Driving game with assist and training modes

• US 6,652,376 B1
• Filed: 02/15/2000
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Takanori, Yoshida, Shigeru, Masuda, Takuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks, Derris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US09/504,387
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 463/7, 463/23, 463/6, 434/62-66
• US Class Current: 463/6
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/422 automatically for the purpose of assisting the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• 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 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6054 by generating automatically game commands to assist the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
• 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 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6607 for animating game characters, e.g. skeleton kinematics
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6623 for animating a group of characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying

Abstract

A driving game, wherein players having various driving skills—from beginners to those advanced—may enjoy both aspects of amusement and simulation in consistency. The game device of the present invention has an element for providing to a player a plurality of different movement modes upon moving the vehicle along a traveling line. Upon selection of a desired movement mode, a vehicle-driving game relating to the driving mode selected by the player is executed. Included in this plurality of driving modes are an assist mode in which auto-brake control is performed and a training mode in which various indications, such as the timing of the braking point, are given.

Claims

1. A game device for moving a vehicle along a traveling line in a virtual three-dimensional space pursuant to operations from a player and generating images of a driving state of such vehicle, comprising:

mode provision means for providing to the player a plurality of driving modes being selectably applicable to said vehicle and having mutually different driving characteristics of said vehicle upon moving said vehicle;

selection means for enabling said player to select a desired driving mode from said plurality of driving modes; and

game execution means for executing a game relating to a movement of said vehicle in the desired driving mode selected by said player,

wherein said plurality of driving modes includes a training mode having an indication function for indicating the driving state upon said player virtually driving said vehicle, wherein said indication function indicates to the player a brake timing by altering a display mode of said traveling line, and

wherein said game execution means exhibits said indication function by including;

means for comparing successive blocks of speed data of reference data with a speed of said vehicle driven by said player and, when a comparative result shows that said speed data at a block of said reference data is greater than said speed of said vehicle, altering brake data of the block to zero as an alteration result so that said brake data is not applied when said vehicle reaches the block, and when the comparative result is not greater than said speed of said vehicle, not altering said brake data of the block as the alteration result, and

means for altering the display mode of said traveling line pursuant to the alteration result.

2. A game device for moving a vehicle along a traveling line in a virtual three-dimensional space pursuant to operations from a player and generating images of a moving state of such vehicle, comprising:

storage means for pre-storing reference data representing movement of said vehicle in an ideal state traveling along said traveling line,

wherein said reference data is driving data prepared from a driving state obtained from driving of a driver, who is experienced with an actual vehicle in an actual space, along a traveling route, said traveling line in said virtual three-dimensional space is a line simulating said traveling route in such actual space, and said driving data includes speed data, brake data and travel line data based on driving of the driver prepared along said traveling line and per block of a prescribed length;

operation means for showing the moving state of said vehicle based upon actual data received from said player actually moving said vehicle; and

assist means for comparing said reference data and said actual data and automatically assisting the moving state of said vehicle to be moved by said player,

wherein said assist means compares said reference data and actual data to obtain a comparison result and applies a braking assist algorithm to assist the player in braking the vehicle based upon the comparison result, said assist means includes;

means for obtaining a target acceleration from said speed data of said reference data of a block in front of a block on which said vehicle is positioned, and a speed of said vehicle driven by said player;

means for estimating a vehicle acceleration from the moving state of said vehicle;

means for comparing and judging said target acceleration and the vehicle acceleration estimated by said means for estimating;

means for judging an application of a brake is necessary when a comparative result from the means for comparing and judging shows that said target acceleration is greater than said estimated acceleration; and

means for automatically assisting a control of a degree of acceleration when said means for judging an application of a brake judges that the application of the brake is not necessary, and assisting the control of the degree of acceleration and an amount of brake application when said judgment means judges that the application of the brake is necessary.

3. A game processing method for moving a vehicle along a traveling line in a virtual three-dimensional space pursuant to operations from a player and generating images of a driving state of such vehicle, comprising:

a mode provision step for providing to the player a plurality of driving modes being selectably applicable to said vehicle and having mutually different driving characteristics of said vehicle upon moving said vehicle;

a selection step for enabling the player to select a desired driving mode from said plurality of driving modes; and

a game execution step for executing a game relating to the movement of said vehicle in the desired driving mode selected by said player,

wherein said plurality of driving modes includes a training mode having an indication function for indicating the driving state upon said player virtually driving said vehicle, wherein said indication function indicates to the player a brake timing by altering a display mode of said traveling line, and

wherein said game execution step exhibits said indication function by performing the following;

comparing successive blocks of speed data of reference data with a speed of said vehicle driven by said player and, when a comparative result shows that said speed data at a block of said reference data is greater than said speed of said vehicle, altering brake data of the block to zero as an alteration result so that the brake data is not applied when said vehicle reaches the block, and when the comparative result is not greater than said speed of said vehicle, not altering said brake data of the block as the alteration result, and

altering the display mode of said traveling line pursuant to the alteration result.

