Squad command interface for console-based video game

• US 8,012,017 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2007
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: York, James R. J., Fields, Tim V., Pagulayan, Randy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis; David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel; Matthew D.
• Application Number:
  US11/832,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20070270226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 463/2, 463/7, 463 30- 32, 463 36- 38, 463 49- 57, 434 16- 24
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• 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 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6623 for animating a group of characters
• 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 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

A squad command interface for a squad-based shooter video game maps character selection and command selection to actuators on a game controller. Players can select squad characters and issue a single order to multiple characters with few controller actuations.

Claims

1. For a console-based video game system having at least one controller, a hardware storage medium storing a squad-based shooter video game in which a player controls a squad of characters, the video game having instructions that, when executed on the video game system, performs acts comprising:

persistently presenting on a display device, during game action, a squad status display to inform the player of a status of each character in the squad, the squad comprising at least three characters associated with respective character profile images displayed in the squad status display in locations corresponding visually and spatially to different actuator positions of one or more actuators on the controller that are mapped to respective characters in the squad, each respective character profile image of the at least three characters being displayed on a perimeter of an integrated radar display; and

selectively presenting on the display device, in response to player actuation of the controller, a command change user interface to facilitate selection of a plurality of characters that is less than all of the characters and issuance of a command to the selected plurality of characters, wherein the plurality of characters that is less than all of the characters is selectable via a single actuation of an actuator on the controller.

2. A storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the squad status display indicates a current command being carried out by each character in the squad.

3. A storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the squad status display indicates a health of each character in the squad.

4. A storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the squad status display indicates when a character in the squad is operating in a special mode.

5. A storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the command change user interface comprises a first graphical region to enable player selection of the plurality of characters and a second graphical region adjacent to the first graphical region to enable issuance of the command to the selected plurality of characters.

6. A storage medium as recited in claim 5, wherein the first graphical region comprises the respective character profile images of the at least three characters and the second graphical region comprises icons representing possible commands arranged to visually map to one or more additional actuators on the controller.

7. A storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the video game further has instructions that, when executed on the video game system, perform acts comprising issuing the command to the selected plurality of characters in response to a single actuation of a different actuator on the controller.