Game apparatus and storage medium storing game program

• US 20050227762A1
• Filed: 01/21/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Nishimura, Kentaro, Tahara, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 7,942,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface

Abstract

A game apparatus includes two LCDs, a touch panel is provided in association with the one LCD. On the touch panel, an operation button corresponding to each player character is set. A setting of the operation button is changed according to an operation state (frequency of usage, operation coordinates position) by a player during playing the game. For example, a size of an operation effective area and a display position of the operation button are changed according to the frequency of usage. Furthermore, at least any one of the operation effective areas and the display position of the operation button is changed according to the operation coordinates position.

Claims

1. A game apparatus utilizing a pointing device, comprising:

a display portion for displaying at least more than one figures operated by a player;

a figure position setting means for setting the figure at an arbitrary position of said display portion on the basis of an instruction from the player;

an operation effective area setting means for setting a display area of said figure set by said figure position setting means as an operation effective area;

an operation coordinates position detecting means for detecting an operation coordinates position on the basis of operation information detected by an operation of said pointing device;

an operation coordinates position determining means for determining whether or not the operation coordinates position detected by said operation coordinates position detecting means is within said operation effective area, and

a game processing means for executing a game process corresponding to the operation of said figure when it is determined to be within said operation effective area by said operation coordinates position determining means.

2. A game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a figure selecting means for selecting a figure to be displayed on said display portion out of a plurality of kinds of figures, wherein said figure position setting means sets the figure selected by said figure selecting means to an arbitrary position of said display portion.

3. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said figure position setting means sets the display area of the figure rendered on said display portion according to the operation of said pointing device by said player as a figure position.

4. A game apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising

a operation state detecting means for detecting an operation state of said figure;

and

a display position changing means for changing the display position of said figure on the basis of the operation state detected by said operation state detecting means.

5. A game apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said operation effective area setting means sets the display area of the figure changed by said display position changing means as an operation effective area.

6. A game apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising

an operation state detecting means for detecting an operation state of said figure;

and

an operation effective area changing means for changing the operation effective area of said figure on the basis of the operation state detected by said operation state detecting means.

7. A game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a figure size changing means for changing a size of the figure displayed on said display portion;

wherein said operation effective area setting means sets a display area of the figure changed by said figure size changing means as an operation effective area.

8. A game apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said figure size changing means changes the size of said figure according to an operation time of said pointing device by said player.

9. A game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

an operation state detecting means for detecting an operation state of said figure;

and

a figure display area changing means for changing the display area of said figure on the basis of the operation state detected by said operation state detecting means;

wherein

said operation effective area setting means sets the display area of the figure changed by said figure display area changing means as an operation effective area.

10. A game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a game proceeding detecting means for detecting a game proceeding;

and

a figure display state changing means for changing a display state of the figure displayed on said display portion when it is detected that said game proceeding is shifted to a predetermined state by said game proceeding detecting means, wherein

said operation effective area setting means sets the display area of the figure changed by said figure display state changing means as an operation effective area.

11. A game apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising

a figure function setting means for setting a function of said figure;

a figure function displaying means for displaying in association with said figure the function set by said figure function setting means; and

a figure function changing means for changing the function set by said figure function setting means when said game proceeding is shifted to a predetermined state by said game proceeding detecting means;

wherein

said figure display state changing means changes in a displaying manner from the function displayed by said figure function displaying means to the function changed by said figure function changing means.

12. A game apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

said figure display state changing means displays a new figure on said display portion when said game proceeding is shifted to a predetermined state by said game proceeding detecting means, and said operation effective area setting means sets a display area of said figure newly displayed as an operation effective area.

13. A game apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a character selecting means for selecting an arbitrary character out of a plurality of kinds of characters;

wherein

said figure position setting means sets said figure at an arbitrary position of said display portion for each character selected by said character selecting means,

said game proceeding detecting means detects whether or not the character selected by said character selecting means is changed,

said figure display state detecting means, when the character is changed by said game proceeding detecting means, changes the position of said figure to the figure position set to the changed character, and

said operation effective area setting means sets the display area of the figure changed by said figure display state changing means as an operation effective area.

14. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pointing device is a touch panel provided in association with said display portion, and said operation effective area setting means sets an area of said touch panel corresponding to the display area of said figure as an operation effective area.

15. A game apparatus utilizing a pointing device, comprising:

a first display portion for displaying a game image;

a second display portion arranged in proximity to said first display portion for displaying one or more figures to be operated by the player;

a figure position setting means for setting said figure at an arbitrary position of said display portion on the basis of an instruction from the player;

an operation effective area setting means for setting a display area of said figure set by said figure position setting means as an operation effective area;

an operation coordinates position detecting means for detecting an operation coordinates position on the basis of operation information detected by an operation of said pointing device;

an operation coordinates position determining means for determining whether or not the operation coordinates position detected by said operation coordinates position detecting means is within said operation effective area; and

a game processing means for changing a game image displayed on at least said first display portion in response to the operation of said figure when it is determined to be within said operation effective area by said operation coordinates position determining means.

16. A game apparatus utilizing a pointing device, comprising:

a display portion for displaying one or more figures to be operated by a player;

a figure position setting means for setting said figure at a predetermined position of said display portion;

an operation effective area setting means for setting a display area of said figure set by said figure position setting means as an operation effective area;

an operation coordinates position detecting means for detecting an operation coordinates position on the basis of operation information detected by an operation of said pointing device;

an operation coordinates position determining means for determining whether or not the operation coordinates position detected by said operation coordinates position detecting means is within said operation effective area;

a game processing means for executing a game process corresponding to said figure when it is determined to be within said operation effective area by said operation coordinates position determining means;

an operation state detecting means for detecting an operation state of said figure by the player; and

an operation effective area changing means for changing at least the operation effective area of said figure on the basis of the operation state detected by said operation state detecting means.

17. A game apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a figure display area changing means for changing the display area of said figure on the basis of the operation state detected by said operation state detecting means.

18. A game apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a representative coordinates position extracting means for extracting a representative coordinates position out of a plurality of operation coordinates positions detected by said operation coordinates position detecting means;

wherein

said operation effective area changing means changes a position of the operation effective area of said figure on the basis of the representative coordinates position extracted by said representative coordinates position extracting means.

19. A game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said representative coordinates position extracting means extracts an operation coordinates position being the greatest in number out of said plurality of operation coordinates positions as said representative coordinates position.

20. A game apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

said operation state detecting means detects a difference between a central coordinates position of said figure and the operation coordinates position detected by said operation coordinates position detecting means, and

said operation effective area changing means changes a position of the operation effective area of said figure on the basis of said difference.

21. A game apparatus according to claim 20, wherein

said operation effective area changing means changes the positions of the operation effective areas as to all figures displayed on said display portion on the basis of said difference.

22. A game apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising an average value calculating means for calculating an average value of differences detected by said operation state detecting means every operation of said figure;

wherein said operation effective area changing means changes the position of the operation effective area of said figure on the basis of the average value calculated by said average value calculating means.

23. A game apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

said operation state detecting means detects the number of times of operations of said figure, and

said operation effective area changing means changes a size of the operation effective area of said figure on the basis of said number of times of operations.

24. A game apparatus utilizing a pointing device, comprising

a display portion for displaying at least one or more figures to be operated by a player;

a figure position setting means for setting said figure at a predetermined position of said display portion;

an operation effective area setting means for setting a display area of said figure set by said figure position setting means as an operation effective area;

an operation coordinates position detecting means for detecting an operation coordinates position on the basis of operation information detected by an operation of said pointing device;

an operation coordinates position determining means for determining whether or not the operation coordinates position detected by said operation coordinates position detecting means is within said operation effective area;

a game processing means for executing a game process corresponding to said figure when it is determined to be within said operation effective area by said operation coordinates position determining means;

an operation state detecting means for detecting an operation state of said figure by the player; and

a figure display area changing means for changing the display area of said figure on the basis of the operation state detected by said operation state detecting means.

