Game program and game machine for game character and target image processing

• US 7,771,279 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohta, Keizo, Miyamoto, Shigeru, Akasaka, Hideya
• Primary Examiner(s): PANDYA, SUNIT
• Application Number:
  US10/925,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20050187023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,176 Days
• Field of Search: 463/2, 463/8, 463 30- 34, 463/37
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• 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 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 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 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

On a display screen, a game image including a plurality of target images and a game character image is displayed. The target images moves so as to pass over the game character image. When an input is provided from a player onto a touch panel, input coordinates are detected. In response, display coordinates of each target image at the time of the input are detected. When display coordinates located within a predetermined range from the input coordinates are present, specified coordinates are determined based on at least one of a position represented by display coordinates and a position represented by the input coordinates. The game character has characteristic parameters which are varied in accordance with a positional relation between the specified coordinates and the game character image.

Claims

1. A data storage medium having stored therein a game program causing a computer of a game machine, including a display screen for displaying a game image and a touch panel covering the display screen, to perform a method comprising:

a display control step of displaying, on the display screen, a game image, including at least one targeting image selectable by a player and indicative of a target to be specified by a player and including a game character image that is different from the at least one targeting image;

a movement control step of moving the at least one targeting image substantially independent of the game character image so that the at least one targeting image at least temporarily passes over the game character image;

an input coordinate detecting step of detecting, when the player provides an input onto the touch panel, input coordinates indicative of a position of the input on the display screen;

a specified coordinate determining step of determining, when display coordinates of any one of the plurality of targeting images, at the time of the input provided from the player onto the touch panel, and the input coordinates are within a predetermined range, that the targeting image has been specified by the player, and determining, based on at least one of a position represented by the display coordinates and a position represented by the input coordinates, specified coordinates indicative of a position specified by the player; and

a parameter updating step of varying a characteristic parameter, indicative of a characteristic of a game character represented by the game character image, based on a positional relation between the specified coordinates and the game character image.

2. The data storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the game program further causes the computer to perform a movement stopping step of stopping the movement of the targeting image specified by the player, when the specified coordinates are determined.

3. The data storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

in the parameter updating step, when the specified coordinates represent a position on the game character image, the characteristic parameter of the game character represented by the game character image is varied.

4. The data storage medium according to claim 3, wherein

an area where the game character image is displayed includes a plurality of decision coordinate areas defined in association with the area, and

in the parameter updating step, a degree of variance of the characteristic parameter is changed in accordance with one of the plurality of decision coordinate areas that includes the specified coordinates.

5. The data storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the steps further comprise a time keeping step of keeping an elapsed time from the start of the movement of the plurality of targeting images, and

the movement control step, the input coordinate detecting step, the display coordinate detecting step, and the specified coordinate determining step are repeated until the elapsed time exceeds a predetermined limit time.

6. The data storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the steps further comprise a number-of-inputs counting step of counting the number of inputs provided from the player onto the touch panel after the start of the movement of the targeting images, and

the movement control step, the input coordinate detecting step, the display coordinate detecting step, and the specified coordinate determining step are repeated until the number of inputs exceeds a predetermined number.

7. The data storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the game character image displayed in the display control step is an image of at least one of a plurality of game characters stored in advance in the game machine, and

the steps further comprise a first changing step of changing at least one of a size, a number, a moving pattern, and a moving speed of each of the plurality of targeting images in accordance with a type of the game character.

8. The data storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the steps further comprise:

a skill information storing step of storing, as skill information of the player, at least one of the number of points represented by the specified coordinates determined within a predetermined time, a distance between the point represented by the input coordinates and the point represented by the display coordinates, and a ratio of the points represented by the specified coordinates, determined with the predetermined time, with respect to the number of inputs provided onto the touch panel within the predetermined time; and

a second changing step of changing, in accordance with the skill information, at least one of a size, a number, a moving pattern, and a moving speed of each of the plurality of targeting images to be displayed after the skill information is stored.

9. The data storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the steps further comprise a character movement control step of moving the game character image when the plurality of targeting images are moved.

