GAME SYSTEM, PORTABLE GAME DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING INFORMATION PROCESSING UNIT, AND NON-TRANSITORY STORAGE MEDIUM ENCODED WITH COMPUTER READABLE PROGRAM FOR CONTROLLING INFORMATION PROCESSING UNIT, CAPABLE OF CHANGING GAME PROCESSING IN CONSIDERATION OF POSITION OF OPERATION APPARATUS TO BE OPERATED

• US 20130065682A1
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Izuno, Toshiharu, Takahashi, Hiroyuki, Satoh, Yuya, Takahashi, Shugo
• Application Number:
  US13/315,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20130065682A1
• 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 13/422 automatically for the purpose of assisting the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
• 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 13/5258 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 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• 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 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• 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 2300/6684 by dynamically adapting its position to keep a game object in its viewing frustrum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment provides a game system. The game system includes an operation apparatus and an information processing unit. The information processing unit includes a viewpoint mode switching unit for setting a first viewpoint mode for displaying on the display portion a display image picked up based on a position and a direction of image pick-up of a first virtual camera in a virtual space on a game when position data of the operation apparatus obtained by the sensor portion is in a first range and setting a second viewpoint mode for displaying on the display portion a display image picked up based on a position and a direction of image pick-up of a second virtual camera when the position data is in a second range, and a game processing unit for performing game processing in accordance with the operation input accepted by the operation portion.

Claims

1. A game system, comprising:

an operation apparatus; and

an information processing unit for transmitting and receiving data to and from said operation apparatus,

said operation apparatus including

a display portion for displaying information,

an operation portion for accepting a user'"'"'s operation input, and

a sensor portion for obtaining position data in a space where said operation apparatus is present, and

said information processing unit including

a viewpoint mode switching unit for setting a first viewpoint mode for displaying on said display portion a display image picked up based on a position and a direction of image pick-up of a first virtual camera in a virtual space on a game when the position data of said operation apparatus obtained by said sensor portion is in a first range and setting a second viewpoint mode for displaying on said display portion a display image picked up based on a position and a direction of image pick-up of a second virtual camera when the position data of said operation apparatus is in a second range, and

a game processing unit for performing game processing in accordance with the operation input accepted by said operation portion.

2. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

said operation portion has a direction input portion for accepting at least an input of a direction, and

said game processing unit moves a first object provided in said virtual space in accordance with the input of the direction accepted by said direction input portion.

3. The game system according to claim 2, wherein

said game processing unit controls the position and the direction of image pick-up of said second virtual camera in accordance with the position data of said operation apparatus in said second viewpoint mode.

4. The game system according to claim 2, wherein

said game processing unit provides a second object of which movement in said virtual space is controlled, and

said game processing unit controls movement of said second object in accordance with the operation input accepted by said operation portion at prescribed timing in said first viewpoint mode and controls movement thereof in accordance with the position data of said operation apparatus at prescribed timing in said second viewpoint mode.

5. The game system according to claim 2, wherein

said game processing unit provides a second object of which movement in said virtual space is controlled, and

said game processing unit controls movement of said second object in accordance with the operation input accepted by said operation portion at prescribed timing in said first viewpoint mode, and controls movement thereof in accordance with the operation input accepted by said operation portion at prescribed timing and controls movement thereof in accordance with the position data of said operation apparatus at timing different from said prescribed timing in said second viewpoint mode.

6. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

in said virtual space, said first virtual camera is set at a position higher than positions of said first object and said second virtual camera.

7. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

a case where the position data of said operation apparatus is in said first range refers to a case where an orientation of a display surface of said display portion is close to horizontal, and a case where it is in said second range refers to a case where an orientation of the display surface of said display portion is close to vertical.

8. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

said sensor portion corresponds to an inertial sensor.

9. The game system according to claim 8, wherein

said inertial sensor includes an acceleration sensor and an angular velocity sensor.

