JP4447417B2 - GAME DEVICE, PROGRAM, AND COMPUTER CONTROL METHOD - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a game device, a program, and a computer control method, and more particularly to a technique for blurring a part of a frame image showing a virtual three-dimensional space.

  In a game program based on the theme of automobile racing, an automobile object is arranged in a virtual three-dimensional space, and a state in which the virtual three-dimensional space is viewed from a viewpoint driven by the automobile object is generated as a frame image every predetermined time There is. The frame images generated every predetermined time are sequentially displayed on the monitor.

  The frame image clearly displays the state of the virtual three-dimensional space even when the moving speed of the automobile object in the virtual three-dimensional space (that is, the moving speed of the viewpoint) increases, and the player displays the frame displayed on the monitor. There was a problem that even if you look at the image, you couldn't get enough speed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a game device, a program, and a computer control method by which a player can sufficiently obtain a sense of speed from a display image.

  In order to solve the above problems, the game device according to the present invention sets a viewpoint in a virtual three-dimensional space, generates a frame image showing the virtual three-dimensional space viewed from the viewpoint at predetermined time intervals, In the game device to be displayed, a first frame image storage unit that stores the frame image generated every predetermined time, and a part or all of the frame image stored in the first frame image storage unit Second frame image storage means for storing, and the frame image stored in the first frame image storage means for an image at a position specified by a random number among images stored in the second frame image storage means Translucent compositing means for translucent compositing at a predetermined location of the frame, and frame image display means for displaying the frame image stored in the first frame image storage means. And wherein the door.

  In addition, the program according to the present invention sets a viewpoint in a virtual three-dimensional space, and causes the computer to generate and display a frame image showing the virtual three-dimensional space viewed from the viewpoint every predetermined time. A first frame image storage unit that stores the frame image generated every predetermined time, and a part or all of the frame image stored in the first frame image storage unit A second frame image storage means, a predetermined position of the frame image stored in the first frame image storage means for an image at a position specified by a random number among images stored in the second frame image storage means A translucent compositing means for translucent compositing, and a frame image display for displaying the frame image stored in the first frame image storing means Is a program for causing the computer to function as a. The computer is, for example, a home game machine, an arcade game machine, a portable game machine, a personal computer, a server computer, a portable information terminal, a mobile phone, or the like. The program may be stored in a computer-readable information storage medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or ROM cartridge.

  Further, the computer control method according to the present invention sets a viewpoint in a virtual three-dimensional space, generates a frame image showing a state of viewing the virtual three-dimensional space from the viewpoint, and displays the frame image every predetermined time. A method of controlling a computer for operating the camera, the step of storing the frame image generated every predetermined time in a first frame image storage unit, and the step of storing the frame image in the first frame image storage unit Storing a part or all of the frame image in a second frame image storage unit; and an image at a position specified by a random number among images stored in the second frame image storage unit. A step of semi-transparent synthesis at a predetermined position of the frame image stored in the frame image storage means, and the first frame image storage means; Characterized in that it comprises a step of displaying the serial frame image.

  According to the present invention, an image at a position specified by a random number in part or all of a frame image is translucently combined with a predetermined portion of the original frame image, so that a change can be given to the predetermined portion of the frame image. . Thereby, a feeling of speed can be given to the frame image.

  In one aspect of the present invention, the translucent compositing means calculates a translucent compositing ratio of the image at the position specified by the random number to the frame image according to the moving speed of the viewpoint in the virtual three-dimensional space. Change. In this way, the extent to which the frame image changes can be changed according to the moving speed of the viewpoint.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, the area of the predetermined location is changed according to the moving speed of the viewpoint in the virtual three-dimensional space. In this way, the area where the frame image changes can be changed according to the moving speed of the viewpoint.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a game device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the game apparatus 10 shown in the figure, a consumer game machine 11 connected to a monitor 18 and a speaker 22 is mounted with a DVD-ROM 25 and a memory card 28 which are computer-readable information storage media. Is configured by being connected. The monitor 18 is a home television receiver, and the speaker 22 is a built-in speaker. Further, although the DVD-ROM 25 is used here to supply the program to the consumer game machine 11, any other information storage medium such as a CD-ROM or a ROM cartridge may be used. Further, the program may be supplied to the consumer game machine 11 from a remote place via a data communication network such as the Internet.

