Game apparatus, storage medium storing a game program, and game controlling method

• US 7,884,822 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2006
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Saito, Shinya, Yokoo, Kenichi, Watanabe, Yasunari
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHU K
• Application Number:
  US11/515,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20070052712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 345/427, 345/473, 345/474, 345/475, 345/629, 345/642, 345/679, 463/36, 463/46, 715/805, 715/850
• US Class Current: 345/427
• 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 13/5252 using two or more virtual cameras concurrently or sequentially, e.g. automatically switching between fixed virtual cameras when a character changes room or displaying a rear-mirror view in a car-driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/828 Managing virtual sport teams
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/306 for displaying a marker associated to an object or location in the game field
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6669 using a plurality of virtual cameras concurrently or sequentially, e.g. automatically switching between fixed virtual cameras when a character change rooms
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6692 using special effects, generally involving post-processing, e.g. blooming
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

A game apparatus includes a first LCD and a second LCD, and on the first LCD, a two-dimensional game screen including objects positioned in a two-dimensional coordinate is displayed. When a two-dimensional coordinate of a specific object out of the objects positioned in the two-dimensional coordinate satisfies a predetermined condition, a three-dimensional coordinate of each of the objects is calculated on the basis of the two-dimensional coordinate of each of the objects. The object is modeled in the calculated three-dimensional coordinate, moved by a predetermined animation, and then shot by a virtual camera. Accordingly, a game screen of an image (animation) of the three-dimensional virtual space shot by the virtual camera is displayed on the second LCD.

Claims

1. A game apparatus, comprising:

object arranging programmed logic circuitry for arranging a first object and a second object in a first virtual game world, and performing a movement control on at least one of the first object and the second object;

a first game image display controller for generating a game image panoramically or planarly representing the first virtual game world on the basis of an arrangement state by the object arranging programmed logic circuitry, and displaying it on a first display portion;

determining programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not a positional relationship between the first object and the second object satisfies a predetermined condition in the first virtual game world; and

a second game image display controller for, when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative, setting a virtual camera in a three-dimensional second virtual game world on the basis of at least one of a first object position and a second object position in the first virtual game world, arranging at least one of the first object and the second object in the second virtual game world, generating a game image by shooting the second virtual game world with the virtual camera in such a manner as to include at least one of said first object and said second object which are arranged, and displaying it on a second display portion, wherein

said determining programmed logic circuitry determines whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said first virtual game world is below a predetermined distance.

2. The game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

camera setting programmed logic circuitry for determining at least one of a position and a direction of said virtual camera on the basis of said first object position and said second object position in said first virtual game world when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative;

first object position determining programmed logic circuitry for determining said first object position in said second virtual game world on the basis of said first object position in said first virtual game world; and

second object position determining programmed logic circuitry for determining said second object position in said second virtual game world on the basis of said second object position in said first virtual game world, wherein

said camera setting programmed logic circuitry determines at least one of a position and a direction of said virtual camera in such a manner as to shoot both of said first object and said second object.

3. The game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

camera position determining programmed logic circuitry for determining a position of said virtual camera on the basis of said first object position in said first virtual game world when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative;

first object position determining programmed logic circuitry for determining said first object position in said second virtual game world on the basis of said first object position in said first virtual game world;

second object position determining programmed logic circuitry for determining said second object position in said second virtual game world on the basis of said second object position in said first virtual game world; and

camera direction determining programmed logic circuitry for determining a direction of said virtual camera in such a manner as to shoot both of said first object and said second object.

4. The game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

camera position determining programmed logic circuitry for determining a position of said virtual camera on the basis of said first object position in said first virtual game world when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative;

second object position determining programmed logic circuitry for determining said second object position in said second virtual game world on the basis of said second object position in said first virtual game world; and

camera direction determining programmed logic circuitry for determining a direction of said virtual camera in such a manner as to shoot said second object.

5. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said second game image display controller sets said virtual camera in said second virtual game world on the basis of at least said first object position in said first virtual game world, arranges at least said second object in said second virtual game world, generates said game image by shooting said second virtual game world with said virtual camera in such a manner as to include at least said second object, and displays it on said second display portion.

