated by the paragons.
[0048] A relationship between respective operations of the image
display control section 302 and the imaging processing section 3021
will be described below. Based on an operating system recorded on
the ROM 3001, the image display control section 302 reads image
data, control program data and game program data from the ROM 3001.
A part or entirety of the read image data, control program data and
game program data are stored in the RAM 3002. Subsequently, the
image display control section 302 performs an image display
processing, based on an image processing subroutine in the control
program stored in the RAM 3002, various data (polygons and texture
of a display object, other image data including text image, and
audio data), a detection signal from a detection section and
others. Specifically, according to the game progress, the image
display control section 302 appropriately creates a command for a
task of imaging or audio output. Based on the command, the image
processing section 3021 performs a calculation of a viewpoint
position, a calculation of a character position on the
three-dimensional space (or on a two-dimensional space, as is
obvious) with respect to the calculated viewpoint position, a light
source calculation, an audio-data creation/modulation processing
and others. Then, based on the above calculation results, the image
processing section 3021 performs a processing of writing data of a
target image in the video RAM 31. The image data written in the
video RAM 31 is sent to the monitor 3 (after being sent to a D/A
converter through an interface and converted to an analog image
signal), and displayed as an image on the surface of the tube. In
the same manner, the audio data and sound effect data are output
from the ROM 3001 through the RAM 3002, and output as audio from
the speakers 41, 42 (through an amplifier after being sent to a D/A
converter through an interface and converted to an analog audio
signal).
[0049] The imaging command includes an imaging command for imaging
a three-dimensional image using the polygons, and another imaging
command for imaging a usual two-dimensional image. Each of the
polygons is a two-dimensional image having a polygonal shape (in
this embodiment, a triangular shape or a quadrangular shape). The
imaging command for imaging a three-dimensional image using the
polygons comprises polygon-apex address data read from the ROM
3001, data of a texture address indicative of a storage position of
texture data to be pasted onto the polygon, data of a color-pallet
address indicative of a storage position of color pallet data
representing a color of the texture data, and luminance data
indicative of a luminance of the texture. One character (or object)
is made up of a large number of the polygons. The image display
control section 302 is operable to store, on the RAM 3002,
coordinate data of each of the polygons on three-dimensional space.
Then, in an operation of moving the characters and others on the
screen of the monitor 3, the following processing is performed.
[0050] Based on three-dimensional data about the apexes of the
respective polygons which is temporarily stored in the RAM 3002,
translation-distance data of the respective polygons and
rotation-angle data of the respective polygons, the image display
control section 302 sequentially calculates three-dimensional
coordinate data of the respective polygons after translation and
rotation. Among the calculated three-dimensional coordinate data of
the respective polygons, horizontal and vertical coordinate data
are sent as address data on a display area of the RAM 3002, i.e.,
polygon-apex address data, to the imaging processing section 3021.
The imaging processing section 3021 writes texture data designed by
pre-assigned texture address data, on a triangular-shaped or
quadrangular-shaped display area designated by address data of
three or four polygon apexes. In this manner, a character (or
object) formed of a number of polygons with texture data pasted
thereon is displayed on the display surface of the monitor 3.
[0051] The acceptance section 303 is adapted to accept information
about pressing by a player, from the manual operation section 10A
(specifically, from the touch panel 10), and accept information
about mounted position of an athlete card operated by the player,
and information about the pitcher parameters or fielder parameters
representing abilities of an athlete character in the ROM 3001
which corresponds to athlete identification data on a bottom
surface of the athlete card 9, from the image pickup section
11.
[0052] As the tactical item, the ROM 3001 stores, for a
pitcher-side player, "Attack by fastballs openly", "Throw inside or
outside", "Fend off by breaking balls" and "Change pitch (i.e.,
pitched ball) speed", and stores, for a batter-side player, "Hit
fastballs", "Find out pitch location (inside and outside pitches)",
"Aim at breaking balls" and "Adjust to changes in ball speed", as
tactics against the pitcher-side player. The tactical item is not
limited to the above items, but any desired number of tactical
items may be prepared. Each of the pairs of "Attack by fastballs
openly" for the pitcher-side player and "Hit fastballs" for
batter-side player; "Throw inside or outside" for the pitcher-side
player and "Find out pitch location" for batter-side player; "Fend
off by breaking balls" and "Aim at breaking balls" for the
batter-side player; and "Change ball speed" for the pitcher-side
player and "Adjust to changes in ball speed" for the batter-side
player, are coincident tactical items (coincidence in strategy).
Each of the tactical items is stored in associated relation with a
success probability. For example, the "Attack by fastballs openly"
and "Throw inside or outside" are associated with success
probabilities of 90% and 80%, respectively. As to the pitch
trajectories, a strike zone above a virtual home base in the game
space is divided into a plurality of regions, for example, in a
matrix pattern, and the pitch trajectories are set correspondingly
to the respective regions or grids. As to pitched-ball speed, a
predetermined value corresponding to an after-mentioned pitcher
parameter and a value for a change in ball speed are set. In the
same manner, as to batting, a predetermined swing speed and a
predetermined swing position are set correspondingly to an
after-mentioned fielder parameter.
[0053] As a directive item, the ROM 3001 further stores the
following five items for a player during each defensive half-inning
(hereinafter referred to as "fielding side"): "Lookout for stolen
base", "Lookout for hit and run", "Defense for bunt", "Defense for
double play" and "Defense for extra-base hit", and the following
seven items for a player during each offensive half-inning
(hereinafter referred to as "batting side"): "Bunt", "Sacrifice
bunt", "Hit and run", "Stolen base (Double steal)", "Stolen second
base", "Stolen third base" and "Squeeze play". It is understood
that any other suitable defensive item may be employed in place of
or in addition to the above items.
