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

• US 20060073899A1
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Miyamoto, Shigeru, Ikematsu, Shinichi, Kasamatsu, Shigehiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,113,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/43
• 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 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands

Abstract

The game apparatus includes a first LCD and a second LCD, and a touch panel is provided in association with the second LCD. On the two LCDs, different game screens are displayed. Also on the second LCD, two keys are displayed at a certain interval. When one key is touch-input, the key is set to an effective state to change the game screens of the two LCDs on the basis of the key, and when the other key is touch-input, the game screens of the two LCDs are changed on the basis of the key. When a player performs a touch-input on any one of the keys, and then performs a drag operation so as to point a middle area between the two keys, the game screens of the two LCDs are changed on the basis of the key that is set to the effective state.

Claims

1. A game apparatus having a display portion for displaying a game image including at least a first key and a second key and a touch panel provided in association with said display portion, comprising:

an operation state detecting means for detecting presence or absence of an operation input to said touch panel every constant time;

a coordinate position detecting means for detecting a coordinate position when a presence of the operation input to said touch panel is detected by said operation state detecting means;

a first pointing state determining means for determining whether the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting means is included in a first operation effective area of said first key or a second operation effective area of said second key when it is detected that the operation input to the touch panel is shifted from an operation-absent state to an operation-present state by said operation state detecting means;

a game processing means for changing said game image on the basis of said first key when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said first operation effective area by said first pointing state determining means, and changing said game image on the basis of said second key when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said second operation effective area; and

a second pointing state determining means for determining whether or not the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting means is moved to the middle area between said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in any one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining means, and while the operation-input-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said operation state detecting means;

wherein

said game processing means changes said game image on the basis of a determination result of said first pointing state determining means when it is determined that the coordinate position is moved to said middle area by said second pointing state determining means.

2. A game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a key effective state setting means for setting said first key to an effective state when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said first operation effective area by said first pointing state determining means, and setting said second key to the effective state when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining means;

wherein

said game processing means changes said game image on the basis of said first key or said second key that is set to the effective state by said key effective state setting means.

3. A game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said second pointing state determining means determines, after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining means and while the operation-input-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said operation state detecting means, whether or not the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting means is moved to the other of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area, and

said key effective state setting means, it is determined that when said coordinate position is moved to the other of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said second pointing state determining means, sets the key corresponding to the other to the effective state.

4. A game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said second pointing state determining means determines, after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining means and while the operation-input-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said operation state detecting means, whether or not the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting means is moved outside said first operation effective area, said second operation effective area, and the middle area, and further comprising:

an effective state setting canceling means for canceling the setting of the effective state to the key by said key effective state setting means when it is determined that said coordinate position is moved outside said first operation effective area, said second operation effective area, and said middle area by said second pointing state determining means;

wherein

said game processing step does not change said game image when the effective state setting to the key is canceled by said effective state setting canceling means.

5. A game apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said effective state setting canceling means cancels the effective state setting of the key by said key effective state setting means after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining means, and when it is detected that the operation input to said touch panel is shifted from the operation-present state to the operation-absent state by said operation state detecting means.

6. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said display portion includes a first display area for displaying a first game image and second display area for displaying a second game image including said first key and said second key, and

said game processing means changes both of said first game image and said second game image.

7. A storage medium storing a game program of a game apparatus having a display portion for displaying a game image including at least a first key and a second key and a touch panel provided in association with said display portion,

said game program causes a processor of said game apparatus to execute:

an operation state detecting step for detecting presence or absence of an operation input to said touch panel every constant time;

a coordinate position detecting step for detecting a coordinate position when a presence of the operation input to said touch panel is detected by said operation state detecting step;

a first pointing state determining step for determining whether the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting step is included in a first operation effective area of said first key or a second operation effective area of said second key when it is detected that the operation input to the touch panel is shifted from an operation-absent state to an operation-present state by said operation state detecting step;

a game processing step for changing said game image on the basis of said first key when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said first operation effective area by said first pointing state determining step, and changing said game image on the basis of said second key when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said the second operation effective area; and

a second pointing state determining step for determining whether or not the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting step is moved to the middle area between said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in any one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining step, and while the operation-input-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said operation state detecting step;

wherein

said game processing step changes said game image on the basis of a determination result of said first pointing state determining step when it is determined that the coordinate position is moved to said middle area by said second pointing state determining step.

8. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 7, wherein

said game program further executes a key effective state setting step for setting said first key to an effective state when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said first operation effective area by said first pointing state determining step, and setting said second key to the effective state when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining step;

wherein

said game processing step changes said game image on the basis of said first key or said second key that is set to the effective state by said key effective state setting step.

9. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 8, wherein

said second pointing state determining step determines, after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining step and while the operation-input-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said operation state detecting step, whether or not the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting step is moved to the other of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area, and

said key effective state setting step, when it is determined that said coordinate position is moved to the other of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said second pointing state determining step, sets the key corresponding to the other to the effective state.

10. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 8, wherein

said second pointing state determining step determines, after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining step, and while the operation-input-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said operation state detecting step, whether or not the coordinate position detected by said coordinate position detecting step is moved outside said first operation effective area, said second operation effective area, and the middle area;

and

said game program further executes an effective state setting canceling step for canceling the setting of the effective state of the key by said key effective state setting step when it is determined that said coordinate position is moved outside said first operation effective area, said second operation effective area, and said middle area by said second pointing state determining step;

wherein

said game processing step does not change said game image when the effective state setting is canceled by said effective state setting canceling step.

11. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 10, wherein

said effective state setting canceling step cancels the effective state setting to the key by said key effective state setting step after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said first pointing state determining step, and when it is detected that the operation input to said touch panel is shifted from the operation-present state to the operation-absent state by said operation state detecting step.

12. A storage medium storing a game program according to claim 7, wherein

said display portion includes a first display area for displaying a first game image and second display area for displaying a second game image including said first key and said second key, and

said game processing step changes both of said first game image and said second game image.

13. A game controlling method of a game apparatus having a display portion for displaying a game image including at least a first key and a second key and a touch panel provided in association with the display portion, comprising following steps of:

(a) detecting presence or absence of an operation input to said touch panel every constant time;

(b) detecting a coordinate position when a presence of the operation input to said touch panel is detected by said step (a);

(c) determining whether the coordinate position detected by said step (b) is included in a first operation effective area of said first key or a second operation effective area of said second key when it is detected that the operation input to the touch panel is shifted from an operation-absent state to an operation-present state by said step (a);

(d) changing said game image on the basis of said first key when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said first operation effective area by said step

(c), and changing said game image on the basis of said second key when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said the second operation effective area; and

(e) determining whether or not the coordinate position detected by said step (b) is moved to the middle area between said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in any one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said step (c), and while the operation-input-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said step (a);

wherein

said step (d) changes said game image on the basis of a determination result by said step (c) when it is determined that the coordinate position is moved to said middle area by said step (e).

14. A game controlling method according to claim 13, further includes

(f) setting said first key to an effective state when said coordinate position is included in said first operation effective area by said step (c), and setting said second key to the effective state when it is determined that said coordinate position is included in said second operation effective area by said step (c);

wherein

said step (d) changes said game image on the basis of said first key or said second key that is set to the effective state by said step (f).

15. A game controlling method according to claim 14, wherein

said step (e) determines, after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said step (c), and while the operation-input-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said step (a), whether or not the coordinate position detected by said step (b) is moved to the other of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area, and

said step (f), when it is determined that said coordinate position is moved to the other of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said step (e), sets the key corresponding to the other to the effective state.

16. A game controlling method according to claim 14, wherein

said step (e) determines, after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said step (c), and while the operation-input-present state to the touch panel is continuously detected by said step (a), whether or not the coordinate position detected by said step (b) is moved outside said first operation effective area, said second operation effective area, and the middle area, and further includes

a step (g) for canceling the effective state setting of the key by said key effective state setting step when it is determined that said coordinate position is moved outside said first operation effective area, said second operation effective area, and said middle area by said step (e), wherein

said step (d) does not change said game image when the effective state setting of the key is canceled by said step (g).

17. A game controlling method according to claim 16, wherein

said step (g) cancels the effective state setting to the key by said step (f) after it is determined that said coordinate position is included in one of said first operation effective area and said second operation effective area by said step (c), and when it is detected that the operation input to said touch panel is shifted from the operation-present state to the operation-absent state by said step (a).

18. A game controlling method according to claim 13, wherein

said display portion includes a first display area for displaying a first game image and second display area for displaying a second game image including said first key and said second key, and

said step (d) changes both of said first game image and said second game image.