Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Animation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-13
2004-02-10
Jankus, Almis R. (Department: 2671)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Animation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06690376
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to animation data which is processed as images in real time, and to an image processing method and image processing program using same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a home video game device, or the like, moving images of characters or objects in a game are created in real time, in synchronism with the development of the game. In image processing in a game device of this kind, it is necessary for the positions of objects in the game to be moved in response to operational input signals from an operator, and for images corresponding to these moved positions to be drawn into a frame memory, which is an image memory, within a short time period, namely, the frame time period.
2D animation technology, which generates animated images by positioning two-dimensional images (sprites) within a frame and causing these images to change with each frame, is capable of generating predetermined animated images by means of relatively simple image processing, and it is therefore used widely in home video game devices, portable game devices, and the like. 2D animation is also known as ‘sprite animation’. In this specification, both terms ‘2D animation’ and ‘sprite animation’ are used interchangeably, and have the same meaning.
FIG. 1
is a diagram illustrating a conventional 2D animation method.
FIG. 1A
is a frame stream showing an example of consecutive frames F
0
, F
1
, F
2
, . . . in 2D animation. In each frame, an image consisting of a plurality of sprites is generated, and this image changes gradually with each frame in order to represent a particular movement.
FIG. 1B
shows examples of individual sprites. The object in frame F
0
is constituted by a plurality of sprites. For example, sprite SP
0
is the head portion of the object, sprite SP
1
is an eye, sprite SP
2
is a hand, and so on. Each sprite has a plurality of images, including a forward image, lateral images, and the like, in terms of the head region. Images can be generated by appropriately selecting the pre-designed sprites and attaching them together in the frame.
In conventional 2D animation using sprites, a sprite consisting of a two-dimensional image is used as the basic element of the image, and a prescribed image is produced by selecting sprites and placing them in prescribed positions within the frame according to a game program.
On the other hand, video games are now being developed by designers, who design images which incorporate movement of characters within the game, and programmers who design game programs which correspond to game stories. With the massive development of video games in recent years, it has become essential to divide the workload of designers and programmers.
A designer creates sprites SP forming components which make up objects, such as characters, and the like, as illustrated in
FIG. 1B
, and supplies these sprites to the programmer in a prescribed data format. The programmer then designs a program which selects the aforementioned sprites appropriately, and positions these sprites in a frame (display screen) in order to reproduce movements of game objects specified by the programmer according to a game program which controls the game story. Consequently, the ultimate sprite animation can only be verified finally when the game program designed by the programmer is executed.
In video games, in addition to displaying animated images, it is also necessary to generate sounds, and the like, in synchronism with these animated images. Therefore, in a conventional game program, it has been possible to provide a game output containing synchronized images and sound, by generating animated images using sprites and generating sound which is synchronized to these images.
However, the essential objective of a designer is not to design individual sprites, but to design animated images based on objects (or characters) made up of a plurality of sprites. Moreover, the designer also designs the whole game output, including decisions on the timings in the animated images at which sound or music should be inserted. Consequently, in a conventional game development environment, in which a designer designs sprites images only, and conveys the movements of objects made up of a plurality of these sprites to a programmer, by word of mouth or in writing, whereupon the programmer reproduces these movements in a game program, which are then checked by the designer, and require subsequent revisions to be made, it has been very difficult for designers to achieve sprite animation which fully reflects their design aims.
Furthermore, the development of geometry processor functions for selecting sprites and positioning them within in a frame, in a game program, has led to further complexity in game programs which controls complicated game stories.
Moreover, in image processing using sprites in a game program, for example, in a scene where a character blinks when facing in a forward direction and a scene where a character blinks when facing to the side, although the same eye operation, namely, blinking, is involved, it is necessary to have a program which generates respective animations based on the eye sprites for each of the scenes, and hence the game program expands enormously in size.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing method and image processing program for animation, and animation data for realizing same, whereby it is possible to design animated images which conform more closely to the intentions of the designer, in an animation (sprite animation) process.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide animation data designed principally by a designer, in an animation process, which is able to represent both animated images of a plurality of sprites and animated images of an object constituted by a combination of these sprites, and to provide an image processing method and image processing program using this data.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide animation data capable of supplying animation of respective sprites and animation of objects consisting of a plurality of sprites, in an animation process, simply by specifying data relating to a desired scene in a game program which controls a complicated game story, and to provide an image processing method and image processing program using this data.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide animation data having a relatively small data volume, which is capable of realizing animation relating to a plurality of scenes, in an animation process, and to provide an image processing method and image processing program using this data.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide animation data which enables prescribed events to be synchronized with prescribed timings during animation, and to provide an image processing method and image processing program using this data.
In order to achieve the aforementioned objects, a storage medium for a game relating to the present invention contains: (1) a game program for calling up drawing functions for prescribed scenes in accordance with the progress of the game; (2) animation data including sprite data forming two-dimensional still images, and motion data capable of generating animations by causing the sprites to change with each frame; and (3) a drawing program for generating rendering data (drawing commands) positions, colours, texture co-ordinates, and the like, for each sprite in a frame (display screen), according to the animation data specified by the drawing function.
In general terms, animation data is data capable of generating moving images (animations) of characters as intended by a designer, and this animation data can be developed separately from the game program. Moreover, a drawing program is a generic drawing library capable of interpreting the animation data and generating rendering data, including position data for each sprite in a frame, for each respective frame. A game program simply calls
Ando Takashi
Aoki Yutaka
Hara Kazuyoshi
Kudo Hideki
Saito Tomoaki
Dickstein , Shapiro, Morin & Oshinsky, LLP
Jankus Almis R.
Sega Enterprises Ltd.
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