Game system and computer readable storage medium

• US 20010029203A1
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Published: 10/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Corporation
• Inventors: Shoji, Tatsuya, Nagakura, Masaaki
• Granted Patent: US 6,572,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/33
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5372 for tagging characters, objects or locations in the game scene, e.g. displaying a circle under the character controlled by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/306 for displaying a marker associated to an object or location in the game field
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6676 by dedicated player input
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

It is an object of present invention to effectively, separately use a game field image and an enlarged image relating to the neighborhood of a sight position in the game field image.

In a game system executing a shooting simulation or the like, a game field image is displayed on a screen of a predetermined monitor by a computer of the game system, a sight position in the game field image is changed in accordance with a player'"'"'s position select operation conducted to a predetermined input device , and an enlarged image relating to a predetermined range including the sight position is displayed on the screen of the monitor. Further, a magnification of the enlarged image relative to the game field image is changed in accordance with a player'"'"'s magnification switch operation conducted to the input device

Claims

1. A game system characterized by comprising:

a first display control device for displaying a game field image on a predetermined monitor screen;

a sight position select device for changing a sight position in said game field image in accordance with a player'"'"'s position select operation conducted to a predetermined input device;

a second display control device for displaying an enlarged image relating to a predetermined range including said sight position on said monitor screen; and

a magnification change device for changing a magnification of said enlarged view relative to said game field image in accordance with a player'"'"'s magnification switch operation conducted to said input device.

2. The game system according to

claim 1

, characterized in that said second display control device switches over display and non-display of said enlarged view in accordance with a player'"'"'s display switch operation conducted to said input device.

7. The game system according to

claim 1

, characterized in that a display position of said enlarged view is set so that said sight position in said enlarged view and said sight position in said game field position accord with each other.

3. A game system characterized by comprising:

a first display control device for displaying a game field image on a predetermined monitor screen;

a sight position select device for changing a sight position in said game field image in accordance with a player'"'"'s position select operation conducted to a predetermined input device;

a second display control device for displaying an enlarged view relating to a predetermined range including said sight position on said monitor screen; and

a transparency processing device for allowing observation of the game field image in back of the enlarged view by transmitting said enlarged view to a predetermined transparency.

4. The game system according to

claim 3

, characterized by comprising a transparency change device for changing said transparency of said enlarged view in accordance with a player'"'"'s transparency change operation conducted to said input device.

5. A game system characterized by comprising:

a main monitor provided to display a predetermined game field image;

a game controller having a pad-like housing capable of being held by a player with player'"'"'s hands, and having an input device including at least one operation member operated by the player and provided on the housing, and provided with a sub-monitor allowing observation from externally of said housing;

a control device for executing a predetermined game while referring to a player'"'"'s operation conducted to said input device, and characterized in that

said control device comprises;

a first display control device for displaying said game field image on a screen of said main monitor;

a sight position select device for changing a sight position in said game field image in accordance with a player'"'"'s position select operation conducted to said input device; and

a second display control device for displaying an enlarged view relating to a predetermined range including said sight position on a screen of said sub-monitor.

6. The game system according to

claim 5

, characterized in that said game controller is provided with a portable information terminal attachable to and detachable from said housing, and said sub-monitor is provided at said portable information terminal.

8. A computer readable storage medium characterized by recording a program for allowing a computer constituting a game system to function as:

a first display control device for displaying a game field image on a predetermined monitor screen;

a sight position select device for changing a sight position in said game field image in accordance with a player'"'"'s position select operation conducted to a predetermined input device;

a second display control device for displaying an enlarged image relating to a predetermined range including said sight position on said monitor screen; and

a magnification change device for changing a magnification of said enlarged view relative to said game field image in accordance with a player'"'"'s magnification switch operation conducted to said input device.

9. A computer readable storage medium characterize by recording a program for allowing a computer constituting a game system to function as:

a first display control device for displaying a game field image on a predetermined monitor screen;

a sight position select device for changing a sight position in said game field image in accordance with a player'"'"'s position select operation conducted to a predetermined input device;

a second display control device for displaying an enlarged view relating to a predetermined range including said sight position on said monitor screen; and

a transparency processing device for allowing observation of the game field image in back of the enlarged view by transmitting said enlarged view to a predetermined transparency.

10. A computer readable recording medium characterized by recording a program for allowing a computer, applied to a game system comprising a main monitor provided to display a predetermined game field image;

a game controller having a pad-like housing capable of being held by a player with player'"'"'s hands, and having an input device including at least one operation member operated by the player and provided on the housing, and provided with a sub-monitor allowing observation from externally of said housing, and constituting the game controller, to function as;

a first display control device for displaying said game field image on a screen of said main monitor;

a sight position select device for changing a sight position in said game field image in accordance with a player'"'"'s position select operation conducted to said input device; and

a second display control device for displaying an enlarged view relating to a predetermined range including said sight position on a screen of said sub-monitor.