Video game system and storage medium storing video game program

• US 8,556,729 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Ichiro, Shiraiwa, Yusuke, Sato, Katsuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US11/446,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20070078004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,688 Days
• Field of Search: 463 40- 44
• US Class Current: 463/43
• 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 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/577 using determination of contact between game characters or objects, e.g. to avoid collision between virtual racing cars
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• 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 2300/643 by determining the impact between objects, e.g. collision detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying

Abstract

In response to a predetermined input operation by a player, item object initial information is produced. The item object initial information is information used for introducing an item object into a virtual game world and controlling the item object in the virtual game world. Then, the item object is introduced into the virtual game world, and controlled in the virtual game world according to a predetermined rule. The item object initial information is transmitted to other video game devices. Each of the other video game devices receives the item object initial information, based on which the video game device introduces the item object into the virtual game world and then controls the item object in the virtual game world according to a predetermined rule.

Claims

1. A video game system, comprising a plurality of video game devices connected together so that the video game devices can communicate with one another, wherein the video game devices display the same virtual game world while being synchronized together, the virtual game world including therein player characters each controlled by one of the video game devices;

a first video game device being one of the plurality of video game devices includes;

a communications which exchanges data with other of the video game devices;

a processor executing a first program stored in the first video game device, the first program causing the processor to perform;

an object initial information production step to generate object initial information used for introducing an object, different from a first player character, into the virtual game world and control the object in the virtual game world, in response to a predetermined input operation by the player;

an object operation controlling step to control the object according to a predetermined rule after introducing the object into the virtual game world based on the object initial information; and

an object information transmitting step to transmit the object initial information to other video game devices via the communications device; and

a second video game device being another one of the plurality of video game devices different from the first video game device includes;

a communications device exchanging data with other of the video game devices;

a processor executing a second program stored in the second video game device, the second program causing the processor to perform;

an object information receiving step to receive the object initial information from the first video game device via the communications device; and

an object operation controlling step to control the object according to a predetermined rule executed by the second video game device after the first video game device introduces the object into the virtual game world, wherein the object is represented and initially positioned in the virtual game world by the second video game device based on the object initial information, wherein the predetermined rule at least determines the movement of the object based on an initial object position included in the object initial information by the first video game device.

2. The video game system of claim 1, wherein:

in the object initial information production step performed by the first video game device the object initial information includes introduction time information indicating a time at which the object is introduced into the virtual game world; and

in the object operation controlling step of the second video game device includes calculating a delay time of the virtual game world represented by the second video game device with respect to the virtual game world represented by the first video game device based on the introduction time information included in the object initial information, and determines a position at which the object is to be introduced into, and controlled in, the virtual game world represented by the second video game device according to the delay time.

3. The video game system of claim 2, wherein when new object initial information is obtained, the object operation controlling step of the second video game device introduces the object based on a position of the first player character controlled by the first player character synchronization step in the virtual game world represented by the second video game device.

4. The video game system of claim 3, wherein:

the object initial information production step produces the object initial information so as to further include position information representing a position at which the object is introduced into the virtual game world; and

the object operation controlling step performed by the second video game device repeats updating the position of the object using the object initial information so as to introduce the object at a position closest to the first player character controlled in the first player character synchronization step.

5. The video game system of claim 3, wherein:

the object initial information production step performed by the first video game device produces the object initial information so as to further include position information representing a position at which the object is introduced into the virtual game world; and

the object operation controlling step performed by the second video game device calculates a travel time required for moving the object from a position in the virtual game world represented by the position information included in the object initial information to the position at which the object is introduced, and updates the delay time by subtracting the travel time from the delay time.

6. The video game system of claim 1, wherein:

the second program causes the processor in the second video game device to further perform;

a second player character operation controlling step to control a second player character in the virtual game world represented by the second video game device in response to a player'"'"'s input operation; and

a second player character information transmitting step to transmit second player character information regarding an operation of the second player character to the other video game devices via the communications device at regular intervals;

the first program causes the processor in the first video game device to further perform;

a second player character information receiving step to receive the second player character information from the second video game device via the communications device; and

a second player character synchronization step to control the second player character in the virtual game world represented by the first video game device based on the second player character information;

when a distance between the second player character controlled by the second player character synchronization step and the object in the virtual game world becomes within a predetermined range,

the object operation controlling step of the first video game device determines the second player character to be a target object of the object, and controls the object so as to follow the second player character;

in the object information transmitting step target information is transmitted indicating the target object of the object to other video game devices via the communications device;

the object information receiving step of the second video game device receives the target information from the first video game device via the communications device; and

the object operation controlling step of the second video game device controls the object so as to follow the second player character controlled by the second player character operation controlling step in the virtual game world based on the target information.