[0054] The image display control section 302 is operable, in
response to pressing of a button "Calling athlete" on a screen
illustrated in FIG. 12, to switchingly display a strategy
designation screen illustrated in FIG. 13 when the player's
character is a pitcher character, or switchingly display a strategy
designation screen illustrated in FIG. 14 when the player's
character is a batter character. In FIG. 13, three buttons "Attack
by fastballs openly", "Throw inside or outside" and "Fend off by
breaking balls" are displayed as the tactical items. In FIG. 14,
three buttons "Hit fastballs", "Find out pitch location" and "Aim
at breaking balls" are displayed as the tactical items. In the
above process, on a condition that any of the tactical items in
FIG. 13 is selected by a player, a signal indicative of the
selection is transmitted, and then an instruction for displaying
the tactical items in FIG. 14 is issued in response to the signal.
A relationship between two image screens illustrated in FIGS. 15
and 16 is set in the same manner.
[0055] As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a success probability is
displayed in association with each of the tactical items. More
specifically, in FIG. 13 which shows the image screen to be
displayed when the player's character is a pitcher character, a
success probability corresponding to each of the pitcher-side
tactical items is displayed on a right side of each of the
pitcher-side tactical items, and a success probability
corresponding to each of the batter-side tactical items coincident
with the pitcher-side tactical items is displayed on a left side of
each of the pitcher-side tactical items. For example, as to the
tactical item "Attack by fastballs openly", "84%" is displayed as a
value of controlled pitch rate which is set as the pitcher-side
success probability, and "89%" is displayed as a value of hitting
(i.e., square contact) rate which is set as the batter-side success
probability. In FIG. 14 which shows the image screen to be
displayed when the player's character is a batter character, a
success probability corresponding to the batter-side tactical items
is displayed on a left side of each of the batter-side tactical
items, and a success probability corresponding to the pitcher-side
tactical items coincident with the batter-side tactical items is
displayed on a right side of each of the batter-side tactical
items. Thus, considering the respective probabilities, the player
can develop a strategy, i.e., can select one of the tactical
items.
[0056] The image display control section 302 is also operable, in
response to pressing of a button "Flashing sign" on a screen
illustrated in FIG. 12, to switchingly display a directive
designation screen illustrated in FIG. 15 when the player's
character is the fielding side, or switchingly display a directive
designation screen illustrated in FIG. 16 when the player's
character is the batting side. In FIG. 15, five buttons "Lookout
for stolen base", "Lookout for hit and run", "Defense for bunt",
"Defense for double play" and "Defense for extra-base hit" are
displayed as the fielding-side directive items. In FIG. 16, seven
buttons "Bunt", "Sacrifice bunt", "Hit and run", "Stolen base
(Double steal)", "Stolen second base", "Stolen third base" and
"Squeeze play" are displayed as the batting-side directive items.
In this embodiment, the game progress control section 301 is
configured to accept only either one of the tactical item and the
directive item, while it may be configured to allow a player to
select both ones of the tactical items and the directive items.
[0057] The tactical-item setting section 304 is configured to be
activated when the button "Calling athlete" is pressed, and
operable to set the tactical items which as selectable by a player
through the touch panel 10 on the monitor 3. Specifically, a type
of tactical item and the number of tactical items to be displayed
on the monitor 3 are set based on a specific one or more of the
pitcher parameters and the fielder parameters corresponding to
respective ones of a pitcher character and a batter character, as
follows. For example, a plurality of items, such as "Hit
fastballs", "Find out pitch location" and "Aim at breaking balls",
are prepared in advance, and selected based on a calculation result
obtained from contents of respective pitcher and batter parameters
of a pitcher and batter who have a match, in accordance with a
predetermined rule.
[0058] The tactical-item setting section 304 is operable, when the
batter has a relatively high ability and the pitcher has a
relatively low ability, in terms of a level of the parameters, to
reduce the number of tactical items so as to work out in batter`
favor. Conversely, when the batter has a relatively low ability and
the pitcher has a relatively high ability, the tactical-item
setting section 304 is operable to increase the number of tactical
items so as to work out in pitcher` favor. For example, the
following pitcher (specific ability) parameters for a pitcher:
"correction against left-handed batter", "toughness in pinch",
"coping with base runner", "emergency pitching start", "level of
initial pitching", "getting a boost in last innings", "coping with
close game" and "sense of responsibility", and the following
fielder (specific ability) parameters for a batter: "bat control
correction against left-handed pitcher", "correction in chance",
"winning hitter", "coping with adversity", "grand-slam hitter",
"pinch hitter", "strikeout leader", "multi-hit", "hitting streak",
"cleanup batter", "leadoff home run hitter in first inning",
"back-to-back home run hitter" and "table-setter", are used as a
factor for determining a type of tactical item and the number of
tactical items. It is understood that any other suitable parameter
may be employed in place of or in addition to the above factors
(parameters).
[0059] The action-setting section 305 is provided as a means to
create information necessary for determining a strategy result,
i.e., data to be transmitted to the opponent's game apparatus,
based on a part of input operation information from the manual
operation section 10A, and the athletic parameters. As shown in
FIG. 12, the image display control section 302 is operable to
display a guide image for prompting a player to select a strategy,
(in this embodiment, the plurality of buttons including the texts
"Calling athlete" and "Flashing sign") in a game image. The
action-setting section 305 is operable, when one of the buttons is
pressed by a player, to switch this image screen to the image
screen for inputting the tactical items for the strategy, through
the touch panel 10.
[0060] In this embodiment, in order to virtually set in what mode
an action of each of the athletic characters is performed,
card-mounted position information from the image pickup section 11,
in information input from the manual operation section 10A, is
reflected on an operation of setting an attribute defining the
action mode in a plurality of preset levels, at one of the
levels.