  The home game machine 11 is a known computer game including a microprocessor 14, an image processing unit 16, a main memory 26, an input / output processing unit 30, an audio processing unit 20, a controller 32, and a DVD-ROM playback unit 24. System. The microprocessor 14, the image processing unit 16, the main memory 26, and the input / output processing unit 30 are connected to each other via the bus 12 so as to be able to perform data communication with each other. The DVD-ROM playback unit 24 and the memory card 28 are connected. Each component of the consumer game machine 11 other than the controller 32 is housed in a housing.

  The microprocessor 14 controls each part of the consumer game machine 11 based on an operating system stored in a ROM (not shown), a program read from the DVD-ROM 25, and save data read from the memory card 28, and allows the player to play a game. I will provide a. The bus 12 is for exchanging addresses and data among the units of the consumer game machine 11. The main memory 26 includes, for example, a RAM, and a program read from the DVD-ROM 25 and save data read from the memory card 28 are written as necessary. The main memory 26 is also used for work of the microprocessor 14. The image processing unit 16 includes a VRAM. The image processing unit 16 receives image data sent from the microprocessor 14, draws a frame image on the VRAM based on the image data, converts the content into a video signal, and converts the content into a video signal. Output to the monitor 18 at timing.

  The input / output processing unit 30 is an interface for the microprocessor 14 to access the controller 32, the sound processing unit 20, the DVD-ROM playback unit 24, and the memory card 28. The sound processing unit 20 is configured to include a sound buffer, and reproduces various sound data such as game music, game sound effects, and messages read from the DVD-ROM 25 and stored in the sound buffer, from the speaker 22. Output. The DVD-ROM playback unit 24 reads a program recorded on the DVD-ROM 25 in accordance with an instruction from the microprocessor 14. The controller 32 is general-purpose operation input means for the player to input various game operations. The memory card 28 includes a non-volatile memory (for example, EEPROM) and is configured to be removable from the consumer game machine 11. The memory card 28 stores save data for various games.

  In the present embodiment, a DVD-ROM 25 storing a car racing game program is mounted on the game apparatus 10 having the above hardware configuration. Then, when the consumer game machine 11 executes the program stored in the DVD-ROM 25, a game in which car objects arranged in the virtual three-dimensional space race in the same space is realized. In this game, in particular, “blurring” corresponding to the moving speed of the car appears on the game screen displayed on the monitor 18. Hereinafter, the process of adding such “blur” to the game screen (frame image) is referred to as “blur addition process”.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a frame image stored in the VRAM built in the image processing unit 16. If the blur addition process is not executed, this frame image is output as it is to the monitor 18 as a game screen. This frame image is generated by applying a conventionally known three-dimensional graphics technique. That is, a virtual three-dimensional space serving as a stage for a car race is constructed in the main memory 26, and a car object 50, a road object 52, a building object 54, and the like are arranged in the virtual three-dimensional space. Then, the appearance of the front of the car object 50 viewed from the viewpoint arranged in the virtual three-dimensional space so as to follow the car object 50 is imaged, and this image is stored in a VRAM built in the image processing unit 16 as a frame image. (Draw). The state of the virtual three-dimensional space, that is, the position and orientation of each object is updated every predetermined time. Further, the above-described frame image is generated every predetermined time.

  In the present embodiment, a blur addition process, which will be described in detail later, is performed on the frame image stored in the VRAM. Then, the frame image that has been subjected to the blur addition process is displayed on the monitor 18. Thus, the blur-added frame image is updated every predetermined time and is sequentially displayed on the monitor 18.

  Specifically, the blur addition process is performed as follows. That is, first, the upper right quarter of the frame image stored in the VRAM is copied to a predetermined area of the VRAM. This predetermined area may be, for example, a Z buffer area used for hidden surface removal when the frame image shown in FIG. 2 is generated. FIG. 3 shows the upper right quarter of the frame image copied to a predetermined area of the VRAM (hereinafter referred to as “copy frame partial image”). In this blur addition process, a part of the copy frame partial image is translucently combined with a part of the original frame image. At this time, a part of the copy frame partial image and a part of the frame image to be translucently synthesized are determined as follows.

