JP3971003B2 - Image creation device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been recorded in the program data, an optical disc, using a magnetic disk, a semiconductor memory, such as those regarding the image creation equipment that is applied to a video game apparatus using a cassette-type recording medium or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art, problems to be solved by the invention]
Many game systems have been proposed. A system composed of a home-use machine and a television monitor, a business-use machine, a personal computer or a system composed of a workstation, a display, and an audio output device.
[0003]
Each of these systems includes a controller for the player to operate, a recording medium on which game program data is recorded, a CPU that performs control for generating sound and images based on the game program data, It comprises a processor for generating, a processor for generating sound, a monitor for displaying images, and a speaker for outputting sound. As the recording medium, there are many CD-ROMs, semiconductor memories, cassettes incorporating semiconductor memories, and the like.
[0004]
In such a game system, generally, a model, which is an individual object displayed on the screen, is composed of a large number of polygons that are two-dimensional images of triangles or quadrangles, and texture data that is two-dimensional image data is assigned to each polygon. It is pasted and displayed on the monitor.
[0005]
The smaller the size of the polygon, the more detailed the image can be constructed. Further, the resolution of the texture to be pasted on the polygon is improved as the size thereof is increased.
[0006]
Here, if the polygon size is reduced, the number of polygons constituting the image increases, so that the required memory capacity increases and a high-performance CPU capable of high-speed processing is required. Further, when the size of the texture is increased, the required memory capacity is also increased.
[0007]
However, since the memory capacity and CPU performance are limited, the sizes of polygons and textures are restricted. In particular, in the case of a home game machine, such restrictions are severe due to cost and size.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide an image creation equipment capable of improving the resolution while using a texture of small size.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1 is an image creation device that creates a curved image using textures having the same line pattern, and stores polygon vertex coordinates of a plurality of polygons arranged adjacent to each other in one direction. Storage means; texture storage means for storing a texture that is non-axisymmetric with respect to a line orthogonal to the one direction and has a line pattern having end points at both end positions in the one direction; and When pasting the texture to the polygon, the end point matches the texture read from the texture storage means and the inverted texture obtained by mirror-inverting the texture passing through one of the end points and perpendicular to the one direction. and a texture adhering means for connecting and paste to each polygon as one texture in order to, said polygon storage means for storing Rigon constitutes a circuit course on an ice skating rink provided in the game space, and the texture stored by the texture storage means has a line pattern representing a curved portion of a course line that divides the circuit course. It is characterized by being.
[0010]
According to this configuration, when a texture having a non-axisymmetric line pattern with respect to a line orthogonal to the one direction is pasted to a plurality of polygons arranged adjacent to one direction, the texture storage is performed. The texture read out from the means and the inverted texture obtained by mirror-inverting this texture are connected to each polygon as a single texture by connecting the end points so that the end points coincide with each other. While being used, the texture size is equivalently doubled and the resolution is improved. As a result, a smooth curved image is created. Moreover, the ice skates provided in the game space A curved line portion of the course line is smoothly created by pasting a texture having a line pattern representing a curved line portion of the course line that divides the circular course to the polygons constituting the circular course on the link.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a game system 1 as an embodiment of the present invention.
This game system 1 includes a game machine body, a television monitor 2 for outputting game images, an amplifier circuit 3 and speakers 4 for outputting game sounds, and a game composed of images, sounds and program data. And a recording medium 5 on which data is recorded. Here, the recording medium 5 is, for example, a so-called ROM cassette, optical disk, flexible disk, or the like in which a ROM or the like in which the game data or operating system program data is stored is stored in a plastic case.
[0012]
In the game machine main body, a bus 7 including an address, data, and control bus is connected to the CPU 6, and a RAM 8, an interface circuit 9, an interface circuit 10, a signal processor 11, an image processor 12, an interface circuit 13, The interface circuit 14 is connected to each other, the controller 16 is connected to the interface circuit 10 via the operation information interface circuit 15, the D / A converter 17 is connected to the interface circuit 13, and the D / A converter 18 is connected to the interface circuit 14. Configured.
