Game device, method of controlling game device, program, and information storage medium

• US 8,333,663 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2008
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Izumi, Tadakatsu
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US12/918,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20100317439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/36
• 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 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• 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 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• 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 2300/8011 Ball

Abstract

To provide a game device capable of allowing a user to feel a difference in state of mind between a player of a winning team and a player of a losing team when defending. A selection unit (56) selects one or more player characters from among the player characters belonging to a team not in possession of a moving object. In a case where control by a first player character control unit (58) is applied, a determination unit (62) determines whether or not a reference period has elapsed after a given reference time. In a case where elapse of the predetermined period after the reference time is determined, a switching unit (66) switches the state in which control by the first player character control unit (58) is applied to a state in which control by a second player character control unit (60) is applied. A reference period data control unit (64) changes the length of the reference period, based on game state information.

Claims

1. A game device for carrying out a game of a sport to be performed between a first team and a second team, using a moving object, the game device comprising:

a game state information storage unit that stores game state information describing a game state;

a selection unit that, in a case where a player character belonging to one team is in possession of the moving object, selects one or more player characters from among player characters belonging to another team;

a first player character control unit that moves the selected player character, based on a position of the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, while restricting movement of the selected player character so that a distance between the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, and the selected player character, is kept equal to or longer than a threshold distance;

a second player character control unit that moves the selected player character, based on the position of the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, such that the selected player character approaches the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object;

a determination unit that determines, in a case where control by the first player character control unit is applied, whether or not a reference period has elapsed after a given reference time; and

a switching unit that, in a case where it is determined that the reference period has elapsed after the reference time, switches a state in which control by the first player character control unit is applied to a state in which control by the second player character control unit is applied,

wherein

the determination unit includes a reference period control unit that changes a length of the reference period, based on the game state information.

2. The game device according to claim 1, wherein

the reference period control unit

reads content stored in a storage unit that stores data correlating the game state information and reference period information concerning the length of the reference period, and

controls the length of the reference period, based on the reference period information correlated to the game state information.

3. The game device according to claim 1, wherein

the switching unit determines,

in a case where control by the first player character control unit is applied, whether or not the distance between the moving object and the player character in possession of the moving object is equal to or longer than a threshold distance, and

in a case where control by the first player character control unit is applied and it is determined that the distance between the moving object and the player character in possession of the moving object is equal to or longer than the threshold distance, switches the state in which control by the first player character control unit is applied to the state in which control by the second player character control unit is applied.

4. The game device according to claim 1, wherein

the switching unit determines

whether or not a number of player characters selected by the selection unit is equal to or larger than a threshold number, and,

in a case where it is determined that the number of player characters selected by the selection unit is equal to or larger than the threshold number, causes the second player character control unit to control the selected player character.

5. A control method for controlling a game device for carrying out a game of a sport to be performed between a first team and a second team, using a moving object, the method comprising:

reading content stored in a game state information storage unit that stores game state information describing a game state;

in a case where a player character belonging to one team is in possession of the moving object, selecting one or more player characters from among player characters belonging to another team;

a first player character control operation of moving the selected player character, based on a position of the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, while restricting movement of the selected player character so that a distance between the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, and the selected player character, is kept equal to or longer than a threshold distance;

a second player character control operation of moving the selected player character, based on the position of the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, such that the selected player character approaches the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object;

determining, in a case where control by the first player character control operation is applied, whether a reference period has elapsed after a given reference time; and

,

in a case where it is determined that the reference period has elapsed after the reference time, switching a state in which control by the first player character control operation is applied to a state in which control at the second player character control operation is applied,

wherein

determining whether the reference period has elapsed includes changing a length of the reference period, based on the game state information.

6. A non-transitory computer readable information storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as a game device for carrying out a game of a sport to be performed between a first team and a second team, using a moving object, the program for causing the computer to function as:

a reading unit that reads content stored in a game state information storage that stores game state information describing a game state;

a selection unit that, in a case where a player character belonging to one team is in possession of the moving object, selects one or more player characters from among player characters belonging to another team;

a first player character control unit that moves the selected player character, based on a position of the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, while restricting movement of the selected player character so that a distance between the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, and the selected player character, is kept equal to or longer than a threshold distance;

a second player character control unit that moves the selected player character, based on the position of the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object, such that the selected player character approaches the moving object or the player character in possession of the moving object;

a determination unit that determines, in a case where control by the first player character control unit is applied, whether or not a reference period has elapsed after a given reference time; and

a switching unit that, in a case where it is determined that the reference period has elapsed after the reference time, switches a state in which control by the first player character control unit is applied to a state in which control by the second player character control unit is applied,

wherein

the determination unit includes a reference period control unit that changes a length of the reference period, based on the game state information.

