Abstract:
It is an object of the present invention to provide a game system which is capable of maximizing realism of an on-the-spot broadcasting voice or the like. A plurality of on-the-spot broadcasting data previously prepared to be used specific situation in a competition performed in a virtual game space is stored in storage medium. The information corresponding to a play record of the competition is stored as record data. When the competition enters a situation, an on-the-spot broadcasting data is selected from the plurality of on-the-spot broadcasting data by referring to the record data. Information corresponding to the selected on-the-spot broadcasting data is provided to the game user via an information output control device such as a speaker.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a game system directing a game world by superimposing an on-the-spot broadcasting information with voice or the like on a game picture. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     There exists a various genres of the games. For example, a direction technique enhancing a reality of the game by superimposing on-the-spot broadcasting voice on a game picture has been adopted up to these days. However, only an on-the-spot broadcasting voice data corresponding to each scene of the athletic game in one-to-one basis is generated in advance, and the voice data is merely reproduced as voice by selecting the data corresponding to each scene. 
     As a result, a same voice of on-the-spot broadcasting is always reproduced for the same scene, therefore there is no difference in the voice of on-the-spot broadcasting even if the user (player) of the game experiences a plurality of a same scene. There also exists a technique to prepare a plurality of the voice data of on-the-spot broadcasting for one scene and to choose one voice data of on-the-spot broadcasting by utilizing random numbers or the like. However, the above selection is conducted just by the random way and it is not conducted in the manner of properly choosing a voice data of on-the-spot broadcasting in accordance with each game scene. Furthermore it does not sufficiently utilize the direction effect by the voice data of on-the-spot broadcasting. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to enable to provide with information of most suitable voice data for each game scene to the game user, thereby providing a game system and a computer readable storage medium in which the best direction effect by the voice of on-the-spot broadcasting is realized. 
     There will be explained below the present invention. 
     In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a game system which displays a picture describing a situation where a predetermined competition is performed in a virtual game space on a screen of a display device, and provides on-the-spot broadcasting information explaining said competition situation via a predetermined information output device to a user of the game, comprising; an on-the-spot broadcasting data storing device for storing a plurality of on-the-spot broadcasting data made previously as candidates for on-the-spot broadcasting data to be used at the specific scene of said competition; a record data generation device for generating information corresponding to a play record of the competition as a record data, a record data storing device for storing the record data, a data selecting device for selecting a on-the-spot broadcasting data to be used at a game scene from said plurality of on-the-spot broadcasting data by referring to said record data when the competition goes into the specific scene, and an information output control device for providing the user with on-the-spot broadcasting information corresponding to the selected on-the-spot broadcasting data via the information output device. 
     According to this aspect, as on-the-spot broadcasting data is selected by referring to the play record, the reality of the on-the-spot broadcasting information can be enhanced by providing the user with on-the-spot broadcasting information considering the past achievement when the user of the game gets the same scene again where the player achieved an excellent performance, thereby the interest in the game can be increased. 
     Another aspect of the present invention is a computer readable storage medium for the game system by utilizing a computer which displays a picture on the screen of the display device showing a state where a predetermined competition is performed in a virtual game space and provides a game user with on-the-spot broadcasting information explaining a situation of the competition via a predetermined output device, wherein the computer readable storage medium stores a plurality of on-the-spot broadcasting data made previously as candidates for on-the-spot broadcasting data to be used at the specific scene of said competition and a program formed so as to make the computer function as: a record data generation device for generating information corresponding to a play record of the competition as a record data and for storing the data in a predetermined storage device, a data selecting device for selecting a on-the-spot broadcasting data to be used at a game scene from said plurality of on-the-spot broadcasting data by referring to said record data when the competition goes into the specific scene, and an information output control device for providing the user with on-the-spot broadcasting information corresponding to the selected on-the-spot broadcasting data via the information output device. 
     According to this aspect, the program is executed by reading it by the computer so that the computer can serve as the game system of the present invention. 
     The game system and a storage medium may further comprise a voice output device as the information output device and a plurality of on-the-spot broadcasting voice data for outputting on-the-spot broadcasting voice explaining the situation of the competition via the voice output device as the plurality of on-the-spot broadcasting data. 
     In such a case, as on-the-spot broadcasting data is selected by referring to the play record, the reality of the on-the-spot broadcasting information can be enhanced by providing the user with on-the-spot broadcasting information considering the past achievement when the user of the game gets the same scene again where the player achieved an excellent performance, thereby the interest in the game can be increased. Especially, as the on-the-spot broadcasting information is provided to the user as a voice, a competition in the actual world can be correctly reproduced in the game space by the game picture and its on-the-spot broadcasting voice, thereby the interest in the game can be highly increased. 
