Shooting game apparatus, storage medium storing a shooting game program, and target control method

• US 8,021,220 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2005
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamano, Katsuya, Sakamoto, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall; Arthur O.
• Application Number:
  US11/047,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20050176503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,421 Days
• Field of Search: 463 2- 8, 463/20, 463/23, 463 30- 32, 463/34, 463 36- 37, 463 42- 43, 463 46- 47, 463/50, 463/53, 463/56, 463 58- 69, 273/127.R, 273/127.A, 273/150, 273/317.1, 273/331, 273/333, 273/336, 273329-330, 273/340, 273/348, 273/349, 273/351, 273354-355, 273/359, 273361-368, 273/378, 273386-390, 273402-408, 273460-461, 434 11- 27
• US Class Current: 463/5
• 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 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

A shooting game apparatus includes an LCD for displaying a target and an operating button for a player to perform an operation for shooting the target. For example, an enemy character is switched between an ineffective state in which it is never damaged even if an attack hits it, and an effective state in which it is damaged if an attack hits it. Different images are displayed depending on whether the target is in the ineffective state or in the effective state. In a case where the target is in the effective state, when a player character enters into a state of being continuously damaged because it is positioned an area where it receives continuous damage, for example, the target is switched into the ineffective state.

Claims

1. A shooting game apparatus, comprising:

a display;

a controller configured to be operated by a user to control a player character to shoot a target character displayed on said display;

target state control programmed logic circuitry configured to control switching of said target character between an ineffective state of being never damaged even if an attack directly hits the target character, and an effective state of being damaged if an attack directly hits the target character;

a target image generator configured to display on said display an image that is different between when said target character is in the ineffective state and when said target character is in the effective state; and

player character state determination programmed logic circuitry configured to determine at least whether or not the player character is in a state of being continuously damaged, wherein

said target state control programmed logic circuitry is configured to switch, without any additional action from the user, said target character to the ineffective state when said player character state determination programmed logic circuitry determines that the player character is in the state of being continuously damaged when said target character is in the effective state.

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

at least one player character position storage location configured to store at least a position where the player character can take a shot in a game space, wherein

said player character state determination programmed logic circuitry is configured to determine that the player character is in the state of being continuously damaged when a prescribed position is stored in said at least one player character position storage location.

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

a player character generator configured to generate and display a player character on said display; and

a non-player character generator configured to generate and display a non-player character on said display, wherein

said target image generator is configured to display said target on said non-player character.

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

at least one non-player character position storage location configured to store a position of said non-player character in the game space, wherein

said target state control programmed logic circuitry is configured to be activated when a prescribed relationship is established between the position stored in said at least one player character position storage location and the position stored in said at least one non-player character position storage location.

5. A shooting game apparatus, comprising:

a display;

a controller configured to be operated by a user to play a game by controlling a player character to shoot a target character displayed on said display;

player character display control programmed logic circuitry configured to display and control an image of a player character on said display, based on input from said controller;

non-player character display control programmed logic circuitry configured to display and control an image of a non-player character on said display;

at least one player character position storage location configured to store a position of said player character in a game space;

target state control programmed logic circuitry configured to control switching of said target character between an ineffective state of being never damaged even if an attack directly hits the target character, and an effective state of being damaged if an attack directly hits the target character; and

a target image generator configured to display an image on said non-player character that is different between a case where said target character is in the ineffective state and a case where said target character is in the effective state that is different between when said target character is in the ineffective state and when, wherein

said target state control programmed logic circuitry is configured to switch, without any additional action from the user, said target character to the ineffective state when a prescribed position is stored in said at least one player character position storage location when said target character is in the effective state.

6. The shooting game apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a game field generator configured to generate a game field for playing a shooting game in which at least said player character and said non-player character are displayed, and configured to display the same on said display, wherein

said game field generator is configured to generate in said game field at least a first area where said player character is continuously damaged and a second area where said player character is never damaged;

said target state control programmed logic circuitry is configured to switch said target character to the ineffective state when a position included in said first area is stored in said at least one player character position storage location when said target character is in the effective state.

7. The shooting game apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said target state control programmed logic circuitry is configured to hold said target character in the ineffective state until a position included in said second area is stored in said at least one player character position storage location, after switching said target character to the ineffective state.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a shooting game program for allowing a game apparatus provided with at least a display, a controller, and a processor to function as a shooting game apparatus in which a user plays a game by operating said controller to control a player character to shoot a target character displayed on said display, wherein

said shooting game program causes the processor of said game apparatus to execute:

controlling switching of said target character between an ineffective state of being never damaged even if an attack directly hits the target character, and an effective state of being damaged if an attack directly hits the target character;

displaying an image on said display that is different between when said target character is in the ineffective state and when said target character is in the effective state; and

determining at least whether or not the player character is in a state of being continuously damaged, wherein

