Storage medium having game program stored thereon and game apparatus

• US 9,149,718 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Takahashi, Ryutaro, Masaoka, Takafumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Merouan, Abderrahim
• Application Number:
  US11/604,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20080062198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,234 Days
• Field of Search: 345619-630, 2733171-353, 463 2- 29
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics

Abstract

A reference character is generated by combining part objects prepared for each site. At least one candidate character object is generated by changing at least one part object among the part objects used in the reference character object. The reference character object and the candidate character object are displayed by a display device, and an input for selection from a user is accepted. Next, a site for which different part objects are used between the selected character object and the reference character object is determined. A new character object is generated by changing the part object used for the determined site with priority. The selected character object is displayed as the reference character, and the newly generated character is displayed as the candidate character.

Claims

1. A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a program executable by a computer of an apparatus for creating a character object by combining a plurality of part objects, each of which is for each of a plurality of parts which are used for forming a character object appearing in a virtual space, the program causing the computer to execute:

generating a reference character object by combining part objects, each of which is selected for each part on the character object among the plurality of part objects stored for the respective parts;

generating at least one candidate character object by changing at least one part object among the part objects used in the reference character object;

displaying the reference character object and the candidate character object;

accepting an input to select one of the reference character object and the candidate character object;

determining a part on the character object for which different part objects are used between the selected character object and the reference character object by comparing the selected character object and the reference character object;

generating at least one new character object by changing the part object used for the determined part on the character object with priority among the part objects used in the selected character object;

updating the reference character object with the selected character object; and

updating the candidate character object with the character object generated in the changed character generation step.

2. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the reference character object is generated based on a predetermined combination of the plurality of part objects.

3. A storage medium according to claim 2, wherein:

the reference character object is generated based on a combination pattern predetermined in accordance with a parameter input by a user.

4. A storage medium according to claim 3, wherein the parameter is gender information of the user.

5. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the reference character object is generated by randomly combining the plurality of part objects.

6. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the reference character object and the candidate character object are each a face object of the character object.

7. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein when generating the at least one new character object, the part object is changed by replacing the part object with a different part object.

8. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein when generating the at least one new character object, the part object is changed by executing a predetermined treatment on the part object.

9. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein when generating the candidate character object and the at least one new character object, the number of part objects to be changed has a predetermined upper limit.

10. A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a program executable by a computer of an apparatus for creating a character object by combining a plurality of part objects, each of which is for each of a plurality of parts which are used for forming a character object appearing in a virtual space, the program causing the computer to execute:

generating a reference character object by reading a part object for each part on the character object from one of a plurality of groups, where a plurality of part objects for each part on the character object are divided into groups and the part objects of each group are stored in a memory and arranged as gradually and sequentially changing;

generating at least one candidate character object by reading a part object which is stored close to at least one part object among the part objects used in the reference character object;

displaying the reference character object and the candidate character object;

accepting an input to select one of the reference character object and the candidate character object;

generating at least one new character object by reading a part object which is stored close to at least one part object among the part objects used in the selected character object;

updating the reference character object with the selected character object; and

updating the candidate character object with the new character object generated.

11. A storage medium according to claim 10, wherein in generating the candidate character object, the part object is read from storage positions within a predetermined range centered around the storage position of the at least one part object used in the reference character object.

12. A storage medium according to claim 10, wherein in generating the at least one new character object, the part object is read from storage positions within a predetermined range centered around the storage position of the at least one part object used in the selected character object.

13. A storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the part objects are stored as a one-dimensional string for each part on the character object.

14. A storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the part objects include a plurality of the one-dimensional string for each part on the character object.

15. A storage medium according to claim 14, wherein:

generating the candidate character object includes selecting a one-dimensional string, which is different from the one-dimensional string including the part object used in the reference character object, at a predetermined probability; and

the candidate character object is generated using the part object included in the selected one-dimensional string.

16. A storage medium according to claim 14, wherein:

generating the at least one new character object includes selecting a one-dimensional string, which is different from the one-dimensional string including the part object used in the selected character object, at a predetermined probability; and

the new character object is generated using the part object included in the selected one-dimensional string.

17. An apparatus for creating a character object by combining a plurality of part objects, each of which is for each of a plurality of parts which are used for forming a character object appearing in a virtual space, the apparatus comprising:

a reference character generation section for generating a reference character object by combining part objects, each of which is selected for each part on the character object among the plurality of part objects stored for the respective parts;

an initial candidate character generation section for generating at least one candidate character object by changing at least one part object among the part objects used in the reference character object;

a display output section for causing a display device to display the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a selection input acceptance section for accepting an input to select one of the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a change part determination section for determining a part on the character object for which different part objects are used between the selected character object and the reference character object by comparing the selected character object and the reference character object;

a changed character generation section for generating at least one new character object by changing the part object used for the part on the character object determined in the change part determination step with priority among the part objects used in the selected character object;

a reference character update section for updating the reference character object with the selected character object; and

a candidate character update section for updating the candidate character object with the character object generated by the changed character generation section.

