Game display method, moving direction indicating method, game apparatus and drive simulating apparatus

• US 6,200,138 B1
• Filed: 10/30/1998
• Issued: 03/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD.
• Original Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD.
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Toshiya, Tsukamoto, Kazunari, Ando, Takeshi, Ito, Masaaki, Takasugi, Tomoya, Goi, Toshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Neill, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harris, Chanda
• Application Number:
  US09/182,989
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 434/61, 434/247, 434/307.R, 434/69, 434/29, 434/70, 434/308, 434/305, 273/148.B, 273/442, 348/121, 345/8, 463/23, 463/30, 463/31, 463/32
• US Class Current: 434/61
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/16 Control of vehicles or other craft simulators G09B9/02

Abstract

A game display method displays a driving game which permits characters to be present in a city and can prevent cruel images of collisions with characters. Characters in a dangerous area are intentionally moved away from a motorbike B. Those H1, H2 of the characters behind the motorbike B as viewed in a moving direction of the motorbike B are intentionally moved away from a current position 01 of the motorbike B, a position of the center of the motorbike B. Those H3, H4, H5 of the characters in front of the motorbike B as viewed in the moving direction of the motorbike B are intentionally moved toward the back of the motorbike B, i.e., directions normal to a straight line interconnecting the position 01 of the center of the motorbike B and the characters H3, H4, H5. The characters H3, H4, who are forward left of the motorbike B, are moved left, and the character Hr, who is forward right, is moved right.

Claims

1. A game display method for displaying a game in which a movable object is moved in a virtual space, comprising the steps of:

setting a dangerous area around the movable object; and

when a character enters the dangerous area, moving the character in a direction in which the character is moved away from the movable object.

2. A game display method according to claim 1, wherein

a caution area is set around the dangerous area, and when a character enters the caution area, the character is caused to pause.

3. A game display method according to claim 1, wherein

the dangerous area is set to cover an area in a direction of movement of the movable object, based on a moving direction of the movable object and/or a moving speed thereof.

4. A moving direction display method according to claim 1, wherein

the movable object can be moved unlimitedly in the area other than the movement ways in the virtual space.

26. A storage medium for storing a program for executing a method recited in one of claims 1 to 9 and claims 17 to 22.

5. A game display method for displaying an object in a virtual space, comprising the steps of:

setting an area around a first object; and

when a second object enters the area, moving the second object outside the area, based on positional information of the first object and positional information of the second object.

6. A game display method according to claim 5, wherein

when the second object enters the area, the second object is moved in a direction intersecting at a prescribed angle to a direction interconnecting a reference position of the first object and a reference position of the second object.

7. A game display method for moving to a destination in a virtual space a movable object which is moved in the virtual space, comprising the step of:

displaying at a prescribed position in the virtual space a virtual object which indicates a direction from the prescribed position to the destination.

8. A moving direction display method for displaying a moving direction of a movable object which is moved in a virtual space to a destination therein, comprising the steps of:

setting in the virtual space a plurality of moving direction indicating positions for indicating moving directions; and

displaying arrows which are directed from the direction indicating positions to the destination being displayed and are not dependent on positional relationships between the direction indicating positions and the movable object when the movable object comes near to the direction indicating positions, whereby a moving direction for the movable object to move on is indicated.

9. A moving direction display method according to claim 8, wherein

the direction indicating positions are set at intersections of movement ways in the virtual space.

10. A game apparatus for executing a game in which a movable object is moved in a virtual space, comprising:

setting means for setting a dangerous area around the movable object; and

display means which, when a character enters the dangerous area, the character is displayed to move in a direction in which the person moves away from the movable object.

11. A game apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the setting means sets a caution area around the dangerous area;

and

the display means which, when a character enters the caution area, displays the character to pause.

12. A game apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the setting means sets the dangerous area to cover an area in a moving direction of the movable object, based on a moving direction of the movable object and/or a moving speed thereof.

13. A game apparatus for executing a game in which a movable object is moved in a virtual space, comprising:

setting means for setting an area around a first object; and

display means which, when a second object enters the area, displays the second object to move outside the area, based on positional information of the first object and positional information of the second object.

14. A game apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the display means displays the second object to move in a direction intersecting at a prescribed angle to a direction interconnecting a reference position of the first object and a reference position of the second object.

15. A game apparatus for executing a game in which a movable object which is moved in a virtual space is moved to a destination in the virtual space, comprising:

display means for displaying at a prescribed position in the virtual space a virtual object indicating a direction from the prescribed position to the destination.

16. An electronic device for displaying a moving direction of a movable object being moved to a destination in a virtual space, comprising:

setting means for setting in the virtual space a plurality of moving direction indicating positions for indicating moving directions; and

display means for displaying direction indicating objects which, when the movable object comes near the direction indication position, are directed from the moving direction indicating positions to the destinations and are not dependent on positional relationships between the moving direction indicating positions and the movable object,

the direction indicating objects indicating moving directions for the movable object to move in.

17. A driving direction display method for displaying a driving direction for a movable object to drive to a destination in a virtual space,

when a current position of the movable object is away from the destination by a prescribed distance, a direction indicating object which is along a driveway from the current position to the destination being displayed, and

when the current position of the movable object is within the prescribed distance from the destination, a direction indicating object directed from the current position to the destination is displayed, whereby the driving direction of the movable object is indicated.

18. A driving direction display method according to claim 17, wherein

effective sounds and/or screen display modes used when the current position of the movable object is away from the destination by a distance longer than the prescribed distance and used when the current position of the movable object is within the prescribed distance from the destination are different from each other.

19. A driving, direction display method for displaying a driving direction for a movable object to drive to a destination in a virtual space,

when a current position of the movable object is away from the destination by a prescribed distance, a first direction indicating object which is along a driveway from the current position to the destination being displayed, and

when the current position of the movable object is within the prescribed distance from the destination, a second direction indicating object directed from the current position to the destination is displayed, whereby the driving direction of the movable object is indicated.

20. A driving direction display method according to claim 19, wherein

the first direction indicating object and the second direction indicating object are different from each other in shape, color and/or display mode.

21. A display method for displaying a game in which a movable object which is movable in a virtual space is moved to a destination in the virtual space,

at least when a current position of the movable object is within a prescribed distance from the destination, the destination is emphatically displayed.

22. A display method for displaying a game in which a movable object which is movable in a virtual space gets a specific object at a prescribed position in the virtual space and is moved to a destination in the virtual space,

wherein a position of the specific object is emphatically displayed.

23. An electronic device for displaying a driving direction for a movable object to move to a destination in a virtual space, comprising:

display means for, when a current position of the movable object is away from the destination by a prescribed distance, displaying a direction indicating object which is along a driveway from the current position to the destination, and, when the current position of the movable object is within the prescribed distance from the destination, displaying a direction indicating object directed from the current position to the destination,

wherein the driving directions of the movable object being indicated by the direction indicating objects.

24. An electronic device for moving a movable object which is movable in a virtual space to a destination in the virtual space, comprising:

display means for, at least when a current position of the movable object is within a prescribed distance from the destination, emphatically displaying the destination.

25. An electronic device for displaying a game in which a movable object which is movable in a virtual space gets a specific object at a prescribed position in the virtual space and is moved to a destination in the virtual space, comprising:

display means for emphatically displaying a position of the specific object.