Video game device and storage medium storing video game program

• US 20040214623A1
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Takahashi, Hiroyuki, Takahashi, Shugo, Izuno, Toshiharu
• Granted Patent: US 7,297,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/2
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/577 using determination of contact between game characters or objects, e.g. to avoid collision between virtual racing cars
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball

Abstract

A turning point marker 241 on a power gauge 24 and an impact point object 25 are displayed in a game image. The impact point object 25 is displayed according to the current lie. The turning point marker 241 is positioned away from the left end of the power gauge 24 depending on the difficulty of the shot. The moving direction of a cursor 244 moving along the power gauge 24 is reversed at the turning point marker 241. With the turning point marker 241, it is possible to clearly indicate to the player how limited the power available is under the current situation as compared with the situation where the maximum power is available, and thus how difficult to play the current situation is.

Claims

1. A video game device for playing a golf game that proceeds in response to a player'"'"'s operation, comprising:

input means operated by the player;

gauge display control means for displaying, with a constant length, a gauge used for determining a power for hitting a ball;

cursor display control means for displaying a cursor moving along the gauge;

first determination means for determining the power based on a position of the cursor with respect to the gauge at a time of a predetermined operation of the input means;

shot condition setting means for setting a shot condition influencing a ball travel distance determined according to the power; and

marker display control means for displaying a marker indicating one end of a moving range of the cursor along the gauge at a position according to the shot condition set by the shot condition setting means.

2. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein when the cursor displayed by the cursor display control means reaches the marker, a moving direction of the cursor is reversed so that the cursor thereafter moves in an opposite direction along the gauge.

3. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein when the cursor displayed by the cursor display control means reaches the marker, the cursor jumps back to the other end of the moving range and repeats moving in the same direction along the gauge.

4. The video game device according to claim 2, wherein:

the cursor display control means continues to move the cursor in the same direction along the gauge even after the power is determined by the first determination means; and

the video game device comprises second determination means for further determining, after the power is determined by the first determination means, another shot parameter based on a position of the cursor with respect to the gauge at a time of a predetermined operation of the input means.

5. The video game device according to claim 1, further comprising difficulty table storing means for pre-storing, as a difficulty table, a data table defining a numerical difficulty level associated with each shot condition that can be set in the golf game so that each difficulty level reflects that in real golf under the associated shot condition,

wherein the marker display control means retrieves, from the difficulty table, a value associated with the shot condition set by the shot condition setting means, and determines the position of the marker based on the retrieved value.

6. The video game device according to claim 5, wherein the marker display control means displays the marker at a position closer to a starting position of the cursor for a difficulty level indicated by the retrieved value as higher.

7. The video game device according to claim 5, wherein:

the difficulty table defines a value for each lie indicating a condition of a ground on which a ball is lying;

the shot condition setting means sets at least the lie before a shot as the shot condition; and

the marker display control means retrieves, from the difficulty table, a value associated with the lie before a shot, and determines the position of the marker based on the retrieved value.

8. The video game device according to claim 7, wherein:

the difficulty table further defines a value for each combination of the lie and a club that can be selected in the golf game;

the shot condition setting means sets at least a combination of the lie before a shot and a club selected for the shot as the shot condition; and

the marker display control means retrieves, from the difficulty table, a value associated with the combination of the lie before the shot and the selected club, and determines the position of the marker based on the retrieved value.

9. The video game device according to claim 5, wherein:

the difficulty table defines a value for each environmental factor of a hole played;

the shot condition setting means sets at least an environmental factor of a hole currently being played as the shot condition; and

the marker display control means retrieves, from the difficulty table, a value associated with the environmental factor of the hole being played, and determines the position of the marker based on the retrieved value.

10. The video game device according to claim 5, further comprising cursor speed calculation means for calculating a speed of a cursor moving along the gauge, wherein:

the cursor speed calculation means retrieves, from the difficulty table, a value associated with a shot condition set by the shot condition setting means, and calculates the speed based on the retrieved value; and

the cursor display control means moves the cursor along the gauge based on the speed calculated by the cursor speed calculation means.

11. The video game device according to claim 1, further comprising character table storing means for pre-storing, as a character table, a data table defining a numerical shot characteristic associated with each combination of a character that can be used in the golf game and a shot condition that can be set in the golf game,

wherein the marker display control means retrieves, from the character table, a value associated with the combination of a character making a shot and a shot condition set by the shot condition setting means, and determines the position of the marker based on the retrieved value.

12. The video game device according to claim 11, wherein:

the character table defines a value for each combination of a lie indicating a condition of a ground on which a ball is lying and a character; and

the marker display control means retrieves, from the character table, a value associated with a combination of the lie before a shot and a character making the shot, and determines the position of the marker based on the retrieved value.

13. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein:

at least if a condition of a ground on which a ball is lying at a time a shot is to be taken is a rough or a bunker, the shot condition setting means sets, as the shot condition, the ground condition being a rough or a bunker; and

the marker display control means displays the marker at a position closer to a starting position of the cursor if the ground condition is a rough or a bunker.

14. A video game device for playing a golf game that proceeds in response to a player'"'"'s operation, comprising:

input means operated by the player;

gauge display control means for displaying, with a constant length, a gauge used for determining a power for putting a ball;

cursor display control means for displaying a cursor moving along the gauge;

determination means for determining the power based on a position of the cursor with respect to the gauge at a time of a predetermined operation of the input means;

putt condition setting means for setting a putt condition influencing a ball travel distance determined according to the power; and

marker display control means for displaying a marker indicating one end of a moving range of the cursor along the gauge at a position according to the putt condition set by the putt condition setting means.

15. The video game device according to claim 14, wherein:

at least if a condition of a ground on which a ball is lying at a time a putt is to be taken is a green, the putt condition setting means sets, as the putt condition, a speed at which the ball rolls on the green; and

the marker display control means displays the marker at a position closer to a starting position of the cursor if the speed of the ball is higher than a predetermined value.

16. A video game device for playing a golf game that proceeds in response to a player'"'"'s operation, comprising:

input means operated by the player;

gauge display control means for displaying, with a constant length, a gauge used for determining a power for hitting a ball;

filling means for gradually filling an inside of the gauge in a predetermined direction;

determination means for determining the power based on a position of a front end of a filled area filled by the filling means with respect to the gauge at a time of a predetermined operation of the input means;

shot condition setting means for setting a shot condition influencing a ball travel distance determined according to the power; and

turning point marker display control means for displaying a turning point marker at a position according to the shot condition set by the shot condition setting means, the turning point marker indicating a position at which a direction of a filling operation by the filling means is reversed,

wherein the filling means reverses the direction of the filling operation when the front end of the filled area reaches the turning point marker.

17. A video game device for playing a game in which an object is moved in response to a player'"'"'s operation, comprising:

input means operated by the player;

gauge display control means for displaying, with a constant length, a gauge used for determining a power for moving the object;

cursor display control means for displaying a cursor moving along the gauge;

determination means for determining the power based on a position of the cursor with respect to the gauge at a time of a predetermined operation of the input means;

object moving condition setting means for setting an object moving condition influencing an object travel distance determined according to the power; and

marker display control means for displaying a marker indicating one end of a moving range of the cursor along the gauge at a position according to the object moving condition set by the object moving condition setting means.

18. A storage medium storing a video game program to be executed by a computer for playing a golf game that proceeds in response to a player'"'"'s operation, the video game program instructing the computer to perform:

a gauge display control step of displaying, with a constant length, a gauge used for determining a power for hitting a ball;

a cursor display control step of displaying a cursor moving along the gauge;

a first determination step of determining the power based on a position of the cursor with respect to the gauge at a time of a predetermined operation of an input section by the player;

a shot condition setting step of setting a shot condition influencing a ball travel distance determined according to the power; and

a marker display control step of displaying a marker indicating one end of a moving range of the cursor along the gauge at a position according to the shot condition set in the shot condition setting step.

19. The storage medium storing the video game program according to claim 18, wherein when the cursor displayed in the cursor display control step reaches the marker, a moving direction of the cursor is reversed so that the cursor thereafter moves in an opposite direction along the gauge.

20. The storage medium storing the video game program according to claim 18, wherein when the cursor displayed in the cursor display control step reaches the marker, the cursor jumps back to the other end of the moving range and repeats moving in the same direction along the gauge.

21. The storage medium storing the video game program according to claim 19, wherein:

the cursor display control step continues to move the cursor in the same direction along the gauge even after the power is determined in the first determination step; and

the video game program instructs the computer to perform a second determination step of further determining, after the power is determined in the first determination step, another shot parameter based on a position of the cursor with respect to the gauge at a time of a predetermined operation of the input section.

22. The storage medium storing the video game program according to claim 18, wherein:

the video game program instructs the computer to further perform a difficulty table storing step of pre-storing, as a difficulty table, a data table defining a numerical difficulty level associated with each shot condition that can be set in the golf game so that each difficulty level reflects that in real golf under the associated shot condition; and

the marker display control step retrieves, from the difficulty table, a value associated with the shot condition set in the shot condition setting step, and determines the position of the marker based on the retrieved value.

23. The storage medium storing the video game program according to claim 22, wherein the marker display control step displays the marker at a position closer to a starting position of the cursor for a difficulty level indicated by the retrieved value as higher.

24. The storage medium storing the video game program according to claim 22, wherein:

the difficulty table defines a value for each lie indicating a condition of a ground on which a ball is lying;

the shot condition setting step sets at least the lie before a shot as the shot condition; and

the marker display control step retrieves, from the difficulty table, a value associated with the lie before a shot, and determines the position of the marker based on the retrieved value.