[0013]
Here, the RAM 8, the interface circuit 9 and the recording medium 5 constitute a memory unit 19, and the CPU 6, the signal processor 11 and the image processor 12 constitute a control unit 20 for controlling the progress of the game. The interface circuit 10, the operation information interface circuit 15 and the controller 16 constitute an operation input unit 21, the television monitor 2, the interface circuit 13 and the D / A converter 17 constitute an image display unit 22, and the amplification circuit 3. The speaker 4, the interface circuit 14, and the D / A converter 18 constitute an audio output unit 23.
[0014]
The signal processor 11 mainly performs calculation in a three-dimensional space, calculation for conversion from a position in a three-dimensional space to a position in a pseudo three-dimensional space, a light source calculation process, and generation and processing of audio data. Process.
[0015]
Based on the calculation result in the signal processor 11, the image processor 12 performs a process of writing image data to be drawn in the RAM 8, for example, a process of writing texture data to the area of the RAM 8 specified by the polygon. The texture data writing process will be described later.
[0016]
The controller 16 includes a start button 16a, an A button 16b, a B button 16c, a cross key 16d, a stick type controller 16e, a left trigger button 16f, a right trigger button 16g, a C1 button 16h, a C2 button 16i, a C3 button 16j, and a C4 button 16k. , A connector 16m, and a depth trigger button 16n.
[0017]
For example, a memory or the like for temporarily storing the progress of the game can be attached to and detached from the connector 16m.
[0018]
The stick type controller 16e has substantially the same configuration as the joystick. In other words, it has an upright stick and can be tilted over 360 ° including front, back, left and right with a predetermined position of this stick as a fulcrum, and the upright position is the origin according to the tilt direction and tilt angle of the stick. The values of the X coordinate in the left / right direction and the Y coordinate in the front / rear direction are sent to the CPU 6 via the interface circuits 15 and 10.
[0019]
The game system 1 has a different form depending on the application.
That is, when the game system 1 is configured for home use, the television monitor 2, the amplifier circuit 3, and the speaker 4 are separate from the game machine main body. When the game system 1 is configured for business use, all the components shown in FIG. 1 are housed in a single casing.
[0020]
When the game system 1 is configured with a personal computer or workstation as the core, the television monitor 2 corresponds to the computer display, and the image processor 12 is recorded on the recording medium 5. Corresponding to a part of the game program data or hardware on the expansion board mounted in the expansion slot of the computer, interface circuits 9, 10, 13, 14, D / A converters 17, 18, and operation information interface circuit 15 Corresponds to the hardware on the expansion board mounted in the expansion slot of the computer. The RAM 8 corresponds to each area of the main memory or expansion memory on the computer.
[0021]
In the present embodiment, a case where the game system 1 is configured for home use will be described as an example.
[0022]
Next, a schematic operation of the game system 1 will be described.
When a power switch (not shown) is turned on and the game system 1 is turned on, the CPU 6 reads image, sound, and game program data from the recording medium 5 based on the operating system stored in the recording medium 5. Is read. Some or all of the read image, sound, and game program data are held on the RAM 8.
[0023]
Thereafter, the CPU 6 proceeds with the game based on the game program data stored on the RAM 8 and the content instructed by the game player via the controller 16. That is, the CPU 6 appropriately generates a command as a task for drawing or sound output based on the instruction content instructed from the game player via the controller 16.
[0024]
Based on the above command, the signal processor 11 performs generation processing and processing of voice data such as calculation of the position of the character in the three-dimensional space (of course, the same applies in the two-dimensional space), light source calculation, and the like.
[0025]
Subsequently, the image processor 12 performs a process of writing image data to be drawn on the RAM 8 based on the calculation result. The image data written in the RAM 8 is supplied to the D / A converter 17 through the interface circuit 13, converted into an analog video signal here, then supplied to the television monitor 2, and displayed as an image on the tube surface. The
[0026]
On the other hand, the audio data output from the signal processor 11 is supplied to the D / A converter 18 through the interface circuit 14, converted into an analog audio signal here, and then from the speaker 4 through the amplifier circuit 3. Is output as
[0027]
Next, the outline of the game performed in this game system will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing one screen of the game.