18. An apparatus for creating a character object by combining a plurality of part objects, each of which is for each of a plurality of parts which are used for forming a character object appearing in a virtual space, wherein a plurality of part objects for each part on the character object are divided into groups, the apparatus comprising:

a memory for storing a plurality of part objects for each part on the character object, where the plurality of part objects are divided into groups and the part objects of each group are stored in an arrangement where the part objects are gradually and sequentially changing;

a reference character generation section for generating a reference character object by reading a part object from one of the groups for each part on the character object;

a candidate character generation section for generating at least one candidate character object by reading a part object which is stored close to at least one part object among the part objects used in the reference character object;

a display output section for causing a display device to display the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a selection input acceptance section for accepting an input to select one of the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a changed character generation section for generating at least one new character object by reading a part object which is stored close to at least one part object among the part objects used in the selected character object;

a reference character update section for updating the reference character object with the selected character object; and

a candidate character update section for updating the candidate character object with the character object generated by the changed character generation section.

19. A system for creating a character object by combining a plurality of part objects, each of which is for each of a plurality of parts which are used for forming a character object appearing in a virtual space, the apparatus comprising:

a reference character generation section for generating a reference character object by combining part objects, each of which is selected for each part on the character object among the plurality of part objects stored for the respective parts;

an initial candidate character generation section for generating at least one candidate character object by changing at least one part object among the part objects used in the reference character object;

a display output section for causing a display device to display the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a selection input acceptance section for accepting an input to select one of the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a change part determination section for determining a part on the character object for which different part objects are used between the selected character object and the reference character object by comparing the selected character object and the reference character object;

a changed character generation section for generating at least one new character object by changing the part object used for the part on the character object determined in the change part determination step with priority among the part objects used in the selected character object;

a reference character update section for updating the reference character object with the selected character object; and

a candidate character update section for updating the candidate character object with the character object generated by the changed character generation section.

20. A system for creating a character object by combining a plurality of part objects, each of which is for each of a plurality of parts which are used for forming a character object appearing in a virtual space, wherein a plurality of part objects for each part on the character object are divided into groups, the apparatus comprising:

a memory for storing a plurality of part objects for each part on the character object, where the plurality of part objects are divided into groups and the part objects of each group are stored in an arrangement where the part objects are gradually and sequentially changing;

a reference character generation section for generating a reference character object by reading a part object from one of the groups for each part on the character object;

a candidate character generation section for generating at least one candidate character object by reading a part object which is stored close to at least one part object among the part objects used in the reference character object;

a display output section for causing a display device to display the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a selection input acceptance section for accepting an input to select one of the reference character object and the candidate character object;

a changed character generation section for generating at least one new character object by reading a part object which is stored close to at least one part object among the part objects used in the selected character object;

a reference character update section for updating the reference character object with the selected character object; and

a candidate character update section for updating the candidate character object with the character object generated by the changed character generation section.

21. A method for creating a character object by combining a plurality of part objects, each of which is for each of a plurality of parts which are used for forming a character object appearing in a virtual space, the method comprising:

generating a reference character object by combining part objects, each of which is selected for each part on the character object among the plurality of part objects stored for the respective parts;

generating at least one candidate character object by changing at least one part object among the part objects used in the reference character object;

displaying the reference character object and the candidate character object;

accepting an input to select one of the reference character object and the candidate character object;

determining a part on the character object for which different part objects are used between the selected character object and the reference character object by comparing the selected character object and the reference character object;

generating at least one new character object by changing the part object used for the determined part on the character object with priority among the part objects used in the selected character object;

updating the reference character object with the selected character object; and

updating the candidate character object with the generated character object.

22. A method for forming a character object by combining a plurality of part objects, each comprising a plurality of parts which are used for forming the character object appearing in a virtual space, wherein a plurality of part objects for each part of the character object are divided into groups, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of part objects for each part on the character object, where the plurality of part objects are divided into groups and the part objects of each group are stored in an arrangement providing part objects that are gradually and sequentially changing;

generating a reference character object by reading a part object from one of the groups for each part of the character object;

generating at least one candidate character object by reading a part object which is stored near at least one part object among the part objects used in the reference character object;

displaying on a display device the reference character object and the candidate character object;

accepting an input to select one of the reference character object and the candidate character object;

generating at least one new character object by reading a part object which is stored near at least one part object among the part objects used in the selected character object;

updating the reference character object with the selected character object; and

updating the candidate character object with the generated character object.