Battle system

• US 7,883,414 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2008
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Umezaki, Shirou
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol; Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIERCE, DAMON JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US12/137,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20080248869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 463/2, 463/8, 463 16- 17, 463/20, 463 30- 34, 463 40- 44, 273236-237, 273/148.B, 273/148.R, 700/91, 340/323.R
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for presenting information in a video game. In one implementation, an entertainment system includes: a game console; a display device connected to said game console; and a video game application program; wherein when said game console executes said video game application program, said game console causes said display device to display an information gauge; wherein said information gauge includes: an action bar having a start end and a goal end, and a plurality of character icons presented at respective points on the action bar, each character icon representing a respective character in the video game; wherein said character icons move along said action bar over time in the direction from said start end to said goal end; and wherein when a character icon reaches said goal end, the character corresponding to that character icon has an opportunity to perform an action in the video game.

Claims

1. A method of displaying information on a display device while executing a video game by a user, said video game having graphically displayed battle characters that perform battle actions in said video game, and said method being performed by a user-operated game console that executes a video game program to perform the steps comprising:

displaying a bonus area on a display screen;

displaying on said display screen a plurality of money or item bonus icons separate and apart from said battle characters, said bonus icons being displayed in a row ending at said bonus area, each bonus icon representing a money bonus or an item bonus award to the user;

moving said bonus icons over time towards said bonus area while said video game is being played and at a rate of movement depending upon the actions performed by said battle characters of said video game, so that said bonus icons enter said bonus area one at a time; and

providing a player operating said game console a bonus corresponding to a bonus icon currently in said bonus area when an action concludes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a player in the video game a bonus corresponding to each bonus icon that has not yet reached said bonus area when said action concludes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said bonus icons move at a rate related to the type of said action.

4. A computer program, stored on a tangible storage medium, for use in displaying information on a display device while a user executes a video game, said video game having graphically displayed battle characters that perform battle actions in said video game, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

cause the display of a bonus area;

cause the display of a plurality of money or item bonus icons separate and apart from said battle characters, said bonus icons being displayed in a row ending at said bonus area, each bonus icon representing a money bonus or an item bonus award to the user ;

move said bonus icons over time towards said bonus area while said video game is being played and at a rate of movement depending upon the actions performed by said battle characters of said video game, so that said bonus icons enter said bonus area one at a time; and

provide a player of the video game a bonus corresponding to a bonus icon currently in said bonus area when an action concludes.

5. A system for displaying information on a display device while executing a video game by a user said video game having graphically displayed battle characters that perform battle actions in said video game, comprising:

means for displaying a bonus area;

means for displaying a plurality of money or item bonus icons separate and apart from said battle characters, said bonus icons being displayed in a row ending at said bonus area, each bonus icon representing a money bonus or an item bonus award to the user;

means for moving said bonus icons over time towards said bonus area while said video game is being played and at a rate of movement depending upon the actions performed by said battle characters of said video game, so that said bonus icons enter said bonus area one at a time; and

means for providing a player of the video game a bonus corresponding to a bonus icon currently in said bonus area when an action concludes.