JP6261141B2 - game machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a game machine having an input device configured to allow a user to perform a specific operation.

  The game machine is provided with various operation devices such as a push button type operation device, a lever type operation device, and a rotation operation type operation device as input devices for detecting a user operation (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ).

Japanese Patent No. 2922509

  Conventional input devices for game machines are typically provided in a relatively narrow range that allows the user to operate while facing the display device. Therefore, the user's actions during play are limited and relatively small, and there is room for improvement in order to enhance the interest of the game. There is also a problem that if the user wants to appeal to the surroundings that the user is playing a game, the user's spontaneous performance must be left to him.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a game machine that can invite a user's larger action to enhance the interest of the game, and can make the user's play more impressive.

  A game machine according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a display device, an input device that detects a user operation located in a play area set on the near side of the display device, and a game according to a detection result of the input device. And at least one side of the user when the user is positioned in the play area so as to face the display device as at least a part of the input device. A side operation device is provided that allows the user to change the operation position along a route provided to extend from the side of the user to the front.

The perspective view which shows the external appearance structure of the game machine which concerns on one form of this invention. The front view of the game machine of FIG. The right view of the game machine of FIG. The top view of the game machine of FIG. The enlarged plan view of the principal part in the rear end side of a slider operating device. The side view which showed the principal part of the slider operating device from the direction along a guide rail. Sectional drawing along the VII-VII line of FIG. The enlarged plan view of the principal part in the front end side of a slider operating device. Sectional drawing along the guide rail of the principal part shown in FIG. The top view which shows the principal part of a pushing operation apparatus. The front view in the principal part of a pushing operation apparatus. Sectional drawing along the XII-XII line | wire of FIG. The block diagram in the principal part of the control system of the game machine of FIG. The figure which shows schematic structure of sequence data. The figure which shows an example of the screen at the time of instruct | indicating operation of a pushing operation apparatus. The figure which shows an example of the screen at the time of instruct | indicating position designation operation with respect to a slider operating device. The figure which shows an example of the screen at the time of instruct | indicating direction designation | designated operation with respect to a slider operating device. The figure which shows an example of the screen at the time of instruct | indicating the flying operation with respect to a slider operating device, and drawing-in / flighting operation. The figure which shows an example of a structure of the virtual three-dimensional space for drawing the screen of FIG.15 and FIG.16. The figure which shows another example of a structure of virtual three-dimensional space. The figure which shows the correspondence of the direction on a screen and a symbol in the case of drawing a screen as a two-dimensional image. The figure which shows an example which implement | achieves a slider operating device using a touchscreen input device. The figure which shows the other example which implement | achieves a slider operation apparatus using a touchscreen input device.

  1 to 4 show an external configuration of a game machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. The game machine 1 includes a main housing 2 and slider operation devices 3L and 3R as examples of side operation devices provided on the left and right sides of the main housing 2. The main housing 2 includes a box-shaped base portion 4 installed on the floor surface of an arcade facility, etc., a console portion 5 provided on the upper surface side of the base portion 4, and a rear end side or a heel side of the console portion 5. And a top panel portion 6 provided so as to protrude upward (from the right in FIG. 1). The console unit 5 is provided with at least a part of an input / output device that instructs a user as a player to perform an operation and accepts the user's operation.

  The console portion 5 has an upper surface 7 that is inclined so as to draw an upward gradient from the front end toward the rear end. A liquid crystal monitor (hereinafter abbreviated as a monitor) 8 as an example of a display device is attached to the console unit 5. The monitor 8 is arranged with its display surface 8 a in a vertically long orientation, and is positioned so as to be inclined along the upper surface 7 of the console unit 5 and attached to the main housing 2. A user as a player plays a game while viewing an image displayed on the monitor 8 while standing on the front side of the monitor 8 so as to face the monitor 8 of the console unit 5. Therefore, in the game machine 1, an area on the near side of the monitor 8 and adjacent to the front end of the main housing 2 corresponds to the play area PA (FIG. 1). As viewed from the user located in the play area PA, on the front side of the monitor 8 of the console unit 5, as a part of the input device that detects the user's operation, a push button type push operation device 10 that detects the push operation of the user Is provided. In addition, although various operation devices may be provided in the console unit 5, their illustration is omitted. Furthermore, the outer periphery in the left-right direction of the console part 5 is symmetrically curved so that a central part in the front-rear direction draws an arc that swells outward from both ends. The center of curvature of these curved portions substantially coincides with the center of the display surface 8 a of the monitor 8. Note that the top panel unit 6 is provided with an illumination device that plays a game effect or the like, or an audio device such as a speaker 9.

  The slider operating devices 3L and 3R include a base portion 12 integrally connected to the base portion 4 of the main housing 2, a guide unit 14 supported by the base portion 12 via a plurality of support columns 13, and a guide unit. 14 is provided with a slider 15 as an example of an operation member attached to 14. The slider 15 is a physical operation member to be operated by the user. The slider operation devices 3L and 3R are provided symmetrically on the left and right with the main housing 2 interposed therebetween. Therefore, in the following description, when the slider operating devices 3L and 3R are not distinguished, they may be expressed as the slider operating device 3.

  The guide unit 14 is provided as an example of a guide mechanism for guiding the slider 15 so as to be operated along a guide route GR as an example of a predetermined route. The guide unit 14 includes a guide rail 16 as an example of a rail-shaped member, and a rail support base 17 that supports the guide rail 16. A guide route GR is defined by the guide rail 16. When the user stands in the play area PA so as to face the monitor 8, the guide rail 16 is provided so as to extend in front of the user while wrapping around the console unit 5 from the back side when viewed from the user. That is, the front end of the guide rail 16 protrudes from the front end of the main housing 2 and extends to the back side of the user, and the rear end of the guide rail 16 reaches both sides of the top panel portion 6 of the main housing 2. It has been extended to the extent. In addition, the front when the state seen from the user is a reference corresponds to the rear end side or the heel side (right side in FIG. 3) of the main housing 2.

  As apparent from FIGS. 1 to 3, the guide rail 16 is disposed at a position slightly higher than the console portion 5 and is inclined obliquely so as to be substantially parallel to the upper surface 7 of the console portion 5. Supported by the base portion 12. Thereby, when viewed from the user of the play area PA, the guide rail 16 is inclined so as to draw an upward gradient from the side of the user toward the front. Similarly to the outer periphery of the console unit 5, the guide rail 16 is curved so as to draw an arc that swells outward as viewed from the user located in the play area PA. The center of curvature of the guide rail 16 is generally located on the normal line when the normal line is extended from the center of the display surface 8 a of the monitor 8. The rail support 17 is provided to extend from the front end side to the rear end side of the main housing 2 while being curved along the guide rail 16 so that the guide rail 16 can be supported over the entire length thereof.

  The rail support 17 is configured as a duct-like component having a hollow portion inside and curving along the guide rail 16. The rail support base 17 is attached to the base portion 12 in a state of being inclined similarly to the guide rail 16. Inside the rail support 17, various components necessary for a sensor for detecting the position of the slider 15 and other guide units 14 are accommodated. The rail support base 17 is provided with a stopper 17 a that prevents the slider 15 from coming off at the rear end side of the guide rail 16.

  The slider 15 is mounted on the guide rail 16 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction along a curved guide path GR formed by the guide rail 16. Since the guide route GR extends in the front-rear direction so as to wrap around the console unit 5 and the play area PA, when the user is positioned in the play area PA so as to face the monitor 8, the guide route is viewed from the user. The GR extends from the user's back side to the rear end (upper end) of the monitor 8 along both sides of the monitor 8 or forwards to the extent beyond the rear end of the monitor 8. Therefore, the user needs to operate the slider 15 by moving the upper arm around the shoulder joint while twisting the upper body and waist. Such an operation is an operation that requires a larger action than, for example, a push-in operation on the operation unit of the push-in operation device 10. By requesting the user for such an unprecedented operation, the interest of the game can be enhanced, and the effect of appealing the user's action to the surroundings can be enhanced.

  Next, details of the slider operating device 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 9 show a part of the slider operating device 3R on the right side. As described above, the left slider operating device 3L is bilaterally symmetric with respect to the right slider operating device 3R, and the configuration thereof is the same as that of the right slider operating device 3R.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the slider 15 has a triangular shape as a basis, and has a planar shape with rounded sides and corners. The slider 15 is attached to the guide rail 16 so as to be evenly distributed between the left and right sides of the guide rail 16 with the bottom portion thereof facing the front end side (left end side in FIG. 5) of the guide rail 16. As shown in FIG. 6, the slider 15 has the operation plate 15a having the above-described planar shape, and a guide block 15b protruding from the lower surface side of the operation plate 15a. The guide block 15b is slidably fitted to the guide rail 16. The guide rail 16 is provided with a central guide surface 16a and a flange 16b protruding from the central guide surface 16a in the left-right direction. The flange 16b is provided with an upper guide surface 16c directed upward, a side guide surface 16d directed in the left-right direction, and a lower guide surface 16e directed downward. The upper guide surface 16c and the lower guide surface 16e are parallel to each other, and the thickness of the flange 16b between the guide surfaces 16c and 16e is constant.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the guide block 15b of the slider 15 includes an upper roller 18 (see also FIG. 7) in contact with the upper guide surface 16c, a side roller 19 in contact with the side guide surface 16d, and a lower guide. A lower roller 20 in contact with the surface 16e is provided. The guide rail 16 is sandwiched between the rollers 18, 19, and 20 in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, so that the slider 15 is attached to the guide rail 16 so as to be movable along the guide rail 16.