10. The data storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the steps further comprise a moving speed changing step of changing a moving speed of the targeting image when the targeting image passes over an entire or part of an area of the game character image.

11. The data storage medium according to claim 10, wherein

an area where the game character image is displayed includes a plurality of decision coordinate areas defined in association with the area,

in the image display changing step, the moving speed of the targeting image is increased when the targeting image passes over a predetermined one of the plurality of decision coordinate areas, and

in the parameter updating step, when the specified coordinates are included in the predetermined decision coordinate area, a degree of variance of the characteristic parameter is increased by a greater amount compared with a case where the specified coordinates are included in one of the decision coordinate areas other than the predetermined decision coordinate area.

12. The data storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the steps further comprise an image display changing step of decreasing a size of the targeting image when passing over an entire or part of the game character image, and

in the specified coordinate determining step, a size of the predetermined range is changed in accordance with the size of the targeting image.

13. The data storage medium according to claim 12, wherein

an area where the game character image is displayed includes a plurality of decision coordinate areas defined in association with the area,

in the moving speed changing step, the size of the targeting image is decreased when the targeting image passes over a predetermined one of the plurality of decision coordinate areas, and

in the parameter updating step, when the specified coordinates are included in the predetermined decision coordinate area, a degree of variance of the characteristic parameter is increased by a greater amount compared with a case where the specified coordinates are included in one of the decision coordinate areas other than the predetermined decision coordinate area.

14. The data storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of targeting images are of types different in appearance, and

in the parameter updating step, the characteristic parameter is changed differently in accordance with a type of the targeting image represented by the specified coordinates.

15. The data storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the game character is a player character controlled based on input from the player.

16. The data storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the game image also includes a player character that is controlled based on input from the player, and the game character is an enemy character.

17. The data storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the game character image is movable independent of the at least one targeting image such that the game character image and the at least one targeting image are simultaneously movable.

18. A data storage medium having stored therein a game program causing a computer of a game machine, including a display screen for displaying a game image and a touch panel covering the display screen, to perform the steps comprising:

a display control step of displaying, on the display screen, a game image, including a targeting image selectable by a player and indicative of a target to be specified by a player and including a game character image that is different from the targeting image;

a movement control step of moving the targeting image substantially independent of the game character image so that the targeting image at least temporarily passes over the game character image;

an input coordinate detecting step of detecting, when the player provides an input onto the touch panel, input coordinates indicative of a position of the input on the display screen;

a specified coordinate determining step of determining, when display coordinates of the targeting image at the time of the input provided from the player onto the touch panel and the input coordinates are within a predetermined range, that the targeting image has been specified by the player, and determining, based on at least one of a position represented by the display coordinates and a position represented by the input coordinates, specified coordinates indicative of a position specified by the player; and

a parameter updating step of varying a characteristic parameter, indicative of a characteristic of a game character represented by the game character image, based on a positional relation between the specified coordinates and the game character image.

19. The data storage medium according to claim 18, wherein

the game program further causes the computer to perform a movement stopping step of stopping the movement of the targeting image specified by the player, when the specified coordinates are determined.

20. The data storage medium according to claim 18, wherein

in the parameter updating step, when the specified coordinates represent a position on the game character image, the characteristic parameter of the game character represented by the game character image is varied.

21. The data storage medium according to claim 20, wherein

an area where the game character image is displayed includes a plurality of decision coordinate areas defined in association with the area, and

in the parameter updating step, a degree of variance of the characteristic parameter is changed in accordance with one of the plurality of decision coordinate areas that includes the specified coordinates.

22. The data storage medium according to claim 18, wherein

the steps further comprise a time keeping step of keeping an elapsed time from the start of the movement of the targeting image, and

the movement control step, the input coordinate detecting step, the display coordinate detecting step, and the specified coordinate determining step are repeated until the elapsed time exceeds a predetermined limit time.

23. The data storage medium according to claim 18, wherein

the steps further comprise a number-of-inputs counting step of counting the number of inputs provided from the player onto the touch panel after the start of the movement of the targeting image, and

the movement control step, the input coordinate detecting step, the display coordinate detecting step, and the specified coordinate determining step are repeated until the number of inputs exceeds a predetermined number of times.

