Apparatus and method for controlling clearing in a falling object game with a sequence bar

• US 7,717,781 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobcast Games Inc., Resonair Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bandai Company Limited (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.), Namco Bandai Games Inc. (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.), Q Entertainment, Inc.
• Inventors: Hattori, Ryuichi, Yokota, Katsumi, Kodera, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US11/138,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20050266908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 463/19, 463/20
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• 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 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• 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 2300/8094 Unusual game types, e.g. virtual cooking

Abstract

A computer game which makes the player operate a falling object that falls in a predetermined display area, and clears the falling object and falling stop objects by combining the falling object and falling stop objects under a predetermined condition. If falling stop objects including blocks that stop falling include a group of blocks which meet a predetermined clear condition, the group of blocks are registered as blocks to be cleared, and the control waits for a clear waiting state. Even in this waiting state, the next falling object begins to fall. After that, when a sequence bar (701) which moves vertically or horizontally in synchronism with a music output along with the progress of the game has passed the blocks to be cleared, these blocks are cleared.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

an operation unit that makes an operation input to a game, by which a player controls a falling object that falls within a predetermined display area, and clears the falling object and falling stop objects by combining the falling object and the falling stop objects under a predetermined condition,

a display unit which displays information associated with the game,

a computer-readable storage unit which stores data required to execute the game and program instructions, and

an audio output unit which outputs music along with progress of the game based on the stored data,

wherein execution of the program instructions by the processor controls the computer system to;

display the falling object at a falling start position by setting display position data of the falling object at the falling start position in the predetermined display area of the display unit;

change the display position data of the falling object to move the falling object displayed on the display unit in a lower direction of the display area independently of an operation input from the operation unit;

change the display position data of the falling object to move the falling object in the lower or horizontal direction of the display area in accordance with an operation input from the operation unit to the falling object;

stop, when the falling object reaches a falling stop position of the display area and satisfies a falling stop condition, falling of the falling object, and displaying the falling object as a falling stop object;

determine if the display position data of the falling stop object and display position data of other falling stop objects which are arranged around the falling stop object in advance satisfy clear conditions;

generate, when the clear conditions are satisfied, clear object data used to register a portion of the falling stop object which satisfies the clear conditions as an object to be cleared, and storing the generated data in the storage unit;

highlight the registered portion of the falling stop which satisfies the clear conditions;

display a sequence bar which moves in the display area in a direction which is different from the lower direction in synchronism with the music data which is read out from the storage unit and is output from the audio output unit along with progress of the game;

determine, on the basis of display position data of the sequence bar, if the sequence bar has moved past the portion of the falling stop object corresponding to the clear object data stored in the storage unit; and

clear, when it is determined that the sequence bar has moved past the highlighted portion of the falling stop object corresponding to the stored clear object data, the display of the highlighted portion corresponding to said stored clear object data while maintaining the display of other portions of the falling stop object that have not been determined to satisfy the clear conditions.

2. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein:

the falling object is formed of at least one small block, and

at least one of the clear conditions is to form a predetermined pattern by the at least one small block and small blocks included in the falling stop objects.

3. The computer system according to claim 2, wherein the program instructions control the computer system to:

read out display data of the pattern as the clear condition from the storage unit, and

display the pattern on the display unit.

4. The computer system according to claim 3, wherein the program instructions control the computer system to:

read out, when the pattern displayed on the display unit is formed by the falling stop objects, display data associated with a next pattern from the storage unit, and

display the next pattern on the display unit.