  That is, a part of the frame image is an area surrounded by vertex groups VI1 to VIn and vertex groups VO1 to VOn (here, n = 6) set in advance in the frame image as shown in FIG. The vertex groups VI1 to VIn are set inside the frame image, and the vertex groups VO1 to VOn are set to the end portions of the frame image. The vertex groups VI1 to VIn are set according to the moving speed of the viewpoint in the virtual three-dimensional space. Specifically, when the moving speed of the viewpoint increases, the viewpoint gradually moves toward the center C of the frame image.

  On the other hand, a part of the copy frame partial image is an area surrounded by vertex groups VIc1 to VIcn and vertex groups VOc1 'to VOcn' (here, n = 6) shown in FIG. Among these, the vertex groups VIc1 to VIcn correspond to the vertex groups VI1 to VIn set in the frame image. That is, the vertex VIm (m = 1 to n) set in the frame image corresponds to the vertex VIcm (m = 1 to n) in the copy frame partial image. On the other hand, the vertex groups VOc1 'to VOcn' are generated by moving the vertex groups VOc1 to VOcn using random numbers. The vertex groups VOc1 to VOcn correspond to the vertex groups VO1 to VOn set in the frame image. That is, the vertex VOm (m = 1 to n) set in the frame image corresponds to the vertex VOcm (m = 1 to n) in the copy frame partial image. Then, this vertex VOcm (m = 1 to n) is moved in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction in the copy frame partial image by an amount determined by a random number, respectively, and is moved closer to the center C to obtain the vertex VOcm ′ (m = 1 to 1). n).

  In the present embodiment, the images (images T1 to T10) surrounded by the vertex groups VIc1 to VIcn and the vertex groups VOc1 ′ to VOcn ′ set in the copy frame partial image are converted into the vertex groups VI1 to VIn and the vertexes in the original frame image. Semi-transparent composition is performed at a position surrounded by the groups VO1 to VOn. Since a part of the copy frame partial image to be translucently synthesized is different from a part of the frame image of the translucent destination, “blur” is added to the frame image stored in the VRAM.

  In the present embodiment, the image surrounded by the vertex groups VIc1 to VIcn and the vertex groups VOc1 ′ to VOcn ′ of the copy frame partial image is used as a texture image, and the vertex groups VI1 to VIn and vertex groups VO1 to VOn set in the frame image are used. A method of mapping to the specified polygon group is adopted. At this time, vertex color information (including RGB information and translucency information) is set for each of the vertex groups VI1 to VIn and the vertex groups VO1 to VOn. Specifically, for vertex groups VI1 to VIn, RGB information indicating gray and translucency information indicating maximum transparency are set. For the vertex groups VO1 to VOn, RGB information indicating gray and semi-transparency information indicating predetermined transparency are set. This predetermined transparency is set every predetermined time according to the moving speed of the automobile object in the virtual three-dimensional space (that is, the moving speed of the viewpoint in the virtual three-dimensional space).

  When a part of the copy frame partial image is semi-transparently combined with a part of the frame image, it is performed according to the translucency information included in the vertex color information set in the vertex group VI1 to VIn and the vertex group VO1 to VOn (vertex The color information corrects the color of each pixel of the texture image (including translucency information). For this reason, a part of the copy frame partial image is translucently combined with a part of the frame image so that the translucency gradually changes toward the outside of the frame image.