4. A game processing method according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of driving modes includes an assist mode having an auto-brake function for automatically assisting the braking power of said vehicle.

5. A game processing method according to claim 3, wherein said indication function indicates to the player said driving state with, at least, either an image or a sound.

6. A game processing method according to claim 3, wherein said indication function is composed of at least one among:

a first indication function for indicating to the player a reference travel line by displaying this on said traveling line;

a second indication function for indicating to the player the existence of a curve on said traveling line; and

a third indication function for indicating to the player a gearshift position at the curve on said traveling line.

7. A game processing method according to claim 3, wherein said game execution step executes said game by exhibiting said indication function by referring to an ideal reference data including speed data and brake data per block along said traveling line obtained from the driving of an experienced player.

10. A game processing method according to claim 3,

wherein said indication function includes:

a judgment step for judging whether or not brake application is necessary based on a speed and position of said vehicle operated by said player;

a calculation step for calculating a brake application timing based on the speed and position of said vehicle operated by said player when said judgment step judges that brake application is necessary; and

a notification step for notifying said player of said brake application timing based on the brake timing calculated by said calculation step.

11. A game processing method according to claim 10, wherein said judgment step and calculation step respectively perform judgment and calculation based on the speed and position of said vehicle operated by said player, and the reference data corresponding to such position.

12. A game processing method according to claim 10, wherein said notification step notifies, earlier than usual, said brake application timing when the speed of said vehicle is fast in comparison to when the speed of said vehicle is slow.

8. A game processing method for moving a vehicle along a traveling line in a virtual three-dimensional space pursuant to operations from a player and generating images of a moving state of such vehicle, comprising:

a referencing step for pre-storing reference data representing the movement of said vehicle in an ideal state traveling along said traveling line,

wherein said reference data is driving data prepared from the driving state obtained from the driving of a driver, who is experienced with an actual vehicle in an actual space, along a traveling route, said traveling line in said virtual three-dimensional space is a line simulating said traveling route in such actual space, and said driving data includes speed data, brake data and travel line data based on driving of the driver prepared along said traveling line and per block of a prescribed length;

an operating step for showing the moving state of said vehicle based upon actual data received from said player actually moving said vehicle; and

an assist step for comparing said reference data and said actual data and automatically assisting the moving state of said vehicle to be moved by said player,

wherein said assist step compares said reference data and said actual data to obtain a comparison result and applies a braking assist algorithm to assist the player in braking the vehicle based upon the comparison result, said assist step includes;

obtaining a target acceleration from said speed data of said reference data of a block in front of the block on which said vehicle is positioned, and the speed of said vehicle driven by said player;

estimating a vehicle acceleration from the moving state of said vehicle;

comparing and judging said target acceleration and the vehicle acceleration estimated by said means for estimating;

judging an application of a brake is necessary when a comparative result from the comparing and judging shows that said target acceleration is greater than said estimated acceleration; and

automatically assisting the control of a degree of acceleration when said judging an application of a brake judges that the application of the brake is not necessary, and assisting the control of the degree of acceleration and an amount of brake application when said judging an application of a brake judges that the application of the brake is necessary.

9. A game processing method according to claim 8, further comprising:

a trace operation step for performing modeling conversion to traces pursuant to movement of said vehicle from a camera viewpoint and operating a conversion matrix thereof;

a storage step for storing said conversion matrix;

a trace judgment step for judging whether a display of said traces is necessary based on whether the trace is located within a field of view; and

a display step for reading said conversion matrix stored by the storage step and displaying said conversion matrix when said judgment step judges that the display of said traces is necessary.

