GAME SYSTEM, GAME PROCESS METHOD, GAME DEVICE, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING GAME PROGRAM

• US 20120302341A1
• Filed: 02/07/2012
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: ABE, Goro
• Granted Patent: US 8,647,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• 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 13/428 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 13/5252 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 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• 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 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/403 Connection between platform and handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6676 by dedicated player input
• 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 example game device performs a game process based on operation data representing an operation performed on a controller. The game device generates a first game image representing a game space as viewed from a first virtual camera which is set in the game space, and displays the first game image on a television. A second virtual camera, different from the first virtual camera, is set in the game space based on operation data for a terminal device. The game device generates a second game image representing the game space as viewed from the second virtual camera, and displays the second game image on the terminal device. In response to an execution of a predetermined operation on the terminal device 7, the game device stores image information regarding the second game image in a predetermined storage device.

Claims

1. A game system comprising a game device, a first controller device, and a second controller device, wherein:

the game device comprises;

an operation data obtaining unit for obtaining first operation data from the first controller device and second operation data from the second controller device;

a game process unit for performing a predetermined game process based on the first operation data;

a first camera setting unit for setting a first virtual camera in a virtual game space;

a first image generation unit for generating a first game image representing the game space as viewed from the first virtual camera;

a first image output unit for outputting the first game image to a predetermined display device separate from the second controller device;

a second camera setting unit for setting, based on the second operation data, a second virtual camera which is arranged in the game space and is different from the first virtual camera;

a second image generation unit for generating a second game image representing the game space as viewed from the second virtual camera;

a second image output unit for outputting the second game image to the second controller device; and

an image information storage unit for storing image information regarding the second game image in a predetermined storage device in response to an execution of a predetermined operation on the second controller device; and

the second controller device comprises;

an image receiving unit for receiving the second game image; and

a display unit for displaying the second game image.

2. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the image information storage unit stores, as the image information, image data of the second game image.

3. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the image information storage unit stores, as the image information, information such that the second game image can be generated using the information and a game program used for performing the predetermined game process.

4. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the image information storage unit stores image information regarding a plurality of second game images which together from a motion video in response to an execution of the predetermined operation.

5. The game system according to claim 1, wherein:

the game device further comprises a second object control unit for controlling a second object which moves in the game space based on the second operation data; and

the second camera setting unit sets the second virtual camera based on a position of the second object.

6. The game system according to claim 5, wherein the second object control unit controls the second object, independently of whether a predetermined object whose action is controlled by the game process and the second object have collided with each other.

7. The game system according to claim 5, wherein the second object control unit controls the second object in accordance with whether a predetermined object whose action is controlled by the game process and the second object have collided with each other.

8. The game system according to claim 5, wherein the first image generation unit generates the first game image without rendering the second object when the second object is included in a viewing field range of the first virtual camera.

9. The game system according to claim 5, wherein the first image generation unit generates the first game image which includes an image of the second object when the second object is included in a viewing field range of the first virtual camera.

10. The game system according to claim 5, wherein the second camera setting unit sets the second virtual camera so that the second object is included in a viewing field range of the second virtual camera when an attitude of a screen of the display unit is closer to being horizontal than a predetermined reference, and sets the second virtual camera so that a viewpoint is at the second object when the attitude of the screen of the display unit is closer to being vertical than the predetermined reference.

11. The game system according to claim 1, wherein:

the game process unit performs a game process for controlling an action of a predetermined first object based on the first operation data; and

the second image generation unit generates a second game image including an image of the first object when the first object is included in a viewing field range of the second virtual camera.

12. The game system according to claim 1, wherein:

the game device further comprises an attitude calculation unit for calculating an attitude of the second controller device; and

the second camera setting unit sets an attitude of the second virtual camera based on the attitude of the second controller device.

13. The game system according to claim 1, wherein:

the second controller device includes an input device capable of direction input, and outputs second operation data which represents the direction input; and

the second camera setting unit sets a position of the second virtual camera based on the second operation data.

14. A game system comprising a game device, a first controller device, and a second controller device, the game system comprising:

a game process unit for performing a predetermined game process based on first operation data representing an operation on the first controller device;

a first camera setting unit for setting a first virtual camera in a game space;

a first image generation unit for generating a first game image, which is a game image representing the game space as viewed from the first virtual camera and is a game image to be displayed on a predetermined display device separate from the second controller device;

a second camera setting unit for setting a second virtual camera which is arranged in the game space and is different from the first virtual camera based on the second operation data representing an operation on the second controller device;

a second image generation unit for generating a second game image which is a game image representing the game space as viewed from the second virtual camera and is a game image to be displayed on a display unit of the second controller device; and

an image information storage unit for storing, in a predetermined storage device, image information regarding the second game image in response to an execution of a predetermined operation on the second controller device.

