Game apparatus, game control method, recording medium and program

• US 20020060427A1
• Filed: 03/08/2001
• Published: 05/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Corporation (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Corporation (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Hinami, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,628,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/237
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5378 for displaying an additional top view, e.g. radar screens or maps using two or more virtual cameras concurrently A63F13/5252
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting

Abstract

An image data generator of this game apparatus generates, in a combat state, combat image data to display player'"'"'s combat elements that executes a combat and opponent'"'"'s combat elements fighting with the player'"'"'s combat elements on the display unit in real time. This game comprises a distance detector that detects a distance between the player'"'"'s combat element and the opponent'"'"'s combat element at the time of changing a normal state to the combat state, and displays an initial image at the beginning of the combat state in accordance with the distance therebetween.

Claims

1. A game apparatus for executing a war simulation game, comprising:

a first generator for generating image data to display a normal state image on a preset display, which includes a map, at least one player'"'"'s element, and at least one opponent'"'"'s element, both elements being positioned on the map;

a first controller for activating the first generator when operation data indicating an operation by a game player is sent to the first controller and controlling the first generator to generate the image data for the normal state image according to the operation data;

a second generator for generating image data to display a combat state image on the preset display, which represents that one of the at least one player'"'"'s element fights against one of the at least one opponent'"'"'s element;

a second controller for activating the second generator when the operation data is sent to the second controller and controlling the second generator to generate the image data in real time in response to the operation data; and

a selector for receiving the operation data, determining whether or not the operation data satisfies a preset condition, and sending the operation data to either the first controller or the second controller in accordance with the determination.

2. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the preset condition is whether the operation data includes an instruction that desired one of the at least one player'"'"'s element should fight against desired one of the at least one opponent'"'"'s element.

3. The game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selector sends the operation data to the second controller when the operation data satisfies the preset condition.

4. The game apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second controller detects a distance between the desired player'"'"'s element and the desired opponent'"'"'s element according to the operation data, and controls the second generator so that the displayed combat state image reflects the detected distance.

5. The game apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the map of the normal state image comprises a plurality of areas, and each of the both elements is positioned in one of the plurality of areas respectively.

6. The game apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second controller determines, according to the operation data, whether or not an area in which the desired player'"'"'s element is positioned is adjacent to an area in which the desired opponent'"'"'s element is positioned, and controls the second generator so that the displayed combat state image represents the desired player'"'"'s element to fight the desired opponent'"'"'s element in short-range circumstance when the area in which the desired player'"'"'s element is positioned is adjacent to the area in which the desired opponent'"'"'s element is positioned, while the display combat state image represents the desired player'"'"'s element to fight the desired opponent'"'"'s element in long-range circumstance when the area in which the desired player'"'"'s element is positioned is not adjacent to the area in which the desired opponent'"'"'s element is positioned.

7. A method of executing a war simulation game on a game apparatus, comprising:

a first generating step of generating image data to display a normal state image on a preset display of the game apparatus, which includes a map, at least one player'"'"'s element, and at least one opponent'"'"'s element, both elements being positioned on the map;

a first controlling step of activating the first generating step in response to reception operation data indicating an operation by a game player and controlling the first generating step to generate the image data for the normal state image according to the operation data;

a second generating step of generating image data to display a combat state image on the preset display, which represents that one of the at least one player'"'"'s element fights against one of the at least one opponent'"'"'s element;

a second controlling step of activating the second generating step in response to reception of the operation data and controlling the second generating step to generate the image data in real time in response to the operation data; and

a selecting step of receiving the operation data, determining whether or not the operation data satisfies a preset condition, and sending the operation data to either the first controlling step or the second controlling step in accordance with the determination.

8. A storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code means comprising:

first computer readable program code means for generating image data to display a normal state image on a preset display, which includes a map, at least one player'"'"'s element, and at least one opponent'"'"'s element, both elements being positioned on the map;

second computer readable program code means for activating the first computer readable program code means in response to reception operation data indicating an operation by a game player and controlling the first computer readable program code means to generate the image data for the normal state image according to the operation data;

third computer readable program code means for generating image data to display a combat state image on the preset display, which represents that one of the at least one player'"'"'s element fights against one of the at least one opponent'"'"'s element;

fourth computer readable program code means for activating the third computer readable program code means in response to reception of the operation data and controlling the third computer readable program code means to generate the image data in real time in response to the operation data; and

fifth computer readable program code means for receiving the operation data, determining whether or not the operation data satisfies a preset condition, and sending the operation data to either the second computer readable program code means or the fourth computer readable program code means in accordance with the determination.

9. A computer program for a computer having a display, the computer program causing the computer to execute the steps of:

a first generating step of generating image data to display a normal state image on the display of the game apparatus, which includes a map, at least one player'"'"'s element, and at least one opponent'"'"'s element, both elements being positioned on the map;

a first controlling step of activating the first generating step in response to reception operation data indicating an operation by a game player and controlling the first generating step to generate the image data for the normal state image according to the operation data;

a second generating step of generating image data to display a combat state image on the display, which represents that one of the at least one player'"'"'s element fights against one of the at least one opponent'"'"'s element;

a second controlling step of activating the second generating step in response to reception of the operation data and controlling the second generating step to generate the image data in real time in response to the operation data; and

a selecting step of receiving the operation data, determining whether or not the operation data satisfies a preset condition, and sending the operation data to either the first controlling step or the second controlling step in accordance with the determination.

10. The computer program according to claim 9, wherein the computer program is stored in a computer readable storage medium.