Hand-held game apparatus and game program

• US 8,574,069 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2012
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Miyamoto, Shigeru, Eguchi, Katsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar
• Assistant Examiner(s): TORIMIRO, ADETOKUNBO OLUSEGUN
• Application Number:
  US13/658,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20130072298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: 463/30, 463/31, 463 36- 38, 463/43, 463/44, 348/121, 703/11, 345/428, 345/473
• US Class Current: 463/30
• 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 two kinds of maps, namely, a narrow-range map and a broad-range map game, and arbitrarily change the displayed state of at least one of the broad-range map and the narrow-range map by manipulating a touch panel which is mounted on a liquid crystal display section for displaying the broad-range map. If the player manipulates the touch panel to point to a coordinate position on the broad-range map, thus designating coordinates for a narrow-range map to display, an image of the narrow-range map, which is changed as desired, is displayed. If the player indicates a moving direction on the broad-range map, thus designating a scroll direction, the broad-range map is moved (scrolled).

Claims

1. A game system comprising:

a first display area;

a second display area;

a storage device storing program instructions;

at least one processor coupled to the storage device, the at least one processor executing said program instructions to provide a game image generation section which generate plural game images representing a game map, the plural game images including a broad-range game image representing a relatively broad range in the game map and a narrow-range game image representing a relatively narrow range in the game map, the broad-range and narrow-range game images each showing the game map viewed from a common direction;

display control section coupled to the processor, the display control section being configured to display the broad-range game image on the first display area and to display the narrow-range game image on the second display area;

a coordinate detection section which detects coordinates on the first display area, the second display area or both; and

a manipulation detection section coupled to the coordinate detection section, the manipulation detection section detecting either one or both of a moving amount and a moving direction of the coordinates;

wherein the processor executes said program instructions to further provide an image control section which controls at least one of the broad-range game image or the narrow-range game image based on said either one or both of the moving amount and the moving direction.

2. The game system according to claim 1, wherein,

the coordinate detection section detects the coordinates on the first display area displaying the broad-range game image,

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

the game image generation section, when the manipulation detection section has detected the designated coordinates, calculates a position on the broad-range game image based on the coordinates 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 on the broad-range game image.

3. The game system according to claim 2, wherein,

the game image generation section changes, in accordance with the calculated position on the broad-range game image, the narrow-range game image generated by the game image generation section, and changes, in accordance with the moving direction detected by the manipulation detection section on the broad-range game image, the broad-range game image so as to scroll the broad-range game image, and

the changed narrow-range game image and the changed 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.

4. The game system according to claim 1, wherein,

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

the game image generation section, when the manipulation detection section has detected the moving direction, 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 game system according to claim 1, wherein,

the coordinate detection section detects the coordinates on the first display area displaying the broad-range game image,

the manipulation detection section detects the moving direction and further detects, based on the coordinates detected by the coordinate detection section, coordinates designated by a user, and

the game image generation section:

when the manipulation detection section has detected the designated coordinates, calculates a position on the broad-range game image based on the coordinates 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 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. A game system comprising:

a first display area and a second display area;

a storing device that stores program instructions;

a computer processor coupled to the storage device, the computer processor executing the stored program instructions to provide a game image generation section which generates game images representing a game map viewed from a direction, the generated game images including a broad-range game image representing a relatively broad range in the game map viewed from the direction and a narrow-range game image representing a relatively narrow range in the game map viewed from the direction;

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

a coordinate detection section which detects coordinates on at least either one of the first display area or the second display area;

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

from the coordinates; and

an image control section which controls at least either one of the broad-range game image or the narrow-range game image based on said either one or both of the moving amount and the moving direction to thereby control the first display area to display as a first game picture the broad-range game image data and controls the second display area to display as a second game picture the narrow-range game image.

7. The game system according to claim 6, wherein,

the manipulation detection section further detects that a predetermined click operation has been performed on the coordinate detection section, and generates data designating a display area for the narrow-range game image which is centered around a position on the narrow-range image that corresponds to coordinates at which the detected click operation has been performed, and

the game image generation section changes, in accordance with the data designating the display area, the narrow-range game image so as to represent the narrow-range game image around the position.

8. The game system according to claim 6, wherein,

the manipulation detection section detects at least the moving direction and

the game image generation section, when the manipulation detection section has detected the moving direction, 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.

9. The game system according to claim 8, wherein,

the coordinate detection section detects the coordinates on the first display area displaying the broad-range game image,

the manipulation detection section detects the moving direction and further detects, based on the coordinates detected by the coordinate detection section, coordinates designated by a user, and

the game image generation section has detected the designated coordinates, calculates a position on the broad-range game image based on the coordinates 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 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.

10. The game system according to claim 6, wherein,

the game image generation section changes, in accordance with a calculated position on the broad-range game image, the narrow-range game image generated by the game image generation section and changes, in accordance with the moving direction detection by the manipulation detection section on the broad-range game image, the broad-range game image so as to scroll the broad-range game image;

and

the changed narrow-range game image and the changed 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.