6. The game apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

said second game image display controller includes a camera direction determining programmed logic circuitry for determining a direction of said virtual camera on the basis of at least said second object position in said second virtual game world.

7. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said second game image display controller includes camera direction determining programmed logic circuitry for determining a direction of said virtual camera on the basis of a direction or a moving direction of at least said first object in said first virtual game world.

8. The game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

input accepting programmed logic circuitry for accepting an operation input from a player when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative, and

object action state determining programmed logic circuitry for determining an action or a state of at least one of said first object and said second object in said first virtual game world in response to the operation input accepted by said input accepting programmed logic circuitry.

9. The game apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

coordinate input programmed logic circuitry for inputting a coordinate to a second display to display the game image generated by said second game image display controller, wherein

said input accepting programmed logic circuitry accepts the operation input from a player by said coordinate input programmed logic circuitry when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative.

10. The game apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

input region setting programmed logic circuitry for setting an input region to said second display portion which displays the game image generated by said second game image display controller on the basis of at least one of said first object position and said second object position in said first virtual game world, wherein

said object action state determining programmed logic circuitry determines an action or a state of at least one of said first object and said second object in said first virtual game world according to the comparison result between the coordinate by the operation input from the player accepted by said input accepting programmed logic circuitry and said input region set by said input region setting programmed logic circuitry.

11. A game apparatus, comprising:

object arranging programmed logic circuitry for arranging a first object and a second object in a two-dimensional virtual game world, and performing a movement control on at least one of said first object and said second object;

a first game image display controller for generating a game image representing said two-dimensional virtual game world on the basis of an arrangement state by said object arranging programmed logic circuitry, and displaying it on a first display portion;

determining programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object satisfies a predetermined condition in said two-dimensional virtual game world; and

a second game image display controller for, when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative, setting a virtual camera in a three-dimensional virtual game world on the basis of at least one of a first object position and a second object position in said second virtual game world, arranging at least one of said first object and said second object in said three-dimensional virtual game world, generating a game image by shooting said three-dimensional virtual game world with said virtual camera in such a manner as to include at least one of said first object and said second object which are arranged, and displaying it on a second display portion, wherein

said determining programmed logic circuitry determines whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said two-dimensional virtual game world is below a predetermined distance.

12. A game apparatus, comprising:

object arranging programmed logic circuitry for arranging a first object and a second object in a three-dimensional virtual game world, and performing a movement control on at least one of said first object and said second object;

a first game image display controller for generating a game image shot by a virtual camera which is directed to a fixed direction on the basis of the arrangement state by said object arranging programmed logic circuitry and shoots said three-dimensional virtual game world including at least one of said first object and said second object, and displaying it on a first display portion;

determining programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object satisfies a predetermined condition in said three-dimensional virtual game world; and

a second game image display controller for, when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative, setting a virtual camera on the basis of at least one of said first object position and said second object position in said three-dimensional virtual game world, generating a game image by shooting said three-dimensional virtual game world with said virtual camera, and displaying it on a second display portion, wherein

said determining programmed logic circuitry determines whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said three-dimensional virtual game world is below a predetermined distance.

13. The game apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

camera setting programmed logic circuitry for determining at least one of a position and a direction of said virtual camera on the basis of said first object position and said second object position in said three-dimensional virtual game world when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative, wherein

said camera setting programmed logic circuitry determines the direction of said virtual camera in such a manner as to include both of said first object and said second object.

14. The game apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

camera position determining programmed logic circuitry for determining the position said virtual camera on the basis of said first object position in said three-dimensional virtual game world when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative, and

camera direction determining programmed logic circuitry for determining the direction of said virtual camera in such a manner as to shoot both of said first object and said second object.

15. The game apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

camera position determining programmed logic circuitry for determining the position of said virtual camera on the basis of said first object position in said three-dimensional virtual game world when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative, and

camera direction determining programmed logic circuitry for determining the direction of said virtual camera in such a manner as to shoot said second object.

16. The game apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

said second game image display controller sets said virtual camera on the basis of at least said first object position, generates said game image by shooting said three-dimensional virtual game world with said virtual camera in such a manner as to include at least said second object, and displays it on said second display portion.

