Video game device and video game program

• US 7,637,813 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2005
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: HAL Laboratory, Inc., Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Mori, Kouji, Gunji, Teruyuki, Fukunaga, Masaaki, Katayama, Motomi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling; John M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas; Eric M
• Application Number:
  US11/216,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20060094502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 31- 34
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• 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 13/573 using trajectories of game objects, e.g. of a golf ball according to the point of impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/577 using determination of contact between game characters or objects, e.g. to avoid collision between virtual racing cars
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• 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

Abstract

A moving character and a background image are displayed on a display screen with a touch panel thereon. When the player operates the touch panel to draw a line in an intended path extending between a start point and an end point along which the player wishes to guide the moving character, an operation trace image having the shape of the line drawn is displayed on the display screen. Then, the moving character moves along or in parallel to the operation trace image. The operation trace image is gradually erased after a predetermined amount of time elapses. Thus, it is possible to provide a video game device and a video game program in which the player can influence the moving path or the moving direction of the player (moving) character based on the shape and/or the direction of the line drawn by the player.

Claims

1. A video game device, comprising:

a display section for displaying a game image;

a position inputting unit for inputting a position on the game image;

trace storage control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, trace data representing a series of input positions inputted by the position inputting unit;

movement control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, position data of a moving character and updating the position data based on a predetermined rule;

determination programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not the moving character has contacted a trace based on the trace data and the position data, said trace having the shape of a line drawn displayed on the display section;

on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry for updating the position data so that the moving character moves according to the trace based on the trace data when it is determined by the determination programmed logic circuitry that the moving character has contacted the trace; and

display control programmed logic circuitry for displaying the moving character on the display section based on the position data.

2. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein the display control programmed logic circuitry displays the trace on the display section based on the trace data.

3. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein the movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the predetermined rule if it is not determined by the determination programmed logic circuitry that the moving character has contacted the trace.

4. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the trace data so that the moving character moves along the trace.

5. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the trace data so that the moving character moves while being attracted to the trace.

6. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data stored in storage locations based on the trace data so that the moving character moves in a tangential direction of the trace.

7. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the trace data so that the moving character is moved or accelerated in a direction from an older input position to a newer input position on the trace.

8. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein the determination programmed logic circuitry determines, based on the trace data and the position data, whether or not the moving character has contacted a segment of the trace, for each segment between two input positions on the trace that are adjacent to each other in time.

9. The video game device according to claim 8, wherein the determination programmed logic circuitry makes a determination, for each segment starting from a segment one end of which is at an oldest input position, whether or not the moving character has contacted the segment, and stops the determination process when it is determined that the moving character has contacted any segment.

10. The video game device according to claim 8, wherein the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data so that the moving character is moved or accelerated along a segment that is determined by the determination programmed logic circuitry to have been contacted by the moving character, in a direction from one end of the segment at an older input position toward the other end thereof at a newer input position.

11. The video game device according to claim 10, wherein when a position indicated by the position data satisfies a predetermined condition while continuously updating the position data so that the moving character is moved in a direction from one end of a segment at an older input position toward the other end thereof at a newer input position, the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry starts updating the position data so that the moving character is moved in a direction from the newer input position toward an even newer input position that is adjacent in time to the newer input position.

12. The video game device according to claim 11, wherein when it is determined that the moving character has contacted a new segment while continuously updating the position data so that the moving character is moved in a direction from one end of a previous segment at an older input position toward the other end thereof at a newer input position, the new segment being adjacent in time to the previous segment, the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry starts updating the position data so that the moving character is moved in a direction from one end of the new segment at an older input position toward the other end thereof at a newer input position.

13. The video game device according to claim 11, wherein when it is determined that the moving character is no longer in contact with a segment while continuously updating the position data so that the moving character is moved in a direction from one end of the segment at an older input position toward the other end thereof at a newer input position, the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry starts updating the position data so that the position indicated by the position data moves along an arc about one end of the segment at a newer input position until a straight line between the position indicated by the position data and the newer input position becomes perpendicular to a new segment that is adjacent in time with the segment, after which the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry starts updating the position data so that the moving character is moved in a direction from one end of the new segment at an older input position toward the other end thereof at a newer input position.

14. The video game device according to claim 10, wherein:

the video game device further comprises on-trace movement termination determining programmed logic circuitry, wherein when it is determined by the determination programmed logic circuitry that the moving character is no longer in contact with a segment while the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry is continuously updating the position data so that the moving character is moved in a direction from one end of the segment at an older input position toward the other end thereof at a newer input position, the on-trace movement termination determining programmed logic circuitry determines whether or not there is any segment newer than the segment; and

the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the trace data from when it is determined by the determination programmed logic circuitry that the moving character has contacted the trace until it is determined by the on-trace movement termination determining programmed logic circuitry that there is no newer segment.

15. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein:

the video game device further comprises moving velocity data storage control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, moving velocity data of the moving character;

the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the moving velocity data;

the video game device further comprises on-trace movement termination determining programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not the update of the position data based on the trace data should be terminated based on a shape of the trace and the moving velocity data; and

the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the trace data from when it is determined by the determination programmed logic circuitry that the moving character has contacted the trace until it is determined by the on-trace movement termination determining programmed logic circuitry that the update should be terminated.

16. The video game device according to claim 11, wherein:

the video game device further comprises moving velocity data storage control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, moving velocity data of the moving character;

the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the moving velocity data;

the video game device further comprises on-trace movement termination determining programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not the update of the position data based on the trace data should be terminated based on the moving velocity data, when it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied and if the position indicated by the position data and the even newer input position adjacent in time to the newer input position are on different sides of the segment; and

the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the trace data from when it is determined by the determination programmed logic circuitry that the moving character has contacted the trace until it is determined by the on-trace movement termination determining programmed logic circuitry that the update should be terminated.

17. The video game device according to claim 11, further comprising:

first data storing programmed logic circuitry for storing first data;

first data updating programmed logic circuitry for updating the first data so as to bring the first data closer to a threshold value, when it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied and if the position indicated by the position data and the even newer input position adjacent in time to the newer input position are on different sides of the segment; and

on-trace movement termination determining programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not the first data has reached the threshold value,

wherein the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the trace data from when it is determined by the determination programmed logic circuitry that the moving character has contacted the trace until it is determined by the on-trace movement termination determining programmed logic circuitry that the first data has reached the threshold value.

18. The video game device according to claim 17, wherein the first data updating programmed logic circuitry updates the first data so as to bring the first data away from the threshold value if the position indicated by the position data and the even newer input position adjacent in time to the newer input position are on the same side of the segment.

19. The video game device according to claim 17, further comprising moving velocity data storage control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, moving velocity data of the moving character, wherein:

the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the moving velocity data; and

the first data updating programmed logic circuitry determines an amount of update based on the moving velocity data.

20. The video game device according to claim 1, further comprising sinking control programmed logic circuitry for adjusting a distance between the position indicated by the position data and an intersection between the trace and a line being perpendicular to the trace and extending from the position to be a predetermined distance when it is determined by the determination programmed logic circuitry that the moving character has contacted the trace.

21. The video game device according to claim 20, wherein the sinking control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data so that the distance gradually approaches the predetermine distance.

22. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein the trace storage control programmed logic circuitry stores a group of trace data in storage unit based on a series of positions inputted from when the position inputting means first detects an input of a position until the position inputting unit no longer detects an input of a position.

23. The video game device according to claim 22, wherein if an angle between a first, older segment and a second, newer segment along a trace that are adjacent in time to each other is less than or equal to a threshold value, each segment extending between two input positions along the trace that are adjacent in time to each other, the trace storage control programmed logic circuitry stores the trace data of a first portion of the trace and the trace data of a second portion of the trace as different groups of trace data, wherein the first portion of the trace includes the first segment and any other preceding segments and the second portion of the trace includes the second segment and any other subsequent segments.

24. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein:

the trace storage control programmed logic circuitry stores a group of trace data in storage locations based on a series of positions inputted from when the position inputting unit first detects an input of a position until the position inputting means no longer detects an input of a position;

the determination programmed logic circuitry determines which group of trace data represents a trace that has been contacted by the moving character based on each group of trace data and the position data; and

when it is determined by the determination programmed logic circuitry that the moving character has contacted a trace represented by a group of trace data, the position data stored in storage locations is updated so that the moving character is moved based on the group of trace data.

25. The video game device according to claim 1, further comprising trace data erasing programmed logic circuitry, wherein when the position inputting unit detects an input of a new series of positions while a group of trace data is already stored in storage locations, the trace data erasing programmed logic circuitry erases the existing group of trace data from the storage locations or invalidates the existing group of trace data.

26. The video game device according to claim 1, further comprising moving velocity data storage control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, moving velocity data of the moving character, wherein:

the movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the moving velocity data; and

the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data so that the moving character moves according to the trace based on the trace data when it is determined by the determination programmed logic circuitry that the moving character has contacted the trace and only if the moving velocity data at the time of the contact represents a value smaller than a threshold value.

