Game system, game apparatus, storage medium having game program stored therein, and game process method

• US 9,199,168 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2011
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Ito, Jun, Ohta, Keizo
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US13/198,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20120040759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 463 30- 37, 463/39, 463/40, 345156-167, 345/173, 345 11- 13, 345418-427
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• 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 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5252 using two or more virtual cameras concurrently or sequentially, e.g. automatically switching between fixed virtual cameras when a character changes room or displaying a rear-mirror view in a car-driving 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 13/5258 by dynamically adapting the position of the virtual camera to keep a game object or game character in its viewing frustum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

A game system includes a game apparatus, an operating device, and a hand-held device. The game apparatus performs a game control process based on first operation data representing a first player'"'"'s operation on the operating device and second operation data representing a second player'"'"'s operation on the hand-held device. The game apparatus generates a first game image for the first player, which is an image of a virtual game space and represents a result of the game control process, based on a first virtual camera set in the game space. The game apparatus also generates a second game image for the second player, which is an image of the game space, based on a second virtual camera set in the game space. The first game image is displayed on a first display device provided independently of the hand-held device. The second game image is displayed on a second display device of the hand-held device.

Claims

1. A game system comprising a game apparatus, an operating device, and a hand-held device, wherein,

the game apparatus includes:

a first receiver for receiving data transmitted from the operating device and the hand-held device;

a game processor configured to generate a virtual game space representing a result of a game control process based on first operation data representing a first player'"'"'s operation on the operating device and second operation data representing a second player'"'"'s operation on the hand-held device;

a first image generator configured to generate, from a 3D representation of the virtual game space by performing first 3D rendering on the 3D representation of the virtual game space, a first game image for the first player based on a first virtual camera set in the virtual game space, the first game image being an image of the game space as viewed from the position of the first virtual camera and in the attitude of the first virtual camera, the first game image representing a result of the game control process, the first image generator being further configured to perform the first 3D rendering based on the first virtual camera on the generated virtual game space, thereby generating the first game image;

a second image generator configured to generate, from said 3D representation of said virtual game space by performing a second 3D rendering on said 3D representation of the virtual game space, a second game image for the second player based on a second virtual camera set in the game space, the second game image being an image of the game space as viewed from the position of the second virtual camera and in the attitude of the second virtual camera, the second image generator being configured to perform the second 3D rendering based on the second virtual camera on the same virtual game space as the virtual game space from which the first game image is generated, thereby generating the second game image;

a first image output circuit for outputting the first game image to a first display device provided independently of the hand-held device; and

a second image output circuit for outputting the second game image to the hand-held device over a wireless connection using compression,

the operating device includes;

a first operation data output circuit for outputting the first operation data; and

a first operation data transmitter for transmitting the first operation data to the game apparatus, and

the hand-held device includes;

a second operation data output circuit for outputting the second operation data;

a second operation data transmitter for transmitting the second operation data to the game apparatus;

a second receiver for wirelessly receiving the compressed second game image from the game apparatus; and

a display processor for displaying the second game image on a second display device provided in the hand-held device; and

an orientation sensor that senses orientation of the handheld device, wherein the second virtual camera is controlled at least in part based on the sensed orientation of the handheld device.

2. The game system according to claim 1, wherein,

the second operation data output circuit includes the orientation sensor for outputting data whose value changes in accordance with movement of the hand-held device,

the second operation data includes data outputted by the orientation sensor, and

the game processor performs game control in accordance with movement of the hand-held device, based on the second operation data.

3. The game system according to claim 2, wherein,

the orientation sensor comprises an acceleration sensor and/or a gyroscope, and

the second operation data includes acceleration data sensed by the acceleration sensor and/or angular rate data sensed by the gyroscope.

4. The game system according to claim 2, wherein the game processor performs game control for moving the second virtual camera in accordance with movement of the hand-held device, based on the second operation data.

5. The game system according to claim 2, wherein,

the first operation data output circuit includes the orientation sensor for outputting data whose value changes in accordance with movement of the operating device,

the first operation data includes data outputted by the orientation sensor, and

the game processor performs the game control process for controlling an object arranged in the same game space based on the first operation data.

6. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the game processor sets the first virtual camera such that the first game image includes a predetermined object whose action is controlled based on the first operation data.

7. The game system according to claim 1, wherein,

the first operation data output circuit includes a sensor for outputting data whose value changes in accordance with movement of the operating device,

the first operation data includes data outputted by the sensor, and

the game processor performs the game control process for controlling an object arranged in the game space based on the first operation data.

8. The game system according to claim 7, wherein,

the first operation data output circuit includes an acceleration sensor and/or a gyroscope, and

the first operation data includes acceleration data sensed by the acceleration sensor and/or angular rate data sensed by the gyroscope.

9. The game system according to claim 7, wherein,

the game processor executes instructions including:

first processing instructions for determining a moving direction of a predetermined moving object so as to change in accordance with movement of the hand-held device and moving the moving object in the determined moving direction;

second processing instructions for setting the first virtual camera such that a first game image including the moving object is generated;

third processing instructions for moving a predetermined operation object in accordance with movement of the operating device; and

fourth processing instructions for determining whether the moving object and the operation object have contacted or not and generating a game image in accordance with the determination result.

10. The game system according to claim 7, wherein,

the game processor executes instructions including:

behavior calculating instructions for calculating behavior of a predetermined moving object based on the first operation data, the behavior being determined in accordance with movement of the operating device, and moving the moving object based on the behavior;

second virtual camera moving instructions for moving the second virtual camera in accordance with movement of the hand-held device; and

second virtual camera determining instructions for determining whether or not the second virtual camera is directed toward a predetermined range including the moving object, and generating a game image in accordance with the determination result.

11. The game system according to claim 7, wherein the game processor performs game control in accordance with an operation of swinging the operating device and an operation of tilting the hand-held device, the swinging operation and the tilting operation being detected based on the first operation data and the second operation data, respectively.

12. The game system according to claim 1, wherein,

the game apparatus further includes a display setter for setting first display setting data and second display setting data, the first display setting data representing any object to be arranged in the game space but not to be rendered in the first game image, the second display setting data representing any object to be arranged in the game space but not to be rendered in the second game image,

the first image generator generates the first game image based on the first display setting data, and

the second image generator generates the second game image based on the second display setting data.

13. The game system according to claim 1, wherein,

the second operation data output circuit includes a touch panel provided on a screen of the second display device,

the second operation data includes touch data representing an input position on the touch panel, and

the game processor performs game control based on the touch data.

14. The game system according to claim 1, wherein,

the second operation data output circuit includes at least one operation button, and

the second operation data includes operation button data representing whether or not an input has been made with the operation button.

15. The game system according to claim 1, wherein,

the first data output circuit includes an image pickup,

the first operation data includes data representing a position of a predetermined imaging target in an image taken by the image pickup, and

the game processor performs the game control process for calculating a position on a screen of the first display device based on the data representing the position of the imaging target.

16. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the second virtual camera attitude is based on both a reference attitude and the attitude of the hand-held device.

17. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the attitude of the second virtual camera does not need to match the attitude of the handheld device but nevertheless changes in response to changes in the handheld device'"'"'s attitude.

18. A game apparatus capable of communicating with an operating device and a hand-held device, the operating device being capable of transmitting first operation data including data whose value changes in accordance with movement of the operating device, the hand-held device being capable of transmitting second operation data including data whose value changes in accordance with movement of the hand-held device, the apparatus comprising:

an operation data acquisition circuit for acquiring the first operation data and the second operation data, respectively, from the operating device and the hand-held device;

a processor operatively coupled to the operation data acquisition circuit, the processor configured to;

generate a virtual game space representing a result of a process based on the first operation data and the second operation data,

control an object arranged in the virtual game space based on the first operation data, and

set a first virtual camera in the virtual game space;

