Computer-readable storage medium having object control program stored therein and object control apparatus

• US 8,608,561 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2009
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamada, Yoichi, Mouri, Shirou
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Arthur O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kamal, Shahid
• Application Number:
  US12/649,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20110105228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 463/31, 463/32, 463/37, 345/158, 345/204, 345/419
• US Class Current: 463/31
• 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 13/335 using Internet
• 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 13/426 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 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5372 for tagging characters, objects or locations in the game scene, e.g. displaying a circle under the character controlled by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• 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 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/306 for displaying a marker associated to an object or location in the game field
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• 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 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6653 for altering the visibility of an object, e.g. preventing the occlusion of an object, partially hiding an object
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 : Role playing or strategy games

Abstract

When a game apparatus detects a double-touch in an area other than an area where an enemy character is displayed, the game apparatus causes a player character to perform a forward roll motion. On the other hand, when the game apparatus detects a touch operation onto the enemy character, a prohibition area is provided at a position of the enemy character. When the game apparatus detects a touch onto the prohibition area, even if the touch operation is the double-touch, the game apparatus prohibits the player character from performing the forward roll motion and causes the player character to attack the enemy character.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions for use with a processing system that includes at least one processor, the processing system configured to control an operational object in a virtual space, the operational object set to be operated in accordance with input from an input device operable to designate a position on a screen of a display device, the stored instructions comprising instructions that are configured to:

detect, based on an output signal from the input device, a first position on the screen, which is designated by a user;

set a predetermined area based on an original position of a predetermined object in the virtual space, the predetermined object being different than the operational object;

hold the predetermined area for a predetermined period of time;

detect, based on an output signal from the input device, a first operation onto the screen;

cause the operational object to perform a first motion in accordance with the first operation; and

perform a determination as to whether or not the detected first position is present in the predetermined area,

wherein when the predetermined object is moved to a new position in the virtual space, the predetermined area is held, after movement of the predetermined object, at the original position where the predetermined object was before moving to the new position, and

wherein when the determination is that the detected first position is within the predetermined area, the operational object is prohibited from performing the first motion,

wherein the new position is outside the predetermined area.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the predetermined area is set based on an output signal from the input device when a designation to the predetermined object is detected.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the operational object to perform a second motion different from the first motion when the determination is positive.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the instructions are further configured to detect a second operation different from the first operation onto the screen based on an output signal from the input device, and when the determination is positive cause the operational object to perform the second motion in accordance with the first operation or the second operation.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein when the determination is negative the first motion is performed in accordance with the first operation.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the first operation is associated with a predetermined operation performed onto the detection device that is repeatedly detected over a predetermined detection period.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the predetermined period of time is longer than the predetermined detection period.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the stored instructions further comprise instructions that are configured to:

when the predetermined object is moved to the new position, create a second predetermined area in accordance with the predetermined object at the new position;

determine whether or not the detected first position is present in any of either the predetermined area or the second predetermined area.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein when a positional relationship between the operational object and the predetermined object satisfies a predetermined condition the predetermined area is not set.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, the stored instructions further comprise instructions that are configured to remove the predetermined area when through the movement of the operational object and/or the predetermined object, a positional relationship between the operational object and the predetermined object comes to satisfy a predetermined condition.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the predetermined area is removed when a third object different from the operational object and from the predetermined object is between the operational object and the predetermined object.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the hold period is set in accordance with a kind of the predetermined object.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, the stored instructions further comprise instructions that are configured to automatically move the predetermined object.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of 3, wherein

the first motion is a non-attack motion which the operational object is caused to perform, and

the second motion is an attack motion that is performed against the predetermined object.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of 1, wherein a shape of the predetermined area, a size of the predetermined area, or a number of the predetermined areas is set in accordance with a kind of the predetermined object.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an object control program executed by a computer that has at least one processor in an object control apparatus for controlling an operational object in a virtual space, the operational object operated in accordance with input from a user provided via an input device operable to designate a position on a screen of a display device, the object control program comprising instructions that are configured to:

detect, based on an output signal from the input device, a first position on the screen, which is designated by a user;

set a predetermined area in an original position of a predetermined object in the virtual space, which is different from the operational object;

hold the predetermined area until a predetermined hold period has elapsed;

determine whether or not the first position is present in the predetermined area; and

cause the operational object to perform a first motion in accordance with a predetermined operation onto the input device when the first position is present in the predetermined area,

wherein the predetermined area is held at the original position where the predetermined object has been present before movement to a new position that is outside the predetermined area even in a case where the predetermined object has moved in the virtual space.

17. An object control system for controlling an operational object in a virtual space, the operational object operated in accordance with input of a user provided to an input device operable to designate a position on a screen of a display device, the system comprising:

a processing system that includes at least one processor, the processing system configured to;

detect, based on an output signal from the input device, a position on the screen, which is designated by a user;

set a predetermined area in a position of a predetermined object in the virtual space, the predetermined object being different from the operational object;

hold the set predetermined area until a predetermined hold period has elapsed;

detect, based on an output signal from the input device, a first operation onto the screen;

cause the operational object to perform a first motion in accordance with the first operation; and

determine whether or not the detected position is present in the held predetermined area,

wherein when the predetermined object is moved to a new position in the virtual space, the predetermined area is held, after movement of the predetermined object, at the position where the predetermined object was before moving to the new position, and

wherein the operational object is prohibited from performing the first motion when the detected position is determined to be present within the predetermined area,

wherein the new position is outside the predetermined area.

18. A method for use with a processing system that includes at least one processor, the processing system configured to control an operational object in a virtual space, the operational object set to be operated in accordance with input from an input device operable to designate a position on a screen of a display device, the method comprising:

detecting, based on an output signal from the input device, an input position on the screen, which is designated by a user;

setting a predetermined area based on a position of a predetermined object in the virtual space, the predetermined object being different than the operational object;

holding the predetermined area for a predetermined period of time;

detecting, based on an output signal from the input device, a first operation onto the screen;

causing the operational object to perform a first motion in accordance with the first operation; and

performing, via the processing system, a determination as to whether or not the detected input position is present in the predetermined area,

wherein when the predetermined object moves to a new position in the virtual space, the predetermined area is held, after movement of the predetermined object, at the position where the predetermined object was before moving to the new position, and

wherein when the determination is that the input position is within the predetermined area, the operational object is prohibited from performing the first motion,

wherein the new position is outside the predetermined area.