Storage medium storing game program, game apparatus and game control method

• US 20060287088A1
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Mashimo, Masahiko, Okada, Norihide, Saito, Shinya, Yano, Keiichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,419,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• 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 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• 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 2300/303 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 2300/8047 Music games

Abstract

A game apparatus includes an LCD, and a game screen is displayed on the LCD. A touch panel is provided on the LCD. The game screen presents a marker image so as to be variable in position in time with performance of music, and also presents a timer circle image for indicating touch timing for the marker image. A player needs to touch a marker image to be touched with precise timing, listening to the music or watching the timer circle image. The player'"'"'s touch is evaluated on the basis of the touch timing and the touch position. If the touch is evaluated as a failure, the game screen is shaken.

Claims

1. A storage medium storing a game program for a game apparatus comprising a display means and a touch panel provided in relation to the display means, wherein

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

a touch input detection step of detecting a touch input;

a touch timing control step of processing a first timing with which the touch input is to be performed;

a touch image display step of generating a touch image to be touched by a player and displaying the same on said display means;

a touch timing detection step of detecting a second timing for the touch input detected in said touch input detection step;

a timing coincidence degree detection step of detecting a degree of coincidence of said first timing and said second timing;

a touch position detection step of detecting whether or not a touch position indicated by said touch input represents a position to touch; and

a touch evaluation step of evaluating the touch input according to result of detection in said timing coincidence degree detection step and result of detection in said touch position detection step.

2. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 1, wherein

said position to touch includes a position set in said touch panel in relation to said touch image.

3. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 1, wherein

said touch image display step includes a first timing display step of displaying said first timing visibly in relation to said touch image.

4. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 1, wherein

said game program further allows execution of a touch image display change step of changing display of said touch image, at least according to evaluation in said touch evaluation step.

5. A storage medium storing game program according to claim 4, wherein

in said touch image display change step, a display position of said touch image is changed.

6. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 4, wherein

in said touch image display change step, a size of said touch image is changed.

7. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 4, wherein

said game program further allows execution of a communication step of carrying out data communications with another game apparatus, and

in said communication step, when a match-up game is played with a player of said other game apparatus, attack data according to evaluation in said touch evaluation step is transmitted to the other game apparatus.

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

in said touch image change step, when said attack data is received from another game apparatus in said communication step, display of said touch image is changed.

9. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 4, wherein

in said touch image display step, said touch image is generated on the basis of three-dimensional graphics techniques including a three-dimensional graphics rendering process and a viewpoint conversion process to two-dimensional image, and

in said touch image display change step, a viewpoint position in said viewpoint conversion process is changed, at least according to evaluation in said touch evaluation step.

10. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 4, wherein

said game program further allows execution of a change time period setting step of setting a time period during when display of said touch image is changed, and

in said touch image display change step, display of said touch image is changed for the time period set in said change time period setting step.

11. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 1, wherein

said game program further allows execution of a music performance step of performing music, and

in said touch timing control step, said first timing is controlled in synchronization with rhythm of the music performed in said music performance step.

12. A storage medium storing a game program for playing a match-up game with connection of two or more game apparatuses comprising a display means, a touch panel provided in relation to the display means, and a communication means, wherein

said game program allows a processor of each of said game apparatuses to execute:

a touch input detection step of detecting a touch input;

a touch timing control step of processing a first timing with which the touch input is to be performed;

a touch image display step of generating a touch image to be touched by a player and displaying the same on said display means;

a touch timing detection step of detecting a second timing for the touch input detected in said touch input detection step;

a timing coincidence degree detection step of detecting a degree of coincidence of said first timing and said second timing;

a touch position detection step of detecting whether or not a touch position indicated by said touch input represents a position to touch;

a touch evaluation step of evaluating the touch input according to result of detection in said timing coincidence degree detection step and result of detection in said touch position detection step;

an attack data transmission step of transmitting attack data to said another game apparatus via said communication means according to evaluation in said touch evaluation step; and

an attack data reception step of receiving attack data from said another game apparatus via said communication means, wherein

in said touch evaluation step, when attack data is received in said attack data reception step, the touch input is evaluated with the attack data taken into consideration.

