Computer-readable storage medium having information processing program stored therein, information processing apparatus, information processing system, and information processing method for zooming on an imaging subject in a virtual space without changing an imaging direction of the virtual camera

• US 9,878,245 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2011
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Sakurai, Masahiro, Machino, Taichi, Ikeda, Teppei
• Primary Examiner(s): Drennan, Barry
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRINGLE-PARKER, JASON A
• Application Number:
  US13/158,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20120001944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,423 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5258 by dynamically adapting the position of the virtual camera to keep a game object or game character in its viewing frustum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

In order to attain the object described above, a game apparatus is able to use coordinate input means and display means, and positions a virtual camera Ca in a three-dimensional virtual space. When a predetermined operation is performed at any position in a predetermined range on a touch panel (coordinate input means), the game apparatus performs zooming-in-on operation (changes an angle θ1 of view of the virtual camera) without changing an imaging direction of the virtual camera.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising an information processing program which is executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus which can use a coordinate input device and a display device, the information processing program causing the computer to:

position a virtual camera in a virtual space;

take an image of the virtual space by using the virtual camera to generate a virtual image;

display, by using the display device, the generated virtual image;

perform zooming-in operation to zoom in the generated virtual image of the virtual space, without changing a gazing point of the virtual camera, when touching any position on a game image displayed on the display device using the coordinate input device, the gazing point of the virtual camera maintained so as to be constant when the input is performed on any position on the surface of the display device, and the image of the virtual space changes from an objective viewpoint of a player character to a subjective viewpoint of the player character when the zooming-in operation is being performed; and

move an aim, representing a shooting direction of a virtual shooting, on the virtual image when performing a sliding operation on any position on the game image displayed on the display device, an area of the game image for performing the sliding operation to move the aim overlaps the area of the game image for touching the position of the game image to perform the zooming-in operation.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 1, wherein the zooming-in operation is canceled when the coordinate input device enters a non-inputted state.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 1, wherein the computer is further caused to change an imaging direction of the virtual camera, based on a change direction in which an input coordinate position is changed when coordinate input is continuously performed by the coordinate input device.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 3, wherein the computer is further caused to:

virtually shoot from a shooting position in the virtual space;

display, in the virtual image, the aim representing the shooting direction of the virtual shooting; and

move the aim on the virtual image during the zooming-in operation, based on at least the change direction in which the input coordinate position is changed, without changing the imaging direction of the virtual camera, when the coordinate input is continuously performed subsequent to the zooming-in operation.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 4, wherein the computer is further caused to change the imaging direction of the virtual camera based on at least a change direction in which an input coordinate position is changed, when coordinate input is continuously performed in a state where the zooming-in operation is not performed.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 1, wherein the input operation is an operation of performing intermittent coordinate input at any position in the specified range a number of times within a time period.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 1, wherein the computer is further caused to virtually provide the player character with an item in the virtual space, and

change a zooming-in rate according to the item provided to the player character.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 1, wherein the computer is further caused to position the player character in the virtual space, and

set a position of the virtual camera to a position of the player character when the zooming-in operation is performed.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 1, wherein the computer is further caused to:

virtually shoot from a shooting position in the virtual space;

display, in the virtual image, the aim representing the shooting direction of the virtual shooting;

cancel the zooming-in operation when the coordinate input device receives, from a player, a cancel operation for cancelling the zooming-in operation; and

change a position of the aim according to change of an input coordinate position which is continuously inputted to the coordinate input device, during a zooming-in time period from when the input operation is determined to be received, to when the cancel operation is determined to be received.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 9, wherein

the input operation is a first operation for intermittently performing coordinate input on the coordinate input device a number of times, and

the cancel operation is an operation for cancelling the coordinate input which is performed last time of the number of times in the first operation.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 9, wherein the position of the aim is changed, during a time period other than the zooming-in time period, according to change of the input coordinate position which is continuously inputted to the coordinate input device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 11, wherein the computer is further caused to:

