Game apparatus and control method therefor

• US 20050266908A1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobcast Games Inc., Resonair Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bandai Company Limited, Q Entertainment, Inc.
• Inventors: Kodera, Osamu, Hattori, Ryuichi, Yokota, Katsumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,717,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/9
• 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 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• 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 2300/8094 Unusual game types, e.g. virtual cooking

Abstract

A computer game which makes the player operate a falling object that falls in a predetermined display area, and clears the falling object and falling stop objects by combining the falling object and falling stop objects under a predetermined condition. If falling stop objects including blocks that stop falling include a group of blocks which meet a predetermined clear condition, the group of blocks are registered as blocks to be cleared, and the control waits for a clear waiting state. Even in this waiting state, the next falling object begins to fall. After that, when a sequence bar (701) which moves vertically or horizontally in synchronism with a music output along with the progress of the game has passed the blocks to be cleared, these blocks are cleared.

Claims

1. A computer program product for a computer having an operation unit which makes an operation input to a game, which makes a player operate a falling object that falls within a predetermined display area, and clears the falling object and falling stop objects by combining the falling object and the falling stop objects under a predetermined condition, a display unit which displays information associated with the game, a storage unit which stores data required to execute the game, and an audio output unit which outputs music data of the stored data along with progress of the game, said program product making the computer execute:

a step of displaying the falling object at a falling start position by setting display position data of the falling object at the falling start position in the predetermined display area of the display unit;

a step of changing the display position data of the falling object to move the falling object displayed on the display unit in a lower direction of the display area independently of an operation input from the operation unit;

a step of changing the display position data of the falling object to move the falling object in the lower or horizontal direction of the display area in accordance with an operation input from the operation unit to the falling object;

a step of stopping, when the falling object reaches a falling stop position of the display area and satisfies a falling stop condition, falling of the falling object, and displaying the falling object as a falling stop object;

a step of determining if the display position data of the falling stop object and display position data of other falling stop objects which are arranged around the falling stop object in advance satisfy clear conditions;

a step of generating, when the clear conditions are satisfied, clear object data used to register a portion of the falling stop object which satisfies the clear conditions as an object to be cleared, and storing the generated data in the storage unit;

a step of displaying a sequence bar which moves in the display area in synchronism with the music data which is read out from the storage unit and is output from the audio output unit along with progress of the game;

a step of determining on the basis of display position data of the sequence bar if the sequence bar has passed the portion of the falling stop object corresponding to the clear object data stored in the storage unit; and

a step of clearing, when it is determined that the sequence bar has passed the portion of the falling stop object, display of the portion.

2. The program product according to claim 1, wherein the falling object is formed,one or more small block, and

at least one of the clear conditions is to form a predetermined pattern by the small block and small blocks included in the falling stop objects.

3. The program product according to claim 2, further comprising a step of reading out display data of the pattern as the clear condition from the storage unit, and displaying the pattern on the display unit.

4. The program product according to claim 3, further comprising a step of reading out, when the pattern displayed on the display unit is formed by the falling stop objects, display data associated with a next pattern from the storage unit, and displaying the next pattern on the display unit.

13. A computer readable recording medium recording a computer program of claim 1.

17. A computer readable recording medium recording a computer program of claim 2.

18. A computer readable recording medium recording a computer program of claim 3.

19. A computer readable recording medium recording a computer program of claim 4.

5. A game apparatus for making a player operate a falling object that falls within a predetermined display area, and clearing the falling object and falling stop objects by combining the falling object and the falling stop objects under a predetermined condition, the apparatus comprising:

means for displaying a falling object at a falling start position of a predetermined display area;

means for displaying the displayed falling object to move in a lower direction of the display area independently of an operation input from the player;

means for displaying the falling object to move in the lower or horizontal direction of the display area in accordance with an operation input to the falling object;

means for, when the falling object reaches a falling stop position of the display area and satisfies a falling stop condition, stopping falling of the falling object, and displaying the falling object as a falling stop object;

means for determining if the falling stop object and other falling stop objects which are arranged around the falling stop object in advance satisfy clear conditions;

means for, when the clear conditions are satisfied, registering a portion of the falling stop object which satisfies the clear conditions as an object to be cleared;

means for displaying a sequence bar which moves vertically or horizontally in the display area in synchronism with a music which is output along with progress of a game; and

means for, when the sequence bar has passed the portion of the falling stop object registered as the object to be cleared, clearing the portion of the falling stop object.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the falling object is formed of one or more small block, and

at least one of the clear conditions is to form a predetermined pattern by the small block and small blocks included in the falling stop objects.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising means for reading out display data of the pattern as the clear condition, and displaying the pattern on the display unit.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising means for, when the displayed pattern is formed by the falling stop objects, reading out and displaying display data associated with a next pattern.

