Game apparatus, game method, and computer-readable storage medium

• US 6,518,967 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2000
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
• Original Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Inventors: Iwasaki, Tetsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US09/537,985
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 345/426, 345/421, 345/422, 345/588, 345/582, 345/545, 463/33
• US Class Current: 345/426
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects

Abstract

A game apparatus for display of a game image in which a moving body moves in a virtual space is provided. The game apparatus comprises: a polygon data memory for storing polygon data which define shapes of polygons constituting the moving body; a texture image memory for storing a texture image which indicates a reflected state of ambient light; a position specifying unit for specifying a position of the moving body in the virtual space; and a first image drawing unit for drawing a polygon based on the position of the moving body and the polygon data; a determination unit for determining a part of the texture image stored in the texture image memory based on the specified position of the moving body; and a second image drawing unit for drawing a translucent polygon over the polygon of the moving body, the translucent polygon having pasted thereon the part of the texture determined by the determination unit.

Claims

1. A game apparatus for displaying a game image having a moving body moving in a virtual space, said game apparatus comprising:

a polygon data memory for storing polygon data which define shapes of polygons constituting said moving body;

a texture image memory for storing a texture image which indicates a reflected state of ambient light;

a position specifying unit for specifying a position of said moving body in said virtual space; and

a first image drawing unit for drawing a polygon based on said position of said moving body and said polygon data;

a determination unit for determining a part of said texture image stored in said texture image memory based on said specified position of the moving body; and

a second image drawing unit for drawing a translucent polygon over said polygon of said moving body, said translucent polygon having pasted thereon said part of said texture determined by said determination unit.

2. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said polygon data memory stores the polygon data to define the shapes of the polygons by coordinates of respective vertices and normal vectors at the respective vertices.

3. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said texture image memory stores a texture image in which a plurality of pixels are equal to each other at places spaced by a first predetermined distance in a first predetermined direction and in which a plurality of pixels are equal to each other at places spaced by a second predetermined distance in a second predetermined direction,

said game apparatus further comprising computing unit for calculating reference coordinates, based on the position specified position, utilizing a procedure of yielding identical results at regular intervals in each change of said position along said first predetermined direction by the first predetermined distance and each change of said position along said second predetermined direction by the second predetermined distance,

wherein said second image drawing unit determines the portion of said texture image pasted on said translucent polygon, based on the reference coordinates calculated by said computing unit.

4. A game apparatus for displaying a game image in which a moving body moves in a virtual space, comprising:

a processor configured to display said moving body in a form in which a translucent image indicating a reflected state of ambient light is superimposed on a surface of said moving body and in which the reflected state of ambient light moves in accordance with movement of said moving body.

5. A game image display method for displaying a moving body moving in a virtual space, said game image display method comprising:

specifying a position of said moving body in said virtual space; and

drawing a polygon based on said specified position of said moving body and polygon data defining shapes of a plurality of polygons constructing said moving body; and

drawing, over a predetermined polygon of said moving body, a translucent polygon having the same shape as said predetermined polygon, wherein the translucent polygon includes a texture image indicating a reflected state of ambient light pasted thereon according to said specified position.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said polygon data to define the shapes of the polygons by coordinates of respective vertices and normal vectors at the respective vertices.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said texture image is an image in which a plurality of pixels are equal to each other at places spaced by a first predetermined distance in a first predetermined direction and in which a plurality of pixels are equal to each other at places spaced by a second predetermined distance in a second predetermined direction;

said method further comprises;

calculating reference coordinates, based on the specified position, utilizing a procedure of yielding identical results at regular intervals in each change of said position along said first predetermined direction by said first predetermined distance and each change of said position along said second predetermined direction by said second predetermined distance; and

wherein said texture image pasted on said translucent polygon is determined based on the calculated reference coordinates.

8. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to display a game image in which a moving body moves in a virtual space, said program causing computer to perform a process comprising:

specifying a position of said moving body in said virtual space; and

drawing a polygon based on said specified position of said moving body and polygon data defining shapes of a plurality of polygons constructing said moving body; and

drawing, over a predetermined polygon of said moving body, a translucent polygon having the same shape as said predetermined polygon, wherein the translucent polygon includes a texture image indicating a reflected state of ambient light pasted thereon according to said specified position.

9. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein said polygon data is the polygon data to define the shapes of the polygons by coordinates of respective vertices and normal vectors at the respective vertices.

10. A computer data signal embodied in a transmission medium, said computer data signal containing a game program for displaying a game image in which a moving body moves in a virtual space, wherein said game program causes a computer to perform a process comprising:

specifying a position of said moving body in said virtual space; and

drawing a polygon based on said specified position of said moving body and polygon data defining shapes of a plurality of polygons constructing said moving body; and

drawing, over a predetermined polygon of said moving body, a translucent polygon having the same shape as said predetermined polygon, wherein the translucent polygon includes a texture image indicating a reflected state of ambient light pasted thereon according to said specified position.

11. The computer data signal according to claim 10, wherein said computer data signal is a compressed computer data signal.

12. The computer data signal according to claim 10, wherein said computer data signal is an encrypted computer data signal.

13. A computer program product for displaying a game image in which a moving body moves in a virtual space, said computer program product comprising:

computer code for specifying a position of said moving body in said virtual space; and

computer code for drawing a polygon based on said specified position of said moving body and polygon data defining shapes of a plurality of polygons constructing said moving body; and

computer code for drawing, over a predetermined polygon of said moving body, a translucent polygon having the same shape as said predetermined polygon, wherein the translucent polygon includes a texture image indicating a reflected state of ambient light pasted thereon according to said specified position.