GAME APPARATUS AND COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM STORING GAME PROGRAM

• US 20140121020A1
• Filed: 01/03/2014
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: YAMADA, Yoichi, FUJIBAYASHI, Hidemaro, AONUMA, Eiji
• Granted Patent: US 9,827,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/634 for replaying partially or entirely the game actions since the beginning of the game

Abstract

Instead of using an operation inputted by a player, a series of operation data for continuously moving a player character for a predetermined time period of a game is previously stored as automatic operation data. Automatic control means moves the player character based on the automatic operation data. Furthermore, the automatic control means receives a play start operation indicating that the player starts to play the game while the automatic control means moves the player character. A movement of the player character controlled based on the automatic operation data is finished at a time when the play start operation is received, and the movement of the player character starts to be controlled based on an operation of the player.

Claims

1. A game apparatus that executes game processing in which a player character is moved based on operation data outputted from an input device of a player in response to an operation inputted to the input device, the game apparatus comprising:

an operation data storage unit configured to store a series of operation data, as automatic operation data, for continuously moving the player character without an operation being inputted to the input device of the player;

a game start unit configured to start the game processing;

an automatic control reception unit configured to receive, during the game processing started by the game start unit, an automatic control start operation indicating start of automatic control of the player character;

an automatic control unit configured, when the automatic control start operation has been received, to read the automatic operation data from the operation data storage unit and to move the player character based on the automatic operation data, instead of moving the player character based on the operation data outputted from the input device;

a play resumption reception unit configured, while the player character is being moved by the automatic control unit, to receive a play resumption operation indicating resumption of play by the player; and

a game processing resumption unit configured, when the play resumption operation has been received, to resume game processing for moving the player character based on the operation data outputted from the input device, instead of moving the player character based on the automatic operation data.

2. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the game processing resumption unit ends, at a timing when the play resumption operation was received, movement of the player character based on the automatic operation data caused by the automatic control unit, and moves the player character after the timing, based on the operation data outputted from the input device, starting from a state of the player character at the timing.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein a program to be executed by a computer of a game apparatus that executes game processing in which a player character is moved based on operation data outputted from an input device of a player in response to an operation inputted to the input device, the program causing the computer to function as:

an operation data storage unit configured to store a series of operation data, as automatic operation data, for continuously moving the player character without an operation being inputted to the input device of the player;

a game start unit configured to start the game processing;

an automatic control reception unit configured to receive, during the game processing started by the game start unit, an automatic control start operation indicating start of automatic control of the player character;

an automatic control unit configured, when the automatic control start operation has been received, to read the automatic operation data from the operation data storage unit and to move the player character based on the automatic operation data, instead of moving the player character based on the operation data outputted from the input device;

a play resumption reception unit configured, while the player character is being moved by the automatic control unit, to receive a play resumption operation indicating resumption of play by the player; and

a game processing resumption unit configured, when the play resumption operation has been received, to resume game processing for moving the player character based on the operation data outputted from the input device, instead of moving the player character based on the automatic operation data.

4. A game system that executes game processing in which a player character is moved based on operation data outputted from an input device of a player in response to an operation inputted to the input device, the game system comprising:

an operation data storage unit configured to store a series of operation data, as automatic operation data, for continuously moving the player character without an operation being inputted to the input device of the player;

a game start unit configured to start the game processing;

an automatic control reception unit configured to receive, during the game processing started by the game start unit, an automatic control start operation indicating start of automatic control of the player character;

an automatic control unit configured, when the automatic control start operation has been received, to read the automatic operation data from the operation data storage unit and to move the player character based on the automatic operation data, instead of moving the player character based on the operation data outputted from the input device;

a play resumption reception unit configured, while the player character is being moved by the automatic control unit, to receive a play resumption operation indicating resumption of play by the player; and

a game processing resumption unit configured, when the play resumption operation has been received, to resume game processing for moving the player character based on the operation data outputted from the input device, instead of moving the player character based on the automatic operation data.

5. A game processing method for controlling a game apparatus that executes game processing in which a player character is moved based on operation data outputted from an input device of a player in response to an operation inputted to the input device, the game processing method comprising:

storing in a predetermined storage unit a series of operation data, as automatic operation data, for continuously moving the player character without an operation being inputted to the input device of the player;

starting the game processing;

receiving, during the started game processing, an automatic control start operation indicating start of automatic control of the player character;

when the automatic control start operation has been received, reading the automatic operation data from the predetermined storage unit and of moving the player character based on the automatic operation data, instead of moving the player character based on the operation data outputted from the input device;

receiving, while the player character is being moved, a play resumption operation indicating resumption of play by the player; and

resuming, when the play resumption operation has been received, game processing for moving the player character based on the operation data outputted from the input device, instead of moving the player character based on the automatic operation data.