24. The data storage medium according to claim 18, wherein

the game character image displayed in the display control step is an image of at least one of a plurality of game characters stored in advance in the game machine, and

the steps further comprise a first changing step of changing at least one of a size, a number, a moving pattern, and a moving speed of the targeting image, in accordance with a type of the game character.

25. The data storage medium according to claim 18, wherein

the steps further comprise:

a skill information storing step of storing, as skill information of the player, at least one of the number of points represented by the specified coordinates determined within a predetermined time, a distance between the point represented by the input coordinates and the point represented by the display coordinates, and a ratio of the points represented by the specified coordinates determined with the predetermined time with respect to the number of inputs provided onto the touch panel within the predetermined time; and

a second changing step of changing, in accordance with the skill information, at least one of a size, a number, a moving pattern, and a moving speed of the targeting image to be displayed after the skill information is stored.

26. The data storage medium according to claim 18, wherein

the steps further include a character movement control step of moving the game character image when the targeting image is moved.

27. The data storage medium according to claim 18, wherein

the steps further comprise a moving speed changing step of changing a moving speed of the targeting image when the target image passes over an entire or part of an area of the game character image.

28. The data storage medium according to claim 27, wherein

an area where the game character image is displayed includes a plurality of decision coordinate areas defined in association with the area,

in the moving speed changing step, the moving speed of the targeting image is increased when the targeting image passes over a predetermined one of the plurality of decision coordinate areas, and

in the parameter updating step, when the specified coordinates are included in the predetermined decision coordinate area, a degree of variance of the characteristic parameter is increased by a greater amount, compared with a case where the specified coordinates are included in one of the plurality of decision coordinate areas other than the predetermined decision coordinate area.

29. The data storage medium according to claim 18, wherein

the steps further comprise an image display changing step of decreasing a size of the targeting image when passing over an entire or part of the game character image, and

in the specified coordinate determining step, a size of the predetermined range is changed in accordance with the size of the targeting image.

30. The data storage medium according to claim 29, wherein

an area where the game character image is displayed includes a plurality of decision coordinate areas defined in association with the area,

in the image display changing step, the size of the targeting image is decreased when the targeting image passes over a predetermined one of the plurality of decision coordinate areas, and

in the parameter updating step, when the specified coordinates are included in the predetermined decision coordinate area, a degree of variance of the characteristic parameter is increased by a greater amount, compared with a case where the specified coordinates are included in one of the plurality of decision coordinate areas other than the predetermined decision coordinate area.

31. The data storage medium according to claim 18, wherein the game character is a player character controlled based on input from the player.

32. The data storage medium according to claim 18, wherein the game image also includes a player character that is controlled based on input from the player, and the game character is an enemy character.

33. The data storage medium according to claim 18, wherein the game character image is movable independent of the targeting image such that the game character image and the targeting image are simultaneously movable.

35. The data storage medium according to claim 21, wherein the game character is a player character controlled based on input from the player.

34. A data storage medium having stored therein a game program causing a computer of a game machine, including a display screen for displaying a game image and a touch panel covering the display screen, to perform a method comprising:

a display control step of displaying, on the display screen, a game image, including at least one targeting image selectable by a player and indicative of a target to be specified by a player and including a game character image that is different from the at least one targeting image;

a movement control step of moving the at least one targeting image substantially independent of the game character image on the game image;

an input coordinate detecting step of detecting, when the player provides an input onto the touch panel, input coordinates indicative of a position of the input on the display screen;

a specified coordinate determining step of determining, when display coordinates of any one of the targeting images at the time of the input provided from the player onto the touch panel and the input coordinates are within a predetermined range, specified coordinates indicative of a position specified by the player, based on at least one of a position represented by the display coordinates and a position represented by the input coordinates; and

a game image changing step of changing a display state of the game image, based on a positional relation among positions represented by the specified coordinates determined in the specified coordinate determining step.

36. The data storage medium according to claim 34, wherein the game image also includes a player character that is controlled based on input from the player, and the game character is an enemy character.

