GAME DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING GAME DEVICE, PROGRAM, AND INFORMATION STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20100317439A1
• Filed: 12/24/2008
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Izumi, Tadakatsu
• Granted Patent: US 8,333,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/36
• 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 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/828 Managing virtual sport teams
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• 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

To provide a game device capable of allowing a user to feel a difference in state of mind between a player of a winning team and a player of a losing team when defending. A selection unit (56) selects one or more player characters from among the player characters belonging to a team not in possession of a moving object. In a case where control by a first player character control unit (58) is applied, a determination unit (62) determines whether or not a reference period has elapsed after a given reference time. In a case where elapse of the predetermined period after the reference time is determined, a switching unit (66) switches the state in which control by the first player character control unit (58) is applied to a state in which control by a second player character control unit (60) is applied. A reference period data control unit (64) changes the length of the reference period, based on game state information.

Claims

1. A game device for carrying out a game of a sport to be performed between a first team and a second team, using a moving object, comprising:

game state information storage means for storing game state information describing a game state;

selection means for, in a case where a player character belonging to one team is in possession of the moving object, selecting one or more player characters from among player characters belonging to another team;

first player character control means for moving the player character selected by the selection means, based on a position of the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, while restricting movement of the player character selected by the selection means so that a distance between the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, and the player character selected by the selection means, is kept equal to or longer than a predetermined distance;

second player character control means for moving the player character selected by the selection means, based on the position of the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, such that the player character selected by the selection means approaches the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object;

determination means for determining, in a case where control by the first player character control means is applied, whether or not a reference period has elapsed after a given reference time; and

switching means for, in a case where it is determined that the reference period has elapsed after the reference time, switching a state in which control by the first player character control means is applied to a state in which control by the second player character control means is applied,

wherein

the determination means includes reference period control means for changing a length of the reference period, based on the game state information.

2. The game device according to claim 1, wherein

the reference period control means includes

means for storing data correlating the game state information and reference period information concerning the length of the reference period, and

means for controlling the length of the reference period, based on the reference period information correlated to the game state information.

3. The game device according to claim 1, wherein

the switching means includes

means for determining, in a case where control by the first player character control means is applied, whether or not the distance between the moving object and the player character in possession of the moving object is equal to or longer than a predetermined distance, and

means for, in a case where control by the first player character control means is applied and it is determined that the distance between the moving object and the player character in possession of the moving object is equal to or longer than the predetermined distance, switching the state in which control by the first player character control means is applied to the state in which control by the second player character control means is applied.

4. The game device according to claim 1, wherein

the switching means includes

means for determining whether or not a number of player characters selected by the selection means is equal to or larger than a predetermined number, and

means for, in a case where it is determined that the number of player characters selected by the selection means is equal to or larger than the predetermined number, causing the second player character control means to control the player character selected by the selection means.

5. A control method for controlling a game device for carrying out a game of a sport to be performed between a first team and a second team, using a moving object, the method comprising:

a step of reading content stored in game state information storage means storing game state information describing a game state;

a selection step of, in a case where a player character belonging to one team is in possession of the moving object, selecting one or more player characters from among player characters belonging to another team;

a first player character control step of moving the player character selected at the selection step, based on a position of the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, while restricting movement of the player character selected at the selection step so that a distance between the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, and the player character selected at the selection step, is kept equal to or longer than a predetermined distance;

a second player character control step of moving the player character selected at the selection step, based on the position of the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, such that the player character selected at the selection step approaches the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object;

a determination step of determining, in a case where control at the first player character control step is applied, whether or not a reference period has elapsed after a given reference time; and

a switching step of, in a case where it is determined that the reference period has elapsed after the reference time, switching a state in which control at the first player character control step is applied to a state in which control at the second player character control step is applied,

wherein

the determination step includes a reference period control step of changing a length of the reference period, based on the game state information.

6. A program for causing a computer to function as a game device for carrying out a game of a sport to be performed between a first team and a second team, using a moving object, the program for causing the computer to function as:

game state information storage means for storing game state information describing a game state;

selection means for, in a case where a player character belonging to one team is in possession of the moving object, selecting one or more player characters from among player characters belonging to another team;

first player character control means for moving the player character selected by the selection means, based on a position of the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, while restricting movement of the player character selected by the selection means so that a distance between the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, and the player character selected by the selection means, is kept equal to or longer than a predetermined distance;

second player character control means for moving the player character selected by the selection means, based on the position of the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, such that the player character selected by the selection means approaches the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object;

determination means for determining, in a case where control by the first player character control means is applied, whether or not a reference period has elapsed after a given reference time; and

switching means for, in a case where it is determined that the reference period has elapsed after the reference time, switching a state in which control by the first player character control means is applied to a state in which control by the second player character control means is applied,

wherein

the determination means includes reference period control means for changing a length of the reference period, based on the game state information.

7. A computer readable information storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as a game device for carrying out a game of a sport to be performed between a first team and a second team, using a moving object, the program for causing the computer to function as:

game state information storage means for storing game state information describing a game state;

selection means for, in a case where a player character belonging to one team is in possession of the moving object, selecting one or more player characters from among player characters belonging to another team;

first player character control means for moving the player character selected by the selection means, based on a position of the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, while restricting movement of the player character selected by the selection means so that a distance between the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, and the player character selected by the selection means, is kept equal to or longer than a predetermined distance;

second player character control means for moving the player character selected by the selection means, based on the position of the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, such that the player character selected by the selection means approaches the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object;

determination means for determining, in a case where control by the first player character control means is applied, whether or not a reference period has elapsed after a given reference time; and

switching means for, in a case where it is determined that the reference period has elapsed after the reference time, switching a state in which control by the first player character control means is applied to a state in which control by the second player character control means is applied,

wherein

the determination means includes reference period control means for changing a length of the reference period, based on the game state information.