Video game/videographics program fabricating system and method with superimpose control
First Claim
1. A method of editing a video game using an interactive computing system including a display device having a display screen, a dedicated game computer with game memory, a dedicated editing computer with editing memory, and interface circuitry for facilitating communications and data transfers between the game computer and the editing computer, comprising the steps of:
- the game computer executing a video game program stored in the game memory;
the editing computer monitoring operations of the game computer and stopping the execution of the video game program executed by the game computer at a video game display frame to be edited;
transferring by way of the interface circuitry a portion of the video game program as currently configured to the editing computer;
the editing computer storing the transferred information in editing memory;
a user identifying a feature in the display frame to be edited;
the editing computer generating an editing window associated with the identified feature;
superimposing circuitry superimposing the editing window associated with the identified feature generated by the editing computer on said video game frame generated by the game computer, said editing window including a plurality of editing options;
the user selecting between the plurality of editing optionsthe user changing the video game program using the selected editing option; and
the editing computer incorporating the change into the video game program.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A videographics/video game fabricating system includes a multiprocessor based game processor console which includes a main central processing unit (CPU) which controls editing operations and operating system task execution and a game CPU for executing the model video game which is loaded into a pluggable RAM cartridge. The model video game provides a starting point from which a user can readily create an original video game including desired aspects of the model software. The system permits a user to modify any of the game'"'"'s moving objects, background screens, music or sound effects. The main CPU and game CPU cooperate in the game execution and editorial process such that an editing screen generated by the main CPU is superimposed on a game screen generated by the program executing CPU. The game processing console includes ports for interconnection with a wide variety of peripheral devices including a standard television set, keyboard, game hand controllers, mouse, modem board, an interface board for coupling the game processor to a personal computer system, floppy disk drive, an external RAM game cartridge and a user'"'"'s ID card. The system utilizes unique "unit" based data structures in which moving objects are processed on a unit basis and where each object is assigned a unit ID which is associated with a wide range of object, game characteristics, game processing and location data including status information, present screen display location, object format, character size, pose information, collision threshold information, tempo information, attribute data, animation data together with address pointers identifying other processing related information associated with the identified object. A wide range of information is likewise stored in data structures associated with background screens referred to as "stage" data.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A method of editing a video game using an interactive computing system including a display device having a display screen, a dedicated game computer with game memory, a dedicated editing computer with editing memory, and interface circuitry for facilitating communications and data transfers between the game computer and the editing computer, comprising the steps of:
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the game computer executing a video game program stored in the game memory; the editing computer monitoring operations of the game computer and stopping the execution of the video game program executed by the game computer at a video game display frame to be edited; transferring by way of the interface circuitry a portion of the video game program as currently configured to the editing computer; the editing computer storing the transferred information in editing memory; a user identifying a feature in the display frame to be edited; the editing computer generating an editing window associated with the identified feature; superimposing circuitry superimposing the editing window associated with the identified feature generated by the editing computer on said video game frame generated by the game computer, said editing window including a plurality of editing options; the user selecting between the plurality of editing options the user changing the video game program using the selected editing option; and the editing computer incorporating the change into the video game program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An interactive computing system for editing a graphics program comprising:
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a first processor that executes a graphics program and generates a graphics display output including stationary and moving features; a user input device for identifying one of the stationary and moving features in a display frame of the graphics display output; a second processor that performs graphics program editing operations and generates a first editing related display output corresponding to the identified feature; interface circuitry facilitating communications and data transfer between the first and second processors, and superimpose control circuitry for superimposing said first editing related display output generated by the second processor onto the graphics display output generated by the first processor, wherein in response to the user identifying one of the stationary and moving features in a display frame of the graphics display output the second processor causes a portion of the graphics program including information pertaining to the identified one feature to be transferred to the second processor by way of the interface circuitry, and in response to the user selecting an editing option from said first editing related display output superimposed onto the graphics display output, generates a second editing related display output corresponding to the selected editing option which is superimposed by the superimpose control circuitry onto the graphics display output generated by the first processor. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method of creating a unique sequence of display frames associated with a graphics program using an interactive computing system including a display device having a display screen, a first computer, a second computer, and interface circuitry for facilitating communications and data transfers between the first computer and the second computer, comprising the steps of:
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the first computer executing a graphics program having a sequence of display frames to be modified; the second computer monitoring operations of the first computer and stopping the sequence of display frames generated as a result of the first computer executing the graphics program at a desired editing point and displaying a display frame to be edited; transferring by way of the interface circuitry a portion of the graphics program as currently configured to the second computer; the second computer storing the transferred information; a user indicating a display feature to be edited in the display frame; the user selecting from a plurality of editing windows, an editing window corresponding to the indicated display feature; superimposing circuitry superimposing the selected editing window associated with the indicated display feature generated by the second computer on said display frame generated by the first computer; the user selecting between the plurality of editing options displayed in the editing window; the user changing the graphics program using the selected editing option; and the first computer incorporating the change into the graphics program. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification