Abstract: In order to provide dialogue management means that allows prompt identification of portions of interest in a dialogue record even in a case where various subjects are discussed, provided is a dialogue management apparatus (210) including a dialogue interface section (212) that provides a dialogue interface for holding a digital dialogue between a plurality of speakers and acquires a dialogue record of the digital dialogue, a subject management section (214) that receives an input of subject designation information for designating a subject in the digital dialogue, while the digital dialogue is being held, and a dialogue editing section (216) that generates an edited dialogue record that is organized by subject, by editing the dialogue record in reference to the subject designation information.

Abstract: A dual-rotor motor provided with a stator having a stator core including a yoke, a plurality of teeth and a coil wound around the stator core, an inner rotor and an outer rotor, wherein the stator core includes an annular yoke component forming the yoke, and a plurality of tooth components forming the teeth. The stator core is made by fitting the tooth components individually into the annular yoke component in a manner that one ends of the tooth components protrude from the inner peripheral side of the annular yoke component and the other ends protrude from the outer peripheral side of the annular yoke component.

Abstract: A character training control includes setting a character to be trained and its training initial values when a training mode is instructed; obtaining training values to be added to the training initial values of the character by causing the set character to take actions on a monitor in line with a training purpose according to the operation of a plurality of operable buttons; giving a plurality of kinds of items to the character which are prepared in advance and influential to sums of the training values in relation to at least one of the trained state of the character and action instructing operations given to the character by the operable buttons; judging whether training has been successful; and transferring the data of the successfully trained character to the external side together with the training initial values and the given items when a transfer mode is instructed. The control enables realization of an interesting and ingenious game.

Abstract: Erroneous input is prevented on the event of input of instructions by a game player, which instructions are likely to change according to the state of a game character's abilities, while providing the player with a firm grasp of the state of abilities of the character. In a competitive action game which mimics baseball, among the players operating two connected portable game devices, the player engaged in defense is prompted to select a pitch type for pitching from a pitcher character 450 to a batter character 460. Here pitching ability data is set such that the pitcher character 450 can pitch, as breaking pitches, a sinker, curveball, or slider, with a curve width of 3, 1 and 5, respectively; based on this pitching ability data, the icons 403, 404, 405 are displayed in the vicinity of the strike zone display 410.

Abstract: A character is trained to have abilities and characteristics desired by the player, on a probability basis, without significantly reflecting the level of game playing skill of the player. A main character and game images are displayed on a monitor, and a main character is caused to move to various battle fronts by commands from an operating section. Training for increasing various ability values is performed by executing prescribed tasks. A ROM cassette stores scene images, actions for each scene, and abilities, in accordance with the success or failure of action results. The character can implement actions with a prescribed success probability, according to one specified scene. Plus or minus points are applied to the corresponding ability values in accordance with the success or failure of the action result, and actions are implemented at each one of successively selected scenes until a game time period has been cleared.

Abstract: A background-sound switching method and apparatus is provided for switching of background-music data. A partitioning code represents an end position of a phrase of background sounds outputted through a speaker. A switching instruction device outputs a switching-instruction signal which causes switching from the background-sound data being outputted to a D/A converter to other background-sound data. Following output of the switching-instruction signal, a data-number controller stores in RAM a data number which defines a next background-sound data to be outputted to the D/A converter. A code detector detects the partitioning code of the background-sound data being outputted. At each time the partitioning code is detected, a switching controller determines whether or not the data number is stored in the RAM and, if the data number is stored in the RAM, the background-sound data being outputted is switched to the other background-sound data defined by the data number.

Abstract: A background-sound control apparatus, a background-sound control method, readable recording medium containing a background-sound control program, and a video game apparatus improve effectiveness of background-sound data provided over a predetermined number of channels. When background sounds are produced through a speaker, a sound-level controller controls output ratios for sound levels defined in background-sound data on a channel basis and uses a sound-level control function to perform crossfading sound-level control.

