Game apparatus and storage medium storing game program

• US 20080076565A1
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Okamura, Yuichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,938,725 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball

Abstract

Operation data is obtained from an input device and is stored into a memory, and initial state data indicating an attitude or a position of an object in a virtual game world is calculated with predetermined start timing using acceleration data included in the obtained operation data. Depending on acceleration data included in operation data sequentially obtained on and after the start timing, change amount data for sequentially changing the attitude or position of the object over time is calculated. Thereafter, the attitude or position of the object disposed in the virtual game world, depending on the initial state data, is changed, depending on the change amount data, to perform a game process of controlling a motion of the object.

Claims

1. A game apparatus for obtaining operation data including acceleration data from an input device comprising an acceleration sensor for outputting the acceleration data, and based on the operation data, performing a game process, depending on an operation of swinging the input device, the apparatus comprising:

an operation data obtaining means for obtaining the operation data from the input device and storing the operation data into a storage means;

an initial state data calculating means for calculating initial state data indicating an attitude or a position of an object in a virtual game world using the acceleration data included in the operation data obtained with predetermined start timing;

a change amount data calculating means for calculating change amount data for sequentially changing the attitude or position of the object over time, depending on the acceleration data included in the operation data sequentially obtained on and after the start timing; and

a game processing means for changing the attitude or position of the object, depending on the change amount data, the object being provided in the virtual game world, depending on the initial state data, to control a motion of the object.

2. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage means stores basic motion data indicating a series of motions of the object in the virtual game world,

the change amount data calculating means calculates the change amount data designating the attitude or position of the object during the series of motions indicated by the basic motion data, depending on magnitudes of accelerations indicated by the acceleration data sequentially obtained, and

the game processing means causes the object to move in accordance with the motions of the basic motion data based on the change amount data, starting from the attitude or position depending on the initial state data.

3. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage means stores basic motion data indicating a series of motions of the object in the virtual game world,

the change amount data calculating means calculates the change amount data designating a speed with which the series of motions indicated by the basic motion data are changed, depending on magnitudes of accelerations indicated by the acceleration data sequentially obtained, and

the game processing means reproduces the basic motion data, depending on the speed based on the change amount data, starting from the attitude or position depending on the initial state data.

4. The game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a timing detecting means for detecting timing with which the operation data indicating a content of a predetermined operation is obtained, on and after the start timing,

wherein the change amount data calculating means calculates the change amount data until the timing detecting means detects the timing with which the operation data indicating the content of the predetermined operation is obtained.

5. The game apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the input device comprises at least one operation key,

the operation data includes key data depending on pushing down of the operation key, and

the timing detecting means detects timing with which the operation key is pushed down or timing with which pushing down of the operation key is released, based on the key data.

6. The game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a timing detecting means for detecting timing with which the operation data indicating a content of a predetermined operation is obtained, on and after the start timing,

wherein the game processing means sets at least a direction in the virtual game world with respect to the object, based on the change amount data calculated when the timing detecting means detects the timing with which the operation data indicating the content of the predetermined operation is obtained, so as to perform the game process.

7. The game apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, depending on a motion of the object, the game processing means performs a game process of moving another object in the virtual game world, and

the game processing means sets at least a direction in which the object moves the other object, based on the change amount data calculated when the timing detecting means detects the timing with which the operation data indicating the content of the predetermined operation is obtained, so as to perform the game process.

8. The game apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a movement speed setting means for setting a movement speed of the other object, depending on a magnitude of an acceleration indicated by the acceleration data obtained immediately before the timing detecting means detects the timing with which the operation data indicating the content of the predetermined operation is obtained.

9. The game apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a trajectory setting means for setting a trajectory of the other object, depending on magnitudes of accelerations in a predetermined direction indicated by the acceleration data before and after the timing detecting means detects the timing with which the operation data indicating the content of the predetermined operation is obtained.

10. The game apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the input device comprises at least one operation key,

the operation data includes key data depending on pushing down of the operation key, and

the timing detecting means detects timing with which the operation key is pushed down or timing with which pushing down of the operation key is released, based on the key data.

11. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the initial state data calculating means includes:

a determination means for determining whether or not an acceleration indicated by the acceleration data is stable;

an acceleration direction calculating means for calculating a direction in which the acceleration acts on the input device when the determination means determines that the acceleration is stable; and

a corresponding state calculating means for calculating the attitude or position of the object in the virtual game world corresponding to the direction in which the acceleration acts.

12. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input device comprises at least one operation key,

the operation data includes key data depending on pushing down of the operation key, and

the game apparatus further comprises:

a first timing detecting means for detecting first timing with which the operation key is pushed down, based on the key data;

a second timing detecting means for detecting second timing with which a magnitude of an acceleration indicated by the acceleration data sequentially obtained satisfies a predetermined condition, on and after the first timing; and

a third timing detecting means for detecting third timing with which pushing down of the operation key is released, based on the key data, on and after the second timing,

wherein the initial state data calculating means calculates the initial state data using the acceleration data included in the operation data obtained with the first timing, and

the change amount data calculating means includes;

a first change amount data calculating means for calculating first change amount data for sequentially changing the attitude or position of the object over time so that the object performs a first motion, depending on the acceleration data included in the operation data sequentially obtained from the first timing to the second timing; and

a second change amount data calculating means for calculating second change amount data for sequentially changing the attitude or position of the object over time so that the object performs a second motion different from the first motion, depending on the acceleration data included in the operation data sequentially obtained on and after the second timing,

wherein the game processing means performs a game process of controlling a motion of the object, depending on the second change amount data calculated with the third timing.

