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

• US 20100248835A1
• Filed: 08/12/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Shimamura, Takayuki, Sato, Katsuhisa, Suzuki, Ichiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,956,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• 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 13/57 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 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• 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

Posture/motion information is repeatedly obtained from predetermined detection means for detecting a posture or a motion of an input device operated by a user, and a power value used for moving an object in a virtual space is calculated. In addition, a follow-up power value, which follows the calculated power value, is repeatedly calculated based on the posture/motion information. Then, the object is moved based on the follow-up power value.

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 posture/motion information obtained from predetermined detection means for detecting a posture or a motion of an input device operated by a user, the game program causing the computer to function as:

to posture/motion information obtaining means for repeatedly obtaining posture/motion information detected by the detection means;

power value calculation means for repeatedly calculating a power value representing a power to be given to the object based on the posture/motion information;

follow-up power value calculation means for repeatedly calculating a follow-up power value which follows the power value calculated by the power value calculation means, based on the posture/motion information; and

moving means for moving the object based on the follow-up power value calculated by the follow-up power value calculation means.

2. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein the detection means is a motion sensor included in the input device.

3. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein the follow-up power value calculation means calculates the follow-up power value with a lower level of followability of the follow-up power value to the power value as the motion of the input device represented by the posture/motion information has a larger magnitude, and calculates the follow-up power value with a higher level of followability of the follow-up power value to the power value as the motion of the input device has a smaller magnitude.

4. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein the follow-up power value calculation means:

includes follow-up coefficient calculation means for calculating a follow-up coefficient, which is a coefficient for causing the follow-up power value to follow the power value, based on the posture/motion information; and

calculates the follow-up power value based on the follow-up coefficient by the follow-up coefficient calculation means.

5. 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 posture calculation means for calculating a posture of the input device based on the posture/motion information; and

the power value calculation means calculates the power value based on the posture of the input device calculated by the posture calculation means.

6. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 2, wherein:

the motion sensor includes at least an angular velocity sensor;

the posture/motion information obtaining means obtains angular velocity information detected by the angular velocity sensor as the posture/motion information; and

the power value calculation means calculates the power value based on the angular velocity information.

7. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein the follow-up power value calculation means calculates the follow-up power value such that the follow-up power value is not smaller than the power value.

8. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein the follow-up power value calculation means:

includes difference calculation means for calculating a difference between the power value and a follow-up power value calculated immediately previously; and

calculates the follow-up power value based on the difference calculated by the difference calculation means.

9. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 2, wherein:

the motion sensor includes at least an acceleration sensor;

the posture/motion information obtaining means obtains acceleration information detected by the acceleration sensor as the posture/motion information; and

the follow-up power value calculation means calculates the follow-up power value based on the acceleration information.

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

the motion sensor further includes an angular velocity sensor;

the game program causes the computer to further function as posture calculation means for calculating a posture of the input device based on the posture/motion information; and

the power value calculation means calculates the power value based on the angular velocity information.

11. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 9, wherein the game program causes the computer to further function as power value correction means for decreasing the power value by a smaller degree as the acceleration represented by the acceleration information has a larger value.

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

the game program causes the computer to further function as;

decreased power calculation means for calculating a decreased power based on a decreased acceleration obtained by decreasing the acceleration represented by the acceleration information by a predetermined percentage;

ratio calculation means for calculating a ratio of the power value and the decreased power; and

follow-up power value correction means for correcting the follow-up power value calculated by the follow-up power value calculation means, based on the ratio calculated by the ratio calculation means; and

the moving means moves the object based on the follow-up power value corrected by the follow-up power value correction means.

13. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 12, wherein the follow-up power value correction means corrects the follow-up power value by a larger degree as the ratio calculated by the ratio calculation means is larger.

14. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 12, wherein when the follow-up power value exceeds a predetermined value, the moving means moves the object while adding a random motion to the movement of the object.

15. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein when the posture/motion information fulfills a predetermined condition, the moving means moves the object based on the follow-up power value.

16. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 15, wherein the moving means:

includes posture calculation means for calculating the posture of the input device based on the posture/motion information; and

moves the object based on the follow-up power value when the posture of the input device calculated by the posture calculation means fulfills a predetermined condition.

17. A computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 16, wherein:

the game program causes the computer to further function as reference plane setting means for virtually setting a predetermined plane in an actual space as a reference plane at a predetermined timing based on the posture/motion information; and

when the posture of the input device obtains a predetermined relationship with respect to the reference plane, the moving means moves the object based on the follow-up power value.

18. 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 posture/motion information obtained from predetermined detection means for detecting a posture or a motion of an input device operated by a user, the game program causing the computer to function as:

posture/motion information obtaining means for repeatedly obtaining posture/motion information detected by the detection means;

power value calculation means for repeatedly calculating a power value representing a power to be given to the object based on the posture/motion information;

moving means for moving the object based on the power value; and

time counting means for counting time from when a maximum value of the repeatedly calculated power values is obtained until the moving means starts moving the object; and

the moving means corrects the power value calculated by the power value calculation means in accordance with the time counted by the time counting means, and moves the object based on the corrected power value.

19. A game apparatus for moving an object in a virtual space based on posture/motion information obtained from predetermined detection means for detecting a posture or a motion of an input device operated by a user, the game apparatus comprising:

posture/motion information obtaining means for repeatedly obtaining posture/motion information detected by the detection means;

power value calculation means for repeatedly calculating a power value representing a power to be given to the object based on the posture/motion information;

follow-up power value calculation means for repeatedly calculating a follow-up power value, which follows the power value calculated by the power value calculation means, based on the posture/motion information; and

moving means for moving the object based on the follow-up power value calculated by the follow-up power value calculation means.