Hand-held game apparatus and game program

• US 8,075,401 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2009
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Miyamoto, Shigeru, Eguchi, Katsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): TORIMIRO, ADETOKUNBO OLUSEGUN
• Application Number:
  US12/398,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20090176567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 463/30, 463/31, 463 36- 38, 463/43, 463/44, 345/115, 345/351, 345/425, 345/473
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5378 for displaying an additional top view, e.g. radar screens or maps using two or more virtual cameras concurrently A63F13/5252
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/307 for displaying an additional window with a view from the top of the game field, e.g. radar screen
• 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

Abstract

A hand-held game apparatus and a game program are provided which allow a user to play a game while going back and forth between a narrow-range image and a broad-range image of map. The user can manipulate a touch panel which mounted on a display section for displaying the broad-range image. If the user manipulates the touch panel to point to a coordinate position on the broad-range image, thus designating coordinates for the narrow-range image, a changed narrow-range is displayed. If the user indicates a moving direction on the broad-range image, thus designating a scroll direction, the displayed broad-range image is moved (scrolled).

Claims

1. A hand-held game apparatus, comprising:

a first display area and a second display area which are located in contact with or near each other;

a game image generation section which generates a broad-range game image representing a relatively broad range in a game map image and a narrow-range game image representing a relatively narrow range in substantially the same game map image;

a display control section which displays the broad-range game image on the first display area and displays the narrow-range image on the second display area;

a coordinate detection section which detects coordinates on at least the first display area;

a manipulation detection section which detects either one or both of a moving amount and a designated moving direction of the coordinates from the coordinates; and

an image control section which scrolls the broad-range game image within the game map image based on said either one or both of the moving amount and the designated moving direction detected on the first display area,

wherein the game map image is larger than the broad-range game image, the image control section causing said displayed broad-range game image to scroll in said either one or both of the moving amount and the designated moving direction, through the game map image and thereby reveal different portions of the game map image, the image control section causing said narrow-range game image to scroll with said broad-range game image so that said narrow-range game image during scrolling comprises a portion of said broad-range game image.

2. The hand-held game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the coordinate detection section detects the coordinates on the first display area,

the manipulation detection section further detects, based on the coordinates on the first display area detected by the coordinate detection section, coordinates designated by a user, and

the game image generation section, when the manipulation detection section detects the coordinates designated by the user,

calculates a position on the broad-range game image based on the coordinates on the first display area detected by the coordinate detection section, and changes the narrow-range game image generated by the game image generation section so as to be the narrow-range game image around the position calculated on the broad-range game image.

3. The hand-held game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the changed narrow-range game image generated by the game image generation section is centered on the coordinates designated by the user.

4. The hand-held game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the manipulation detection section detects at least the moving direction, and

the game image generation section changes, in accordance with the moving direction, the broad-range game image so as to be the broad-range game image having been moved in the moving direction.

5. The hand-held game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the coordinate detection section detects the coordinates on the first display area,

the manipulation detection section detects at least the moving direction and further detects, based on the coordinates on the first display area detected by the coordinate detection section, coordinates designated by a user, and

the game image generation section:

when the manipulation detection section detects the coordinates designated by the user, calculates a position on the broad-range game image based on the coordinates on the first display area detected by the coordinate detection section and changes the narrow-range game image generated by the game image generation section so as to be the narrow-range game image around the position calculated on the broad-range game image, and

changes, in accordance with the moving direction detected by the manipulation detection section, the broad-range game image generated by the game image generation section so as to be the broad-range game image having been moved in the moving direction.

6. The hand-held game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the narrow-range game image and the broad-range game image are combined with player object images of which sizes have been adjusted based on scales of the narrow-range game image and the broad-range game image, respectively.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing therein program instructions for a game program for use with a hand-held game apparatus comprising a computer and first and second display areas located in contact with or near each other, the game program causing the computer to execute:

generating a broad-range game image representing a relatively broad range in a game map image and a narrow-range game image representing a relatively narrow range in substantially the same game map image;

displaying the broad-range game image on the first display area and displaying the narrow-range image on the second display area;

detecting coordinates on at least the first display area;

detecting either one or both of a moving amount and a designated moving direction of the coordinates from the detected coordinates; and

scrolling the broad-range game image within the game map image based on said either one or both of the moving amount and the designated moving direction detected on the first display area,

