Three-dimensional game machine and information storage medium

• US 6,256,040 B1
• Filed: 03/09/1998
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Namco Limited (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Komoriya, Yuichiro, Tanaka, Kyota, Umeda, Masateru, Yamaguchi, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kimbinh T.
• Application Number:
  US09/011,709
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 345/421, 345/426, 345/430, 345/419, 345/327, 345/473, 345/427, 463/3, 463/6, 463/33
• US Class Current: 345/421
• 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 13/5258 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 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• 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: G06T 15/04 Texture mapping

Abstract

A covering object (42) that covers a three-dimensional object (40) is provided within an object space. Every time a game-clear condition is satisfied, the display/non-display state of a polygon forming the covering object (42) is sequentially switched. If a moving body (44) moves to specify a region (36), the polygons of that region (36) are set to non-display. Alternatively, polygons that form the covering object (42) are sequentially set to non-display, on the basis of a criterion such as the ratio of correct answers in a quiz game, whether or not a mini-game has been cleared, or whether or not the player has won in Mah-Jongg. The transparent/nontransparent state of the covering object could equally well be switched sequentially, or the translucency thereof could be sequentially changed, or a texture mapped onto the three-dimensional object could be sequentially changed. If the region (36) is specified by the movement track of the moving body (44) intersecting itself, the image information of that region (36) is changed. A field-of-view image is synthesized from a viewpoint and a line-of-sight direction that follow the movement of the moving body (44).

Claims

1. A three-dimensional game machine comprising:

means for setting the dispositions within an object space of at least one three-dimensional object and a covering object that is provided in such a manner as to cover said at least one three-dimensional object;

image information changing means for sequentially switching the display/non-display state of at least one polygon or at least one curved surface configuring said covering object every time one game-clear condition among a plurality of given game-clear conditions is satisfied; and

means for synthesizing a field-of-view image as seen from a given viewpoint within said object space.

4. The three-dimensional game machine as defined in claim 1,

wherein said game-clear condition is at least one of:

clearing at least one game stage of a plurality of game stages, clearing at least one mini-game of a plurality of mini-games, and specifying at least one region among a plurality of regions.

2. A three-dimensional game machine comprising:

means for setting the dispositions within an object space of at least one three-dimensional object and a covering object that is provided in such a manner as to cover said at least one three-dimensional object;

image information changing means for sequentially switching the transparent/non-transparent state of at least a part of said covering object, or for sequentially changing the transparency of at least a part of said covering object, every time one game-clear condition among a plurality of given game-clear conditions is satisfied; and

means for synthesizing a field-of-view imago as seen from a given viewpoint within said object space.

5. The three-dimensional game machine as defined in claim 2,

wherein said game-clear condition is at least one of:

clearing at least one game stage of a plurality of game stages, clearing at least one mini-game of a plurality of mini-games, and specifying at least one region among a plurality of regions.

3. A three dimensional game machine comprising:

means for setting the disposition of at least one three-dimensional object within an object space;

image information changing means for sequentially changing a texture that is mapped over at least a part of said three-dimensional object, every time one game-clear condition among a plurality of given game-clear conditions is satisfied; and

means for synthesizing a field-of-view image as seen from a given viewpoint within said object space.

6. The three-dimensional game machine as defined in claim 3,

wherein said game-clear condition is at least one of:

clearing at least one game stage of a plurality of game stages, clearing at least one mini-game of a plurality of mini-games, and specifying at least one region among a plurality of regions.

7. A three-dimensional game machine comprising:

moving body computation means for performing computations to cause a moving body to move over a covering object that is provided in such a manner as to cover at least one three-dimensional object that is disposed within an object space, on the basis of operating information from an operating means;

image information changing means for changing image information of said covering object within a specified region, when said region is specified by a movement of said moving body, said region being among a plurality of regions into which said covering object has been previously divided; and

means for synthesizing a field-of-view image for a viewpoint and line-of-sight direction that follow the movement of said moving body around said covering object.

9. The three-dimensional game machine as defined in claim 7,

wherein said image information changing means switches the display/non-display state of at least one polygon or at least one curved surface in said specified region, when said covering object is formed of a plurality of polygons or a plurality of curved surfaces.

11. The three-dimensional game machine as defined in claim 7,

wherein said image information changing means switches the transparent/non-transparent state of at least a part of said covering object within said specified region, or changes the transparency of at least a part of said covering object.

17. The three-dimensional game machine as defined in claim 7,

wherein said moving body computation means performs computations to cause said moving body to move on the edge of a polygon, when said covering object is formed of polygons, on the basis of vertex position information of said polygon.

8. A three-dimensional game machine comprising:

moving body computation means for performing computations to cause a moving body to move over a covering object that is provided in such a manner as to cover at least one three-dimensional object that is disposed within an object space, on the basis of operating information from an operating means;

image information changing means for changing image information of said covering object within a specified region, when a movement track of said moving body intersects itself and said region is specified as a closed region bounded by an edge defined by said intersecting movement track; and

means for synthesizing a field-of-view image for a given viewpoint and line-of-sight direction within said object space.

10. The three-dimensional game machine as defined in claim 8,

wherein said image information changing means switches the display/non-display state of at least one polygon or at least one curved surface in said specified region, when said covering object is formed of a plurality of polygons or a plurality of curved surfaces.

