Storage medium having game program stored thereon and game apparatus

• US 20080062198A1
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Takahashi, Ryutaro, Masaoka, Takafumi
• Granted Patent: US 9,149,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/630
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics

Abstract

A reference character is generated by combining part objects prepared for each site. At least one candidate character object is generated by changing at least one part object among the part objects used in the reference character object. The reference character object and the candidate character object are displayed by a display device, and an input for selection from a user is accepted. Next, a site for which different part objects are used between the selected character object and the reference character object is determined. A new character object is generated by changing the part object used for the determined site with priority. The selected character object is displayed as the reference character, and the newly generated character is displayed as the candidate character.

Claims

1. A storage medium having stored there on a game program executable by a computer of a game apparatus for creating a character object by combining a plurality of part objects, each of which is for each of a plurality of sites which are used for forming a character object appearing in a virtual game space, the game program causing the computer to execute:

a reference character generation step of generating a reference character object by combining part objects, each of which is selected for each site among the plurality of part objects stored for the respective site;

an initial candidate character generation step of generating at least one candidate character object by changing at least one part object among the part objects used in the reference character object;

a display step of causing a display device to display the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a selection input acceptance step of accepting an input to select one of the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a change site determination step of determining a site for which different part objects are used between the selected character object and the reference character object;

a changed character generation step of generating at least one new character object by changing the part object used for the site determined in the change site determination step with priority among the part objects used in the selected character object;

a reference character update step of updating the reference character object with the selected character object; and

a candidate character update step of updating the candidate character object with the character object generated in the changed character generation step.

2. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein in the reference character generation step, the reference character object is generated based on a predetermined combination of the plurality of part objects.

3. A storage medium according to claim 2, wherein:

the reference character generation step includes a parameter input acceptance step of accepting an input of a predetermined parameter on a user; and

the reference character object is generated based on a combination pattern predetermined in accordance with the parameter.

4. A storage medium according to claim 3, wherein the parameter is gender information of the user.

5. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein in the reference character generation step, the reference character object is generated by randomly combining the plurality of part objects.

6. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the reference character object and the candidate character object are each a face object of the character object.

7. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein in the changed character generation step, the part object is changed by replacing the part object with a different part object.

8. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein in the changed character generation step, the part object is changed by executing a predetermined treatment on the part object.

9. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein in the initial candidate character generation step and in the changed character generation step, the number of part objects to be changed has a predetermined upper limit.

10. A storage medium having stored thereon a game program executable by a computer of a game apparatus for creating a character object by combining a plurality of part objects, each of which is for each of a plurality of sites which are used for forming a character object appearing in a virtual game space, wherein a plurality of part objects for each site are divided into groups, and the part objects of each group are stored in a memory and arranged as gradually and sequentially changing, the game program causing the computer to execute:

a reference character generation step of generating a reference character object by reading a part object from one of the groups for each site;

a candidate character generation step of generating at least one candidate character object by reading a part object which is stored close to at least one part object among the part objects used in the reference character object;

a display step of causing a display device to display the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a selection input acceptance step of accepting an input to select one of the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a changed character generation step of generating at least one new character object by reading a part object which is stored close to at least one part object among the part objects used in the selected character object;

a reference character update step of updating the reference character object with the selected character object; and

a candidate character update step of updating the candidate character object with the character object generated in the changed character generation step.

11. A storage medium according to claim 10, wherein in the candidate character generation step, the part object is read from storage positions within a predetermined range centered around the storage position of the at least one part object used in the reference character object.

12. A storage medium according to claim 10, wherein in the changed character generation step, the part object is read from storage positions within a predetermined range centered around the storage position of the at least one part object used in the selected character object.

13. A storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the part objects are stored as a one-dimensional string for each site.

14. A storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the part objects include a plurality of the one-dimensional string for each site.

15. A storage medium according to claim 14, wherein:

the candidate character generation step includes a type change step of selecting a one-dimensional string, which is different from the one-dimensional string including the part object used in the reference character object, at a predetermined probability; and

the candidate character object is generated using the part object included in the selected one-dimensional string.

16. A storage medium according to claim 14, wherein:

the changed character generation step includes a type change step of selecting a one-dimensional string, which is different from the one-dimensional string including the part object used in the selected character object, at a predetermined probability; and

the new character object is generated using the part object included in the selected one-dimensional string.

17. A game apparatus for creating a character object by combining a plurality of part objects, each of which is for each of a plurality of sites which are used for forming a character object appearing in a virtual game space, the game apparatus comprising:

a reference character generation section for generating a reference character object by combining part objects, each of which is selected for each site among the plurality of part objects stored for the respective site;

an initial candidate character generation section for generating at least one candidate character object by changing at least one part object among the part objects used in the reference character object;

a display output section for causing a display device to display the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a selection input acceptance section for accepting an input to select one of the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a change site determination section for determining a site for which different part objects are used between the selected character object and the reference character object;

a changed character generation section for generating at least one new character object by changing the part object used for the site determined in the change site determination step with priority among the part objects used in the selected character object;

a reference character update section for updating the reference character object with the selected character object; and

a candidate character update section for updating the candidate character object with the character object generated by the changed character generation section.

18. A game apparatus for creating a character object by combining a plurality of part objects, each of which is for each of a plurality of sites which are used for forming a character object appearing in a virtual game space, wherein a plurality of part objects for each site are divided into groups, and the part objects of each group are stored in a memory and arranged as gradually and sequentially changing, the game apparatus comprising:

a reference character generation section for generating a reference character object by reading a part object from one of the groups for each site;

a candidate character generation section for generating at least one candidate character object by reading a part object which is stored close to at least one part object among the part objects used in the reference character object;

a display output section for causing a display device to display the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a selection input acceptance section for accepting an input to select one of the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a changed character generation section for generating at least one new character object by reading a part object which is stored close to at least one part object among the part objects used in the selected character object;

a reference character update section for updating the reference character object with the selected character object; and

a candidate character update section for updating the candidate character object with the character object generated by the changed character generation section.