wherein the game map image is larger than the broad-range game image, in the scrolling, said displayed broad-range game image is scrolled in said either one or both of the moving amount and the designated moving direction, through the game map image and thereby reveal different portions of the game map image, in the scrolling, said narrow-range game image is scrolled with said broad-range game image so that said narrow-range game image during scrolling comprises a portion of said broad-range game image.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the game program further causes the computer to execute:

detecting coordinates designated by a user based on the coordinates on the first display area when the coordinates on the first display area are detected;

calculating a position on the broad-range game image based on the coordinates designated by the user; and

changing the narrow-range game image so as to be the narrow-range game image around the position calculated on the broad-range game image.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the game program further causes the computer to execute:

combining the changed narrow-range game image and the changed broad-range game image with player object images of which sizes have been adjusted based on scales of the narrow-range game image and the broad-range game image, respectively.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 8, wherein in the step of changing the narrow-range game image, the changed narrow-range game image is centered on the coordinates designated by the user.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the game program further causes the computer to execute changing the broad-range game image so as to be the broad-range game image having been moved in the moving direction when the moving direction is detected.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the game program further causes the computer to execute:

detecting coordinates designated by a user based on the coordinates on the first display area when the coordinates on the first display area are detected;

calculating a position on the broad-range game image based on the coordinates designated by the user; and

changing the narrow-range game image so as to be the narrow-range game image around the position calculated on the broad-range game image; and

changing the broad-range game image so as to be the broad-range game image having been moved in the moving direction when the moving direction is detected.

13. A method of selectively displaying game information on a hand-held game apparatus, the method comprising:

(a) a game image generation section generating a broad-range game image representing a relatively broad range in a game map image and a narrow-range game image representing a relatively narrow range in substantially the same game map image;

(b) a display control section displaying the broad-range game image on a first display area and displaying the narrow-range image on a second display area located in contact with or near the first display area;

(c) a coordinate detection section detecting coordinates on at least the first display area;

(d) a manipulation detection section detecting either one or both of a moving amount and a designated moving direction of the coordinates from the detected coordinates; and

(e) an image control section scrolling the broad-range game image within the game map image based on said either one or both of the moving amount and the designated moving direction detected on the first display area,

wherein the game map image is larger than the broad-range game image, the image control section causing said displayed broad-range game image to scroll in said either one or both of the moving amount and the designated moving direction, through the game map image and thereby reveal different portions of the game map image, the image control section causing said narrow-range game image to scroll with said broad-range game image so that said narrow-range game image during scrolling comprises a portion of said broad-range game image.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising (f) the image control section scrolling the narrow-range game image within the game map image, wherein steps (e) and (f) are performed simultaneously.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

(g) the manipulation detecting section detecting coordinates designated by a user based on the coordinates on the first display area detected in step (c);

(h) the game image generating section calculating a position on the broad-range game image based on the coordinates designated by the user detected in step (g); and

(i) the game image generating section changing the narrow-range game image so as to be the narrow-range game image around the position on the broad-range game image calculated in step (h).

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

(o) the game image generating section combining the narrow-range game image and the broad-range game image with player object images of which sizes have been adjusted based on scales of the narrow-range game image and the broad-range game image, respectively.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the changed narrow-range game image generated in step (i) is centered on the coordinates designated by the user.

18. The method according to claim 13, further comprising (j) the game image generating section changing the broad-range game image so as to be the broad-range game image having been moved in the moving direction detected in step (d).

19. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

(k) the manipulation detection section detecting coordinates designated by a user based on the coordinates on the first display area detected in step (c);

(l) the game image generating section calculating a position on the broad-range game image based on the coordinates designated by the user detected in step (k); and

(m) the game image generating section changing the narrow-range game image so as to be the narrow-range game image around the position on the broad-range game image calculated in step (l); and

(n) the game image generating section changing the broad-range game image so as to be the broad-range game image having been moved in the moving direction detected in step (d).

20. A hand-held game apparatus, comprising:

a first display area and a second display area which are located in contact with or near each other;

a game image generation section which generates a broad-range game image representing a relatively broad range in a game map image and a narrow-range game image representing a relatively narrow range in substantially the same game map image;

a display control section which displays the broad-range game image on the first display area and displays the narrow-range image on the second display area;

a coordinate detection section which detects coordinates on at least the first display area;

a manipulation detection section which detects either one or both of a moving amount and a designated moving direction of the coordinates from the coordinates; and

an image control section which scrolls the broad-range game image within the game map image based on said either one or both of the moving amount and the designated moving direction detected on the first display area,

a combine section which combines the narrow-range game image with a player object image of which size has been adjusted based on a scale of the narrow-range game image.

