Storage medium having game program stored thereon and game apparatus

• US 8,469,810 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2005
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakanishi, Keigo, Matsunaga, Hiroshi, Ikematsu, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bumgarner, Melba
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lim, Seng Heng
• Application Number:
  US11/252,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20060111182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,806 Days
• Field of Search: 463/37
• US Class Current: 463/37
• 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 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• 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 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands

Abstract

Reference coordinates in a coordinate system and designated coordinates based on coordinate information outputted by a pointing device are provided, and a distance between the reference coordinates and the designated coordinates is calculated. When a first mode is selected, a calculated distance is converted into a predetermined parameter using a first conversion function. On the other hand, when a second mode is selected, a calculated distance is converted into a parameter using a second conversion function. According to whether the first mode is selected or the second mode is selected, a game is processed based on the aforementioned parameter.

Claims

1. A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a game program executed by a computer in a game apparatus which is operated using a pointing device for outputting coordinate information based on a given coordinate system according to an operation of a player, wherein

the computer is operable to execute:

selecting one of a first mode and a second mode based on a selection from the player;

setting reference coordinates in the coordinate system;

storing the reference coordinates;

setting designated coordinates in the coordinate system based on the coordinate information outputted by the pointing device;

calculating a distance from the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates;

a first parameter determination for converting, when the first mode is selected in the selecting, the distance calculated in the calculating into a predetermined input level parameter using a first conversion function;

a second parameter determination for converting, when the second mode is selected in the selecting, the distance calculated in the calculating into the input level parameter using a second conversion function; and

performing a game process, by using one of the parameter determined in the first parameter determination and the parameter determined in the second parameter determination, according to a selection in the selecting between the first mode and the second mode, wherein

the calculating further calculates a direction from the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates,

the game process is performed based on only the direction calculated in the calculating when the selecting selects the first mode and the parameter determined in the first parameter determination is smaller than a first threshold value, or when the selecting selects the second mode and the parameter determined in the second parameter determination is smaller than a second threshold value, and

the game process is performed based on the parameter and the direction when the selecting selects the first mode and the parameter determined in the first parameter determination is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, or when the selecting selects the second mode and the parameter determined in the second parameter determination is greater than or equal to the second threshold value.

2. The non-transitory storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein

the second conversion function is a function for converting the distance calculated in the calculating into a value smaller than a value into which the distance calculated in the calculating is converted using the first conversion function.

3. The non-transitory storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein

the game program causes the computer to further execute a reference distance setting for setting, when the first mode is selected in the selecting, a first reference distance as a reference for the distance calculated in the calculating, and setting, when the second mode is selected in the selecting, a second reference distance as a reference for the distance calculated in the calculating,

the first conversion function used in the first parameter determination is a function for calculating, as the parameter, a ratio of the distance calculated in the calculating to the first reference distance set in the reference distance setting, and

the second conversion function used in the second parameter determination is a function for calculating, as the parameter, a ratio of the distance calculated in the calculating to the second reference distance set in the reference distance setting.

4. The non-transitory storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 3, wherein

when the selecting selects the first mode and the distance calculated in the calculating is longer than the first reference distance, the first parameter determination determines the parameter as a ratio of 100% using the first conversion function, and

when the selecting selects the second mode and the distance calculated in the calculating is longer than the second reference distance, the second parameter determination determines the parameter as a ratio of 100% using the second conversion function.

5. The non-transitory storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 3, wherein

the pointing device is a touch panel,

the first mode is used when a player directly touch-operates the touch panel with a finger;

the second mode is used when a player touch-operates the touch panel with a tip of a stick member; and

the reference distance setting sets the second reference distance to be longer than the first reference distance.

6. The non-transitory storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein

the game process determines a movement speed of a game object appearing in a virtual game space based on the parameter.

7. The non-transitory storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein

the calculating further calculates a direction from the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates, and

the game process is performed based on the parameter and the direction.

8. The non-transitory storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 7, wherein

the game process determines a direction of a game object appearing in a virtual game space based on the direction.

9. The non-transitory storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein

the reference coordinate setting sets, as the reference coordinates, designated coordinates which are initially set in the designated coordinate setting.

10. The non-transitory storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein

the game program causes the computer to further execute:

a first game parameter determination for converting, when a parameter determined in the first parameter determination is smaller than a first threshold value, the parameter into a game parameter using a third conversion function;

a second game parameter determination for converting, when a parameter determined in the first parameter determination is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, the parameter into the game parameter using a fourth conversion function for converting the parameter into a value greater than a value into which the parameter is converted using the third conversion function;

a third game parameter determination for converting, when a parameter determined in the second parameter determination is smaller than a second threshold value, the parameter into the game parameter using a fifth conversion function; and

a fourth game parameter determination for converting, when a parameter determined in the second parameter determination is greater than or equal to the second threshold value, the parameter into the game parameter using a sixth conversion function for converting the parameter into a value greater than a value into which the parameter is converted using the fifth conversion function, and

the game process is performed using the game parameter determined in the first game parameter determination or the second game parameter determination, when the selecting selects the first mode, and the game process is performed using the game parameter determined in the third game parameter determination or the fourth game parameter determination, when the selecting selects the second mode.

11. The non-transitory storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 10, wherein

the second threshold value is greater than the first threshold value.

12. The non-transitory storage medium having the game program stored thereon according to claim 1, wherein the second threshold value is greater than the first threshold value.

