Game aim assist

• US 9,295,912 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Garvin, John, Reese, Christopher, Yager, Darren, Allen, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): YOO, JASSON H
• Application Number:
  US13/732,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20130196767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/306 for displaying a marker associated to an object or location in the game field
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6054 by generating automatically game commands to assist the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

Methods for game aim assist are provided. In electronic games, a game player may control the actions of a game character within a game environment. The game environment, which includes a focus area, may be displayed from a perspective of or with respect to a game character. During game play, one or more objects may be detected in the focus area. One of the objects may then be selected based on the distance between the object and the center of the focus area. The aim of the game character is then automatically adjusted toward the selected object, which allows the game player to direct an attack action on the object.

Claims

1. A method for game aim assist, the method comprising:

executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor;

generates a display of a perspective of a game environment, the generated display for a display device and including a defined focus area having one or more objects available for targeting, wherein the defined focus area has an area that is less than the display of the perspective of the game environment;

selects an object from the one or more objects available for targeting in the defined focus area, wherein selection is based at least on a distance between each of the one or more objects and the center of the focus area; and

automatically adjusts the aim of a game character, from an initial position in the display to a second position in the display, the second position being directed towards the selected object, wherein the selected object is indicated by a targeting display; and

receiving an instruction via controller to activate a weapon of the game character, wherein the weapon is directed in accordance with the automatic aim.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the object is further based on the distance between each of the one or more objects and a focal point of the game character.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the object is further based on input from a controller comprising a single analog control stick.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the input from the controller includes information concerning a length of time that a button on the controller is pressed.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising calibrating button press times on the controller for a new game session.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising calibrating button press times on the controller for an individual user controlling the game character.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the input from the controller includes information concerning an amount of pressure on a button on the controller.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising calibrating pressure settings on the controller for a new game session.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising calibrating pressure settings on the controller for an individual user controlling the game character.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the aim of the game character includes moving a targeting display toward the selected object.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the aim of the game character is further based on an action performed by the game character.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an indication that the aim of the game character has been adjusted relative to the selected target.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a size of the defined focus area is customizable by a user controlling the game character.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the display to reflect movement of the targeting display within the game environment, wherein the speed of the automatic adjustment of the aim of the game character toward the selected object is customizable by a user.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the display of the game environment after a period of inactivity.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the adjustment results in a resetting of the display to an original state.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a next object based on at least input from a controller.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a state of the selected object;

detecting a change in the state of the selected object;

selecting a next object from one or more remaining objects based on at least a distance between each of the one or more remaining objects and the center of the focus area; and

automatically adjusting the aim of the game character toward the selected next object.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a computer processor to perform a method for game aim assist, the method comprising:

generating a display of a perspective of a game environment, the generated display for a display device and including a defined focus area having one or more objects available for targeting, wherein the defined focus area has an area that is less than the display of the perspective of the game environment;

selecting an object from the one or more objects available for targeting in the defined focus area, wherein selection is based at least on a distance between each of the one or more objects and the center of the focus area;

automatically adjusting the aim of a game character toward the selected object, wherein the selected object is indicated by a targeting display, from an initial position in the display to a second position in the display, the second position being directed; and

receiving an instruction to activate a weapon of the game character, wherein the weapon is directed in accordance with the automatic aim.

20. An apparatus for game aim assist, the apparatus comprising:

a display device for displaying a perspective of a game environment including a defined focus area having one or more objects available for targeting, wherein the defined focus area has an area that is less than the display of the perspective of the game environment;

a processor for executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor;

selects an object form the one or more objects available for targeting in the defined focus area, wherein selection is based at least on a distance between each of the one or more objects and the center of the focus area; and

automatically adjust the aim of the game character, from an initial position in the display to a second position in the display, the second position being directed towards the selected object, wherein the selected object is indicated by a targeting display; and

a controller interface configured to receive an instruction to activate a weapon of the game character, wherein the weapon is directed in accordance with the automatic aim.