10. The game system according to claim 1, wherein

said information processing unit is provided in a main body apparatus provided separately from said operation apparatus,

said operation apparatus further includes a communication portion for transmitting and receiving data to and from said main body apparatus,

said communication portion of said operation apparatus transmits the operation input accepted by said operation portion and the position data obtained by said sensor portion to said main body apparatus and receives game image data in accordance with the game processing performed by said information processing unit of said main body apparatus, and

said display portion of said operation apparatus displays a game image in accordance with the received game image data.

11. A game system, comprising:

an operation apparatus; and

an information processing unit for transmitting and receiving data to and from said operation apparatus,

said operation apparatus including

a display portion for displaying information,

an operation portion for accepting a user'"'"'s operation input, and

a sensor portion for obtaining first position data of an axis of a first prescribed direction in a reference direction in a space where said operation apparatus is present and second position data around an axis of a second prescribed direction, and

said information processing unit performing game processing in accordance with the operation input accepted by said operation portion when the first position data of said operation apparatus obtained by said sensor portion is in a first range and performing game processing in accordance with the operation input accepted by said operation portion and the second position data of said operation apparatus obtained by said sensor portion when the first position data of said operation apparatus obtained by said sensor portion is in a second range.

12. A portable game device, comprising:

an operation apparatus; and

an information processing unit for transmitting and receiving data to and from said operation apparatus,

said operation apparatus including

a display portion for displaying information,

an operation portion for accepting a user'"'"'s operation input, and

a sensor portion for obtaining position data in a space where said operation apparatus is present, and

said information processing unit including

a viewpoint mode switching unit for setting a first viewpoint mode for displaying on said display portion a display image picked up based on a position and a direction of image pick-up of a first virtual camera in a virtual space on a game when the position data of said operation apparatus obtained by said sensor portion is in a first range and setting a second viewpoint mode for displaying on said display portion a display image picked up based on a position and a direction of image pick-up of a second virtual camera when the position data of said operation apparatus is in a second range, and

a game processing unit for performing game processing in accordance with the operation input accepted by said operation portion.

13. A method of controlling an information processing unit operating in cooperation with an operation apparatus having a display portion for displaying information, comprising the steps of:

accepting a user'"'"'s operation input;

obtaining position data in a space where said operation apparatus is present;

setting a first viewpoint mode for displaying on said display portion a display image picked up based on a position and a direction of image pick-up of a first virtual camera in a virtual space on a game when the obtained position data of said operation apparatus is in a first range and a second viewpoint mode for displaying on said display portion a display image picked up based on a position and a direction of image pick-up of a second virtual camera when the position data of said operation apparatus is in a second range; and

performing game processing in accordance with the accepted operation input.

14. The method of controlling an information processing unit according to claim 13, wherein

said step of accepting a user'"'"'s operation input includes the step of accepting at least an input of a direction, and

in said step of performing game processing, a first object provided in said virtual space is moved in accordance with the accepted input of the direction.

15. The method of controlling an information processing unit according to claim 14, wherein

in said step of performing game processing, in said second viewpoint mode, the position and the direction of image pick-up of said second virtual camera are controlled in accordance with the position data of said operation apparatus.

16. The method of controlling an information processing unit according to claim 14, wherein

said step of performing game processing includes the steps of

providing a second object of which movement in said virtual space is controlled,

controlling movement of said second object in accordance with the operation input accepted at prescribed timing in said first viewpoint mode, and

controlling movement of said second object in accordance with the position data of said operation apparatus at prescribed timing in said second viewpoint mode.

17. The method of controlling an information processing unit according to claim 14, wherein

said step of performing game processing includes the steps of

providing a second object of which movement in said virtual space is controlled,

controlling movement of said second object in accordance with the operation input accepted at prescribed timing in said first viewpoint mode, and

controlling movement of said second object in accordance with the operation input accepted at prescribed timing and controlling movement thereof in accordance with the position data of said operation apparatus at timing different from said prescribed timing in said second viewpoint mode.