  As is clear from FIG. 7, a pair of pressure rollers 21 in contact with the central guide surface 16 a is further provided inside the guide block 15 b of the slider 15. The pressure roller 21 is attached to the slider 15 via a roller holder 23 that can rotate about a support shaft 22. A spring that generates a force for pressing the pressure roller 21 against the central guide surface 16a in a gap between the slider 15 and the guide rail 16, specifically, a gap between the lower surface side of the operation plate 15a and the roller holder 23. A compression coil spring 24 is provided as an example of the means. A repulsive force acts between the pressure roller 21 and the central guide surface 16a by the compression coil spring 24, and a resistance against the movement of the slider 15 is generated along with the repulsive force.

  In order to change the resistance acting on the slider 15, the height of the central guide surface 16a with respect to the upper guide surface 16c differs depending on the position of the guide rail 16. That is, the central guide surface 16a is maintained at a constant height in the intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 16, and the central guide surface 16a gradually increases toward both ends of the guide rail 16 in a certain range from both ends of the guide rail 16. The central guide surface 16a is inclined so as to be higher. Thereby, the size of the gap between the operation plate 15 a and the central guide surface 16 a is relatively large at the intermediate portion of the guide rail 16 and relatively small at both ends of the guide rail 16.

  The repulsive force of the compression coil spring 24 decreases as the gap amount between the operation plate 15a of the slider 15 and the central guide surface 16a increases. Therefore, the resistance when the slider 15 moves along the guide rail 16 is relatively small at the intermediate portion of the guide rail 16 and relatively large at both ends of the guide rail 16. By changing the resistance in this manner, the slider 15 can be operated with a relatively light force at the intermediate portion of the guide rail 16, while a braking force against the movement of the slider 15 is generated at both ends of the guide rail 16. Thus, the slider 15 is decelerated to avoid the possibility of the slider 15 hitting other parts at both ends of the guide path GR, and even if it hits, the impact caused by it can be reduced. In the middle portion of the guide rail 16, the central guide surface 16a and the upper guide surface 16c are substantially flush with each other. Therefore, the central guide surface 16a protrudes above the upper guide surface 16c at both ends of the guide rail 16.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a slide operation detection mechanism 25 that detects the operation of the slider 15 is provided inside the rail support base 17. As an example, the slide operation detection mechanism 25 is fixed to the detection plate 26 attached to the guide block 15b so as to protrude to the side of the slider 15 and the inside of the rail support base 17 so that the detection plate 26 can pass therethrough. And a plurality of photosensors 27 (only one is shown in FIG. 6) having slits 27a. The photosensors 27 are provided at appropriate intervals along the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 16. When the detection plate 26 passes through the slit 27a of the photosensor 27, the photosensor 27 outputs a predetermined detection signal. These photosensors 27 detect the position of the slider 15 on the guide route GR. The interval between the photosensors 27 may be changed as appropriate according to the position of the guide rail 16. For example, the photosensors 27 may be relatively densely arranged at the center of the guide rail 16, and the photosensors 27 may be relatively coarsely arranged at both ends of the guide rail 16. In this case, the position of the slider 15 can be detected more finely at the middle portion of the guide route GR where the user can operate the slider 15 relatively easily. Of course, the photosensors 27 may be arranged at regular intervals over the entire length of the guide rail 16. Photosensors 27 may be installed at coarser intervals at the rear end of the guide rail 16. This is because the rear end portion of the guide rail 16 is an area in which it is difficult for the user to operate the slider 15, and it is sufficient that the position of the slider 15 can be roughly detected in such an area. The mechanism for detecting the operation of the slider 15 is not limited to the illustrated example, and can be appropriately changed. For example, the photo sensor 27 may be provided below the slider 15. Instead of the photo sensor 27, various non-contact sensors such as an electromagnetic induction type, a capacitance type, or a magnetic type proximity sensor may be used for position detection.

  8 and 9 show the configuration of the guide unit 14 on the front end side of the guide rail 16. As described above, the guide rail 16 is inclined so as to be inclined upward toward the rear end side of the main housing 2. Therefore, when the user operates the slider 15 to push forward along the guide rail 16, in other words, toward the rear end of the guide rail 16, the slider 15 gradually decelerates toward the rear end of the guide rail 16. Eventually, it moves so as to return toward the front end of the guide rail 16 by its own weight. As described above, the resistance against the movement of the slider 15 increases at both ends of the guide rail 16, so the slider 15 decelerates in the process of reaching the front end of the guide rail 16. Since the sliders 15 are relatively close, it is desirable to give the slider 15 a greater deceleration action before the slider 15 reaches the front end of the guide path GR. Therefore, a braking mechanism 30 is provided at the front end of the guide rail 16 as an example of a braking unit that brakes the dropping operation of the slider 15 and stops the slider 15 at a predetermined stop position.

  The braking mechanism 30 includes a first braking portion 31 provided to contact the front end surface of the guide block 15b of the slider 15 and a second braking portion 32 provided to contact the lower surface side of the guide block 15b. I have. The first braking unit 31 includes a pair of stoppers 34 supported by a guide 33 attached to the front end of the guide rail 16 so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 16, and the stoppers 34 connected to the rear end of the guide rail 16. And a compression coil spring 35 that generates a spring force in a direction of pushing toward the side. One second braking portion 32 is provided on each of the left and right sides of the guide rail 16. Each of the second braking portions 32 is mounted on the pressure roller 36 that contacts the lower surface of the guide block 15 b of the slider 15 and the recess 16 f on the lower surface side of the guide rail 16, and the pressure roller 36 is guided to the center of the guide rail 16. And a pressure applying unit 37 that pushes up in a direction protruding from the surface 16a. The pressure applying unit 37 is configured to push up the pressure roller 36 by using, for example, a restoring force against the winding of the torsion coil spring. In FIG. 9, the state where the pressure roller 36 is pushed up is shown by a solid line, and the state where the pressure roller 36 is pushed down is shown by an imaginary line.

  When the slider 15 moves to the front end portion of the guide rail 16 and enters the operating range of the braking mechanism 30, the stopper 34 of the first braking portion 31 is pushed by the guide block 15b of the slider 15, and the pressure roller 36 is guided by the guide block. It is pushed downward by 15b. Along with these displacements, the repulsive force of the compression coil spring 35 and the pressure applying unit 37 increases, whereby a braking force against the dropping operation of the slider 15 acts on the guide block 15b. The slider 15 is braked by the braking force so as to stop at the stop position PS shown in FIGS.

  The stop position PS is set at a position slightly deviated toward the rear end side of the guide rail 16 from the front end of the guide path GR. Therefore, when the slider 15 stopped at the stop position PS is pulled toward the front end side of the guide rail 16, the slider 15 is displaced so that the stopper 34 and the pressure roller 36 are pushed in, and the slider 15 is moved to the front end side of the guide path GR, that is, the front end side. If it sees from the user of play area PA, it can move to the back side further. Since the operation is to be performed against the repulsive force of the compression coil spring 35 and the pressure applying unit 37, the slider 15 is moved between the stop position PS and the rear end of the guide rail 16 as viewed from the user. It can be positioned as an operation clearly different from the operation to be moved. Thereby, the kind of operation which should be performed with respect to the slider 15 can be increased, and the interest of a game can be improved.

  Next, details of the push-in operation device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. The push operation device 10 includes a chassis 40 serving as a base for mounting the push operation device 10 on the main housing 2, and a plurality (four in the illustrated example) of operation members 41 mounted on the chassis 40. And a detection mechanism 42 that detects the operation of each operation member 41. 10 and 11 show a state where one operation member 41 is mounted on the chassis 40. FIG. The chassis 40 is a sheet metal processing part, and is bent at a substantially right angle with respect to the frame portion 40a so as to extend downward along the outer periphery of the monitor 8 and the frame portion 40a extending along the display surface 8a of the monitor 8. And four support legs 40b. The frame portion 40a is formed with an extraction window 40c having a substantially pentagonal shape. The same number of extraction windows 40c as the operation members 41 are provided. These extraction windows 40c are provided side by side at regular intervals in the left-right direction of the main housing 2.

  In the chassis 40, the frame portion 40 a overlaps with a certain range on the lower end side as an example of the outer peripheral portion in the display surface 8 a of the monitor 8, and the support leg portion 40 b is the outer peripheral surface (side surface) of the outer frame (not shown) of the monitor 8. ) And is fixed to the console section 5 of the main housing 2 in a state of being arranged so as to extend downward. The support leg portion 40 b is inserted into the console portion 5 and is appropriately fixed to the internal structure of the main housing 2. Thereby, from the external appearance of the game machine 1, the support leg part 40b and the components mounted along this are hidden. Further, a cover 43 (see FIG. 1) is attached to the frame portion 40a except for a portion where the extraction window 40c is formed. Thereby, the frame portion 40a and the components attached thereto are also hidden from the appearance of the game machine 1 except for the portion of the extraction window 40c.

  The four operation members 41 have the same shape and size. Each operation member 41 is integrally formed with an operation unit 45 and an interlocking unit 46. The operation portion 45 is formed in a substantially pentagonal flat plate shape that is detachably fitted to the extraction window 40c. The operation unit 45 is disposed so as to protrude somewhat above the chassis 40 through the extraction window 40c. The interlocking portion 46 is bent from the rear end side (right end side in FIG. 12) of the operation portion 45 along the frame portion 40a, and is bent at a substantially right angle from the first lever portion 46a. And a second lever portion 46b extending along the support leg portion 40b.

