Video game system and storage medium storing video game program

• US 20070078004A1
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Katsuhisa, Shiraiwa, Yusuke, Suzuki, Ichiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,556,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• 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 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• 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 2300/643 by determining the impact between objects, e.g. collision detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying

Abstract

In response to a predetermined input operation by a player, item object initial information is produced. The item object initial information is information used for introducing an item object into a virtual game world and controlling the item object in the virtual game world. Then, the item object is introduced into the virtual game world, and controlled in the virtual game world according to a predetermined rule. The item object initial information is transmitted to other video game devices. Each of the other video game devices receives the item object initial information, based on which the video game device introduces the item object into the virtual game world and then controls the item object in the virtual game world according to a predetermined rule.

Claims

1. A video game system, comprising a plurality of video game devices connected together so that the video game devices can communicate with one another, wherein the video game devices display the same virtual game world while being synchronized together, the virtual game world including therein player characters each controlled by one of the video game devices;

a first video game device being one of the plurality of video game devices includes;

communications means for exchanging data with other video game devices;

first player character operation controlling means for controlling a first player character in the virtual game world in response to a player'"'"'s input operation;

first player character information transmitting means for transmitting first player character information regarding an operation of the first player character to the other video game devices via the communications means at regular intervals;

item object initial information production means for producing item object initial information used for introducing an item object, different from the first player character, into the virtual game world and for controlling the item object in the virtual game world, in response to a predetermined input operation by the player;

item object operation controlling means for controlling item object according to a predetermined rule after introducing the item object into the virtual game world based on the item object initial information; and

item object information transmitting means for transmitting the item object initial information to other video game devices via the communications means; and

a second video game device being another one of the plurality of video game devices different from the first video game device includes;

communications means for exchanging data with other video game devices;

first player character information receiving means for receiving the first player character information from the first video game device via the communications means;

first player character synchronization means for controlling the first player character in the virtual game world represented by the second video game device based on the first player character information;

item object information receiving means for receiving the item object initial information from the first video game device via the communications means; and

item object operation controlling means for controlling the item object according to a predetermined rule after introducing the item object into the virtual game world represented by the second video game device based on the item object initial information.

2. The video game system of claim 1, wherein:

the item object initial information production means produces the item object initial information so as to include introduction time information indicating a time at which the item object is introduced into the virtual game world; and

the item object operation controlling means of the second video game device calculates a delay time of the virtual game world represented by the second video game device with respect to the virtual game world represented by the first video game device based on the introduction time information included in the item object initial information, and determines a position at which the item object is to be introduced into, and controlled in, the virtual game world represented by the second video game device according to the delay time.

3. The video game system of claim 2, wherein when new item object initial information is obtained, the item object operation controlling means of the second video game device introduces the item object based on a position of the first player character controlled by the first player character synchronization means in the virtual game world represented by the second video game device.

4. The video game system of claim 3, wherein:

the item object initial information production means produces the item object initial information so as to further include position information representing a position at which the item object is introduced into the virtual game world; and

the item object operation controlling means of the second video game device repeats updating the position of the item object using the item object initial information so as to introduce the item object at a position closest to the first player character controlled by the first player character synchronization means.

5. The video game system of claim 3, wherein:

the item object initial information production means produces the item object initial information so as to further include position information representing a position at which the item object is introduced into the virtual game world; and

the item object operation controlling means of the second video game device calculates a travel time required for moving the item object from a position in the virtual game world represented by the position information included in the item object initial information to the position at which the item object is introduced, and updates the delay time by subtracting the travel time from the delay time.

6. The video game system of claim 1, wherein:

the second video game device further includes;

second player character operation controlling means for controlling a second player character in the virtual game world represented by the second video game device in response to a player'"'"'s input operation; and

second player character information transmitting means for transmitting second player character information regarding an operation of the second player character to the other video game devices via the communications means at regular intervals;

the first video game device further includes;

second player character information receiving means for receiving the second player character information from the second video game device via the communications means; and

second player character synchronization means for controlling the second player character in the virtual game world represented by the first video game device based on the second player character information;

when a distance between the second player character controlled by the second player character synchronization means and the item object in the virtual game world becomes within a predetermined range, the item object operation controlling means of the first video game device determines the second player character to be a target object of the item object, and controls the item object so as to follow the second player character;

the item object information transmitting means transmits target information indicating the target object of the item object to other video game devices via the communications means;

the item object information receiving means of the second video game device receives the target information from the first video game device via the communications means; and

the item object operation controlling means of the second video game device controls the item object so as to follow the second player character controlled by the second player character operation controlling means in the virtual game world based on the target information.

7. The video game system of claim 6, wherein:

the item object operation controlling means of the second video game device controls the item object so as to follow the second player character at a first speed; and

the item object operation controlling means of the first video game device controls the item object so as to follow the second player character at a second speed lower than the first speed.