said controlling switches, without any additional action from the user, said target character to the ineffective state when said determining determines that the player character is in the state of being continuously damaged when said target is in the effective state.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a shooting game program according to claim 8, wherein

said shooting game program causes the processor of said game apparatus to further execute storing a position where the player character can take a shot in the game space, wherein

said determining determines that the player character is in the state of being continuously damaged when a prescribed position is stored by a player character position storage.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a shooting game program according to claim 9, wherein

said shooting game program causes the processor of said game apparatus to further execute:

generating and displaying a player character on said display; and

generating and displaying a non-player character on said display, wherein

said displaying displays said target on said non-player character.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a shooting game program according to claim 10, wherein

said shooting game program causes the processor of said game apparatus to further execute storing a position of said non-player character in the game space, wherein

said controlling is activated when a prescribed relationship is established between the position stored by said storing a position where the player character can take a shot and the position stored by said storing a position of said non-player character.

12. A target control method of controlling a target character by a computer of a shooting game apparatus in which a user plays a game by operating a controller to control a player character to shoot said target character displayed on a display, including:

controlling switching of said target character between an ineffective state of being never damaged even if an attack directly hits the target character, and an effective state of being damaged if an attack directly hits the target character;

displaying an image on said display that is different between when said target character is in the ineffective state and when said target character is in the effective state; and

determining, using the computer, at least whether or not the player character is in a state of being continuously damaged, wherein

in said controlling, said target character is switched, without any additional action by the user, to the ineffective state when it is determined in said determining that the player character is in the state of being continuously damaged when said target character is in the effective state.

13. The target control method according to claim 12, further including:

storing a position where the player character can take a shot in the game space, wherein

it is determined in said determining that the player character is in the state of being continuously damaged when a prescribed position is stored in said storing.

14. The target control method according to claim 13, further including:

generating and displaying a player character on said display; and

generating and displaying a non-player character on said display, wherein

in said displaying, said target is displayed on said non-player character.

15. The target control method according to claim 14, further including:

storing a position of said non-player character in the game space, wherein

said controlling is activated when a prescribed relationship is established between the position stored in said storing a position where the player character can take a shot and the position stored in said storing a position of said non-player character.

16. A game apparatus, comprising:

a display;

a controller configured to be operated by a user to control a player character to attack

a target character displayed on said display; and

a processor configured to;

control switching of said target character between an ineffective state of being never damaged even if an attack directly hits the target character, and an effective state of being damaged if an attack directly hits the target character;

generate for said display an image that is different between when said target character is in the ineffective state and when said target character is in the effective state;

determine at least whether or not the player character is in a state of being continuously damaged; and

switch, without any additional action from the user, said target character to the ineffective state when the player character is determined to be in the state of being continuously damaged when said target character is in the effective state.

17. A game apparatus, comprising:

a display;

a controller configured to be operated by a user to play a game by controlling a player character to attack

a target character displayed on said display; and

a processor configured to;

display and control an image of a player character on said display, based on input from said controller;

display and control an image of a non-player character on said display;

store, in at least one player character position storage location, a position of said player character in a game space;

control switching of said target character between an ineffective state of being never damaged even if an attack directly hits the target character, and an effective state of being damaged if an attack directly hits the target character; and

generate a display of an image on said non-player character that is different between when said target character is in the ineffective state and when said target character is in the effective state, wherein

said target character is switched, without any additional action from the user, to the ineffective state when a prescribed position is stored in said at least one player character position storage location when said target character is in the effective state.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a game program for allowing a game apparatus provided with at least a display, a controller, and a processor to function as a game apparatus in which a user plays a game by operating said controller to control a player character to attack a target character displayed on said display, wherein

said game program causes the processor of said game apparatus to execute:

controlling switching of said target character between an ineffective state of being never damaged even if an attack directly hits the target character, and an effective state of being damaged if an attack directly hits the target character;

displaying an image on said display that is different between when said target character is in the ineffective state and when said target character is in the effective state; and

determining at least whether or not the player character is in a state of being continuously damaged, wherein

said controlling switches, without any additional action from the user, said target character to the ineffective state when said determining determines that the player character is in the state of being continuously damaged when said target character is in the effective state.

19. A target control method of controlling a target character by a computer of a game apparatus in which a user plays a game by operating a controller to control a player character to attack said target character displayed on a display, including:

controlling switching of said target character between an ineffective state of being never damaged even if an attack directly hits the target character, and an effective state of being damaged if an attack directly hits the target character;

displaying an image on said display that is different between when said target character is in the ineffective state and when said target character is in the effective state; and

determining, using the computer, at least whether or not the player character is in a state of being continuously damaged, wherein

in said controlling, said target character is switched, without any additional action from the user, to the ineffective state when it is determined in said determining that the player character is in the state of being continuously damaged when said target character is in the effective state.