Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a game including a simulated projectile
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-08
2001-12-04
Harrison, Jessica J. (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a game including a simulated projectile
C463S036000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325715
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer game technology, and in particular, to a technique for realizing a knock-away stacked-block game in which a plurality of stacked sub-blocks and a main-block on the sub-blocks are displayed on a display and the sub-blocks are sequentially knocked away from the lower stage.
2. Description of the Related Art
The knock-away stacked-block game is popular since a game player is thrilled by knocking away a block while controlling the knocking force so that stacked objects or blocks remain balanced, and the game player can feel a sense of release from mental tension when the balance is lost. Moreover, or the game is very simple. Accordingly, this type of game can strongly absorb the game player even although it is a classic game. In the knock-away stacked-block game, a main-block is put on stacked sub-blocks, and each of the sub-blocks are physically knocked away with a hammer or the like in sequential order.
Due to the recent progress of technology, various types of game machines using electronic circuits have been proposed. Each of the game machines normally includes an input unit operated by a game player, a game processor for executing game processing based on operations input by the input unit, and a display for displaying the result of the executed processing.
In the field of the game machines, there are portable game machines each including an input unit, a game processor, and a display, which are accommodated in a housing which is small enough to be carried.
The development of attractive game machines of the portable type increasingly required, similarly to other types of game machines. However, since the portable game machines have stricter limitations on hardware, including a storage unit, than the other types of game machines, highly entertaining, attractive game machines are difficult to develop.
Accordingly, the knock-away stacked-block game, which is guaranteed to be highly entertaining, has much appeal as a game adapted for the portable game machine. Nevertheless, no specific method for executing the knock-away stackedblock game in a game machine is currently known.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for executing a knock-away stacked-block game in a game machine.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a computer-readable recording medium for executing the knock-away stacked-block game by controlling a computer in the game machine.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the foregoing objects are achieved through provision of a method for executing a knock-away stacked-block game, which is provided for a game machine including an input unit operated by a game player, a game-processing unit for executing game processing based on an operation input from the input unit, and a display for displaying the result of the processing executed by the game-processing unit. The method includes the steps of: displaying at least the image of a sub-block to be struck, among a plurality of stacked sub-blocks and a main-block provided thereon, on the display; using, among first strike data and second strike data sequentially input from the input unit by a game player, the first strike data as information for determining a virtual displacement of a sub-block positioned at a predetermined stage among the plurality of sub-blocks, and the second strike data as a displacement of the sub-block within the virtual displacement, and determining the displacement of the sub-block based on the second strike in the game-processing unit; and displaying, on the display, a resultant image corresponding to the state of each of the blocks which changes based on the determination result.
Preferably, the method further includes a step in which: when an accumulated value of displacements of the sub-block, caused by at least one strike, is greater than a predetermined first value corresponding to the width of each of the sub-blocks, or is within a predetermined second value corresponding to a range in which the sub-blocks and the main-block can balance on the second stage, the game-processing unit determines that the at least one strike has been successful; and when the accumulated value is not greater than the first value and not less than the second value, the game-processing unit determines that the at least one strike has failed, and displays a picture corresponding to the failure when the game-processing unit has determined that the at least one strike has failed.
The method may further include a step in which a plurality of gauges, composed of a plurality of small areas sequentially arranged in predetermined directions, are displayed on the display, and the gauges display timing information used as a guide for the game player to input the first strike data and the second strike data.
The gauges may use a move generated by sequentially displaying the small areas in the gauges, whereby the timing information is provided to the game player.
The gauges may consist of a gauge for inputting the first strike data and a gauge for inputting the second strike data.
In the method, an indicator may be displayed on a position in which the sub-block is struck and the indicator is changed in accordance with the display mode of the timing information.
The gauge for inputting the first strike data and the gauge for inputting the second strike data may use different display modes to display the timing information, and the indicator may be displayed so as to change depending on the different display modes.
In the method, a change of the indicator in accordance with a move indicating the timing information, which corresponds to the input of the first strike data, may be displayed as a change in the position of the indicator with respect to the position in which the sub-block is struck.
The method may further include a step in which a plurality of choices on display-mode information for determining the move of the timing information are displayed for the game player, and the timing information is displayed by the gauges based on display-mode information selected with the input unit by the game player before the game player inputs the first strike data.
The method may further include a step in which, when all the sub-blocks have got knocked away, the game-processing unit determines that the game player obtains a success in the game, and when the game-processing unit has determined that the game player has obtained a success in the game, a picture corresponding to the success is displayed on the display.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the foregoing objects are achieved through provision of a game machine including an input unit operated by a game player, a game-processing unit for executing game processing based on an operation input from the input unit, and a display for displaying the result of the processing executed by the game-processing unit. The game-processing unit displays at least the image of a sub-block to be struck on the display among a plurality of stacked sub-blocks and a main-block provided thereon. The game-processing unit uses, among first strike data and second strike data sequentially input from the input unit by a game player, the first strike data as information for determining a virtual displacement of a sub-block positioned at a predetermined stage among the plurality of sub-blocks, and the second strike data as a displacement of the sub-block within the virtual displacement, and determines the displacement of the subblock based on the second strike in the game-processing unit. The game-processing unit displays, on the display, a resultant image corresponding to the state of each of the blocks which changes based on the determination result.
Preferably, the input unit, the game-processing unit, and the display are accommodated in a housing which is small enough to be carried.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the foregoing objects are achieved through provision of a record
Bachman & LaPointe P.C.
Harrison Jessica J.
Hotaling, II John M
Konami Co. Ltd.
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