15. A game process method to be carried out in a game system comprising a game device, a first controller device and a second controller device, the game process method comprising:

performing a predetermined game process based on first operation data representing an operation on the first controller device;

setting a first virtual camera in a game space;

generating a first game image which is a game image representing the game space as viewed from the first virtual camera and is a game image to be displayed on a predetermined display device separate from the second controller device;

setting a second virtual camera which is arranged in the game space and which is different from the first virtual camera based on the second operation data representing an operation on the second controller device;

generating a second game image which is a game image representing the game space as viewed from the second virtual camera and is a game image to be displayed on a display unit of the second controller device; and

storing, in a predetermined storage device, image information regarding the second game image in response to an execution of a predetermined operation on the second controller device.

16. The game process method according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined storage device stores image data of the second game image as the image information.

17. The game process method according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined storage device stores, as the image information, information such that the second game image can be generated using the information and a game program used for performing the predetermined game process.

18. The game process method according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined storage device stores image information regarding a plurality of second game images which together form a motion video in response to an execution of the predetermined operation.

19. The game process method according to claim 15, wherein:

the game system controls a second object which moves in the game space based on the second operation data; and

the second virtual camera is set based on a position of the second object.

20. The game process method according to claim 19, wherein the second object is controlled, independently whether a predetermined object whose action is controlled by the game process and the second object have collided with each other.

21. The game process method according to claim 19, wherein the second object is controlled in accordance with whether a predetermined object whose action is controlled by the game process and the second object have collided with each other.

22. The game process method according to claim 19, wherein the first game image is generated without rendering the second object when the second object is included in a viewing field range of the first virtual camera.

23. The game process method according to claim 19, wherein the first game image which includes an image of the second object is generated when the second object is included in a viewing field range of the first virtual camera.

24. The game process method according to claim 19, wherein the second virtual camera is set so that the second object is included in a viewing field range of the second virtual camera when an attitude of a screen of the display unit is closer to being horizontal than a predetermined reference, and the second virtual camera is set so that a viewpoint is at the second object when the attitude of the screen of the display unit is closer to being vertical than the predetermined reference.

25. The game process method according to claim 15, wherein:

a game process is performed for controlling an action of a predetermined first object based on the first operation data; and

a second game image including an image of the first object is generated when the first object is included in a viewing field range of the second virtual camera.

26. The game process method according to claim 15, wherein:

the game system calculates an attitude of the second controller device; and

an attitude of the second virtual camera is set based on the attitude of the second controller device.

27. The game process method according to claim 15, wherein:

the second controller device includes an input device capable of direction input, and outputs second operation data which represents the direction input; and

a position of the second virtual camera is set based on the second operation data.

28. A game device capable of communicating with a first controller device and a second controller device, the game device comprising:

an operation data obtaining unit for obtaining first operation data from the first controller device and second operation data from the second controller device;

a game process unit for performing a game process based on the first operation data;

a first camera setting unit for setting a first virtual camera in a virtual game space;

a first image generation unit for generating a first game image representing the game space as viewed from the first virtual camera;

a first image output unit for outputting the first game image to a predetermined display device separate from the second controller device;

a second camera setting unit for setting, based on the second operation data, a second virtual camera which is arranged in the game space and is different from the first virtual camera;

a second image generation unit for generating a second game image representing the game space as viewed from the second virtual camera;

a second image output unit for outputting the second game image to the second controller device; and

an image information storage unit for storing image information regarding the second game image in a predetermined storage device in response to an execution of a predetermined operation on the second controller device.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing a game program to be executed by a computer of a game device capable of communicating with a first controller device and a second controller device, the game program causing the computer to execute:

performing a game process based on a first operation data representing an operation on the first controller device;

setting a first virtual camera in a game space;

generating a first game image, which is a game image representing the game space as viewed from the first virtual camera and is a game image to be displayed on a predetermined display device separate from the second controller device;

setting a second virtual camera which is arranged in the game space and is different from the first virtual camera based on the second operation data representing an operation on the second controller device;

generating a second game image which is a game image representing the game space as viewed from the second virtual camera and is a game image to be displayed on a display unit of the second controller device; and

storing, in a predetermined storage device, image information regarding the second game image in response to an execution of a predetermined operation on the second controller device.