25. A game apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising an operation effective area changing means for changing the operation effective area of said figure in correspondence to the display area of the figure changed by said figure display area changing means.

26. A game apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

said operation state detecting means detects a difference between a central coordinates position of said figure and the operation coordinates position detected by said operation coordinates position detecting means, and

said figure display area changing means changes a position of the display area of said figure on the basis of said difference.

27. A game apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

said operation state detecting means detects the number of times of operations of said figure, and

said figure display area changing means changes a size of the display area of said figure on the basis of said number of times of operations.

28. A game apparatus according to claim 27, wherein

said figure display area changing means reduces the display area of said figure when said number of times of operations is equal to or less than a first setting number of times, and enlarges the display area of said figure when said number of times of operations is equal to or more than a second setting number of times.

29. A game apparatus according to claim 27, wherein

said figure display area changing means enlarges the display area of said figure when said number of times of operations is equal to or less than a first setting number of times, and reduces the display area of said figure when said number of times of operations is equal to or more than a second setting number of times.

30. A game apparatus according to claim 27, wherein

said figure display area changing means erases the display area of said figure when said the number of times of operations is equal to or less than a third setting number of times.

31. A storage medium storing a game program to be executed by a game apparatus that utilizes a pointing device, and is provided with a display portion for displaying at least one or more figures to be operated by a player, said game program causes a processor of said game apparatus to execute a following steps of:

a figure position setting step for setting said figure at an arbitrary position of said display portion on the basis of an instruction from the player;

an operation effective area setting step for setting a display area of said figure set by said figure position setting step as an operation effective area;

an operation coordinates position detecting step for detecting an operation coordinates position on the basis of operation information detected by an operation of said pointing device;

an operation coordinates position determining step for determining whether or not the operation coordinates position detected by said operation coordinates position detecting step is within said operation effective area; and

a game processing step for executing a game process corresponding to the operation of said figure when it is determined to be within said operation effective area by said operation coordinates position determining step.

32. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 31, wherein

said game program further executes a figure selecting step for selecting a figure to be displayed on said display portion out of a plurality of kinds of figures, and said figure position setting step sets the figure selected by said figure selecting step to an arbitrary position of said display portion.

33. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 31, wherein said figure position setting step sets the display area of the figure rendered in said display portion according to an operating of said pointing device by said player as a figure position.

34. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 31, wherein a figure size changing step for changing a size of the figure displayed on said display portion is further executed, and said operation effective area setting step sets a display area of the figure changed by said figure size changing step as an operation effective area.

35. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 31, wherein

said game program further executes a game proceeding detecting step for detecting a game proceeding, and a figure display state changing step for changing a display state of the figure displayed on said display portion when it is detected that said game proceeding is shifted to a predetermined state by said game proceeding detecting step, and

said operation effective area setting step sets the display area of the figure changed by said figure display state changing step as an operation effective area.

36. A storage medium storing a game program to be executed by a game apparatus utilizing a pointing device that is provided with a first display portion for displaying a game image and a second display portion that is arranged in proximity to said first display portion and displays at least one or more figures to be operated by a player, said game program causes a processor of said game apparatus to execute a following steps of:

a figure position setting step for setting said figure at an arbitrary position of said display portion on the basis of an instruction from the player;

an operation effective area setting step for setting a display area of said figure set by said figure position setting step as an operation effective area;

an operation coordinates position detecting step for detecting an operation coordinates position on the basis of operation information detected by an operation of said pointing device;

an operation coordinates position determining step for determining whether or not the operation coordinates position detected by said operation coordinates position detecting step is within said operation effective area; and

a game processing step for changing a game image displayed on at least said first display portion in response to an operation of said figure when it is determined to be within said operation effective area by said operation coordinates position determining step.