move the aim on the display device by a moving distance based on a change amount of the input coordinate position when the input coordinate position continuously inputted to the coordinate input device is changed, and

reduce, on the display device, the moving distance of the aim based on the change amount of the input coordinate position, during the zooming-in time period, so as to be smaller than a moving distance used during the time period other than the zooming-in time period.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 9, wherein the aim is moved within a specified range of the display device, and the specified range is enlarged, during the zooming-in time period, so as to be greater than a range used during the time period other than the zooming-in time period.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 1, wherein an orientation of the virtual camera remains unchanged as an object moves on the display, the movement of the object corresponds to movement of the coordinate input device on the surface of the display.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 1, wherein a position of the virtual camera remains unchanged during the zooming-in operation.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 1, wherein the gazing point of the virtual camera remains constant while the input is performed within a specified range.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 1, wherein the zooming-in operation is performed without changing a center point of the virtual camera, when touching any position on the game image displayed on the display device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 1, wherein

the zooming-in operation is performed only when the touching any position on the game image is maintained, and

the aim on the virtual image is moved through the sliding operation while the zooming-in operation is performed.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the information processing program according to claim 1, wherein

the zooming-in operation is performed only when the touching any position on the game image is maintained, and

a position of the aim can be changed by the sliding operation during the zooming-in operation.

20. An information processing apparatus comprising at least one processor and configured to use a coordinate input device and a display device, the at least one processor controlling the information processing apparatus to:

position a virtual camera in a virtual space;

take an image of the virtual space by using the virtual camera to generate a virtual image;

display, by using the display device, the generated virtual image;

perform zooming-in operation to zoom in the generated virtual image of the virtual space, without changing a gazing point of the virtual camera, when touching any position on a game image displayed on the display device using the coordinate input device, the gazing point of the virtual camera maintained so as to be constant when the input is performed on any position on the surface of the display device, and the image of the virtual space changes from an objective viewpoint of a player character to a subjective viewpoint of the player character when the zooming-in operation is being performed; and

move an aim, representing a shooting direction of a virtual shooting, on the virtual image when performing a sliding operation on any position on the game image displayed on the display device, an area of the game image for performing the sliding operation to move the aim overlaps the area of the game image for touching the position of the game image to perform the zooming-in operation.

21. An information processing system configured to use a coordinate input device and a display device, the information processing system comprising:

a processing system having at least one processor, the processing system configured to;

position a virtual camera in a virtual space;

take an image of the virtual space by using the virtual camera to generate a virtual image;

display, by using the display device, the generated virtual image;

perform zooming-in operation to zoom in the generated virtual image of the virtual space, without changing a gazing point of the virtual camera, when touching any position on a game image displayed on the display device using the coordinate input device, the gazing point of the virtual camera maintained so as to be constant when the input is performed on any position on the surface of the display device, and the image of the virtual space changes from an objective viewpoint of a player character to a subjective viewpoint of the player character when the zooming-in operation is being performed; and

move an aim, representing a shooting direction of a virtual shooting, on the virtual image when performing a sliding operation on any position on the game image displayed on the display device, an area of the game image for performing the sliding operation to move the aim overlaps the area of the game image for touching the position of the game image to perform the zooming-in operation.

22. An information processing method implemented using an information processing apparatus having one or more processors, the method comprising:

positioning a virtual camera in a virtual space;

taking an image of the virtual space by using the virtual camera to generate a virtual image;

displaying, by using a display device, the generated virtual image;

performing zooming-in operation to zoom in the generated virtual image of the virtual space, without changing a gazing point of the virtual camera, when touching any position on a game image displayed on the display device using a coordinate input device, the gazing point of the virtual camera maintained so as to be constant when the input is performed on any position on the surface of the display device, and the image of the virtual space changes from an objective viewpoint of a player character to a subjective viewpoint of the player character when the zooming-in operation is being performed; and