7. The video game system of claim 6, wherein:

in the object operation controlling step of the second video game device, the object is controlled so as to follow the second player character at a first speed; and

the object operation controlling step of the first video game device controls the object so as to follow the second player character at a second speed lower than the first speed.

8. The video game system of claim 1, wherein:

the second program stored in the second video game device further causes the processor to perform;

a second player character operation controlling step to control a second player character in the virtual game world represented by the second video game device in response to a player'"'"'s input operation;

a second player character information transmitting step to transmit second player character information regarding an operation of the second player character to the other video game devices via the communications device at regular intervals;

a collision detection step to detect, only for the second player character, a collision with the object in the virtual game world represented by the second video game device; and

a collision information transmitting step to transmit collision information indicating a collision between the second player character and the object to the other video game devices via the communications device;

the first program causes the processor in the first video game device to further perform;

a second player character information receiving step to receive the second player character information from the second video game device via the communications device;

a second player character synchronization step to control the second player character in the virtual game world represented by the first video game device based on the second player character information; and

a collision information receiving step to receive the collision information from the second video game device via the communications device; and

the second player character synchronization step of the first video game device shows the second player character and the object colliding with each other in the virtual game world represented by the first video game device based on the collision information.

17. The video game system of claim 1 wherein:

the first video game device further performs;

a first player character operation controlling step to control the first player character in the virtual game world in response to a player'"'"'s input operation;

a first player character information transmitting step transmitting first player character information regarding an operation of the first player character to the other video game devices via the communications device at regular intervals, and

the second video game device further performs;

a first player character information receiving step receiving the first player character information from the first video game device via the communications device, and

first player character synchronization step to control the first player character in the virtual game world represented by the second video game device based on the first player character information.

9. A non-transitory storage medium storing a video game program to be executed by a computer of each of a plurality of video game devices connected together so that the video game devices can communicate with one another, wherein the video game devices display the same virtual game world while being synchronized together, the virtual game world including therein player characters each controlled by one of the video game devices, the video game program causing the computer to perform:

a object initial information production step to produce object initial information used for introducing an object, different from a subject player character, into the virtual game world and for controlling the object in the virtual game world, in response to a predetermined input operation by the player;

an object operation controlling step to control the object according to a predetermined rule after introducing the object into the virtual game world based on the object initial information produced by the object initial information production step;

an object information transmitting step to transmit the object initial information to the other video game devices; and

an object information receiving step to receive the object initial information from one of the other video game devices in response to a predetermined input operation by a player of the one of the other video game devices,

wherein when the object initial information is received from the one of the other video game devices, the object operation controlling step introduces an object into the virtual game world and then controls the object in the virtual game world according to a predetermined rule executed by the one of the other video game devices after the first video game device introduces the object into the virtual game world, and wherein the predetermined rule at least determines the movement of the object based on an initial object position included in the object initial information.

10. The non-transitory storage medium storing a video game program of claim 9, wherein:

the object initial information transmitted from one of the other video game devices includes introduction time information indicating a time at which the object is introduced into the virtual game world in the one of the other video game devices; and

when the object initial information is received from the one of the other video game devices, the object operation controlling step calculates a delay time of the virtual game world represented by the subject device with respect to the virtual game world represented by the one of the other video game devices based on the introduction time information included in the object initial information, and determines a position at which the object is to be introduced into, and controlled in, the virtual game world according to the delay time.

11. The non-transitory storage medium storing a video game program of claim 10, wherein when the object initial information is received from the one of the other video game devices, the object operation controlling step introduces the object based on a position of the non-subject player character controlled by the non-subject player character synchronization step in the virtual game world.

12. The non-transitory storage medium storing a video game program of claim 11, wherein:

the object initial information transmitted from the one of the other video game devices further includes position information representing a position at which the object is introduced into the virtual game world; and

the object operation controlling step repeats updating the position of the object using the object initial information received from the one of the other video game devices so as to introduce the object at a position closest to the non-subject player character controlled by the non-subject player character synchronization step.

