Computer simulation playback method and simulation

• US 5,395,242 A
• Filed: 06/02/1994
• Issued: 03/07/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sierra Entertainment, Inc. (Vivendi SE)
• Original Assignee: Dynamix LHG Company Private Limited
• Inventors: Bowman, Paul R., Hutton, Lincoln, Slye, Damon H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US08/252,980
• Time in Patent Office: 278 Days
• Field of Search: 434/14, 434/35, 434/38, 434/43, 434/69, 434/118, 434/128, 434/307, 273/85 G, 273/237, 273/238, 273/434, 273/DIG. 28, 364/410, 364/411, 395/152, 395/500, 371/19, 345/185
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• 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 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/497 Partially or entirely replaying previous game actions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/634 for replaying partially or entirely the game actions since the beginning of the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• 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 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0053 Computers, e.g. programming
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/066 with answer indicating cards, blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/301 by computer-processed or -generated image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/952 Simulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/961 Operator interface with visual structure or function dictated by intended use
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/972 Inserted real-time video in operator interface

Abstract

The invented computer simulation playback method includes the steps of recording commands entered during use of a simulation, operating the simulation with the recorded commands and allowing new commands to be entered at any point during the step of operating the simulation with the recorded commands. More specifically, the invented method runs a simulation on a computer system that includes a user input device and a visual display. Images are shown on the display and the person using the simulation enters commands through the user input device. The commands affect the images shown on the visual display and are recorded in the sequence that they were entered. The method then runs the simulation again and automatically enters the recorded commands in the same sequence that they were recorded so that substantially the same images that were produced when the commands were initially entered are displayed again. During that step, new commands can be entered. Once certain new commands are entered, the recorded commands are preempted and the user can use the simulation anew from the point where the new commands were entered.

Claims

1. A method of playing a video game on a computer system having a visual display and a user input device that allows a user to enter commands affecting the action of the game, the method comprising:

entering commands affecting the action of the game;

displaying images on the visual display showing the action of the game as affected by the entered commands;

recording the entered commands and the sequence that the commands were entered;

operating the game by automatically executing the recorded commands so that substantially the same images that were displayed when the recorded commands were initially entered are redisplayed, while

allowing new commands to be entered at any point during the step of operating the game;

whereby any new command entered during the step of operating the game preemptively stops execution of the recorded commands and instead enables execution of the newly entered commands affecting the action of the game, thereby causing new images showing the action of the game as affected by the new commands to be displayed on the visual display.

2. The method of claim 1 where the step of recording saves the entered commands and the sequence that the commands were entered in a memory device.

3. The method of claim 1 where the game has predetermined settings and where the step of recording saves the settings.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of saving the new commands, operating the game with the saved new commands and allowing further new commands to be entered at any point during the step of operating the game with the saved new commands.

5. The method of claim 1 where the game is an airplane dogfight and the step of displaying images causes images of predetermined airplane maneuvers and predetermined airplane views to be displayed on the visual display.

6. A method of playing a video game on a computer system having a display and a data entry device, where the game was previously played by interaction between a user and a programmed environment with the interaction being defined by user command entry and computer system actions at least partly responsive thereto and the previously played game was recorded by storing commands and actions in a memory, the method comprising:

playing back the recorded game to repeat the interaction while monitoring the data entry device and receiving thereby new commands entered by a user; and

thereafter

altering the action of the recorded game as it is played back by effectively replacing the recorded commands with the newly received commands and by executing the newly received commands instead of the recorded commands;

recording the altered game play;

playing back the altered game play; and

interacting with the altered game play as it is played back to further alter the altered game play.

7. A method of playing a video game on a computer system having a video display and a user input device for the entry of user generated commands, the method comprising the steps of:

actively playing the game, comprising the steps of;

entering a sequence of user generated commands through the user input device, where the commands affect the action of the game;

displaying images on the visual display showing the action of the game as affected by the sequence of user generated commands as the sequence of user generated commands is entered; and

recording the sequence of user generated commands as it is entered; and

replaying the game comprising the steps of;

automatically entering the recorded sequence of user generated commands during the step of replaying the game;

displaying images on the visual display showing the action of the game as affected by the recorded sequence of user generated commands as the recorded sequence of user generated commands is entered; and

entering a new user generated command through the user input device at any point during the step of automatically entering, wherein the entry of a new user generated command preemptively stops the automatic entering of the recorded sequence of user generated commands and substitutes therefor new user generated commands entered through the user input device allowing the user to resume active playing of the game.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the game is an aerial dogfight.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the game has predetermined settings and the step of recording the sequence of user generated commands also saves the settings.