Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Perceptible output or display
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-13
2001-03-20
Harrison, Jessica J. (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Perceptible output or display
C463S037000, C463S038000, C463S044000, C463S045000, C463S047000, C463S043000, C711S100000, C711S101000, C711S115000, C345S182000, C345S419000, C345S426000, C345S473000, C345S950000, C345S955000, C345S182000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06203431
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to video game apparatuses and memory mediums. More specifically, the invention relates to a video game apparatus for processing shadows to be displayed by an improved method, and a memory medium used therefor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In so-called “3D games” a player object is moved in a three-dimensional virtual space. In such a case, a shadow of the player object is displayed on a ground object (a floor, water surface, earth surface, etc.) thus enhancing three-dimensional realistic feelings.
The conventional methods of displaying player object shadows involve one to put a circular shadow to a location of directly under the player object. However, in this method the shadows are simply in circular forms regardless of the scene, resulting in deficiency in realistic feelings.
Under such a circumstance, another method has been adopted that the polygon data for the player object is calculated and then put to a ground object through planation.
However, this method requires to calculate polygons in the same number as that of the player object, resulting in a problem of excessive quantity of calculation and hence heavy burden on a game processor. Accordingly, where realizing this method by using an image processing apparatus with low processing speed, such as a home-use game machine, there encounters a limitation in displaying an object shadow to at most one in number.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a shadow displaying method which is capable of reducing the burden on a processor and enhancing the realistic feeling.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a video game apparatus which can display shadows in a variety of forms through easy calculations.
A method for displaying a shadow with a video game apparatus according to the present invention, includes the steps of: (a) generating basic shadow object data; (b) deforming the basic shadow object data to create displaying shadow object data according to at least position data of a light and player object data; and (c) supplying an image signal to a display unit based on at least the player object data on a player object and the displaying shadow object data.
A video game apparatus according to the present invention, comprises: a basic object data generating means for generating basic shadow object data; a player object image data generating means for generating a player object data; a displaying shadow object data creating means for deforming the basic shadow object data to create displaying shadow object data according to at least the player object data and position data on a light for illuminating the player object; and an image processing means for supplying an image signal to a display unit based on at least the player object data and the displaying shadow object data.
Further, a memory medium according to the present invention is to be detachably attached to a video game apparatus for displaying a shadow of a player object, and comprises: a first memory area for generating basic shadow object data; a second memory area for generating player object data; a displaying shadow object creating program for deforming the basic shadow object data to create displaying shadow object data according to at least the player object data and position data of a light for illuminating the player object; and an image processing program for supplying an image signal to a display unit based on at least the player object image data and displaying shadow object data.
For example, a circular basic shadow object is formed by two polygons and textures to be put thereto. This basic shadow object is deformed depending, for example, upon a light position, ground object state (a position, inclination, step, material (water, soil, etc.)), or player object position or its ground contact portion, being created into a displaying shadow object.
The creation of a display shadow object, in concrete, involves determining a direction in which a shadow is thrown, determining a shadow length based on a light source height and a player object leg length, determining a shadow depth based on a foot height, and determining a shape of a displaying shadow object depending on a state of a ground object to which the shadow is thrown.
When the player object has two legs, displaying shadow objects are created for each leg.
In the present invention, because a displaying shadow object is created by deforming a basic shadow object, the burden on the processor is reduced. Further, shadows are represented by being varied in various forms instead of simple shapes of shadows.
Also, when the player object has two legs and the two legs are displayed with respective shadows, the shadows are varied matching to left and right leg movements, thus providing shadow representation with greater realism.
The above described objects and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Iwawaki Toshio
Kihara Tsuyoshi
Koizumi Yoshiaki
Miyamoto Shigeru
Osawa Toru
Harrison Jessica J.
Nguyen Binh-An
Nintendo Co. Ltd.
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
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