Storage medium storing a game program, game apparatus, and game controlling method

• US 8,393,963 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2007
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Okamura, Yuichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Eric M
• Application Number:
  US11/701,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20080064498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,230 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 36- 38
• US Class Current: 463/36
• 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 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting

Abstract

A game system includes a game apparatus and a controller, and the controller is furnished with an acceleration sensor. For example, a player performs a boxing game according to an acceleration input by throwing a hook or straight punch while holding the controller. When it is determined that an acceleration input is started, it is assumed that the kind is a straight although the kind of the input has not been identified yet, and a drawing of a glove object moving along a path of a straight is started. When it is determined that the kind is a hook on the basis of the acceleration acquired thereafter, the glove object moving along a hook path is drawn.

Claims

1. A storage medium storing a game program to be executed by a computer of a game apparatus including an input device including a motion sensor for detecting a motion of the input device, and the game program controlling an object in a virtual game space in correspondence with motion of the input device detected by the motion sensor, wherein said game program causes said computer to execute:

a motion information acquiring step for acquiring motion information detected by said motion sensor,

an input start determining step for determining whether or not a first condition is satisfied for determining whether or not a motion with said input device is started on the basis of the motion information acquired by said motion information acquiring step,

a first drawing processing step for starting to draw said object moving according to a first motion pattern determined in advance upon determining that said motion is started,

a second condition determining step for determining whether or not the motion information acquired by said motion information acquiring step satisfies a second condition different from said first condition after said first drawing processing step is started, and

a second drawing processing step for drawing said object moving according to a second motion pattern different from said first motion pattern by being changed from a state that said object is moved according to said first motion pattern and upon determining that said motion information satisfies said second condition.

2. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 1, wherein said game program causes said computer to further execute an elapsed time determining step determining whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed after the determination of the start of said motion, and

the determination by said second condition determining step is not performed after said predetermined time has elapsed.

3. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 1, wherein said motion sensor is an acceleration sensor for detecting accelerations at least in two-axis directions.

4. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 3, wherein said first condition is whether or not a magnitude of a composite vector of said accelerations in the respective axes exceeds a threshold value.

17. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein said second drawing processing step draws said object moving according to said second motion pattern starting when the determination is made that said motion information satisfies said second condition.

18. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein said drawing processing step draws said object moving according to a second motion pattern from a position at which said object is being moved according to said first motion pattern.

19. A storage medium according to claim 2, wherein said predetermined time is an arbitrary time during which said object is moved according to said first motion pattern.

5. A game apparatus including an input device having a motion sensor detecting a movement of the input device, and controlling an object in a virtual game space in correspondence with a kind of motion performed with said input device, comprising:

a motion information acquiring means for acquiring motion information detected by said motion sensor,

an input start determining means for determining whether or not a first condition is satisfied for determining whether or not a motion with said input device is started on the basis of the motion information acquired by said motion information acquiring means,

a first drawing processing means for starting to draw said object moving according to a first motion pattern determined in advance when it is determined that said motion is started,

a second condition determining means for determining whether or not the motion information acquired by said motion information acquiring means satisfies a second condition different from said first condition after the drawing by said first drawing processing means is started, and

a second drawing processing means for drawing said object moving according to a second motion pattern different from said first motion pattern by being changed from a state that said object is moved according to said first motion pattern and upon determining that said motion information satisfies said second condition.

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

an elapsed time determining means for determining whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed after the start of said motion was determined, wherein

the determination by said second condition determining means is not performed after said predetermined time has elapsed.

7. A game apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said motion sensor is an acceleration sensor for detecting accelerations at least in two-axis directions.

8. A game apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, said first condition is whether or not a magnitude of a composite vector of said accelerations in the respective axes exceeds a threshold value.

20. A game apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said second drawing processing step draws said object moving according to said second motion pattern starting when the determination is made that said motion information satisfies said second condition.