27. The video game device according to claim 1, further comprising moving velocity data storage control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, moving velocity data of the moving character, wherein:

the movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the moving velocity data; and

the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data so that the moving character moves according to the trace based on the trace data when it is determined by the determination programmed logic circuitry that the moving character has contacted the trace and only if a magnitude of a component of the moving velocity data at the time of the contact that is perpendicular to the trace is smaller than a threshold value.

28. The video game device according to claim 26, wherein the threshold value is determined according to an angle of the trace.

29. The video game device according to claim 26, further comprising moving velocity data storage control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, moving velocity data of the moving character, wherein:

the movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the moving velocity data; and

the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the moving velocity data so that a moving direction of the moving character is reversed by the trace when it is determined by the determination programmed logic circuitry that the moving character has contacted the trace and if the moving velocity data represents a value greater than or equal to a threshold value.

30. The video game device according to claim 10, wherein:

the determination programmed logic circuitry determines, based on the trace data and the position data, whether or not the moving character has contacted the input position and whether or not, with respect to a straight line extending from the input position and being perpendicular to the segment one end of which is at the input position, the position indicated by the position data and the other end of the segment are on different sides of the straight line; and

when it is determined that the position indicated by the position data and the other end of the segment are on different sides of the straight line, the position data is updated so that the position indicated by the position data moves along an arc about the input position until a straight line extending between the position indicated by the position data and the input position becomes perpendicular to the segment, after which the position data is updated so that the moving character is moved in a direction from one end of the segment at an older input position toward the other end thereof at a newer input position.

31. The video game device according to claim 30, further comprising moving velocity data storage control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, moving velocity data of the moving character, wherein:

the movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the moving velocity data; and

when the determination programmed logic circuitry determines, based on the trace data and the position data, that the moving character has contacted the input position and determines that, with respect to a straight line extending from the input position and being perpendicular to the segment one end of which is at the input position, the position indicated by the position data and the other end of the segment are on different sides of the straight line, the position data is updated so that the moving character is moved in a direction from one end of the segment at an older input position toward the other end thereof at a newer input position only if a magnitude of a component of a moving velocity represented by the moving velocity data at the time of the determination that is perpendicular to the segment is smaller than a threshold value.

32. The video game device according to claim 31, further comprising moving velocity data storage control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, moving velocity data of the moving character, wherein:

the movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the moving velocity data; and

even when the determination programmed logic circuitry determines, based on the trace data and the position data, that the moving character has contacted the input position and determines that, with respect to a straight line extending from the input position and being perpendicular to the segment one end of which is at the input position, the position indicated by the position data and the other end of the segment are on different sides of the straight line, the moving velocity data is updated so that a moving direction of the moving character is reversed by the input position if a magnitude of a component of a moving velocity represented by the moving velocity data at the time of the determination that is perpendicular to the segment is greater than or equal to a threshold value.

33. The video game device according to claim 30, further comprising moving velocity data storage control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, moving velocity data of the moving character, wherein:

the movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the moving velocity data; and

when the determination programmed logic circuitry determines, based on the trace data and the position data, that the moving character has contacted the input position and determines that, with respect to a straight line extending from the input position and being perpendicular to the segment one end of which is at the input position, the position indicated by the position data and the other end of the segment are on different sides of the straight line, the position data is updated so that the moving character is moved in a direction from one end of the segment at an older input position toward the other end thereof at a newer input position only if a magnitude of a component of a moving velocity represented by the moving velocity data at the time of the determination that is in a direction extending between the position indicated by the position data and the input position is smaller than a threshold value.

34. The video game device according to claim 33, further comprising moving velocity data storage control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, moving velocity data of the moving character, wherein:

the movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the moving velocity data; and

even when the determination programmed logic circuitry determines, based on the trace data and the position data, that the moving character has contacted the input position and determines that, with respect to a straight line extending from the input position and being perpendicular to the segment one end of which is at the input position, the position indicated by the position data and the other end of the segment are on different sides of the straight line, the moving velocity data is updated so that a moving direction of the moving character is reversed by the input position if a magnitude of a component of a moving velocity represented by the moving velocity data at the time of the determination that is in a direction extending between the position indicated by the position data and the input position is greater than or equal to a threshold value.

35. The video game device according to claim 1, further comprising trace data erasing programmed logic circuitry for automatically erasing or invalidating the input positions of the trace data stored in the storage locations successively starting from an oldest input position.

36. The video game device according to claim 1, further comprising time determination programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not a predetermined amount of time has elapsed from a start or an end of a detection of position inputs by the position inputting unit,

wherein the trace data erasing programmed logic circuitry erases or invalidates the trace data stored in the trace data storing locations when it is determined by the time determination programmed logic circuitry that the predetermined amount of time has elapsed.

