Game device and image displaying method which displays a game proceeding in virtual space, and computer-readable recording medium

• US 6,409,596 B1
• Filed: 09/10/1998
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Inventors: Hayashida, Yasuhiro, Ueno, Atsushi, Yasuda, Taishi
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROCKETTI, JULIE K
• Application Number:
  US09/150,595
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 463/31-34, 463/6, 463/58-63, 434/61, 434/62-64, 434/67, 434/68, 434/69, 434/65, 434/66
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• 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 13/5258 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 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5378 for displaying an additional top view, e.g. radar screens or maps using two or more virtual cameras concurrently A63F13/5252
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/307 for displaying an additional window with a view from the top of the game field, e.g. radar screen
• 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 2300/6676 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: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying

Abstract

A small screen which enables a player to easily grasp the situation of a game field as well as the positional relationship between the game objects is displayed on a game screen in a game device. A game device which displays on a monitor screen a picture of a game being proceeded in a virtual space by a first object controlled by a player and a second object controlled by a computer comprises a supplementary screen forming means (S210) for forming on the monitor screen a small screen showing the surrounding condition with the first object in the center, a distance calculating means (S202) for calculating the distance between the first object and the second object in the virtual space, and a display magnification setting means (S208) for setting the display magnification on the small screen in correspondence with the distance between the above objects.

Claims

1. A game device which displays on a monitor screen a picture of a game being proceeded in a virtual space by a first object controlled by a player and a second object controlled by a computer or an opponent, comprising:

a support screen forming circuit for forming in said monitor screen a small screen displaying information which supports the control of said first object;

a display mode alteration distinguishing circuit for distinguishing whether or not a condition falls under a prescribed condition to alter the display magnification of said small screen during the game progress in said virtual space; and

a display magnification setting circuit for setting the display magnification of information in said small screen pursuant to a distinction result of said distinguishing circuit;

wherein said prescribed condition is a distance between said first object and said second object exceeding a reference value.

2. A game device according to claim 1, wherein said display magnification setting circuit, upon setting said display magnification, gradually moves said display magnification from a present value to the display magnification to be set.

3. A game device according to claim 1, wherein said small screen includes a course map and said display magnification setting circuit sets a reduced scale of said course map according to said distance.

4. A game device which displays on a monitor screen a picture of a game being proceeded in a virtual space by a first object controlled by a player and a second object controlled by a computer or an opponent, comprising:

a support screen forming circuit for forming in said monitor screen a small screen displaying information which supports the control of said first object;

a display mode alteration distinguishing circuit for distinguishing whether or not a condition falls under a prescribed condition to alter the display magnification of said small screen during the game progress in said virtual space; and

a display magnification setting circuit for setting the display magnification of information in said small screen pursuant to a distinction result of said distinguishing circuit;

wherein said prescribed condition is a moving speed of said first object exceeding a reference value.

5. A game device according to claim 4, wherein said display magnification setting circuit, upon setting said display magnification, gradually moves said display magnification from a present values to the display magnification to be set.

6. A game device according to claim 4, wherein said small screen includes a course map and said display magnification setting circuit sets a reduced scale of said course map according to said distance.

7. A game device which displays on a monitor screen a picture of a game being proceeded in a virtual space by a first object controlled by a player and a second object controlled by a computer or an opponent, comprising:

a support screen forming circuit for forming in said monitor screen a small screen displaying information which supports the control of said first object;

a display mode alteration distinguishing circuit for distinguishing whether or not a condition falls under a prescribed condition to alter the display magnification of said small screen during the game progress in said virtual space; and

a display magnification setting circuit for setting the display magnification of information in said small screen pursuant to a distinction result of said distinguishing circuit;

wherein said prescribed condition is whether or not said first object moved to a predetermined position in said virtual space.

8. A game device according to claim 7, wherein said display magnification setting circuit, upon setting said display magnification, gradually moves said display magnification from a present values to the display magnification to be set.

9. A game device according to claim 7, wherein said small screen includes a course map and said display magnification setting circuit sets a reduced scale of said course map according to said distance.

10. An image displaying method of a game device which displays on a monitor screen a picture of a game being proceeded in a virtual space by a first object controlled by a player and a second object controlled by a computer or an opponent, comprises:

a small screen forming step for forming in said monitor screen a small screen displaying a surrounding situation of said first object;

a distinguishing step for distinguishing whether or not a condition falls under a prescribed condition to magnify or reduce the display of said small screen during the game progress in said virtual space; and

a display altering step for altering the display of said small screen to be magnified or reduced upon falling under said condition;

wherein

said prescribed condition is at least one among;

(a) a distance between the first object and the second object exceeding a reference value;

(b) a moving speed of the first object exceeding a reference value;

(c) the first object moving to a predetermined position in the virtual space; and

(d) whether or not a predetermined event occurred in the virtual space.

11. An image displaying method of a game device according to claim 10, wherein said display altering step further gradually magnifies or reduces an outer frame of the field including said first object displayed on said small screen without changing the overall size of said small screen by gradually changing the display magnification of said small screen.

12. An image displaying method of a game device according to claim 10, wherein said small screen forming step further displays said first object and said second object as symbols on a course map of a game, and said display altering step further sets a reduced scale of said course map according to a distance between said first object and second object.

13. A computer-readable recording medium comprising:

a program for controlling a computer, which reads the computer-readable recording medium, to cause the computer to perform the functions of forming in a monitor screen a small screen displaying information which supports control of a first object, distinguishing whether or not a condition falls under a prescribed condition to alter a display magnification of information in said small screen during progress of a game in a virtual space, setting a display magnification of said small screen pursuant to the distinguishing whether or not a condition falls under a prescribed condition, wherein said prescribed condition is a distance between said first object and a second object.

14. A computer-readable recording medium comprising:

a program for controlling a computer, which reads the computer-readable recording medium, to cause the computer to perform an image displaying method comprising the steps of;

a small screen forming step for forming in a monitor screen a small screen displaying a surrounding situation of said first object;

a distinguishing step for distinguishing whether or not a condition falls under a prescribed condition to magnify or reduce a display of said small screen during a game progressing in a virtual space; and

a display altering step for altering the display of said small screen to be magnified or reduced upon falling under said condition;

wherein

said prescribed condition is a distance between said first object and a second object exceeding a reference value.

15. A game device which displays on a monitor screen a picture of a game being proceeded in a virtual space by a first object controller by a player and a second object controlled by a computer or an opponent, comprising:

a support screen forming, circuit for forming in said monitor screen a small screen displaying information which supports the control of said first object;

a display mode alteration distinguishing circuit for distinguishing whether or not a condition falls under a prescribed condition to alter a display range of said small screen during the game progress in said virtual space; and

a display range setting circuit for setting the display range of said small screen pursuant to a distinction result of said distinguishing circuit;

wherein

said prescribed condition is a distance between said first object and said second object exceeding a reference value.