  Of the operation member 41, at least the operation unit 45 is formed of a material that is transparent to the visible light wavelength region. As described above, the chassis 40 is attached to the main housing 2 such that the extraction window 40c is overlapped with a certain range on the lower end side of the display surface 8a as an example of the outer peripheral portion of the display surface 8a of the monitor 8. Therefore, the operation unit 45 is also arranged so as to overlap the display surface 8a. Therefore, the image displayed on the display surface 8a can be seen through the operation unit 45. The interlocking part 46 is also integrally formed of the same material as the operation part 45. However, the interlocking portion 46 is not necessarily formed of the same material as the operation portion 45. The interlocking portion 46 may be connected to the operation portion 45 with a bolt or the like as a sheet metal working part, or the interlocking portion 46 may be formed integrally with the operation portion 45 using an insert molding method or the like.

  A support shaft 47 extending in the left-right direction of the main housing 2 is attached to a boundary position between the frame portion 40 a and the support leg portion 40 b of the chassis 40. The operation member 41 is supported by the chassis 40 so as to be rotatable about the support shaft 47 by attaching the interlocking portion 46 to the chassis 40 via the support shaft 47. Accordingly, when the operation unit 45 is operated to be pushed in, the entire operation member 41 rotates around the support shaft 47, and thereby the second lever portion 46 b of the interlocking unit 46 also rotates around the support shaft 47. The support shaft 47 is disposed in a space further outside the outer frame of the monitor 8. The operation unit 45 is provided on the display surface 8a side (one side) of the monitor 8 when viewed from the support shaft 47, and the first lever portion 46a of the interlocking unit 46 is displayed beyond the display surface 8a from the operation unit 45. The space around the surface 8 a is extended until it reaches the support shaft 47, and the second lever portion 46 b is bent from the support shaft 47 so as to extend along the outer peripheral surface side (the other side) of the outer frame of the monitor 8. It extends below the main housing 2. That is, when the operation member 41 is viewed from the direction facing the display surface 8 a of the monitor 8, the second lever portion 46 b is bent so as to go downward beyond the outer periphery of the monitor 8. When the push on the operation unit 45 is released, the operation member 41 is pushed back in the direction in which the operation unit 45 protrudes upward (in the direction of arrow R in FIG. 12) by a return mechanism (not shown).

  As is apparent from FIG. 11, the support leg portions 40b of the chassis 40 are spaced at regular intervals in the left-right direction so as to match the position where the operation portion 45 of the operation member 41 is to be mounted (the position where the extraction window 40c is formed). Is arranged in. The second lever portion 46b in the interlocking portion 46 of the operation member 41 extends downward along the support leg portion 40b. A switch device 48 is attached to each of the four support legs 40b as an example of a detection mechanism that detects a pushing operation on the operation unit 45. The switch device 48 is configured such that an internal contact is closed and a predetermined detection signal is output in accordance with a pushing operation on the operation element 48a. Here, a micro switch unit is provided as the switch device 48.

  The switch device 48 is positioned by the displacement of the second lever portion 46b accompanying the pushing operation of the operation portion 45 so that the operation element 48a comes into contact with the second lever portion 46b and is pushed and operated. It is attached. When the operation portion 45 of the operation member 41 is not operated, the operation element 48a is kept at a position where the operation is not performed, and its internal contact is opened. When the operation portion 45 of the operation member 41 is pushed in, the operation element 48a is pushed in by the displacement of the second lever portion 46b accompanying the operation, and the internal contact of the switch device 48 is closed. Therefore, it is possible to individually detect the pushing operation on the operation unit 45 for each operation unit 45.

  The switch device 48 incorporates a click feeling generation mechanism 48b that generates a click feeling in response to the pressing operation of the operation element 48a. When the operator 48a is pushed into the position where the internal contact is almost closed, the resistance load that has been gradually increased temporarily decreases temporarily, and then the resistance load increases again with further pushing operation. The operation feeling is created by clearly changing the relationship between the operation amount of the push-in operation of the operating element 48a and the resistance load generated for the operation in the course of the push-in operation. By generating a click feeling, it is possible to give the user a response that the operator 48a is surely pushed and operated. Therefore, it is desirable to provide such an operational feeling in an input device and an operation device that require a physical operation. For example, a commercially available micro switch unit has a built-in contact switching mechanism called a snap action mechanism, and this mechanism is well known as a mechanism for generating a click feeling when an internal contact is switched from an open state to a closed state. It is. As the click feeling generation mechanism 48b of the switch device 48, such a known mechanism can be appropriately used.

  Since the resistance load is changed so that the click feeling generation mechanism 48b of the switch device 48 generates a click feeling in response to the pressing operation of the operation element 48a of the switch device 48, the pressing operation of the operation portion 45 of the operation member 41 is performed A click feeling can be given to the user. Therefore, it is possible to provide the push-in operation device 10 that gives the user a feeling and a response that the operation unit 45 has been reliably operated and can perform the push-in operation more reliably. Note that the relationship between the amount by which the operating member 41 is pushed into the operating portion 45 and the amount by which the second lever portion 46 b of the interlocking portion 46 pushes the operating element 48 a of the switch device 48 is from the support shaft 47 to the operating portion 45. An appropriate degree can be set by adjusting the distance and the distance from the support shaft 47 to the contact position of the operation element 48a.

  Since the first lever portion 46 a exists between the operation portion 45 and the support shaft 47 and the second lever portion 46 b exists between the support shaft 47 and the operation element 48 a of the switch device 48, which operation portion 45 The pushing operation device 10 can be configured so that a substantially equal reaction can be obtained even if any position of the throat is operated. That is, the variation in the rotation angle about the support shaft 47 of the operation member 41 when the pushing position of the operation unit 45 is changed becomes smaller as the first lever portion 46a is longer. Therefore, if the first lever portion 46a is set to be appropriately long, the rotation angle of the operation member 41 can be rotated by a substantially constant amount no matter where the operation unit 45 is pressed. On the other hand, from the time when the operation of the operation unit 45 is started until the internal contact of the switch device 48 is closed, it is perceived by the user as a so-called play, but the operation shaft 48a and the second lever portion 46b are supported by the support shaft 47. If the distance to the contact position is appropriately long, even if the contact position varies among the operation members 41, the influence of the variation on the rotation angle of the operation member 41 becomes relatively small. Therefore, if the distance between each of the first lever portion 46a and the second lever portion 46b and the support shaft 47 is set appropriately, the switch device 48 reacts with almost constant play regardless of which position of the operation portion 45 is pressed. The pushing operation device 10 can be configured as described above. Furthermore, by appropriately adjusting the balance between the distance from the operation unit 45 to the support shaft 47 and the distance from the support shaft 47 to the operation element 48a of the switch device 48, the size of the push-in operation device 10 can be reduced. It can be optimized according to the actual situation of the monitor 8.

  Next, the control system of the game machine 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. As shown in FIG. 13, the game machine 1 is provided with a control unit 50 as a computer. The control unit 50 includes a game control unit 51 as a control subject, a display control unit 52 that generates an image signal to be displayed on the monitor 8 according to an instruction from the game control unit 51, and a game according to an instruction from the game control unit 51. And a sound output control unit 53 that generates a sound reproduction signal to be output from the speaker 9 of the machine 1 (see FIG. 1). The game controller 51 is connected to the slider operation devices 3L and 3R and the push operation device 10 described above as input devices. A signal indicating the position of each slider 15 detected by the slide operation detection mechanism 25 (FIG. 6) is input from the slider operation device 3, and the push operation of each operation unit 45 detected by the switch device 48 from the push operation device 10. A signal for determining the presence or absence of is input. Various other input devices may be connected to the game control unit 51, but the illustration is omitted here. Furthermore, an external storage device 54 is connected to the game control unit 51. As the external storage device 54, a storage medium that can hold the storage without power supply such as a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device such as an EEPROM or a magnetic storage device is used.

  In the external storage device 54, a game program 55 and game data 56 are recorded. The game program 55 is a computer program necessary for executing a music game according to a predetermined procedure on the game machine 1, and includes a sequence control module 57 and an evaluation module 58 required for executing the music game. include. The music game is a type of game in which an operation in accordance with music is instructed to a user, and the user's play is evaluated by comparing the instruction with an actual operation of the user. When the game machine 1 is activated, the game control unit 51 executes various initial settings necessary to operate as the game machine 1 by executing the operation program recorded in the internal storage device, and subsequently Then, by reading the game program 55 from the external storage device 54 and executing it, an environment for executing the music game is set. When the game control unit 51 executes the sequence control module 57 of the game program 55, a sequence processing unit 60 is generated in the game control unit 51. In addition, when the evaluation module 58 of the game program 55 is executed by the game control unit 51, an operation evaluation unit 61 is generated in the game control unit 51. The sequence processing unit 60 and the operation evaluation unit 61 are logical devices realized by a combination of computer hardware and a computer program.

  The sequence processing unit 60 instructs the user to perform an operation in accordance with the reproduction of music (music) selected by the user as a player, or generates various sound effects in response to the user's operation. Execute the process. The operation evaluation unit 61 evaluates the user's operation and executes processing such as game control according to the evaluation result. The game program 55 includes various program modules necessary for executing the music game in addition to the modules 57 and 58 described above, and the game control unit 51 includes logical devices corresponding to these modules. Are generated, but their illustration is omitted.

  The game data 56 includes various data to be referred to when executing a music game according to the game program 55. For example, the game data 56 includes music data 62, sound effect data 63, and image data 64. The music data 62 is data necessary for reproducing and outputting music to be played from the speaker 9. Although one type of music data 62 is shown in FIG. 13, actually, music data 62 corresponding to each of a plurality of music that can be selected by the user is prepared. The sound effect data 63 is data for reproducing a sound effect to be reproduced during the play of the music game, for example, a sound effect to be output from the speaker 9 in response to a user operation. The image data 64 is data necessary for displaying on the monitor 8 display elements (or image elements) such as background images, various objects, and icons to be displayed in the game screen.

