Game apparatus, storage medium storing a game program, and game controlling method

• US 20110092281A1
• Filed: 12/28/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Saito, Shinya, Yokoo, Kenichi, Watanabe, Yasunari
• Granted Patent: US 8,094,153 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5252 using two or more virtual cameras concurrently or sequentially, e.g. automatically switching between fixed virtual cameras when a character changes room or displaying a rear-mirror view in a car-driving game
• 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 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/306 for displaying a marker associated to an object or location in the game field
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6669 using a plurality of virtual cameras concurrently or sequentially, e.g. automatically switching between fixed virtual cameras when a character change rooms
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6692 using special effects, generally involving post-processing, e.g. blooming
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

A game apparatus includes a first LCD and a second LCD, and on the first LCD, a two-dimensional game screen including objects positioned in a two-dimensional coordinate is displayed. When a two-dimensional coordinate of a specific object out of the objects positioned in the two-dimensional coordinate satisfies a predetermined condition, a three-dimensional coordinate of each of the objects is calculated on the basis of the two-dimensional coordinate of each of the objects. The object is modeled in the calculated three-dimensional coordinate, moved by a predetermined animation, and then shot by a virtual camera. Accordingly, a game screen of an image (animation) of the three-dimensional virtual space shot by the virtual camera is displayed on the second LCD.

Claims

1. A game apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

at least one input device coupled to said processor;

a memory coupled to said processor, said memory storing instructions that, when executed by said processor, control said processor to;

detect an operation input by a player;

change first action relation data relating to a first object;

determine whether or not an operation input acceptable condition is satisfied in relation to said first action relation data; and

change game situation data indicative of a game situation on the basis of the detected operation input when said operation input acceptable condition is satisfied.

2. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said first action relation data is automatically changed at least when said operation input acceptable condition is not satisfied.

3. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first action relation data is automatically changed when an operation input unacceptable condition is satisfied, said processor is further configured to:

determine whether or not said operation input acceptable condition is satisfied in relation to said first action relation data, and

change game situation data indicative of the game situation based on the detected operation input from a time when said input acceptable condition is satisfied to a time when said input unacceptable condition is satisfied.

4. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said game situation data includes said first action relation data.

5. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said first action relation data includes said first object position data in a virtual game world.

6. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

whether or not said input acceptable condition is satisfied is determined based on said first action relation data and second action relation data of a second object different from said first object.

7. A game apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said game situation data includes said second action relation data.

8. A game apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising

a game image display for displaying a game image including said second object, wherein

an operation input is detected for coordinate instruction to said game image.

9. A game apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

said game image display displays a mark image so as to be combined with said game image,

an operation input for coordinate instruction to said mark image is detected, and

said game situation data is changed depending on success or failure of said operation input for coordinate instruction to said mark image.

10. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a mini game is executed on the basis of the detected, and game situation data is changed according to a result of said mini game.

11. A game apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor is further caused to:

change said first action relation data when said mini game is executed, and

determine whether or not said first action relation data satisfies an end condition of the mini game when the mini game is executed, wherein

said operation input acceptable condition is determined not to be satisfied when said end condition of the mini game is satisfied.

12. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said operation input is detected only from a time when it is determined that said operation input acceptable condition is satisfied to a time when it is determined that a predetermined condition is satisfied.

13. A game apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

at least one input device coupled to said processor;

a memory coupled to said processor, said memory storing instructions that, when executed by said processor, control said processor to;

arrange a first object and a second object in a first virtual game world, and performing a movement control on at least one of the first object and the second object;

generate a game image panoramically or planarly representing the first virtual game world on the basis of the arrangement of the first and second object in the first virtual game world, and display it on a first display portion;

determine whether or not a positional relationship between the first object and the second object satisfies a predetermined condition in the first virtual game world; and

when the positional relationship between the first object and the second object satisfies the predetermined condition in the first virtual game world, the processor is caused to;

set a virtual camera in a three-dimensional second virtual game world on the basis of at least one of a first object position and a second object position in the first virtual game world, arrange at least one of the first object and the second object in the second virtual game world,

generate a game image by shooting the second virtual game world with the virtual camera in such a manner as to include at least one of said first object and said second object which are arranged, and

display the game image on a second display portion as a three-dimensional image.

14. A game apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

at least one input device coupled to said processor;

a memory coupled to said processor, said memory storing instructions that, when executed by said processor, control said processor to;

arrange a first object and a second object in a first virtual game world, and perform movement control on at least one of the first object and the second object;

generate a game image panoramically or planarly representing the first virtual game world on the basis of the arrangement of the first and second object in the first virtual game world, and display it on a first display portion;

determine whether or not a positional relationship between the first object and the second object satisfies a predetermined condition in the first virtual game world; and

when the positional relationship between the first object and the second object satisfies the predetermined condition in the first virtual game world, the processor is caused to;

set a virtual camera in a three-dimensional second virtual game world on the basis of at least one of a first object position and a second object position in the first virtual game world, arrange at least one of the first object and the second object in the second virtual game world,

generate a game image by shooting the second virtual game world with the virtual camera in such a manner as to include at least one of said first object and said second object which are arranged, and

display the game image on a second display portion as a two-dimensional image.