System and method for lock on target tracking with free targeting capability

• US 20090181736A1
• Filed: 08/18/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo of America, Inc. (Nintendo Company Limited)
• Inventors: Haigh-Hutchinson, Melanie, Haigh-Hutchinson, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,834,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/2
• 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 13/5372 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 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/306 for displaying a marker associated to an object or location in the game field
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

An example video game includes a virtual game world including a video game character movable within the virtual game world and one or more targets. A first target in the virtual game world can be locked onto so that the first target remains substantially at the center of a field of view of the game character within the virtual game world. A reticle may be moved to target one or more second targets in the virtual game world while the first target remains locked onto.

Claims

1. A video game method comprising:

locking onto a first target in a virtual game world so that the first target remains substantially at the center of a field of view of a game character as the game character moves within the virtual game world; and

moving a targeting reticle to target one or more second targets in the virtual game world while remaining locked onto the first target.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

changing a characteristic of the targeting reticle when the one or more second targets is targeted.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the changed targeting reticle characteristic comprises color.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the changed targeting reticle characteristic comprises shape.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the locking onto the first target comprises moving a target indicator to indicate the first target.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing a lock-on graphic to designate the locked-on first target.

7. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, perform steps comprising:

locking onto a first target in a virtual game world so that the first target remains substantially at the center of a field of view of a game character as the game character moves within the virtual game world; and

moving a targeting reticle to target one or more second targets in the virtual game world while remaining locked onto the first target.

8. A video game system comprising an input device and a processor for generating a virtual game world for display on a display device, the processor being programmed to lock onto a first target in a virtual game world based at least in part on first inputs supplied via the input device so that the first target remains substantially at the center of a field of view of a game character as the game character within the virtual game world, and to move a targeting reticle to target one or more second targets in the virtual game world based at least in part on second inputs supplied via the input device while remaining locked onto the first target.

9. A video game comprising:

a virtual game world comprising a video game character movable within the virtual game world and one or more targets;

a lock-on mechanism for locking onto a first target in the virtual game world so that the first target remains substantially at the center of a field of view of the game character as the game character moves within the virtual game world; and

a targeting reticle moving mechanism for moving a targeting reticle to target one or more second targets in the virtual game world while remaining locked onto the first target.

10. A video game method comprising:

moving a video game character within a virtual game world in response to game character movement inputs;

locking onto a first target in the virtual game world so that the first target remains substantially at the center of a field of view of a game character as the game character moves within the virtual game world; and

moving a targeting reticle in response to targeting reticle movement inputs to target one or more second targets in the virtual game world while remaining locked onto the first target,

wherein game character movement inputs for moving the game character in a sideways direction relative to the locked-on first target cause the game character to move in a circle around the locked-on first target whereby the first target remains substantially at the center of a field of view of a game character.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

changing a characteristic of the targeting reticle when the one or more second targets is targeted.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the changed targeting reticle characteristic comprises color.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the changed targeting reticle characteristic comprises shape.