Method for displaying a shoot of a character in a video game, storage medium for storing a video game program, and video game device

• US 6,402,619 B1
• Filed: 02/22/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sato, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHERUBIN, YVESTE GILBERTE
• Application Number:
  US09/507,678
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1-5, 463/23, 273/317.1, 273/317.3, 273/108.1
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball

Abstract

When judging the results of the action of a game character in accordance with the skill of the input technique of a player, operations that are to be input by the player are specified as a task operation, which is displayed on a screen for a prescribed period of time and then erased, whereupon an input operation from the player is received and the results of the action of the game character are judged on the basis of the task operation and the input operation.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a situation of a character performing a shooting action in a video game based on the theme of a ball game which includes a shooting action in the roles thereof, comprising the steps of:

specifying operations which are to be input by a player as a task operation;

displaying the task operation on a screen;

erasing the displayed task operation from the screen;

receiving an input operation from a player;

determining a shooting action scene on the basis of the degree of agreement between the task operation and the input operation;

displaying a situation wherein a character in the game performs a shooting action in accordance with the shooting action scene determined in said determining step, on the display device; and

wherein said determining step comprises the steps of;

grading the degree of agreement between the task operation and the input operation-into a plurality of ranks; and

individually determining a shooting action scene on the basis of each rank.

2. A method for displaying a situation of a character performing a shooting action in a video game based on the theme of a ball game which includes a shooting action in the rules thereof, comprising the steps of:

specifying operations which are to be input by a player as a task operation;

displaying the task operation on a screen;

erasing the displayed task operation from the screen;

receiving an input operation from a player;

determining a shooting action scene on the basis of the degree of agreement between the task operation and the input operation;

displaying a situation wherein a character in the game performs a shooting action in accordance with the shooting action scene determined in said determining step, on the display device; and

wherein said task operation involves pressing buttons on an input device provided with n types of button, according to a sequence of one combination involving r buttons (where n and r are natural numbers and any button may be used more than once).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said r is specified according to a previously determined level of difficulty.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said displaying step displays different animation sequences, according to the shooting action scene determined at said determining step, and said level of difficulty.

5. A method for displaying a situation of a character performing a shooting action in a video game based on the theme of a ball game which includes a shooting action in the rules thereof, comprising the steps of:

specifying operations which are to be input by a player as a task operation;

displaying the task operation on a screen;

erasing the displayed task operation from the screen;

receiving an input operation from a player;

determining a shooting action scene on the basis of the degree of between the task operation and the input operation;

displaying a situation wherein a character in the game performs a shooting action in accordance with the shooting action scene determined in said determining step, on the display device; and

wherein said ball game is a dunk contest in a basketball competition.

6. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a video game program based on the theme of a ball game which includes a shooting action in the rules thereof,

wherein said video game program causes a computer to execute processing for:

specifying operations to be input by a player as a task operation;

displaying said task operation on a screen;

erasing said displayed task operation from the screen;

receiving an input operation from a player;

determining a shooting action scene on the basis of the degree of agreement between the task operation and said input operation; and

displaying a situation wherein a character in the game performs a shooting action in accordance with the shooting action scene determined in said determining step, on the display device;

wherein said determining process comprises the processes of;

grading the degree of agreement between the task operation and the input operation into a plurality of ranks;

individually determining a shooting action'"'"'scene on the basis of each rank; and

displaying a situation wherein a character in the game performs a shooting action according to the shooting action scene determined in said determining step, on a display device.

7. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a video game program based on the theme of a ball game which includes a shooting action in the rules thereof,

wherein said video game program causes a computer to execute processing for:

specifying operations to be input by a player as a task operation;

displaying said task operation on a screen;

erasing said displayed task operation from the screen;

receiving an input operation from a player;

determining a shooting action scene on the basis of the degree of agreement between the task operation and said input operation; and

displaying a situation wherein a character in the game performs a shooting action in accordance with the shooting action scene determined in said determining step, on the display device;

wherein said task operation involves pressing buttons on an input device provided with n types of button, according to a sequence of one combination involving r buttons (where n and r are natural numbers and any button may be used more than once).

8. The storage medium for storing a game program according to claim 7, wherein said one combination is generated at random at each determining step.

9. The storage medium for storing a game program according to claim 7, wherein said r is specified according to a previously determined level of difficulty.

10. The storage medium for storing a game program according to claim 9, wherein said displaying step displays different animation sequences, according to the shooting action scene determined at said determining step, and said level of difficulty.

11. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a video game program based on the theme of a ball game which includes a shooting action in the rules thereof,

wherein said video game program causes a computer to execute processing for:

specifying operations to be input by a player as a task operation;

displaying said task operation on a screen;

erasing said displayed task operation from the screen;

receiving an input operation from a player;

determining a shooting action scene on the basis of the degree of agreement between the task operation and said input operation; and

displaying a situation wherein a character in the game performs a shooting action in accordance with the shooting action scene determined in said determining step, on the display device;

wherein said displaying step displays different animation sequences, according to the period of time required from the start to completion of said input operation receiving step, and the degree of agreement between said input operation and said task operation.

12. A video game device, provided with an input device for receiving input operations from a player and means for displaying said input operations on a screen, for executing a video game based on the theme of a ball game which includes a shooting action in the rules thereof, comprising:

means for specifying operations which are to be input by a player as a task operation;

means for displaying the task operation on a screen;

means for erasing the displayed task operation from the screen; and

means for displaying a situation wherein a character in the game performs a shooting action in accordance with the shooting action scene determined in said determining step;

wherein said determining means comprises;

means for grading the degree of agreement between the task operation and the input operation into a plurality of ranks; and

means for individually determining a shooting action scene on the basis of each rank.

13. A video game device, provided with an input device for receiving input operations from a player and means for displaying said input operations on a screen, for executing a video game based on the theme of a ball game which includes a shooting action in the rules thereof, comprising:

means for specifying operations which are to be input by a player as a task operation;

means for displaying the task operation on a screen;

means for erasing the displayed task operation from the screen; and

means for displaying a situation wherein a character in the game performs a shooting action in accordance with the shooting action scene determined in said determining step;

wherein said task operation involves pressing buttons on an input device provided with n types of button, according to a sequence of one combination involving r buttons (where n and r are natural numbers and any button may be used more than once).

14. The video game device according to claim 13, wherein said one combination is generated at random at each determining step.

15. The video game device according to claim 13, wherein said r is specified according to a previously determined level of difficulty.

16. The video game device according to claim 15, wherein said displaying means displays different animation sequences, according to the shooting action scene determined by said determining means, and said level of difficulty.

17. A video game device, provided with an input device for receiving input operations from a player and means for displaying said input operations on a screen, for executing a video game based on the theme of a ball game which includes a shooting action in the rules thereof, comprising:

means for specifying operations which are to be input by a player as a task operation;

means for displaying the task operation on a screen;

means for erasing the displayed task operation from the screen; and

means for displaying a situation wherein a character in the game performs a shooting action in accordance with the shooting action scene determined in said determining step;

wherein said displaying means displays different animation sequences, according to the period of time required from the start to completion of said input operation receiving step, and the degree of agreement between said input operation and said task operation.