13. A storage medium storing a game program executed by a computer in a game apparatus for obtaining operation data including acceleration data from an input device comprising an acceleration sensor for outputting the acceleration data, and based on the operation data, performing a game process, depending on an operation of swinging the input device, the game program causing the computer to execute:

an operation data obtaining step of obtaining the operation data from the input device and storing the operation data into a memory;

an initial state data calculating step of calculating initial state data indicating an attitude or a position of an object in a virtual game world using the acceleration data included in the operation data obtained with predetermined start timing;

a change amount data calculating step of calculating change amount data for sequentially changing the attitude or position of the object over time, depending on the acceleration data included in the operation data sequentially obtained on and after the start timing; and

a game processing step of changing the attitude or position of the object, depending on the change amount data, the object being provided in the virtual game world, depending on the initial state data, to control a motion of the object.

14. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the memory stores basic motion data indicating a series of motions of the object in the virtual game world,

the change amount data calculating step calculates the change amount data designating the attitude or position of the object during the series of motions indicated by the basic motion data, depending on a magnitude of an acceleration indicated by the acceleration data sequentially obtained, and

the game processing step causes the object to move in accordance with the motions of the basic motion data based on the change amount data, starting from the attitude or position depending on the initial state data.

15. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the memory stores basic motion data indicating a series of motions of the object in the virtual game world,

the change amount data calculating step calculates the change amount data designating a speed with which the series of motions indicated by the basic motion data are changed, depending on a magnitude of an acceleration indicated by the acceleration data sequentially obtained, and

the game processing step reproduces the basic motion data, depending on the speed based on the change amount data, starting from the attitude or position depending on the initial state data.

16. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the game program causes the computer to further execute:

a timing detecting step of detecting timing with which the operation data indicating a content of a predetermined operation is obtained, on and after the start timing,

wherein the change amount data calculating step calculates the change amount data until the timing detecting step detects the timing with which the operation data indicating the content of the predetermined operation is obtained.

17. The storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the input device comprises at least one operation key,

the operation data includes key data depending on pushing down of the operation key, and

the timing detecting step detects timing with which the operation key is pushed down or timing with which pushing down of the operation key is released, based on the key data.

18. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the game program causes the computer to further execute:

a timing detecting step of detecting timing with which the operation data indicating a content of a predetermined operation is obtained, on and after the start timing,

wherein the game processing step sets at least a direction in the virtual game world with respect to the object, based on the change amount data calculated when the timing detecting step detects the timing with which the operation data indicating the content of the predetermined operation is obtained, so as to perform the game process.

19. The storage medium according to claim 18, wherein, depending on a motion of the object, the game processing step performs a game process of moving another object in the virtual game world, and

the game processing step sets at least a direction in which the object moves the other object, based on the change amount data calculated when the timing detecting step detects the timing with which the operation data indicating the content of the predetermined operation is obtained, so as to perform the game process.

20. The game apparatus of claim 19, wherein the game program causes the computer to further execute:

a movement speed setting step of setting a movement speed of the other object, depending on a magnitude of an acceleration indicated by the acceleration data obtained immediately before the timing detecting step detects the timing with which the operation data indicating the content of the predetermined operation is obtained.

21. The storage medium according to claim 19, wherein the game program causes the computer to further execute:

a trajectory setting step of setting a trajectory of the other object, depending on magnitudes of accelerations in a predetermined direction indicated by the acceleration data before and after the timing detecting step detects the timing with which the operation data indicating the content of the predetermined operation is obtained.

22. The storage medium according to claim 18, wherein the input device comprises at least one operation key,

the operation data includes key data depending on pushing down of the operation key, and

the timing detecting step detects timing with which the operation key is pushed down or timing with which pushing down of the operation key is released, based on the key data.

23. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the initial state data calculating step includes:

a determination step of determining whether or not an acceleration indicated by the acceleration data is stable;

an acceleration direction calculating step of calculating a direction in which the acceleration acts on the input device when the determination step determines that the acceleration is stable; and

a corresponding state calculating step of calculating the attitude or position of the object in the virtual game world corresponding to the direction in which the acceleration acts.

24. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the input device comprises at least one operation key,

the operation data includes key data depending on pushing down of the operation key, and

the game program causes the computer to further execute:

a first timing detecting step of detecting first timing with which the operation key is pushed down, based on the key data;

a second timing detecting step of detecting second timing with which a magnitude of an acceleration indicated by the acceleration data sequentially obtained satisfies a predetermined condition, on and after the first timing; and

a third timing detecting step of detecting third timing with which pushing down of the operation key is released, based on the key data, on and after the second timing,

wherein the initial state data calculating step calculates the initial state data using the acceleration data included in the operation data obtained with the first timing, and

the change amount data calculating step includes;

a first change amount data calculating step of calculating first change amount data for sequentially changing the attitude or position of the object over time so that the object performs a first motion, depending on the acceleration data included in the operation data sequentially obtained from the first timing to the second timing; and

a second change amount data calculating step of calculating second change amount data for sequentially changing the attitude or position of the object over time so that the object performs a second motion different from the first motion, depending on the acceleration data included in the operation data sequentially obtained on and after the second timing,

wherein the game processing step performs a game process of controlling a motion of the object, depending on the second change amount data calculated with the third timing.