5. A game apparatus having a processor and a computer-readable recording medium having program instructions recorded thereon, wherein execution of the program instructions by the processor cause the game apparatus to provide a game in which a player operates a operation input unit to control a falling object that falls within a predetermined display area of a display unit to clear the falling object and falling stop objects by combining the falling object and the falling stop objects under a predetermined condition, the apparatus comprising:

means for displaying a falling object at a falling start position of a predetermined display area;

means for displaying the displayed falling object to move in a lower direction of the display area independently of an operation input from the player;

means for displaying the falling object to move in the lower or horizontal direction of the display area in accordance with an operation input to the falling object;

means for, when the falling object reaches a falling stop position of the display area and satisfies a falling stop condition, stopping falling of the falling object, and displaying the falling object as a falling stop object;

means for determining if the falling stop object and other falling stop objects which are arranged around the falling stop object in advance satisfy clear conditions;

means for, when the clear conditions are satisfied, registering a portion of the falling stop object which satisfies the clear conditions as an object to be cleared;

means for highlighting the registered portion of the falling stop object which satisfies the clear conditions;

means for displaying a sequence bar which moves in a direction which is different from the lower direction in the display area in synchronism with a music which is output along with progress of a game; and

means for, when the sequence bar has passed the portion of the falling stop object registered as the object to be cleared, clearing the highlighted portion of the falling stop object while maintaining the display of other portions of the falling stop object that have not been determined to satisfy the clear conditions.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the falling object is formed of at least one small block, and

at least one of the clear conditions is to form a predetermined pattern by the at least one small block and small blocks included in the falling stop objects.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising means for reading out display data of the pattern as the clear condition, and displaying the pattern on the display unit.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising means for, when the displayed pattern is formed by the falling stop objects, reading out and displaying display data associated with a next pattern.

9. A method of controlling a game apparatus having:

a processor,

an operation unit that receives an operation input from a player to a game,

a display unit which displays information associated with the game,

a computer-readable storage unit which stores data required to execute the game and program instructions, and

an audio output unit which outputs music along with progress of the game based on the stored data,

wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, control the game apparatus to perform the game in which the player uses the operation unit to control a falling object that falls within a predetermined display area of the display unit, and clears the falling object and falling stop objects by combining the falling object and the falling stop objects under a predetermined condition,

the method comprising;

a step of displaying on the display unit the falling object at a falling start position by setting by the processor display position data of the falling object at the falling start position in the predetermined display area of the display unit;

a step of changing by the processor the display position data of the falling object to move the falling object displayed on the display unit in a lower direction of the display area independently of an operation input from the operation unit;

a step of changing by the processor the display position data of the falling object to move the falling object in the lower or horizontal direction of the display area of the display unit in accordance with an operation input from the operation unit to the falling object;

a step of stopping by the processor, when the falling object reaches a falling stop position of the display area and satisfies a falling stop condition, falling of the falling object, and displaying on the display unit the falling object as a falling stop object;

a step of determining by the processor if the display position data of the falling stop object and display position data of other falling stop objects which are arranged around the falling stop object in advance satisfy clear conditions;

a step of generating by the processor, when the clear conditions are satisfied, clear object data used to register a portion of the falling stop object which satisfies the clear conditions as an object to be cleared, and storing the generated data in the storage unit;

a step of highlighting on the display unit the registered portion of the falling stop which satisfies the clear conditions;

a step of displaying on the display unit a sequence bar which moves in the display area in a direction which is different from the lower direction in synchronism with the music data which is read out from the storage unit and is output from the audio output unit along with progress of the game;

a step of determining by the processor, on the basis of display position data of the sequence bar, if the sequence bar has moved past the portion of the falling stop object corresponding to the clear object data stored in the storage unit; and

a step of clearing from the display unit, when it is determined that the sequence bar has moved past the highlighted portion of the falling stop object corresponding to the clear object data stored in the storage unit, the display of the highlighted portion corresponding to the stored clear object data while maintaining the display of other portions of the falling stop object that have not been determined to satisfy the clear conditions.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein:

the falling object is formed of at least one small block, and

at least one of the clear conditions is to form a predetermined pattern by the at least one small block and small blocks included in the falling stop objects.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of reading out display data of the pattern as the clear condition from the storage unit, and displaying the pattern on the display unit.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising a step of reading out, when the pattern displayed on the display unit is formed by the falling stop objects, display data associated with a next pattern from the storage unit, and displaying the next pattern on the display unit.