Abstract: A game image representing an infield as a specific game image in a game space of a baseball game is displayed on a display surface of a monitor 5 as a reference game image. According to the position of a game medium character, for example, representing a baseball which serves as a game situation, the display of the reference game is switched to that of a combined game image. For example, if the ball flies in a direction toward an outfield (outfield direction), the outfield neighboring a partial game image displayed in the half of the display surface in the outfield direction within the reference game image is displayed as an adjacent game image instead of the partial game image. Accordingly, a game situation and a game progress can be easily grasped and a game operation can be more smoothly performed.

Abstract: A character is trained to have abilities and characteristics desired by the player, on a probability basis, without significantly reflecting the level of game playing skill of the player. A main character and game images are displayed on a monitor 5, a main character is caused to move to various battle fronts by commands from an operating section 4, and training for increasing various ability values is performed by executing prescribed tasks.

Abstract: A background-sound control apparatus, a background-sound control method, readable recording medium containing a background-sound control program, and a video game apparatus improve effectiveness of background-sound data within the predetermined number of channels. When background sounds are produced through a speaker, sound-level control means in sound control means controls output ratios for sound levels defined in background-sound data on a channel basis and uses a sound-level control function to perform crossfading sound-level control.

Abstract: Erroneous input is prevented on the event of input of instructions by a game player, which instructions are likely to change according to the state of a game character's abilities, while providing the player with a firm grasp of the state of abilities of the character. In a competitive action game which mimics baseball, among the players operating two connected portable game devices, the player engaged in defense is prompted to select a pitch type for pitching from a pitcher character 450 to a batter character 460. Here pitching ability data is set such that the pitcher character 450 can pitch, as breaking pitches, a sinker, curveball, or slider, with a curve width of 3, 1 and 5, respectively; based on this pitching ability data, the icons 403, 404, 405 are displayed in the vicinity of the strike zone display 410.

Abstract: A ROM is provided, storing a game space having a plurality of places, a main character belonging to a sport team, and a plurality of other characters provided with different capabilities regarding the sport. A wandering processing means causes the main character displayed on a monitor to move to desired places in the game space according to operation of operating keys, executing conversation processing regarding the above solicitation between the displayed main character and other characters, and in the event that the result of the conversation is success in solicitation, the other character is registered to the member registering means. Thus, a game with a high gaming nature and absorbing interest can be provided, wherein the relation between the character of the player and a specific character can be influenced via a main character, and this influence can be reflected on the game story.

Abstract: A game image representing an infield as a specific game image in a game space of a baseball game is displayed on a display surface of a monitor 5 as a reference game image. According to the position of a game medium character, for example, representing a baseball which serves as a game situation, the display of the reference game is switched to that of a combined game image. For example, if the ball flies in a direction toward an outfield (outfield direction), the outfield neighboring a partial game image displayed in the half of the display surface in the outfield direction within the reference game image is displayed as an adjacent game image instead of the partial game image. Accordingly, a game situation and a game progress can be easily grasped and a game operation can be more smoothly performed.

Abstract: A character training control includes setting a character to be trained and its training initial values when a training mode is instructed; obtaining training values to be added to the training initial values of the character by causing the set character to take actions on a monitor in line with a training purpose according to the operation of a plurality of operable buttons; giving a plurality of kinds of items to the character which are prepared in advance and influential to sums of the training values in relation to at least one of the trained state of the character and action instructing operations given to the character by the operable buttons; judging whether training has been successful; and transferring the data of the successfully trained character to the external side together with the training initial values and the given items when a transfer mode is instructed. The control enables realization of an interesting and ingenious game.

Abstract: A game machine having play-by-play announcement includes a monitor, a manipulator, a memory to store data for each of a plurality of vocal sound groups, each vocal sound group expressing a word in connection with the game; a controller operable to produce a new game scene on the monitor in accordance with a game program and an instructive signal generated by the manipulator, and designate data for a vocal sound group suitable to the produced new scene; and a sound generator to generate vocal sounds suitable for the new scene based on the designated data.