21. A game apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said drawing processing step draws said object moving according to a second motion pattern from a position at which said object is being moved according to said first motion pattern.

22. A game apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said predetermined time is an arbitrary time during which said object is moved according to said first motion pattern.

9. A game controlling method for performing, in a game apparatus including an input device including a motion sensor detecting motion of the input device, the game controlling an object in a virtual game space in correspondence with the detected motion of the input device, the method comprising:

a motion information acquiring step acquiring motion information detected by said motion sensor,

an input start determining step determining whether or not a first condition is satisfied for determining whether or not a motion with said input device is started on the basis of the motion information acquired by said motion information acquiring step,

a first drawing processing step starting to draw said object moving according to a first motion pattern determined a determination is made that said motion is started,

a second condition determining step determining whether or not the motion information acquired by said motion information acquiring step satisfies a second condition different from said first condition after said first drawing processing step is started, and

a second drawing processing step for drawing said object moving according to a second motion pattern different from said first motion pattern in place of said first motion pattern by being changed from a state that said object is moved according to said first motion pattern and upon determining that said motion information satisfies said second condition.

10. A game controlling method according to claim 9, further including

an elapsed time determining step determining whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed after the start of said motion was determined, wherein

the determination by said second condition determining step is not performed after said predetermined time has elapsed.

11. A game controlling method according to claim 9, wherein said motion sensor is an acceleration sensor for detecting accelerations at least in two-axis directions.

12. A game controlling method according to claim 11, wherein said first condition is whether or not a magnitude of a composite vector of said accelerations in the respective axes exceeds a threshold value.

23. A game controlling method according to claim 9, wherein said second drawing processing step draws said object moving according to said second motion pattern starting when the determination is made that said motion information satisfies said second condition.

24. A game controlling method according to claim 9, wherein said drawing processing step draws said object moving according to a second motion pattern from a position at which said object is being moved according to said first motion pattern.

25. A game controlling method according to claim 10, wherein said predetermined time is an arbitrary time during which said object is moved according to said first motion pattern.

13. A storage medium storing a game program to be executed by a computer of a game apparatus including an input device having an acceleration sensor, and the game program displaying and controlling an object in a virtual game space in correspondence with acceleration data generated by the acceleration sensor, wherein said game program causes said computer to execute:

acquiring first acceleration data generated by said acceleration sensor due to a movement of the input device;

determining whether a first predetermined acceleration condition is satisfied by the acquired first acceleration data;

displaying a first motion pattern of the object upon the determination that the first acceleration condition is satisfied;

acquiring second acceleration data generated by said acceleration sensor after the determination of the first predetermined acceleration condition and while the movement of the input device continues from the acquisition of the first acceleration data;

determining whether a second predetermined acceleration condition is satisfied by the acquired second acceleration data, and

displaying a second motion pattern of the object upon the determination that the second acceleration condition is satisfied, wherein the second motion pattern differs from the first motion pattern and the object as displayed changes from the first motion pattern to the second motion pattern upon the determination that the second predetermined acceleration condition is satisfied.

14. A storage medium storing according to claim 13, wherein said game program causes said computer to further execute:

determining whether a predetermined time has elapsed after the start of said motion, and

making the determination of the said second condition only before said predetermined time has elapsed.

15. A storage medium storing according to claim 13, wherein said acceleration sensor detects accelerations at least in two-axis directions.

16. A storage medium storing according to claim 15, wherein said first condition is whether a magnitude of a composite acceleration vector in the respective at least two-axes exceeds a threshold value.

26. A storage medium according to claim 13, wherein said displaying the second motion pattern step draws said object moving according to said second motion pattern starting when the determination is made that said motion information satisfies said second condition.

27. A storage medium according to claim 13, wherein said displaying the second motion pattern step draws said object moving according to a second motion pattern from a position at which said object is being moved according to said first motion pattern.

28. A storage medium according to claim 14, wherein said predetermined time is an arbitrary time during which said object is moved according to said first motion pattern.