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

said position to touch includes a position set in said touch panel in relation to said touch image.

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

said touch image display step includes a first timing display step of displaying said first timing visibly in relation to said touch image.

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

said game program further allows execution of a touch image display change step of changing display of said touch image when attack data is received in said attack data reception step.

16. A storage medium storing game program according to claim 15, wherein

in said touch image display change step, a display position of said touch image is changed.

17. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 15, wherein

in said touch image display change step, a size of said touch image is changed.

18. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 15, wherein

in said touch image display step, said touch image is generated on the basis of three-dimensional graphics techniques including a three-dimensional graphics rendering process and a viewpoint conversion process to two-dimensional image, and

in said touch image display change step, a viewpoint position in said viewpoint conversion process is changed on the basis of said attack data.

19. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 15, wherein

said game program further allows execution of a change time period setting step of setting a time period during when display of said touch image is changed, and

in said touch image display change step, display of said touch image is changed for the time period set in said change time period setting step.

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

said game program further allows execution of a music performance step of performing music, and

in said touch timing control step, said first timing is controlled in synchronization with rhythm of the music performed in said music performance step.

21. A game apparatus comprising a display means and a touch panel provided in relation to the display means, comprising:

a touch input detection means for detecting a touch input;

a touch timing control means for processing a first timing with which the touch input is to be performed;

a touch image display means for generating a touch image to be touched by a player and displaying the same on said display means;

a touch timing detection means for detecting a second timing for the touch input detected by said touch input detection means;

a timing coincidence degree detection means for detecting a degree of coincidence of said first timing and said second timing;

a touch position detection means for detecting whether or not a touch position indicated by said touch input represents a position to touch; and

a touch evaluation means for evaluating the touch input according to result of detection in said timing coincidence degree detection step and result of detection by said touch position detection means.

22. A game apparatus according to claim 21, wherein

said position to touch includes a position set in said touch panel in relation to said touch image.

23. A game apparatus according to claim 21, wherein

said touch image display means includes a first timing display means for displaying said first timing visibly in relation to said touch image.

24. A game apparatus comprising a display means and a touch panel provided in relation to the display means and a communication means for playing a match-up game with connection of at least one of the other game apparatuses, comprising:

a touch input detection means for detecting a touch input;

a touch timing control means for processing a first timing with which the touch input is to be performed;

a touch image display means for generating a touch image to be touched by a player and displaying the same on said display means;

a touch timing detection means for detecting a second timing for the touch input detected by said touch input detection means;

a timing coincidence degree detection means for detecting a degree of coincidence of said first timing and said second timing;

a touch position detection means for detecting whether or not a touch position indicated by said touch input represents a position to touch;

a touch evaluation means for evaluating the touch input according to result of detection in said timing coincidence degree detection step and result of detection by said touch position detection means;

an attack data transmission means for transmitting attack data to said another game apparatus via said communication means according to evaluation by said touch evaluation means; and

an attack data reception means for receiving attack data from said another game apparatus via said communication means, wherein

said touch evaluation means, when attack data is received in said attack data reception step, evaluates the touch input with the attack data taken into consideration.

25. A game control method for a game apparatus comprising a display means and a touch panel provided in relation to the display means, including following steps of:

(a) detecting a touch input;

(b) processing a first timing with which the touch input is to be performed;

(c) generating a touch image to be touched by a player and displaying the same on said display means;

(d) detecting a second timing for the touch input detected in said step (a);

(e) detecting a degree of coincidence of said first timing and said second timing;

(f) detecting whether or not a touch position indicated by said touch input represents a position to touch; and

(g) evaluating the touch input according to result of detection in said step (e) and result of detection in said step (f).