Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Player-actuated control structure
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-23
2004-05-25
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Player-actuated control structure
C463S001000, C463S007000, C463S030000, C463S031000, C463S032000, C463S047000, C273S14800B, C273S14800B, C273S440000, C273S441000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06739974
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an input device, data processing device, data processing method and game device for conducting a simulation wherein a player moves virtually in a virtual three-dimensional space, by means of the player standing on a board, such as skis, a snowboard, skateboard, or the like, and operating this board via his or her feet. In particular, it relates to a device and method suitable for simulations wherein the player travels along a course containing a difference in height by means of the board.
2. Description of the Related Art
A game device generally comprises a game machine equipped with an internal computer for executing predetermined game programs, an operating device for supplying the computer with operating signals indicating the movement of characters (objects) represented in the game, a display for displaying images representing the development of the game as the computer executes the game program, and a sound device for generating sounds accompanying this development of the game.
One area of such game devices which is known in the prior art relates to game devices for playing skiing games, or the like, wherein the player stands on boards which represent skis, or the like. Examples thereof include the “game device” disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-280936, and the “simulator operation input device” disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-742.
Of these, the game device disclosed in the former patent is a game device which is used for skiing, snowboarding or skateboarding games, and essentially, it comprises input means for inputting turning operations simulating the turning actions of the player standing on the board, calculating means for calculating the state of travel of the player's character in a virtual game space on the basis of these turning operations and a prescribed program, and a display for displaying game images according to this state of travel, wherein the calculating means comprises means for judging whether or not a turning operation is a skating action, and means for accelerating the player's character on the basis of this judgment result and the aforementioned state of travel. Furthermore, this conventional device also allows the player to select the course. The selected course is a single winding route containing a height difference, and the player starts from a departure position and ends at a finish position.
Furthermore, the “simulator operation input device” disclosed in the latter patent is an operation input device for a movement simulator whereby the direction of virtual travel is controlled in a leftward or rightward direction by causing an oscillating platform to oscillate leftwards or rightwards in conjunction with a virtual traveling image of a virtual traveling object. The oscillating platform is caused to return to its central position by means of first and second elastic means, and the device is capable of absorbing impacts applied when the movement of the oscillating platform is restricted. The oscillating platform can be made to swing (oscillate) to left and right by means of a player standing on the platform with both feet and moving his or her body weight. The center of rotation of this swinging movement is set at a prescribed position in front of, and apart from, the oscillating platform.
With the progress of image processing technology in recent years, it has been sought to provide ever clearer and more realistic images in game devices, whether they are for domestic or commercial use, and game contents of increasing richness and variety have been demanded. This situation applies equally to skiing or skateboarding games, etc. provided by the conventional devices described above. Specifically, from the aforementioned viewpoint, the games played on conventional devices diminish the player's interest for the following reasons.
Firstly, there is the problem that in conventional devices, the swinging sensation lacks realism. In a swinging action using a real skateboard or skis, in many cases, the rotation (swing) is centered about the person's foot position. In other words, leaving aside jumps to left or right, since the swinging action is caused by movement of the person's body weight, in many cases, the center of rotation of this action is located at the person's feet (the boot region which transfers the movement of body weight). In contrast to this, in a conventional device, the swinging action to left and right which determines the direction of travel is conducted about and axis of rotation positioned in front of the swinging platform (board). The swinging action therefore includes a large amount of circumferential movement component, and consequently, this swinging action feels strange and lacks realism compared to using real skis or a real skateboard.
Secondly, in a conventional device, the course used when the game player is moving through a virtual three-dimensional space involves the player simply moving (by skiing, for example) from a start position to a finish position. However, if the player wishes to continue the game once he or she has reached the finish, then there is no alternative but to play the game again from the start. Therefore, the game lacks continuity, and if someone plays the game as many times as they want for a long period of time, the player will often lose interest in the game and find, for instance, that the game operation becomes laborious and complicated. However, if a single course is made sufficiently long, problems such as requirement of a large amount of data and increased memory capacity will arise.
The present invention was devised in view of the aforementioned situation relating to the prior art, a first object thereof being to make the swing of a board in a game which is played by a person standing on a board, such as skis, a skateboard, or the like, as close as possible to the state of a swinging action in real life, thereby improving realism and increasing the attraction of the game.
It is a second object of the present invention to enable a game to be played, wherein the player travels along a course continuously for a long period of time, without the game operation becoming complicated, or the like.
It is a third object of the present invention to make the swing of a board in a game which is played by a person standing on a board, such as skis, a skateboard, or the like, as close as possible to the state of a swinging action in real life, thereby improving realism and increasing the attraction of the game, whilst at the same time enabling a game to be played wherein the player travels along a course continuously for a long period of time, without the game operation becoming complicated, or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to achieve the aforementioned objects, the input device relating to the present invention comprises a platform on which a player stands with both feet, and a supporting mechanism which supports this platform such that it can oscillate freely, and the input device supplies oscillatory information resulting from the player causing the platform to oscillate to a game machine, and in the supporting mechanism, the central axis of the oscillatory movement is positioned on the lower portion of, or below, the platform.
For example, the supporting mechanism is composed such that it supports the platform swingably in a horizontal plane at the least, and the central axis of the oscillatory movement is the central axis of rotation of the swing, and the oscillatory information is swing information. In this case, preferably, the game machine is provided with means for simulating a state where a character representing the player moves through a virtual three-dimensional space based on the swing information.
Furthermore, for example, the oscillation may comprise swing in the horizontal plane of the platform roll in the lateral direction of the platform, and pitch in the longitudinal direction of the platform, and the supporting mechan
Kanno Kenji
Takasugi Tomoya
Tohma Kenji
Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
Keating & Bennett LLP
Nguyen Binh-An
Walberg Teresa
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