Shooting game apparatus, method of performing shooting game, and computer-readable recording medium storing shooting game program

• US 6,196,919 B1
• Filed: 05/21/1998
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Okubo, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHERUBIN, YVESTE GILBERTE
• Application Number:
  US09/082,816
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 463/2, 463/5-7, 463/31, 463/34, 463/30, 463/32, 463/37-38, 434/30, 434/33, 434/34, 434/35, 434/38, 434/43, 434/44, 434/69, 273/148.B, 345/475
• US Class Current: 463/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• 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 13/5258 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 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• 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 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• 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 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

A CPU of a control system controls a signal processor to effect various calculations to move a player'"'"'s spaceship on a projection display screen, orient the player'"'"'s spaceship toward a shooting direction, move a camera position at a rear viewpoint toward the player'"'"'s spaceship, and orient the shooting direction outside of the projection display screen, based on shooting game data including image data, audio data, and program data stored in recording medium. The CPU also controls an image processor to write image data and audio data into a RAM based on the calculated results from the signal processor. The image data thus written in the RAM is displayed on a television monitor and projected onto the projection display screen.

Claims

1. A shooting game apparatus for displaying a moving shooting object on a display screen and shooting from the moving shooting object in three-dimensional graphic images with a rear viewpoint, comprising:

manual control means operable by a game player for entering a control signal;

shooting object moving means for moving the shooting object forward on the projection display screen in response to the control signal from said manual control means;

shooting processing means for shooting from the shooting object in response to the control signal from said manual control means, and controlling a shooting direction from the shooting object to have an angle toward outside of the display screen with respect to the direction in which the shooting object moves forward;

shooting object orientation control means for controlling an orientation of the shooting object toward the shooting direction; and

rear viewpoint position control means for controlling the rear viewpoint toward the shooting direction.

2. A shooting game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said shooting direction is parallel to a vertical direction of the display screen.

3. A shooting game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said shooting object orientation control means and said rear viewpoint position control means comprise means for establishing the orientation of the shooting object and a position to be reached by the rear viewpoint such that the direction in which said shooting object moves forward and the direction of said shooting object, the direction of said shooting object and the shooting direction, and the direction in which said shooting object moves forward and the shooting direction become close to each other.

4. A shooting game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said shooting object orientation control means and said rear viewpoint position control means comprise means for establishing the orientation of the shooting object and a position to be reached by the rear viewpoint such that the direction in which said shooting object moves forward and the direction of said shooting object, the direction of said shooting object and the shooting direction, and the direction in which said shooting object moves forward and the shooting direction become close to each other.

5. A method of performing a shooting game by displaying a moving shooting object on a display screen and shooting from the moving shooting object in three-dimensional graphic images with a rear viewpoint, comprising the steps of:

moving the shooting object forward on the projection display screen in response to a manual control signal;

moving the rear viewpoint toward the shooting object; and

controlling an orientation of the shooting object to move toward a shooting direction from the shooting object; and

controlling the shooting direction to have an angle toward outside of the display screen with respect to the direction in which the shooting object moves forward.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of controlling said shooting direction to be parallel to a vertical direction of the display screen.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of establishing the orientation of the shooting object and a position to be reached by the rear viewpoint such that the direction in which said shooting object moves forward and the direction of said shooting object, the direction of said shooting object and the shooting direction, and the direction in which said shooting object moves forward and the shooting direction become close to each other.

8. A method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of establishing the orientation of the shooting object and a position to be reached by the rear viewpoint such that the direction in which said shooting object moves forward and the direction of said shooting object, the direction of said shooting object and the shooting direction, and the direction in which said shooting object moves forward and the shooting direction become close to each other.

9. A computer-readable recording medium storing a control program for performing a shooting game by displaying a moving shooting object on a display screen and shooting from the moving shooting object in three-dimensional graphic images with a rear viewpoint, said control program comprising the steps of:

moving the shooting object forward on the projection display screen in response to a manual control signal;

moving the rear viewpoint toward the shooting object; and

controlling an orientation of the shooting object to move toward a shooting direction from the shooting object; and

controlling the shooting direction to have an angle toward outside of the display screen with respect to the direction in which the shooting object moves forward.

10. A computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, wherein said control program further comprises the step of controlling said shooting direction to be parallel to a vertical direction of the display screen.

11. A computer-readable recording medium according to claim 10, wherein said control program further comprises the step of establishing the orientation of the shooting object and a position to be reached by the rear viewpoint such that the direction in which said shooting object moves forward and the direction of said shooting object, the direction of said shooting object and the shooting direction, and the direction in which said shooting object moves forward and the shooting direction become close to each other.

12. A computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, wherein said control program further comprises the step of establishing the orientation of the shooting object and a position to be reached by the rear viewpoint such that the direction in which said shooting object moves forward and the direction of said shooting object, the direction of said shooting object and the shooting direction, and the direction in which said shooting object moves forward and the shooting direction become close to each other.