Baseball videogame having pitching meter, hero mode and user customerization features

• US 20050153764A1
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo of America, Inc. (Nintendo Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Nintendo of America, Inc. (Nintendo Company Limited)
• Inventors: Miller, Jeff, Sterchi, Henry
• Granted Patent: US 9,302,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/3
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• 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 13/573 using trajectories of game objects, e.g. of a golf ball according to the point of impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/646 for calculating the trajectory of an object
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball

Abstract

A sports videogame such as a baseball videogame allows a user to control the release time of a pitch in order to control the timing of a break on the pitched ball. Other implementations of a baseball videogame allow a user to put extra spin on a pitched ball to thereby create a greater break on the pitch or allow the user to play in a hero mode which enables the user to control a videogame character in a series of specific game play scenarios designed to allow the user to immediately control the videogame character to perform unique skills. Game play may also be customized by allowing the user to incorporate user-created images into screens of game play and/or allow the user to incorporate recorded audio messages into game play.

Claims

1-69. -69. (canceled)

70. In a videogame system including a user-operable controller, a method comprising:

allowing the user to create an image using the user-operable controller during execution of a software program;

allowing the user to select a portion of a virtual sports venue in which interactive game play of a sports videogame is to be provided;

applying the created image onto the selected portion of the sports venue;

displaying the sports venue having the applied created image so that the created image contributes to the overall atmosphere in which interactive game play of the sports videogame is provided; and

providing interactive game play of the sports videogame within the sports venue in response to input received on the user-operable controller.

71. The method of claim 70 wherein the portion of the virtual sports venue onto which the user created image is applied is one of the following:

a billboard, a sign, a playing surface pattern and a motion picture screen.

72. The method of claim 70 wherein the image is created by editing a preexisting image which is loaded into the videogame system.

73. The method of claim 72 wherein the preexisting image is loaded by reading data printed on a card with a card reader.

74. The method of claim 73 wherein the card reader is connected to the user-operable controller.

75. The method of claim 70 further comprising allowing the user to preview the created image, before application onto the selected portion of the sports venue, on a display screen of the user-operable controller.

76. The method of claim 70 wherein applying the created image onto the portion of the sports venue includes processing the created image to convert the created image into a texture and texture mapping the texture onto the selected portion of the sports venue.

77. The method of claim 70 further comprising animating the portion of the sports venue onto which the created image is applied so that a moving picture is simulated.

78. The method of claim 70 wherein the execution of the software program is accomplished at least in part by a processor arranged within the controller.

79. A system for playing a sports videogame comprising:

a user-operable controller for receiving input from a user; and

at least one processor that communicates with the user-operable controller and executes a sports videogame so that the following can be performed;

allowing a user to create an image using the user-operable controller;

allowing the user to select a portion of a virtual sports venue in which interactive game play of the sports videogame is to be provided;

applying the created image onto the selected portion of the virtual sports venue;

displaying the sports venue having the applied created image so that the created image contributes to the overall atmosphere in which interactive game play of the sports videogame is provided; and

providing interactive game play of the sports videogame within the sports venue in response to input received on the user-operable controller.

80. The system of claim 79 wherein the portion of the virtual sports venue onto which the user created image is applied is one of the following:

a billboard, a sign, a surface of the playing area and a motion picture screen.

81. The system of claim 79 wherein execution of the videogame by the processor includes downloading a program portion of the sports videogame to the controller for execution by a processor within the controller, the program portion executed by the processor within the controller allowing the user to create the image using the user-operable controller.

82. The system of claim 79 further comprising a card reader connected to the controller for reading cards, the cards providing image data which may be edited by input on the user-operable controller to allow the user to create the image using the user-operable controller.

83. The system of claim 79 wherein the user-operable controller includes a display that shows a preview of the created image.

84. The system of claim 79 wherein allowing the user to create an image includes loading a preexisting the image to the system and allowing the user to edit the preexisting image using the user-operable controller.

85. The system of claim 79 wherein applying the created image onto the portion of the sports venue includes processing the created image to convert the created image into a texture and texture mapping the texture onto the selected portion of the sports venue.

86. The system of claim 79 further comprising animating the portion of the sports venue onto which the created image is applied so that a moving picture is simulated.

87. A method of controlling game play in a sports videogame, wherein the user interactively controls a game character in a virtual sports venue using a user-operable controller, the method comprising:

applying a user generated image onto a user selected portion of the sports venue;

receiving user input from the user-operable controller requesting an animated action be performed by the game character; and

displaying the performance of the animated action within the sports venue having the applied, user generated image so that the user generated image contributes to the overall atmosphere in which the animated action is performed.

88. The method of claim 87 wherein the selected portion of the virtual sports venue onto which the user generated image is applied is one of the following:

a billboard, a sign, a surface of the playing surface area and a motion picture screen.

89. The method of claim 87 wherein the user generated image is generated by editing a preexisting image.

90. The method of claim 89 wherein the preexisting image is loaded into the videogame by reading data printed on a card with a card reader.

91. The method of claim 90 wherein the card reader is connected to the user-operable controller.

92. The method of claim 87 further comprising allowing the user to preview the user generated image on a display screen housed within the user-operable controller.

93. The method of claim 87 wherein applying the user generated image onto the selected portion of the sports venue includes processing the user generated image to convert the user generated image into a texture and texture mapping the texture onto the selected portion of the sports venue.

94. The method of claim 87 further comprising animating the user selected portion of the sports venue onto which the user generated image is applied so that a moving picture is simulated.

95-103. -103. (canceled)