Game machine, game route selection method, and information storage medium

• US 6,821,206 B1
• Filed: 11/17/2000
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Namco Limited (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Ishida, Hideyuki, Katoh, Masanori, Ueyama, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II, John M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mendoza, Robert
• Application Number:
  US09/716,079
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1-9, 463/31, 463/43, 463/49-57, 463/36-39, 463/44, 345/419, 345/427, 434/1-76, 273/153.R, 273/148.B
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5378 for displaying an additional top view, e.g. radar screens or maps using two or more virtual cameras concurrently A63F13/5252
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/307 for displaying an additional window with a view from the top of the game field, e.g. radar screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

There are disclosed a game machine, game route selection method and information storage medium that in case where a plurality of performance positions in a three-dimensional space where a game performance corresponding to a player'"'"'s operation instruction is performed, and a plurality of moving routes interconnecting the plurality of performance positions are set, the game machine displays predetermined option images for selecting the moving routes where the viewpoint can next move in the performance positions, and allows any one of these option images to be selected by a pointing device.

Claims

1. A game machine, wherein a plurality of performance positions in a three-dimensional space where a game performance corresponding to a player'"'"'s operation instruction is performed, and a plurality of moving routes interconnecting the plurality of performance positions are set, and the game machine comprising:

movement processing unit for moving a viewpoint corresponding to the player along said moving routes;

selection image display unit for displaying predetermined option images corresponding to the moving routes where the viewpoint can next move, in the performance positions; and

a pointing device for selecting any one of said option images displayed by said selection image display unit,

a game directing unit for performing shooting calculation for battling with a virtual enemy with using said pointing device in said performance positions,

wherein said selection image display unit displays said option images under a condition of not being attacked from said virtual enemy.

2. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein said game directing unit does not execute bullet-hit determination for a bullet fired from said virtual enemy during movement of said viewpoint along said moving route.

3. A game machine, wherein a plurality of performance positions in a three-dimensional space where a game performance corresponding to a player'"'"'s operation instruction is performed, and a plurality of moving routes interconnecting the plurality of performance positions are set, and the game machine comprising:

movement processing unit for moving a viewpoint corresponding to the player along said moving routes;

selection image display unit for displaying predetermined option images corresponding to the moving routes where the viewpoint can next move, in the performance positions; and

a pointing device for selecting any one of said option images displayed by said selection image display unit,

wherein said option image displays distinguish a degree of difficulty in the next performance position that is a movement destination,

a game directing unit for performing shooting calculation for battling with a virtual enemy with using said pointing device in said performance positions,

wherein said selection image display unit displays said option images under a condition of not being attacked from said virtual enemy.

4. The game machine according to claim 3, wherein said game directing unit does not execute bullet-hit determination for a bullet fired from said virtual enemy during movement of said viewpoint along said moving route.

5. A game machine, wherein a plurality of performance positions in a three-dimensional space where a game performance corresponding to a player'"'"'s operation instruction is performed, and a plurality of moving routes interconnecting the plurality of performance positions are set, and the game machine comprising:

movement processing unit for moving a viewpoint corresponding to the player along said moving routes;

selection image display unit for displaying predetermined option images corresponding to the moving routes where the viewpoint can next move, in the performance positions; and

a pointing device for selecting any one of said option images displayed by said selection image display unit,

wherein said option image is displayed at a position suggesting a movable direction on a display,

a game directing unit for performing shooting calculation for battling with a virtual enemy with using said pointing device in said performance positions,

wherein said selection image display unit displays said option images under a condition of not being attacked from said virtual enemy.

6. The game machine according to claim 5, wherein said game directing unit does not execute bullet-hit determination for a bullet fired from said virtual enemy during movement of said viewpoint along said moving route.