METHOD OF CAUSING OBJECT TO TAKE MOTION USING MOTION DATA

• US 20070139416A1
• Filed: 10/04/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix, Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited, Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Azuma, Shin
• Granted Patent: US 7,868,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/473
• 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 13/42 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 13/426 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 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings

Abstract

A first display displays a game image which is generated by perspective transformation of a virtual three-dimensional space. A second display is provided under a touch panel to display an image of a two-dimensional plane excluding a height direction with a player character always placed in a center position. Multiple specific coordinate positions are set at predetermined positions on the touch panel, and plural pieces of motion data are prestored in association with the respective specific coordinate positions. When a player touches the touch panel, specific coordinate positions whose associated motion data is to be blended are selected according to the coordinates of the touched position. Motion data associated with selected specific coordinate positions are blended by blend ratios according to the distances from the touched position to the respective specific coordinate positions, thereby generating motion data for causing a character to take a motion,

Claims

1. An image generating apparatus that generates a motion image of an object, comprising:

a coordinate position input unit that inputs a coordinate position on a two-dimensional plane according to an operation of an operator;

a motion data storage that stores plural pieces of motion data defining motions of an object present in a virtual three-dimensional space;

a motion data determining unit that determines motion data for causing the object to take a motion by using the plural pieces of motion data based on the input coordinate position;

an object motion unit that causes the object to take a motion using the determined motion data;

a motion image generating unit that generates a motion image of the object by performing perspective transformation of the object made to take a motion with a virtual camera set to a predetermined position in the virtual three-dimensional space; and

a motion image display control unit that effects a display of the generated motion image of the object.

2. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of specific coordinate positions are preset on the two-dimensional plane,

the motion data storage stores plural pieces of motion data respectively associated with the plurality of specific coordinate positions, and

the motion data determining unit blends the plural pieces of motion data based on a positional relationship between each of the plurality of specific coordinate positions and the input coordinate position, and determines blended motion data as motion data for causing the object to take a motion.

3. The image generating apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a coordinate position determining unit that determines whether the input coordinate position is identical to any one of the plurality of specific coordinate positions, and wherein

the motion data determining unit includes,

a non-specific time determining unit that, when the input coordinate position is determined to be identical to any one of the plurality of specific coordinate positions, determines motion data associated with the specific coordinate position identical to the input coordinate position, as motion data for causing the object to take a motion;

and

a specific time determining unit that, when the input coordinate position is determined as different from every one of the plurality of specific coordinate positions, determines the motion data blended by the blend unit as motion data for causing the object to take a motion.

4. The image generating apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a coordinate position determining unit that determines whether the input coordinate position is identical to any one of the plurality of specific coordinate positions; and

a specific coordinate position selecting unit that selects at least two specific coordinate positions less than a total number of the specific coordinate positions according to the input coordinate position when the input coordinate position is determined as different from every one of the plurality of specific coordinate positions, and

wherein pieces of motion data which arc associated with the selected at least two coordinate positions arc blended, based on a positional relationship between the specific coordinate position associated with each piece of the motion data and the input coordinate position.

5. The image generating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the specific coordinate position selecting unit selects at least two specific coordinate positions according to a motion state of the object when the coordinate position is input from the coordinate position input unit.

6. The image generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the object has a plurality of second object holding sections each capable of holding a second object different from the object, and

the specific coordinate position selecting unit selects at least two specific coordinate positions according to which one of the second object holding sections is holding the second object.

7. The image generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plural pieces of motion data are blended at a blend ratio which becomes higher for motion data whose associated specific coordinate becomes closer to the input coordinate position.

8. The image generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plural pieces of motion data are blended according to a distance between the input coordinate position and each specific coordinate position in a first direction on the two-dimensional plane, and a distance between the input coordinate position and each specific coordinate position in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction on the two-dimensional plane.

9. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motion data determining unit includes a motion data selecting unit that selects one piece of motion data from the plural pieces of motion data based on the input coordinate position, and determines the selected motion data as motion data for causing the object to take a motion.

10. The image generating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of specific coordinate positions are preset on the two-dimensional plane,

the motion data storage stores plural pieces of motion data respectively associated with the plurality of specific coordinate positions, and

the motion data selecting unit selects one piece of motion data from the plural pieces of motion data based on a positional relationship between the input coordinate position and the specific coordinate positions preset on the two-dimensional plane.

11. The image generating apparatus according to claim 9, farther comprising a moving direction input unit that inputs a moving direction of the object according to the operation of the operator, and

wherein the motion data selecting unit selects one piece of motion data from the plural pieces of motion data further according to the input moving direction, and

the object motion unit includes a movement control unit that moves the object in the virtual three-dimensional space according to the input moving direction.

12. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising;

a link motion data storage that stores link motion data defining a motion of the object between a motion of the object when a coordinate position is input from the coordinate position input unit and a motion using the motion data determined by the motion data determining unit; and

a motion position deterrnining unit that determines whether the motion of the object when the coordinate position is input and the input coordinate position have a predetermined relationship, and

wherein the object motion unit includes a link motion unit that causes the object to take a motion using the link motion data before causing the object to take a motion using the, motion data determined by the motion data determining unit, when it is determined that there is the predetermined relationship.

13. The image generating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the link motion data storage stores plural pieces of link motion data according to a positional relationship between the motion of the object and a coordinate position on the two-dimensional plane, and

the link motion unit causes the object to take a motion using that piece of link motion data which accords to the positional relationship between the motion of the object, when the coordinate position is input, and the input coordinate position.

14. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a link motion data storage that stores link motion data defining a motion of the object between a motion defined by motion data associated with a first coordinate position input previously from the coordinate position input unit and a motion defined by motion data associated with a second coordinate position input following the first coordinate position; and

a coordinate position determining unit that determines whether the first coordinate position and the second coordinate position have a predetermined relationship, and

wherein the object motion unit includes a link motion unit that causes the object to take a motion using the link motion data before causing the object to take a motion using the motion data associated with the second coordinate position, when it is determined that the predetermined relationship exists.

15. The image generating apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the link motion data storage stores plural pieces of link motion data according to a positional relationship between preceding and succeeding coordinate positions to be input from the coordinate position input unit, and

the link motion unit causes the object to take a motion using that piece of link motion data which accords to the positional relationship between the first and second coordinate positions.

16. The image generating apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a plurality of specific coordinate positions are preset on the two-dimensional plane, and

the coordinate position determining unit determines whether a specific coordinate position closest to the first coordinate position and a specific coordinate position closest to the second coordinate position have a predetermined relationship.

17. The image generating apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a plurality of areas are preset on the two-dimensional plane, and

the coordinate position determining unit determines whether an area where the first coordinate position lies and an area where the second coordinate position lies have a predetermined relationship.

18. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising;

a plane image generating unit that generates an image of a predetermined range including the object in a virtual two-dimensional space set perpendicular to a height direction of the virtual three-dimensional space; and

a plane image display control unit that displays the generated image of the virtual two-dimensional space on a second display different from a display that displays the generated motion image of the object and displays the object at a predetermined position on the second display, and

the coordinate position input unit comprises a touch panel that is arranged in front of the second display and transmits the image displayed on the second display.

19. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a motion input unit that inputs a motion instruction relating to the motion of the object according to the operation of the operator, in addition to the coordinate position input unit, and

wherein the object motion unit further causes the object to take a motion according to the input motion instruction.

20. The image generating apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the object motion unit includes:

an instructed motion causing unit that causes the object to take a motion in a mode different from a motion associated with the input coordinate position when the motion instruction is input; and

a post-instruction motion unit that causes the object to take a motion using predetermined motion data in the plural pieces of motion data when the object stops the motion based on the input motion instruction.

21. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of objects are present in the virtual three-dimensional space, and one of the plurality of objects is caused to take a motion using the motion data, and

the object motion unit includes:

a motion object changing unit that changes an object to take a motion using the motion data in the plurality of objects; and

a post-changing motion unit that causes the changed object to take a motion using predetermined motion data in the plural pieces of motion data when the object to take a motion using the motion data is changed.

22. An image generating apparatus that generates a motion image of an object, comprising:

a data storage that stores data;

a program storage that stores a program;

a processor that executes the program;

a coordinate position input device that inputs a coordinate position on a two-dimensional plane according to an operation of an operator; and

a display that displays an image,

the data stored in the data storage including plural pieces of motion data defining motions of an object present in a virtual three-dimensional space,

the program including;

a first code section that determines motion data for causing the object to take a motion by using the plural pieces of motion data based on a coordinate position input from the coordinate position input device;

a second code section that causes the object to take a motion using the determined motion data;

a third code section that generates a motion image of the object by performing perspective transformation of the object made to take a motion with a virtual camera set to a predetermined position in the virtual three-dimensional space; and

a fourth code section that displays the generated motion image of the object.

23. An object notion image generating method to be executed by a computer device having a coordinate position input device that inputs a coordinate position on a two-dimensional plane according to an operation of an operator, a storage that stores plural pieces of motion data defining motions of an object present in a virtual three-dimensional space, and a display that displays an image, comprising;

determining motion data for causing the object to take a motion by using the plural pieces of motion data based on a coordinate position input from the coordinate position input device;

causing the object to take a motion using the determined motion data;

generating a motion image of the object by performing perspective transformation of the object made to take a motion with a virtual camera set to a predetermined position in the virtual three-dimensional space; and

displaying the generated motion image of the object.

24. A computer readable recording medium comprising a program and data for generating a motion image of an object present in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the image on a display, when the program is executed by a computer device having a coordinate position input device that inputs a coordinate position on a two-dimensional plane according to an operation of an operator, and the display,

the data including plural pieces of motion data defining motions of the object,

the program including:

a first code section that determines motion data for causing the object to take a motion by using the plural pieces or motion data based on a coordinate position input from the coordinate position input device;

a second code section that causes the object to take a motion using the determined motion data;

a third code section that generates a motion image of the object by performing perspective transformation of the object made to take a motion with a virtual camera set to a predetermined position in the virtual three-dimensional space; and

a fourth code section that displays the generated motion image of the object.

25. A carrier wave on which signals of a program and data for generating a motion image of an object present in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the motion image on a display that displays an image are superimposed, the program being executed by a computer device having a coordinate position input unit that inputs a coordinate position on a two-dimensional plane according to an operation of an operator, and the display,

the data including plural pieces of motion data defining motions of the object,

the program including:

a first code section that determines motion data for causing the object to take a motion by using the plural pieces of motion data based on a coordinate position input from the coordinate position input unit;

a second code section that causes the object to take a motion using the determined motion data;

a third code section that generates a motion image of the object by performing perspective transformation of the object made to take a motion with a virtual camera set to a predetermined position in the virtual three-dimensional space; and

a fourth code section that displays the generated motion image of the object.