Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.

Joshua Forrest Stoddard

Christopher Joseph Foster

Sylvain Dubrofsky

Douglas Robert Applewhite

Eran B Egozy

Daniel Charles Teasdale

Jason Deling Booth

Bryn Bennett

Michael Monsalvatge

Matthew J Sharpe

The invention includes methods, systems with an apparatus configured to perform particular functions, computer program products, and apparatuses that provide means for displaying a game cue for a guitar part and/or displaying a player's input. The expected and/or input performances are indicated on a display by creating a game cue or shape on the display, each having portions of varying magnitudes based on the relative differences between the notes or fingering of expected performance and/or inputted performance.

Simulating musical instruments

Described are methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer program products, for biasing a musical performance input of a player of a rhythm-action game to a part in the game. In one aspect this is accomplished by providing, by a game platform, a history of a degree of matching between a prior music performance input data and a prior music data associated with a first part in a musical composition. Then, on a display, a plurality of target music data, each associated with a respective part in the musical composition, is displayed, with one of the plurality being associated with the first part. Music performance input data is received by the game platform via an input device, such as a microphone, and, based on the history, the received music performance input is assigned to the target music data of the plurality that is associated with the first part.

Biasing a musical performance input to a part

Described are methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer program products, for displaying song lyrics and vocal cues in a rhythm-action game. In one aspect this is accomplished by displaying, on a display in communication with a game platform, a vocal cue. The vocal cue moves on the display in synchronization with a timing component of a musical composition towards a target marker. Lyrics are also displayed, but instead of moving with the movement of the vocal cue the lyrics are displayed in a fixed position. The lyrics maintain their position until the vocal cue has moved to a particular position with respect to the target marker.

Displaying song lyrics and vocal cues

Described are methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer program products, for preventing an unintentional deploy of a bonus in a video game. In one aspect this is accomplished by displaying, on a display in communication with a game platform, a target music data of a musical composition. The game platform receives a music performance input data via the microphone, and also determines if the music performance input data has a predetermined degree of matching with a vocal cue. If so, the performance input data is prevented from executing an improvisation deploy.

Preventing an unintentional deploy of a bonus in a video game

Described are methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer program products, for selectively displaying song lyrics in a rhythm-action game. In one aspect this is accomplished by determining a number of vocal cues to be displayed on a display in communication with a game platform, where the vocal cues are each associated with a lyric. Provided a number of areas available to display a set of lyrics, either before run-time or determined at run-time, the game platform determines, based on a lyric priority associated with each lyric, which of the lyrics associated with each vocal cue to display when the number of vocal cues exceeds the number of areas available.

Selectively displaying song lyrics

Described are methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer program products, for displaying an input at multiple octaves in a rhythm-action game. In one aspect this is accomplished by receiving by a game platform via a microphone, a music performance input data and displaying, on a display in communication with the game platform, a first pitch marker reflective of the music performance input data. Then substantially simultaneously with the display of the first pitch marker, displaying a second pitch marker at an offset, typically vertical, from the first pitch marker, the offset indicative of an octave difference between the first pitch marker and the second pitch marker.

Displaying an input at multiple octaves

Described are methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer program products, for dynamically displaying a pitch range in a rhythm-action game. In one aspect this is accomplished by a game platform dividing a musical composition into a plurality of portions each comprising one or more notes. Then the game platform determines a pitch range between a highest note and a lowest note for each portion. Then the game platform determines a display density for each portion based on the pitch range of each portion, or alternatively, a display density for the entire song based on the greatest pitch range of all portions. Then, the game platform displays each portion within a viewable area. The viewable area has a density alterable based on the portion to be displayed or a position that is alterable based on the portion to be displayed, or has both an alterable position and alterable pitch density.

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Arlington, MA, United States of America

Joshua Forrest Stoddard