17. The game apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

said second game image display controller includes camera direction determining programmed logic circuitry for determining the direction of said virtual camera on the basis of at least said second object position.

18. The game apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

said second game image display controller includes camera direction determining programmed logic circuitry for setting said virtual camera on the basis of at least said first object position, and determining the direction of said virtual camera on the basis of at least a direction or a moving direction of said first object.

19. The game apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

said determining programmed logic circuitry determines whether or not the positional relationship between said first object and said second object is below the predetermined distance.

20. The game apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

input accepting programmed logic circuitry for accepting an operation input from the player when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative, and

said object action state determining programmed logic circuitry for determining an action or a state of at least one of said first object and said second object in response to the operation input accepted by said input accepting programmed logic circuitry.

21. The game apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising:

coordinate input programmed logic circuitry for inputting a coordinate to a second display portion to display the game image generated by said second game image display controller, wherein

said input accepting programmed logic circuitry accepts the operation input from the player by said coordinate input programmed logic circuitry when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative.

22. The game apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

input region setting programmed logic circuitry for setting an input region to said second display portion which displays the game image generated by said second game image display controller on the basis of at least one of said first object position and said second object position, wherein

said action state determining programmed logic circuitry determines an action or a state of at least one of said first object and said second object according to the comparison result between the coordinate of the operation input from the player accepted by said input accepting programmed logic circuitry and said input region set by said input region setting programmed logic circuitry.

23. A game apparatus, comprising:

object arranging programmed logic circuitry for arranging a first object and a second object in a three-dimensional virtual game world, and performing a movement control on at least one of said first object and said second object;

a first game image display controller for generating a game image obtained by panoramically or planarly shooting said three-dimensional virtual game world with said first virtual camera on the basis of an arrangement state by said object arranging programmed logic circuitry and displaying it on a first display portion;

determining programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object satisfies a predetermined condition in said three-dimensional virtual game world; and

a second game image display controller for, when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative, setting a second virtual camera on the basis of said first object position and said second object position in said three-dimensional virtual game world, generating a game image by shooting said three-dimensional virtual game world with said second virtual camera, and displaying it on a second display portion, wherein

said determining programmed logic circuitry determines whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said three-dimensional virtual game world is below a predetermined distance.

24. A game apparatus, comprising

determining programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not a positional relationship between a first object and a second object in a two-dimensional coordinate system satisfies a predetermined condition;

and

camera setting programmed logic circuitry for setting a virtual camera to be arranged in a three-dimensional virtual game world on the basis of said first object position and said second object position when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative, wherein

said determining programmed logic circuitry determines whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said two-dimensional coordinate system is below a predetermined distance.

25. The game apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising:

an image display for displaying a shooting result by said virtual camera as a game screen;

a pointing device provided in association with said image display; and

object action state determining programmed logic circuitry for determining an action or state of at least one of said first object and said second object in response to an input to said game screen displayed by said image display with said pointing device.

26. A game apparatus, comprising:

a first game image display for displaying a first game image as to a first range in a virtual game world;

a second game image display for displaying a second game image as to a second range narrower than the first range in said virtual game world;

determining programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not a positional relationship between a first object and a second object displayed on said first game image satisfies a predetermined condition; and

camera setting programmed logic circuitry for setting a position and a direction of a virtual camera to display said second game image on the basis of said first object position and said second object position which are displayed on said first game image when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative, wherein

said determining programmed logic circuitry determines whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said virtual game world is below a predetermined distance.

27. A storage medium storing a game program,

said game program causes a processor of a game apparatus to function as

object arranging programmed logic circuitry for arranging a first object and a second object in a first virtual game world, and performing a movement control on at least one of said first object and said second object;

a first game image display controller for generating a game image panoramically or planarly representing said first virtual game world on the basis of an arrangement state by said object arranging programmed logic circuitry, and displaying it on a first display portion;

determining programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object satisfies a predetermined condition in said first virtual game world; and

a second game image display controller for, when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative, setting a virtual camera in a three-dimensional second virtual game world on the basis of at least one of a first object position and a second object position in said first virtual game world, arranging at least one of said first object and said second object in said second virtual game world, generating a game image by shooting said second virtual game world with said virtual camera in such a manner as to include at least one of said first object and said second object which are arranged, and displaying it on a second display portion, wherein

said determining programmed logic circuitry determines whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said first virtual game world is below a predetermined distance.

