Game apparatus, storage medium storing game program and game controlling method

• US 9,474,963 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2013
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakajima, Souichi
• Primary Examiner(s): PIERCE, DAMON JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US13/874,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20130244783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting

Abstract

A game apparatus includes an LCD, and a touch panel is placed on a top surface of the LCD. A player instructs an enemy character displayed on the LCD by use of a stick to attack the enemy character. For example, in a case that the enemy character exists at a depth of a game screen, little damage is applied to the enemy character, and a weak vibration is applied to the game apparatus. Conversely, in a case that the enemy character exists at a front of the game screen, much damage is applied to the character, and a strong vibration is applied to the game apparatus. In either case, the vibrations are transmitted to the fingers or hands of the payer via the stick.

Claims

1. A game apparatus, comprising:

a display configured to display a game image including a moving character in a three dimensional virtual space, the moving character being displayed in a display area of the display;

a touch panel provided in association with the display configured to detect a coordinates position entered by a user within the display area of the display while the moving character is moving in the three dimensional virtual space;

a vibrator which applies vibration to the user; and

a processor configured to perform at least;

vibrating the vibrator when the coordinates position that is entered after the beginning of the movement of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space by the user and detected by the touch panel is included in the display area of the moving character on the display, and not vibrating the vibrator when the coordinates position that is entered after the beginning of the movement of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space by the user and detected by the touch panel is not included in the display area of the moving character on the display.

2. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the moving character moves in a depth direction of the display.

3. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the moving character moves at random.

4. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the processor is further configured to perform continuously updating at least one parameter, the vibrator being vibrated based on the parameter.

5. The game apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the processor is further configured to perform obtaining the parameter at a time when the coordinates position is included in the display area of the moving character on the display.

6. The game apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the parameter is the coordinates position of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space.

7. The game apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the coordinates position of the moving character is a position in a depth direction of the display.

8. The game apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the parameter is updated regardless of whether or not the touch panel is touched by the user.

9. The game apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the vibrator vibrates in a vibration pattern, the vibration pattern depending on the parameter.

10. The game apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the moving character is assigned with a plurality of vibration patterns, the vibrator being vibrated in the vibration pattern selected from the plurality of vibration patterns in accordance with the parameter.

11. The game apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a memory including a table in which the parameters and vibration patterns are stored in correspondence to each other, wherein the vibration pattern is selected according to the parameter by referring to the table.

12. The game apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the table is prepared for each moving character.

13. The game apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the vibration pattern indicates strength of vibration.

14. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the display has a first display area and a second display area, and the vibrator vibrates when the coordinates position is included in the display area of the moving character on the first display area.

15. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the game image is changed when the vibrator vibrates.

16. The game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a speaker.

17. The game apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

the speaker outputs a sound corresponding to the vibration by the vibrator.

18. The game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one push button for playing a game.

19. The game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cross switch for playing a game.

20. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vibrator is an eccentric motor.

21. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the vibrator is a voice coil.

22. A game system for playing a game by a user, comprising:

a display configured to display a game image including a moving character in a three dimensional virtual space, the moving character being displayed in a display area of the display;

a touch panel provided in association with the display, configured to detect a coordinates position entered by the user within the display area of the display while the moving character is moving in the three dimensional virtual space;

a vibrator which applies vibration to the user; and

a processor configured to perform at least;

vibrating the vibrator when the coordinates position that is entered after the beginning of the movement of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space by the user and detected by the touch panel is included in the display area of the moving character on the display, and not vibrating the vibrator when the coordinates position that is entered after the beginning of the movement of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space by the user and detected by the touch panel is not included in the display area of the moving character on the display.

23. A game method in a game system which is capable of playing a game by a user, the game system including a processor, a display configured to display a game image including a moving character in a three dimensional virtual space, the moving character being displayed in a display area of the display, a touch panel provided in association with the display, configured to detect a coordinates position entered by the user within the display area of the display while the moving character is moving in the three dimensional virtual space, and a vibrator which applies vibration to the user, the game method comprising:

vibrating the vibrator when the coordinates position that is entered after the beginning of the movement of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space by the user and detected by the touch panel is included in the display area of the moving character on the display, and not vibrating the vibrator when the coordinates position that is entered after the beginning of the movement of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space by the user and detected by the touch panel is not included in the display area of the moving character on the display.

24. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium which stores a game program executed by a processor included in a game system which is capable of playing a game by a user and includes a vibrator which applies vibration to the user, a display configured to display a game image including a moving character in a three dimensional virtual space, the moving character being displayed in a display area of the display, and a touch panel provided in association with the display and configured to detect a coordinates position entered by the user within a display area of the display while the moving character is moving in the three dimensional virtual space, the game program causes the processor to perform at least:

vibrating the vibrator when the coordinates position that is entered after the beginning of the movement of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space by the user and detected by the touch panel is included in the display area of the moving character on the display, and not vibrating the vibrator when the coordinates position that is entered after the beginning of the movement of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space by the user and detected by the touch panel is not included in the display area of the moving character on the display.