METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ENABLING CONTROL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE GAME CHARACTERS

• US 20100261527A1
• Filed: 04/10/2009
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Whitley, Brandon, Sternberg, Tom, Klapka, Robbie, Housden, Eric, Steiner, Travis
• Granted Patent: US 8,342,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/36
• 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 13/5258 by dynamically adapting the position of the virtual camera to keep a game object or game character in its viewing frustum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6684 by dynamically adapting its position to keep a game object in its viewing frustrum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball

Abstract

An apparatus and method that facilitates control of AI characters in a video game is provided. A method for controlling an artificial-intelligence (AI) character comprises entering a command mode which enables control of the AI character, and occurs while substantially maintaining an existing display of the game, thereby preserving the immersive experience of the video game for the player. A plurality of locations are sequentially specified within a virtual space of the game, the plurality of locations defining a path for the AI character. Finally, the AI character is moved along the path to the plurality of locations in the order they were specified. The plurality of locations may be specified by maneuvering a reticle, and selecting each of the locations. A node is displayed in the existing display of the game at each of the plurality of locations. A series of lines connecting the nodes is displayed in the existing display of the game, thus illustrating the path that the AI character may take in moving to each of the plurality of locations.

Claims

1. In a computer-implemented game, a method for controlling an artificial-intelligence (AI) character, the method comprising:

entering a command mode, the command mode enabling control of the AI character, the entering a command mode occurs while substantially maintaining an existing display of the game;

sequentially specifying a plurality of locations within a virtual space of the game, the plurality of locations defining a path for the AI character;

moving the AI character along the path to the plurality of locations in the order they were specified.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the specifying a plurality of locations further comprises:

maneuvering a reticle to each of the locations;

selecting each of the plurality of locations when the reticle is situated at each of the plurality of locations.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the specifying a plurality of locations further comprises:

displaying a node in the existing display of the game at each of the plurality of locations.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the specifying a plurality of locations further comprises:

displaying a series of lines connecting the nodes in the existing display of the game.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein a field of view of the display of the game is shifted in accordance with the maneuvering a reticle, so as to maintain a display of the reticle in a central portion of the field of view.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the entering a command mode further comprises:

slowing a rate of gameplay of the game.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the entering a command mode further comprises:

determining points of interest within the display of the game;

reducing color saturation of the display of the game while maintaining color saturation of the points of interest.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the points of interest are selected from the group consisting of:

characters, gun-fire, and explosions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the entering a command mode further comprises:

enlarging a field of view of the existing display of the game.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising

specifying an action to be performed by the AI character at one or more of the plurality of locations.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the moving the AI character begins immediately upon specification of a first one of the plurality of locations.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to the specifying of the plurality of locations, halting any existing movement of the AI character;

after the plurality of locations have been specified, then releasing the AI character to follow the path.

13. A computer system for executing a game, the game including an artificial-intelligence (AI) character, the system comprising:

a controller for receiving and relaying user input to said game;

a display for displaying image frame data of the game;

a command mode processor for executing a command mode of the game, the executing a command mode enabling control of the AI character and occurring while substantially maintaining an existing display of the game, the command mode processor comprising

a node placement module for enabling a user to specify a plurality of locations within a virtual space of the game, the plurality of locations defining a path for the AI character.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the specification of the plurality of locations is facilitated by enabling the user to maneuver a command reticle to each of the plurality of the locations and selecting each of the plurality of locations when the reticle is situated at each of the plurality of locations.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the specification of the plurality of locations includes displaying a node in the existing display of the game at each of the plurality of locations.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the specification of the plurality of locations further includes displaying a series of lines connecting the nodes in the existing display of the game.

17. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the maneuvering a reticle includes a field of view of the display of the game is shifted in accordance with the maneuvering a reticle, so as to maintain a display of the reticle in a central portion of the field of view.

18. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the command mode processor further comprises

a gameplay rate control module for slowing a rate of gameplay of the game during execution of the command mode.

19. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the command node processor further comprises a saturation display control, the saturation display control for determining points of interest within the display of the game and reducing color saturation of the display of the game while maintaining color saturation of the points of interest.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the points of interest are selected from the group consisting of:

characters, gun-fire, and explosions.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the executing a command mode includes enlarging a field of view of the existing display of the game.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the node placement module further enables a user to specify an action to be performed by the AI character at one or more of the plurality of locations.