7. A game device comprising:

a storage that stores game state information describing a game state of a game being played with a moving object between a first team and a second team;

at least one microprocessor that functions to;

move, during a reference period, one or more player characters from the first team to maintain a threshold distance or longer from the moving object or a player character of the second team that possesses the moving object, and

after the reference period has elapsed, move the one or more player characters to approach the moving object or the player character of the second team that possesses the moving object within the threshold distance,

wherein the at least one microprocessor changes a length of the reference period based on the game state information.

8. The game device according to claim 7, wherein the at least one microprocessor selects the one or more player characters of the first team from among a plurality of player characters belonging to the first team, based on a distance between the player characters and the moving object or the player character of the second team that possesses the moving object.

9. The game device according to claim 8, wherein the reference period is taken from a reference time.

10. The game device according to claim 7, wherein the reference time comprises a time at which a type of action is instructed, a time at which the one or more player characters of the first team are selected, or a time at which the player character of the second team takes possession of the moving object.

11. The game device according to claim 7, wherein the reference period is taken from a reference time.

12. The game device according to claim 7, wherein the game state information comprises at least one of score information of the first team, score information of the second team, ball possession time of the first team, ball possession time of the second team, shots attempted by the first team, shots attempted by the second team, penalty cards received by the first team, and penalty cards received by second team.

13. A control method of a game device including at least one microprocessor, the method comprising:

storing game state information describing a game state of a game being played with a moving object between a first team and a second team;

moving, using the at least one microprocessor, during a reference period, one or more player characters from the first team to maintain a threshold distance or longer from the moving object or a player character of the second team that possesses the moving object, and

after the reference period has elapsed, moving, using the at least one microprocessor, the one or more player characters to approach the moving object or the player character of the second team that possesses the moving object within the threshold distance,

wherein a length of the reference period is changed based on the game state information.

14. A non-transitory computer readable information storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as a game device, the program for causing the computer to:

store game state information describing a game state of a game being played with a moving object between a first team and a second team;

move, during a reference period, one or more player characters from the first team to maintain a threshold distance or longer from the moving object or a player character of the second team that possesses the moving object, and

after the reference period has elapsed, move, using the at least one microprocessor, the one or more player characters to approach the moving object or the player character of the second team that possesses the moving object within the threshold distance,

wherein a length of the reference period is changed based on the game state information.

15. A game device for implementing a press defense, the game device comprising:

a storage that stores game state information describing a game state of a sports game being played with a moving object between a defending team and an offensive team;

at least one microprocessor that functions to;

in response to an instruction to implement a press defense, select one or more player characters from the defending team, and control the selected player character to maintain, for a reference period of time after the instruction, a threshold distance or longer from the moving object or an offensive team player character that possesses the moving object, and

after the reference period has elapsed, control the selected player character to approach the moving object or the offensive team player character that possesses the moving object,

wherein the at least one microprocessor changes a length of the reference period based on the game state information.

16. A control method for implementing a press defense of a game device including at least one microprocessor, the method comprising:

storing game state information describing a game state of a sports game being played with a moving object between a defending team and an offensive team;

in response to an instruction to implement a press defense, selecting using the at least one microprocessor one or more player characters from the defending team, and controlling using the at least one microprocessor the selected player character to maintain, for a reference period of time after the instruction, a threshold distance or longer from the moving object or an offensive team player character that possesses the moving object, and

after the reference period has elapsed, controlling using the at least one microprocessor the selected player character to approach the moving object or the offensive team player character that possesses the moving object,

wherein a length of the reference period is changed based on the game state information.

17. A non-transitory computer readable information storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as a game device for implementing a press defense, the program for causing the computer to:

store game state information describing a game state of a sports game being played with a moving object between a defending team and an offensive team;

in response to an instruction to implement a press defense, select one or more player characters from the defending team, and control the selected player character to maintain, for a reference period of time after the instruction, a threshold distance or longer from the moving object or an offensive team player character that possesses the moving object, and

after the reference period has elapsed, control the selected player character to approach the moving object or the offensive team player character that possesses the moving object,

wherein a length of the reference period is changed based on the game state information.