Game device, game device control method, program, and information storage medium

• US 8,444,487 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2010
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Otani, Taku
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUFFY, DAVID W
• Application Number:
  US13/382,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20120115596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/7, 463/30, 463 36- 37
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• 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 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/816 Athletics, e.g. track-and-field sports
• 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 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying

Abstract

Provided is a game device capable of preventing a subject to be operated from performing an action that is not intended by a player. The game device (10) executes a game configured such that at least one of the subject to be operated by the player and a plurality of objects or characters moves within a game space. Numerical value information acquiring means (51) acquires numerical value information corresponding to a motion of the player. Control means (52) causes the subject to be operated to perform an action for dealing with a first object or a first character in a case where the numerical value information satisfies a condition. Condition changing means (55) changes the condition based on a position of at least one of the subject to be operated and the object or the character. The condition changing means (55) makes a setting so that the numerical value information is less likely to satisfy the condition for a case where the object or the character to be subsequently dealt with by the subject to be operated is a second object or a second character, compared to the condition for a case where the object or the character to be subsequently dealt with by the subject to be operated is the first object or the first character.

Claims

1. A game device, which executes a game configured to move a subject to be operated by a player with respect to a plurality of objects or characters within a game space, the game device comprising:

a numerical value information acquirer that acquires numerical value information corresponding to a motion of the player; and

a controller that controls the subject to perform an action in encountering a first object or a first character when the numerical value information satisfies a threshold condition, and changes, when the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is a second object or a second character, the threshold condition so that the numerical value information is less likely to satisfy the threshold condition, compared to when the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is the first object or the first character.

2. The game device according to claim 1, wherein:

the controller controls the subject to perform the action in encountering the first object or the first character in a case where a numerical value based on the numerical value information is larger than a reference value, and

sets the reference value for the case where the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is the second object or the second character to a value larger than the reference value for the case where the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is the first object or the first character.

3. The game device according to claim 1, wherein:

the controller controls the subject to perform the action in encountering the first object or the first character in a case where a numerical value based on the numerical value information is smaller than a reference value, and

sets the reference value for the case where the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is the second object or the second character to a value smaller than the reference value for the case where the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is the first object or the first character.

4. The game device according to claim 1, wherein:

when a distance between the subject and the second object or the second character is shorter than a reference distance, the controller controls so that the numerical value information is less likely to satisfy the threshold condition, compared to when a distance between the subject and the first object or the first character is shorter than the reference distance, and

changes the reference distance based on a moving speed of at least one of the subject and the object or the character.

5. A method of controlling a game device which comprises at least one processor and executes a game configured to move a subject to be operated by a player with respect to a plurality of objects or characters within a game space, the method comprising:

acquiring numerical value information corresponding to a motion of the player; and

controlling, using the at least one processor, the subject to perform an action in encountering a first object or a first character when the numerical value information satisfies a threshold condition, and changes, when the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is a second object or a second character, the threshold condition so that the numerical value information is less likely to satisfy the threshold condition, compared to when the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is the first object or the first character.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable information storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as a game device which executes a game configured to move a subject to be operated by a player with respect to a plurality of objects or characters within a game space,

the program further causing the computer to function as:

a numerical value information acquirer that acquires numerical value information corresponding to a motion of the player; and

a controller that controls the subject to perform an action in encountering a first object or a first character when the numerical value information satisfies a threshold condition, and changes, when the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is a second object or a second character, the threshold condition so that the numerical value information is less likely to satisfy the threshold condition, compared to when the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is the first object or the first character.

7. A game device, which executes a game configured to move a subject to be operated by a player with respect to a plurality of objects or characters within a game space, the game device comprising:

a numerical value information acquirer that acquires numerical value information corresponding to a motion of the player; and

a controller that controls the subject to perform an action in encountering a first object or a first character when the numerical value information satisfies a threshold condition, and changes, when the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is the first object or the first character, the threshold condition so that the numerical value information is likely to satisfy the threshold condition, compared to when the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is a second object or a second character.

8. A method of controlling a game device which comprises at least one processor and executes a game configured to move a subject to be operated by a player with respect to a plurality of objects or characters within a game space, the method comprising:

acquiring numerical value information corresponding to a motion of the player; and

controlling, using the at least one processor, the subject to perform an action in encountering a first object or a first character when the numerical value information satisfies a threshold condition, and changes, when the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is the first object or the first character, the threshold condition so that the numerical value information is likely to satisfy the threshold condition, compared to when the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is a second object or a second character.