  In this embodiment, when a part of the copy frame partial image is semi-transparently combined with a part of the frame image for a quarter of the frame image in this way, the copy frame partial image is similarly applied to a predetermined area on the VRAM for the rest. The data is sequentially overwritten and generated, and a part thereof is semitransparently combined with the corresponding part of the original frame image. In this way, the blur addition process is performed on the entire frame image stored in the VRAM.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing game screen generation processing by the game apparatus 10. The processing shown in the figure is realized by the home game machine 11 executing a program stored in the DVD-ROM 25, and is repeated every predetermined time (for example, every 1/60 seconds). . In this process, a frame image is first generated and stored in the VRAM (S101). As described above, the generation of the frame image can be easily realized by using, for example, a known three-dimensional computer graphics technique. Next, one of the upper right, lower right, upper left, and lower left quarter images of the frame image stored in the VRAM is copied as a copy frame partial image to the Z buffer area set in the VRAM (S102). . Then, vertices VOc1 ′ to VOcn ′ (texture coordinates) for specifying a part to be translucently synthesized with the original frame image (parts used as texture coordinates) among the copy frame partial images are determined by random numbers (S103). . Furthermore, the translucency information included in the vertex color information set for the vertices VO1 to VOn, the positions of the vertices VI1 to VIn, and the vertices VIc1 to VIcn are determined according to the moving speed of the viewpoint in the virtual three-dimensional space (S104). . Thereafter, based on the vertex coordinates determined in S103, such as the translucency information determined in S104, a part of the copy frame partial image is translucently combined with a part of the original frame image (S105). Then, the processes from S102 to S105 are repeated for all of the upper right, lower right, upper left and lower left of the frame image (S106).

  According to the game apparatus 10 described above, an image region representing “blur” is formed around the frame image in accordance with the moving speed of the viewpoint in the virtual three-dimensional space (equivalent to the moving speed of the car object). Therefore, a sense of speed can be given to the game screen.

It is a figure showing the hardware constitutions of the game device concerning the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the temporary frame image temporarily stored in VRAM built in an image process part. It is a figure which shows the copy frame partial image temporarily memorize | stored in the Z buffer area | region of VRAM built in an image process part. It is a figure which shows the vertex group set to the temporary frame image. It is a figure which shows the vertex group set to the copy frame partial image. It is a flowchart which shows the game screen production | generation process by the game device which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  10 game machines, 11 consumer game machines, 12 buses, 14 microprocessors, 16 image processing units, 18 monitors, 20 audio processing units, 22 speakers, 24 DVD-ROM playback units, 25 DVD-ROMs, 26 main memories, 28 Memory card, 30 input / output processing unit, 32 controller, 50 automobile object, 52 road object, 54 building object.

Claims (5)

In a game device that sets a viewpoint in a virtual three-dimensional space, generates a frame image showing a state of viewing the virtual three-dimensional space from the viewpoint, and displays the frame image every predetermined time.
First frame image storage means for storing the frame image generated every predetermined time;
Second frame image storage means for storing part or all of the frame image stored in the first frame image storage means;
Translucent synthesis for translucently synthesizing an image at a position specified by a random number among images stored in the second frame image storage means at a predetermined position of the frame image stored in the first frame image storage means Means,
Frame image display means for displaying the frame image stored in the first frame image storage means;
A game apparatus comprising: The game device according to claim 1,
The game apparatus characterized in that the translucent compositing means changes a translucent compositing ratio of the image at a position specified by the random number to the frame image according to a moving speed of the viewpoint in the virtual three-dimensional space. . The game device according to claim 1,
The game device, wherein the area of the predetermined location is changed according to a moving speed of the viewpoint in the virtual three-dimensional space. In a program for operating a computer to set a viewpoint in a virtual three-dimensional space, generate a frame image showing a state of viewing the virtual three-dimensional space from the viewpoint every predetermined time, and display the frame image,
First frame image storage means for storing the frame image generated every predetermined time;
Second frame image storage means for storing part or all of the frame image stored in the first frame image storage means;
Translucent synthesis for translucently synthesizing an image at a position specified by a random number among images stored in the second frame image storage means at a predetermined position of the frame image stored in the first frame image storage means And a program for causing the computer to function as frame image display means for displaying the frame image stored in the first frame image storage means. A computer control method for operating a computer to set a viewpoint in a virtual three-dimensional space, generate a frame image showing a view of the virtual three-dimensional space from the viewpoint at predetermined time intervals, and display the frame image. ,
Storing the frame image generated every predetermined time in a first frame image storage means;
Storing a part or all of the frame image stored in the first frame image storage means in a second frame image storage means;
Translucently compositing an image at a position specified by a random number among images stored in the second frame image storage means at a predetermined location of the frame image stored in the first frame image storage means;
Displaying the frame image stored in the first frame image storage means;
A computer control method comprising:

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