Recording medium, method of using a computer and computer for executing role-playing games

• US 20010008850A1
• Filed: 01/10/2001
• Published: 07/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Komata, Nobuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,929,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1056 involving pressure sensitive buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

To provide a user interface for exchanges among on-screen characters which is easier-to-use than selecting certain items by a player pushing a simple ON/OFF switch, a computer, a recording medium and a method use a controller which has pressure-sensitive units for sensing a pushing pressure of the player on the controller. The computer is able to execute a game program that includes scenes of exchanges between the player or a character controlled by the player and other characters. The computer also has a unit for generating a pressure-sensing output signal from the pressure-sensitive unit, and a unit for transmitting the emotion of the player corresponding to the pressure-sensing output signal to one of other on-screen characters.

Claims

1. A recording medium on which is recorded a computer-readable and executable game software program that includes scenes of exchanges between a player or an on-screen character controlled by the player and other on-screen characters, and that includes a program that performs processing by taking as instructions an output from a controller which has pressure-sensitive means for sensing a pushing pressure of a player on the controller, wherein

said software program comprises a processing program that processes the output of said controller as an emotion or volition of the player.

2. The recording medium according to

claim 1

, wherein said processing program processes patterns of changes in the output of said controller as the degree of emotion or volition of the player.

3. The recording medium according to

claim 2

, wherein said patterns of changes is a combination of gradual changes and rapid changes.

4. The recording medium according to

claim 1

, wherein when said scenes are scenes in which the player or the character controlled by the player has a high probability of expressing anger, an emotion of anger is recognized to be present depending on a magnitude of an output value of said controller, and when said scenes are scenes in which the player or the character controlled by the player has a high probability of expressing joy, an emotion of joy is recognized to be present depending on the magnitude of the output value of said controller.

5. The recording medium according to

claim 1

, wherein a case where the output value of said controller changes from large to small is recognized to be an emotion of sadness, and the case wherein the output value of said controller changes from small to large is recognized to be the emotion of joy.

6. The recording medium according to

claim 1

, wherein a case where the output value of said controller reaches a stipulated level or above several times in succession is recognized to be an emotion of laughter.

7. The recording medium according to

claim 1

, when a scene is a case where the player or the character controlled by the player is requested to make a decision, if the output value of said controller is greater than a stipulated value then a positive response or negative response is recognized, or if the output value of said controller is less than a stipulated value then a negative response or positive response is recognized.

8. A method of executing a game program by using a computer that has a controller which has pressure-sensitive means for sensing a pushing pressure of a player on the controller and that is able to execute a game program that includes scenes of exchanges between the player or an on-screen character controlled by the player and on-screen other characters, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a pressure-sensing output signal from said pressure-sensitive means, and

transmitting an emotion or volition of the player corresponding to said pressure-sensing output signal to at least one of said other on-screen characters.

9. The method of using a computer according to

claim 8

, wherein said pressure-sensitive means switches among modes of emotion of the player.

10. The method of using a computer according to

claim 9

, wherein said pressure-sensitive means includes a plurality of pressure-sensitive means corresponding to said modes of emotion.

11. The method of using a computer according to

claim 8

, further comprising the steps of:

recognizing an emotion of anger to be present depending on a magnitude of an output value of said controller in scenes in which the player or the character controlled by the player has a high probability of expressing anger; and

recognizing an emotion of joy to be present depending on the magnitude of the output value of said controller in scenes in which the player or the character controlled by the player has a high probability of expressing joy.

12. The method of using a computer according to

claim 8

, further comprising the steps of:

recognizing a case where the output value of said controller changes from large to small to be an emotion of sadness, and

recognizing a case where the output value of said controller changes from small to large to be an emotion of joy.

13. A computer comprising:

a controller which has pressure-sensitive means and that is able to execute a game program that includes scenes of exchanges between a player or an on-screen character controlled by the player and other on-screen characters;

means for generating a pressure-sensing output signal indicative of a pushing pressure applied by the player on said controller, from said pressure-sensitive means, and

means for transmitting an emotion or volition of the player corresponding to said pressure-sensing output signal to said at least one of other on-screen characters.