A COMPUTER GAME APPARATUS THAT REQUIRES PLAYERS TO EXERCISE.

The present invention relates to a computer game apparatus that requires players to exercise.

EP 0 974 382 discloses "a game apparatus formed in such a manner as to guide a player to step so as to dance" [0001]. The game apparatus comprises a computer, a display and an input device called a 'dance mat'. A dance mat consists of several predefined areas on to which a player can step. Within each predefined area, there is a switch that relays the position of the player to the computer. Typically, each of the predefined areas has an arrow drawn thereon. During a game using a dance mat, the computer displays on a monitor four stationery arrows, for example, left, up, right, down. The computer also displays corresponding vertically scrolling arrows, which at some pre-determined point overlap with the corresponding stationery arrows. When the scrolling arrows overlap with the stationery arrows, a player is supposed to step on the corresponding area of the dance mat. As the timing of the overlapping arrows is controlled by the music, successful players inevitably end up 'dancing' to the music and thereby exercise.

Such games address the need to attract people to exercise who are less inclined to do so and more inclined to play computer games. Indeed, over last 4-5 years, large multi-player versions of this game have been supplied to schools and leisure centres for use in particular by children.

Non-beat orientated games, which use dance mats as input devices, such as the "RM Easiteach Dance Mat", are also known. However, all such non-beat orientated games are only playable by one or two players simultaneously. This is believed to be as all players need have to use only one display, the amount of information displayable to each player individually is extremely limited.

Indeed, as the dance type games only display one set of stationery arrows which all players can do simultaneously, rather than one set per player, it has been relatively simple to scale such an effectively 1 or 2 player game up to a 32 player game without displaying any more information to each individual player. Or put another way, the same amount of information is required to be displayed during game play whether one person plays or 32 people play.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved computer game based apparatus for many simultaneous players that requires said players to exercise.

It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a games apparatus for four or more simultaneous players that requires said players to exercise, comprising: a display for showing at least an individual sprite, each sprite representing a player; a means to generate said sprites on the display; and an input device for each player, wherein said input device provides two or more areas on to which a player can step and thereby control the movement of their sprite, the movement of the sprite determining the individual player's success in the game.

It has been surprisingly found that males do not enjoy playing music orientated games as much as females.

Furthermore, the sprites preferably interact such that interactions between sprites help to determine individual player's success in the game.

Advantageously, the games apparatus is designed for 5 or more players to play simultaneously. The provision of a 5 player plus games apparatus that both male and female children enjoy allows the apparatus to be used in a school environment.

Preferably, the means of generating said images is a computer, wherein the computer has a plurality of games stored thereon. The use of a computer on to which a variety of games can be stored, rather than cartridges, allows the games apparatus to be safely displayed without the fear of theft of games in public environments.

The computer is, preferably, controlled by means of a touch screen. The provision of a touch display allows the games apparatus to be operated by a child, or adult with a minimal amount of training. It also negates the need to provide a keyboard, which again could be stolen.

The touch display is also provided with a software based display lock. By providing this display lock, the computer can be protected in a public, or more particularly a school, environment from input by unauthorised persons.

To allow a manager or teacher to have more control over the games apparatus than players, a menu accessible only after entering a PIN is provided. This hidden menu might allow the an authorised person to change a background image, button colours & texture, schedule the start of a game, set a master volume, set a maximum volume, choose a PIN, turn a display lock on or off, add more music, add more footage, etc.

A game to run, swim, or build up power for an action a player has to step on two different parts of the dance mat alternately as quickly as possible.

A sports imitation game where an obstacle is presented a player has to jump on two different parts of the dance mat at an appropriate time to obviate the obstacle.

For example, a game which imitates a hurdle race, where to run a player presses the left and right areas of a dance mat alternately and to jump a hurdle the left and right areas of the dance mat need to be pressed at the same time.

As the game is limited by the display size/resolution, to allow more than say 4 players to play a game, the game may comprise heats.

During gameplay, it may be necessary for a game sprite to "fire". The "fire" command may be given by a player by stepping on two different parts of the dance mat simultaneously. In this way, a player has to jump and therefore exercise.

A game wherein up to 32 sprites can be displayed simultaneously each sprite being controlled by a player, wherein the number of sprites relates to the size of the game area. The more sprites, the smaller the sprites will appear on the display (i.e. the game zooms out when there are lots of sprites and zooms in when there are fewer sprites).

In known race games, players are shown a view of the track from a first person perspective e.g. from the perspective of a racing car driver.

