Game apparatus and storage medium having game program stored thereon

• US 20070213109A1
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Kenta, Ohta, Keizo
• Granted Patent: US 7,854,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/3
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• 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 2300/8011 Ball

Abstract

Operation information which is output in accordance with a motion of an input device is sequentially obtained. First behavior information representing a state of an object after a first time period, which is a part of a recognition period, is set in accordance with operation information obtained during the first time period using operation information, so as to sequentially change the state of the object. Second behavior information representing a state of the object after a second time period, which is terminated after the first time period and is at least a part of the recognition period, in accordance with operation information obtained during the second time period. Based on at least the second behavior information, the state of the object is sequentially changed after the second time period.

Claims

1. A game apparatus for executing game processing of changing a state of an object in accordance with an input given to an input device;

the game apparatus comprising;

storage means;

data obtaining means or sequentially obtaining operation information which is output in accordance with a motion of the input device and storing the operation information in the storage means;

first behavior setting means for setting first behavior information representing a state of the object after a first time period, which is a part of a recognition period for determining a motion of the input device, in accordance with operation information obtained during the first time period using operation information;

first object processing means for sequentially changing the state of the object after the first time period based on the first behavior information;

second behavior setting means for setting second behavior information representing a state of the object after a second time period, which is terminated after the first time period and is at least a part of the recognition period, in accordance with operation information obtained during the second time period;

second object processing means for sequentially changing the state of the object after the second time period based on at least the second behavior information; and

display control means for sequentially displaying an image of the object on display means in accordance with the state of the object.

2. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second object processing means averages the state of the object based on the first behavior information and the state of the object based on the second behavior information, which are of an identical time point after the second time period, at a predetermined ratio, and gradually increases, along the passage of time, the ratio at which the state of the object based on the second behavior information contributes to the averaging so as to sequentially change the state of the object.

3. A game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the first behavior information and the second behavior information each represent a position of the object in a virtual game world; and

the first object processing means and the second object processing means move the object to the position in the virtual game world represented by at least one of the first behavior information and the second behavior information.

4. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first behavior information and the second behavior information each represent a predetermined series of motions;

the first object processing means causes the object to perform the series of motions represented by the first behavior information so as to change the state of the object; and

the second object processing means causes the object to perform the series of motions represented by the second behavior information so as to change the state of the object.

5. A game apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising determining means for determining that the input device has moved using the operation information to determine a moving velocity of the input device;

wherein;

the first time period, the second time period and the recognition period start when the determination means determines that the input device has moved;

the first behavior setting means sets the first behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object is to move in accordance with a predetermined initial velocity; and

the second behavior setting means sets the second behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object is to move in accordance with an initial velocity which is set based on the moving velocity of the input device determined during the second time period.

6. A game apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the game processing is for executing a game in which a player character hits a ball so as to cause the ball to fly in the virtual game world;

the object is a ball object representing the ball moving in the virtual game world;

the initial velocity set by each of the first behavior setting means and the second behavior setting means is a velocity of the ball object given when the player character hits the ball object in the virtual game world; and

the first behavior information and the second behavior information represent a trajectory in the virtual game world along which the ball object moves after being hit.

7. A game apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the determining means further determining a rotation motion of the input device around a predetermined direction as a rotation axis using the operation information; and

the second behavior setting means sets a rotation to be given to the object in accordance with the rotation motion of the input device determined during the second time period, and sets the second behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object given the rotation is to move.

8. A game apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

the game processing is for executing a game in which a player character hits a ball so as to cause the ball to fly in the virtual game world;

the object is a ball object representing the ball moving in the virtual game world;

the initial velocity set by each of the first behavior setting means and the second behavior setting means is a velocity of the ball object given when the player character hits the ball object in the virtual game world; and

the first behavior information and the second behavior information represent a trajectory in the virtual game world along which the ball object moves after being hit.

9. A game apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the determining means further determines a posture of the input device before the input device moves using the operation information; and

the first behavior setting means sets a direction in which the object is to move in accordance with the posture of the input device determined by the determining means, and sets the first behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object is to move in the direction.

