CONTROL SCHEME FOR REAL TIME STRATEGY GAME

• US 20080248848A1
• Filed: 04/05/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Deen, Timothy A., Devine, Graeme, Rippy, Christopher J., Laudon, Angelo J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,882,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• 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 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images

Abstract

A control scheme for a real time strategy game using a game controller includes maintaining a cursor in a known, fixed position of the monitor in a manner so that it appears the game space if moving behind a cursor even during changing viewing positions such as tilting movements. The control scheme further includes other aspects including a technique for selecting units using the game controller and interacting with menus using the game controller.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium having instructions which when executed conduct a real time strategy game based on user input from a game controller, the instructions comprising:

identifying a user'"'"'s position relative to at least some units in a game space, the position be spaced apart from the units and having a parameter indicative of a selected tilt with respect to the units;

rendering a view of a portion of the game space based on the user'"'"'s position, the view including a cursor used for selecting one or more units, the cursor being at a known position relative to an edge of the rendered view;

receiving an indication of activation of an input device on the game controller indicating that the user desires a different user'"'"'s position;

determining a new user'"'"'s position; and

for at least some of the execution of the game, rendering a new view of a portion of the game space based on the new user'"'"'s position, the view including maintaining the cursor in the known position relative to the edge of the rendered view.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein receiving the indication, determining the new user'"'"'s position and rendering the new view is repeated sequentially so as to appear that the game space is scrolling by and wherein with each new view the cursor is maintained in the known position relative to the edge of the rendered view.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the new user'"'"'s position is at a new selected tilt.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein determining a new user'"'"'s position is a position of the game space spaced apart sufficiently from the game space of the first view such that rendering of the new view does not contain any portion of the game space from the first-identified view.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the new user'"'"'s position corresponds to an event that has taken place during the game.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 5 and further comprising reporting to the user the event that has occurred in the game.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6 wherein the event comprises a fight that has occurred in the game.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 5 wherein receiving the indication, determining the new user'"'"'s position and rendering the new view is repeated sequentially so as to render different events of the same type.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the new user'"'"'s position corresponds to a selected type of unit in the game space.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9 wherein receiving the indication, determining the new user'"'"'s position and rendering the new view is repeated sequentially so as to render different units of the same type.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the first input device comprises a button, and further comprising receiving an indication of activation of a second button on the game controller indicating that the user desires a different user'"'"'s position;

and wherein determining the new user'"'"'s position is based on activation of the second button; and

wherein the new user'"'"'s position corresponds to an event that has taken place during the game; and

wherein receiving the indication, determining the new user'"'"'s position and rendering the new view is repeated sequentially so as to render different events of the same type.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 and further comprising receiving an indication of activation of a third button on the game controller indicating that the user desires a different user'"'"'s position;

wherein determining the new user'"'"'s position is based on activation of the third button; and

wherein the new user'"'"'s position corresponds to a view of a base.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12 and further comprising a game controller, the game controller having a d-pad button assembly, the d-pad button assembly being used for the first-identified button, the second button and the third button.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 1 and further comprising a game controller, the game controller having the first input device comprising a two-dimensional input device operable by the user configured to indicate a new user'"'"'s position comprising a change in tilt, the game controller having a second input device comprising a two-dimensional input device operable by the user configured to indicate a new user'"'"'s position comprising a change in position other than a change in tilt.

15. A computer readable medium having instructions which when executed conduct a real time strategy game based on user input from a game controller, the instructions comprising:

rendering a view of a portion of a game space, the view including a plurality of units of each of a different type; and

sequentially identifying each of the units based on type with successive activation of a button on the game controller.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 and further comprising identifying all of the units in the view with activation of the button on the game controller.

17. A computer readable medium having instructions which when executed conduct a real time strategy game based on user input from a game controller, the instructions comprising:

displaying a menu upon activation of a first designated button on the game controller;

moving within the menu upon activation of a second designated button on the game controller;

selecting a menu option upon activation of a third designated button on the game controller; and

exiting the menu upon activation of a fourth button.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the fourth button is on the game controller.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the fourth button is an option on the menu.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein displaying the menu comprises displaying a menu having options arranged in a circle, and wherein repeated activation of the second button causes options of the menu to be identified sequentially in circular order.