  The game data 56 further includes sequence data 65. The sequence data 65 is data defining operations that the user should perform while playing the music game. At least one sequence data 65 is prepared for one piece of music data 62. The sequence data 65 includes information for determining how and when each of the slider 15 of the slider operation devices 3L and 3R and the operation unit 45 of the push operation device 10 should be operated during the game. Is recorded. The sequence processing unit 60 instructs the user to operate the push operation device 10 and the slider operation device 3 based on the sequence data 65.

  FIG. 14 shows an example of the data structure of the sequence data 65. In the example of FIG. 14, the sequence data 65 includes an operation 1 record to be performed first from the start of play, an operation 2 record to be performed second, an operation 3 record to be performed third,. It is configured as data in which records generated for each operation are aggregated, such as a record of operation N to be performed. In one record, information specifying the operation time, the operation target, and the operation content is described. The operation time information is described as information indicating the position on the score of the music selected in the game, for example. The information on the operation target includes any one of the four operation units 45 of the push-in operation device 10 and the sliders 15 (left slider or right slider) of the left and right slider operation devices 3L and 3R prepared as operation targets. Is specified as For example, the operation unit 45 is distinguished from each other by being defined as a button 1, a button 2,. Hereinafter, similarly, the operation unit 45 may be referred to as buttons 1.

  The operation content information is information that specifies what operation should be performed on the specified operation target. The designation of the operation content differs depending on whether the operation unit 45 or the slider 15 is designated as the operation target. When any one of the operation units 45 of the push operation device 10 is designated as an operation target, a normal operation or a long press operation on the operation unit 45 is designated by the operation content information. The normal operation is an operation of pressing the operation unit 45 once and releasing it immediately, and the long press operation is an operation of continuing to press the operation unit 45 for a longer time than the normal operation. When a long press operation is designated, information indicating the end time (end) of the operation is added. As the information indicating the end time, for example, information indicating a time on the game when the operation ends (for example, a position on the music) or information indicating a duration of the operation from the operation start time can be used.

  On the other hand, when the left or right slider 15 is designated as the operation target, information specifying whether the position designation operation, the direction designation operation, the skip operation, or the pull-in / flip operation is performed on the slider 15 is operated. It is specified by content information. The position designation operation is an operation for moving the slider 15 to a designated position in the guide route GR and stopping it. When the position operation is specified, the information on the operation content of the record includes information specifying the position where the slider 15 should be moved. On the monitor 8, an image is displayed that indicates to which position on the guide route GR the slider 15 should be moved. In that case, the user is required to move the slider 15 to a designated position on the guide route GR at a designated time.

  The direction designation operation is an operation of pushing the slider 15 toward the rear end side of the guide path GR or pulling it toward the front end side. In the position designation operation, it is necessary to stop the slider 15 at the designated position. However, in the direction designation operation, it is sufficient to operate the slider 15 in the designated direction, and an operation for stopping the slider 15 at the predetermined position is not required. . When the direction specifying operation is specified, the information on the operation content of the record includes information specifying the direction in which the slider 15 should be moved. The monitor 8 displays an image that indicates whether the slider 15 should be operated in the rear end side or the front end side of the guide route GR. In that case, the user is required to operate the slider 15 in the designated direction at the designated time. The start position of the direction specifying operation may be, for example, the position on the guide route GR of the slider 15 at the time when the time for performing the direction specifying operation has come. Alternatively, a position designated in advance on the guide route GR may be set as the start position. In addition, an appropriate position on the guide route GR may be set as the start position of the direction specifying operation.

  The skip operation is an operation of pushing out the slider 15 with momentum as it reaches the rear end of the guide route GR. That is, as viewed from the user located in the play area PA, this is an operation of flying vigorously in front of the guide rail 16 with an ascending slope. Further, the pull-in / flip-out operation is to pull the slider 15 from the stop position PS to the front end side of the guide route GR, that is, the back side as viewed from the user, and then perform the fly-out operation. In this case, the state in which the slider 15 is retracted to the back side as viewed from the user may be maintained for a predetermined time, and the pull-in / flip-out operation may be instructed so that the skip operation is performed after the predetermined time has elapsed. Even when the skip operation or the pull-in / fly-out operation is designated, the user is not required to perform an operation to stop the slider 15 at a predetermined position in the range from the stop position PS to the rear end of the guide route GR. When these operations are designated, the operation is instructed by an image different from that used in the direction designation operation.

  Next, an operation instruction image displayed on the monitor 8 by the processing of the sequence processing unit 60 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 15 shows an example of an image in the case of instructing an operation to the push operation device 10, and FIGS. 16 to 18 show an example of an image instructing an operation to the slider operation device 3. First, the basic configuration of the game screen displayed on the monitor 8 will be described. As shown in FIG. 15, on the game screen 100, four button lanes 102A, 102B, 102C, and 102D (hereinafter, may be represented by reference numeral 102) separated from each other by a dividing line 101. Two slider lanes 103L and 103R (hereinafter, may be represented by reference numeral 103) arranged outside the button lanes 102 are provided. In addition, on the left and right sides of the screen 100, a plurality of (5 in the illustrated example) side lanes 105A, 105B, 105C, 105D, and 105E (hereinafter, represented by the reference numeral 105) are separated from each other by the dividing line 104. Is also provided). These side lanes 105 are used as a guide indicating the operation position of the slider 15. Each of the lanes 102 and 105 is displayed so as to have an appropriate inclination from the middle and slightly upper area of the screen 100 toward the lower end and the left and right sides of the screen 100. Thereby, the screen 100 is given a sense of depth such that the center portion is on the heel side and the lower end and the left and right ends are on the near side. A slider mark 106 simulating the slider 15 is displayed at the lower end of the slider lane 103.

  On the button lane 102, a button symbol 110 having a substantially pentagonal shape is displayed as an example of a display element for instructing an operation position and an operation timing for the push operation device 10. Each of the button lanes 102 </ b> A to 102 </ b> D is associated with any one operation unit 45 according to the arrangement order of the operation units 45. That is, the button lane 102A is operated by the operation unit 45 as the button 1, the button lane 102B is operated by the operation unit 45 as the button 2, the button lane 102C is operated by the operation unit 45 as the button 3, and the button lane 102D is operated by the button 4. Each is associated with each unit 45. The button symbol 110 appears at the end on the heel side of the button lane 102 associated with the operation unit 45 to be instructed to operate by the button symbol 110. The time when the button symbol 110 appears is a time that is earlier by a predetermined time than the operation time that should be indicated by each button symbol 110 (as an example, a time that is earlier by a time length corresponding to two measures of the music, hereinafter this is called an appearance time) May be set). After the appearance, the button symbol 110 gradually moves from the heel side to the near side of the button lane 102 with the passage of time in the game, and the lower part of the button lane 102 at the operation time to be indicated by the button symbol 110. The region 102a is reached. Therefore, the user can determine the operation position, that is, which operation unit 45 should be operated, depending on which of the button lanes 102 in which the button symbols 110 are arranged on the left and right. On the other hand, the time until the time when the user should operate the operation unit 45 depends on how far the button symbol 110 is displayed from the lower region 102a in the direction in which the button lane 102 is extended. The length can be determined. If attention is paid to the correspondence relationship between the direction of the display surface 8a of the monitor 8 with respect to the up / down / left / right direction of the game machine 1 and the direction used to determine each of the operation position and the time length to the operation time. The left-right direction of the display surface 8a corresponds to the direction in which the user discriminates the operation position (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a position discrimination direction), and the up-down direction of the display surface 8a is the direction in which the time length until the operation timing is discriminated. The button symbol 110 is displayed so as to correspond to (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a time discrimination direction).

  The lower region 102 a of each button lane 102 is overlapped with the operation unit 45 of the operation member 41. Therefore, when the operation time to be instructed by the button symbol 110 approaches, the button symbol 110 enters the lower region 102a from the upper region outside the lower region 102a, and reaches directly below the operation unit 45 at the operation time. A state in which the button symbol 110 enters the lower region 102 a is visually recognized by the user via the operation unit 45. The user can appropriately perform the operation instructed in the game by pushing the operation unit 45 in accordance with the timing when the button symbol 110 overlaps the operation unit 45. Since the operation time is indicated by the arrival of the button symbol 110 immediately below the operation unit 45 and the state where the button symbol 110 arrives through the operation unit 45 having transparency, the user can instruct the instruction on the screen 100. And the operation timing of the operation unit 45 can be intuitively and accurately grasped. In addition, when the operation unit 45 is pushed in, a click feeling is generated by the click feeling generation mechanism 48 b built in the switch device 48. Therefore, the user can surely feel the response of operating the operation unit 45. Thereby, the possibility that an unintended mistake due to an insufficient pushing operation may occur can be reduced.

  When a long press operation is designated instead of the normal operation on the operation unit 45 of the push operation device 10, for example, a long press operation is performed as shown in a part of the button symbols 110 in FIG. The button symbol 110 is displayed at a position corresponding to the time to start, and the display content is changed such that the display element such as the band-like line 112 is extended from the button symbol 110 to indicate the end of the long press operation at the rear end. The

  FIG. 16 shows the screen 100 when the position specifying operation of the slider 15 is instructed. In this case, the first slider symbol 120 is displayed as a display element that indicates the operation position and operation timing of the slider 15. When the left slider 15 is an operation target, the first slider symbol 120 appears above the left slider lane 103 </ b> L and is displayed along the left side lane 105 toward the left end of the screen 100. When the right slider 15 is the operation target, the first slider symbol 120 appears above the right slider lane 103L and is displayed along the right side lane 105 toward the right end of the screen 100.

