Video game machine, method for switching viewpoint on game screen of video game, and computer-readable recording medium containing game-screen-viewpoint switching program

• US 6,413,163 B1
• Filed: 09/27/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Konami Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamauchi, Madoka, Kashiwagi, Katsuma, Okutani, Tomoharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jones, Scott E.
• Application Number:
  US09/406,553
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/30-34, 463/43, 345/7, 345/9, 345/418-419
• US Class Current: 463/31
• 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 13/5252 using two or more virtual cameras concurrently or sequentially, e.g. automatically switching between fixed virtual cameras when a character changes room or displaying a rear-mirror view in a car-driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5372 for tagging characters, objects or locations in the game scene, e.g. displaying a circle under the character controlled by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/306 for displaying a marker associated to an object or location in the game field
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6669 using a plurality of virtual cameras concurrently or sequentially, e.g. automatically switching between fixed virtual cameras when a character change rooms
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6676 by dedicated player input
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting

Abstract

A video game machine includes a plurality of operation units corresponding to a plurality of leading characters appearing in a virtual three-dimensional space, a game-screen display unit, a coordinate storage unit for storing pairs of coordinates set so as to be related to the leading characters, a game-screen display-control unit for displaying, on the game-screen display unit, a game screen obtained by using, as a viewpoint, any one of the pairs of coordinates, an operation determination unit for determining whether a viewpoint-switching operation has been implemented among operations using one operation unit for moving one leading character related to the pair of coordinates of the viewpoint in the game screen displayed on the game-screen display unit, and a viewpoint-switching-display control unit for initiating a viewpoint-switching movement of switching the pair of coordinates of the viewpoint to another pair of coordinates when the operation determination unit has determined that the viewpoint-switching operation has been implemented.

Claims

1. A video game machine comprising:

a plurality of operation means corresponding to a plurality of leading characters including at least a first leading character and a second leading character appearing in a virtual three-dimensional space, the operation means causing the corresponding leading characters to move;

a game-screen display;

coordinate storage means for storing coordinate sets including at least a first coordinate set and a second coordinate set such that said first coordinate set is particularly associated with said first leading character and said second coordinate set is particularly associated with said second leading character, a first viewpoint being set in said first coordinate set and a second viewpoint being set in said second coordinate set;

game-screen display-control means for displaying a game screen obtained by using any one of said first and second coordinate sets as a viewpoint on said game-screen display;

operation-determining means for determining whether a viewpoint-switching operation has been implemented among operations using one operation means for moving said first leading character associated with said first viewpoint in said first coordinate set in the game screen displayed on said game-screen display; and

viewpoint-switching-display control means for initiating a viewpoint-switching movement of switching said first viewpoint in said first coordinate set to the second viewpoint in said second coordinate set when said operation-determining means has determined that the viewpoint-switching operation has been implemented.

2. A video game machine according to claim 1, wherein when said operation-determining means has determined that the viewpoint-switching operation has been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means displays a viewpoint-switching item as an indicator of initiation of the viewpoint-switching movement.

3. A video game machine according to claim 2, further comprising prohibition-control means for prohibiting said operation-determining means from determining whether the viewpoint-switching operation has been implemented while said viewpoint-switching item is being displayed.

4. A video game machine according to claim 3, wherein said operation-determining means determines a specified leading character of said plurality of leading characters specified by the viewpoint-switching operation from among other of said plurality of leading characters displayed on said game-screen display.

5. A video game machine according to claim 4, wherein:

said operation-determining means further determines whether a viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has been implemented among operations using one operation means corresponding to the specified leading character; and

when said operation-determining means has determined that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means interrupts the viewpoint-switching movement and terminates the display of said viewpoint-switching item, while when said operation-determining means has determined that no viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means switches the coordinate set of the viewpoint to another coordinate set so as to be related to another leading character, and terminates the display of said viewpoint-switching item.

6. A video game machine according to claim 5, wherein:

said viewpoint-switching-display control means moves the viewpoint-switching item being displayed toward the specified leading character; and

when the operation means corresponding to the specified leading character is operated for one of attacking and avoiding said viewpoint-switching item, said operation-determining means determines that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has been implemented.

7. A video game machine according to claim 6, wherein when it is determined that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has not been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means moves the viewpoint to approach the specified leading character before switching the viewpoint to a coordinate set related to the specified leading character.

8. A video game machine according to claim 5, wherein:

said viewpoint-switching-display control means moves the viewpoint-switching item being displayed toward the specified leading character; and

when the operation means corresponding to the specified leading character is not operated for one of attacking and avoiding the viewpoint-switching item, and the viewpoint-switching item reaches a predetermined range including the specified leading character, said operation-determining means determines that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has not been implemented.

9. A video game machine according to claim 8, wherein when it is determined that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has not been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means moves the viewpoint to approach the specified leading character before switching the viewpoint to a coordinate set related to the specified leading character.

10. A video game machine according to claim 5, wherein when it is determined that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has not been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means moves the viewpoint to approach the specified leading character before switching the viewpoint to a coordinate set related to the specified leading character.

11. A video game machine according to claim 2, wherein said operation-determining means determines a specified leading character of said plurality of leading characters specified by the viewpoint-switching operation from among other of said plurality of leading characters displayed on said game-screen display.