25. The storage medium storing the video game program according to claim 24, wherein:

the difficulty table further defines a value for each combination of the lie and a club that can be selected in the golf game;

the shot condition setting step sets at least a combination of the lie before a shot and a club selected for the shot as the shot condition; and

the marker display control step retrieves, from the difficulty table, a value associated with the combination of the lie before the shot and the selected club, and determines the position of the marker based on the retrieved value.

26. The storage medium storing the video game program according to claim 22, wherein:

the difficulty table defines a value for each environmental factor of a hole played;

the shot condition setting step sets at least an environmental factor of a hole currently being played as the shot condition; and

the marker display control step retrieves, from the difficulty table, a value associated with the environmental factor of the hole being played, and determines the position of the marker based on the retrieved value.

27. The storage medium storing the video game program according to claim 22, wherein:

the video game program instructs the computer to further perform a cursor speed calculation step of calculating a speed of a cursor moving along the gauge;

the cursor speed calculation step retrieves, from the difficulty table, a value associated with a shot condition set in the shot condition setting step, and calculates the speed based on the retrieved value; and

the cursor display control step moves the cursor along the gauge based on the speed calculated in the cursor speed calculation step.

28. The storage medium storing the video game program according to claim 18, wherein:

the video game program instructs the computer to further perform a character table storing step of pre-storing, as a character table, a data table defining a numerical shot characteristic associated with each combination of a character that can be used in the golf game and a shot condition that can be set in the golf game; and

the marker display control step retrieves, from the character table, a value associated with the combination of a character making a shot and a shot condition set in the shot condition setting step, and determines the position of the marker based on the retrieved value.

29. The storage medium storing the video game program according to claim 28, wherein:

the character table defines a value for each combination of a lie indicating a condition of a ground on which a ball is lying and a character; and

the marker display control step retrieves, from the character table, a value associated with a combination of the lie before a shot and a character making the shot, and determines the position of the marker based on the retrieved value.

30. The storage medium storing the video game program according to claim 18, wherein:

at least if a condition of a ground on which a ball is lying at a time a shot is to be taken is a rough or a bunker, the shot condition setting step sets, as the shot condition, the ground condition being a rough or a bunker; and

the marker display control step displays the marker at a position closer to a starting position of the cursor if the ground condition is a rough or a bunker.

31. A storage medium storing a video game program to be executed by a computer for playing a golf game that proceeds in response to a player'"'"'s operation, the video game program instructing the computer to perform:

a gauge display control step of displaying, with a constant length, a gauge used for determining a power for putting a ball;

a cursor display control step of displaying a cursor moving along the gauge;

a determination step of determining the power based on a position of the cursor with respect to the gauge at a time of a predetermined operation of an input section by the player;

a putt condition setting step of setting a putt condition influencing a ball travel distance determined according to the power; and

a marker display control step of displaying a marker indicating one end of a moving range of the cursor along the gauge at a position according to the putt condition set in the putt condition setting step.

32. The storage medium storing the video game program according to claim 31, wherein:

at least if a condition of a ground on which a ball is lying at a time a putt is to be taken is a green, the putt condition setting step sets, as the putt condition, a speed at which the ball rolls on the green; and

the marker display control step displays the marker at a position closer to a starting position of the cursor if the speed of the ball is higher than a predetermined value.

33. A storage medium storing a video game program to be executed by a computer for playing a golf game that proceeds in response to a player'"'"'s operation, the video game program instructing the computer to perform:

a gauge display control step of displaying, with a constant length, a gauge used for determining a power for hitting a ball;

a filling step of gradually filling an inside of the gauge in a predetermined direction;

a determination step of determining the power based on a position of a front end of a filled area filled in the filling step with respect to the gauge at a time of a predetermined operation of an input section by the player;

a shot condition setting step of setting a shot condition influencing a ball travel distance determined according to the power; and

a turning point marker display control step of displaying a turning point marker at a position according to the shot condition set in the shot condition setting step, the turning point marker indicating a position at which a direction of a filling operation in the filling step is reversed,

wherein the filling step reverses the direction of the filling operation when the front end of the filled area reaches the turning point marker.

34. A storage medium storing a video game program to be executed by a computer for playing a game in which an object is moved in response to a player'"'"'s operation, the video game program instructing the computer to perform:

a gauge display control step of displaying, with a constant length, a gauge used for determining a power for moving the object;

a cursor display control step of displaying a cursor moving along the gauge;

a determination step of determining the power based on a position of the cursor with respect to the gauge at a time of a predetermined operation of an input section by the player;

an object moving condition setting step of setting an object moving condition influencing an object travel distance determined according to the power; and

a marker display control step of displaying a marker indicating one end of a moving range of the cursor along the gauge at a position according to the object moving condition set in the object moving condition setting step.