COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM HAVING GAME PROGRAM STORED THEREON AND GAME APPARATUS

• US 20100248824A1
• Filed: 08/14/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Shimamura, Takayuki, Sato, Katsuhisa, Suzuki, Ichiro
• Application Number:
  US12/541,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20100248824A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball

Abstract

Based on motion information output from an input device including a motion sensor, a power value, which is a parameter representing a power to be given to an object in a virtual space, is calculated. Based on the motion information, a change amount, which is a parameter influencing the movement of the object, is also calculated. Based on these values, the power value is displayed using a predetermined power gauge before at least one of the power value and the change amount is determined in order to move the object, and at least one of a shape and a color of the power gauge is also changed based on the change amount.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a game program to be executed by a computer of a game apparatus, the game program being for moving an object in a virtual space based on a motion applied to an input device including a motion sensor, the game program causing the computer to function as:

motion information obtaining means for obtaining motion information detected by the motion sensor;

power value calculation means for calculating a power value based on the motion information, the power value being a parameter representing a power to be given to the object;

change amount calculation means for calculating a change amount based on the motion information, the change amount being a parameter different from the power value and influencing the movement of the object;

parameter determination means for determining the power value and the change amount in order to move the object, the power value and the change amount each being determined at a predetermined timing; and

power gauge display means for displaying the power value using a predetermined power gauge before at least one of the power value and the change amount is determined by the parameter determination means, and for changing at least one of a shape and a color of the power gauge based on the change amount.

2. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein the power gauge display means repeatedly displays the power value using the power gauge and changes at least one of the shape and the color of the power gauge based on the change amount until at least one of the power value and the change amount is determined.

3. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein the power gauge display means changes the shape of the power gauge by inclining or curving the power gauge based on the change amount.

4. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein:

the motion sensor detects the motion information based on predetermined three axial directions of the input device, the three axial directions being perpendicular to one another; and

the change amount calculation means calculates the change amount based on a rotation amount around a reference axis, which is in one of the three axial directions.

5. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 4, wherein the game program causes the computer to further function as reference posture setting means for setting a posture of the input device at a predetermined timing as a reference posture;

and

the change amount calculation means calculates the change amount based on the rotation amount around the reference axis with respect to the reference posture.

6. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 5, wherein the power value calculation means calculates the power value based on the change amount of the posture with respect to the reference posture.

7. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 5, wherein the game program causes the computer to further function as predetermined input determination means for determining whether or not a predetermined input has been made on the input device;

and

the reference posture setting means sets the posture of the input device, which is taken when the predetermined input determination means determines that the predetermined input has been made, as the reference posture.

8. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 7, wherein:

the input device includes at least one switch; and

the predetermined input determination means determines whether or not an input has been made on the switch.

9. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 4, wherein:

the change amount calculation means calculates that the change amount is larger as the rotation amount is larger; and

the power gauge display means changes the shape of the power gauge so as to be inclined or curved more as the change amount is larger.

10. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 2, wherein the game program causes the computer to further function as maximum power value storage means for storing a maximum value among the power values calculated repeatedly;

and

the parameter determination means determines the power value based on the maximum value.

11. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein the game program causes the computer to further function as position distinguishing means for distinguishing a position of the object in the virtual space;

and

the power gauge display means changes the shape of the power gauge based on the position distinguished by the position distinguishing means.

12. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 11, wherein:

the game program causes the computer to further function as shape change determination means for determining whether or not the shape of the power gauge is to be changed based on the position distinguished by the position distinguishing means; and

the power gauge display means changes the shape of the power gauge only when the shape change determination means determines that the shape of the power gauge is to be changed.

13. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein:

the motion sensor is an angular velocity sensor for detecting an angular velocity generated in the input device; and

the motion information obtaining means obtains data representing the angular velocity detected by the angular velocity sensor as the motion information.

14. A game apparatus for moving an object in a virtual space based on a motion applied to an input device including a motion sensor, the game apparatus comprising:

motion information obtaining means for obtaining motion information detected by the motion sensor;

power value calculation means for calculating a power value based on the motion information, the power value being a parameter representing a power to be given to the object;

change amount calculation means for calculating a change amount based on the motion information, the change amount being a parameter different from the power value and influencing the movement of the object;

parameter determination means for determining the power value and the change amount in order to move the object, the power value and the change amount each being determined at a predetermined timing; and

power gauge display means for displaying the power value using a predetermined power gauge before at least one of the power value and the change amount is determined by the parameter determination means, and for changing at least one of a shape and a color of the power gauge based on the change amount.