Ordered execution of actions in a game environment

• US 20070060231A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Friedly, Keith, Mueller, Daniel, Medina, Erik, Neveu, Timothy, Beard, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,946,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/5
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• 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 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5372 for tagging characters, objects or locations in the game scene, e.g. displaying a circle under the character controlled by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/306 for displaying a marker associated to an object or location in the game field

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for ordered execution of actions in a game environment is disclosed. An indication of a first object having been targeted in the game environment may be received whereby the object is assigned a first target slot. An indication of a second object having been targeted in the game environment may then be received, this second targeted object being assigned a second target slot. An action is then executed in the game environment with respect to each of the targeted objects in response to a command from an input device. The execution of the action with respect to each of the targeted objects may occur in accordance with an order defined by the target slots.

Claims

1. A method for ordered execution of actions in a game environment, comprising:

receiving an indication of a first object having been targeted in the game environment;

assigning the first targeted object to a first target slot;

receiving an indication of a second object having been targeted in the game environment;

assigning the second targeted object to a second target slot; and

executing an action in the game environment with respect to each of the targeted objects in response to a command from an input device, wherein the execution of the action with respect to each of the targeted objects occurs in accordance with an order defined by the target slots.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the order defined by the target slots is determined as a result of the proximity of each of the targeted objects to a user-controlled object executing the action with respect to each of the targeted objects in the game environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the order defined by the target slots is determined as a result of whether each of the targeted objects is within a predefined range of the action to be executed by a user-controlled object with respect to each of the targeted objects in the game environment.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising automatically re-positioning the user-controlled object with respect to each of the targeted objects within the game environment if each of the targeted objects is not within the predefined range of the action to be executed.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising automatically re-orienting the user-controller object with respect to each of the targeted objects within the game environment if each of the targeted objects is not within the predefined range of the action to be executed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the order defined by the target slots is determined as a result of a likelihood of successful execution of the action to be executed with respect to each of the targeted objects in the game environment.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising displaying a visual indicator of the likelihood of successful execution of the action to be executed with respect to each of the targeted objects in the game environment.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the visual indicator comprises an alteration to an appearance of the targeted object.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the visual indicator comprises an icon associated with a targeted object.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

freeing a previously assigned target slot from an assignment to a previously targeted object; and

reassigning the freed target slot to a newly targeted object.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein freeing the previously assigned target slot occurs as a result of the previously targeted object having moved beyond a range of the action to be executed with respect to the previously targeted object in the game environment.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein freeing the previously assigned target slots occurs as a result of execution of the action with respect to the previously targeted object in the game environment.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein reassigning the freed target slot to a newly targeted object occurs subject to a predetermined order.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein reassigning the freed target slot to a newly targeted object occurs randomly.

15. A computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for ordered execution of actions in a game environment, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an indication of a first object having been targeted in the game environment;

assigning the first targeted object to a first target slot;

receiving an indication of a second object having been targeted in the game environment;

assigning the second targeted object to a second target slot; and

executing an action with respect to each of the targeted objects in response to a command from an input device, wherein the execution of the action with respect to each of the targeted objects occurs in accordance with an order defined by the target slots.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the order defined by the target slots is determined as a result of the proximity of each of the targeted objects to a user-controlled object executing the action with respect to each of the targeted objects in the game environment.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the order defined by the target slots is determined as a result of whether each of the targeted objects is within a predefined range of the action to be executed by a user-controlled object with respect to each of the targeted objects in the game environment.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

freeing a previously assigned target slot from an assignment to a previously targeted object; and

reassigning the freed target slot to a newly targeted object.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein freeing the previously assigned target slot occurs as a result of the previously targeted object having moved beyond a range of the action to be executed with respect to the previously targeted object in the game environment.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein freeing the previously assigned target slots occurs as a result of execution of the action with respect to the previously targeted object in the game environment.

21. A system for ordered execution of actions in a game environment, comprising:

a controller interface coupled to an input control device, the input control device configured to generate input control signals to manipulate actions in the game environment;

a memory device; and

a processor coupled to the memory device and the controller interface, the processor configured to;

receive input control signals from the input control device, the input control signals including instructions for the manipulation of a target interface displayed in the game environment;

assign target slots to objects targeted through manipulation of the target interface in the game environment;

store information in the memory device, the information associating the assigned target slots with targeted objects; and

execute an action with respect to each of the targeted objects in response to a command received from the input control device, wherein the execution of the action with respect to each of the targeted objects occurs in accordance with an order defined by the information in the memory device associating the assigned target slots with the targeted objects.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor assigns target slots to targeted objects based on proximity of the targeted objects to a user-controlled game object in the game environment.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor assigns target slots to targeted objects based on a capability of a user-controlled game object in the game environment.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the order defined by the target slots is determined as a result of the proximity of each of the targeted objects to a user-controlled object executing the action with respect to each of the targeted objects in the game environment.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the order defined by the target slots is determined as a result of whether each of the targeted objects is within a predefined range of the action to be executed by a user-controlled object with respect to each of the targeted objects in the game environment.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the order defined by the target slots is determined as a result of a likelihood of successful execution of the action to be executed with respect to each of the targeted objects in the game environment.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the number of target slots corresponds to a number of controller buttons at the input control device.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the number of target slots corresponds to a number of possible combinations of controller buttons with directional input interfaces at the input control device.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the executed action comprises attacking a targeted object.

30. The system if claim 21, wherein each of the target slots are associated with a controller button at the input control device.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the command received from the input control device corresponds to actuation of a controller button at the input control device.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the association of each controller button at the input control device with a target slot is predetermined.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the association of each controller button at the input control device with a target slot is random.

34. The system of claim 21, further comprising a graphics processing unit configured to generate a visual indicator associated with the action to be executed with respect to the targeted object in the game environment, wherein the visual indicator is a visual depiction of the controller button associated with the target slot.

35. The system of claim 21, wherein a single target slot is associated with a group of targeted objects.

36. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to:

free a previously assigned target slot from an assignment to a previously targeted object; and

reassign the freed target slot to a newly targeted object.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the processor frees the previously assigned target slot as a result of the previously targeted object having moved beyond a range of the action to be executed with respect to the previously targeted object in the game environment.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the processor frees the previously assigned target slot as a result of execution of the action with respect to the previously targeted object in the game environment.