12. A video game machine according to claim 11, wherein:

said operation-determining means further determines whether a viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has been implemented among operations using one operation means corresponding to the specified leading character; and

when said operation-determining means has determined that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means interrupts the viewpoint-switching movement and terminates the display of said viewpoint-switching item, while when said operation-determining means has determined that no viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means switches the coordinate set of the viewpoint to another coordinate set so as to be related to another leading character, and terminates the display of said viewpoint-switching item.

13. A video game machine according to claim 12, wherein:

said viewpoint-switching-display control means moves the viewpoint-switching item being displayed toward the specified leading character; and

when the operation means corresponding to the specified leading character is operated for one of attacking and avoiding said viewpoint-switching item, said operation-determining means determines that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has been implemented.

14. A video game machine according to claim 13, wherein when it is determined that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has not been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means moves the viewpoint to approach the specified leading character before switching the viewpoint to a coordinate set related to the specified leading character.

15. A video game machine according to claim 12, wherein:

said viewpoint-switching-display control means moves the viewpoint-switching item being displayed toward the specified leading character; and

when the operation means corresponding to the specified leading character is not operated for one of attacking and avoiding the viewpoint-switching item, and the viewpoint-switching item reaches a predetermined range including the specified leading character, said-operation-determining means determines that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has not been implemented.

16. A video game machine according to claim 15, wherein when it is determined that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has not been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means moves the viewpoint to approach the specified leading character before switching the viewpoint to a coordinate set related to the specified leading character.

17. A video game machine according to claim 12, wherein when it is determined that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has not been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means moves the viewpoint to approach the specified leading character before switching the viewpoint to a coordinate set related to the specified leading character.

18. A video game machine according to claim 1, wherein said operation-determining means determines a specified leading character of said plurality of leading characters specified by the viewpoint-switching operation from among other of said plurality of leading characters displayed on said game-screen display.

19. A video game machine according to claim 18, wherein:

said operation-determining means further determines whether a viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has been implemented among operations using one operation means corresponding to the specified leading character; and

when said operation-determining means has determined that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means interrupts the viewpoint-switching movement and terminates the display of said viewpoint-switching item, while when said operation-determining means has determined that no viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means switches the coordinate set of the viewpoint to another coordinate set so as to be related to another leading character, and terminates the display of said viewpoint-switching item.

20. A video game machine according to claim 19, wherein:

said viewpoint-switching-display control means moves the viewpoint-switching item being displayed toward the specified leading character; and

when the operation means corresponding to the specified leading character is operated for one of attacking and avoiding said viewpoint-switching item, said operation-determining means determines that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has been implemented.

21. A video game machine according to claim 20, wherein when it is determined that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has not been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means moves the viewpoint to approach the specified leading character before switching the viewpoint to a coordinate set related to the specified leading character.

22. A video game machine according to claim 19, wherein:

said viewpoint-switching-display control means moves the viewpoint-switching item being displayed toward the specified leading character; and

when the operation means corresponding to the specified leading character is not operated for one of attacking and avoiding the viewpoint-switching item, and the viewpoint-switching item reaches a predetermined range including the specified leading character, said operation-determining means determines that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has not been implemented.

23. A video game machine according to claim 22, wherein when it is determined that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has not been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means moves the viewpoint to approach the specified leading character before switching the viewpoint to a coordinate set related to the specified leading character.

24. A video game machine according to claim 19, wherein when it is determined that the viewpoint-switching rejecting operation has not been implemented, said viewpoint-switching-display control means moves the viewpoint to approach the specified leading character before switching the viewpoint to a coordinate set related to the specified leading character.

25. A method for switching a game-screen viewpoint used in a video game, comprising the steps of:

displaying a game screen on which a plurality of leading characters including at least a first leading character and a second leading character appear in a virtual three-dimensional space;

moving said at least first and second leading characters by using operation means corresponding to the leading characters;

associating a first coordinate set with said first leading character and a second coordinate set with said second leading character;

setting a first viewpoint in said first coordinate set and a second viewpoint in said second coordinate set;

determining whether a viewpoint-switching operation has been implemented by using one of the operation means so that said first leading character associated with said first viewpoint in said first coordinate set for the game screen is moved; and

initiating a viewpoint-switching movement for switching said first viewpoint in said first coordinate set to the second viewpoint in said second coordinate set when it is determined that the viewpoint-switching operation has been implemented.

26. A computer-readable recording medium containing a game-screen-viewpoint switching program for a video game comprising executable code for execution by a computer processor causing said processor to perform the steps of:

displaying a game screen on which a plurality of leading characters including at least a first leading character and a second leading character appearing in a virtual three-dimensional space;

moving said at least first and second leading characters by operation means corresponding to the leading characters;

associating a first coordinate set with said first leading character and a second coordinate set with said second leading character;

setting a first viewpoint in said first coordinate set and a second viewpoint in said second coordinate set;

determining whether a viewpoint-switching operation has been implemented by using one of the operation means so that said first leading character associated with said first viewpoint in said first coordinate set for the game screen is moved; and

initiating a viewpoint-switching movement for switching said first viewpoint in said first coordinate set to the second viewpoint in said second coordinate set when it is determined that the viewpoint-switching operation has been implemented.