Video game with switchable collision graphics
First Claim
1. A method for displaying a video game character traversing a video game playfield, for use with a system which includes a video screen display, a user-controlled graphics controller and digital memory;
- wherein the playfield is displayed as a series of scrolled screen displays; and
wherein the video game character follows a path within the playfield; and
wherein progress of the game character in traversing the playfield is indicated by scrolling the playfield relative to the game character, the method comprising the steps of;
storing in the digital memory multiple collision blocks that define respective path segments;
dividing the playfield path into multiple graphics path blocks that comprise the playfield path;
storing in the digital memory character collision type information which corresponds to a character and which indicates for that character either a first character collision type or a second character collision type;
storing in the digital memory references between respective graphics path blocks and respective collision blocks wherein for at least one graphics path block, the reference is dependent upon the character collision type information for a character traversing that at least one graphics path block;
displaying character movement through the playfield from graphics path block to graphics path block along the playfield path in response to user input to the graphics controller;
controlling the display of character movement from graphics path block to graphics path block by causing the character image to follow a path defined by the graphics path segments of individual collision blocks referenced to individual graphics path blocks that comprise the playfield path; and
changing the stored character collision type information such that after the change, the stored character collision type information indicates a different character collision type than before the change.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for displaying a video game character traversing a video game playfield, for use with a system which includes a video screen display, a user-controlled graphics controller and digital memory; wherein the video game character follows a path within the playfield, the method comprising the steps of: storing multiple collision blocks that define respective path segments; dividing the playfield into multiple path blocks that comprise the path; storing character collision-type information; storing references from individual path blocks to individual collision blocks; displaying character movement through the playfield from path block to path block along the path in response to user input to the graphics controller; controlling the display of character movement by causing the character image to follow a path defined by the path segments of individual collision blocks; and changing the stored character collision-type information when the character path passes a prescribed location on the playfield.
65 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for displaying a video game character traversing a video game playfield, for use with a system which includes a video screen display, a user-controlled graphics controller and digital memory;
- wherein the playfield is displayed as a series of scrolled screen displays; and
wherein the video game character follows a path within the playfield; and
wherein progress of the game character in traversing the playfield is indicated by scrolling the playfield relative to the game character, the method comprising the steps of;storing in the digital memory multiple collision blocks that define respective path segments; dividing the playfield path into multiple graphics path blocks that comprise the playfield path; storing in the digital memory character collision type information which corresponds to a character and which indicates for that character either a first character collision type or a second character collision type; storing in the digital memory references between respective graphics path blocks and respective collision blocks wherein for at least one graphics path block, the reference is dependent upon the character collision type information for a character traversing that at least one graphics path block; displaying character movement through the playfield from graphics path block to graphics path block along the playfield path in response to user input to the graphics controller; controlling the display of character movement from graphics path block to graphics path block by causing the character image to follow a path defined by the graphics path segments of individual collision blocks referenced to individual graphics path blocks that comprise the playfield path; and changing the stored character collision type information such that after the change, the stored character collision type information indicates a different character collision type than before the change. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- wherein the playfield is displayed as a series of scrolled screen displays; and
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10. A method for displaying a video game character traversing a video game playfield, for use with a system which includes a video screen display, a user-controlled graphics controller and digital memory;
- wherein the playfield is displayed as a series of scrolled screen displays; and
wherein the video game character follows a path within the playfield; and
wherein progress of the game character in traversing the playfield is indicated by scrolling the playfield relative to the game character, the method comprising the steps of;storing in the digital memory multiple collision blocks that define respective path segments; dividing the playfield path into multiple graphics path blocks that comprise the playfield path; displaying path segment images within graphic path blocks wherein the displayed path segment images depict a loop which overlaps itself and wherein a multi-path graphics path block includes two path segments images; storing in the digital memory character collision type information which corresponds to a character and which indicates for that character either a first character collision type or a second character collision type; storing in the digital memory references between respective graphics path blocks and respective collision blocks wherein the reference for the multi-path graphics path block is dependent upon the character collision type information for a character traversing that multi-path graphics path block; displaying character movement through the playfield from graphics path block to graphics path block along the playfield path in response to user input to the graphics controller; controlling the display of character movement from graphics path block to path block by causing the character image to follow path segments of individual collision blocks referenced to individual graphics path blocks that comprise the playfield path; changing the stored character collision type information when the character passes a prescribed location on the playfield such that after the change, the stored character collision type information indicates a different character collision type than before the change. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
- wherein the playfield is displayed as a series of scrolled screen displays; and
Specification