Video game systems and methods for protecting game characters during game play
First Claim
1. A method for playing a multi-player video game, the method comprising:
- generating, in accordance with execution of a video game program by a computer, a virtual game world including multiple player-controllable game characters;
generating, by the computer, images of the virtual game world for display on a display screen;
receiving, by the computer, during the playing of the video game, game character movement control signals, the game character movement control signals being based on inputs to input devices, each used by a respective player, for controlling a corresponding game character in the virtual game world;
controlling, by the computer, movements of each game character in the virtual game world in accordance with the respective game character movement control signals;
in response to satisfaction of a first condition during the playing of the multi-player video game, controlling, by the computer, the virtual game world so that a first one of the game characters controlled by a first one of the game players becomes a protected game character protected from harm in the virtual game world, wherein, when the first condition is satisfied, an initial position of the protected first game character is substantially the same as a position of the first game character at a time the first condition is satisfied;
in response to satisfaction of a second condition during the playing of the multi-player video game, controlling, by the computer, the virtual game world so that the first game character becomes a protected game character protected from harm in the virtual game world, wherein, when the second condition is satisfied, an initial position of the protected first game character is displaced from a position of the first game character at a time the second condition is satisfied;
controlling, by the computer, movements of the protected first game character in the virtual game world; and
stopping the protecting of the protected first game character in response to any one of one or more protecting stopping conditions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Example systems and methods relate to a multi-player video game in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a game world displayed on a display screen. Movements of each game character in the game world are controlled in accordance with respective first game character control operations during the playing of the multi-player video game. In response to satisfaction of any one of a first condition and a second condition, one player'"'"'s game character is protected from harm in the game world, wherein a position at which the protected game character appears when the first condition is satisfied is different than that when the second condition is satisfied. Movements of the protected game character are controlled in the game world and the protecting of the one player'"'"'s game character is stopped in response to any one of one or more protecting stopping conditions, whereby the movements of the one player'"'"'s game character in the game world are controllable in accordance with the first game character control operation for that game character.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for playing a multi-player video game, the method comprising:
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generating, in accordance with execution of a video game program by a computer, a virtual game world including multiple player-controllable game characters; generating, by the computer, images of the virtual game world for display on a display screen; receiving, by the computer, during the playing of the video game, game character movement control signals, the game character movement control signals being based on inputs to input devices, each used by a respective player, for controlling a corresponding game character in the virtual game world; controlling, by the computer, movements of each game character in the virtual game world in accordance with the respective game character movement control signals; in response to satisfaction of a first condition during the playing of the multi-player video game, controlling, by the computer, the virtual game world so that a first one of the game characters controlled by a first one of the game players becomes a protected game character protected from harm in the virtual game world, wherein, when the first condition is satisfied, an initial position of the protected first game character is substantially the same as a position of the first game character at a time the first condition is satisfied; in response to satisfaction of a second condition during the playing of the multi-player video game, controlling, by the computer, the virtual game world so that the first game character becomes a protected game character protected from harm in the virtual game world, wherein, when the second condition is satisfied, an initial position of the protected first game character is displaced from a position of the first game character at a time the second condition is satisfied; controlling, by the computer, movements of the protected first game character in the virtual game world; and stopping the protecting of the protected first game character in response to any one of one or more protecting stopping conditions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A video game system comprising:
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input devices; and a processing system configured to execute a multi-player video game program in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a virtual game world displayed on a display screen, the video game program being stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising instructions for; generating a virtual game world; generating images of the virtual game world for display on a display screen; receiving, during the playing of the video game, game character movement control signals, the game character movement control signals being based on inputs to the input devices; controlling movements of each game character in the virtual game world in accordance with the respective first game character movement control signals; in response to satisfaction of a first condition during the playing of the multi-player video game, controlling, by the computer, the virtual game world so that a first one of the game characters controlled by a first one of the game players becomes a protected game character protected from harm in the virtual game world, wherein, when the first condition is satisfied, an initial position of the protected first game character is substantially the same as a position of the first game character at a time the first condition is satisfied; in response to satisfaction of a second condition during the playing of the multi-player video game, controlling, by the computer, the virtual game world so that the first game character becomes a protected game character protected from harm in the virtual game world, wherein, when the second condition is satisfied, an initial position of the protected first game character is displaced from a position of the first game character at a time the second condition is satisfied; controlling movements of the protected first game character in the virtual game world; and stopping the protecting of the protected first game character in response to any one of one or more protecting stopping conditions. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having encoded therein program instructions for a multi-player video game in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a virtual game world displayed on a display screen, the instructions comprising instructions for:
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generating a virtual game world; generating images of the virtual game world for display on a display screen; receiving, during the playing of the video game, game character movement control signals, the game character movement control signals being based on inputs to the input devices; controlling movements of each game character in the virtual game world in accordance with the respective first game character movement control signals; in response to satisfaction of a first condition during the playing of the multi-player video game, controlling the virtual game world so that a first one of the game characters controlled by a first one of the game players becomes a protected game character protected from harm in the virtual game world, wherein, when the first condition is satisfied, an initial position of the protected first game character is substantially the same as a position of the first game character at a time the first condition is satisfied; in response to satisfaction of a second condition during the playing of the multi-player video game, controlling, by the computer, the virtual game world so that the first game character becomes a protected game character protected from harm in the virtual game world, wherein, when the second condition is satisfied, an initial position of the protected first game character is displaced from a position of the first game character at a time the second condition is satisfied; controlling movements of the protected first game character in the virtual game world; and stopping the protecting of the protected first game character in response to any one of one or more protecting stopping conditions. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A video game apparatus for a multi-player video game program in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a virtual game world displayed on a display screen, the video game apparatus comprising:
a processing system including at least one processor, the processing system configured to perform operations comprising; generating a virtual game world; generating images of the virtual game world for display on a display screen; receiving, during the playing of the video game, game character movement control signals, the game character movement control signals being based on inputs to the input devices; controlling movements of each game character in the virtual game world in accordance with the respective game character movement control signals; in response to satisfaction of a first condition during the playing of the multi-player video game, controlling, by the computer, the virtual game world so that a first one of the game characters controlled by a first one of the game players becomes a protected game character protected from harm in the virtual game world, wherein, when the first condition is satisfied, an initial position of the protected first game character is substantially the same as a position of the first game character at a time the first condition is satisfied; in response to satisfaction of a second condition during the playing of the multi-player video game, controlling, by the computer, the virtual game world so that the first game character becomes a protected game character protected from harm in the virtual game world, wherein, when the second condition is satisfied, an initial position of the protected first game character is displaced from a position of the first game character at a time the second condition is satisfied; controlling movements of the protected first game character in the virtual game world; and stopping the protecting of the protected first game character in response to any one of one or more protecting stopping conditions. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
Specification