10. A game apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the game processing is for executing a game in which a player character hits a ball so as to cause the ball to fly in the virtual game world;

the object is a ball object representing the ball moving in the virtual game world;

the initial velocity set by each of the first behavior setting means and the second behavior setting means is a velocity of the ball object given when the player character hits the ball object in the virtual game world; and

the first behavior information and the second behavior information represent a trajectory in the virtual game world along which the ball object moves after being hit.

11. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first behavior information and the second behavior information each represent a position of the object in a virtual game world; and

the first object processing means and the second object processing means move the object to the position in the virtual game world represented by at least one of the first behavior information and the second behavior information.

12. A game apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising determining means for determining that the input device has moved using the operation information to determine a moving velocity of the input device;

wherein;

the first time period, the second time period and the recognition period start when the determination means determines that the input device has moved;

the first behavior setting means sets the first behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object is to move in accordance with a predetermined initial velocity; and

the second behavior setting means sets the second behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object is to move in accordance with an initial velocity which is set based on the moving velocity of the input device determined during the second time period.

13. A game apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the game processing is for executing a game in which a player character hits a ball so as to cause the ball to fly in the virtual game world;

the object is a ball object representing the ball moving in the virtual game world;

the initial velocity set by each of the first behavior setting means and the second behavior setting means is a velocity of the ball object given when the player character hits the ball object in the virtual game world; and

the first behavior information and the second behavior information represent a trajectory in the virtual game world along which the ball object moves after being hit.

14. A game apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the determining means further determining a rotation motion of the input device around a predetermined direction as a rotation axis using the operation information; and

the second behavior setting means sets a rotation to be given to the object in accordance with the rotation motion of the input device determined during the second time period, and sets the second behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object given the rotation is to move.

15. A game apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

the game processing is for executing a game in which a player character hits a ball so as to cause the ball to fly in the virtual game world;

the object is a ball object representing the ball moving in the virtual game world;

the initial velocity set by each of the first behavior setting means and the second behavior setting means is a velocity of the ball object given when the player character hits the ball object in the virtual game world; and

the first behavior information and the second behavior information represent a trajectory in the virtual game world along which the ball object moves after being hit.

16. A game apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the determining means further determines a posture of the input device before the input device moves using the operation information; and

the first behavior setting means sets a direction in which the object is to move in accordance with the posture of the input device determined by the determining means, and sets the first behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object is to move in the direction.

17. A game apparatus according to claim 16, wherein:

the game processing is for executing a game in which a player character hits a ball so as to cause the ball to fly in the virtual game world;

the object is a ball object representing the ball moving in the virtual game world;

the initial velocity set by each of the first behavior setting means and the second behavior setting means is a velocity of the ball object given when the player character hits the ball object in the virtual game world; and

the first behavior information and the second behavior information represent a trajectory in the virtual game world along which the ball object moves after being hit.

18. A game apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the game processing is for executing a game in which a player character swings an item possessed by the player character to hit a ball so as to cause the ball to fly in the virtual game world;

the game apparatus further comprises determining means for determining that the input device has moved using the operation information to determine at least a moving direction of the input device and a moving velocity of the input device;

the object is a player object representing a player character;

the first behavior setting means sets a series of motions of the player character swinging the item in a swinging direction in correspondence with the moving direction of the input device which is detected during the first time period as the first behavior information; and

the second behavior setting means sets a series of motions of the player character swinging the item at a swinging velocity in correspondence with a moving velocity of the input device which is determined during the second time period in the swinging direction as the second behavior information.

19. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the input device includes an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration generated in the input device; and

the operation information includes acceleration data which is output from the acceleration sensor in accordance with a motion of the input device.

20. A game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising determining means for determining that the input device is being swung using the operation information to determine at least a swinging direction of the input device;

wherein;

the recognition period and the second time period are from the time when the determining means determines that the input device is being swung until the time when the determining means determines that the input device finishes being swung; and

the first time period is from the time when the determining means determines that the input device is being swung until the time when the determining means determines the swinging direction of the input device.

