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Object selecting method

  • US 7,878,904 B2
  • Filed: 01/24/2005
  • Issued: 02/01/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2004
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A game apparatus, comprising:

  • a first input system that receives a first operation input by a user;

    a second input system that receives a second operation input by the user;

    a third input system that receives a third operation input by the user;

    a memory that stores, in association with object names, data of positions at which objects are in a three-dimensional coordinate system and data of positions at which the objects are in a screen coordinate system, the objects being divided into a plurality of groups depending on types, the plurality of groups including at least a first group including a user controlled character and friendly objects and a second group including enemy objects;

    a group selection controller that selects a selected group of the plurality of groups in response to the third operation input to the third input system;

    a list display controller that displays a list of selectable object names of selectable objects included in the selected group to be selected by the user on a display system;

    an object display controller that displays an object display area where at least one of the objects is displayed on the display system;

    a first selection display controller that selects, from the selectable object names of the selectable objects included in the selected group and displayed in the list, a selected object name in response to the first operation input to the first input system, and displays an associated object corresponding to the selected object name in a form indicating the associated object is selected when the associated object is displayed in the object display area;

    a second selection display controller that selects, from the selectable objects included in the selected group and displayed in the object display area, a selected object in response to the second operation input to the second input system, and displays an associated object name corresponding to the selected object and displayed in the list in a form indicating the associated object name is selected; and

    a determiner that determines whether the associated object corresponding to the selected object name is displayed in the object display area based on the data stored in the memory,wherein the object display area is distinct from the list of selectable object names,wherein the first selection display controller and the second selection display controller control the placement of an icon that points, in the object display area, to one of the selected object and the associated object corresponding to the selected object name,wherein the first selection display controller and the second selection display controller control the placement of a cursor that points, in the list, to one of the selected object name and the associated object name corresponding to the selected object,wherein the icon points in the direction of the associated object corresponding to the selected object name, based on the data stored in the memory, when the determiner determines that the associated object is not displayed in the object display area, andwherein the third operation input by the user to the third input system specifies the selected group from among the plurality of groups, the group selection controller directly selects the selected group in response to the third operation, and the objects and object names associated with the selected group are selectable via the first operation and the second operation.

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