Game machine and game program

• US 20030207704A1
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Kenji, Takahashi, Shinya, Mizuki, Kiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,198,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks

Abstract

Image processing means of a game apparatus includes first motion control means and second motion control means. The first motion control means controls the motion of a first character appearing in a game space in response to an operation performed on a first operation switch included in a plurality of operation switches. The second motion control means controls the motion of a second character also appearing in the game space but different from the first character in response to an operation performed on a second operation switch, and changes the motion of the first character based on the motion of the second character. Thus, the present game apparatus makes a relationship between a player and subjects of operation involved, thereby allowing the player to experience a novel sensation in playing a game.

Claims

1. A game machine for operating a plurality of characters appearing in a game space, comprising:

a plurality of player-operable operation switches; and

image processing means executing a game program in response to operations performed on the operation switches to generate a game image including images based on image data of the plurality of characters, wherein

the image processing means comprises;

first motion control means for controlling a motion of a first character appearing in the game space in response to an operation performed on a first operation switch included in the operation switches; and

second motion control means for controlling, in response to an operation performed on a second operation switch included in the operation switches, a motion of a second character also appearing in the game space but different from the first character, and changing the motion of the first character based on the motion of the second character.

2. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first and second operation switches are provided in a single controller operated by one player.

3. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first operation switch is provided in a first controller, the second operation switch is provided in a second controller, and the first and second operation switches are operated by different players.

4. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the second motion control means further changes the motion of the first character when the motion of the second character is designated by the second operation switch while the first character is operated by the first operation switch.

5. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing means collectively displays a movable character traveling in the game space and a driver character driving the movable character as the first character, and displays a fellow passenger character riding on the movable character as the second character,

the first motion control means controls motions of the driver character and the movable character, and

the second motion control means controls the motion of the fellow passenger character, and changes the motion of the movable character based on the motion of the fellow passenger character.

6. The game apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the first motion control means changes a traveling direction of the movable character, and

the second motion control means makes the fellow passenger character apply weight on the movable character, and changes the traveling direction of the movable character based on the direction in which the fellow passenger character applies weight.

7. The game apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the first motion control means changes the traveling direction of the movable character, and causes the driver character to make a motion of operating the movable character.

8. The game apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the image processing means further comprises character change means for changing roles of characters set as the driver character and the fellow passenger character in response to an operation performed on a third operation switch included in the operation switches.

9. The game apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the second motion control means changes a degree to which the motion of the movable character is changed based on the motion of the fellow passenger character in accordance with unique characteristics predetermined for the driver character and the fellow passenger character.

10. The game apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the first operation switch is provided in a first controller, and the second operation switch is provided in a second controller, and the first and second operation switches are operated by different players.

11. The game apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the image processing means further comprises character change means for changing roles of the characters set as the driver character and the fellow passenger character in response to an operation performed on a third operation switch provided in the first and/or second controller.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

when the character set as the driver character and the character set as the fellow passenger character change roles with each other by the character change means,

the first motion control means changes settings so as to control the motion of the first character in response to an operation performed on the second operation switch instead of an operation performed on the first operation switch, and

the second motion control means controls the motion of the second character in response to an operation performed on the first operation switch instead of an operation performed on the second operation switch, and changes the motion of the first character.

13. A computer-readable recording medium storing a game program that causes a computer included in a game apparatus operating a plurality of characters that appear in a game space to execute, in response to an operation of a controller performed by a player, a set of steps comprising:

an operation instruction receiving step of receiving operation data representing a game operation instruction inputted by the player from a controller; and

an image processing step of generating a game image including image data of the characters in response to the operation data, wherein

the image processing step comprises;

a first motion control step of controlling a motion of a first character appearing in the game space in response to a first operation instruction inputted by the player; and

a second motion control step of controlling, in response to a second operation instruction that differs from the first operation instruction, a motion of a second character also appearing in the game space but different from the first character, and changing the motion of the first character based on the motion of the second character.

14. The recording medium according to claim 13, wherein

in the operation instruction receiving step, operation data including the first and second operation instructions is received from a single controller operated by one player.

15. The recording medium according to claim 13, wherein

in the operation instruction receiving step, first operation data including the first operation instruction is received from a first controller, second operation data including the second operation instruction is received from a second controller, and the first and second controllers are operated by different players.

16. The recording medium according to claim 13, wherein

in the second motion control step, the motion of the first character is further changed when the motion of the second character is designated by the second operation instruction while the first character is operated based on the first operation instruction.

17. The recording medium according to claim 13, wherein

in the image processing step, a movable character traveling in the game space and a driver character driving the movable character are collectively displayed as the first character, and a fellow passenger character riding on the movable character is displayed as the second character,

in the first motion control step, motions of the driver character and the movable character are changed, and

in the second motion control step, the motion of the fellow passenger character is changed, and the motion of the movable character is also changed based on the motion of the fellow passenger character.

18. The recording medium according to claim 17, wherein

in the first motion control step, a traveling direction of the movable character is changed, and

in the second motion control step, the fellow passenger character is operated so as to apply weight on the movable character, and the traveling direction of the movable character is changed based on the direction in which the fellow passenger character applies weight.

19. The recording medium according to claim 18, wherein

in the first motion control step, the traveling direction of the movable character is changed, and the driver character is made to operate the movable character.

20. The recording medium according to claim 17, wherein

the image processing step further comprises a character change step of changing roles of the characters set as the driver character and the fellow passenger character in response to a third operation instruction included in the operation data.

21. The recording medium according to claim 20, wherein

in the second motion control step, a degree to which the motion of the movable character is changed based on the motion of the fellow passenger character in accordance with unique characteristics predetermined for the driver character and the fellow passenger character.

22. The recording medium according to claim 17, wherein

in the operation instruction receiving step, first operation data including the first operation instruction is received from a first controller, and second operation data including the second operation instruction is received from a second controller, and the first and second controllers are operated by different players.

23. The recording medium according to claim 22, wherein

the image processing step further comprises a character change step of changing roles of the characters set as the driver character and the fellow passenger character with each other based on the first and/or second operation data.

24. The recording medium according to claim 23, wherein

when the character change means changes roles of the characters set as the driver character and the fellow passenger character,

in the first motion control step, the motion of the first character is controlled by the second operation data instead of the first operation data, and

in the second motion control step, the motion of the second character is controlled by the first operation data instead of the second operation data, and the motion of the first character is changed.