Game apparatus and control method for controlling the action power level of a player character, in an action power control program

• US 6,488,582 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2000
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
• Original Assignee: Square Co Ltd (Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US09/538,599
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1-8, 463/23, 463/24, 463/30, 463/31, 463/32, 463/40, 463/41, 463/42, 463/43, 463/44
• 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 13/53 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 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

Techniques suitable for controlling the action power of a player character are disclosed. The techniques can be implemented in a video game that represents battles between characters. A command can specify an action of a character. A plurality of color attributes are respectively assigned to actions of the character. A number of color attributes which are the same as that of the action identified by the command can then be obtained. The action power of the player character is increased in accordance with the obtained number of color attributes to make the player character execute the action identified by the command. The color attribute of action executed in the player character is stored in the historical information. Finally, the color attributes in the historical information can be displayed in respective colors on a screen.

Claims

1. A method of controlling action power of a player character in a video game which implements a battle between characters on a display screen on a virtual basis, said method comprising:

receiving a command as input, said command specifying an action of said character, wherein a plurality of color attributes are respectively assigned to actions of said character;

obtaining the number of color attributes which are the same as that of the action identified by the command from historical information in which color attributes of the actions of said character which have previously been executed are stored;

increasing the action power of said player character in accordance with the obtained number of color attributes to make said player character execute said action identified by said command;

storing the color attribute of the action executed in said player character in said historical information; and

displaying the color attributes as output, said color attributes being displayed in said historical information, in respective colors on the display screen.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein in the execution of action of said player character, when said historical information includes a color attribute opposite to the color attribute of said element used, the power of action is lowered according to a number thereof.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said characters are said player character and an enemy character.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein in the storing of said color attributes, a predetermined number of color attributes are stored as the historical information.

5. A computer-readable storage medium including computer program code for storing an action power control program which implements a battle between characters on a display screen on a virtual basis, said computer-readable storage medium comprising:

computer program code for receiving a command as input, said command specifying an action of at least one of said characters wherein a plurality of color attributes are respectively assigned to actions of said at least one character;

computer program rode for obtaining a number of color attributes that are the same as that of the action identified by said command from historical information in which color attributes of actions of said at least one character which have previously been executed are stored;

computer program code for increasing the action power of said at least one player character in accordance with the obtained number of color attributes to make said at least one player character execute said action identified by said command;

computer program code for storing a color attribute of the action executed in said player character in said historical information; and

computer program code for displaying the color attributes as output, said color attributes being displayed in said historical information in respective colors on a screen.

6. A storage medium according to claim 5, wherein in the execution of the action of said player character, when said historical information includes a color attribute opposite to the color attribute of said element used, the power of action is lowered according to a number thereof.

7. A storage medium according to claim 5, wherein said characters are said player character and an enemy character.

8. A storage medium according to claim 5, wherein in the storing of said color attributes, a predetermined number of color attributes are stored as the historical information.

9. A game apparatus which implements a battle between characters on a display screen on a virtual basis, said game apparatus comprising:

a command receiving unit which receives as input a command specifying an action of said character wherein a plurality of color attributes are respectively assigned to actions of said character;

a obtaining unit which obtains a number of color attributes that the same as that of the action identified by said command from historical information in which color attributes of the actions of said character which have previously been executed are stored;

an execution unit which increases action power of said player character in accordance with the obtained number of color attributes to make said player character execute said action identified by said command;

a storage unit which stores the color attribute of the action executed in said player character in said historical information; and

a display which displays as output the color attributes in the historical information in respective colors on a screen.

10. A computer program product for controlling action power of a player character in a video game, the video game being arranged to implement a battle between a plurality of characters including the player character on a display screen on a virtual reality basis, the computer program product comprising:

computer code for receiving a command as input, said command specifying an action of the character wherein a plurality of color attributes are respectively assigned to actions of the character;

computer code for obtaining the number of color attributes which are the same as that of the action identified by the command from historical information in which color attributes of the actions of said character which have previously been executed are stored;

computer code for increasing the action power of the player character in accordance with the obtained number of color attributes to cause the player character to execute the action identified by the command;

command code for storing the color attribute of the action executed in the player character in the historical information;

computer code for displaying the color attributes as output, said color attributes being displayed in the historical information in respective colors on the display screen; and

a computer-readable medium that stores the computer codes.

11. A computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the computer-readable medium is one of a CD-ROM, a computer memory, a tape and a memory card.

12. A computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of characters includes the player character and an enemy character.

13. A computer program product for controlling action power of a player character in a video game, the video game being arranged to implement a battle between a plurality of characters including the player character on a display screen on a virtual reality basis, the computer program product comprising:

computer code for receiving a command as input, said command specifying an action of the character wherein a plurality of color attributes are respectively assigned to actions of the character;

computer code for obtaining the number of color attributes which are the same as that of the action identified by the command from historical information in which color attributes of the actions of said character which have previously been executed are stored;

computer code for increasing the action power of the player character in accordance with the obtained number of color attributes to cause the player character to execute the action identified by the command;

command code for storing the color attribute of the action executed in the player character in the historical information; and

computer code for displaying the color attributes as output, said color attributes being displayed in the historical information in respective colors on the display screen.