13. A game apparatus having a processor and a computer-readable recording medium having program instructions recorded thereon, wherein said program instructions, when executed by the processor, control the game apparatus to provide a game of clearing a falling object which falls in a predetermined display area of a display unit, and falling objects, which have already fallen to a falling stop position, in a predetermined combination, the apparatus comprising:

control means for operating the falling object in accordance with a player'"'"'s operation input;

display means for displaying the falling object and a moving object, which is movable in the predetermined display area along with progress of a game, in the predetermined display area, wherein directions of the falling object and the moving object are different from each other;

determination means for determining if the falling object and falling objects that have fallen to the falling stop position satisfy the predetermined combination;

registration means for registering the falling objects, which is determined by said determination means to satisfy the predetermined combination, of the falling object and the falling objects that have fallen to the falling stop position;

highlighting means for highlighting the registered falling objects that have been determined to satisfy the predetermined combination; and

clearing means for clearing the highlighted falling objects registered by said registration means when the moving object moves on the falling objects registered by said registration means while maintaining the display of other portions of the falling stop object that have not been determined to satisfy the predetermined combination.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

storage means for storing music data; and

audio output means for audibly outputting the music data,

wherein the moving object is movable in the predetermined display area in synchronism with the music data output from said audio output means.

15. A game apparatus having a processor and a computer-readable recording medium having program instructions recorded thereon, wherein said program instructions, when executed by the processor, control the game apparatus to provide a game of clearing a falling object which falls in a predetermined display area of a display unit, and falling objects, which have already fallen to a falling stop position, in a predetermined combination, said game apparatus comprising:

operation means for operating the falling object in accordance with a player'"'"'s operation input;

display means for displaying the falling object in the predetermined display area, the falling object falling in a first direction;

determination means for determining if the falling object and falling objects that have fallen to the falling stop position satisfy the predetermined combination;

registration means for registering the falling objects, which is determined by said determination means to satisfy the predetermined combination, of the falling object and the falling objects that have fallen to the falling stop position;

highlighting means for highlighting the registered falling objects that have been determined to satisfy the predetermined combination;

storage means for storing music data output along with the progress of the game;

audio output means for audibly outputting the music data;

clearing means for, when a predetermined part of the music data is output from said audio output means, clearing the highlighted falling objects registered by said registration means while maintaining the display of other portions of the falling stop object that have not been determined to satisfy the predetermined combination.

16. A computer-readable recording medium having computer program recorded thereon that, when executed by a processor, causes a computer to perform a game in which a player uses an operation input device to control a falling object that falls within a predetermined display area of a display device, and clears the falling object and falling stop objects by combining the falling object and the falling stop objects under a predetermined condition, said computer program causing the computer to execute operations comprising:

displaying a falling object at a falling start position by setting display position data of the falling object at the falling start position in the predetermined display area of the display device;

changing the display position data of the falling object to move the falling object displayed on the display device in a lower direction of the display area independently of an operation input from an operation input device;

changing the display position data of the falling object to move the falling object in the lower or horizontal direction of the display area in accordance with an operation input from the operation input device to the falling object;

stopping, when the falling object reaches a falling stop position of the display area and satisfies a falling stop condition, falling of the falling object, and displaying the falling object as a falling stop object;

determining if the display position data of the falling stop object and display position data of other falling stop objects which are arranged around the falling stop object in advance satisfy clear conditions;

generating, when the clear conditions are satisfied, clear object data used to register a portion of the falling stop object which satisfies the clear conditions as an object to be cleared, and storing the generated data in a computer-readable storage device;

displaying highlighting of the registered portion of the falling stop which satisfies the clear conditions;

displaying a sequence bar which moves in the display area in a direction which is different from the lower direction in synchronism with the music data which is read out from the computer-readable storage device and is output from an audio output device along with progress of the game;

determining, on the basis of display position data of the sequence bar, if the sequence bar has moved past the portion of the falling stop object corresponding to the clear object data stored in the computer-readable storage device; and

clearing, when it is determined that the sequence bar has moved past the highlighted portion of the falling stop object corresponding to the stored clear object data, the display of the highlighted portion corresponding to said stored clear object data while maintaining the display of other portions of the falling stop object that have not been determined to satisfy the clear conditions.