  The time at which the first slider symbol 120 appears is set to a time earlier by a predetermined time than the operation time to be indicated by each first slider symbol 120. The appearance time may be determined similarly to that of the button symbol 110. After the appearance, the first slider symbol 120 gradually moves from the heel side to the near side along the side lane 105 with the passage of time in the game, and the screen is displayed at the operation time to be instructed by the first slider symbol 120. The left or right end of 100 is reached. The position in the vertical direction when the first slider symbol 120 arrives at the left and right ends of the screen 100 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the reaching position) is the operation position that should be indicated by the first slider symbol 120, that is, the slider. It changes according to the position where 15 should be moved. As the position where the slider 15 should be moved is closer to the rear end side (frontward as viewed from the user) of the guide route GR, the arrival position of the first slider symbol 120 is set higher than the screen 100.

  The slider mark 106 moves up and down on the screen 100 according to the operation of the slider 15. A unique correspondence is set between the position of the slider 15 and the position of the slider mark 106 in the vertical direction. For example, when the slider 15 is at the stop position PS, the slider mark 106 is positioned at the lower end of the slider lane 103 as indicated by an imaginary line in the drawing, and as the slider 15 moves to the rear end side of the guide path GR, As indicated by the arrow M, the screen moves upward. The user instructs the game by operating the slider 15 so that the first slider symbol 120 and the slider mark 106 overlap each other at the timing when the first slider symbol 120 reaches the left and right ends of the screen 100. The specified position specifying operation can be appropriately performed. In the example of FIG. 16, the user can determine the position at which the slider 15 should be operated according to the height position above the slider lane 103 where the first slider symbol 120 is displayed. On the other hand, the user can determine the length of time until the operation time of the slider 15 depending on how far the first slider symbol 120 is displayed from the left and right edges of the screen to the center side. That is, when attention is paid to the correspondence between the direction of the display surface 8a of the monitor 8, the position determination direction and the time determination direction, the vertical direction of the display surface 8a corresponds to the position determination direction, and the left and right direction of the display surface 8a is the time. This corresponds to the discrimination direction.

  In the screen of FIG. 16, a strip-like connection line 121 is also displayed so as to connect the first slider symbols 120 adjacent to each other on each slider lane 103. The connection line 121 determines whether the slider 15 should be operated in the direction of the rear end side or the front end side of the guide path GR next to the slider position designation operation specified by one first slider symbol 120. It functions as an auxiliary display for the user to grasp. Further, by displaying the connection line 121, the slider 15 moves between the position specifying operation specified by one first slider symbol 120 and the position specifying operation specified by the next first slider symbol 120. You can also specify the position. In other words, the user can be instructed to gradually change the position of the slider 15 along the connecting line 121. In this case, the user's operation may be further evaluated based on the degree of coincidence between the position of the slider 15 and the position of the connecting line 121.

  The correspondence relationship between the position of the slider 15 on the guide route GR and the vertical position of the slider mark 106 or the display position of the first slider symbol 120 in the vertical direction may be adjustable. For example, it is preferable to adjust the correspondence when the range in which the user can operate the slider 15 relatively easily varies depending on the physique of the user. As a specific example, for a user with a relatively short arm, particularly a child, the operation of the slider 15 is instructed so that the slider mark 106 reaches the upper limit position set at the center of the screen 100 or higher. Even in such a case, it may be difficult to move the slider 15 to the instructed position. In such a case, the correspondence relationship may be adjusted so that the slider mark 106 moves to the upper limit position within a range where the user can operate the slider 15 without difficulty. Such adjustment can be performed, for example, before the start of game play. As an example, the user is instructed to operate the slider 15 up to the shoulder height before the start of play, and the position of the slider 15 at that time is stored in association with the upper limit position of the slider mark 106. Then, with the stored position as a reference, the position of the slider 15 is assigned to the position of the slider mark 106, and the setting is maintained as long as the same user plays. In this case, the ratio between the unit movement amount of the slider 15 and the movement amount of the slider mark 106 may be adjusted as necessary. In addition, if it is a game machine which has a function which can identify a user and can save the user's data, the correspondence mentioned above can be preserve | saved and a correspondence can be reproduced at the time of replay of the same user. The adjustment of the correspondence relationship is not limited to the stage before the start of play, and may be performed during play. For example, a change in the position of the slider 15 and a moving range during the play are appropriately sampled, and the slider 15 is operated to a position relatively lower than the first slider symbol 120 displayed relatively high on the screen 100, for example. If there is such a tendency, it is determined that there is a situation where the slider 15 cannot be sufficiently operated on the rear end side of the guide route GR, and the first slider symbol 120 is displayed at a lower position. Adjustment processing such as changing the display positions of the first slider symbol 120 and the slider mark 106 may be executed. In this case, for example, the upper limit position of the slider mark 106 is set so as to match the rear end position of the range in which the slider 15 is actually operated, and the first slider symbol 120 is arranged in the range below the upper limit position. What should I do? The adjustment process may be performed while the game is being played, or may be performed at the start of the next or subsequent play.

  FIG. 17 shows the screen 100 when the direction designation operation of the slider 15 is instructed. In this case, the second slider symbol 130 is displayed above the left and right slider lanes 103 as display elements for instructing the operation direction and operation timing of the slider 15. When the left slider 15 is an operation target, the second slider symbol 130 appears above the left slider lane 103 </ b> L and is displayed along the left side lane 105 toward the left end of the screen 100. When the right slider 15 is the operation target, the second slider symbol 130 appears above the right slider lane 103 </ b> L and is displayed along the right side lane 105 toward the right end of the screen 100.

  The second slider symbol 130 includes a slider mark 131 that imitates the slider 15, a triangular first direction indicator 132 that is disposed inside the slider mark 131, and a pair of upper and lower that are disposed so as to sandwich the slider mark 131. A second direction indicator 133 and a connecting line 134 displayed so as to connect the second direction indicators 133 to each other are included. The direction indicated by each of the first direction indicator 132 and the second direction indicator 133 indicates whether the slider 15 should be operated in the rear end side or the front end side of the guide path GR. For example, in the second slider symbol 130 displayed above the left slider lane 103L in FIG. 17, the first direction indicator 132 and the second direction indicator 133 are both displayed upward. This indicates that the operation should be performed on the rear end side of the guide route GR, that is, when viewed from the user. On the other hand, in the second slider symbol 130 displayed above the right slider lane 103R, the first direction indicator 132 and the second direction indicator 133 are both displayed downward, so that the slider 15 moves along the guide route GR. This indicates that the operation should be performed on the front end side, that is, on the back side as viewed from the user.

  Similarly to the first slider symbol 120 described above, the second slider symbol 130 also appears at the end of the slider lane 103 on the heel side at a predetermined appearance time, and then toward the left and right ends of the screen 100 along the side lane 105. Move. Then, the second slider symbol 130 reaches the left or right end of the screen 100 at the operation time to be instructed by the second slider symbol 130. The user is instructed in the game by operating the slider 15 in the direction indicated by the second slider symbol 130 in accordance with the timing when the second slider symbol 130 reaches the left and right ends of the screen 100. Direction designation operation can be performed appropriately. Note that the direction designation operation on the slider 15 does not matter the position of the slider 15, so the vertical position of the second slider symbol 130 when the second slider symbol 130 reaches the left and right ends of the screen 100 is appropriately set. May be.

  FIG. 18 shows a screen 100 when a fly operation or a pull-in / flip operation of the slider 15 is instructed. The third slider symbol 140 is used as a display element for instructing the operation timing when the third slider symbol 140 indicates the operation for moving the slider 15 and the fourth slider symbol 150 is used for indicating the operation timing. Is displayed. In the example of FIG. 18, the third slider symbol 140 is displayed above the left slider lane 103L, and the fourth slider symbol 150 is displayed above the right slider lane 103R. Similar to the first and second slider symbols 120 and 130 described above, these slider symbols 140 and 150 also appear at the edge of the slider lane 103 on the heel side along the side lane 105 at a predetermined appearance time. The screen moves toward the left end or the right end of the screen 100 and is displayed so as to reach the left and right ends of the screen 100 at the operation time to be indicated by the symbols 140 and 150.

  The third slider symbol 140 is disposed inside the first slider mark 141 simulating the slider 15, the second slider mark 142 disposed above the first slider mark 141, and the first slider mark 141. It includes a triangular first direction indicator 143, a second direction indicator 144 arranged between the slider marks 141 and 142, and a connecting line 145 displayed so as to connect the slider marks 141 and 142 to each other. Each of the first direction indicator 143 and the second direction indicator 144 is displayed so as to point upward. Thereby, it is instructed that the slider 15 should be operated so as to fly toward the rear end side of the guide route GR.

  Similar to the first and second slider symbols 120 and 130 described above, the third slider symbol 140 also appears at the end of the slider lane 103 on the heel side at a predetermined appearance time, and then the screen 100 along the side lane 105. Move towards the left and right ends of the. Then, the third slider symbol 140 reaches the left or right end of the screen 100 at the operation time to be instructed by the third slider symbol 140. The user is instructed in the game by operating the slider 15 to vigorously fly toward the rear end side of the guide path GR in accordance with the timing when the third slider symbol 140 reaches the left and right ends of the screen 100. The skipping operation can be performed appropriately.