9. A method of controlling a game apparatus having an operation unit which makes an operation input to a game, which makes a player operate a falling object that falls within a predetermined display area, and clears the falling object and falling stop objects by combining the falling object and the falling stop objects under a predetermined condition, a display unit which displays information associated with the game, a storage unit which stores data required to execute the game, and an audio output unit which outputs music data of the stored data along with progress of the game, the method comprising:

a step of displaying the falling object at a falling start position by setting display position data of the falling object at the falling start position in the predetermined display area of the display unit;

a step of changing the display position data of the falling object to move the falling object displayed on the display unit in a lower direction of the display area independently of an operation input from the operation unit;

a step of changing the display position data of the falling object to move the falling object in the lower or horizontal direction of the display area in accordance with an operation input from the operation unit to the falling object;

a step of stopping, when the falling object reaches a falling stop position of the display area and satisfies a falling stop condition, falling of the falling object, and displaying the falling object as a falling stop object;

a step of determining if the display position data of the falling stop object and display position data of other falling stop objects which are arranged around the falling stop object in advance satisfy clear conditions;

a step of generating, when the clear conditions are satisfied, clear object data used to register a portion of the falling stop object which satisfies the clear conditions as an object to be cleared, and storing the generated data in the storage unit;

a step of displaying a sequence bar which moves in the display area in synchronism with the music data which is read out from the storage unit and is output from the audio output unit along with progress of the game;

a step of determining on the basis of display position data of the sequence bar if the sequence bar has passed the portion of the falling stop object corresponding to the clear object data stored in the storage unit; and

a step of clearing, when it is determined that the sequence bar has passed the portion of the falling stop object, display of the portion.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the falling object is formed of one or more small block, and

at least one of the clear conditions is to form a predetermined pattern by the small block and small blocks included in the falling stop objects.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of reading out display data of the pattern as the clear condition from the storage unit, and displaying the pattern on the display unit.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising a step of reading out, when the pattern displayed on the display unit is formed by the falling stop objects, display data associated with a next pattern from the storage unit, and displaying the next pattern on the display unit.

14. A game apparatus for clearing a falling object which falls in a predetermined display area, and falling objects, which have already fallen to a falling stop position, in a predetermined combination, the apparatus comprising:

control means for operating the falling object in accordance with a player'"'"'s operation input;

display means for displaying the falling object and a moving object, which is movable in the predetermined display area along with progress of a game, in the predetermined display area;

determination means for determining if the falling object and falling objects that have fallen to the falling stop position satisfy the predetermined combination;

registration means for registering the falling objects, which is determined by said determination means to satisfy the predetermined combination, of the falling object and the falling objects that have fallen to the falling stop position; and

clearing means for clearing the falling objects registered by said registration means when the moving object moves on the falling objects registered by said registration means.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

storage means for storing music data; and

audio output means for audibly outputting the music data,

wherein the moving object is movable in the predetermined display area in synchronism with the music data output from said audio output means.

16. A game apparatus for clearing a falling object which falls in a predetermined display area, and falling objects, which have already fallen to a falling stop position, in a predetermined combination, comprising:

operation means for operating the falling object in accordance with a player'"'"'s operation input;

display means for displaying the falling object in the predetermined display area;

determination means for determining if the falling object and falling objects that have fallen to the falling stop position satisfy the predetermined combination;

registration means for registering the falling objects, which is determined by said determination means to satisfy the predetermined combination, of the falling object and the falling objects that have fallen to the falling stop position;

storage means for storing music data output along with the progress of the game;

audio output means for audibly outputting the music data;

clearing means for, when a predetermined part of the music data is output from said audio output means, clearing the falling objects registered by said registration means.