8. The video game system of claim 1, wherein:

the second video game device further includes;

second player character operation controlling means for controlling a second player character in the virtual game world represented by the second video game device in response to a player'"'"'s input operation;

second player character information transmitting means for transmitting second player character information regarding an operation of the second player character to the other video game devices via the communications means at regular intervals;

collision detection means for detecting, only for the second player character, a collision with the item object in the virtual game world represented by the second video game device; and

collision information transmitting means for transmitting collision information indicating a collision between the second player character and the item object to the other video game devices via the communications means;

the first video game device further includes;

second player character information receiving means for receiving the second player character information from the second video game device via the communications means;

second player character synchronization means for controlling the second player character in the virtual game world represented by the first video game device based on the second player character information; and

collision information receiving means for receiving the collision information from the second video game device via the communications means; and

the second player character synchronization means of the first video game device shows the second player character and the item object colliding with each other in the virtual game world represented by the first video game device based on the collision information.

9. A storage medium storing a video game program to be executed by a computer of each of a plurality of video game devices connected together so that the video game devices can communicate with one another, wherein the video game devices display the same virtual game world while being synchronized together, the virtual game world including therein player characters each controlled by one of the video game devices, the video game program causing the computer to function as:

subject player character operation controlling means for controlling a subject player character in the virtual game world in response to a player'"'"'s input operation;

subject player character information transmitting means for transmitting subject player character information regarding an operation of the subject player character to the other video game devices at regular intervals;

item object initial information production means for producing item object initial information used for introducing an item object, different from the subject player character, into the virtual game world and for controlling the item object in the virtual game world, in response to a predetermined input operation by the player;

item object operation controlling means for controlling the item object according to a predetermined rule after introducing the item object into the virtual game world based on the item object initial information produced by the item object initial information production means;

item object information transmitting means for transmitting the item object initial information to the other video game devices;

non-subject player character information receiving means for receiving non-subject player character information regarding an operation of non-subject player character controlled by one of the other video game devices from the one of the other video game devices at regular intervals;

non-subject player character synchronization means for controlling the non-subject player character in the virtual game world based on the non-subject player character information; and

item object information receiving means for receiving the item object initial information from one of the other video game devices in response to a predetermined input operation by a player of the one of the other video game devices,

wherein when the item object initial information is received from the one of the other video game devices, the item object operation controlling means introduces an item object into the virtual game world and then controls the item object in the virtual game world according to a predetermined rule.

10. The storage medium storing a video game program of claim 9, wherein:

the item object initial information transmitted from one of the other video game devices includes introduction time information indicating a time at which the item object is introduced into the virtual game world in the one of the other video game devices; and

when the item object initial information is received from the one of the other video game devices, the item object operation controlling means calculates a delay time of the virtual game world represented by the subject device with respect to the virtual game world represented by the one of the other video game devices based on the introduction time information included in the item object initial information, and determines a position at which the item object is to be introduced into, and controlled in, the virtual game world according to the delay time.

11. The storage medium storing a video game program of claim 10, wherein when the item object initial information is received from the one of the other video game devices, the item object operation controlling means introduces the item object based on a position of the non-subject player character controlled by the non-subject player character synchronization means in the virtual game world.

12. The storage medium storing a video game program of claim 11, wherein:

the item object initial information transmitted from the one of the other video game devices further includes position information representing a position at which the item object is introduced into the virtual game world; and

the item object operation controlling means repeats updating the position of the item object using the item object initial information received from the one of the other video game devices so as to introduce the item object at a position closest to the non-subject player character controlled by the non-subject player character synchronization means.

13. The storage medium storing a video game program of claim 11, wherein:

the item object initial information transmitted from the one of the other video game devices further includes position information representing a position at which the item object is introduced into the virtual game world; and

when the item object initial information is received from the one of the other video game devices, the item object operation controlling means calculates a travel time required for moving the item object from a position in the virtual game world represented by the position information included in the item object initial information to the position at which the item object is introduced, and updates the delay time by subtracting the travel time from the delay time.

14. The storage medium storing a video game program of claim 9, wherein:

where the item object is introduced into the virtual game world in response to a predetermined input operation by a player on a subject device,

when a distance between the non-subject player character and the item object becomes within a predetermined range, the item object operation controlling means determines the non-subject player character to be a target object of the item object, and controls the item object so as to follow the non-subject player character; and

the item object information transmitting means transmits target information indicating the target object of the item object to other video game devices; and

where the item object is introduced into the virtual game world in response to a predetermined input operation by a player on one of the other video game devices,

the item object information receiving means receives target information indicating that the target object is determined by the one of the other video game devices; and

the item object operation controlling means controls the item object so as to follow a player character that is specified as the target object by the target information in the virtual game world based on the target information received from the one of the other video game devices.

15. The storage medium storing a video game program of claim 14, wherein:

when the target object specified by the target information transmitted from the one of the other video game devices is the subject player character, the item object operation controlling means controls the item object so as to follow the subject player character at a first speed;

when the target object determined by the subject device is the non-subject player character, the item object operation controlling means controls the item object to follow the non-subject player character at a second speed being lower than the first speed.

16. The storage medium storing a video game program of claim 9, wherein:

the video game program causes the computer to further function as;

collision detection means for detecting, only for the subject player character, a collision with the item object in the virtual game world;

collision information transmitting means for transmitting collision information indicating a collision between the subject player character and the item object to the other video game devices; and

collision information receiving means for receiving the collision information indicating a collision between the non-subject player character and the item object from one of the other video game devices; and

the non-subject player character synchronization means shows the non-subject player character and the item object colliding with each other in the virtual game world based on the collision information received from the one of the other video game devices.