Image generating system and information storage medium capable of changing angle of view of virtual camera based on object positional information

• US 6,304,267 B1
• Filed: 06/10/1998
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Namco Limited (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Sata, Hironori
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARRISON, CHANTE E
• Application Number:
  US09/094,472
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 345/438, 345/424-428, 345/113-115, 345/473-474, 345/349, 345/419-421, 345/952, 345/977, 345/956-959, 345/967, 345/329, 345/326-327, 345/978, 463/31, 342/126, 340/825.06, 340/825.31
• US Class Current: 345/427
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6653 for altering the visibility of an object, e.g. preventing the occlusion of an object, partially hiding an object
• 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 2300/8011 Ball
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 Geometric effects

Abstract

An image generating system and information storage medium for generating an image preferable for a game in which a virtual camera follows a displayed object. The angle of view θ of the virtual camera is changed based on the coordinates of the player'"'"'s game character and ball while causing the virtual camera to follow the player'"'"'s game character. As the distance D between the player'"'"'s game character and the ball decreases or increases, the angle of view θ is increased or decreased. Thus, the player can clearly grasp information about things around the ball. If the distance D becomes shorter than a threshold value D_th, the angle of view θ is set at a fixed value θ_fix. This prevents an image from being distorted. The ball is always displayed on the screen in the central part thereof by directing the virtual camera in a direction from the player'"'"'s game character toward the ball. The first and second displayed objects represent respectively a first and second game characters in a fighting game and a character and item in a role-playing game.

Claims

1. An image generating system for generating an image as seen from a virtual camera in an object space in which at least first and second displayed objects are disposed, said image generating system comprising:

means for causing said virtual camera to follow said first displayed object and for changing the angle of view of said virtual camera based on positional information about said first and second displayed objects; and

means for generating an image as seen from said virtual camera.

2. The image generating system as defined in claim 1,

wherein the angle of view of said virtual camera is increased as the distance between said first and second displayed objects decreases; and

wherein the angle of view of said virtual camera is decreased as the distance between said first and second displayed objects increases.

3. The image generating system as defined in claim 1,

wherein the angle of view of said virtual camera is set to a fixed value when the distance between said first and second displayed objects becomes smaller than a given threshold value.

4. The image generating system as defined in claim 2,

wherein the angle of view of said virtual camera is set to a fixed value when the distance between said first and second displayed objects becomes smaller than a given threshold value.

5. The image generating system as defined in claim 1,

wherein said virtual camera is directed in a direction from said first displayed object or the vicinity of said first displayed object toward said second displayed object or the vicinity of said second displayed object.

6. The image generating system as defined in claim 2,

wherein said virtual camera is directed in a direction from said first displayed object or the vicinity of said first displayed object toward said second displayed object or the vicinity of said second displayed object.

7. The image generating system as defined in claim 3,

wherein said virtual camera is directed in a direction from said first displayed object or the vicinity of said first displayed object toward said second displayed object or the vicinity of said second displayed object.

8. The image generating system as defined in claim 4,

wherein said virtual camera is directed in a direction from said first displayed object or the vicinity of said first displayed object toward said second displayed object or the vicinity of said second displayed object.

9. The image generating system as defined in claim 1,

wherein said virtual camera follows said first displayed object with inertia.

10. The image generating system as defined in claim 1,

wherein said first displayed object represents a game character and said second displayed object represents a ball controllable by said game character in a game which is played by using said image generated by said image generating system.

11. The image generating system as defined in claim 1,

wherein said first displayed object represents a first game character and said second displayed object represents a second game character who fights against said first game character in a game which is played by using said image generated by said image generating system.

12. The image generating system as defined in claim 1,

wherein said first displayed object represents a game character and said second displayed object represents an item to be obtained by said game character in a game which is played by using said image generated by said image generating system.

13. An image generating system for generating an image which is used to play a sports simulation game by a player, said image representing a plurality of displayed objects including a game character controlled by said player through a control means and a ball controllable by said game character, said image generating system comprising:

means for computing positional information about said game character and said ball in each frame based on operation information inputted through said control means;

means for causing a virtual camera to follow said game character and for changing the angle of view of said virtual camera based on said positional information about said game character and said ball; and

means for generating an image as seen from said virtual camera in an object space in which a plurality of said objects including said game character and said ball are disposed.

14. The image generating system as defined in claim 13,

wherein said player controls only one particular game character which is selected from a plurality of game characters in said game.

21. The image generating system as defined in claim 13,

wherein the angle of view of said virtual camera is increased as the distance between said game character and said ball decreases;

and

wherein the angle of view of said virtual camera is decreased as the distance between said game character and said ball increases.

22. The image generating system as defined in claim 13,

wherein the angle of view of said virtual camera is set to a fixed value when the distance between said game character and said ball becomes smaller than a given threshold value.

23. The image generating system as defined in claim 13,

wherein said virtual camera is directed in a direction from said game character or the vicinity of said game character toward said ball or the vicinity of said ball.

24. The image generating system as defined in claim 13,

wherein said virtual camera follows said game character with inertia.

15. An information storage medium to be used in an image generating system for generating an image as seen from a virtual camera in an object space in which at least first and second displayed objects are disposed, said information storage medium comprising:

information for causing said virtual camera to follow said first displayed object and for changing the angle of view of said virtual camera based on positional information about said first and second displayed objects; and

information for generating an image as seen from said virtual camera.

16. The information storage medium as defined in claim 15,

wherein the angle of view of said virtual camera is increased as the distance between said first and second displayed objects decreases; and

wherein the angle of view of said virtual camera is decreased as the distance between said first and second displayed objects increases.

17. The information storage medium as defined in claim 15,

wherein the angle of view of said virtual camera is set to a fixed value when the distance between said first and second displayed objects becomes smaller than a given threshold value.

18. The information storage medium as defined in claim 15,

wherein said virtual camera is directed in a direction from said first displayed object or the vicinity of said first displayed object toward said second displayed object or the vicinity of said second displayed object.

25. The information storage medium as defined in claim 15,

wherein said virtual camera follows said first displayed object with inertia.

19. An information storage medium to be used in an image generating system for generating an image which is used to play a sports simulation game by a player, said image representing a plurality of displayed objects including a game character controlled by said player through a control means and a ball controllable by said game character, said information storage medium comprising:

information for computing positional information about said game character and said ball in each frame based on operation information inputted through said control means;

information for causing a virtual camera to follow said game character and for changing the angle of view of said virtual camera based on said positional information about said game character and said ball; and

information for generating an image as seen from said virtual camera in an object space in which a plurality of said objects including said game character and said ball are disposed.

20. The information storage medium as defined in claim 19,

wherein said player controls only one particular game character which is selected from a plurality of game characters in said game.

26. The information storage medium as defined in claim 19,

wherein the angle of view of said virtual camera is increased as the distance between said game character and said ball decreases;

and

wherein the angle of view of said virtual camera is decreased as the distance between said game character and said ball increases.

27. The information storage medium as defined in claim 19,

wherein the angle of view of said virtual camera is set to a fixed value when the distance between said game character and said ball becomes smaller than a given threshold value.

28. The information storage medium as defined in claim 19,

wherein said virtual camera is directed in a direction from said game character or the vicinity of said game character toward said ball or the vicinity of said ball.

29. The information storage medium as defined in claim 19,

wherein said virtual camera follows said game character with inertia.