28. A storage medium storing a game program,

said game program causes a processor of a game apparatus to function as

object arranging programmed logic circuitry for arranging a first object and a second object in a two-dimensional virtual game world, and performing a movement control on at least one of said first object and said second object;

a first game image display controller for generating a game image representing said two-dimensional virtual game world on the basis of an arrangement state by said object arranging programmed logic circuitry, and displaying it on a first display portion;

determining programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object satisfies a predetermined condition in said two-dimensional virtual game world; and

a second game image display controller for, when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative, setting a virtual camera in a three-dimensional virtual game world on the basis of at least one of a first object position and a second object position in said second virtual game world, arranging at least one of said first object and said second object in said three-dimensional virtual game world, generating a game image by shooting said three-dimensional virtual game world with said virtual camera in such a manner as to include at least one of said first object and said second object which are arranged, and displaying it on a second display portion wherein

said determining programmed logic circuitry determines whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said two-dimensional virtual game world is below a predetermined distance.

29. A storage medium storing a game program,

said game program causes a processor of a game apparatus to function as

object arranging programmed logic circuitry for arranging a first object and a second object in a three-dimensional virtual game world, and performing a movement control on at least one of said first object and said second object;

a first game image display controller for generating a game image shot by a virtual camera which is directed to a fixed direction on the basis of the arrangement state by said object arranging programmed logic circuitry and shoots said three-dimensional virtual game world including at least one of said first object and said second object, and displaying it on a first display portion;

determining programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object satisfies a predetermined condition in said three-dimensional virtual game world; and

a second game image display controller for, when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative, setting a virtual camera on the basis of at least one of said first object position and said second object position in said three-dimensional virtual game world, generating a game image by shooting said three-dimensional virtual game world with said virtual camera, and displaying it on a second display portion wherein

said determining programmed logic circuitry determines whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said three-dimensional virtual game world is below a predetermined distance.

30. A storage medium storing a game program,

said game program causes a processor of a game apparatus to function as

object arranging programmed logic circuitry for arranging a first object and a second object in a three-dimensional virtual game world, and performing a movement control on at least one of said first object and said second object;

a first game image display controller for generating a game image obtained by panoramically or planarly shooting said three-dimensional virtual game world with said virtual camera on the basis of an arrangement state by said object arranging programmed logic circuitry, and displaying it on a first display portion;

determining programmed logic circuitry for determining whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object satisfies a predetermined condition in said three-dimensional virtual game world; and

a second game image display controller for, when the determination result by said determining programmed logic circuitry is affirmative, setting said virtual camera on the basis of said first object position and said second object position in said three-dimensional virtual game world, generating a game image by shooting said three-dimensional virtual game world with said virtual camera, and displaying it on a second display portion wherein

said determining programmed logic circuitry determines whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said three-dimensional virtual game world is below a predetermined distance.

31. A storage medium storing a game program,

said game program causes a processor of a game apparatus to execute

determining whether or not a positional relationship between a first object and a second object in a two-dimensional coordinate system satisfies a predetermined condition, and

setting a virtual camera to be arranged in a three-dimensional virtual game world on the basis of said first object position and said second object position when the determination result is affirmative wherein

it is determined whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said two-dimensional virtual game world is below a predetermined distance.

32. A storage medium storing a game program of a game apparatus having a first game image display for displaying a first game image as to a first range in a virtual game world and a second game image display for displaying a second game image as to a second range narrower than the first range in said virtual game world,

said game program causes a processor of said game apparatus to perform

determining whether or not a positional relationship between a first object and a second object displayed on said first game image satisfies a predetermined condition;

and

setting a position and a direction of a virtual camera to display said second game image on the basis of said first object position and said second object position which are displayed on said first game image when the determination result is affirmative it is determined whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object is below a predetermined distance.