13. The non-transitory storage medium storing a video game program of claim 11, wherein:

the object initial information transmitted from the one of the other video game devices further includes position information representing a position at which the object is introduced into the virtual game world; and

when the object initial information is received from the one of the other video game devices, the object operation controlling step calculates a travel time required for moving the object from a position in the virtual game world represented by the position information included in the object initial information to the position at which the object is introduced, and updates the delay time by subtracting the travel time from the delay time.

14. The non-transitory storage medium storing a video game program of claim 9, wherein:

where the object is introduced into the virtual game world in response to a predetermined input operation by a player on a subject device,

when a distance between the non-subject player character and the object becomes within a predetermined range, the object operation controlling step determines the non-subject player character to be a target object of the object, and controls the object so as to follow the non-subject player character; and

the object information transmitting step transmits target information indicating the target object of the object to other video game devices; and

where the object is introduced into the virtual game world in response to a predetermined input operation by a player on one of the other video game devices,

the object information receiving step receives target information indicating that the target object is determined by the one of the other video game devices; and

the object operation controlling step controls the object so as to follow a player character that is specified as the target object by the target information in the virtual game world based on the target information received from the one of the other video game devices.

15. The non-transitory storage medium storing a video game program of claim 14, wherein:

when the target object specified by the target information transmitted from the one of the other video game devices is the subject player character, the object operation controlling step controls the object so as to follow the subject player character at a first speed;

when the target object determined by the subject device is the non-subject player character, the object operation controlling step controls the object to follow the non-subject player character at a second speed being lower than the first speed.

16. The non-trasitory storage medium storing a video game program of claim 9, wherein:

the video game program causes the computer to further perform;

a collision detection step to detect, only for the subject player character, a collision with the object in the virtual game world;

a collision information transmitting step to transmit collision information indicating a collision between the subject player character and the object to the other video game devices; and

a collision information receiving step to receive the collision information indicating a collision between the non-subject player character and the object from one of the other video game devices; and

the non-subject player character synchronization includes showing the non-subject player character and the object colliding with each other in the virtual game world based on the collision information received from the one of the other video game devices.

18. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 9 wherein the video game program causing the computer further perform:

a subject player character operation controlling step to control a subject player character in the virtual game world in response to a player'"'"'s input operation;

a subject player character information transmitting step to transmit subject player character information regarding an operation of the subject player character to the other video game devices at regular intervals;

a non-subject player character information receiving step to receive non-subject player character information regarding an operation of non-subject player character controlled by one of the other video game devices from the one of the other video game devices at regular intervals, and

a non-subject player character synchronization step to control the non-subject player character in the virtual game world based on the non-subject player character information.

19. A method performed using at least a first video device and a second video device communicating with the first video device, wherein each video device displays images of a virtual world being displayed through images on the other video device and the virtual world includes player characters each controlled by one of the video devices;

the first video device includes;

a communications unit that exchanges data with the second video device;

a processor executing a first program stored in a non-transitory memory of the first video device, the first program causes the first video device to;

generate object initial information to be applied to introduce and initially position an object in the virtual world in response to a predetermined input operation performed by the player on the first video device, wherein the object is different from a first player character;

control the object according to a predetermined rule after the object is initially positioned the virtual world based on the object initial information; and

transmit the object initial information to the second video device via the communications unit in the first video device; and

the second video device includes;

a communications unit exchanging data with the first video device;

a processor executing a second program stored in a non-transitory memory of the second video device, the second program causing the second video device to;

receive the object initial information from the first video device via the communications unit in the second video device; and

control the object according to the predetermined rule wherein the object is represented and initially positioned in the virtual world based on the object initial information and the predetermined rule determines the movement of the object.

20. A method to play a video game on video devices communicating with each other to display images of a same virtual game world that includes player characters each controlled by one of the video devices, wherein each video device:

generates first object initial information to be used to introduce a first virtual object, different from the player character controlled by the video device, into the virtual game world and control the first object in response to a predetermined input operation by the player using the video device;

control the first object according to a first predetermined rule after introducing the object into the virtual game world based on the first object initial information;

transmit the first object initial information to another one of the video devices;

receive a second object initial information generated by another one of the video game devices in response to a predetermined input operation by a player of the another one of the other video devices;

in response to the reception of the second object initial information introduce a second an object corresponding to the received second object initial information in the virtual game world, and

moving, in the virtual game world, the second object based on a second predetermined rule.