  On the other hand, the fourth slider symbol 150 includes a first slider mark 151 that imitates the slider 15, a second slider mark 152 that is arranged away from the first slider mark 151 on the far side of the slider lane 103, A third slider mark 153 that is spaced apart above the two slider marks 152; a triangular first direction indicator 154 that is disposed within the first slider mark 151; and a second slider mark 152 that is disposed within the second slider mark 152. A triangular second direction indicator 155, a third direction indicator 156 arranged between the second and third slider marks 152, 153, and the first and second slider marks 151, 152 are displayed so as to be connected to each other. The first connection line 157 and the second connection line 1 displayed so as to connect the second and third slider marks 152 and 153 to each other. 8, and a fourth direction indicator 159 which is disposed inside the first connection line 157. Each of the first direction indicator 154 and the fourth direction indicator 159 is displayed so as to point downward. Thereby, it is instructed that the slider 15 should be pulled in toward the front end side of the guide route GR. In contrast, each of the second direction indicator 155 and the third direction indicator 156 is displayed so as to point upward. Thereby, it is instructed that the slider 15 should be operated so as to fly toward the rear end side of the guide route GR.

  Similarly to the slider symbols 120, 130, and 140 described above, the fourth slider symbol 150 also appears at the end on the heel side of the slider lane 103 at a predetermined appearance time, and then the left and right ends of the screen 100 along the side lane 105. Move towards The first slider mark 151 reaches the left end or the right end of the screen 100 when the pull-in operation is to be started, and the second slider mark 152 is the left end of the screen 100 when the skip operation is to be started. Or it reaches the right end. The user starts the pull-in operation of the slider 15 at the timing when the first slider mark 151 reaches the left and right end portions of the screen 100, and continues the pull-in operation until the second slider mark 152 reaches the left and right end portions of the screen 100. Further, the game is instructed by operating the slider 15 to vigorously fly toward the rear end side of the guide path GR in accordance with the timing when the second slider mark 152 reaches the left and right ends of the screen 100. The pull-in / flight operation can be performed appropriately. It should be noted that the skip operation and the pull-in / fly-out operation on the slider 15 are not limited to the position of the slider 15, so that the slider symbols when the third slider symbol 140 and the fourth slider symbol 150 reach the left and right ends of the screen 100 are used. The vertical positions of 140 and 150 may be set as appropriate.

  In FIG. 15, only the button symbol 110 is displayed on the screen 100, in FIG. 16, only the first slider symbol 120 is displayed on the screen 100, and in FIG. 17, only the second slider symbol 130 is displayed on the screen 100. Only the third slider symbol 140 and the fourth slider symbol 150 are displayed on the screen 100, but these symbols may be mixed and displayed on the screen 100 at the same time in parallel. In order to present the operation time indicated by each of the slider symbols 120, 130, 140, and 150 in an easy-to-understand manner to the user, a shadow symbol or the like as if the slider symbol 120 was projected on the slider lane 103 or the side lane 105. A shape mark may be additionally displayed. The second to fourth slider symbols 130, 140, and 150 are not designated for the user with respect to the operation position, but are common to the first slider symbol 120 in that the operation timing is designated for the user. The time discriminating direction for allowing the user to discriminate the length of time until the operation time is associated with the left-right direction of the display surface 8 a as with the first slider symbol 120.

  Next, the process of the sequence processing unit 60 for drawing the screen 100 will be further described with reference to FIG. 19A. The sequence processing unit 60 reads a record whose operation time is included in a predetermined range from the record group included in the sequence data 65. The predetermined range is a range of a predetermined time length from the current time to the future. For example, a range from the current time to the time after two measures is set as the predetermined range. Hereinafter, the predetermined range may be referred to as a reading range. The sequence processing unit 60 calculates the display positions of the symbols 110, 120, 130, 140, and 150 corresponding to each record based on the operation time, operation target, and operation content information described in each read record. The screen 100 is drawn based on the calculation result. When the sequence processing unit 60 repeatedly executes such processing in accordance with the drawing cycle of the screen 100, the symbols 110, 120, 130, 140, and 150 are displayed from the center of the screen 100 toward the lower end or the left and right ends. The images in the screen 100 change sequentially so as to move. The screen 100 is drawn using a so-called three-dimensional computer graphics (3D) technique, or a technique for drawing a two-dimensional image (2D), or a part is drawn in 3D, and the other part is drawn in 2D. Although drawing can be performed by any of the drawing methods, a case where the screen 100 is drawn by a method of drawing three-dimensional computer graphics will be described below as an example. In the following, control of the display positions of the button symbol 110 and the first slider symbol 120 will be described as an example.

  FIG. 19A shows an example of a virtual three-dimensional space VS constructed to draw the button symbol 110 and the first slider symbol 120. In the virtual three-dimensional space VS, a button lane 102, a slider lane 103, and a side lane 105 are defined. For example, the world coordinate system in the virtual three-dimensional space VS has an X-axis direction in which the button lanes 102 are arranged, a Y-axis direction in which the side lanes 105 are arranged, and a longitudinal direction of each lane 102, 103, 105 as the Z-axis. Defined as direction. The lanes 102, 103, and 105 are parallel to each other.

  The sequence processing unit 60 determines the coordinates of the button symbol 110 in the virtual three-dimensional space VS based on the operation unit 45 of the push operation device 10 as an operation target, that is, a record in which any of the buttons 1 to 4 is specified. The coordinates of the first slider symbol 120 in the virtual three-dimensional space VS are determined based on the record in which the slider 15 is designated as the operation target and the position designation operation is designated as the operation content. Regarding the coordinates of the button symbol 110, the X-axis coordinate of the button symbol 110 is determined depending on which of the buttons 1 to 4 is designated as the operation target. For example, when the operation unit 45 as the button 1 is designated, the X-axis coordinate is determined so that the button symbol 110 is arranged on the button lane 102A located on the leftmost side. The Y-axis coordinate of the button symbol 110 is a constant value for all the button symbols 110. That is, the button symbols 110 are all arranged at the same height position in the Y-axis direction.

  Next, the Z-axis coordinate of the button symbol 110 is determined according to the operation time. That is, the lower end of the button lane 102 (the left end in FIG. 19A) is associated with the current time, and the upper end of the button lane 102 is associated with the latest time in the reading range. The coordinate in the Z-axis direction of the button symbol 110 is determined such that the distance in the Z-axis direction to 110 is a distance corresponding to the time length from the current time to the operation time to be indicated by the button symbol 110.

  On the other hand, the coordinates of the first slider symbol 120 are determined as follows. First, the first slider symbol 120 moves in the space above the slider lane 103. Therefore, the X-axis coordinate of the first slider symbol 120 matches the X-axis coordinate of the corresponding slider lane 103. For example, the X-axis coordinate of the first slider symbol 120 when the left slider 15 is designated as the operation target matches the X-axis coordinate of the left slider lane 103L. Further, the Y-axis coordinate of the first slider symbol 120 is determined based on information indicating the operation position of the slider 15 described in the record. As described above, there is a unique correspondence between the arrival position of the first slider symbol 120 at the left and right ends of the screen 100 and the position of the slider 15 on the guide route GR. Therefore, in the record designating the position designation operation, if the information designating the position of the slider 15 on the guide route GR is described, the Y-axis coordinate of the first slider symbol 120 is also uniquely determined. In the record, the Y-axis coordinate of the first slider symbol 120 may be specified as information specifying the position of the slider 15 instead of the position of the slider 15 on the guide route GR.

  Next, the Z-axis coordinate of the first slider symbol 120 is determined according to the operation timing. That is, the front end of the slider lane 103 and the side lane 105 (the left end in FIG. 19A) is the current time, and the end of the lane 103, 105 is the latest time in the reading range. The distance in the Z-axis direction from the near end of the slider lane 103 and the side lane 105 to the first slider symbol 120 is from the current time to the operation time to be indicated by the first slider symbol 120. The coordinates of the first slider symbol 120 in the Z-axis direction are determined so that the distance corresponds to the time length.

  The correspondence relationship between each of the three axis directions in the world coordinate system and the operation position and operation time to be indicated by the symbols 110 and 120 is summarized in the table in FIG. 19A. Regarding the button symbol 110, the X-axis direction is used in the axial direction indicating the operation position, and the Z-axis direction is used in the time, that is, the axial direction indicating the operation timing. The coordinates in the Y-axis direction are constant, and the correspondence with the operation position and operation time is not set. On the other hand, regarding the first slider symbol 120, the Y-axis direction is used in the axial direction indicating the operation position, and the Z-axis direction is used in the axial direction indicating time, that is, the operation timing. Except for which one of the left and right sliders 15 is designated, the coordinates in the X-axis direction are constant, and the correspondence between the operation position and the operation time is not set. When the second to fourth slider symbols 130, 140, and 150 are to be displayed, the Z-axis direction of the world coordinate system is used as the axis direction indicating time as in the case of the first slider symbol 120. If the direction designation operation, the skip operation, and the pull-in / fly-out operation are set so that the position of the slider 15 does not matter at the start of the operation, the Y-axis coordinates of the second to fourth slider symbols 130, 140, 150 are It may be set to a constant value.

