GAME SYSTEM, CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR, AND A STORAGE MEDIUM STORING A COMPUTER PROGRAM

• US 20130109475A1
• Filed: 07/14/2011
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Hamano, Takashi, Onodera, Nobuhiro
• Application Number:
  US13/809,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20130109475A1
• 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 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• 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 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6676 by dedicated player input
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality

Abstract

Disclosed is a game system wherein two-dimensional images are generated on the basis of a virtual three-dimensional space used in the progression of a game, and a game screen using said two-dimensional images is displayed on a large monitor (4). Said game system is provided with: small monitors (7) separate from the large monitor (4); and small cameras (8) that can image the area around the large monitor (7). The game system combines images taken by the small cameras (8) together with other images and outputs the results to the small monitors (7).

Claims

1. A game system in which a two-dimensional (2D) image is generated based on a virtual three-dimensional (3D) space used for a progress of a game, and a game screen using the 2D image is displayed on a main display device, and wherein the game system comprises:

a sub display device separate from the main display device;

an image generating device adapted and configured to generate a predetermined image to be output to the sub display device; and

a synthesis image output device adapted and configured to synthesize a predetermined image generated by the image generating device with another image, and output a synthesis result to the sub display device.

2. The game system according to claim 1, further comprising a photographing device adapted and configured to be able to photograph an area around the main display device, wherein

the photographing device is used as the image generating device, and

an image photographed by the photographing device is used as the predetermined image.

3. The game system according to claim 2, further comprising an input device adapted and configured to receive a player'"'"'s operation, wherein

the photographing device is provided in the input device, and

the input device is configured so as to be able to move such that the photographing device can photograph an area around the main display device.

4. The game system according to claim 1, further comprising a detecting device adapted and configured to detect a player'"'"'s action, and wherein

the image generating device generates a 2D image of a space of a part of the virtual 3D space based on the player'"'"'s action detected by the detecting device as the predetermined image.

5. The game system according to claim 4, further comprising an input device adapted and configured to be movable and receive a player'"'"'s operation, and wherein

the detecting device is provided in the input device and detect an operation of the input device as the player'"'"'s action, and

the input device has a movable range which is set such that the whole space of the virtual 3D space corresponding to the game screen can be set as the part of the space.

6. The game system according to claim 3, wherein a gun-type controller imitating a gun is used as the input device.

7. A control method of controlling a computer incorporated in a game system in which a two-dimensional (2D) image is generated based on a virtual three-dimensional (3D) space used for a progress of a game, and a game screen using the 2D image is displayed on a main display device, and wherein the game system comprises a sub display device separate from the main display device and the control method of controlling the computer comprises the steps:

an image generating step that generates a predetermined image to be output to the sub display device; and

a synthesis image output step that synthesizes a predetermined image generated by the image generating device with another image, and output a synthesis result to the sub display device.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for a game system in which a two-dimensional (2D) image is generated based on a virtual three-dimensional (3D) space used for a progress of a game, and a game screen using the 2D image is displayed on a main display device, and wherein the game system comprises a sub display device separate from the main display device and the computer program is configured so as to cause a computer which is incorporated in the game system to serve as:

an image generating device adapted and configured to generate a predetermined image to be output to the sub display device; and

a synthesis image output device adapted and configured to synthesize a predetermined image generated by the image generating device with another image, and output a synthesis result to the sub display device.