Game apparatus, storage medium storing game program and game controlling method

• US 20060046843A1
• Filed: 08/04/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakajima, Souichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,469,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting

Abstract

A game apparatus includes an LCD, and a touch panel is placed on a top surface of the LCD. A player instructs an enemy character displayed on the LCD by use of a stick to attack the enemy character. For example, in a case that the enemy character exists at a depth of a game screen, little damage is applied to the enemy character, and a weak vibration is applied to the game apparatus. Conversely, in a case that the enemy character exists at a front of the game screen, much damage is applied to the character, and a strong vibration is applied to the game apparatus. In either case, the vibrations are transmitted to the fingers or hands of the payer via the stick.

Claims

1. A game apparatus provided with a display for displaying a game screen, a touch panel provided in association with the display, and a vibrator for vibrating at least a screen of said display, comprising:

a game screen displaying means for displaying the game screen including an image of a character appearing in a game on the screen of said display;

an updating means for updating a parameter for changing a display manner of said character or a state of said character in the game in correspondence to the proceeding of the game;

a detecting means for detecting position coordinates in response to an operation input to said touch panel;

an obtaining means for obtaining the parameter of said character at a time of the operation input to said touch panel when the position coordinates detected by said detecting means is included in the display area of said character; and

a vibration controlling means for vibrating said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to the parameter obtained by said obtaining means.

2. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said updating means updates arrangement coordinates of said character in a game space as the parameter, and

said vibration controlling means vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to said arrangement coordinates.

3. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said updating means updates an animation reproduction elapsed time of said character as the parameter, and

said vibration controlling means vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to said animation reproduction elapsed time.

4. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said updating means updates a flag for determining whether at least said character is an attack state or a non-attack state as the parameter, and

said vibration controlling means vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to turn-on/off of said flag.

5. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said updating means updates life, offensive power and mentality of said character as the parameter, and

said vibration controlling means vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to at least one of the life, offensive power and mentality of said character.

6. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said vibration controlling means includes a selecting means for selecting one vibration pattern corresponding to said parameter out of said plurality of vibration patterns.

7. A storage medium storing a game program of a game apparatus provided with a display for displaying a game screen, a touch panel provided in association with the display, and a vibrator for vibrating at least a screen of said display,

said game program causes a processor of said game apparatus to execute:

a game screen displaying step for displaying the game screen including an image of a character appearing in a game on the screen of said display;

an updating step for updating a parameter for changing a display manner of said character or a state of said character in the game in correspondence to the proceeding of the game;

a detecting step for detecting position coordinates in response to an operation input to said touch panel;

an obtaining step for obtaining the parameter of said character at a time of the operation input to said touch panel when the position coordinates detected by said detecting step is included in the display area of said character; and

a vibration controlling step for vibrating said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to the parameter obtained by said obtaining step.

8. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 7, wherein

said updating step updates arrangement coordinates of said character in a game space as the parameter, and

said vibration controlling step vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to said arrangement coordinates.

9. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 7, wherein

said updating step updates an animation reproduction elapsed time of said character as the parameter, and

said vibration controlling step vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to said animation reproduction elapsed time.

10. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 7, wherein

said updating step updates a flag for determining whether at least said character is an attack state or a non-attack state as the parameter, and

said vibration controlling step vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to turn-on/off of said flag.

11. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 7, wherein

said updating step updates life, offensive power and mentality of said character as the parameter, and

said vibration controlling step vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to at least one of the life, offensive power and mentality of said character.

12. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 7, wherein

said vibration controlling step includes a selecting step for selecting one vibration pattern corresponding to said parameter out of said plurality of vibration patterns.

13. A game controlling method of a game apparatus provided with a display for displaying a game screen, a touch panel provided in association with the display, and a vibrator for vibrating at least a screen of said display, includes following steps of:

(a) displaying the game screen including an image of a character appearing in a game on the screen of said display;

(b) updating a parameter for changing a display manner of said character or a state of said character in the game in correspondence to the proceeding of the game;

(c) detecting position coordinates in response to an operation input to said touch panel;

(d) obtaining the parameter of said character at a time of the operation input to said touch panel when the position coordinates detected by said step (c) is included in the display area of said character; and

(e) vibrating said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to the parameter obtained by said step (d).

14. A game controlling method according to claim 13, wherein

said step (b) updates arrangement coordinates of said character in a game space as the parameter, and

said step (e) vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to said arrangement coordinates.

15. A game controlling method according to claim 13, wherein

said step (b) updates an animation reproduction elapsed time of said character as the parameter, and

said step (e) vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to said animation reproduction elapsed time.

16. A game controlling method according to claim 13, wherein

said step (b) updates a flag for determining whether at least said character is an attack state or a non-attack state as the parameter, and

said step (e) vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to turn-on/off of said flag.

17. A game controlling method according to claim 13, wherein

said step (b) updates life, offensive power and mentality of said character as the parameter, and

said step (e) vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to at least one of the life, offensive power and mentality of said character.

18. A game controlling method according to claim 13, wherein

said step (e) includes a step (e-1) for selecting one vibration pattern corresponding to said parameter out of said plurality of vibration patterns.