Button encounter system

• US 7,833,096 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kaminagayoshi, Takehiro, Sakaguchi, Hironobu
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US11/221,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20070060342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 463/8, 463/31
• 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 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• 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 13/5372 for tagging characters, objects or locations in the game scene, e.g. displaying a circle under the character controlled by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1056 involving pressure sensitive buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

A video game system and method is described in which map scenes and battle scenes are used. A player character may move through the map scene, and upon encountering enemies to battle, an encounter area may be generated and displayed to show the user which enemies will be included in the subsequent battle scene, and which enemies will not be initially included in the battle scene.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by a processor perform a method for dynamically adjusting the size of an encounter area in a video game, comprising:

displaying a map scene including a player-controlled character and a plurality of enemy characters on a display device, wherein the map scene portrays a location of the player-controlled character with respect to a plurality of enemy characters in a topographical map display of the overall video game environment, and wherein no battle activities occur while the map scene is displayed;

displaying, on the display device, a map scene encounter area in the map scene in response to a player command, the map scene encounter area encompassing an area of the map scene where a first plurality of the enemy characters is within the map scene encounter area, and a second plurality of the enemy characters is outside of the map scene encounter area;

while the map scene encounter area is being displayed, receiving player input for dynamically adjusting a size of the map scene encounter area such that the number of enemy characters in the first plurality that is within the map scene encounter area changes, wherein the dynamic adjustment of the size of the map scene encounter area is independent of any attacks that the player-controlled character can perform during combat and based solely on the received player input;

after dynamically adjusting the size of the map scene encounter area, receiving a player command to engage in combat with the first plurality of enemy characters that are encompassed by the adjusted map scene encounter area; and

in response to the player command to engage in combat, replacing the map scene with a battle scene to resolve the combat between the player character and the first plurality of enemy characters that are encompassed by the adjusted map scene encounter area, the battle scene portraying the first plurality of enemy characters while omitting the second plurality of enemy characters;

after displaying the battle scene, receiving player input to engage in battle activities with one or more of the first plurality of enemy characters that are displayed in the battle scene; and

portraying, in the battle scene, the battle activities corresponding to the player input.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, the size of the map scene encounter area initially displayed in the map scene in response to a player command is based on a player character condition.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the step of dynamically adjusting the size of the map scene encounter area includes displaying an initial map scene encounter area immediately surrounding the player-controlled character, and increasing the map scene encounter area'"'"'s size for a duration in which a player presses a button.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the step of dynamically adjusting the size of the map scene encounter area includes a step of identifying a pressure with which a player presses a button.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the map scene encounter area comprises an aggregation of a plurality of map scene encounter areas associated with a plurality of characters.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the shape of the map scene encounter area is variable depending on the type of attack initiated by the player.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for simulating perception behavior in the plurality of enemy characters to perceive actions of the player character, and instructions for enemy character behavior responsive to the perception behavior.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions to simulate behavior of the second plurality of enemy characters during the battle scene;

and to add one or more of the second plurality of enemy characters to the battle scene after the battle scene has begun.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said instructions further include instructions for the following:

including in the battle scene all enemy characters that were within the map scene encounter area when the user command to engage in battle was received.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising displaying a transition animation between the map scene and the battle scene, the transition animation comprising at least one of fading or wiping.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the map scene encounter area has the shape of a shadow cast by the player-controlled character, and wherein dynamically adjusting the map scene encounter area comprises moving the player controlled character with respect to a light source in the map scene to encompass the first plurality of enemy characters.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the player character condition comprises the character'"'"'s equipment.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the shape of the map scene encounter area further is variable depending on geographic features of an area of the map scene affected by the attack.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the map scene encounter area does not encompass the player character.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the enemy character behavior responsive to the perception behavior includes instructions to approach an area of a perceived event.

16. A video game method for dynamically adjusting the size of an encounter area, comprising the steps of:

displaying a map scene including a player-controlled character and a plurality of enemy characters on a display device, wherein the map scene portrays a location of the player-controlled character with respect to a plurality of enemy characters in a topographical map display of the overall video game environment, and wherein no battle activities occur while the map scene is displayed;

displaying, on the display device, a map scene encounter area in the map scene in response to a player command, the map scene encounter area encompassing an area of the map scene where a first plurality of the enemy characters is within the map scene encounter area, and a second plurality of the enemy characters is outside of the map scene encounter area;

while the map scene encounter area is being displayed, receiving player input for dynamically adjusting a size of the map scene encounter area such that the number of enemy characters in the first plurality that is within the map scene encounter area changes prior to engaging in the battle activities, wherein the dynamic adjustment of the size of the map scene encounter area is independent of any attacks that the player-controlled character can perform during combat and based solely on the received player input;

after dynamically adjusting the size of the map scene encounter area, receiving a player command to engage in combat with the first plurality of enemy characters that are encompassed by the adjusted map scene encounter area; and

in response to the player command to engage in combat, replacing the map scene with a battle scene to resolve the combat between the player character and the first plurality of enemy characters that are encompassed by the adjusted map scene encounter area, the battle scene portraying the first plurality of enemy characters while omitting the second plurality of enemy characters;

after displaying the battle scene, receiving player input to engage in battle activities with one or more of the first plurality of enemy characters that are displayed in the battle scene; and

portraying, in the battle scene, the battle activities corresponding to the player input.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising offering the player an option to cancel combat with the first plurality of enemy characters who are within the map scene encounter area.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the size of the map scene encounter area initially displayed in the map scene in response to a player command is based on a player character condition.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising altering an appearance of all enemy characters who are within the map scene encounter area, and offering the player an opportunity to cancel combat with the identified enemy characters.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein displaying, on the display device, a map scene encounter area in the map scene in response to a player command includes the following:

defining individual encounter areas for individual members of a plurality of characters represented by the player-controlled character; and

aggregating the individual map scene encounter areas to form the map scene encounter area.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the condition of the player character comprises the character equipment and at least one attribute characteristic.