37. A storage medium storing a game program of a game apparatus utilizing a pointing device that is provided with a display portion for displaying one or more figures to be operated by a player, said game program causes a processor of said game apparatus to execute following steps of:

a figure position setting step for setting said figure at a predetermined position of said display portion;

an operation effective area setting step for setting a display area of said figure set by said figure position setting step as an operation effective area;

an operation coordinates position detecting step for detecting an operation coordinates position on the basis of operation information detected by an operation of said pointing device;

an operation coordinates position determining step for determining whether or not the operation coordinates position detected by said operation coordinates position detecting step is within said operation effective area;

a game processing step for executing a game process corresponding to said figure when it is determined to be within said operation effective area by said operation coordinates position determining step;

an operation state detecting step for detecting an operation state of said figure by the player; and

an operation effective area changing step for changing at least, the operation effective area of said figure on the basis of the operation state detected by said operation state detecting step.

38. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 37, wherein said game program further executes a figure display area changing step for changing the display area of said figure on the basis of the operation state detected by said operation state detecting step.

39. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 37, wherein

said game program further executes a representative coordinates position extracting step for extracting a representative coordinates position out of a plurality of operation coordinates positions detected by said operation coordinates position detecting step, and

said operation effective area changing step for changing a position of the operation effective area of said figure on the basis of the representative coordinates position extracted by said representative coordinates position extracting step.

40. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 39, wherein said representative coordinates position extracting step extracts an operation coordinates position being the greatest in number out of said plurality of operation coordinates positions as said representative coordinates position.

41. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 37, wherein

said operation state detecting step detects a difference between a central coordinates position of said figure and the operation coordinates position detected by said operation coordinates position detecting step, and

said operation effective area changing step changes a position of the operation effective area of said figure on the basis of said difference.

42. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 41, wherein said operation effective area changing step changes the positions of the operation effective areas as to all figures displayed on said display portion on the basis of said difference.

43. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 41, wherein

said game program executes an average value calculating step for calculating an average value of differences detected by said operation state detecting step every operation of said figure, and

said operation effective area changing step changes a position of the operation effective area of said figure on the basis of the average value calculated by said average value calculating step.

44. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 37, wherein said operation state detecting step detects the number of times of operations of said figure, and said operation effective area changing step changes a size of the operation effective area of said figure on the basis of said number of times of operations.

45. A storage medium storing a game program of a game apparatus utilizing a pointing device that is provided with a display portion for displaying one or more figures operated by a player, said game program causes a processor of said game apparatus to execute following steps of:

a figure position setting step for setting said figure at a predetermined position of said display portion;

an operation effective area setting step for setting a display area of said figure set by said figure position setting step as an operation effective area;

an operation coordinates position detecting step for detecting an operation coordinates position on the basis of operation information detected by an operation of said pointing device;

an operation coordinates position determining step for determining whether or not the operation coordinates position detected by said operation coordinates position detecting step is within said operation effective area;

a game processing step for executing a game process corresponding to said figure when it is determined to be within said operation effective area by said operation coordinates position determining step;

an operation state detecting step for detecting an operation state of said figure by the player; and

a figure display area changing step for changing the display area of said figure on the basis of the operation state detected by said operation state detecting step.

46. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 45, wherein said game program further executes an operation effective area changing step for changing the operation effective area of said figure in correspondence to the display area of the figure changed by said figure display area changing step.

47. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 45, wherein

said operation state detecting step detects a difference between a central coordinates position of said figure and the operation coordinates position detected by said operation coordinates position detecting step, and

said figure display area changing step changes a position of the display area of said figure on the basis of said difference.

48. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 45, wherein

said operation state detecting step detects the number of times of operations of said figure, and

said figure display area changing step changes a size of the display area of said figure on the basis of said number of times of operations.

49. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 48, wherein said figure display area changing step reduces the display area of said figure when said number of times of operations is equal to or less than a first setting number of times, and enlarges the display area of said figure when said number of times of operations is equal to or more than a second setting number of times.

50. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 48, wherein said figure display area changing step enlarges the display area of said figure when said number of times of operations is equal to or less than a first setting number of times, and reduces the display area of said figure when said number of times of operations is equal to or more than a second setting number of times.

51. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 48, wherein said figure display area changing step erases the display area of said figure when said number of times of operation is equal to or less than a third setting number of times.