[0061] The level of the attribute represents a level (pitching
power) of a pitcher when be throws a ball at full power or while
saving its power, or a level (swing power) of a batter when he
swings a bat. Specifically, as to the attribute level for a
pitcher, when an athlete card 9 is mounted on a front side relative
to the central position of the mounting surface, the pitching power
will be set closer to the full power to increase a pitched-ball
speed and lower a hits-allowed rate while increasing a stamina
consumption. When the athlete card 9 is mounted on a rear side
relative to the central position of the mounting surface, the
pitching power will be saved (the pitched-ball speed is lowered) to
increase the hits-allowed rate while reducing the stamina
consumption. The parameter of stamina consumption is pre-managed,
and configured to be increased in a virtual situation when the
pitcher is on the batting side and in a dugout or bench. Further,
the parameter of stamina consumption for a pitcher is configured to
be reduced depending on the level of pitching power by a
predetermined value.
[0062] As to the attribute level for a batter, when an athlete card
9 is mounted on a front side relative to the central position of
the mounting surface, the swing power will be increased to more
hardly swing a bat, and lower a hitting rate. When the athlete card
9 is mounted on a rear side relative to the central position of the
mounting surface, the swing power will be more saved to suppress a
hard swing and increase a value of the hitting rate. The
increase/decrease in swing power of a batter is reflected on
respective level of distance and speed of a batted ball, i.e., a
height in trajectory (i.e., a value of ascending vertical angle) of
the batted ball, and a hit rate.
[0063] The action-setting section 305 is also operable to perform a
directive determination processing in the image screen in FIG. 15
switched in response to selection of the button "Flashing sign" in
FIG. 12 by a player on the fielding side, and in the image screen
in FIG. 16 switched in response to selection of the button
"Flashing sign" in FIG. 12 by a player on the batting side.
Specifically, when a player on the fielding side selects any one of
the buttons illustrated in FIG. 15, or a player on the batting side
selects any one of the buttons illustrated in FIG. 16, the
action-setting section 305 is operable to accept a content of the
selection from the acceptance section 303 and fix the content of
the selection as a directive selection result. Then, the
unit-sequence execution section 310 is operable to reflect the
directive selection result on a processing of changing a defensive
position of a fielder and a processing of controlling base-running
of a base runner, in such a manner as to simulate an actual
baseball (i.e., according to a control program based on the
baseball rule).
[0064] In this embodiment, the action-setting section 305 is
adapted to create the following transmitting data: "ball release
timing", "pitch type", "selected tactical item", "selected
directive item", "pitch location" and "attribute level (full power
to saved power)" for pitcher data; and "swing timing", "selected
tactical item", "selected directive item", "batted-ball direction"
and "attribute level (hard swing to controlled swing) for batter
data. In the pitcher data, the "ball release timing", i.e., a time
lag relative to the "ball release" (optimum ball release timing) in
the pitcher parameters, is set based on the random number
generation section 308 or a random processing. The "pitch type" is
set from various breaking balls in the pitcher parameters, in
consideration of the directive information and the attribute level.
The "pitch location" is set based on both the pitcher and batter
parameters. In the batter data, the "swing timing", i.e., a time
lag relative to the "swing timing" (optimum swing timing) in the
fielder parameters, is set based on the random number generation
section 308 or a random processing.
[0065] The communication processing section 306 is provided as a
means to allow given information including the strategy information
created by the action-setting section 305 based on the content of
the selection from the manual operation section 10A, to be
bidirectionally transmitted from one of the game apparatuses to the
other game apparatus. Thus, the two game apparatuses can receive
data from the other side to have the same information
therebetween.
[0066] Based on one selected from the tactical items in FIG. 13 or
14 by a player, a success probability of the selected tactical
item, card-mounted position information of each athlete card 9 on
the mounting surfaces 20 and parameter information of the athlete
card in the ROM 3001, obtained from the image pickup section 11
(through the acceptance section 303), and data received from the
opponent's game apparatus through the communication section 306,
the determination section 307 is operable to determine a match
result while taking account of an attribute level as a mode of the
selected tactical item. The determination section 307 is also
operable to subject a success probability of the tactical item
selected by each of the pitcher-side and batter-side players, to a
probability processing based on a pseudo-random number generated by
the random number generation section 308 as will be described in
detail later, so as to determined whether a result of the match is
hit or out (struck out swinging, i.e., whiff). Specifically, if
respective tactical items selected by the pitcher-side and
batter-side players are coincident with each other, the
determination on hit/out is performed using data of one of the
sides which will enjoy an advantage from the coincidence in
strategy, i.e., the batter-side. If the selected tactical items ate
not coincident with each other, the determination on hit/out is
performed using data of one of the sides which will enjoy an
advantage from the non-coincidence in strategy, i.e., the
pitcher-side. In this process, the stamina consumption is also
reflected of the determination. Alternatively, the game apparatus
may be configured such that, when a judgment section (not shown)
determines that a stamina consumption of an athlete becomes equal
to or less than a predetermined threshold, an instruction for
change of the athlete is issued.
[0067] The determination section 307 is also operable, when neither
the tactics item nor the directive item is selected, to perform the
hit/out determination through an after-mentioned hitting processing
(FIG. 9) based on pitcher data or batter data transmitted to the
other game apparatus without any selected tactics item or directive
item.
[0068] The random number generation section 308 is operable to
generate a pseudo-random number in accordance with a predetermined
rule so as to allow the success probability of the tactical item is
subjected to the probability processing using the generated
pseudo-random number, as described above. For example, when a
batter has an advantage as a result of coincidence between the
batter-side and pitcher-side tactical items, and the success
probability of the coincident tactical items is 90%, a counter
countable from 1 to 100 is activated, and the match result is
determined as success (hit) if a value of the counter when it is
stopped at a time determined in accordance with a predetermined
rule is in the range of 1 to 90. Further, if the value of the
stopped counter is in the range of 91 to 100, the match result is
determined as failure (whiff). That is, the success probability of
greater than 50%, e.g., 90%, does not directly lead to success.