37. The video game device according to claim 1, further comprising second data updating programmed logic circuitry for storing second data in storage locations and for updating the second data so as to bring the second data closer to a threshold value when the trace data is stored in storage locations by the trace storage control programmed logic circuitry,

wherein if the second data has reached the threshold value, the trace storage control programmed logic circuitry no longer stores the trace data in storage locations even if a new position is inputted by the position inputting unit.

38. The video game device according to claim 37, wherein the trace amount data updating programmed logic circuitry automatically updates the second data so as to bring the second data away from the threshold value while there is no input from the position inputting unit.

39. The video game device according to claim 37, further comprising trace length detection programmed logic circuitry for detecting a length of a trace based on the trace data stored in storage locations by the trace storage control programmed logic circuitry,

wherein the trace amount data updating programmed logic circuitry updates the second data by an amount according to the length of the trace detected by the trace length detection programmed logic circuitry.

40. The video game device according to claim 37, wherein the display control programmed logic circuitry displays information representing a value of the second data.

41. The video game device according to claim 1, further comprising character detection programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not the moving character is present at a first position inputted by the position inputting unit,

wherein the trace storage control programmed logic circuitry stores the trace data in storage locations based on the input position only if it is determined by the character detection programmed logic circuitry that no moving character is present at the input position.

42. The video game device according to claim 41, wherein a predetermined action is executed by the moving character when it is determined by the character detection programmed logic circuitry that the moving character is present at the input position.

43. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein:

the video game device further comprises moving velocity data storage control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, moving velocity data of the moving character;

the movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the moving velocity data; and

the video game device further comprises moving velocity determination programmed logic circuitry, wherein when it is determined by the determination programmed logic circuitry that the moving character has contacted the trace, the moving velocity determination programmed logic circuitry determines a new moving velocity of the moving character to be a magnitude of a component of a velocity represented by the moving velocity data immediately before the contact that is parallel to a tangential direction of the trace.

44. The video game device according to claim 36, further comprising moving velocity data storage control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, moving velocity data of the moving character, wherein:

the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry updates the position data based on the moving velocity data;

the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry includes acceleration determination programmed logic circuitry for determining a magnitude of acceleration used for updating the moving velocity data based on a magnitude of a moving velocity represented by the current moving velocity data;

the acceleration determination programmed logic circuitry includes target velocity setting programmed logic circuitry for setting a target velocity value, maximum velocity setting programmed logic circuitry for setting a maximum velocity value, and setting programmed logic circuitry for setting a positive first value and a negative second value;

the acceleration determination programmed logic circuitry determines the magnitude of acceleration to be zero when the magnitude of the moving velocity represented by the current moving velocity data is equal to the target velocity value, determines the magnitude of acceleration to be the first value when the magnitude of the moving velocity represented by the current moving velocity data is equal to zero, determines the magnitude of acceleration to be the second value when the magnitude of the moving velocity represented by the current moving velocity data is equal to the maximum velocity value, determines the magnitude of acceleration by interpolation with the first value and zero when the magnitude of the moving velocity represented by the current moving velocity data is in a range from zero to the target velocity value, and determines the magnitude of acceleration by interpolation with zero and the second value when the magnitude of the moving velocity represented by the current moving velocity data is in a range between the target velocity value and the maximum velocity value; and

the on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry determines an acceleration vector based on the magnitude of acceleration determined by the acceleration determination programmed logic circuitry and a tangential direction of the trace.

45. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein the position inputting unit is a touch panel provided on a screen of the display section.

46. A storage medium storing a video game program for instructing a computer, which is connected to a display section for displaying a game image and position inputting unit for inputting a position on the game image and storage locations, to function as:

trace storage control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, trace data representing a series of input positions inputted by the position inputting unit;

movement control programmed logic circuitry for storing, in storage locations, position data of a moving character and updating the position data based on a predetermined rule;

determination programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not the moving character has contacted a trace based on the trace data and the position data, said trace having the shape of a line drawn displayed on the display section;

on-trace movement control programmed logic circuitry for updating the position data so that the moving character moves according to the trace based on the trace data when it is determined by the determination programmed logic circuitry that the moving character has contacted the trace; and

display control programmed logic circuitry for displaying the moving character on the display section based on the position data.