12. The three-dimensional game machine as defined in claim 8,

wherein said image information changing means switches the transparent/non-transparent state of at least a part of said covering object within said specified region, or changes the transparency of at least a part of said covering object.

18. The three-dimensional game machine as defined in claim 8,

wherein said moving body computation means performs computations to cause said moving body to move on the edge of a polygon, when said covering object is formed of polygons, on the basis of vertex position information of said polygon.

13. A three-dimensional game machine comprising:

moving body computation means for performing computations to cause a moving body to move over at least one three-dimensional object disposed within an object space, on the basis of operating information from an operating means;

image information changing means for changing image information of said three-dimensional object within a specified region, when said region is specified by a movement of said moving body, said region being among a plurality of regions into which said three-dimensional object has been previously divided; and

means for synthesizing a field-of-view image from a viewpoint and line-of-sight direction that follow the movement of said moving body around said three-dimensional object.

15. The three-dimensional game machine as defined in claim 13,

wherein said image information changing means changes a texture that is mapped over at least part of said specified region.

19. The three-dimensional game machine as defined in claim 13,

wherein said moving body computation means performs computations to cause said moving body to move on the edge of a polygon, when said three-dimensional object is formed of polygons, on the basis of vertex position information of said polygon.

14. A three-dimensional game machine comprising:

moving body computation means for performing computations to cause a moving body to move over at least one three-dimensional object disposed within an object space, on the basis of operating information from an operating means;

image information changing means for changing image information of said three-dimensional object within a specified region, when a movement track of said moving body intersects itself and said region is specified as a closed region bounded by an edge defined by said intersecting movement track; and

means for synthesizing a field-of-view image for a given viewpoint and line-of-sight direction within said object space.

16. The three-dimensional game machine as defined in claim 14,

wherein said image information changing means changes a texture that is mapped over at least part of said specified region.

20. The three-dimensional game machine as defined in claim 14,

wherein said moving body computation means performs computations to cause said moving body to move on the edge of a polygon, when said three-dimensional object is formed of polygons, on the basis of vertex position information of said polygon.

21. An information storage medium for storing at least information for synthesizing a field-of-view image, said information storage medium storing:

information for setting the dispositions within an object space of at least one three-dimensional object and a covering object that is provided in such a manner as to cover said at least one three-dimensional object;

information for sequentially switching the display/non-display state of at least one polygon or at least one curved surface configuring said covering object every time one game-clear condition among a plurality of given game-clear conditions is satisfied; and

information for synthesizing a field-of-view image as seen from a given viewpoint within said object space.

22. An information storage medium for storing at least information for synthesizing a field-of-view image, said information storage medium storing:

information setting the dispositions within an object space of at least one three-dimensional object and a covering object that is provided in such a manner as to cover said at least one three-dimensional object;

information for sequentially switching the transparent/non-transparent state of at least a part of said covering object, or sequentially changing the transparency of at least a part of said covering object, every time one game-clear condition among a plurality of given game-clear conditions is satisfied; and

information for synthesizing a field-of-view image as seen from a given viewpoint within said object space.

23. An information storage medium for storing at least information for synthesizing a field-of-view image, said information storage medium storing:

information for setting the disposition of at least one three-dimensional object within an object space;

information for sequentially changing a texture that is mapped over at least a part of said three-dimensional object, every time one game-clear condition among a plurality of given game-clear conditions is satisfied; and

information for synthesizing a field-of-view image as seen from a given viewpoint within said object space.

24. An information storage medium for storing at least information for synthesizing a field-of-view image, said information storage medium storing:

information for performing computations to cause a moving body to move over a covering object that is provided in such a manner as to cover at least one three-dimensional object that is disposed in an object space, on the basis of operating information from an operating means;

information for changing image information of said covering object within a specified region, when said region is specified by a movement of said moving body, said region being among a plurality of regions into which said covering object has been previously divided; and

information for synthesizing a field-of-view image for a viewpoint and line-of-sight direction that follow the movement of said moving body around said covering object.

25. An information storage medium for storing at least information for synthesizing a field-of-view image, said information storage medium storing:

information for performing computations to cause a moving body to move over a covering object that is provided in such a manner as to cover at least one three-dimensional object that is disposed in an object space, on the basis of operating information from an operating means;

information for changing image information of said covering object within a specified region, when a movement track of said moving body intersects itself and said region is specified as a closed region bounded by an edge defined by said intersecting movement track; and

information for synthesizing a field-of-view image for a given viewpoint and line-of-sight direction within said object space.

26. An information storage medium for storing at least information for synthesizing a field-of-view image, said information storage medium storing:

information for performing computations to cause a moving body to move over at least one three-dimensional object disposed within an object space, on the basis of operating information from an operating means;

information for changing image information of said three-dimensional object within a specified region, when said region is specified by a movement of said moving body, said region being among a plurality of regions into which said three-dimensional object has been previously divided; and

information for synthesizing a field-of-view image from a viewpoint and line-of-sight direction that follow the movement of said moving body around said three-dimensional object.

27. An information storage medium for storing at least information for synthesizing a field-of-view image, said information storage medium storing:

information for performing computations to cause a moving body to move over at least one three-dimensional object disposed within an object space, on the basis of operating information from an operating means;

information for changing image information of said three-dimensional object within a specified region, when a movement track of said moving body intersects itself and said region is specified as a closed region bounded by an edge defined by said intersecting movement track; and

information for synthesizing a field-of-view image for a given viewpoint and line-of-sight direction within said object space.