Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Data storage or retrieval
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-27
2004-03-02
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Data storage or retrieval
C463S001000, C463S007000, C463S036000, C463S037000, C345S418000, C345S547000, C345S619000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06699127
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention is directed to interactive graphics systems, such video games, and more particularly, to an enhanced video game feature which enables real-time replay or rewind during gameplay, as well as the ability to take-over game action while viewing a previously saved gameplay sequence or “video”. A further feature of the instant invention relates to improved real-time viewing angle, camera features and speed for video games.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many different types of video games have been provided in the past for the purpose of providing entertainment and enjoyment for video game players. Many of these prior games provide a gameplay environment that enables the player to control a game character or other movable element in the game environment in a manner which enables the player to perform various stunts or moves during the game. Such games are designed to require that the player become skilled at the particular game in order to gain the ability to control the character in a manner which enables difficult stunts or movements to be successfully performed. For example, skateboard games have been provided in the past which enable a player to manipulate a game character (skateboarder) through a gameplay course, such as a simulated street, mall, skate park or other environment, which provides various environmental features, such as rails, ramps, drops, etc., on which the game character can perform various stunts or moves. Other exemplary games require the player to use skill to avoid various hazards while navigating through a game course and/or to out-maneuver or out-run other game characters being controlled automatically by the game program, such as racing games (e.g. autoracing, ski racing, showboard racing, motorcycle racing etc.)
The gameplay goal of many of these and similar games is to maximize the game score achieved during a game or run, by controlling the character in a manner which generates a high score. For example, in skateboard games, the score can be increased by performing particularly difficult stunts (tricks) or series of tricks at various points in the game and by avoiding falling and/or crashing during the game. In other words, such games often provide a number of opportunities during the game for the player to cause the character to attempt a trick, either simply for enjoyment or to increase the game score. For example, the game may provide ten locations or points in the game where a trick or other type of move (depending on the type of game) can be attempted. The game score will increase for each successful trick. In other words, if the player successfully performs tricks at all ten locations in the game, then the score will typically be higher than if the player successfully performs tricks at only eight of the locations but falls or crashes while attempting tricks at the other two locations.
In such games, once a player falls or crashes, he must live with that fact and either continue the game from the crash point or restart the entire game from the beginning (i.e. begin a new game). Thus, once a fall, crash or other undesirable event occurs during a game, that adverse event becomes a permanent part of the game result. As a result, the player only has two options: continue the game from the crash point, knowing that the player's score will never be as good as it could have been without the crash, or quit the present game and start a new game (which requires starting again from the beginning of the game).
Being limited to only these two options upon crashing (or other adverse event), can result in frustration for the player upon the occurrence of an adverse event, thereby reducing the players enjoyment of the game. For example, if a player has performed well for the first fifty seconds of a game, but then suddenly crashes, the player may lose interest in continuing the present game knowing that the score will be adversely effected by the crash. The player may also not want to restart the game from the beginning due to the length of time it will take to make it back to the location of the crash in the previous game. In other words, it can be frustrating for the player to have to start a new game, thereby having to re-perform the same parts of the game that were previously performed successfully in order to reach a corresponding place in the previous game where the adverse event (e.g. crash) occurred. Moreover, even if the player decides to continue the game where the crash occurred, it can be difficult and/or burdensome to reposition the game character in the game environment in such a way that enables the unsuccessful trick to be attempted again. In other words, in some games it is desirable (or even necessary) to perform a particular trick successfully at a particular location in the game prior to moving on to a new aspect of the game. For example, in such a skate game, when a player crashes during a jump, the player must cause the character to push back up a ramp or other structure in order to reposition the character at a place which enables the jump to be re-attempted. This repositioning of the player can waist significant game time and is typically not enjoyable for the player, thereby reducing the overall enjoyment of the game.
Some prior games have enabled a “video” of the game to be saved after completion of the game in order to allow the particular game to be watched again. For example, the autoracing game entitled “Driver” offered by Sony Corporation for the Playstation game console, allows a “video” to be made of the race, so that the resulting video can be watched by the player (or others) immediately after the game or at a later time. In this way, the player can enjoy watching the results of his game or showing the results to others who may not have been present or watching during the actual game. This feature has one benefit of allowing successful game runs to be saved for future viewing and enjoyment. Such prior art games, however, do not enable the player to edit, fix or overwrite adverse events that may have occurred during the game that has been recorded for future playback.
Prior art games have also had various camera or viewing angle features designed to enhance the enjoyment of the game. For example, in Sony Corporation's Driver game, the game allows the video of a previously played game to be viewed from different camera angles at certain points thereof. The Driver game has a “director” feature that can be selected prior to replaying a saved game, wherein this feature enables the game action to be viewed from various predetermined different directions at different predetermined locations for the purpose of making the playback more enjoyable or exciting to watch. For instance, the game may place a panning, dolly or other type of known virtual camera on a particular straightaway on the race course to show the race action from a perspective other than the driver's viewpoint along that straightaway. While the player can select the “director” option for use in the showing the saved game, the game does not allow that player to place or choose cameras during the actual game at desired locations for causing selective real-time changes in the viewing perspectives of the actual game. In other words, prior games, like Sony's Driver game, do not enable real-time placement of cameras or real-time selection of speed for a playback sequence.
In view of the above, there is a need for improved videogames or the like which overcome the deficiencies of such prior art games.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention provide improved features for video games of the type discussed above where adverse or undesirable events may occur during gameplay. More particularly, the instant invention provides a real-time replay feature which enables portions of the game to actually be “rewound” or “replayed” in real-time at the option of the player. In other words, in accordance with the invention, the player can, at any point in time during the game, cause the game to be backed-up or rewound in ord
Berro Mike
Lobb Kenneth
Mithra Paul
Nguyen Binh-An D.
Nintendo of America Inc.
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
Walberg Teresa
LandOfFree
Real-time replay system for video game does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Real-time replay system for video game, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Real-time replay system for video game will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3271881