18. The method of controlling an information processing unit according to claim 13, wherein

in said virtual space, said first virtual camera is set at a position higher than positions of said first object and said second virtual camera.

19. The method of controlling an information processing unit according to claim 13, wherein

a case where the position data of said operation apparatus is in said first range refers to a case where an orientation of a display surface of said display portion is close to horizontal, and a case where it is in said second range refers to a case where an orientation of the display surface of said display portion is close to vertical.

20. A method of controlling an information processing unit operating in cooperation with an operation apparatus having a display portion for displaying information, comprising the steps of:

accepting a user'"'"'s operation input;

obtaining first position data of an axis of a first prescribed direction in a reference direction in a space where said operation apparatus is present and second position data around an axis of a second prescribed direction; and

performing game processing in accordance with the accepted operation input when the obtained first position data of said operation apparatus is in a first range and performing game processing in accordance with the accepted operation input and the obtained second position data of said operation apparatus when the obtained first position data of said operation apparatus is in a second range.

21. A non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable program for controlling an information processing unit and executable by a computer of the information processing unit, said information processing unit operating in cooperation with an operation apparatus having a display portion for displaying information, said program comprising:

instructions for accepting a user'"'"'s operation input;

instructions for obtaining position data in a space where said operation apparatus is present;

instructions for setting a first viewpoint mode for displaying on said display portion a display image picked up based on a position and a direction of image pick-up of a first virtual camera in a virtual space on a game when the obtained position data of said operation apparatus is in a first range and setting a second viewpoint mode for displaying on said display portion a display image picked up based on a position and a direction of image pick-up of a second virtual camera when the position data of said operation apparatus is in a second range; and

instructions for performing game processing in accordance with the accepted operation input.

22. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 21, wherein

said instructions for accepting a user'"'"'s operation input include instructions for accepting at least an input of a direction, and

said instructions for performing game processing cause a first object provided in said virtual space to move in accordance with the accepted input of the direction.

23. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 22, wherein

said instructions for performing game processing control the position and the direction of image pick-up of said second virtual camera in accordance with the position data of said operation apparatus in said second viewpoint mode.

24. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 22, wherein

said instructions for performing game processing include

instructions for providing a second object of which movement in said virtual space is controlled,

instructions for controlling movement of said second object in accordance with the operation input accepted at prescribed timing in said first viewpoint mode, and

instructions for controlling movement of said second object in accordance with the position data of said operation apparatus at prescribed timing in said second viewpoint mode.

25. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 22, wherein

said instructions for performing game processing include

instructions for providing a second object of which movement in said virtual space is controlled,

instructions for controlling movement of said second object in accordance with the operation input accepted at prescribed timing in said first viewpoint mode, and

instructions for controlling movement of said second object in accordance with the operation input accepted at prescribed timing and instructions for controlling movement thereof in accordance with the position data of said operation apparatus at timing different from said prescribed timing in said second viewpoint mode.

26. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 21, wherein

in said virtual space, said first virtual camera is set at a position higher than positions of said first object and said second virtual camera.

27. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 21, wherein

a case where the position data of said operation apparatus is in said first range refers to a case where an orientation of a display surface of said display portion is close to horizontal, and a case where it is in said second range refers to a case where an orientation of the display surface of said display portion is close to vertical.

28. A non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable program for controlling an information processing unit and executable by a computer of the information processing unit, said information processing unit operating in cooperation with an operation apparatus having a display portion for displaying information, said program comprising:

instructions for accepting a user'"'"'s operation input;

instructions for obtaining first position data of an axis of a prescribed direction in a reference direction in a space where said operation apparatus is present and second position data around an axis of a second prescribed direction; and

instructions for performing game processing in accordance with the accepted operation input when the obtained first position data of said operation apparatus is in a first range and performing game processing in accordance with the accepted operation input and the obtained second position data of said operation apparatus when the obtained first position data of said operation apparatus is in a second range.