21. The hand-held game apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the combine section combines the broad-range game image with a player object image of which size has been adjusted based on a scale of the broad-range game image.

22. A system, comprising:

first and second display areas located in contact with or near each other;

a game image generation arranged to generate a broad-range game image representing a relatively broad range in a game map image and to generate a narrow-range game image representing a relatively narrow range in substantially the same game map image;

a display control section arranged to display the broad-range game image on the first display area and to display the narrow-range image on the second display area;

a coordinate detection section arranged to detect coordinates on at least the first display area;

a manipulation detection section arranged to detect either one or both of a moving amount and a designated moving direction of the coordinates from the detected coordinates; and

an image control section arranged to scroll the broad-range game image within the game map image based on said either one or both of the moving amount and the designated moving direction detected on the first display area,

wherein the game map image is larger than the broad-range game image, the image control section causing said displayed broad-range game image to scroll in said either one or both of the moving amount and the designated moving direction, through the game map image and thereby reveal different portions of the game map image, the image control section causing said narrow-range game image to scroll with said broad-range game image so that said narrow-range game image during scrolling comprises a portion of said broad-range game image.

23. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing therein program instructions for a game program for use with a hand-held game apparatus comprising a computer and first and second display sections located near each other, the game program causing the computer to execute:

generating a broad-range game image representing a relatively broad range in a game map image and a narrow-range game image representing a relatively narrow range in substantially the same game map image;

displaying the broad-range game image on the first display section and displaying the narrow-range image on the second display section;

detecting coordinates on at least the first display section;

detecting either one or both of a moving amount and a designated moving direction of the coordinates from the detected coordinates; and

scrolling the broad-range game image within the game map image based on said either one or both of the moving amount and the designated moving direction detected on the first display section,

wherein the game map image is larger than the broad-range game image, in the scrolling, said displayed broad-range game image is scrolled in said either one or both of the moving amount and the designated moving direction, through the game map image and thereby reveal different portions of the game map image, in the scrolling, said narrow-range game image is scrolled with said broad-range game image so that said narrow-range game image during scrolling comprises a portion of said broad-range game image.

24. A method of selectively displaying game information on a hand-held game apparatus, the method comprising:

(a) a game image generation section generating a broad-range game image representing a relatively broad range in a game map image and a narrow-range game image representing a relatively narrow range in substantially the same game map image;

(b) a display control section displaying the broad-range game image on a first display section and displaying the narrow-range image on a second display section;

(c) a coordinate detection section detecting coordinates on at least the first display section;

(d) a manipulation detection section detecting either one or both of a moving amount and a designated moving direction of the coordinates from the detected coordinates; and

(e) an image control section scrolling the broad-range game image within the game map image based on said either one or both of the moving amount and the designated moving direction detected on the first display section,

wherein the game map image is larger than the broad-range game image, the image control section causing said displayed broad-range game image to scroll in said either one or both of the moving amount and the designated moving direction, through the game map image and thereby reveal different portions of the game map image, the image control section causing said narrow-range game image to scroll with said broad-range game image so that said narrow-range game image during scrolling comprises a portion of said broad-range game image.

25. A system, comprising:

first and second display sections located near each other;

a game image generation arranged to generate a broad-range game image representing a relatively broad range in a game map image and to generate a narrow-range game image representing a relatively narrow range in substantially the same game map image;

a display control section arranged to display the broad-range game image on the first display section and to display the narrow-range image on the second display section;

a coordinate detection section arranged to detect coordinates on at least the first display section;

a manipulation detection section arranged to detect either one or both of a moving amount and a designated moving direction of the coordinates from the detected coordinates; and

an image control section arranged to scroll the broad-range game image within the game map image based on said either one or both of the moving amount and the designated moving direction detected on the first display section,

wherein the game map image is larger than the broad-range game image, the image control section causing said displayed broad-range game image to scroll in said either one or both of the moving amount and the designated moving direction, through the game map image and thereby reveal different portions of the game map image, the image control section causing said narrow-range game image to scroll with said broad-range game image so that said narrow-range game image during scrolling comprises a portion of said broad-range game image.