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

• US 20150148132A1
• Filed: 01/07/2015
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: ITO, Jun, OHTA, Keizo
• Granted Patent: US 9,808,717 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• 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 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• 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 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• 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 13/5255 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 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

An example game system includes a controller device, and a game process section for performing a game process based on an operation on the controller device. The controller device includes a plurality of direction input sections, a sensor section for obtaining a physical quantity used for calculating an attitude of the controller device, and a display section for displaying a game image. The game process section first calculates the attitude of the controller device based on the physical quantity obtained by the sensor section. Then, the game process section controls an attitude of a virtual camera in a virtual space based on the attitude of the controller device, and controls a position of the virtual camera based on an input on the direction input section. A game image to be displayed on the display section is generated based on the position and the attitude of the virtual camera.

Claims

1. A game system comprising:

a first controller device that includes;

(a1) at least one direction input control configured to accept input that corresponds to at least two different directions;

(a2) a sensor configured to obtain a physical quantity used for calculating an attitude of the first controller device; and

(a3) a display screen integrated into a body of the first controller device and configured to display a game image; and

a processing system with at least one hardware processor that is coupled to a memory device, the processing system configured to;

(b1) calculate the attitude of the first controller device based on the physical quantity obtained by the attitude sensor;

(b2) control an attitude of a virtual camera in a virtual space based on the calculated attitude of the first controller device;

(b3) control a position of the virtual camera based on an input from the at least one direction input control; and

(b4) generate, based on the controlled position and the controlled attitude of the virtual camera, the game image of the virtual space that is displayed on the display screen.

2. The game system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

control an attitude of a virtual object that is located in the virtual space based on an input from the at least one direction input control;

determine that the controlled attitude of the virtual object is changed to a first direction within the virtual space; and

automatically adjust, in response to the determination, the attitude of the virtual camera so that the attitude of the virtual object and the attitude of the virtual camera are matched to the first direction.

3. The game system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

automatically control a position of a virtual object that is located within the virtual space in accordance with the controlled position of the virtual camera.

4. The game system of claim 3, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

responsive to a determination that the virtual object is at a first attitude, adjust the attitude of the virtual camera to match the first attitude.

5. The game system of claim 4, wherein the attitude is adjusted to the first attitude by gradually adjusting the attitude of the virtual camera.

6. The game system of claim 1, wherein the at least one direction input control includes a first direction input control and a second direction input control.

7. The game system of claim 6, wherein the processing system is further configured to control an attitude of a virtual object that is located in the virtual space based on an input from the second direction input control,

wherein position of the virtual camera is based on input to the first direction input control

8. The game system of claim 7, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

determine the controlled attitude of the virtual object is at a predetermined attitude within the virtual space; and

automatically adjust, in response to the determination, the attitude of the virtual camera so that the attitude of the virtual object and the attitude of the virtual camera are matched.

9. The game system of claim 1, wherein the processing system and the first controller device are included in a portable housing.

10. The game system of claim 1, wherein the processing system and the first controller device are included in separate housings.

11. A game system comprising:

a first controller device that includes;

(a1) at least one direction input control configured to accept input that corresponds to at least two different directions;

(a2) a sensor configured to obtain a physical quantity used for calculating an attitude of the first controller device; and

(a3) a display screen integrated into a body of the first controller device and configured to display a game image; and

a processing system with at least one processor that is coupled to a memory device, the processing system configured to;

(b1) calculate the attitude of the first controller device based on the physical quantity obtained by the attitude sensor;

(b2) control an attitude of a virtual camera in a virtual space based on the calculated attitude of the first controller device;

(b3) control a position of a virtual object in the virtual space based on an input from the at least one direction input control;

(b4) automatically control a position of the virtual camera in accordance with the controlled position of the virtual object; and

(b5) generate the game image to be displayed on the display screen based on the position and the attitude of the virtual camera.

12. The game system of claim 11, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

control an attitude of the virtual object based on an input to the at least direction input control;

determine if the attitude of the virtual object and the attitude of the virtual camera are different; and

adjust, in response to determination that the attitude of the virtual object is different from the attitude of the virtual camera, the attitude of the virtual camera so that the attitude of the virtual object and the attitude of the virtual camera are matched with each other.

13. The game system of claim 12, wherein determination if the attitude of the virtual object and the attitude of the virtual camera are different is made with respect to the predetermined direction in the virtual space, where the attitude of the virtual camera is adjusted to match the predetermined direction in response to the determination.

14. The game system of claim 12, wherein the at least one direction input control includes a first controller and a second controller that is different from the first controller,

the input to the at least direction input control that is used to control the attitude of the virtual object is provided to the first controller, and

the input to the at least direction input control that is used to control the position of a virtual object in the virtual space is provided to the second controller.

15. The game system of claim 11, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

responsive to a determination that the virtual object is at a first attitude, adjust the attitude of the virtual camera to match the first attitude.

16. The game system of claim 15, wherein the attitude is adjusted to the first attitude by gradually adjusting the attitude of the virtual camera.

17. The game system of claim 15, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

control an attitude of the virtual object based on an input to the at least direction input control.

18. A game system comprising:

a first controller device that includes;

at least one direction input control configured to accept input that corresponds to at least two different directions;

a sensor configured to obtain a physical quantity used for calculating an attitude of the first controller device; and

a display screen integrated into a body of the first controller device and configured to display a game image; and

a processing system that includes at least one processor coupled to a memory device, the processing system programmed to;

calculate the attitude of the first controller device based on the physical quantity obtained by the attitude sensor,

control an attitude of a virtual camera in a virtual space based on the calculated attitude of the first controller device,

control a position of a virtual object in the virtual space based on an input from at least one of the direction input controls(s), where a position of the virtual camera is set in accordance with the controlled position of the virtual object, and

generate the game image to be displayed on the display screen based on the position and the attitude of the virtual camera.

19. A game system of claim 18, wherein the processing system is further configured to control an attitude of the virtual object based on an input to at least one of the direction input section(s).

20. A game system of claim 19, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

determine if the attitude of the predetermined object has been controlled in at least a predetermined direction, and

automatically adjust, in response to determination that the attitude of the predetermined object has been controlled in the predetermined direction, the attitude of the virtual camera so that the attitude of the predetermined object and the attitude of the virtual camera are matched with each other for the predetermined direction.

21. The game system of claim 18, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

responsive to a determination that the virtual object is at a selected attitude, adjust the attitude of the virtual camera to match the first attitude.

22. The game system of claim 21, wherein the attitude is adjusted to the selected attitude by gradually adjusting the attitude of the virtual camera.