Game machine and game program

• US 20030166413A1
• Filed: 10/02/2002
• Published: 09/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Koizumi, Yoshiaki, Hayashida, Koichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,513,829 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• 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 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/90 Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6653 for altering the visibility of an object, e.g. preventing the occlusion of an object, partially hiding an object
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6684 by dynamically adapting its position to keep a game object in its viewing frustrum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/405 using Z-buffer

Abstract

A game machine includes a CPU, and the CPU renewably determines positions of a player character and a virtual camera in a game space in response to an operation of a controller by a player. Furthermore, a game image produced by the CPU and a GPU is displayed on a monitor. Then, a specific-shaped first mark image to inform the player a presence of the player character is rendered by the CPU and the GPU on images of a building object and a wall object in the game image.

Claims

1. A game machine for displaying at least a geometry object and a player character in a game space on the basis of a virtual camera arranged in said game space, comprising:

a position determination means for determining positions of said player character and said virtual camera in said game space in response to an operation of the player;

a game image producing means for producing a game image in which said geometry object and said player character are viewed from said virtual camera at a determined position; and

a first mark image rendering means for rendering a first mark image on an image of said geometry object in said game image so that at least a position of said player character can be known when said player character hides behind said geometry object.

4. A game machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said geometry object includes at least a building object for displaying a building and/or a wall in said game space,

said first mark image rendering means renders the first mark image on an image of said building object in said game image when said player character hides behind said building object.

5. A game machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said fist mark image includes a specific-shaped first symbol image.

6. A game machine according to claim 5, wherein said first symbol image has the same or similar to said player character in shape and a different from said player character in texture.

7. A game machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising:

an arrangement means for arranging at least one of an enemy character and an item in said game space;

a second determination means for determining whether or not at least one of said enemy character and said item hides behind said geometry object; and

a second mark image rendering means for rendering a second mark image indicative of at least a position of at least one of said enemy character and said item on an image of said geometry object in said game image in response to a determination of said second determination means.

8. A game machine according to claim 7, further comprising a color tone changing means for changing a color tone of said second mark image depending on a distance from the player character to at least one of said enemy character and said item.

9. A game machine according to claim 8, wherein said color tone changing means changes the color tone of said second mark image so that the further the distance from said player character to at least one of said enemy character and said item is, the lighter the color tone is.

10. A game machine according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein said second mark image includes a specific-shaped second symbol image.

11. A game machine according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a third mark image rendering means for rendering a third mark image indicative of a predetermined range of the land at a player character'"'"'s feet when rendering said first mark image by said first mark image rendering means.

12. A game machine according to claim 11, wherein said geometry object includes a land object indicative of a land or floor,

said third mark image rendering means renders said third mark image at a position of said land object of said player character'"'"'s feet.

13. A game machine according to claim 12, wherein said third mark image includes a specific-shaped third mark image.

14. A game machine according to claim 13, wherein said third mark image includes an image changing in color tone depending on distances from said player character'"'"'s feet.

18. A game program according to claim 14, further executes following steps of:

an arrangement step for arranging at least one of an enemy character and an item in said game space;

a second determination step for determining whether or not at least one of said enemy character and said item hides behind said geometry object; and

a second mark image rendering step for rendering a second mark image indicative of at least a position of at least one of said enemy character and said item on an image of said geometry object in said game image in response to a determination of said second determination means.

19. A game program according to claim 18, wherein said second mark image rendering step includes a color tone changing step for changing a color tone of said second mark image depending on a distance from the player character to at least one of said enemy character and said item.

2. A game machine for displaying at least a geometry object and a player character in a game space on the basis of a virtual camera arranged in said game space, comprising:

a position determination means for determining positions of said player character and said virtual camera in said game space in response to an operation of the player;

a geometry object rendering means for rendering said geometry object by a geometry object image in a frame buffer while writing depth information from said virtual camera to said geometry object in a Z buffer;

a first mark image rendering means for rendering said player character by a first mark image in said frame buffer without rewriting the depth information of said Z buffer; and

a player character rendering means for rendering said player character by a player character image into said frame buffer while rewriting the depth information of said Z buffer when said player character is closer to the side of said virtual camera than that of said geometry object with referring to the depth information of said Z buffer.

3. A game machine for displaying at least a geometry object and a player character in a game space on the basis of a virtual camera arranged in said game space, comprising:

a position determination means for determining positions of said player character and said virtual camera in said game space in response to an operation of the player;

a game image producing means for producing a game image in which said geometry object and said player character are viewed from said virtual camera at a determined position;

a first determination means for determining whether or not said player character hides behind said geometry object; and

a first mark image rendering means for rendering a first mark image indicative at least a position of said player character on an image of said geometry object in said game image in response to a determination of said first determination means.

15. A game program for making a game machine which displays at least a geometry object and a player character in a game space on the basis of a virtual camera arranged in the game space execute following steps of:

a position determination step for determining positions of said player character and said virtual camera in said game space in response to an operation of the player;

a game image producing step for producing a game image in which said object and said player character are viewed from said virtual camera at a determined position; and

a first mark image rendering step for rendering a first mark image on an image of said geometry object in said game image such that at least a position of said player character can be known when said player character hides behind said geometry object.

16. A game program for making a game machine which displays at least a geometry object and a player character in a game space on the basis of a virtual camera arranged in said game space execute following steps of:

a position determination step for determining positions of said player character and said virtual camera in said game space in response to an operation of the player;

a geometry object rendering step for rendering said geometry object by a geometry object image in a frame buffer while writing depth information from said virtual camera to said geometry object into a Z buffer;

a first mark image rendering step for rendering said player character by a first mark image in said frame buffer without rewriting the depth information of said Z buffer; and

a player character rendering step for rendering said player character by said player character image in said frame buffer while rewriting the depth information of said Z buffer when said player character is closer to the side of said virtual camera than that of said geometry object with referring to the depth information of said Z buffer.

20. A game program according to claim 16, wherein in said color tone changing step, a color tone of said second mark image is changed such that the further a distance from said player character to at least one of said enemy character and said item is, the lighter the color tone is.

17. A game program for making a game machine which displays at least a geometry object and a player character in a game space on the basis of a virtual camera arranged in said game space execute following steps of:

a position determination step for determining positions of said player character and said virtual camera in said game space in response to an operation of the player;

a game image producing step for producing a game image in which said object and said player character are viewed from said virtual camera at a determined position;

a firs determination step for determining whether or not said player character hides behind said geometry object; and

a first mark image rendering step for rendering a first mark image indicative at least a position of said player character on an image of said geometry object in said game image in response to a determination of said first determination means.

21. A game program according to any one of claims 17 to 20, further executes next steps of:

a third mark image rendering step for rendering a third mark image indicative of a predetermined range of the land at a player character'"'"'s feet when rendering said first mark image by said first mark image rendering step.

22. A game program according to claim 21, wherein said geometry object includes a land object indicative of a land or floor, and in said third mark image rendering step, said third mark image is rendered at a position of said land object of said player character'"'"'s feet.

23. A game program according to claim 22, wherein said third mark image includes an image changing in color tone depending on distances from said player character'"'"'s feet.