33. A method of controlling a game apparatus, comprising:

(a) arranging a first object and a second object in a first virtual game world, and performing a movement control on at least one of said first object and said second object,

(b) generating a game image panoramically or planarly representing said first virtual game world on the basis of an arrangement state by (a), and displaying it on a first display portion,

(c) determining whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object satisfies a predetermined condition in said first virtual game world; and

(d) when the determination result by (c) is affirmative, setting a virtual camera in a three-dimensional second virtual game world on the basis of at least one of a first object position and a second object position in said first virtual game world, arranging at least one of said first object and said second object in said second virtual game world, generating a game image by shooting said second virtual game world with said virtual camera in such a manner as to include at least one of said first object and said second object which are arranged, and displaying it on a second display portion, wherein

it is determined whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said first virtual game world is below a predetermined distance.

34. A method of controlling a game apparatus, comprising:

(a) arranging a first object and a second object in a two-dimensional virtual game world, and performing a movement control on at least one of said first object and said second object,

(b) generating a game image representing said two-dimensional virtual game world on the basis of an arrangement state by (a), and displaying it on a first display portion,

(c) determining whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object satisfies a predetermined condition in said two-dimensional virtual game world, and

(d) when the determination result by (c) is affirmative, setting a virtual camera in a three-dimensional virtual game world on the basis of at least one of a first object position and a second object position in said second virtual game world, arranging at least one of said first object and said second object in said three-dimensional virtual game world, generating a game image by shooting said three-dimensional virtual game world with said virtual camera in such a manner as to include at least one of said first object and said second object which are arranged, and displaying it on a second display portion, wherein

it is determined whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said two-dimensional virtual game world is below a predetermined distance.

35. A method of controlling a game apparatus, comprising:

(a) arranging a first object and a second object in a three-dimensional virtual game world, and performing a movement control on at least one of said first object and said second object,

(b) generating a game image shot by a virtual camera which is directed to a fixed direction on the basis of the arrangement state by (a), and shooting said three-dimensional virtual game world including at least one of said first object and said second object, and displaying it on a first display portion,

(c) determining whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object satisfies a predetermined condition in said three-dimensional virtual game world, and

(d) when the determination result (c) is affirmative, setting a virtual camera on the basis of at least one of said first object position and said second object position in said three-dimensional virtual game world, generating a game image by shooting said three-dimensional virtual game world with said virtual camera, and displaying it on a second display portion, wherein

it is determined whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said three-dimensional virtual game world is below a predetermined distance.

36. A method of controlling a game apparatus, comprising:

(a) arranging a first object and a second object in a three-dimensional virtual game world, and performing a movement control on at least one of said first object and said second object,

(b) generating a game image obtained by panoramically or planarly shooting said three-dimensional virtual game world with said virtual camera on the basis of an arrangement state by (a) and displaying it on a first display portion,

(c) determining whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object satisfies a predetermined condition in said three-dimensional virtual game world, and

(d) when the determination result by (c) is affirmative, setting said virtual camera on the basis of said first object position and said second object position in said three-dimensional virtual game world, generating a game image by shooting said three-dimensional virtual game world with said virtual camera, and displaying it on a second display portion, wherein

it is determined whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said three-dimensional virtual game world is below a predetermined distance.

37. A method of controlling a game apparatus, comprising:

(a) determining whether or not a positional relationship between a first object and a second object in a two-dimensional coordinate system satisfies a predetermined condition, and

(b) setting a virtual camera to be arranged in a three-dimensional virtual game world on the basis of said first object position and said second object position when the determination result by (a) is affirmative, wherein

it is determined whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object in said two-dimensional coordinate system is below a predetermined distance.

38. A method of controlling a game apparatus having a first game image display for displaying a first game image as to a first range in a virtual game world and a second game image display for displaying a second game image as to a second range narrower than the first range in said virtual game world, comprising:

(a) determining whether or not a positional relationship between a first object and a second object displayed on said first game image satisfies a predetermined condition, and

(b) setting a position and a direction of a virtual camera to display said second game image on the basis of said first object position and said second object position which are displayed on said first game image when the determination result by (a) is affirmative, wherein

it is determined whether or not a positional relationship between said first object and said second object is below a predetermined distance.