Image generation apparatus, image generation method, game machine using the method, and medium

• US 6,320,582 B1
• Filed: 12/04/1997
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD. (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD. (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Toma, Kenji, Yamamoto, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kimbinh T.
• Application Number:
  US08/875,852
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/427, 345/121, 345/473, 345/125, 463/32, 463/33
• 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 13/5258 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 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/306 for displaying a marker associated to an object or location in the game field
• 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 2300/8076 Shooting
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 Geometric effects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects

Abstract

In a conventional shooting game machine, it lacked the versatility and appeal of a screen due to the movements of the viewpoint and enemies on the screen being uniform.

The present invention comprises an image generating means, which selects one from a plurality of enemies moving within the game space and generates images of this enemy captured from a viewpoint within an imaginary three-dimensional space, an image generating means which implements the processing of attacking the enemies according to the operation of a gun unit, and a viewpoint moving processing means which, together with making said viewpoint follow the enemy, detects the situation of said enemy and implements the controlling of the viewpoint movement.

Claims

1. An image generating device which generates images of moving objects moving within an imaginary three-dimensional space captured from a viewpoint within said imaginary three-dimensional space, comprising a processing means including:

a viewpoint moving means for causing said viewpoint to follow said moving objects;

a generating means for generating at least one predetermined situation in the presence of said moving objects;

a detecting means for detecting said at least one predetermined situation of said moving objects; and

a control means for automatically implementing control of the movement of said viewpoint on the basis of the detection of the predetermined situation without input of the user of the device.

2. An image generating device according to claim 1, wherein said viewpoint moving processing means calculates the acceleration speed of said viewpoint, and in a range of said acceleration speed not exceeding a prescribed value, moves said viewpoint.

3. An image generating device according to claim 1, wherein said viewpoint moving processing means changes the position of said viewpoint if said viewpoint is positioned on the same coordinates in excess of a prescribed time.

4. An image generating device according to claim 1, wherein said viewpoint moving processing means moves said viewpoint in the vicinity of an imaginary spherical surface with said moving object in the center.

6. An image generating device according to claim 1, comprising a target deciding means which selects one from a plurality of said moving objects based on predetermined standards, targeting this moving object from the view point.

7. An image generating device according to claim 6, wherein said target deciding means, within the plurality of moving objects, targets the moving object attacking the viewpoint.

8. An image generating device according to claim 6, wherein said target deciding means, within the plurality of moving objects, targets the moving object nearest to the impact area from the viewpoint.

9. A medium which stores a program to function a computer as said target deciding means according to claim 6.

10. An image generating device according to claim 1, comprising a moving object controlling means which indicates said moving object according to the situation of said moving object in the imaginary three-dimensional space.

11. An image generating device according to claim 10, wherein said moving object controlling means moves the other moving objects toward the moving object which is attacking against the viewpoint.

12. A medium which stores a program to function a computer as said moving object controlling means according to any one of claims 10.

5. A medium which stores a program to function the computer as said viewpoint moving processing means according to claim 5.

13. An image generating device which generates images of moving objects moving within an imaginary three-dimensional space captured from a viewpoint within said imaginary three-dimensional space, comprising a viewpoint moving processing means for making said viewpoint follow said moving objects and for detecting the situation of said moving objects, implementing controlling of the movement of said viewpoint, said viewpoint moving processing means moving said viewpoint in the vicinity of an imaginary spherical surface with said moving object in the center, and said viewpoint moving processing means, together with the decrease in the number of said moving objects, decreases the radius of said imaginary spherical surface.

14. An image generating device which generates images of moving objects moving within an imaginary three-dimensional space captured from a viewpoint within said imaginary three-dimensional space, comprising a viewpoint moving processing means for making said viewpoint follow said moving objects and for detecting the situation of said moving objects, implementing controlling of the movement of said viewpoint, and a target deciding means which selects one from a plurality of said moving objects based on predetermined standards, targeting this moving object from the viewpoint, said target deciding means, if the number of moving objects of the moving object group made from a plurality of moving objects becomes less than a prescribed figure, moving the target from the viewpoint to a moving object in another moving object group.

15. An image generating device which generates images of moving objects moving within an imaginary three-dimensional space captured from a viewpoint within said imaginary three-dimensional space, comprising a viewpoint moving processing means for making said viewpoint follow said moving objects and for detecting the situation of said moving objects, implementing control of the movement of said viewpoint, and a moving object controlling means for indicating said moving object according to the situation of said moving object in the imaginary three-dimensional space, said moving object controlling means, if the point of impact is within a prescribed range from said moving object, withdrawing said moving object from the impact area.

16. An image generating method of generating images of moving objects moving within an imaginary three-dimensional space captured from a viewpoint within said imaginary three-dimensional space, comprising the steps of:

causing said viewpoint to follow said moving objects;

generating at least one predetermined situation in the presence of said moving objects;

detecting said at least one predetermined situation of said moving objects;

automatically implementing control of the movement of said viewpoint on the basis of the detection of the predetermined situation without input of the user of the device; and

generating of said moving objects moving within the imaginary three-dimensional space from a viewpoint within the imaginary three-dimensional space.

17. A medium which stores a program to make a computer execute said following step, said situation generating step, said situation detecting step, said movement controlling step and said moving objects generating step according to claim 16.