     In another aspect of the present invention for the game system and a storage medium, the record data may be corresponding to the play record of the competition for the user. The record data may correspond to the play record of the competition of the character appearing in the game space. Golf may be played as the competition and the record data includes information corresponding to at least one of a number of play times at the course set as a stage of the golf or a number of stroke in the past for each hole constituting the course. 
     In this application, “on-the-spot broadcasting information” means what has the game user recognize a scene where a virtual announcer or commentator of the game explains various kind of competitions performed in the game space to the audience in the game space or the audience that watches the competition via a broadcasting of the television, especially “on-the-spot broadcasting voice” means what expresses the information with voice. 
     The information output device includes both what is made by voice and what is made by an image. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the control system of the golf game system of this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example picture displaying a scene when a shot is made in the golf game system of FIG.  1 . 
     FIGS. 3A,  3 B,  3 C, and  3 D are diagrams showing example for play record data to be made in the golf game system of FIG.  1 . 
     FIGS. 4A,  4 B and  4 C are diagrams showing examples of selected on-the-spot broadcasting voice data based on play record data of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure of on-the-spot broadcasting voice data selection process executed for selecting on-the-spot broadcasting voice data fitting to the scene from the play record data of FIG. 4 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the control system constituted as an embodiment of the home-use golf game system of this invention. In the home-use game system, a predetermined game proceeds according to a game program stored in a CD-ROM as a storage medium. 
     This game system comprises a CPU  1  constituted mainly with microprocessor, a ROM  2  and a RAM  3  as the main storage devices for the CPU  1 , a graphics processing unit (GPU)  4  and a sound processing unit (SPU)  6  for image processing and sound processing, buffers  5  and  7  for these units, and a CD-ROM reader  8 . The operating system as a program required for controlling total operation of the game machine is written on ROM  2 . The program and the data for the game read out from CD-ROM  15  as memory medium are written as required on RAM  3 . GPU  4  draws a game picture on the frame buffer  5  by receiving an image data from CPU  1 , transforms the drawn image data into a predetermined video reproduction signal, and outputs it to a monitor  9  at a predetermined timing. The SPU  6  reproduces voice or music data and sound source data that are read out from CD-ROM  15  and are stored in sound buffer  7 , and output them via speaker  10 . The CD-ROM reader  8  reads out the program and data stored on the CD-ROM  15  in line with the command issued by CPU  1 , and outputs signal corresponding to the contents read out. A home-use television set as a monitor and a built-in speaker of the television set as a speaker  10  are used. 
     Further, a communication control device  11  is connected to CPU  1  via bus  14 . A controller  12  and an auxiliary storage device  13  are connected to the device  11  in a detachable manner. Controller  12  functions as an input device and comprises an operation member which receives the operation of the game user (player). The communication control device  11  scans an operation state of an operation member of the controller  12  at a constant interval (for example: {fraction (1/60)} seconds), and outputs a signal to CPU  1  corresponding to the scanning result. CPU  1  judges the operation state of controller  12  based on the signal. The controller  12  and the auxiliary storage device  13  are connectable to the communication device  11  in plural and parallel. 
     In the constitution described above, constitution elements other than monitor  9 , speaker  10 , controller  12 , CD-ROM  15 , and auxiliary storage device  13  are totally accommodated in a predetermined housing and constitutes a main body  16  of the game machine as a computer. 
     A program and data are stored in the CD-ROM  15  to perform a predetermined golf game. FIG. 2 shows an example of a picture used in the golf game. This golf game proceeds by the procedure capturing links  21  displayed on the screen as if the player of the game plays the golf in the actual links by operating the controller  12  so as to operate a golfer  20  as a character. 
     A plurality of the golfer  20  and links  21  are prepared. The game user can select one of the golfer  20 , participate in the tournament using predetermined links and compete with other golfers for strokes. CPU  1  generates a play record data of the user&#39;s play result of the tournament and has the RAM  3  store it. The play record data on the RAM  3  is stored in auxiliary storage device  13  by the predetermined storing operation to the controller  12 . 
     FIGS. 3A,  3 B,  3 C, and  3 D show one example of a play record data. The play record data is made by each golfer  21  (FIG.  3 A). The play record data for each golfer is further made by each links (FIG.  3 B). Data of each links includes information regarding the times of plays and scores from starting to finishing hole. Scores for each hole includes an average and the minimum number of strokes (FIG.  3 D). 
     On the other hand, image data for displaying an image for each links or golfer  20  on the monitor  9  and voice data output via the speaker  10  during the tournament. 