  After determining the coordinates of each symbol in the world coordinate system as described above, the sequence processing unit 60 arranges the symbols 110, 120, 130, 140, and 150 at those positions, and transmits them from the virtual camera C to a predetermined position. An image obtained by photographing in the photographing direction PD and projecting the virtual three-dimensional space VS on a two-dimensional plane is generated. By outputting an image signal corresponding to the image to the display control unit 52, the screen 100 shown in FIGS. 15 to 18 is displayed on the monitor 8. The shooting direction PD is tilted with respect to the three axis directions in the world coordinate system so that the above-described feeling of depth is generated in the button lane 102, the slider lane 103, and the side lane 105 on the game screen 100. The shooting range is set so that the left and right ends of the screen 100 coincide with the current time on the game. By performing such shooting, a correspondence relationship between the direction for determining each of the operation position and the operation timing described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16 and the direction of the display surface 8a is generated. In FIG. 19A, the symbol 110 and the like are drawn in a flat plate shape orthogonal to the Z-axis direction, but the symbol 110 and the like may be arranged as a three-dimensional object in the virtual three-dimensional space VS. When the symbol 110 or the like is a flat object, the objects are arranged so as to be orthogonal to the shooting direction PD.

  While the sequence processing unit 60 instructs the user to perform the operation as described above, the operation evaluation unit 61 concurrently performs the actual operation of the user detected by the push operation device 10 and the slider operation device 3 and the sequence data 65. The user's play is evaluated by comparing with the operation described in. The evaluation is executed such that the higher the degree of coincidence between the operation target, time and content described in the sequence data 65 and the operation actually performed by the user, the higher the play is evaluated. This type of processing is the same as that of a music game machine already provided, and the details of the operation evaluation will be omitted.

  As is clear from the above description, in the game machine 1, the button symbol 110 that instructs the operation of the push operation device 10 and the first slider symbol 120 that instructs the position specifying operation of the slider 15 of the slider operation device 3 are: The correspondence relationship between the direction in which the user discriminates the operation position and the time length until the operation time using the display positions of the symbols 110 and 120 as a clue is different from the vertical and horizontal directions of the display surface 8a. If attention is paid to the difference in correspondence, the button symbol 110 and the first slider symbol 120 function as different display elements. That is, the button symbol 110 functions as a first type of display element in which the position determination direction and the horizontal direction of the display surface 8a are associated with each other while the time determination direction and the vertical direction of the display surface 8a are associated with each other. The first slider symbol 120 is a second type of display element in which the position determination direction and the vertical direction of the display surface 8a are associated with each other while the time determination direction and the horizontal direction of the display surface 8a are associated with each other. Function. As described above, the image on the screen 100 is displayed so that there are a plurality of types of display elements having different relationships between the position determination direction and the time determination direction and the direction of the display surface 8a in one screen 100. By diversifying the operation instructions, it is possible to eliminate the monotony regarding the operation instructions, give the user a new experience and a fresh play feeling, and enhance the interest of the game.

  In the above embodiment, the button lane 102 is arranged on the XZ plane in the world coordinate system, but the button lane 102 may be arranged on the XY plane as shown in FIG. 19B. In this case, as shown in the table in the figure, for the button symbol 110, the coordinate value in the X-axis direction is determined according to the operation timing, and the coordinate value in the Y-axis direction is determined according to the operation position. For the Z-axis direction, the correspondence between the operation position and the operation time is not set. In addition, the button lane 102, the slider lane 103, and the side lane 105 may be directed in an appropriate direction.

  In FIGS. 19A and 19B, the positions of the symbols 110 and 120 are calculated by using a three-dimensional computer graphics technique to determine their display positions. However, the symbols 110 and 120 may be displayed by using a simpler two-dimensional image drawing technique. 120 etc. may be drawn. For example, as shown in FIG. 20, the X-axis is defined in the horizontal direction in the screen, the Y-axis is defined in the vertical direction, and the button lane 102 is defined to extend in the vertical direction, while the side lane 105 is defined as the center in the screen 100. Defined so as to extend from left to right end. For the button symbol 110, a coordinate value in the X-axis direction is determined according to the operation position, and a coordinate value in the Y-axis direction is determined according to the length of time until the operation time. For the first slider symbol 120, the coordinate value in the Y-axis direction is determined according to the operation position, and the coordinate value in the X-axis direction is determined according to the time length until the operation time. What is necessary is just to determine a coordinate value.

  This invention is not limited to the form mentioned above, It can implement with a various form. For example, in the above embodiment, the slider operating device 3 is provided on both sides of the main casing 2, but the slider operating device 3 may be provided only on one side. The guide route GR of the slider operating device 3 does not necessarily have a curved shape, and the guide route may be configured by combining various shapes such as a straight line, a curved line, and a broken line alone or in combination. When a part or all of the guide route is a curved section, the curvature of the curved section does not need to be constant. For example, the curvature of the curve section may be changed as appropriate, such as configuring the curve section to draw a clothoid curve. The guide route does not necessarily have an upward slope, and the entire length of the guide route may be placed on a horizontal plane. Alternatively, the guide route may be configured by appropriately combining the horizontal portion and the inclined portion. The guide route is not limited to the route whose front end wraps around to the back as viewed from the user. For example, the guide route may be provided so as to extend from the side to the front as viewed from the user located in the play area. Even in such a case, the operation member is operated by the movement of the upper arm around the shoulder joint of the user, and a relatively large action is required from the user, and the operational effects of the present invention can be achieved.

  In the above embodiment, the resistance of the slider 15 is set to be large at the front and rear end portions of the guide path GR and the resistance is set to be small at the intermediate portion. However, the resistance of the slider 15 may be constant over the entire length of the guide path GR, or It may be changed. Although the slider 15 is returned to the front end portion by the inclination of the guide path GR, an operation member such as a slider may be returned to a predetermined position by a spring or other appropriate elastic member. For example, the guide mechanism may be configured so that the middle of the guide route is the initial position of the operation member, and a restoring force to the initial position is generated regardless of which direction the operation member is operated from that position. The braking means is not limited to a braking mechanism using a spring or the like, and for example, a braking means configured to brake the operation member using a magnetic force or the like may be employed.

  The game machine 1 is not limited to a mode in which the user stands and plays in the play area PA, but may be a mode in which the user sits and plays in the play area PA. The game machine 1 is not limited to a form that provides a music game that requires an operation in accordance with music, and may be configured to provide various games. The display device is not limited to an example configured to instruct the user to perform an operation using a display device such as a liquid crystal monitor. The configuration of the display device may be changed as appropriate, such as using a lamp or other display means to guide the user about the operation target, operation position, or operation time. The operation requested by the user may be limited to at least one of an operation of moving an operation member such as a slider to a predetermined position or an operation of pushing or pulling the operation member in a predetermined direction.

  In the above embodiment, the slider 15 as a physical operation member is provided, but the side operation device can be configured as a logical device using a display device provided with a touch panel input device. An example is shown in FIG. In the example of FIG. 21, a relatively large single monitor 8 such as a 32 type or 50 type is arranged horizontally, and a game screen 100 for instructing an operation is displayed at the center of the display surface 8a. In this case, it is assumed that a touch panel input device is attached to the monitor 8 so as to cover the display surface 8a. A slider operation device 70L as an example of a side operation device provided with a guide lane 71 corresponding to the guide route GR and a slider 72 at a side portion in the left-right direction of the display surface 8a. , 70R is displayed. Although the guide lane 71 is drawn in a straight line, it may be provided with a curved section as in the guide route GR of the slider operating device 3 described above.

  The game control unit 51 of the game machine 1 detects a user's touch operation on the slider 72 using the touch panel input device, and when the user operates the slider 72 to move along the guide lane 71, the game control unit 51 moves the slider 72 along the guide lane 71. Even in such an example, when viewed from the user located in the play area PA, the slider 72 is sufficiently separated from the side, and in order to operate the slider 72 in the range from the user's side to the front, It is necessary to operate the slider 72 while twisting the waist. Therefore, as in the case of the slider operating device 3 having the slider 15 that can be physically operated, it is possible to achieve an effect of inviting a user's large action to enhance the interest of the game. In the example of FIG. 21, since the touch panel input device exists immediately before the user in the play area PA, an operation device 80 using the image of the button 81 may be provided instead of the push operation device 10.

  FIG. 22 shows another example of configuring a side operation device using a touch panel input device. In this example, apart from the monitor 8 placed in front of the play area PA as viewed from the user, side monitors 90 equipped with touch panel input devices are arranged on the left and right of the play area PA. A slider operation device 70 is provided. In this case, the central monitor 8 does not necessarily include a touch panel input device. In FIG. 22, a push operation device 10 may be provided instead of the operation device 80.

  Even when the side operation device is provided as a logical operation device on the touch panel input device, the user can selectively perform the position specifying operation, the direction specifying operation, the skipping operation, and the pull-in / flighting operation described above. Can do. For example, regarding the position specifying operation, the slider 72 may be moved to a position corresponding to the operation position indicated by the first slider symbol 120 in accordance with the operation time indicated by the first slider symbol 120. . With respect to the direction designation operation, the slider 120 may be flicked in the designated direction in accordance with the operation time designated by the second slider symbol 130. With regard to the skip operation, a flick operation may be performed so that the slider 72 is skipped to the upper end side (the heel side) of the guide lane 71 in accordance with the operation time indicated by the third slider symbol 140. Further, with respect to the pull-in / fly-out operation, the slider 72 is dragged downward on the screen 100 in accordance with the instruction of the fourth slider symbol 150, and the slider 72 is flicked up in accordance with the timing of switching to the skip operation. do it.