a first image generator for generating a first game image for a first player operating the operating device by performing first 3D rendering on the 3D representation of the virtual game space, based on the first virtual camera and a 3D representation of the virtual game space as viewed from the position of the first virtual camera and in the attitude of the first virtual camera, including performing the first 3D rendering based on the first virtual camera on the generated virtual game space, thereby generating the first game image;

a second virtual camera setter for controlling a second virtual camera in the game space based on the second operation data to move in accordance with orientation of the hand-held device;

a second image generator for generating a second game image for a second player operating the hand-held device by performing second 3D rendering on said 3D representation of the virtual game space, based on the second virtual camera and said 3D representation of the virtual game space as viewed from the position of the second virtual camera and in the attitude of the second virtual camera, including performing the second 3D rendering based on the second virtual camera on the same virtual game space as the virtual game space from which the first game image is generated, thereby generating the second game image;

a first image output circuit for outputting the first game image to a first display device provided independently of the hand-held device; and

a second image output circuit for wirelessly transmitting the second game image using compression to the hand-held device so as to be displayed on a second display device provided in the hand-held device.

19. The game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a moving direction of a predetermined moving object so as to change in accordance with movement of the hand-held device and moving the moving object in the determined moving direction, wherein,

the first virtual camera setter sets the first virtual camera such that a first game image including the moving object is generated,

the object control moves a predetermined operation object in accordance with movement of the operating device, and

the game apparatus further comprises a collision detector for determining whether the moving object and the operation object have contacted or not, the first and/or second image generators generating a game image in accordance with the determination result.

20. The game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein,

the processor is further configured to provide object control by calculating behavior of a predetermined moving object based on the first operation data, the behavior being determined in accordance with movement of the operating device, and moving the moving object based on the behavior, and

the game apparatus further comprises a virtual camera range detector for determining whether or not the second virtual camera is directed toward a predetermined range including the moving object, the first and/or second image generator generating a game image in accordance with the determination result.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein a game program executable in a computer of a game apparatus capable of communicating with an operating device and a hand-held device, the operating device being capable of transmitting first operation data including data whose value changes in accordance with movement of the operating device, the hand-held device being capable of transmitting second operation data including data whose value changes in accordance with movement of the hand-held device, the program including instructions causing the computer to perform:

acquiring the first operation data and the second operation data, respectively, from the operating device and the hand-held device;

generating a virtual game space representing a result of a process based on the first operation data and the second operation data;

controlling an object arranged in the virtual game space based on the first operation data;

setting a first virtual camera in the virtual game space;

generating a first game image for a first player operating the operating device by performing first 3D rendering on the 3D representation of the virtual game space, based on the first virtual camera and a 3D representation of the virtual game space as viewed from the position of the first virtual camera and in the attitude of the first virtual camera, including performing the first 3D rendering based on the first virtual camera on the generated virtual game space, thereby generating the first game image;

controlling a second virtual camera in the virtual game space based on the second operation data to move in accordance with orientation of the hand-held device;

generating a second game image for a second player operating the hand-held device by performing second 3D rendering on said 3D representation of the virtual game space, based on the second virtual camera and said 3D representation of the virtual game space as viewed from the position of the second virtual camera and in the attitude of the second virtual camera, including performing the second 3D rendering based on the second virtual camera on the same virtual game space as the virtual game space from which the first game image is generated, thereby generating the second game image;

outputting the first game image to a first display device provided independently of the hand-held device; and

wirelessly transmitting the second game image using compression to the hand-held device so as to be displayed on a second display device provided in the hand-held device.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 21, wherein,

the game program includes further instructions causing the computer to perform determining a moving direction of a predetermined moving object so as to change in accordance with movement of the hand-held device and moving the moving object in the determined moving direction,

the first virtual camera setting sets the first virtual camera such that a first game image including the moving object is generated,

the first object controlling moves a predetermined operation object in accordance with movement of the operating device, and

the game program further causes the computer to perform determining whether the moving object and the operation object have contacted or not and generating a game image in accordance with the determination result.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 21, wherein,

the first object controlling calculates behavior of a predetermined moving object based on the first operation data, the behavior being determined in accordance with movement of the operating device, and moving the moving object based on the behavior, and

the game program includes further instructions causing the computer to perform determining whether or not the second virtual camera is directed toward a predetermined range including the moving object, and generating a game image in accordance with the determination result.