[0028]
This game system performs speed skating where one lap set in the ice skating rink competes for the time of one lap in a 400 m lap course. In FIG. 2, a circuit course 31 divided by curved course lines 30 and 30 is displayed, and a player 32 as a character is displayed. The player 32 is controlled to slide on the circuit course 31 by the operation of the controller 16 by the game player.
[0029]
As shown in FIG. 2, the viewpoint position in the screen display during the competition is set behind the player 32 and substantially the same height as the player 32.
[0030]
In this game system, one game player competes with a player controlled by the CPU 6, or a plurality of game players compete with each other by operating the controller 16 in order.
[0031]
Alternatively, a two-player game system may be configured by connecting two controllers 16. In this case, what is necessary is just to divide | segment a screen and to display a game screen, for example on either side.
[0032]
Next, texture data writing processing by the image processor 12 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0033]
As described above, the signal processor 11 performs calculation processing based on the command of the CPU 6, and the image processing processor 12 performs writing processing of image data to be drawn on the RAM 8 based on the calculation result.
[0034]
The RAM 8 stores model data that defines polygons, texture data, color palette data, and the like.
[0035]
Here, the polygon is an object in the game space, that is, a polygonal two-dimensional image constituting a model, and in this embodiment, a triangle or a quadrangle is used. Texture data is two-dimensional image data that is pasted on a polygon to form an image. The color palette data is data for specifying a color such as texture data.
[0036]
The drawing commands generated by the CPU 6 include a command for drawing a three-dimensional image using a polygon and a command for drawing a normal two-dimensional image.
[0037]
Commands for drawing a stereoscopic image using polygons are polygon vertex address data on the RAM 8, texture address data indicating the storage position of texture data to be pasted on the RAM 8 on the RAM 8, and a color palette indicating the color of the texture data. It consists of color palette address data indicating the storage position of data on the RAM 8 and luminance data indicating the luminance of the texture.
[0038]
Among these data, the polygon vertex address data on the RAM 8 is coordinate-converted by the signal processor 11 based on the movement amount data and the rotation amount data of the screen itself from the polygon vertex coordinate data in the three-dimensional space from the CPU 6. Thus, the polygon vertex coordinate data in two dimensions is replaced.
[0039]
Also, the luminance data is determined by the signal processor 11 based on the distance between the light sources virtually arranged from the position indicated by the polygon vertex coordinate data after the coordinate conversion from the CPU 6.
[0040]
The polygon vertex address data indicates an address on the RAM 8, and the image processor 12 stores texture address data assigned in advance in a triangular or quadrangular range of the RAM 8 indicated by three or four polygon vertex address data. Write the texture data shown. Thereby, on the display surface of the television monitor 2, an object in which texture data is pasted on a large number of polygons is displayed.
[0041]
A command for drawing a normal two-dimensional image includes vertex address data, texture address data, color palette address data, and luminance data indicating the luminance of the texture. Among these data, the vertex address data is obtained by coordinate conversion of the vertex coordinate data on the two-dimensional plane from the CPU 6 by the signal processor 11 based on the movement amount data and the rotation amount data from the CPU 6. It is data.
[0042]
Then, as in the case of a stereoscopic image, the image processor 12 writes the texture data indicated by the texture address data assigned in advance to the range of the RAM 8 indicated by the vertex address data.
[0043]
Next, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7, description will be given of pasting a texture for representing an image of a curved portion of the course line 30 shown in FIG. 2.
[0044]
FIG. 3 is a wire frame diagram showing a part of a polygon constituting a circuit course on the ice skating rink. 4 (a) and 4 (b) are diagrams showing the texture used for the curved portion of the course line that divides the circuit course, (a) shows the stored texture, and (b) explains the texture pasting. FIG.
[0045]
5 to 7 are diagrams showing a state in which the texture of FIG. 4 is pasted on the polygon of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the present embodiment, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrams illustrating a comparative example. is there.