This can add a sense of expectancy and unpredictability to provide
enhanced entertainment/amusement of game. The game program
processing section 301 is operable to initialize the random number
generation section 308, before start of a next game, or at start of
a game, or at initiation of each sequence. In a match of the game
between the two game apparatuses, the game apparatuses exchange
their data therebetween through the communication processing
section 306 to perform the probability processing under the same
condition, i.e., using the same data, so that each the random
number generation section 308 in the two game apparatuses can
constantly generate pseudo-random numbers coincidentally to thereby
provide a coincident match result therebetween. Further, when the
unit-sequence execution section 310 performs a probability
processing using a pseudo-random number as will be described in
detail later, a content of the processing can also be constantly
coincident between the two game apparatuses without exchanging
processing data through the communication processing section 310.
This makes it possible to display the same game image on the
respective monitors 3 of the two game apparatuses, along with
progress of the game.
[0069] The game state determination section 309 is provided as a
means to determine a game state (score, pinch, chance, etc.) based
on the number of executed sequences, i.e., the number of innings or
the number of outs in a baseball game, and an adjacent sequence
execution result. When a result of the determination is a
predetermined special state (e.g., final inning) or a notable state
(bases loaded), this state will be reflected on a match result to
be determined by the determination section 307, i.e., a processing
of determining hit/out. This makes it possible to provide higher
excitement to the game.
[0070] The image display control section 302 in this embodiment is
adapted to image the same event from different viewpoint positions
desirable for respective ones of pitcher and batter sides so as to
provide enhanced visibility of game progress to each of
pitcher-side and batter-side players, while it may be configured to
display the same display image (i.e., display images which are same
in a view point of a virtual camera and a direction of a sight
line) on respective ones of pitcher-side and batter-side
screen.
[0071] The unit-sequence execution section 310 is adapted to
sequentially calculate respective movements of a pitcher character,
a fielder character, a batter character and a base runner character
during a series of actions in a process from pitching by a pitcher
through until a result of batting, and a movement of a ball
character configured to simulate a ball, and sequentially lead the
sequential calculation results to the image display control section
302.
[0072] The unit-sequence execution section 310 comprises a
pre-processing section 311 and a post-processing section 312. The
pre-processing section 311 is operable to obtain a processing
result using a content of a determination by the determination
section 305 and parameters used for the determination, before the
pitcher character displayed on the monitor 3 throws the ball
character. Specifically, when a player is on the pitcher side, the
pre-processing section 311 is operable to calculate respective data
about a pitch location (inside/outside pitch), a pitched-ball speed
(using the "ball speed" and "ball release" in the pitcher
parameters), a pitch type, a trajectory of a pitched ball and a
ball-passing position above a home base. When a player is on the
batter side, the pre-processing section 311 is operable to
calculate a trajectory of bat swing, whether the bat can hit the
pitched-ball, and respective parameters of "batted-ball speed",
"batted-ball angle" and "rate of decrease in batted-ball speed" at
a moment when batted, when it is calculated that the bat can hit
the pitched-ball. The respective trajectories of the pitched-ball
character and the bat swing in the above calculations may be
obtained in consideration of a commonly-used dynamics and air
resistance, or may be obtained through a simulation-based
calculation on the basis of a movement close to an actual movement
and at a processing speed required for a game processing.
[0073] The post-processing section 312 is designed for a processing
for an action to be performed after the pitching movement, and
adapted to perform calculations for allowing a fielder character to
have a natural defensive movement, relative to the movements of the
ball character and the base runner character and allowing the base
running character to have a natural base-running movement, relative
to the movements of the ball character and the fielder character
(according to a control program in conformity to the baseball
rule), and perform a calculation for moving the ball character
based on the data at the time when it is hit by the bat character.
The post-processing section 312 is also operable to calculate a
batted-ball speed and a batted-ball angle after hitting, in
accordance with a misalignment and a time lag between respective
ones of the passing position and timing of the ball character above
the home base and the swing position and timing of the bat
character, and by use of the respective parameters of the
"batted-ball speed", the "batted-ball angle" and the "rate of
decrease in batted-ball speed" obtained by the pre-processing
section 311. In this calculation, the "batted-ball speed" and the
"batted-ball angle" may be configured to provide variations in
trajectory of the batted ball, using the random number generation
section 308, so as to produce an enhanced realistic image.
[0074] The post-processing section 312 is operable to repeatedly
perform the above calculation in a predetermined cycle and lead the
obtained result to the image display control section 302 so as to
dynamically display respective movements of the ball character, the
pitcher character, the batter character, the fielder character and
the base runner character on the monitor 3 to achieve more
realistic sequence processing.
[0075] The athlete-card issue processing section 313 is operable,
in response to termination of the game, to generate an instruction
for issuing a predetermined number (in this embodiment, one) of
athlete cards from the athlete card container in the housing 1
through the athlete card issue slot 6. Thus, a player can steadily
collect a different type of athlete card every time he/she plays
the game.
[0076] The ROM 3001 in the game apparatus pre-stores an athlete
character image in a number enough to form one computer-controlled
baseball team and respective parameters of athlete characters
(pitcher parameters and fielder parameters). The opponent-side
strategy setting section 314 serves as a means to achieve a CUP
match against a player using a single of the game apparatus, and
plays a roll of performing a processing of selecting the tactical
item and the directive item, a processing of determining the
attribute level and a match result, and a processing of executing
each sequence. Fundamentally, this opponent-side strategy setting
section 314 is operable to activate the tactical-item setting
section 304, the action-setting section 305, the communication
processing section 306, the determination section 307, the random
number generation section 308, the game state determination section
309 and the unit-sequence execution section 310, in the game
apparatus thereof, in substantially the same manner as that in a
situation where an opponent player exists, and perform an
processing of display an image on a single monitor.