47. A video game device, comprising:

a display section for displaying a game image;

image data storing locations for storing at least moving character image data for displaying a moving character of the game and background image data for displaying a background image;

program storing programmed logic circuitry for storing a video game program for controlling how the moving character image and the background image are displayed;

a position inputting unit which is operated to input a position;

operation status detection programmed logic circuitry for detecting an operation trace at least during a period from when a first position is specified through the position inputting unit until a last position is specified therethrough;

temporary storage locations for temporarily storing data necessary for a game process;

writing programmed logic circuitry for writing data of the operation trace detected by the operation status detection programmed logic circuitry in the temporary storage locations;

operation trace image data producing programmed logic circuitry for producing, based on the data of the operation trace stored in the temporary storage locations, operation trace image data for displaying an operation trace image on the display section that is for guiding a movement of the moving character, said operation trace image having the shape of a line drawn displayed on the display section; and

display control programmed logic circuitry for, based on the video game program, reading the moving character image data and the background image data stored in the image data storing locations to display the moving character and the background image on the display section while displaying the operation trace image on the display section by using the operation trace image data, and for controlling the display so that the moving character moves along the operation trace image.

48. A video game device, comprising:

a display section for displaying a game image;

a touch panel attached to an upper surface of the display section so that a screen of the display section can be directly touched to input a position thereon being touched;

image data storing locations for storing at least moving character image data for displaying a moving character of the game and background image data for displaying a background image;

program storing programmed logic circuitry for storing a video game program for controlling how the moving character image and the background image are displayed;

operation status detection programmed logic circuitry for detecting an operation trace at least during a period from when a first position is specified by touching the touch panel until a last position is specified;

temporary storage locations for temporarily storing data necessary for a game process;

writing programmed logic circuitry for writing data of the operation trace detected by the operation status detection programmed logic circuitry in the temporary storage locations;

operation trace image data producing programmed logic circuitry for producing, based on the data of the operation trace stored in the temporary storage locations, operation trace image data for displaying an operation trace image on the display section that is for guiding a movement of the moving character, said operation trace image having the shape of a line drawn displayed on the display section; and

display control programmed logic circuitry for, based on the video game program, reading the moving character image data and the background image data stored in the image data storing locations to display the moving character and the background image on the display section while displaying the operation trace image on the display section by using the operation trace image data, and for controlling the display so that the moving character moves along the operation trace image.

49. A storage medium storing a video game program for use in an image processing device,

wherein the image processing device includes a display section associated therewith for displaying a game image, a position inputting unit, image data storing locations for storing moving character image data for displaying a moving character of the video game and background image data for displaying a background image, program storing programmed logic circuitry for storing the video game program for controlling how the moving character image and the background image are displayed, a computer, and temporary storage locations for temporarily storing data for a game process to be performed by the computer, the video game program instructing the computer to perform:

operation status detection for detecting an operation trace during a period from when a first position is specified through the position inputting unit and a last position is specified therethrough;

writing data of the operation trace detected in the operation status detection in the temporary storage locations;

operation trace image data producing for producing, based on the data of the operation trace stored in the temporary storage locations, operation trace image data for displaying an operation trace image on the display section that is for guiding a movement of the moving character, said operation trace image having the shape of a line drawn displayed on the display section;

first display control for, based on the video game program, reading the moving character image data and the background image data stored in the image data storing locations to display the moving character and the background image on the display section;

second display control for displaying the operation trace image on the display section based on the video game program and the operation trace image data stored in the temporary storage locations; and

third display control for moving the moving character displayed on the display section along the operation trace image based on the video game program.

50. A storage medium storing a video game program for use in an image processing device,

wherein the image processing device includes a display section associated therewith for displaying a game image, a touch panel provided on a display screen of the display section, image data storing locations for storing moving character image data for displaying a moving character of the video game and background image data for displaying a background image, program storing programmed logic circuitry for storing the video game program for displaying the moving character image and the background image, a computer, and temporary storage locations for temporarily storing data for a game process to be performed by the computer, the video game program instructing the computer to perform:

operation status detection for detecting an operation trace during a period from when a first position is specified through the touch panel and a last position is specified therethrough;

writing data of the operation trace detected in the operation status detection in the temporary storage locations;

operation trace image data producing for producing, based on the data of the operation trace stored in the temporary storage locations, operation trace image data for displaying an operation trace image on the display section that is for guiding a movement of the moving character, said operation trace image having the shape of a line drawn displayed on the display section;

first display control for, based on the video game program, reading the moving character image data and the background image data stored in the image data storing locations to display the moving character and the background image on the display section;

second display control for displaying the operation trace image on the display section based on the video game program and the operation trace image data stored in the temporary storage locations; and

third display control for moving the moving character displayed on the display section along the operation trace image based on the video game program.