Image processing method, video game apparatus and storage medium

• US 7,048,632 B2
• Filed: 03/19/1999
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kojima, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): JONES, SCOTT E
• Application Number:
  US09/272,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20020082080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,622 Days
• Field of Search: 463/2, 463/7, 463/8, 463 30- 35, 463/43, 463/44, 345/419, 345/474, 345/121, 345/123, 345/125, 345/139, 345/157, 345/501, 345/502, 345/505, 345/520, 345/521, 345/522, 345/526, 345/1, 345/949, 345/960
• US Class Current: 463/32
• 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 13/5378 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 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• 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 2300/6063 for sound processing
• 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 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

A video game apparatus produces a image of a player character whose motion is operated by a player and a scene image which changes according to the motion of the player character, and displays the produced player character image and scene image on a display unit. The video game apparatus further produces sound effects according to the motion of the player character. The video game apparatus produces a first scene image subjectively viewed by the player character when the player character is stopped in a movable state, and a second scene image objectively viewing the motion of the player character when the player character is moved, and displays the produced one of the first and second scene images on the display unit. The video game apparatus produces different sound effects depending on which of the first and second scene images is displayed.

Claims

1. A video game apparatus comprising an image managing section which reads out image element data for a three-dimensional computer graphic image in main memory, produces display data of a character operated by a player and a scene image around the character, and outputs a display command based on the display data, said game apparatus processing a display process according to the display command and displaying said scene image on a predetermined display unit, said video game apparatus further comprising:

a command analyzing section for analyzing command data inputted from a controller;

a player character position/motion detecting section for detecting position and motion of a player character based on the contents of the analyzed command data when the analyzed command data is a command for motion of the character; and

said image managing section comprising a mode switching section for selecting one of a bird'"'"'s eye view mode process, a subjective mode process, and a behind mode process in accordance with the detected position and motion of the player, wherein the bird'"'"'s eye view mode is selected when the player character is detected to be moving, the subjective mode process is selected when the player character is detected to be stopping while the player character is able to move and the player is operating, and the behind mode process is selected when the player character is positioned at a wall and region where the back of the player character is invisible,

wherein when the bird'"'"'s eye view mode process is selected, said image managing section produces the display data of the scene image for objectively viewing the state of motion for the player character,

wherein when the subjective mode process is selected, said image managing section produces the display data of the scene image for subjectively viewed by the player character'"'"'s viewpoint, and

wherein when the behind mode process is selected, said image managing section produces the display data of the scene image for viewing the player character and a region behind the wall.

2. The video game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said imaging managing section includes a scene image producing section from producing the scene image around the character.

3. The video game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said mode switching section selects an intrude mode process when the player character is hidden in a predetermined facility in the objectively viewed image scene, and

said scene image producing section is constructed to produce data for displaying an image scene subjectively viewed from the player character'"'"'s viewpoint when the intrude mode process is selected regardless of movement of the player character.

4. The video game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mode switching section is constructed to selectively select one of said subjective mode process and said behind mode process based on external command.

5. A video game apparatus comprising:

a controller for operating the motion of a character;

a scene image producing section which produces an image of the character whose motion is operated by said controller and a scene image which changes according to a position and motion of said character and displays said character image and said scene image on a display unit; and

a sound effects producing section which produces a sound effect corresponding to the position and motion of said character, and

wherein said scene image producing section produces a first scene image when said character is stopped in a movable state and a second scene image when said character is moved, said first scene image subjectively viewed by said character and said second scene image objectively viewing the motion of said character,

wherein when said character is hidden by an object in said second scene image, said scene image producing section produces said first scene image regardless of movement of said character, and

wherein said sound effects producing section produces the sound effect of a magnitude corresponding to the distance from the source of sound to the character when said first scene image is displayed.

6. The video game apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said scene image producing section comprises an exchangeable memory and a reading section for said memory, and wherein said memory stores image element data for producing said character and said first and second scene images.

7. A computer-readable recording medium storing a game program which causes a computer to execute as an image managing section which reads out image element data for a three-dimensional computer graphic image in main memory, produces display data of a character operated by a player and a scene image around the character, and outputs a display command based on the display data, and to cause the computer to execute to process a display process according to the display command and to display said scene image on a predetermined display unit,

said game program further causing to execute said computer as a command analyzing section for analyzing command data inputted from a controller and a player character position/motion detecting section for detecting the position and motion of a player character based on the contents of the analyzed command data when the analyzed command data is a command for motion of the character;

and

said image managing section comprising a mode switching section for selecting one of a bird'"'"'s eye view mode process, a subjective mode process, and a behind mode process in accordance with the detected position and motion of the player, wherein the bird'"'"'s eye view mode is selected when the player character is detected to be moving, the subjective mode process is selected when the player character is detected to be stopping while the player character is able to move and the player is operating, and the behind mode process is selected when the player character is positioned at a wall and region where the back of the player character is invisible,

wherein when the bird'"'"'s eye view mode process is selected, said image managing section produces the display data of the scene image for objectively viewing the state of motion for the player character,

wherein when the subjective mode process is selected, said image managing section produces the display data of the scene image for subjectively viewed by the player character'"'"'s viewpoint, and

wherein when the behind mode process is selected, said image managing section produces the display data of the scene image for viewing the player character and a region behind the wall.

8. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 7, wherein said imaging managing section includes a scene image producing section from producing the scene image around the character.

9. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 8, wherein said mode switching section selects an intrude mode process when the player character is hidden in a predetermined facility in the objectively viewed image scene, and

said scene image producing section produces data for displaying an image scene subjectively viewed from the player character'"'"'s viewpoint when the intrude mode process is selected regardless of movement of the player character.

10. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 7, wherein said mode switching section selectively selects one of said subjective mode process and said behind mode process based on external command.

11. A computer-readable recording medium storing a game program which causes a computer having a controller for operating motion of a character to execute as a scene image producing section and a sound effects producing section, said scene image producing section produces an image of the character whose motion is operated by said controller and a scene image which changes according to the position and a motion of said character and displays said character image and said scene image on a display unit, said sound effects producing section produces a sound effect corresponding to the position and motion of said character, and

wherein said scene image producing section produces a first scene image when said character is stopped in a movable state and a second scene image when said character is moved, said first scene image subjectively viewed by said character and said second scene image objectively viewing the motion of said character, and

wherein when said character is hidden by an object in said second scene image, said scene image producing section produces said first scene image regardless of movement of said character, and

wherein said sound effects producing section produces the sound effect of a magnitude corresponding to the distance from the source of sound to the character when said first scene image is displayed.