[0077] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a general flow of a game
process. Firstly, the coin sensor 81 detects whether a coin is
input (Step S1). If YES, the image pickup section 11 is activated
to detect that a required number (in a baseball game, nine) of
athlete cards are mounted on the mounting surfaces 20, and read
athlete identification data of the respective athlete cards (Step
S3). Subsequently, after the game is initiated and data exchange
between a player and an opponent is performed, the routine advances
to a processing of executing one sequence for a match against one
batter (Step S5). Every time such a sequence is completed, it is
determined whether the game is terminated (Step S7). When there is
a remaining out or inning, another sequence for a match against a
next batter is set, and the routine returns to Step S3. If it is
determined in Step S7 that the game is terminated, a game
termination processing, for example, of presenting
superiority/inferiority (victory/defeat) on the monitor 3 is
performed (Step S11). Then, one new card 9 is issued, and then this
routine is terminated.
[0078] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a pitching/batting subroutine
included in the sequence execution processing in Step S5
illustrated in FIG. 8. The following description is firstly
described about a subroutine to be executed when the player is on
the pitcher side. A subroutine to be executed when the player is on
the batter side is fundamentally the same as that in FIG. 9, and
therefore a description therefor will be made about only a
different from the subroutine for the pitcher-side player.
[0079] Firstly, data about a pitching/batting processing (work)
executed in an adjacent sequence and the random number generation
section 308 are initialized (Step S21). Then, a strategy
setting/displaying processing and an input of selection, i.e., a
processing of setting a plurality of tactical items, and displaying
the setup tactical items as buttons on the monitor 3 and an input
operation of pressing one of the button, or a processing of
displaying a plurality of directive items as buttons on the monitor
3 and an input operation of selecting one of the button, is
performed, and a result of selection by the player is accepted
(Step S23). Position data of the athlete cards 9 on the mounting
surface 20 are included in the acceptance processing.
[0080] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a tactical-item setting
subroutine included in the strategy setting/display processing. In
response to selection of the "Calling athlete" in FIG. 12, this
subroutine is initiated to transmit information about this
selection to an opponent's game apparatus and correspondingly
display the tactical items. Specifically, for each of a pitcher
character and a batter character, a plurality of tactical items are
created, and a success probability (success rate) of each of the
tactical items is calculated, based on the aforementioned
predetermined pitcher parameter when the player is on the pitcher
side, or the aforementioned predetermined batter parameter when the
player is on the batter side (Step S51). Based on this result, the
number of tactical items and types of tactical items are set
according to a predetermined rule to display the set tactical items
on the monitor 3 (Step S53; see FIGS. 13 and 14), and the
subroutine is kept in a standby state for waiting an input by the
player. Then, information about which button the player presses to
select one of the plurality of tactical items is received as
information about a selected tactical item (Step S55), and the
subroutine is terminated. If a button in at least one of the player
and opponent sides is not pressed within a waiting time, a
processing of arbitrarily or randomly selecting one tactical item
will be performed by the control section 300.
[0081] Returning to FIG. 9, pitching data to be transmitted to the
opponent's game apparatus is created (Step S25). Then, this
pitching data is transmitted to the opponent's game apparatus (Step
S27), and batting data transmitted from the opponent's game
apparatus is received (Step S29). This transmitting/receiving
operation may be performed at a time after a predetermined time has
elapsed from initiation of a batting processing to allow the two
game apparatuses to simultaneously transmit/receive data mutually.
Alternatively, each of the game apparatuses may be configured to
permit an interrupt processing for receiving data, so that data
just after creation thereof can be transmitted to the other game
apparatus. Through this data exchange processing, each of the game
apparatuses will have the same pitching and batting data. The game
apparatuses having the same data can prevent an image from being
displayed with a time lag therebetween so as to provide a game
environment without a feeling of strangeness in the player and
opponent and advantage/disadvantage in the player due to
communication.
[0082] Then, the received batting data is stored in a work area of
the RAM 3002 (Step S31), and the determination section 307 performs
a hitting determination processing based on the pitching data, the
batting data and others (Step S33). In response to receiving
information about the presence or absence of selection of a
tactical mode, the hitting determination processing is performed in
a separated manner between the tactical mode with selection of the
tactical item, and a normal mode without selection of the tactical
item (the normal mode includes a mode with selection of the
directive item), as follows.
[0083] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the hitting determination
processing. In FIG. 11, firstly, in the tactical mode, it is
determined whether the selected tactical items are coincident with
each other (Step S61). If the selected tactical items are
coincident with each other, the subroutine advances to Step S63. If
the selected tactical items are not coincident with each other, the
subroutine advances to Step S69.
[0084] In Step S63, a batter's success probability (success rate,
i.e., hitting rate) for selected tactical item is checked, and the
success probability is subjected to a probability processing using
a pseudo-random number from the random number generation section
308, to determine whether the hitting succeeds or fails, i.e.,
perform a success rate determination (Step S65). If it is
determined that the hitting succeeds, the determination is defined
as "square contact" or "hit" (Step S67). Conversely, if it is
determined that the hitting fails, the determination is defined as
"whiff" (Step S73). In Step S69, a pitcher's success probability
(success rate) for the selected tactical item is checked, and the
success probability is subjected to a probability processing using
a pseudo-random number from the random number generation section
308, to determine whether the pitching succeeds or fails, i.e.,
perform a success rate determination (Step S71). If it is
determined that the pitching succeeds, the determination is defined
as "whiff" (Step S73). Conversely, if it is determined that the
pitching fails, the determination is defined as "square contact" or
"hit" (Step S67).
[0085] In the hitting determination for the normal mode, pitcher's
and batter's success rates are calculated, respectively, from
pitcher data and batter data exchanged between the game
apparatuses, and the success rate in one of the player and opponent
superior in success rate is subjected to a probability processing
using a pseudo-random number from the random number generation
section 308, to determine whether a result of hitting/pitching is
hit or out.
