Shooting game machine and method of computing the same

• US 5,853,324 A
• Filed: 09/05/1996
• Issued: 12/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Namco Limited (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Tohyama, Shigeki, Kami, Hirofumi, Kikuchi, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US08/706,570
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1-8, 463/36-39, 463/49-53, 273/148 B, 345/156
• US Class Current: 463/2
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• 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 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• 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 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5258 by dynamically adapting the position of the virtual camera to keep a game object or game character in its viewing frustum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1056 involving pressure sensitive buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6684 by dynamically adapting its position to keep a game object in its viewing frustrum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

A shooting game machine having a gun for shooting at a target displayed on a display. The shooting game machine has a foot-operated input section for being stepped on by a player to select one of attack and defense modes, and a game computing section for computing for a game based on inputs from the foot-operated input section and the gun and a given game program. When the attack mode is selected, the game computing section computes for causing the player to attack and damage an enemy in a game space while the player being exposed to the attacks of the enemy. When the defense mode is selected, the game computing section computes for causing the player to avoid the attacks of the enemy by hiding or taking other actions for avoiding danger.

Claims

1. A shooting game machine for shooting at a target displayed on a display, comprising:

selecting means used by a player for selecting a defense mode; and

computing means for causing a virtual player in a game space to avoid danger when said defense mode is selected so that said virtual player cannot be damaged by the enemy.

15. The shooting game of claim 1, wherein all attacks by the enemy miss the virtual player regardless of whether the attack would have otherwise caused damage to the virtual player, when the defense mode is selected.

2. A shooting game machine comprising:

display means for displaying a game scene of a game space;

a shooting device;

mode selecting means for selecting one of an attack mode and a defense mode;

game computing means responsive to an input from said shooting device for (i) performing a game computation causing a virtual player and an enemy in the game space to shoot at each other when said attack mode is selected, and (ii) performing a game computation causing said virtual player in the game space to avoid danger when said defense mode is selected.

3. The shooting game machine according to claim 2,

wherein said mode selecting means is in a form of a foot-operated input means which is operated by the player to select one of said attack mode and said defense mode.

4. The shooting game machine according to claim 2,

wherein said mode selecting means includes an inclination sensor which is disposed in said shooting device for sensing a given inclination of said shooting device operated by the player and

wherein said mode selecting means selects one of said attack mode and said defense mode on the basis of sensed inlination of said shooting device.

5. The shooting game machine according to claim 2, wherein said mode selecting means includes:

player position detecting means for detecting a position of the virtual player; and

position determining means for determining whether said mode selecting means is in said attack mode or in said defense mode based on a detected position of the virtual player; and

wherein the player selects one of said attack mode and said defense mode by moving between an attack mode position and a defense mode position while watching the game scene on said display means.

6. The shooting game machine according to claim 2, wherein said game computing means comprises:

timer means for measuring duration of said attack mode selected by said mode selecting means; and

attack ability control means for varying an attack ability of the enemy according to the measured duration.

7. The shooting game machine according to claim 2, wherein said game computing means comprises:

attack frequency measuring means for measuring an attack frequency of the enemy during said attack mode selected by said mode selecting means; and

attack ability control means for varying an, attack ability of the enemy according to the attack frequency measured by said attack frequency measuring means.

8. The shooting game machine according to claim 2,

wherein said game computing means comprises a reload control means for reloading an attack ability of the player in response to a shift between said attack mode and said defense mode.

9. The shooting game machine according to claim 2,

wherein said foot-operated input means comprises a shift pattern input means for inputting a shift pattern from said defense mode to said attack mode;

and

wherein said game computing means performs a computation based on an inputted shift pattern for an action of said virtual player shifting from said defense mode to said attack mode.

10. The shooting game machine according to claim 9,

wherein said shift pattern input means includes a pressure sensor for sensing a pressure applied by the player to input a shift pattern according to the sensed pressure.

11. The shooting game machine according to claim 2, wherein said display means is a head-mount display.

16. The shooting game of claim 2, wherein the display means displays the game scene from the viewpoint of the virtual player (i) in said attack mode when said attack mode is selected, and (ii) in said defense mode when said defense mode is selected.

12. A method of computing performed in a shooting game machine, the shooting game machine including a mode selecting means for selecting one of an attack mode and a defense mode, and a shooting device for shooting at a target displayed on a display, said method comprising the steps of:

computing for determining whether a mode of the shooting game machine has been changed (i) from said attack mode to said defense mode, or (ii) from said defense mode to said attack mode, by a player of a shooting game through use of said mode selecting means;

computing for a shooting combat against an enemy in a game scene of a game space displayed on the display based on an input from said shooting device when said attack mode is selected; and

computing for causing a virtual player in the game scene of the game space to avoid danger by said enemy when said defense mode is selected so that said virtual player cannot be damaged by the enemy.

13. An information storage medium having a computer-readable program stored therein for playing a shooting game in a shooting game machine, the shooting game machine including a mode selecting means for selecting one of an attack mode and a defense mode, and a shooting device for shooting at a target displayed on a display, the program being executable by the computer to perform the method steps comprising:

computing for determining whether a mode of the shooting game machine has been changed (i) from said attack mode to said defense mode, or (ii) from said defense mode to said attack mode, by a player of a shooting game through use of said mode selecting means;

computing for a shooting combat against an enemy in a game scene of a game space displayed on the display based on an input from said shooting device, when said attack mode is selected; and

computing for causing a virtual player in the game scene of the game space displayed on the display to avoid danger, when said defense mode is selected so that said virtual player cannot be damaged by the enemy.

14. In combination:

a) a shooting game machine comprising;

a display which displays a game scene of a game space,

a computer;

a shooting device;

mode selecting means for selecting one of an attack mode and a defense mode;

game computing means responsive to an input from said shooting device (i) for performing a game computation causing a virtual player and an enemy in the game space to shoot at each other when said attack mode is selected, and (ii) for performing a game computation causing said virtual player in the game space to avoid danger when said defense mode is selected; and

b) an information storage medium having a program readable by said computer stored therein, the program being executable by the computer to;

compute to determine whether a mode of the shooting game machine has been changed (i) from said attack mode to said defense mode, or (ii) from said defense mode to said attack mode, by a player of a shooting game through using said mode selecting means;

compute a shooting combat against an enemy in the game scene of the game space displayed on the display based on input from the said shooting device, when said attack mode is selected; and

compute for causing a virtual player in the game scene of the game space displayed on the display to avoid danger, when said defense mode is selected.