[0046]
Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the vertex coordinates of the polygons constituting the curved portion of the course line are P1 to P7, Q1 to Q7, and R1 to R7 in order from the outer peripheral side. The curve portion of the outer course line is constituted by the polygons of the vertex coordinates P1 to P7, Q1 to Q7, and the curve portion of the inner course line is constituted of the polygons of the vertex coordinates Q1 to Q7 and R1 to R7. Moreover, as shown to Fig.4 (a), let the vertex coordinates of a texture be T1-T4.
[0047]
As shown in FIG. 3, in the course line, the polygons constituting the curved portion have a relatively large size except for the areas A1 and A2 which are the connecting portions between the straight portion and the curved portion.
[0048]
This is because the processing performance of the CPU 6, the signal processor 11 and the image processor 12 is limited to some extent, and the number of polygons increases using a small size polygon, so that the computation processing time becomes too long. It is for preventing.
[0049]
On the other hand, the larger the texture size, the higher the resolution and the smoother curve can be created. However, the texture shown in FIG. 4A is a relatively small size of 32 × 32 dots in this embodiment. This is because the texture size is limited.
[0050]
In the game system of the present embodiment, for example, 32 × 32 dots when full color is translucent, for example, 64 × 32 dots when full color is opaque, for example, 64 × 64 dots are limited when 16 colors are opaque. Has been.
[0051]
Therefore, since a texture having a large size cannot be used, and a texture having a small size is used, if the texture is pasted as it is, the resolution becomes low and a smooth curve cannot be obtained.
[0052]
Therefore, in the present embodiment, the image processor 12 converts the texture shown in FIG. 4A read from the RAM 8 and the inverted texture obtained by mirror-inverting the texture into the polygon shown in FIG. As shown in b), they are connected to form one texture, which is pasted on each polygon.
[0053]
A description will be given of the pasting of the texture to the polygons constituting the curved portion of the outer course line represented by the vertex coordinates P1 to P7 and Q1 to Q7.
[0054]
Affixed to the vertex coordinates P1, Q1, P2, and Q2 of the quadrangular polygon so that the vertex coordinates T1, T2, T1 ′, and T2 ′ of the texture coincide.
[0055]
Similarly, the texture vertex coordinates T1, T2, T1 ′, and T2 ′ are pasted so as to coincide with the vertex coordinates P2, Q2, P3, and Q3 of the adjacent quadrilateral polygons.
[0056]
Similarly, the texture shown in FIG. 4B, that is, the texture shown in FIG. 4A, is applied to each of the quadrilateral polygons represented by the vertex coordinates P1 to P7 and Q1 to Q7 constituting the curved portion of the outer course line. Paste the inverted texture as one texture.
[0057]
Similarly, the texture shown in FIG. 4B is also pasted to the polygons constituting the curved portions of the inner course line represented by the vertex coordinates Q1 to Q7 and R1 to R7.
[0058]
The texture shown in FIG. 4A has a non-symmetrical curve (line pattern) with respect to a line orthogonal to the adjacent direction of the polygon when pasted on the polygon. Since the related texture is a single texture, the ends of the curve of the texture coincide with each other adjacent to the polygon.
[0059]
In this way, using the texture and the inverted texture shown in FIG. 4A is equivalent to increasing the size of the texture twice as large as 64 × 32 dots as shown in FIG. 4B. Therefore, a high-resolution texture can be obtained.
[0060]
As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, smooth curves can be created as the curved portions of the course lines 30 and 30 that delimit the circuit course 31.
[0061]
In contrast, FIG. 6 shows that the texture vertex coordinates T1, T2, T3, and T4 are pasted so as to coincide with the polygon vertex coordinates P1, Q1, P2, and Q2, respectively. However, the textures are pasted to the respective quadrilateral polygons in order without mirror inversion, such as pasting so as to coincide with the vertex coordinates P2, Q2, P3, Q3.
[0062]
In this case, since the texture having the non-symmetrical curve is pasted without being mirror-inverted, the ends of the curves 50 do not match. Further, since the resolution of the texture is low, in FIG. 6, the curves 50 are each expressed almost linearly.
[0063]
FIG. 7 is a diagram in which two textures that are not mirror-inverted are attached to each square polygon as one texture. Even in this case, as in the case of FIG. 6, the ends of the curves 60 do not match.