9. A game device which executes a game configured to move a subject to be operated by a player, with respect to a plurality of obstacles that hinder movement of the subject, within a game space, the game device comprising:

a controller that;

acquires sensor data corresponding to a motion of the player; and

controls the subject to perform a jump movement or a squat movement with respect to an obstacle to be encountered, according to whether the sensor data satisfies a jump condition or a squat condition, respectively, and that changes the jump condition or the squat condition based on a type of the obstacle.

10. The game device according to claim 9, wherein the sensor determines a moving distance of a center of gravity of the player and a change in measured weight of the player, and the jump condition is determined by comparing the moving distance with a reference distance, and the squat condition is determined by comparing the change in the measured weight with a reference change amount.

11. The game device according to claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises an acceleration sensor and a plurality of load sensors.

14. The game device according to claim 10, wherein the reference distance and the reference change amount are set in advance.

15. The game device according to claim 9, wherein:

when the obstacle is a low obstacle, the controller changes the squat condition in order that the sensor data is less likely to satisfy the squat condition than the jump condition, and

when the obstacle is a high obstacle, the controller changes the jump condition in order that the sensor data is less likely to satisfy the jump condition than the squat condition.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable information storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as a game device which executes a game configured to move a subject to be operated by a player with respect to a plurality of objects or characters within a game space,

the program further causing the computer to function as:

a numerical value information acquirer that acquires numerical value information corresponding to a motion of the player; and

a controller that controls the subject to perform an action in encountering a first object or a first character when the numerical value information satisfies a threshold condition, and changes, when the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is the first object or the first character, the threshold condition so that the numerical value information is likely to satisfy the threshold condition, compared to when the object or the character to be subsequently encountered by the subject to be operated is a second object or a second character.

13. A game device which executes a game configured to move a subject to be operated by a player with respect to a plurality of obstacles, within a game space, the game device comprising:

a controller that;

acquires sensor data corresponding to a motion of the player; and

performs a first action with respect to a first obstacle when the sensor data satisfies a first condition, and changes a second condition in order that the sensor data is less likely to satisfy the second condition than the first condition, the second condition being for performing a second action with respect to a second obstacle that the subject will encounter subsequent to the first obstacle, the second condition being a different condition than the first condition.

16. A method of controlling a game device which comprises at least one processor and executes a game configured to move a subject to be operated by a player with respect to a plurality of obstacles within a game space, the method comprising:

acquiring sensor data corresponding to a motion of the player; and

performing, using the at least one processor, a first action with respect to a first obstacle when the sensor data satisfies a first condition, and changing, using the at least one processor, a second condition in order that the sensor data is less likely to satisfy the second condition than the first condition, the second condition being for performing a second action with respect to a second obstacle that the subject will encounter subsequent to the first obstacle, the second condition being a different condition than the first condition.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable information storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as a game device which executes a game configured to move a subject to be operated by a player with respect to a plurality of obstacles within a game space,

the program further causing the computer to function as:

a controller that;

acquires sensor data corresponding to a motion of the player; and

performs a first action with respect to a first obstacle when the sensor data satisfies a first condition, and changes a second condition in order that the sensor data is less likely to satisfy the second condition than the first condition, the second condition being for performing a second action with respect to a second obstacle that the subject will encounter subsequent to the first obstacle, the second condition being a different condition than the first condition.

18. A method of controlling a game device which comprises at least one processor and executes a game configured to move a subject to be operated by a player with respect to a plurality of obstacles within a game space, the method comprising:

acquiring sensor data corresponding to a motion of the player; and

controlling, using the at least one processor, the subject to perform a jump movement or a squat movement with respect to an obstacle to be encountered, according to whether the sensor data satisfies a jump condition or a squat condition, respectively, and changing, using the at least one processor, the jump condition or the squat condition based on a type of the obstacle.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable information storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as a game device which executes a game configured to move a subject to be operated by a player with respect to a plurality of obstacles within a game space,

the program further causing the computer to function as:

a controller that;

acquires sensor data corresponding to a motion of the player; and

controls the subject to perform a jump movement or a squat movement with respect to an obstacle to be encountered, according to whether the sensor data satisfies a jump condition or a squat condition, respectively, and changes the jump condition or the squat condition based on a type of the obstacle.