Computer readable storage medium having game program stored thereon and game apparatus

• US 8,974,301 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2009
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Ichiro, Shimamura, Takayuki, Sato, Katsuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRANT, MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US12/540,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20100248837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,035 Days
• Field of Search: 463/36
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• 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 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball

Abstract

Based on posture/motion information obtained from predetermined detection means for detecting a posture or a motion of an input device operated by a user, power value data, which is a parameter representing the power to be given to an object is calculated. In addition, a braking power applied to the input device is calculated based on the posture/motion information. Then, the object is moved based on the power value data and the braking value data.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a game program to be executed by a computer of a game apparatus, the game program being for moving an object in a virtual space based on posture/motion information obtained from a predetermined detection unit for detecting a posture or a motion of an input device operated by a user, the game program causing the computer to perform:

posture/motion information obtaining for repeatedly obtaining posture/motion information detected by the detection unit;

power value calculation for calculating power value data, which is a parameter representing a power to be given to the object, based on the posture/motion information;

braking value calculation for calculating braking value data representing a braking power applied on the input device by causing the motion of the input device to stop suddenly, based on the posture/motion information; and

object moving for moving the object based on the power value data until a predetermined condition related to said braking value data is satisfied, and moving the object based on the power value data and the braking value data after the predetermined condition is satisfied.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein

the detection unit is a motion sensor included in the input device.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein:

the game program causes the computer to further perform maximum braking value detection for detecting a maximum braking value, which is a maximum value among braking values calculated by the braking value calculation; and

the object moving moves the object based on the maximum braking value.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 3, wherein

the object moving moves the object based on the power value until the maximum braking power is detected by the maximum braking power detection, and moves the object based on the power value and the maximum braking power after the maximum braking power is detected by the maximum braking power detection.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein:

the game program causes the computer to further perform posture calculation for calculating a posture of the input device based on the posture/motion information; and

the power value calculation calculates the power value based on the posture of the input device calculated by the posture calculation.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 5, wherein the braking value calculation includes:

correction coefficient calculation for calculating a correction coefficient for correcting the braking value to be smaller as a difference between the posture of the input device obtained when the object moving starts moving the object and a current posture of the input device is larger; and

braking value correction for correcting the braking value using the calculated correction coefficient.

7. A The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 5, wherein

the braking value calculation calculates, as the braking value, a virtual bending angle caused to the input device in accordance with a change of the posture of the input device where the input device is regarded as a predetermined elastic body.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 5, wherein

the object moving moves the object based on the power value data and the braking value data when the posture of the input device fulfills a predetermined condition.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 8, wherein:

the posture calculation includes;

bend calculation for calculating a virtual bend caused to the input device in accordance with a change of the posture of the input device where the input device is regarded as a predetermined elastic body; and

posture correction for correcting the posture of the input device based on the virtual bend calculated by the bend calculation; and

the object moving moves the object based on the power value data and the braking value data when the posture of the input device corrected by the posture correction fulfills a predetermined condition.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 9, wherein:

the game program causes the computer to further perform reference plane setting for virtually setting a predetermined plane in an actual space as a reference plane at a predetermined timing based on the posture/motion information; and

the object moving moves the object based on the power value data and the braking value data when the posture of the input device corrected by the posture correction obtains a predetermined relationship with respect to the reference plane.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein:

the motion sensor is an angular velocity sensor; and

the posture/motion information obtaining obtains angular velocity information detected by the angular velocity sensor as the posture/motion information.

12. A The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 11, wherein

the braking value calculation calculates a change amount of the angular velocity at a predetermined time interval as the braking power.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein:

the motion sensor is an acceleration sensor; and

the posture/motion information obtaining obtains acceleration information detected by the acceleration sensor as the posture/motion information.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 13, wherein

the braking value calculation calculates an acceleration at a predetermined time as the braking power.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein:

the game program is a golf game program which regards the input device as a golf club present in the virtual space and regards the object as a golf ball; and

the object moving gives the power based on the power value data to the golf ball to move the golf ball, and also gives a backspin change based on the braking value data to the golf ball.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 15, wherein the object moving:

includes contact determination for determining whether or not the golf club has contacted the golf ball in the virtual space; and

moves the golf ball based on the power value data and the braking value data when the contact determination determines that the golf club has contacted the golf ball.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 16, wherein the contact determination:

includes position correction for correcting a position of the golf club based on the braking value data; and

determines whether or not the golf club has contacted the golf ball using the position of the golf club corrected by the position correction.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein

the braking power is applied on the input device in a downward motion of the entire input device.

18. A game apparatus for moving an object in a virtual space based on posture/motion information obtained from a predetermined detection unit for detecting a posture or a motion of an input device operated by a user, the game apparatus comprising:

a posture/motion information obtaining unit for repeatedly obtaining posture/motion information detected by the detection unit;

a power value calculation unit for calculating power value data, which is a parameter representing a power to be given to the object, based on the posture/motion information;

a braking value calculation unit for calculating braking value data representing a braking power applied on the input device by causing the motion of the input device to stop suddenly, based on the posture/motion information; and

an object moving unit for moving the object based on the power value data until a predetermined condition related to said braking value data is satisfied, and moving the object based on the power value data and the braking value data after the predetermined condition is satisfied.

19. A method for moving an object in a virtual space of a game based on posture/motion information obtained from a predetermined detection unit for detecting a posture or a motion of an input device operated by a user, the method comprising:

repeatedly obtaining posture/motion information detected by the detection unit;

calculating, using one or more computer processors, power value data, which is a parameter representing a power to be given to the object, based on the obtained posture/motion information;

calculating braking value data representing a braking power applied on the input device by causing the motion of the input device to stop suddenly, based on the obtained posture/motion information; and

moving the object based on the power value data until a predetermined condition related to said braking value data is satisfied, and moving the object based on the power value data and the braking value data after the predetermined condition is satisfied.

20. An information processing system including an input device for moving an object in a virtual space of a game based on posture/motion information obtained from a predetermined detection unit for detecting a posture or a motion of the input device operated by a user, comprising:

a predetermined detection unit; and

a processing system, including one or more computer processors, configured to;

repeatedly obtain posture/motion information detected by the detection unit;

calculate, using the one or more computer processors, power value data, which is a parameter representing a power to be given to the object, based on the obtained posture/motion information;

calculate braking value data representing a braking power applied on the input device by causing the motion of the input device to stop suddenly, based on the obtained posture/motion information; and

move the object based on the power value data until a predetermined condition related to said braking value data is satisfied, and moving the object based on the power value data and the braking value data after the predetermined condition is satisfied.