Image processing device

• US 6,226,008 B1
• Filed: 09/03/1998
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Inventors: Watanabe, Yasuhiro, Miyoshi, Takao, Matsumoto, Takuya, Setsumasa, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Cliff N.
• Application Number:
  US09/146,936
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 345/418, 345/419, 345/427, 345/428, 345/424
• US Class Current: 345/427
• 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 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/577 using determination of contact between game characters or objects, e.g. to avoid collision between virtual racing cars
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/643 by determining the impact between objects, e.g. collision detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6676 by dedicated player input
• 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: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation

Abstract

A game device enabling adjustment of the virtual viewpoint displaying a game character to be positioned to view the surroundings of the character in a broad range. When the manipulation character C stands still, the viewpoint of the virtual cameral 30 can move along the face of the exterior sphere 40B in accordance with manipulations of the game player. Upon collision with an obstacle, this virtual camera approaches the character in the direction of the face of the interior sphere 40A. However, the virtual camera does not approach the character C beyond the interior sphere.

Claims

1. An image processing device which displays on display means the image of a virtual object moving within a virtual space projected from a virtual viewpoint at a predetermined position,

said image processing device comprising viewpoint position setting means for setting the area within which said virtual viewpoint moves along the face of a three-dimensional shape at a predetermined distance from said virtual object,

wherein said viewpoint position setting means receives a manipulation signal corresponding to the amount of movement of said virtual viewpoint from input means, and thereby allows said virtual viewpoint to move continuously inside said area.

2. An image processing device according to claim 1, wherein said three-dimensional shape is a sphere.

3. An image processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when said virtual object changes from a moving state to a standstill state, said viewpoint position setting means performs movement of said virtual viewpoint.

4. An image processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said input means comprises a crosskey for controlling the movement direction of said virtual object, and wherein said virtual viewpoint is structured so as to be able to move around said virtual object by said crosskey.

5. An image processing device according to claim 4, wherein said crosskey is provided with a switching means for switching between the direction control of said virtual object and movement control of said virtual viewpoint.

6. An image processing device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising judging means for judging the overlapping of said virtual viewpoint with an obstacle within said virtual space, wherein, when overlapping occurs, said viewpoint position setting means moves said viewpoint to avoid the vicinity of said obstacle near said virtual object.

19. A storage medium for storing the processing program of the device according to any one of claims 1 through 18.

7. A processing device wherein a predetermined line of speech is generated from sound replay means during the movement of a virtual object within a virtual space, comprising:

first line generation controlling means for generating a first line of speech when said virtual object reaches a predetermined point within said virtual space;

second line generation controlling means for generating a second line of speech regardless of the first line of speech when the game situation becomes a predetermined situation;

line priority judging means for judging the priority between said first line and said second line; and

line replay means for replaying a line of speech corresponding to said priority.

8. A processing device wherein a predetermined line of speech is generated from sound replay means during the movement of a virtual object within a virtual space, said processing device comprising line generation controlling means for generating a predetermined line of speech when said virtual object reaches a predetermined point within said virtual space,

wherein said line generation controlling means judges the conduct mode of said virtual object at said point, selects a line suiting each of the conduct modes of the virtual object, and causing the selected line to be replayed from said sound replay means.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the conduct mode of said virtual object is at least oneof the direction, passage frequency, and passage time of said virtual object at said point.

10. A game processing device for performing predetermined obstructive processing for a virtual object while moving said object within a virtual space, and when this image processing is performed for said virtual object more than as predetermined, the end of the game is directed,

said game processing device comprising image processing means for providing a predetermined extension even when said image processing is performed for said virtual object, and, unless the image processing is performed for said virtual object during said extension, the obstructive processing is prevented from affecting said virtual object.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein said obstructive processing is a virtual attack processing for said virtual object, and wherein said image processing means comprises:

attack judging means for judging that said virtual attack processing has been performed for said virtual object;

reattack judging means for judging that said virtual attack processing has been performed again to said virtual object during said extension period; and

life diminishing means for diminishing the remaining durability of said virtual object when said attack judgment and reattack judgment is positive.

12. An image processing device for moving a virtual object within a virtual space in a predetermined direction, wherein the moving state of said virtual object is displayed on display means as an image from a virtual viewpoint, said image processing device comprising manipulation means for giving reactivation orders to said virtual object for supplementing the activation during a predetermined activation of said virtual object.

13. A device according to claim 12, wherein said manipulation means conveys an order to said virtual object for changing the vector of reactivation compared to that of the activation before the reactivation.

14. An image processing device for displaying an image of a virtual object arranged within a virtual space seen from a predetermined viewpoint, comprising:

judging means for judging whether said virtual object is positioned on a line of view connecting said viewpoint with a target point targeted by said viewpoint; and

distance adjusting means for increasing or reducing the distance between said viewpoint and said target point based on the judgment results of said judging means.

15. A device according to claim 14, wherein said distance adjusting means causes said viewpoint to advance along said line of view when said judgment means judges that said virtual object is positioned along said line of view.

16. An image processing device for displaying an image of a game character moving within a virtual space seen from a predetermined viewpoint in correspondence with the manipulations of the game player, comprising:

judgment means for judging whether a virtual object arranged within said virtual space is positioned between said viewpoint and said game character; and

viewpoint controlling means for performing control so said viewpoint approaches said game character when said judging means makes a positive judgment.

17. An image processing device for displaying a virtual space as seen from a predetermined viewpoint, comprising:

virtual point setting means for setting a virtual point moving within said space in correspondence with the manipulations of the game player; and

viewpoint controlling means for moving said viewpoint so as to follow said virtual point,

wherein said viewpoint controlling means sets a target point targeted by said viewpoint at a position at a predetermined distance from said viewpoint.

18. A game processing device for manipulating a game character having a predetermined durability, comprising:

condition judging means for judging whether a condition for diminishing said durability has been fulfilled;

timing means for timing a predetermined period of time when said condition has been fulfilled; and

diminishing means for diminishing said durability when said condition is fulfilled again during the period of time measured by said timing means.