[0086] Returning to FIG. 9, in Step S35, the pitched-ball
trajectory is calculated using the pitching data. Then, a "batting
point" which is a ball-passing position above a home base is
obtained from the calculation of the pitched-ball trajectory, and
set (stored) in the work area (Step S37). Subsequently, based on
the result obtained from the calculation of the pitched-ball
trajectory, a pitching movement and an image of "pitched ball" as a
pitching processing are displayed on the monitor 3 (Step S39).
Then, based on a swing timing, a batted-ball direction and a
batted-ball speed obtained by calculation as a result of batting, a
batting movement and an image of "batting" as a batted-ball
processing are displayed on the monitor 3 (Step S41). Then,
according to the batting result, respective movements of a fielder
character, a base runner and a ball character are sequentially
calculated and displayed as images on the monitor 3 (Step S43).
[0087] When the player is on the batter side, the processings from
Steps #21 to #43 are executed in concurrence with the processings
from Steps S21 to S43. In Step #27, batting data is transmitted. In
Step #29, pitching data is received.
[0088] In the present invention, the following modifications may be
employed.
[0089] (1) The shape of the athlete card 9 is not limited to a
rectangular shape, but may be various other shapes, such as a
square shape and a circular shape, suitable for a type of game to
which the present invention is applied.
[0090] (2) The athlete-card mounted position on the mounting
surface may be changed in the longitudinal (i.e.,
frontward/rearward) direction, in the lateral (i.e.,
rightward/leftward) direction, or in an oblique direction, or in a
combination of two or more thereof. This makes it possible to
appropriately change the card-mounted position depending on the
shape of the card-mounting portion and/or the type of game.
Further, at least a pair of pressure-sensitive sensors may be
disposed on respective ones of the front and rear side of the
mounting surface 20 to change the attribute level depending on by
which of the sensors the athlete card 9 is detected.
[0091] (3) While the game in the above embodiment is a simplified
type where one sequence is processed with respect to each ball
thrown by a pitcher, it may be configured in conformity to the
baseball rule.
[0092] (4) While the game in the above embodiment is made up of a
series of sequences, the game in the present invention is not
limited to this configuration, but may be made up of a single
sequence depending on the type of game.
[0093] (5) In the above embodiment, both the number of tactical
items and a type of tactical item are variable. Alternatively,
either one or both of the number and the type may be fixed.
[0094] (6) While the game apparatus according to the above
embodiment employs the image pickup section 11 for detecting
information on the bottom surface of the athlete card, the present
invention is not limited to this structure, but various other
detection means may be employed. For example, when the bottom
surface information is represented by a barcode, a barcode reader
may be used.
[0095] (7) While the game apparatus according to the above
embodiment is designed as a type of moving the athlete card, the
present invention is not limited to this type. For example, the
athlete card may be fixed to another member, such as a member
capable of mounting the athlete card thereto. Then, the member may
be designed to be displaced (e.g., have a sliding function)
relative to the mounting section 2, and the displacement may be
detected.
[0096] (8) In place of the pair of convex strip-shaped members, the
guide member may be provided by forming a concave portion in an
upper surface of the card-mounting section 2 to extend over a
mounting and sliding range so as to obtain a similar guide assist
function.
[0097] (9) The marks 91, 92 may be marked using a material capable
of absorbing infrared light. In this case, the athlete card 9 may
be made of a material capable of reflecting infrared light (i.e.,
infrared-light reflecting material), or the bottom surface of the
athlete card 9 may be coated with an infrared-light reflecting
material, and the mounting surface 20 may be made of a material
semi-transparent to infrared light. In this case, a grid coated
with the infrared-light reflecting material, or a grid coated with
the infrared-light reflecting material and a grid coated with no
infrared-light reflecting material, may be identified.
[0098] (10) In a CUP match where one player plays a game against a
built-in computer using a single game apparatus, the opponent-side
strategy setting section 314 performs a control and image display
as if the player plays the game against an opponent player. In this
case, for example, in the hitting determination processings in Step
S33 and Step #33, there is no information about card-mounted
position of the athlete card 9, and the computer can fully
recognize operational information of the player. Considering these
situations, a determination processing unique to the CPU match is
included. Thus, when the processings in Step S33 and Step #33 is
initiated, the processings may be separated from each other
depending on whether a match is the normal match using two game
apparatuses or the CPU match, and executed in unique algorithms,
respectively.
[0099] (11) The athlete card may incorporate a tag which is
equipped with an antenna and an IC chip to store character data
(parameters). In this case, a data reader having an antenna may be
provided at a position adjacent to the mounting surface of the
housing 1 to read the character data through radio waves. This
makes it possible to eliminate the need for marking the mark 92 for
the character data, on the bottom surface of the athlete card.
[0100] (12) While the game apparatus according to the above
embodiment is used for a game played by two players, such as a
baseball game, the present invention is not limited to such a
manner, but may be used for a game to be played by three or more
players each using the game apparatus. Further, in addition to the
baseball game, the present invention may be applied to various
types of games where a plurality of players are associated with
each other, for example, in such a manner that a plurality of
strategies competitive to each other are set by the respective
players, and concurrently executed. For example, the present
invention may be applied to American football and sumo wrestling.
Further, the present invention may be applied to a general game,
such as scissors-rock-paper. In such a game, a plot or intension of
each player can be expressed by the term "strategy" or
"tactics".
[0101] As mentioned above, the present invention provides a game
apparatus including image display control means which is adapted to
display a player's character and an opponent character on a display
unit in such a manner as to allow the player's character to take an
action for a match according to an instruction from the player to
thereby obtain a result in accordance with a predetermined rule.
The game apparatus being characterized by comprising a
card-mounting section having a mounting surface for mounting
thereon a card with a predetermined shape, a position detection
section adapted to detect a card-mounted position where the card is
mounted on the mounting surface, a storage section adapted to store
an action of the player's character, and an attribute defining a
mode of the action in a plurality of preset levels, in associated
relation, and action-setting means adapted to set the attribute
corresponding to an action of the player's character instructed by
the player, at one of the levels, depending on the card-mounted
position detected by the position detection section.
[0102] The present invention also provides a game execution program
for use in a game apparatus which includes a card-mounting section
having a mounting surface for mounting thereon a card with a
predetermined shape, and a position detection section adapted to
detect a card-mounted position where the card is mounted on the
mounting surface. The game execution program is configured to allow
a computer of the game apparatus to execute the procedure of
displaying a player's character and an opponent character on a
display unit, and allowing the player's character to take an action
for a match according to an instruction from the player based on
the mounting of the card relative to the mounting surface, to
thereby obtain a result according to a predetermined rule, wherein
the computer functions as: storage control means for storing, in a
storage section, an action of the player's character, and an
attribute defining a mode of the action of the player's character
in a plurality of preset levels, in associated relation; and
action-setting means for setting the attribute corresponding to an
action of the player's character instructed by the player, at one
of the levels, depending on the card-mounted position detected by
the position detection section.
[0103] Further, the present invention provides a method for
controllably executing a game by a computer of a game apparatus
which includes a card-mounting section having a mounting surface
for mounting thereon a card with a predetermined shape, and a
position detection section adapted to detect a card-mounted
position where the card is mounted on the mounting surface, in such
a manner as to display a player's character and an opponent
character on a display unit, and allow the player's character to
take an action for a match according to an instruction from the
player based on the mounting of the card relative to the mounting
surface, to thereby obtain a result according to a predetermined
rule. The method comprises storing, in a storage section, an action
of the player's character, and an attribute defining a mode of the
action of the player's character in a plurality of preset levels,
in associated relation, according to an operation of storage
control means, and setting the attribute corresponding to an action
of the player's character instructed by the player, at one of the
levels, depending on the card-mounted position detected by the
position detection section, according to an operation of
action-setting means.
[0104] In the present invention, respective images of the player's
character and the opponent character are displayed on the display
unit, and the game is played through these characters.
Specifically, in response to mounting the predetermined shaped card
on the mounting surface of the card-mounting section, the
card-mounted position on the mounting surface is detected by the
position detection section. Further, according to an instruction
from the player to the player's character displayed on the display
unit, based on the mounting of the card relative to the mounting
surface, an action for the match will be carried out through the
player's character to obtain a result in accordance with the
predetermined rule. More specifically, an action of the player's
character and an attribute defining a mode of the action in a
plurality of preset levels are stored in the storage section in
associated relation, and, depending on the card-mounted position
detected by the position detection section, the attribute
corresponding to an action of the player's character instructed by
the player is set at one of the levels by the action-setting means.
Thus, when the player's character takes an action on the display
unit, the attribute defining a mode of this action is set at one of
the levels, depending on where the card is mounted on the mounting
surface. This makes it possible to arbitrarily change a mode of the
action of the player's character so as to provide a highly-diverse
game. For example, when the player's character is a pitcher or
hitter character in a baseball game, depending on whether the card
is mounted on the mounting surface, a pitched-ball speed of a ball
character configured to simulate a ball will be variably set as a
level of an attribute representing a pitching power of the player's
character, or a swing speed of a bat character configured to
simulate a bat will be variably set as a level of an attribute
representing a swing power of the player's character.
[0105] Preferably, the opponent character is controlled by opponent
processing means consisting of a computer, wherein the opponent
processing means is operable to instruct the opponent character to
take a competitive action for a match against the player's
character and set a level of an attribute about the competitive
action. According to this feature, in a single of the game
apparatus, a mode of an action of the player's character is
instructed based on the card mounting operation performed by a
player who is a game player, and an action of the opponent
character is controlled by the computer, so that the player can
plays the game by his/her self.
[0106] Preferably, the game apparatus of the present invention
includes a communication section adapted to provide a communication
with an additional game apparatus, wherein: the opponent character
is installed in the additional game apparatus; the additional game
apparatus is adapted to instruct the opponent character to take a
competitive action for a match against the player's character and
set a level of an attribute about the competitive action; and the
image display control means is operable to instruct the display
unit to display an image having a same event as that in a display
unit of the additional game apparatus. According to this feature,
each of a level of the attribute about the action and a level of
the attribute about the competitive action of the player's and
opponent character to be displayed on the respective displays of
the game apparatus and the additional game apparatus is instructed
based on the card mounting operation performed by each of the
player and the opponent, and information about the operation
instruction is transmitted to the other game apparatus through the
communication section, so that the two player can play the game
through the respective game apparatus.
[0107] Preferably, the mounting surface is formed to allow the card
to be slidingly moved therealong in at least a primary direction,
and the action-setting means is operable to set the attribute about
the action of the player's character at one of the levels depending
on a card-slid position where the card is slidingly moved.
According to this feature, when the card is slidingly moved along
the mounting surface in at least the primary direction, the
attribute is set at one of the levels by the action-setting means
depending on the card-slid position.
[0108] Preferably, the mounting surface has a reference
card-mounting position marked on an approximately central region
thereof. Further, the mounting surface is formed to allow the card
to be slidingly moved therealong in a reciprocating manner with
respect to the primary direction, and the action-setting means is
operable, when the card is mounted at the reference card-mounting
position, to set the attribute about the action of the player's
character at an intermediate one of the levels. According to this
feature, when the card is mounted on the reference card-mounting
position in the approximately central region of the mounting
surface, the attribute is set at an intermediate level by the
action-setting means. When the card is slidingly moved relative to
the reference card-mounting position in a reciprocating manner with
respect to the primary direction, e.g., in a frontward/rearward
direction or in a rightward/leftward direction, the attribute is
set at one of the levels by the action-setting means depending on a
sliding distance. Thus, the player can variably set a mode of the
action to be instructed to the player's character displayed on the
display unit, depending on how much the card is slidingly moved
relative to the reference card-mounting position.
