Game apparatus, storage medium, game controlling method and game system

• US 8,690,673 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2011
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Hosokawa, Takehiko, Nonaka, Toyokazu, Horita, Jumpei, Niitani, Ryusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US13/304,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20120309533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• 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 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game

Abstract

An example of a game apparatus includes a CPU, and the CPU displays a title screen on a monitor when starting a virtual game. When a predetermined operation is performed here, a main part is started, and a first game selected on a top menu is started. Here, prior to a start of the first game, a stable state of a controller with a gyro unit is confirmed. The processing for confirmation is also executed in a case that the title screen is being displayed as well. After the confirmation, when a state that the controller is left continues for a predetermined time or more, a second game different from the first game is started.

Claims

1. A game apparatus for performing game processing based on at least an angular velocity in response to an operation performed on an operating device equipped with a gyro sensor, comprising:

an initial screen presentation device configured to generate an initial screen for presentation before a start of a first game;

a determination device configured to determine whether or not an attitude of said operating device is stable when said initial screen is presented;

a first game starter configured to start said first game in response to an operation when said initial screen is presented;

a first game processor configured to perform said first game on the basis of the angular velocity acquired from said operating device;

a second game starter configured to start a second game different from said first game when a predetermined time has elapsed without performance of said operation after determination that the attitude of said operating device is stable; and

a second game processor configured to perform said second game on the basis of the angular velocity acquired from said operating device.

2. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said operating device has at least one key, and

said first game starter is configured to start said first game in response to an operation of said key.

3. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said second game processor is configured to end said second game after a lapse of a predetermined time from the start of said second game, and

said initial screen presentation device is further configured to generate said initial screen for presentation after the end of said second game.

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

an instruction presentation device is configured to generate a presentation of resents an instruction for making the attitude of said operating device stable if said determination device determines that the attitude of said operating device is not stable when said first game is started by said first game starter, wherein

said first game starter is configured to start said first game after said determination device determines that the attitude of said operating device is stable.

5. A non-transitory storage medium storing a game program for performing game processing based on at least an angular velocity in response to an operation performed on an operating device equipped with a gyro sensor, said game program causes a computer to provide functionality comprising:

presentation of an initial screen before a start of a first game;

determination of whether or not an attitude of said operating device is stable when said initial screen is presented;

start of said first game in response to an operation when said initial screen is presented;

performance of said first game on the basis of the angular velocity acquired from said operating device;

start of a second game different from said first game when a predetermined time has elapsed without performance of said operation after said determination that the attitude of said operating device is stable; and

performance of said second game on the basis of the angular velocity acquired from said operating device.

6. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 5, wherein

said operating device has at least one key, and

said start of said first game is in response to an operation of said key.

7. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 5, wherein

said second game is ended after a lapse of a predetermined time from the start of said second game, and

said initial screen is presented after the end of said second game.

8. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 5, said game program causes said computer to provide further functionality comprising:

presentation of an instruction for making the attitude of said operating device stable if said determination determines that the attitude of said operating device is not stable when said first game is started, wherein

said first game is started after said determination that the attitude of said operating device is stable.

9. A game controlling method of a game apparatus performing game processing based on at least an angular velocity in response to an operation performed on an operating device equipped with a gyro sensor, comprising:

(a) presenting an initial screen before a start of a first game;

(b) determining whether or not an attitude of said operating device is stable when said initial screen is presented;

(c) starting said first game in response to an operation when said initial screen is presented;

(d) performing said first game on the basis of the angular velocity acquired from said operating device;

(e) starting a second game different from said first game when a predetermined time has elapsed without performance of said operation after said step (b) determines that the attitude of said operating device is stable; and

(f) performing said second game on the basis of the angular velocity acquired from said operating device.

10. The game controlling method according to claim 9, wherein

said operating device includes at least one key, and

said step (c) starts said first game in response to an operation of said key.

11. The game controlling method according to claim 9, comprising:

said step (e) ends said second game after a lapse of a predetermined time from the start of said second game, and

said step (a) further presents said initial screen after the end of said second game.

12. The game controlling method according to claim 9, further comprising:

(g) presenting an instruction for making the attitude of said operating device stable if said step (b) determines that the attitude of said operating device is not stable when said first game is started by said step (c), wherein

said step (c) starts said first game after said step (b) determines that the attitude of said operating device is stable.

13. A game system for performing game processing based on at least an angular velocity in response to an operation performed on an operating device equipped with a gyro sensor, comprising:

a computer system, comprising at least one computer processor, the computer system being configured to;

generate a presentation of an initial screen before a start of a first game;

determine whether or not an attitude of said operating device is stable when said initial screen is presented;

start said first game in response to an operation when said initial screen is presented;

perform said first game on the basis of the angular velocity acquired from said operating device;

start a second game different from said first game when a predetermined time has elapsed without performance of said operation after determination that the attitude of said operating device is stable; and

perform said second game on the basis of the angular velocity acquired from said operating device.

14. The game system according to claim 13, wherein

said operating device has at least one key, and

said computer system is further configured to start said first game in response to an operation of said key.

15. The game system according to claim 13, wherein said computer system is further configured to:

end said second game after a lapse of a predetermined time from the start of said second game, and

generate said initial screen for presentation after the end of said second game.

16. The game system according to claim 13, wherein computer system is further configured to:

generation a presentation of an instruction for making the attitude of said operating device stable if determination that the attitude of said operating device is not stable when said first game is started, wherein

said first game after determination that the attitude of said operating device is stable.