11. A non-transitory storage medium storing a game program for use with a game system comprising a first display area and a second display area;

the game program comprising instructions causing a computer to perform;

generating game images representing a game map viewed from a direction, the generated game images comprising a broad-range game image representing a relatively broad range in the game map viewed from the direction and a narrow-range game image representing a relatively narrow range in the game map viewed from the direction;

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

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

detecting coordinates on at least either one of the first display area or the second display area;

detecting either one or both of a moving amount and a moving direction of the coordinates from the coordinates, and

controlling at least one of the broad-range map or the narrow-range map based on said either one or both of the moving amount and the moving direction.

12. The non-transitory storage medium storing the game program according to claim 11, wherein, the detecting includes detecting the coordinates on the first display area displaying the broad-range game image, and detecting, based on the detected coordinates, coordinates designated by a user, and

when the designated coordinates have been detected, calculating a position on the broad-range game image based on the coordinates detected, and changing the narrow-range game image so as to be the narrow-range game image around the position on the broad-range game image.

13. The non-transitory storage medium storing the game program according to claim 11, wherein,

the second-recited detecting includes detecting at least the moving direction, and

the imaging generating includes changing, when moving direction has been detected, 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.

14. The non-transitory storage medium storing the game program according to claim 11, wherein,

the detecting includes detecting the coordinates on the first display area displaying the broad-range game image and detecting the moving direction and further detecting, based on the coordinates detected, coordinates designated by a user, and

when the designated coordinates have been detected, calculating a position on the broad-range game image based on the detected coordinates and changing the narrow-range game image so as to be the narrow-range game image around the position on the broad-range game image, and

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

15. A non-transitory storage medium storing a game program for use with a game system comprising a first display area and a second display area,

the game program comprising instructions causing a computer to perform:

generating game images representing a game map viewed from the a direction, the generated game images comprising a broad-range game image representing a relatively broad range in the game map viewed from the direction and a narrow-range game image representing a relatively narrow range in the-game map viewed from the direction;

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

detecting coordinates on at least either one of the first display area and the second display area;

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

controlling at least either one of the broad-range game image or the narrow-range game image based on either one or both of the moving amount and the moving direction.

16. The non-transitory storage medium storing the game program according to claim 15, wherein,

while the broad-range game image is being displayed by the second display area, the manipulation detection generates data from the image, designating a displayed area for the narrow-range game image which is centered around a designated coordinate position, based on a predetermined click operation on a touch panel, and

further including imparting changes, in accordance with the data designating the displayed area as detected by the manipulation detection, the narrow-range map image data so as to be the narrow-range map image around the designated coordinate position.

17. The non-transitory storage medium storing the game program according to claim 15, wherein,

the manipulation detection detects at least the moving direction, and

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

18. The non-transitory storage medium storing the game program according to claim 15, wherein,

the coordinate detection detects the coordinates on the first display area displaying the broad-range game image,

the manipulation detection detects the moving direction and further detects, based on the coordinates detected by the coordinate detection, coordinates designated by a user, and

the game image generation, when the manipulation detection has detected the designated coordinates, calculates a position on the broad-range game image based on the coordinates detected by the coordinate detection and changes the narrow-range game image generated by the game image generation so as to be the narrow-range game image around the position on the broad-range game image;

and

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

19. A method of selectively displaying game information, comprising:

(a) displaying a first range of game images in a first display area;

(b) displaying a second range of game images in a second display area, said second range of game images being a smaller subset of the first range of game images, said first and second ranges of game images representing the game map viewed from a common direction;

(c) sensing touch input coordinates to at least one of the first display area and the second display area to designate at least a moving direction and a moving amount of the coordinates; and

(d) using at least one computer processor to selectively control the display of at least one of the first display area and the second display area based on at least one of the moving amount and the moving direction.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the displaying (a) further comprises displaying a first range of game information in the first display area provided by a first display, wherein the first display is provided separate from and in close proximity to the second display area.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the displaying (a) further comprises displaying a first range of game information on a first display area comprising a portion of a display on which the second display area is also defined.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the selectively controlling (d) comprises shifting the displayed second range of game information in a direction, based at least in part on the input, to display a new second range of game information.

23. A system for displaying a game map comprising:

a user coordinate input detector;

a manipulation processor coupled to the user coordinate input detector, the manipulation processor detecting either one or both of a moving amount and a moving direction of detected user coordinate input; and

a game image generator coupled to the manipulation processor, the game image generator generating first and second images of the game map for concurrent display, the first image depicting a portion of the game map covering a first range, the second image depicting a portion of the game map covering a second range, the second range being narrower than the first range, the first and second images depicting respective game map portions from the same viewing direction, the game image generator controlling at least one of the first and second images based on the detected either one or both of the moving amount and the moving direction.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the second image shows a subset of the game map portion the first image depicts.

25. The system of claim 23 further including first and second displays coupled to the image generator, the first display displaying the first image, the second display concurrently displaying the second image, at least one of the first and second displays comprising a touch screen, the touch screen providing the user coordinate input detector.

26. The system of claim 23 further including first and second display areas coupled to the image generator, the first display area displaying the first image, the second display area displaying the second image, at least one of the first and second display areas being touch sensitive.