[0109] Preferably, the mounting surface is provided with a guide
member which protrudes therefrom to assist the sliding movement of
the card in at least the primary direction. According to this
feature, the player can slidingly move the card along the guide
member in the primary direction in a smooth manner, and set the
card in a desired position.
[0110] Preferably, the guide member consists of a pair of convex
strip-shaped members extending along the primary direction in
spaced-apart relation to each other by a width dimension of the
card. According to this feature, the card is slidingly moved while
being located between the pair of convex strip-shaped members, so
that the card can be slidingly moved accurately and smoothly, and
readily set in a desired position.
[0111] Preferably, the card has a position recognition mark which
is marked on a specific region of a first one of opposite surfaces
thereof, the position detection section includes an image sensor
adapted to pick up an image of the first surface of the card
mounted on the mounting surface, and an image pickup processing
section adapted to determine an image pickup position of the
position recognition mark, based on the image picked up by the
image sensor, and detect the card-mounted position on the mounting
surface, based on the determined image pickup position. According
to this feature, an image of the position recognition mark marked
on a specific region of a first one of opposite surfaces, for
example a bottom surface, of the card, is picked up by the image
sensor, and the image pickup processing section determines an image
pickup position of the position recognition mark, based on the
image picked up by the image sensor. Then, the card-mounted
position on the mounting surface is detected from the determined
image pickup position. Thus, the card-mounted position on the
mounting surface can be accurately detected using the image sensor
only by marking the position recognition mark on a specific region
of one surface of the card.
[0112] Preferably, the position detection section includes an
infrared light-emitting section adapted to emit infrared light onto
the first surface of the card mounted on the mounting surface, and
the position recognition mark of the card is marked using a
material capable of reflecting or absorbing infrared light in a
manner opposite to that in the remaining region except the specific
region of the first surface. Further, the image sensor is provided
with a filter adapted to allow the image sensor to be sensible to
infrared light or insensible to only infrared light. According to
this feature, when the card position recognition mark is marked
using an infrared-light reflecting material, the image sensor
receives light reflected by the card position recognition mark, and
thereby the card position recognition mark is directly recognized.
Conversely, when the card position recognition mark is marked using
an infrared-light absorbing material, and the remaining region
other than the card position recognition mark is marked using an
infrared-light reflecting material, the image sensor receives light
reflected by the remaining region other than the card position
recognition mark, and thereby the card position recognition mark is
indirectly recognized.
[0113] Preferably, the game apparatus of the present invention is
designed to configure a game by a series of sequences, and obtain a
game result depending on a content of the series of sequences,
wherein one instruction for the action given from the
action-setting means corresponds one of the sequences during the
game. According to this feature, one sequence is executed every
time the player instructs the player's character to take one
action, and the game is terminated by sequentially executing a
plurality of sequence. A game result is obtained depending on
contents of execution results of the plurality of sequences. Thus,
the sequence is executed plural times to obtain a game result. This
provides enhanced entertainment/amusement of game.
[0114] Preferably, the card includes a plurality of cards each
having different movement data, and the mounting surface is formed
to allow the plurality of cards to be mounted thereon. Further, the
action-setting means is operable to set a mode of the action to
each of the cards in a given sequential order with respect to each
of the sequences. According to this feature, in each of the
sequences, a mode of the action can be sequentially set to the
different cards to provide variations in the game so as to achieve
further enhanced entertainment/amusement of game.
[0115] When the game is configured to simulate a baseball, and the
player's character is configured to simulate a pitcher, the
action-setting means is preferably operable, according to the
card-mounted position detected by the position detection section,
to set a pitched-ball speed of a ball character configured to
simulate a ball to be thrown by the player's character, as a level
of an attribute representing a pitching power of the player's
character. According to this feature, when the game is applied to a
baseball game, and the player's character is configured to simulate
a pitcher, the action-setting means sets a pitched-ball speed of
the ball character configured to simulate a ball to be thrown by
the player's character, as a level of an attribute representing a
pitching power of the player's character, according to the
card-mounted position detected by the position detection section.
This makes it possible to change a pitched-ball speed of the ball
character.
[0116] Further, when the game is configured to simulate a baseball,
and the player's character is configured to simulate a hitter, the
action-setting means is preferably operable, according to the
card-mounted position detected by the position detection section,
to set a swing speed of a bat character configured to simulate a
bat to be swung by the player's character, as a level of an
attribute representing a swing power of the player's character.
According to this feature, when the game is applied to a baseball
game, and the player's character is configured to simulate a
batter, the action-setting means sets a swing speed of the bat
character configured to simulate a ball to be thrown by the
player's character, as a level of an attribute representing a swing
power of the player's character, according to the card-mounted
position detected by the position detection section. This makes it
possible to change a swing speed of the bat character.
[0117] In this specification, an element or component described as
means for achieving a certain function is not limited to a
structure or configuration described in this specification to
achieve the certain function, but includes any other structure or
configuration, such as a unit, component or element, capable of
achieving the certain function.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0118] In the game apparatus of the present invention, when the
card is mounted on a mounting surface of a card-mounting section by
a player, a card-mounted position on the mounting surface is
detected. A level of an attribute corresponding to an instructed
action is set by action-setting means, depending on the detected
card-mounted position. Thus, when a player's character takes an
action on a display unit, a level of the attribute defining a mode
of the action is set depending on where the card is mounted on the
mounting surface. This makes it possible to arbitrarily change a
mode of the action of the player's character so as to provide a
highly-diverse game.
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