Game aim assist

• US 8,342,926 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Garvin, John, Reese, Christopher, Yager, Darren, Allen, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ditoro, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US12/283,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20100009733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• Field of Search: 463/5, 463/7, 463/38, 342/357.56
• 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 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/422 automatically for the purpose of assisting the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• 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 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/306 for displaying a marker associated to an object or location in the game field
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6054 by generating automatically game commands to assist the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

Methods for game aim assist are provided. In electronic games, a game player may control the actions of a game character within a game environment. The game environment, which includes a focus area, may be displayed from a perspective of or with respect to a game character. During game play, one or more objects may be detected in the focus area. One of the objects may then be selected based on the distance between the object and the center of the focus area. The aim of the game character is then automatically adjusted toward the selected object, which allows the game player to direct an attack action on the object.

Claims

1. A method for game aim assist, the method comprising:

executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor;

generates a game environment viewed from a perspective of a game player, the game environment displayed on a display device and including a defined focus area;

detects the presence of a plurality of objects in the defined focus area, wherein each of the objects represents an individual target;

selects an object from the objects detected in the defined focus area, wherein selection is based at least on a distance between each of the objects and the center of the focus area;

updates the game environment to include a target display, the target display indicating the selected object; and

automatically adjusts the aim of a game character toward the selected object, wherein user input selecting a different object overrides the automatic aim adjustment and wherein the targeting display is updated to indicate the different object selected by user input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the object is further based on the distance between each of the one or more objects and a focal point of the game character.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input is provided via a controller comprising a single analog control stick.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user input from the controller includes information concerning a length of time that a button on the controller is pressed.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising calibrating button press times on the controller for a new game session.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising calibrating button press times on the controller for an individual user controlling the game character.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the user input from the controller includes information concerning an amount of pressure on a button on the controller.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising calibrating pressure settings on the controller for a new game session.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising calibrating pressure settings on the controller for an individual user controlling the game character.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the aim of the game character is further based on an action performed by the game character.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the aim of the game character is further based on a weapon currently being operated by the game character.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the defined focus area is disabled based on the weapon currently being operated by the game character.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an indication that the aim of the game character has been adjusted relative to the selected target.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein a size of the defined focus area is customizable by a user controlling the game character.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the display to reflect movement of the targeting display within the game environment, wherein the speed of the automatic adjustment of the aim of the game character toward the selected object is customizable by a user.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the display of the game environment after a period of inactivity.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the adjustment results in a resetting of the display to an original state.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a next object based on at least input from a controller.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a state of the selected object;

detecting a change in the state of the selected object;

selecting a next object from one or more remaining objects based on at least a distance between each of the one or more remaining objects and the center of the focus area; and

automatically adjusting the aim of the game character toward the selected next object.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a computer processor to perform a method for game aim assist, the method comprising:

generating a game environment viewed from a perspective of a game player, the game environment for display on a display device and including a defined focus area;

detecting the presence of a plurality of objects in the defined focus area, wherein each of the objects represents an individual target;

selecting an object from the objects detected in the defined focus area, wherein selection is based at least on a distance between each of the objects and the center of the focus area;

updating the game environment to include a target display, the target display indicating the selected object; and

automatically adjusting the aim of a game character toward the selected object, wherein user input selecting a different object overrides the automatic aim adjustment and wherein the targeting display is updated to indicate the different object selected by user input.

21. An apparatus for game aim assist, the apparatus comprising:

a display device for displaying a game environment viewed from a perspective of a game player, the game environment including a defined focus area;

a controller interface for receiving user input regarding manipulating actions of a game character in the game environment; and

a processor configured to

detect the presence of a plurality of objects in the defined focus area, wherein each of the objects represents an individual target;

select an object from the objects detected in the defined focus area, wherein selection is based at least on a distance between each of the objects and the center of the focus area;

update the game environment to include a target display, the target display indicating the selected object; and

automatically adjust the aim of the game character toward the selected object, wherein user input selecting a different object overrides the aim automatic adjustment and wherein the targeting display is updated to indicate the different object selected by user input.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the controller interface includes a single analog control stick.