In order to allow players of varying abilities to play the game simultaneously, all the sprites no matter where on the track need to be displayed simultaneously. The track is therefore displayed in its entirety at all times. With each player having a sprite, such as a car icon, that needs navigating around the track.

The race game can also include a fire function for the sprite to use a weapon or bonus such as a gun attachment, a hammer, an oil slick, a turbo burst, etc. To fire in such a game by pressing two areas simultaneously causes an increased level of gameplay as a player has to control the direction and speed of the sprite simultaneously.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to Figure 1.

Figure 1 shows a screen, a computer, three dance mats and three players. The display shows three rockets. Each rocket is a sprite that represents one of the players. The players control the rockets by pressing forward, left, right or down on the dance mats with their feet. By pressing both left and right on the dance mats at the same time, the rocket fires. In this way, the players or rather the rocket sprites can chase each other around the display shooting at each other. Players may be awarded points for shooting each other and deducted points for being shot. Up to 32 players can play the game simultaneously. As the players are using dance mats, they are also exercising.

When 32 players play, the rockets are made smaller to allow more room on the display for the rockets. Although, the display shown is over 3 metres wide, it is the resolution of the display which is the most important factor in determining how large the rockets should be shown. Rockets may be destroyed after being shot a set number of times. As the number of rockets is reduced, the rockets may increase in size. Power-up icons that, for example, make a rocket indestructible for 5 seconds or change the rocket's weapon, appear randomly to be collected by rockets. Asteroids and other obstacles that effect rockets negatively, for example slow rockets down, weaken a rocket's weapon or inflict damage, also appear randomly to be avoided by players.

An alternative game may a hurdles imitation game. Four runner sprites appear on displaying running lanes. Once the players have been instructed to start via traffic lights, players start to alternatively press the left and right areas of the dance mat as fast as possible. In this way, the runner sprites start to run down the track. When a hurdle approaches a runner sprite, the corresponding player has to press the left and right areas of the dance mat

simultaneously to make the runner sprite jump. The winning player is the player who controls the runner sprite which reaches the end of the track first.

To allow more than four players to play simultaneously, and to mirror an Olympic type tournament, the winners of several heats may run a final heat to find the best player. Similarly, different heats may be created with different players having advantages such as the runner sprite starting closer to the end of the track then other sprites.

In another alternative game, players may control tank sprites. Set out on display is a track around which the tanks race. Obstacles are located on the track and around the track such as oil spillages, go faster strips, trees and ramps off which the tanks can jump. Players direct the tanks by pressing the forward, left, right and back areas of the dance mats. Players may shoot other tanks by aiming their tank sprite appropriately and fire by pressing both the left and right area of the dance pad simultaneously. Points are awarded by the number of laps completed by the tank sprites and how many tank sprites they manage to shoot.

All the games are stored on the hard disk drive of a touch screen computer. The computer has to display two images. The first image is shown on the touch screen and the second image is shown on the display. In this way, the computer requires either an on board graphics card and a single headed graphics card or a dual headed graphics card. Many graphics cards turn off the video out on the motherboard and so are not suitable unless they can output two images (hence dual headed graphics cards).

The dance mats comprise 11 areas defined by substantially square tiles, 10 of which have a compression switch located underneath and are known as active tiles. Eight active tiles have an arrow illustrated thereon, one active tile is labelled with "START" and one active tile is labelled with "SELECT". The eight arrow tiles surround a passive tile without a compression switch. In this way, a player may control the movement of a sprite using the eight arrow tiles and when no movement is required a player may stand in the central passive tiles.

Each compression switch is made up of an upper contact and a lower contact, the upper contact being attached to the underside of a tile. The contacts are biased so as not to make contact, by the provision of a deformable foam material. When a player stands on an active tile, the foam material is deformed and so the upper contact is brought into contact with the lower contact. By providing a small current to the switches at all times, the position of a player can thereby be detected.

The compression switches are not provided centrally underneath the eight arrow tiles but are 10% closer to the central passive tile.

Each dance mat is provided with a radio frequency transmitter and a rechargeable battery. When a player stands on an active tile, the transmitter sends a signal to a receiver connected to the computer. Each dance mat is capable of sending two signals every 0.01 seconds. The receiver must therefore be able to handle 2 times 32 times 100 signals every second (6,400 signals). The receiver is in fact four receivers each capable of dealing with 1,350 signals every second.

The display is generated by a 4,000 lumens plus projector shining incident on a projection screen.

A sound system is also provided for game noises and music.

It is an feature of the present invention that the sprites interact with each other. In this way, the game played is truly a multi-player game as opposed to a scaled up one or two player game.