24. A game process method executed in a game system including a game apparatus having at least one processor, an operating device having at least one processor, and a hand-held device,

the method comprising:

receiving, with the game apparatus at least one processor, data transmitted from the operating device and the hand-held device;

performing, with the game apparatus at least one processor, a game control process based on first operation data representing a first player'"'"'s operation on the operating device and second operation data representing a second player'"'"'s operation on the hand-held device;

generating, with the game apparatus at least one processor, a virtual game space representing a result of a process based on the first operation data and the second operation data;

generating, with the game apparatus at least one processor based on a 3D representation of a virtual game space, a first game image for the first player by performing first 3D rendering on the 3D representation of the virtual game space based on a first virtual camera set in the virtual game space, the first game image being an image of the game space as viewed from the position of the first virtual camera and in the attitude of the first virtual camera, the first game image being an image of the game space and representing a result of the game control process, including performing the first 3D rendering based on the first virtual camera on the generated virtual game space, thereby generating the first game image;

generating, with the game apparatus at least one processor based on said 3D representation of the virtual game space, a second game image for the second player by performing a second 3D rendering on said 3D representation of the virtual game space based on a second virtual camera set in the game space including setting the second virtual camera based at least in part on sensed orientation of the handheld device, the second game image being an image of the game space as viewed from the position of the second virtual camera and in the attitude of the second virtual camera, including performing the second 3D rendering based on the second virtual camera on the same virtual game space as the virtual game space from which the first game image is generated, thereby generating the second game image;

outputting, with the game apparatus at least one processor, the first game image to a first display device provided independently of the hand-held device; and

wirelessly outputting, with the game apparatus at least one processor using data compression, the second game image to the hand-held device,

outputting, with the operating device at least one processor, the first operation data; and

transmitting, with the operating device at least one processor, the first operation data to the game apparatus,

outputting the second operation data;

transmitting the second operation data to the game apparatus;

wirelessly receiving, with the game apparatus at least one processor, the data-compressed second game image from the game apparatus; and

displaying, with the game apparatus at least one processor, the second game image on a second display device provided in the hand-held device.

25. In a game system including (1) a game apparatus having at least one processor, (2) an operating device, and (3) a hand-held device having a display, a game processing method comprising:

outputting, from the operating device, first operation data representing a first player'"'"'s operation of the operating device and transmitting the first operation data from the operating device to the game apparatus,

outputting, from the hand-held device, second operation data representing a second player'"'"'s operation of the hand-held device and transmitting the second operation data from the handheld device to the game apparatus;

receiving, with the game apparatus at least one processor, the first operation data transmitted from the operating device and the second operation data transmitted from the hand-held device;

performing, with the game apparatus at least one processor, a unified game control process using a common 3D virtual game space and based on the received first operation data and the received second operation data, including;

(a) providing the common 3D virtual game space with the game apparatus at least one processor, the common 3D virtual game space representing a result of a process the game apparatus at least one processor performs based on the received first operation data and the received second operation data;

(b) performing first 3D rendering of the common 3D virtual game space to generate a first game image from the position and attitude of a first virtual camera, the first game image being an image of the common 3D virtual game space and representing a first result of the unified game control process; and

(c) performing second 3D rendering of the common 3D virtual game space to generate a second game image from the position and attitude of a second virtual camera different from the first virtual camera, the second game image being an image of the common 3D virtual game space and representing a further result of the same unified game control process;

outputting the first game image to a first display device provided independently of the hand-held device;

wirelessly outputting, using data compression, the second game image to the hand-held device,

wirelessly receiving the data-compressed second game image from the game apparatus; and

displaying the second game image on a second display device provided in the hand-held device;

the second virtual camera being controlled at least in part based on the sensed posture of the handheld device.