[0064]
In addition, when a texture having a large size can be used, it is easiest to create a texture having a course line when the circuit course is viewed from the top and paste the texture to the polygons constituting the entire circuit course. However, in this case, since the distance cannot be measured on the screen after the texture is pasted and the image processing is performed, it is not possible to accurately create a 400 m round course as in this embodiment. .
[0065]
Another possible method is to create the course line itself with polygons and superimpose it near the ice surface of the link. However, as in this embodiment, when the viewpoint position is set at almost the same height position as the player along the circuit course, the polygon edges will appear on the screen unless the polygon size is made quite small. Therefore, it is not realistic considering the processing load on the CPU.
[0066]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the texture size shown in FIG. 4A and the inverted texture are pasted as one texture, so that the size of the texture is equivalently doubled to 64 × 32 dots. The texture can be high resolution.
[0067]
As shown in FIG. 4 (a), the texture of the present embodiment has a non-symmetrical curve, but they are mirror-inverted from each other. Therefore, as shown in FIG. As a result, the ends of the two lines coincide with each other, and a smooth course line can be created as a whole.
[0068]
As described above, the present invention creates a curved image using a texture having the same line pattern, and a plurality of polygons arranged adjacent to one direction are arranged in the one direction. When pasting a texture having a non-axisymmetric line pattern with respect to an orthogonal line, the texture read from the texture storage means and the inverted texture obtained by mirror-inverting this texture are connected to each other as a single texture. Since it is pasted on the polygon, it is possible to increase the size of the texture equivalently twice while using the texture having the same line pattern, thereby improving the resolution and smooth curved image. Can be created.
[0069]
Further, by pasting a texture having a line pattern representing a curved portion of a course line that divides the circulating course on a polygon constituting a circular course on an ice skating rink provided in the game space, the curved portion of the course line Can be created smoothly.
[0070]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a texture having a non-axisymmetric line pattern with respect to a line orthogonal to the one direction is pasted to a plurality of polygons arranged adjacent to one direction. Since the texture read from the texture storage means and the inverted texture obtained by mirror-inverting this texture are connected so that the end points coincide with each other and pasted to each polygon as a single texture, it has the same line pattern While using the texture, the size of the texture can be equivalently increased by a factor of two, thereby improving the resolution and creating a smooth curved image.
[0071]
In addition , the texture of the course line is pasted by pasting a texture having a line pattern representing the curved portion of the course line that divides the circuit course on the polygon that forms the circuit course on the ice skating link provided in the game space. The part can be created smoothly.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a game system as an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing one screen of a game.
FIG. 3 is a wire frame diagram showing a part of a polygon constituting a circuit course on an ice skating rink.
FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams showing textures used for a curved portion of a course line that divides a circuit course.
5 is a diagram showing a state in which the texture of FIG. 4B is pasted on the polygon of FIG. 3 and showing the present embodiment.
6 is a diagram showing a state in which the texture of FIG. 4A is pasted on the polygon of FIG. 3, and is a diagram showing a comparative example.
7 is a diagram showing a state in which the texture of FIG. 4A is pasted on the polygon of FIG. 3, and is a diagram showing a comparative example.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Television monitor 3 Amplification circuit 4 Speaker 6 CPU
7 bus 8 RAM
9, 10, 13, 14 Interface circuit 11 Signal processor 12 Image processor 16 Controller 30 Course line 31 Round course 32 Players

Claims (1)

An image creation device for creating a curved image using a texture having the same line pattern,
Polygon storage means for storing vertex coordinates of a plurality of polygons arranged adjacent to each other in one direction;
Texture storage means for storing a texture having a line pattern that is non-axisymmetric with respect to a line orthogonal to the one direction and has end points at both end positions in the one direction;
When pasting the texture to each polygon, the texture read from the texture storage means and the inverted texture obtained by mirror-inverting the texture passing through one of the end points and perpendicular to the one direction are the end points. Texture pasting means for connecting to each polygon as a single texture connected to match each other ,
The polygon stored by the polygon storage means constitutes a circuit course on an ice skating rink provided in the game space.
The image creating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the texture stored by the texture storage means has a line pattern representing a curved portion of a course line that divides the circuit course .

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