  In the above embodiment, the user's operation position on the guide route GR is changed by changing the position of the slider 15 as a physical operation member or the position of the slider 72 as a logical operation member expressed by an image. Is done. However, the change of the operation position is not limited to an example realized by such an operation involving the movement of the operation member. For example, in the example of FIG. 21 or FIG. 22, if the display of the slider 72 is omitted, the first slider symbol 120 is moved until it reaches the guide lane 71, and the user touches the arrival position at the arrival time, the first slider The game control unit 51 may control the game so that it is determined that the operation position indicated by the symbol 120 is operated at a designated time. In this case, the change of the operation position is realized by changing the position of the touch operation. Therefore, the position specifying operation when the touch panel input device is used is not limited to the drag operation, and may be defined as an operation of performing a touch operation on the specified position. Even in the case where the side operation device is configured as a physical device like the slider operation device 3, a plurality of touch operation units are provided along the path where the guide rail 16 should be provided instead of the guide rail 16. Thus, the operation position can be changed by appropriately changing the designation of the touch operation unit to be operated by the user.

  As is apparent from the above, a side operation device is provided so that a route is provided so as to extend from the side toward the front as viewed from the user located in the play area, and the position on which the operation should be performed can be changed. If it is comprised, a user's big action can be invited by changing suitably the position where operation should be performed on the path | route. Therefore, the route does not necessarily need to have a function of guiding the operation member.

  Various aspects of the present invention derived from each of the above-described embodiments and modifications will be described below. In the following description, in order to facilitate understanding of each aspect of the present invention, the corresponding members illustrated in the accompanying drawings are added in parentheses, but the present invention is thereby limited to the illustrated embodiments. It is not a thing.

  A game machine (1) according to an aspect of the present invention includes a display device (8), an input device that detects an operation of a user located in a play area (PA) set on the near side of the display device, In a game machine comprising a control means (50) for controlling a game according to a detection result of an input device, the user is positioned in the play area so as to face the display device as at least a part of the input device. A lateral operation device (in which the user can change the operation position along a route (GR) provided on at least one side of the user so as to extend from the side of the user to the front) 3L, 3R; 70L, 70R).

  According to the game machine of the above aspect, when the user is positioned so as to face the display device in the play area, the side operation device can be changed within the range from the side to the front as seen from the user. Is provided. In order to operate such a side operation device, compared with an input device positioned in front of the user, the user swings the upper arm around the shoulder joint while twisting the upper body and the waist. It is necessary to perform a correct operation. Therefore, it is possible to enhance the interest of the game by inviting a greater action of the user. It is also possible to impress the user's play more strongly due to the user's large action.

  In the game machine of the said aspect, the said path | route may be provided so that it may extend to the back side of the user located in the said play area. In this case, in order for the user to perform an operation on a route that wraps around the user's back side, the user needs to twist the upper body and waist more clearly. Thereby, a big action is requested | required by the user in a game, while the interest of a game can be raised further, and the appeal effect to the circumference can be strengthened further.

  In the game machine of the said aspect, the said path | route may be provided so that the arc which swelled outside seeing from the said user may be drawn. In this case, the path is curved so as to match the movement of the upper arm around the user's shoulder joint, so that the user can perform the operation as naturally as possible while requiring a relatively large action. It is possible to configure a one-way operation device, thereby enhancing the comfort of operation.

  In the game machine of the above aspect, the side operation device (3L, 3R) guides the physical operation member (15) to be operated by the user and the operation member so that the operation member can be operated along the route. And a guiding mechanism (14). According to this, the operation position can be changed by moving the operation member along the route. Since it is necessary to perform an operation of moving the operation member while holding it, it is possible to invite the user's large action more reliably.

  Further, the route may be provided so as to draw an upward slope from the side of the user toward the front. In this case, when the user pushes the operation member toward the front, the operation member gradually decelerates due to its own weight, and further moves back on the path to return to the side of the user. . Thereby, the operation member can be returned to a position close to the user with a simple configuration.

  In the form with the upward slope as described above, the operation member is stopped at a predetermined stop position (PS) by braking the dropping operation of the operation member at the side end of the path. A braking means (30) may be provided. In this case, the operating member returning by its own weight can be decelerated by the braking means and stopped at a certain stop position. This eliminates or may eliminate the possibility that the operation member may collide with the end of the path and cause an impact at the lower end of the path, that is, the side end as viewed from the user. Can be suppressed.

  Furthermore, the guide mechanism may be provided so that the operation member can be moved further to the back side than the stop position when viewed from a user located in the play area. In this case, as an operation instruction for the operation member, an operation of explicitly pulling the operation member stopped at the stop position to the back side of the user can be given. Thereby, the kind of operation which can be instruct | indicated with respect to a user can be increased, and the interest of a game can further be improved.

  In the game machine according to the aspect described above, the guide mechanism may be provided so that resistance when the operation member moves along the path is smaller in the middle than the end of the path. According to this embodiment, when the operating member approaches the both ends of the path, the resistance increases and the operation member decelerates. Accordingly, it is possible to eliminate or suppress the possibility that the operation member collides at both ends of the path and the impact occurs. In addition, since the resistance is relatively reduced in the middle portion of the path, the operation member can be operated with a smaller load, and a smooth operation feeling can be provided.

  Further, the guide mechanism is provided with a rail-like member (16) extending along the path, and the operation member is combined with the rail-like member so as to be movable along the rail-like member, Between the member and the rail-like member, there is provided spring means (24) that is disposed in a gap between the operation member and the rail-like member and applies a repulsive force between the two members. Even if the guide mechanism is provided such that the resistance becomes smaller in the middle than the end of the path by setting the dimension of the rail-like member so as to expand in the middle of the end of the path. Good. According to this, since the repulsive force of the spring means is large at both ends of the path and is small at the intermediate portion, the above-described change in resistance can be realized.

  In the game machine of the said aspect, the said side operation apparatus may be provided so that the operation position on the said route may be changed with the motion of the arm centering on the shoulder joint of the user of the said play area. According to this, since the side operation device can be configured so that the user changes the operation position by swinging his / her arm greatly, the operational effects of the present invention can be more reliably exhibited.

  In the game machine of the above aspect, the control unit instructs the user to perform an operation on the side operation device through the screen (100) of the display device, and the instruction and the user operation detected by the side operation device. The user's play may be evaluated based on the comparison. According to this, it is necessary for the user to operate the side operation device with the arm extended to the side while grasping the instruction while looking at the display device. Therefore, it is possible to reliably invite a user's large action and thereby exert the operational effects of the present invention more reliably.

  Furthermore, the control means may selectively indicate either an operation position on the route or an operation direction along the route. According to this, the user can be selectively requested to change the operation position to a designated position or to change the operation position in a predetermined direction. Therefore, it is possible to diversify the operations to be performed on the side operation device and enhance the interest of the game.

1 game machine 3L, 3R slider operation device (side operation device)
5 Console section 8 Monitor (display device)
8a Display surface of monitor 10 Push operation device 14 Guide unit (guide mechanism)
15 Slider (physical operation member)
16 Guide rail (rail-shaped member)
24 Compression coil spring (spring means)
25 Slide operation detection mechanism 30 Braking mechanism (braking means)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 40 Chassis 40c Extraction window 41 Operation member 42 Detection mechanism 45 Operation part 46 Interlocking part 47 Support shaft 48 Switch apparatus 48a Operation element 48b Click feeling production | generation mechanism 50 Control unit (control means)
60 Sequence processing unit 61 Operation evaluation unit 65 Sequence data 100 Game screen 102A, 102B, 102C, 102D, 102E Button lane 102a Lower area 103L, 103R Slider lane 105A, 105B, 105C, 105D, 105E Side lane 106 Slider mark 110 Button symbol 120 First slider symbol 130 Second slider symbol 140 Third slider symbol 150 Fourth slider symbol

Claims (10)

A game machine comprising: a display device; an input device that detects an operation of a user located in a play area set on the front side of the display device; and a control unit that controls a game according to a detection result of the input device. In
As at least part of the input device, on the side of the display device from the side of the user to the front, at least one side of the user when the user is positioned in the play area so as to face the display device A game machine provided with a side operation device that allows the user to change an operation position along a path provided so as to extend along a portion . A game machine comprising: a display device; an input device that detects an operation of a user located in a play area set on the front side of the display device; and a control unit that controls a game according to a detection result of the input device. In
As at least a part of the input device, extending from at least one side of the user to the front when the user is positioned in the play area so as to face the display device, from the side of the user to the front, and A game machine provided with a side operation device that allows the user to change an operation position along a path provided so as to draw an arc that swells outward as viewed from the user. The game machine of Claim 1 or 2 provided so that the said path | route may extend to the back side of the user located in the said play area.   The said side operation apparatus is provided with the physical operation member which should become a user's operation object, and the guide mechanism which guides the said operation member so that it can operate along the said path | route. The game machine described in the item.   The game machine according to claim 4, wherein the route is provided so as to draw an upward gradient from the side of the user toward the front.   The game machine according to claim 5, wherein a braking unit that brakes a dropping operation of the operation member and stops the operation member at a predetermined stop position is provided at an end portion on the side of the path. Game machine according to any one of claims 4-6 in which resistance when the operating member is moved along said path the guide mechanism so as to decrease the intermediate is provided from the end of the path. The guide mechanism is provided with a rail-like member extending along the path, and the operation member is combined with the rail-like member so that the operation member can move along the rail-like member. Between the members, there is provided a spring means that is disposed in a gap between the operation member and the rail-like member and applies a repulsive force between the two members, and the gap is intermediate between the ends of the path. The game machine according to claim 7 , wherein the guide mechanism is provided so that the resistance becomes smaller in the middle than the end portion of the path by setting the size of the rail-like member so as to be enlarged. The control means instructs a user to operate the side operation device through a screen of the display device, and evaluates the user's play based on a comparison between the instruction and a user operation detected by the side operation device. The game machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8 . The game machine according to claim 9 , wherein the control unit selectively instructs either an operation position on the route or an operation direction along the route.