13. A computer program product for moving a vehicle in a virtual three-dimensional space pursuant to operations from a player and generating images of a driving state of such vehicle, the computer program product comprising the following computer-readable program code for effecting actions in a computing platform:

program code for providing to the player a plurality of driving modes being selectably applicable to said vehicle and having mutually different driving characteristics of said vehicle upon moving said vehicle;

program code for enabling the player to select a desired driving mode from said plurality of driving modes; and

program code for executing a game relating to a movement of said vehicle in the desired driving mode selected by said player,

wherein said plurality of driving modes includes a training mode having an indication function for indicating the driving state upon said player virtually driving said vehicle, wherein said indication function indicates to the player a brake timing by altering a display mode of said traveling line, and

wherein said program code for executing said game exhibits said indication function by including;

program code for comparing successive blocks of speed data of reference data with a speed of said vehicle driven by said player and, when a comparative result shows that said speed data at a block of said reference data is greater than said speed of vehicle, altering said brake data of the block to zero as an alteration result so that the brake data is not applied when said vehicle reaches the block, and when the comparative result is not greater than said speed of vehicle, not altering said brake data of the block as the alteration result, and

program code for altering the display mode of said traveling line pursuant to the alteration result.

14. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of driving modes includes an assist mode having an auto-brake function for automatically assisting the braking power of said vehicle.

15. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said indication function indicates to the player said driving state with, at least, either an image or a sound.

16. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said indication function is composed of at least one among:

a first indication function for indicating to the player a reference travel line by displaying this on said traveling line;

a second indication function for indicating to the player the existence of a curve on said traveling line; and

a third indication function for indicating to the player a gearshift position at the curve on said traveling line.

17. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said program code for executing a game executes said game by exhibiting said indication function by referring to an ideal reference data including speed data and brake data per block along said traveling line obtained from the driving of an experienced player.

18. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said indication function includes:

program code for judging whether or not brake application is necessary based on a speed and position of said vehicle operated by said player;

program code for calculating a brake application timing based on the speed and position of said vehicle operated by said player when said judgment step judges that brake application is necessary; and

program code for notifying said player of said brake application timing based on the brake timing calculated by said program code for calculating.

19. A computer program product according to claim 18, wherein said program code for judging and said program code for calculating respectively perform judgment and calculation based on the speed and position of said vehicle operated by said player, and the reference data corresponding to such position.

20. A computer program product according to claim 18, wherein said program code for notifying notifies, earlier than usual, said brake application timing when the speed of said vehicle is fast in comparison to when the speed of said vehicle is slow.

21. A computer program product for moving an object in a virtual three-dimensional space pursuant to operations from a player and generating images of a moving state of such object, the computer program product comprising the following computer-readable program code for effecting actions in a computing platform:

program code for referencing pre-stored reference data representing movement of said vehicle in an ideal state traveling along said traveling line,

wherein said reference data is driving data prepared from a driving state obtained from driving of a driver, who is experienced with an actual vehicle in an actual space, along a traveling route, said traveling line in said virtual three-dimensional space is a line simulating said traveling route in such actual space, and said driving data includes speed data, brake data and travel line data based on the driving of the driver prepared along said traveling line and per block of a prescribed length;

program code for showing the moving state of said vehicle based upon actual data received from said player actually moving said vehicle; and

program code for comparing said reference data and said actual data and automatically assisting the moving state of said vehicle to be moved by said player,

wherein said program code for comparing compares said reference data and actual data to obtain a comparison result and applies a braking assist algorithm to assist the player in braking the vehicle based upon the comparison result, wherein said program code for comparing further includes;

program code for obtaining a target acceleration from said speed data of said reference data of a block in front of a block on which said vehicle is positioned, and a speed of said vehicle driven by said player;

program code for estimating a vehicle acceleration from the mvoing state of said vehicle;

program code for comparing and judging said target acceleration and the vehicle acceleration estimated by said means for estimating;

program code for judging an application of a brake is necessary when a comparative result from the means for comparing and judging shows that said target acceleration is greater than said estimated acceleration; and

program code for automatically assisting the control of a degree of acceleration when said means for judging the application of the brake judges that the application of the brake is not necessary, and assisting the control of the degree of acceleration and an amount of brake application when said judgment means judges that the application of the brake is necessary.

22. A computer program product according to claim 21, further comprising:

program code for performing modeling conversion to traces pursuant to movement of said object from a camera viewpoint and operating a conversion matrix thereof;

program code for storing said conversion matrix;

program code for judging whether a display of said traces is necessary based on whether the trace is located within a field of view; and

program code for reading said conversion matrix stored by the storage step and displaying said conversion matrix when said judgment step judges that the display of said traces is necessary.