21. A storage medium having stored thereon a game program executable by a computer of a game apparatus for executing game processing of changing a state of an object in accordance with an input given to an input device, the game program causing the computer to execute:

a data obtaining step of sequentially obtaining operation information which is output in accordance with a motion of the input device and storing the operation information in a memory;

a first behavior setting step of setting first behavior information representing a state of the object after a first time period, which is a part of a recognition period for determining a motion of the input device, in accordance with operation information obtained during the first time period using operation information;

a first object processing step of sequentially changing the state of the object after the first time period based on the first behavior information;

a second behavior setting step of setting second behavior information representing a state of the object after a second time period, which is terminated after the first time period and is at least a part of the recognition period, in accordance with operation information obtained during second time period;

a second object processing step of sequentially changing the state of the object after the second time period based on at least the second behavior information; and

a display control step of sequentially displaying an image of the object on a display device in accordance with the state of the object.

22. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 21, wherein in the second object processing step, the state of the object based on the first behavior information and the state of the object based on the second behavior information, which are of an identical time point after the second time period, are averaged at a predetermined ratio, and the ratio at which the state of the object based on the second behavior information contributes to the averaging is gradually increased along the passage of time, so as to sequentially change the state of the object.

23. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 22, wherein:

the first behavior information and the second behavior information each represent a position of the object in a virtual game world; and

in the first object processing step and the second object processing step, the object is moved to the position in the virtual game world represented by at least one of the first behavior information and the second behavior information.

24. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 21, wherein:

the first behavior information and the second behavior information each represent a predetermined series of motions;

in the first object processing step, the object is caused to perform the series of motions represented by the first behavior information so as to change the state of the object; and

in the second object processing step, the object is caused to perform the series of motions represented by the second behavior information so as to change the state of the object.

25. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 23, wherein:

the game program further causes the computer to execute a determining step of determining that the input device has moved using the operation information to determine a moving velocity of the input device;

the first time period, the second time period and the recognition period start when it is determined in the detection step that the input device has moved;

in the first behavior setting step, the first behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object is to move is set in accordance with a predetermined initial velocity; and

in the second behavior setting step, the second behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object is to move is set in accordance with an initial velocity which is set based on the moving velocity of the input device determined during the second time period.

26. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 25, wherein:

the game processing is for executing a game in which a player character hits a ball so as to cause the ball to fly in the virtual game world;

the object is a ball object representing the ball moving in the virtual game world;

the initial velocity set in each of the first behavior setting step and the second behavior setting step is a velocity of the ball object given when the player character hits the ball object in the virtual game world; and

the first behavior information and the second behavior information represent a trajectory in the virtual game world along which the ball object moves after being hit.

27. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 25, wherein:

in the determining step, a rotation motion of the input device around a predetermined direction as a rotation axis is further determined using the operation information; and

in the second behavior setting step, a rotation to be given to the object is set in accordance with the rotation motion of the input device determined during the second time period, and the second behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object given the rotation is to move is set.

28. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 27, wherein:

the game processing is for executing a game in which a player character hits a ball so as to cause the ball to fly in the virtual game world;

the object is a ball object representing the ball moving in the virtual game world;

the initial velocity set in each of the first behavior setting step and the second behavior setting step is a velocity of the ball object given when the player character hits the ball object in the virtual game world; and

the first behavior information and the second behavior information represent a trajectory in the virtual game world along which the ball object moves after being hit.

29. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 25, wherein:

in the determining step, a posture of the input device before the input device moves is further determined using the operation information; and

in the first behavior setting step, a direction in which the object is to move is set in accordance with the posture of the input device determined in the determining step, and the first behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object is to move in the direction is set.

30. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 29, wherein:

the game processing is for executing a game in which a player character hits a ball so as to cause the ball to fly in the virtual game world;

the object is a ball object representing the ball moving in the virtual game world;

the initial velocity set in each of the first behavior setting step and the second behavior setting step is a velocity of the ball object given when the player character hits the ball object in the virtual game world; and

the first behavior information and the second behavior information represent a trajectory in the virtual game world along which the ball object moves after being hit.

31. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 21, wherein:

the first behavior information and the second behavior information each represent a position of the object in a virtual game world; and

in the first object processing step and the second object processing step, the object is moved to the position in the virtual game world represented by at least one of the first behavior information and the second behavior information.

32. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 31, wherein:

the game program further causes the computer to execute a determining step of determining that the input device has moved using the operation information to determine a moving velocity of the input device;

the first time period, the second time period and the recognition period start when it is determined in the detection step that the input device has moved;

in the first behavior setting step, the first behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object is to move is set in accordance with a predetermined initial velocity; and

in the second behavior setting step, the second behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object is to move is set in accordance with an initial velocity which is set based on the moving velocity of the input device determined during the second time period.

33. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 32, wherein:

the game processing is for executing a game in which a player character hits a ball so as to cause the ball to fly in the virtual game world;

the object is a ball object representing the ball moving in the virtual game world;

the initial velocity set in each of the first behavior setting step and the second behavior setting step is a velocity of the ball object given when the player character hits the ball object in the virtual game world; and

the first behavior information and the second behavior information represent a trajectory in the virtual game world along which the ball object moves after being hit.

34. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 32, wherein:

in the determining step, a rotation motion of the input device around a predetermined direction as a rotation axis is further determined using the operation information; and

in the second behavior setting step, a rotation to be given to the object is set in accordance with the rotation motion of the input device determined during the second time period, and the second behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object given the rotation is to move is set.

35. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 34, wherein:

the game processing is for executing a game in which a player character hits a ball so as to cause the ball to fly in the virtual game world;

the object is a ball object representing the ball moving in the virtual game world;

the initial velocity set in each of the first behavior setting step and the second behavior setting step is a velocity of the ball object given when the player character hits the ball object in the virtual game world; and

the first behavior information and the second behavior information represent a trajectory in the virtual game world along which the ball object moves after being hit.

36. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 32, wherein:

in the determining step, a posture of the input device before the input device moves is further determined using the operation information; and

in the first behavior setting step, a direction in which the object is to move is set in accordance with the posture of the input device determined in the determining step, and the first behavior information representing a position in the virtual game world to which the object is to move in the direction is set.

37. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 36, wherein:

the game processing is for executing a game in which a player character hits a ball so as to cause the ball to fly in the virtual game world;

the object is a ball object representing the ball moving in the virtual game world;

the initial velocity set in each of the first behavior setting step and the second behavior setting step is a velocity of the ball object given when the player character hits the ball object in the virtual game world; and

the first behavior information and the second behavior information represent a trajectory in the virtual game world along which the ball object moves after being hit.

38. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 24, wherein:

the game processing is for executing a game in which a player character swings an item possessed by the player character to hit a ball so as to cause the ball to fly in the virtual game world;

the game program further causes the computer to execute a determining step of determining that the input device has moved using the operation information to determine at least a moving direction of the input device and a moving velocity of the input device;

the object is a player object representing a player character;

in the first behavior setting step, a series of motions of the player character swinging the item in a swinging direction in correspondence with the moving direction of the input device which is determined during the first time period is set as the first behavior information; and

in the second behavior setting step, a series of motions of the player character swinging the item at a swinging velocity in correspondence with a moving velocity of the input device which is determined during the second time period in the swinging direction is set as the second behavior information.

39. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 21, wherein:

the input device includes an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration generated in the input device; and

the operation information includes acceleration data which is output from the acceleration sensor in accordance with a motion of the input device.

40. A storage medium having stored thereon the game program according to claim 21, wherein:

the game program further causes the computer to execute a determining step of determining that the input device is being swung using the operation information to determine at least a swinging direction of the input device;

the recognition period and the second time period are from the time when it is determined in the determining step that the input device is being swung until the time when it is determined in the determining step that the input device finishes being swung; and

the first time period is from the time when it is determined in the determining step that the input device is being swung until the time when the swinging direction of the input device is determined in the determining step.