13. A game apparatus operated using a pointing device for outputting coordinate information based on a given coordinate system according to an operation of a player, the game apparatus comprising:

a processing system, including one or more computer processors, configured to;

set reference coordinates in the coordinate system;

store the reference coordinates in reference coordinate storage locations;

set designated coordinates in the coordinate system based on the coordinate information outputted by the pointing device;

calculate a distance from the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates;

select one of a first mode and a second mode based on a selection from the player;

determine a first parameter for converting, when the first mode is selected, the calculated distance into a predetermined input level parameter using a first conversion function;

determine a second parameter for converting, when the second mode is selected, the calculated distance into the input level parameter using a second conversion function;

perform a game process, by using one of the determined first parameter and the determined second parameter, according to a selection between the first mode and the second mode, and

further calculate a direction from the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates, wherein

the game process is performed based on only the calculated direction between the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates when the first mode is selected and the determined first parameter is smaller than a first threshold value, or when the second mode is selected and the determined second parameter is smaller than a second threshold value, and

the game process is performed based on the parameter and the calculated direction when the first mode is selected and the determined first parameter is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, or when the second mode is selected and the determined second parameter is greater than or equal to the second threshold value.

14. A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a program executed by a computer in an information processing apparatus which is operated using a pointing device for outputting coordinate information based on a given coordinate system according to an operation of a user, wherein

the computer is operable to execute:

selecting one of a first mode and a second mode based on a selection from the user;

setting reference coordinates in the coordinate system;

storing the reference coordinates;

setting designated coordinates in the coordinate system based on the coordinate information outputted by the pointing device;

calculating a distance from the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates;

a first parameter determination for converting, when the first mode is selected in the selecting, the distance calculated in the calculating into a predetermined input level parameter using a first conversion function;

a second parameter determination for converting, when the second mode is selected in the selecting, the distance calculated in the calculating into the input level parameter using a second conversion function; and

processing an operation, by using one of the parameter determined in the first parameter determination and the parameter determined in the second parameter determination, according to a selection in the selecting between the first mode and the second mode, wherein

the calculating further calculates a direction from the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates,

the processing is performed based on only the direction calculated in the calculating when the selecting selects the first mode and the parameter determined in the first parameter determination is smaller than a first threshold value, or when the selecting selects the second mode and the parameter determined in the second parameter determination is smaller than a second threshold value, and

the processing is performed based on the parameter and the direction when the selecting selects the first mode and the parameter determined in the first parameter determination is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, or when the selecting selects the second mode and the parameter determined in the second parameter determination is greater than or equal to the second threshold value.

15. A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a game program executed by a computer in a game apparatus which is operated using a pointing device for outputting coordinate information based on a given coordinate system according to an operation of a player, wherein

the computer is operable to execute:

setting reference coordinates in the coordinate system;

storing the reference coordinates;

setting designated coordinates in the coordinate system based on the coordinate information outputted by the pointing device;

calculating a distance from the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates;

parameter determination for converting the distance calculated in the calculating into a predetermined input level parameter using a conversion function; and

performing a game process, by using the parameter determined in the parameter determination, wherein

the calculating further calculates a direction from the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates,

the game process is performed based on only the direction calculated in the calculating when the parameter determined in the parameter determination is smaller than a threshold value, and

the game process is performed based on the parameter and the direction when the parameter determined in the parameter determination is greater than or equal to the threshold value.

16. A game apparatus operated using a pointing device for outputting coordinate information based on a given coordinate system according to an operation of a player, the game apparatus comprising:

a processing system, including one or more computer processors, configured to;

set reference coordinates in the coordinate system;

store the reference coordinates in reference coordinate storage locations;

set designated coordinates in the coordinate system based on the coordinate information outputted by the pointing device;

calculate a distance from the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates;

determine a parameter for converting the calculated distance into a predetermined input level parameter using a conversion function;

perform a game process, by using the determined parameter, and

further calculate a direction from the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates, wherein

the game process is performed based on only the calculated direction between the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates when the determined parameter is smaller than a threshold value, and

the game process is performed based on the parameter and the calculated direction when the determined parameter is greater than or equal to the threshold value.

17. A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a program executed by a computer in an information processing apparatus which is operated using a pointing device for outputting coordinate information based on a given coordinate system according to an operation of a user, wherein

the computer is operable to execute:

setting reference coordinates in the coordinate system;

storing the reference coordinates;

setting designated coordinates in the coordinate system based on the coordinate information outputted by the pointing device;

calculating a distance from the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates;

parameter determination for converting the distance calculated in the calculating into a predetermined input level parameter using a conversion function; and

processing an operation, by using the parameter determined in the parameter determination, wherein

the calculating further calculates a direction from the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates,

the processing is performed based on only the direction calculated in the calculating when the parameter determined in the parameter determination is smaller than a threshold value, and

the processing is performed based on the parameter and the direction when the parameter determined in the parameter determination is greater than or equal to the threshold value.

18. An information processing apparatus operated using a pointing device for outputting coordinate information based on a given coordinate system according to an operation of a player, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a processing system, including one or more computer processors, configured to;

set reference coordinates in the coordinate system;

store the reference coordinates in reference coordinate storage locations;

set designated coordinates in the coordinate system based on the coordinate information outputted by the pointing device;

calculate a distance from the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates;

determine a parameter for converting the calculated distance into a predetermined input level parameter using a conversion function; and

perform an information operation process, by using the determined parameter, and

further calculate a direction from the reference coordinates to the designated coordinates, wherein

the information operation process is performed based on only the calculated direction when the determined parameter is smaller than a threshold value, and

the information operation process is performed based on the parameter and the calculated direction when the determined parameter is greater than or equal to the threshold value.