moving an aim, representing a shooting direction of a virtual shooting, on the virtual image when performing a sliding operation on any position on the game image displayed on the display device, an area of the game image for performing the sliding operation to move the aim overlaps the area of the game image for touching the position of the game image to perform the zooming-in operation.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising an information processing program which is executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus which can use a coordinate input device and a display device, the information processing program causing the computer to:

position a virtual camera in a virtual space;

take an image of the virtual space by using the virtual camera to generate a virtual image;

display, by using the display device, the generated virtual image;

perform zooming-in operation to zoom in the generated virtual image of the virtual space, without changing a gazing point of the virtual camera, when touching any position on a game image displayed on the display device using the coordinate input device, the gazing point of the virtual camera maintained so as to be constant when the input is performed on any position on the surface of the display device; and

move an aim, representing a shooting direction of a virtual shooting, on the virtual image when performing a sliding operation on any position on the game image displayed on the display device, an area of the game image for performing the sliding operation to move the aim overlaps the area of the game image for touching the position of the game image to perform the zooming-in operation, and a moving distance of the aim relative to an amount of the sliding operation is smaller during the zooming-in operation than during a state of non-zooming.

24. An information processing apparatus comprising at least one processor and configured to use a coordinate input device and a display device, the at least one processor controlling the information processing apparatus to:

position a virtual camera in a virtual space;

take an image of the virtual space by using the virtual camera to generate a virtual image;

display, by using the display device, the generated virtual image;

perform zooming-in operation to zoom in the generated virtual image of the virtual space, without changing a gazing point of the virtual camera, when touching any position on a game image displayed on the display device using the coordinate input device, the gazing point of the virtual camera maintained so as to be constant when the input is performed on any position on the surface of the display device; and

move an aim, representing a shooting direction of a virtual shooting, on the virtual image when performing a sliding operation on any position on the game image displayed on the display device, an area of the game image for performing the sliding operation to move the aim overlaps the area of the game image for touching the position of the game image to perform the zooming-in operation, and a moving distance of the aim relative to an amount of the sliding operation is smaller during the zooming-in operation than during a state of non-zooming.

25. An information processing system configured to use a coordinate input device and a display device, the information processing system comprising:

a processing system having at least one processor, the processing system configured to;

position a virtual camera in a virtual space;

take an image of the virtual space by using the virtual camera to generate a virtual image;

display, by using the display device, the generated virtual image;

perform zooming-in operation to zoom in the generated virtual image of the virtual space, without changing a gazing point of the virtual camera, when touching any position on a game image displayed on the display device using the coordinate input device, the gazing point of the virtual camera maintained so as to be constant when the input is performed on any position on the surface of the display device; and

move an aim, representing a shooting direction of a virtual shooting, on the virtual image when performing a sliding operation on any position on the game image displayed on the display device, an area of the game image for performing the sliding operation to move the aim overlaps the area of the game image for touching the position of the game image to perform the zooming-in operation, and a moving distance of the aim relative to an amount of the sliding operation is smaller during the zooming-in operation than during a state of non-zooming.

26. An information processing method implemented using an information processing apparatus having one or more processors, the method comprising:

positioning a virtual camera in a virtual space;

taking an image of the virtual space by using the virtual camera to generate a virtual image;

displaying, by using a display device, the generated virtual image;

performing zooming-in operation to zoom in the generated virtual image of the virtual space, without changing a gazing point of the virtual camera, when touching any position on a game image displayed on the display device using a coordinate input device, the gazing point of the virtual camera maintained so as to be constant when the input is performed on any position on the surface of the display device; and

moving an aim, representing a shooting direction of a virtual shooting, on the virtual image when performing a sliding operation on any position on the game image displayed on the display device, an area of the game image for performing the sliding operation to move the aim overlaps the area of the game image for touching the position of the game image to perform the zooming-in operation, and a moving distance of the aim relative to an amount of the sliding operation is smaller during the zooming-in operation than during a state of non-zooming.