COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM, GAME APPARATUS, GAME SYSTEM AND GAME METHOD

• US 20110306418A1
• Filed: 11/29/2010
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: YAMADA, Yoichi, Tanaka, Ryo, Fujibayashi, Hidemaro
• Granted Patent: US 8,758,133 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 13/428 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 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• 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

Abstract

Respective orientations (a pitch angle, a roll angle, and a yaw angle) of the input device are detected based on angular velocity data outputted from a gyro sensor unit of an input device. Then, it is determined whether the pitch angle is within a first range or within a second range. When it has been determined that the pitch angle is within the first range, a posture of an object is updated based on the roll angle. When it has been determined that the pitch angle is within the second range, the posture of the object is updated based on the yaw angle. Accordingly, operability can be improved in a game executed in accordance with an orientation of the input device.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium having stored therein a game program which causes a computer of a game apparatus, which performs game processing based on an orientation of an input device, to function as:

orientation detection means which detects an orientation of the input device;

orientation determination means which determines whether the orientation of the input device satisfies a first condition or satisfies a second condition; and

game processing means which updates, while the orientation of the input device satisfies the first condition, a specific game parameter in accordance with a change in an orientation of the input device around a first axis, and updates, while the orientation of the input device satisfies the second condition, the specific game parameter in accordance with a change in an orientation of the input device around a second axis.

2. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the orientation determination means determines whether an orientation of the input device around a third axis satisfies the first condition or satisfies the second condition.

3. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the game processing means reflects, while the orientation of the input device satisfies neither the first condition nor the second condition, neither the change in the orientation of the input device around the first axis nor the change in the orientation of the input device around the second axis to the specific game parameter.

4. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the input device includes an angular velocity sensor, and

the orientation detection means detects the orientation of the input device based on angular velocity data outputted from the angular velocity sensor.

5. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 4, wherein

the angular velocity sensor is capable of detecting respective angular velocities of the input device around the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis;

and

the orientation detection means detects the orientation of the input device around the first axis, the orientation of the input device around the second axis, and the orientation of the input device around the third axis, based on the respective angular velocities of the input device around the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis, which have been detected by the angular velocity sensor.

6. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the game processing means comprises:

first determination means which determines whether an amount of change in the orientation of the input device around the first axis from a predetermined reference orientation exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and

second determination means which determines whether an amount of change in the orientation of the input device around the second axis from a predetermined reference orientation exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and

the game processing means updates, while the orientation of the input device satisfies the first condition, only when the determination result of the first determination means is positive, the specific game parameter in accordance with the change in the orientation of the input device around the first axis, and updates, while the orientation of the input device satisfies the second condition, only when the determination result of the second determination means is positive, the specific game parameter in accordance with the change in the orientation of the input device around the second axis.

7. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the game program causes the computer to function as game image generating means which generates a game image based on the specific game parameter.

8. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein

the specific game parameter is a game parameter which affects at least one of a position, a posture, and an action of a specific object in a game world, and

the game image generating means generates a game image which contains the specific object.

9. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein

the game image generating means generates a game image which contains an image indicating the determination result of the orientation determination means.

10. A game apparatus which performs game processing based on an orientation of an input device, the game apparatus comprising:

orientation detection means which detects an orientation of the input device;

orientation determination means which determines whether the orientation of the input device satisfies a first condition or satisfies a second condition; and

game processing means which updates, while the orientation of the input device satisfies the first condition, a specific game parameter in accordance with a change in an orientation of the input device around a first axis, and updates, while the orientation of the input device satisfies the second condition, the specific game parameter in accordance with a change in an orientation of the input device around a second axis.

11. A game system which performs game processing based on an orientation of an input device, the game system comprising:

orientation detection means which detects an orientation of the input device;

orientation determination means which determines whether the orientation of the input device satisfies a first condition or satisfies a second condition; and

game processing means which updates, while the orientation of the input device satisfies the first condition, a specific game parameter in accordance with a change in an orientation of the input device around a first axis, and updates, while the orientation of the input device satisfies the second condition, the specific game parameter in accordance with a change in an orientation of the input device around a second axis.

12. A game method for performing game processing based on an orientation of an input device, the method comprising:

an orientation detection step of detecting an orientation of the input device;

an orientation determination step of determining whether the orientation of the input device satisfies a first condition or satisfies a second condition; and

a game processing step of updating, while the orientation of the input device satisfies the first condition, a specific game parameter in accordance with a change in an orientation of the input device around a first axis, and updating, while the orientation of the input device satisfies the second condition, the specific game parameter in accordance with a change in an orientation of the input device around a second axis.