     The voice data is prepared for each scene of the game. One example of this is shown in FIGS. 4A,  4 B and  4 C. FIG. 4A is one example of on-the-spot broadcasting voice data used at a beginning of the tournament. FIG. 4B is one example of on-the-spot broadcasting voice data used at a scene where the golfer  20  moves to the predetermined links during the tournament. FIG. 4C is one example of on-the-spot broadcasting voice data used at a scene where the golfer  20  tees up. A plurality of on-the-spot broadcasting voice data are prepared for each scene and each data is controlled by putting own file names. Each file has a condition to be selected and the condition is stored in CD-ROM  15  corresponding to the file name. 
     As for the group of on-the-spot broadcasting voice data shown in FIG. 4A, number of rounds of the golfer  20  regarding the course where the tournament is held is set as a condition for selection. The number of rounds can be specified by referring information for the number of the rounds of above described play record data(FIG.  3 C). 
     As for the group of on-the-spot broadcasting voice data shown in FIG. 4B, average score of the golfer  20  at the hole to be played is set as a condition for selection. The average score can be specified by the difference between the average strokes of above mentioned play record data (FIG. 3D) and the standard strokes previously set by each links. The standard strokes is made as an own data for each links and stored in CD-ROM  15  together with other information such as the name of the links. However the on-the-spot broadcasting voice data satisfying the condition shown in FIG. 4B can be extracted only by the play record data if an average score (a value subtracting the standard strokes from the average strokes) is memorized instead of the average strokes in the play record data. 
     As for a group of on-the-spot broadcasting voice data shown in FIG. 4C, the best score of the golfer  20  at the hole to be played is set as a condition for selection. The best score can be specified by the minimum strokes (FIG. 3D) in the above described play record data or by the difference between the minimum strokes and the standard strokes for each links. As widely known, if the minimum stroke is “one”, then it means Hole-in-One. If the minimum strokes are smaller than the standard strokes by three strokes, then it makes Albatross. If the minimum strokes are smaller than the standard strokes by two strokes, then it makes Eagle. However the on-the-spot broadcasting voice data satisfying the condition shown in FIG. 4C can be extracted only by the play record data if a flag for judging whether or not there exists an experience of Hole-in-One, Albatross or Eagle is set in the play record data and the state of the flag is changed based on the play record of the golfer  20 . 
     When the game proceeds to the specific scene of the game where each group of data should be used, CPU  1  performs processing described in FIG.  5  and selects one of each on-the-spot broadcasting voice data. In this processing, CPU  1  firstly reads out the play record data from the auxiliary storage device  13  to RAM  3  (step S 1 , however it is skipped if the data is already read out to RAM  3 ). Then CPU  1  extracts on-the-spot broadcasting voice data fitting to the past play record data of the golfer  20  by referring to the information corresponding to the settled condition regarding a group of on-the-spot broadcasting voice data to be used at the specific scene among the read-out play record data (step S 2 ). 
     As for the data shown in FIG. 4, more than two of the on-the-spot broadcasting voice data are extracted as the on-the-spot broadcasting voice data which satisfies the condition. Therefor one on-the-spot broadcasting voice data is selected from them by utilizing random numbers (step S 3 ). Then, by reading out the on-the-spot broadcasting voice data from CD-ROM  15  and passing it to SPU  6 , a on-the-spot broadcasting voice corresponding to the on-the-spot broadcasting voice data is generated via speaker  10 . 
     According to the processing described above, the round number of the golfer  20  regarding the course where the tournament is held in the play record data, at the specific scene of the beginning of the tournament for example, is referred. If the round number is “zero”, then Data  001  and Data  002  are extracted in step S 2 . Furthermore, one of these data is selected in step S 3 , and an on-the-spot broadcasting voice saying. “It seems that the player plays this links for the first time.” is generated via the speaker  10  as a voice corresponding to the data in step S 4 . 
     Thus, in this embodiment of the invention, as the on-the-spot broadcasting voice is selected by referring to the play record of the golfer  20 , it is possible to output more suitable on-the-spot broadcasting voice for the game scene than the case where only the random numbers are used for the selection of on-the-spot broadcasting voice, thereby the interest in the game is more increased. 
     In addition, although the on-the-spot broadcasting information is provided to the game user by utilizing voice in the above embodiment, the on-the-spot broadcasting information also may be provided via a screen of the monitor  9 , for example. The play record data may be made by each character or user of the game. 
     This invention is widely applicable not only to the golf game but to the game including various kind of competition factor such as various kind of sports, matches, challenges to the record or the like. 
     As described above, according to this invention, the information regarding play record is stored as record data and the most suitable information such as on-the-spot broadcasting voice is selected by referring to the record data when the game proceeds to a specific scene, thereby the most suitable information such as on-the-spot broadcasting voice can be provided to the game user and direction effect by on-the-spot broadcasting voice or the like is maximized.