Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Data storage or retrieval
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-19
2004-03-30
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Data storage or retrieval
C463S007000, C463S030000, C463S031000, C463S032000, C463S036000, C273S317100, C273S108100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06712703
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a video game apparatus and a game program memory medium therefor, and more particularly to a video game apparatus which generates, and supplies to a display, an image signal to display a player object existing on a land object in a virtual three dimensional space by virtue of, say, player object data and land object data, and to a game program memory medium to be used therefor.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
In a conventional video game machine, when a player wishes a player object to, say, jump, the player presses a jump button on a controller so that the CPU causes the player object to jump in response to jump button operation. That is, when the player object is caused to jump over an obstacle, such as a hollow or hole, the player is required to press the jump button in timing of at a front of the hollow or hole while manipulating a move direction instructing means, such as a joystick or cross button. However, there may be a case that the player object be unsuccessful in jumping across the obstacle, as the timing may be of pressing the jump button, or the player object position, in operating the jump button. That is, skillful operation with a jump button has been required to make the player object jump up and get across an obstacle.
Meanwhile, complicated button operation has been needed to cause the player object to perform other actions than jump, (e.g. opening and closing a door or going up stairs, etc.). The player might be placed in difficulty to play a game with enjoyment of game progression because of his or her attention stick to button manipulation.
Such games, called action games, is becoming more difficult to play year by year. They are too difficult for the player. In particular, there is a trend for beginners to sidestep from the games of such kind.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel video game apparatus and a program memory medium to be used therefor.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel video game apparatus which is easy for a player to cause a player object to operate, and a game program memory medium to be used thereon.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a video game apparatus with which a player object can get over an obstacles without difficulty, and a game program memory medium to be used thereon.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a video game apparatus wherein it is possible for a player object, virtual camera or the like to automatically carry out a required operation such as jumping, camera switching or the like, and a game program memory medium to be used thereon.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a video game apparatus which can effect complicate control with a simple program, and a game program memory medium to be used thereon.
A video game apparatus according to the present invention is for generating, and supplying to a display, an image signal for displaying a player object existing on a land object in a virtual three dimensional space by processing image data for the player object and the land object according to a program, the video game apparatus comprising: a player object image data generating means for generating player object image data to display a player object; and a land object image data generating means for generating land object image data to display a land object; wherein the land object image data includes a program control code; the video game apparatus further comprising a program control code detecting means to detect the program control code in relation to a position of the player object, and an image changing means to cause the image signal to change depending upon the program control code detected.
The program control code includes an action code to control an action of the player object, the image changing means including animation data output means to output animation data to automatically cause the player object to make an action in accordance with the action code.
Specifically, wherein when the land object is a hollow or hole and the action code is “jump”, the animation data output means outputting animation data to cause the player object to make an action of jumping over the hollow or hole.
In one embodiment, the video game apparatus has a controller, in association therewith, including a direction instructing means to instruct a moving direction of the player object so that the player object is moved in the moving direction, the video game apparatus further comprising; a moving speed detecting means for detecting a moving speed of the player object, and a jump distance calculating means for calculating a jump distance of the player object based on the moving speed, the animation data output means outputting animation data to cause the player object to make an action of jump according to the jump distance.
When the land object is a wall surface and the action code is “climb”, the animation data output means outputs such animation data that the player object makes an action of climbing the wall surface.
However, when the action code is not “climb”, a wall surface height calculating means is further comprised to calculate a height of the wall surface, the animation data output means outputting such animation data that the player object makes an optimal action in accordance with the height of the wall surface.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the program control code includes a camera control Code, the image changing means including a camera control means to control a virtual camera provided in the three dimensional virtual space.
Incidentally, where the virtual camera includes a plurality of virtual cameras, the camera control code includes a camera switching code, and the camera control means including a camera switching means to switch between the plurality of virtual cameras depending upon the camera switching code.
Where the program control code includes a sound code, the video game apparatus further comprises a sound data generating means to generate sound data, and a sound control means to control sound to be outputted from the sound data generating means depending upon the sound code.
Where the sound data generating means can generate sound data for a plurality of ones of sound, the sound code includes a sound switching code and the sound control means including a sound switching means to switch the sound data depending upon the sound switching code.
Incidentally, it is possible to control only sound in accordance with a program control code. In this case, a video game apparatus for generating, and supplying to a display, an image signal to display a player object existing on a land object in a virtual three dimensional space by processing image data for the player object and land object according to a program, and further supplying a sound signal to a sound output means by processing sound data according to a program, the video game apparatus comprises: a player object image data generating means for generating player object image data to display a player object; and a land object image data generating means for generating land object image data to display a land object; wherein the land object image data includes a program control code; the video game apparatus further comprising a program control code detecting means to detect the program control code in relation to a position of the player object, and a sound changing means to cause the sound signal to change according to the program control code detected.
Also, the video game apparatus generally uses a memory medium to previously memorizes a game program or image data. A memory medium according to the present invention is applicable to a video game apparatus for generating, and supplying to a display, an image signal to display a player object existing on a land object in a virtual three dimensional space by processing image data for the player object and the land object according to a program, and memorize
Iwawaki Toshio
Koizumi Yoshiaki
Miyamoto Shigeru
Yamada Yoichi
Nguyen Binh-An D.
Nintendo Co. Ltd.
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
Walberg Teresa
LandOfFree
Video game apparatus and information storage medium for... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Video game apparatus and information storage medium for..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Video game apparatus and information storage medium for... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3227817