37. The data storage medium according to claim 34, wherein the game character image is movable independent of the at least one targeting image such that the game character image and the at least one targeting image are simultaneously movable.

38. A game machine including a display screen for displaying a game image and a touch panel covering the display screen, comprising:

a display controller that displays, on the display screen, a game image, including at least one targeting image selectable by a player and indicative of a target to be specified by a player and including a game character image that is different from the at least one targeting image;

a movement controller that moves the at least one targeting image substantially independent of the game character image so that the at least one targeting image at least temporarily passes over the game character image;

an input coordinate detector that detects, when the player provides an input onto the touch panel, input coordinates indicative of a position of the input on the display screen;

a specified coordinate determining mechanism that determines, when display coordinates of any one of the targeting images at the time of the input provided from the player onto the touch panel and the input coordinates are within a predetermined range, that the targeting image has been specified by the player, and determines, based on at least one of a position represented by the display coordinates and a position represented by the input coordinates, specified coordinates indicative of a position specified by the player; and

a parameter updater that varies a characteristic parameter indicative of a characteristic of a game character represented by the game character image, based on a positional relation between the specified coordinates and the game character image.

39. The game machine according to claim 38, wherein the game character is a player character controlled based on input from the player.

40. The game machine according to claim 38, wherein the game image also includes a player character that is controlled based on input from the player, and the game character is an enemy character.

41. The game machine according to claim 38, wherein the game character image is movable independent of the at least one targeting image such that the game character image and the at least one targeting image are simultaneously movable.

42. A game machine including a display screen for displaying a game image and a touch panel covering the display screen, comprising:

a display controller that displays, on the display screen, a game image, including a game character image and a targeting image selectable by a player and indicative of a target to be specified by a player and including a game character image that is different from the targeting image;

a movement controller that moves the targeting image substantially independent of the game character image so that targeting image at least temporarily passes over the game character image;

an input coordinate detector that detects, when the player provides an input onto the touch panel, input coordinates indicative of a position of the input on the display screen;

a specified coordinate determining mechanism that determines, when display coordinates of the targeting image at the time of the input provided from the player onto the touch panel and the input coordinates are within a predetermined range, that the targeting image has been specified by the player, and determines, based on at least one of a position represented by the display coordinates and a position represented by the input coordinates, specified coordinates indicative of a position specified by the player; and

a parameter updater that varies a characteristic parameter, indicative of a characteristic of a game character represented by the game character image, based on a positional relation between the specified coordinates and the game character image.

43. The game machine according to claim 42, wherein the game character is a player character controlled based on input from the player.

44. The game machine according to claim 42, wherein the game image also includes a player character that is controlled based on input from the player, and the game character is an enemy character.

45. The game machine according to claim 42, wherein the game character image is movable independent of the targeting image such that the game character image and the targeting image are simultaneously movable.

46. A game machine including a display screen for displaying a game image and a touch panel covering the display screen, comprising:

a display controller that displays, on the display screen, a game image including at least one targeting image selectable by a player and indicative of a target to be specified by a player and including a game character image that is different from the at least one targeting image;

a movement controller that moves the at least one targeting image substantially independent of the game character image on the game image;

an input coordinate detector that detects, when the player provides an input onto the touch panel, input coordinates indicative of a position of the input on the display screen;

a specified coordinate determining mechanism that determines, when display coordinates of any one of the targeting images at the time of the input provided from the player onto the touch panel and the input coordinates are within a predetermined range, specified coordinates indicative of a position specified by the player, based on at least one of a position represented by the display coordinates and a position represented by the input coordinates; and

a game image changing mechanism that changes a display state of the game image, based on a positional relation among positions represented by the specified coordinates determined by the specified coordinate determining means.

47. The game machine according to claim 46, wherein the game character is a player character controlled based on input from the player.

48. The game machine according to claim 46, wherein the game image also includes a player character that is controlled based on input from the player, and the game character is an enemy character.

49. The game machine according to claim 46, wherein the game character image is movable independent of the at least one targeting image such that the game character image and the at least one targeting image are simultaneously movable.