Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Perceptible output or display
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-21
2001-11-20
Martin-Wallace, Valencia (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Perceptible output or display
C463S030000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06319128
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video game apparatus which employs a storage medium storing program data, such as an optical disk, a magnetic disk, a semiconductor memory or the like, as well as to an animation display controlling method for use in such a video game and to a readable storage medium which stores an animation display controlling program.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Hitherto, various types of game systems have been proposed such as a system employing a combination of a home-use exclusive game machine and a television receiver, a business-used exclusive game machine, a system employing a combination of a personal computer or a work station, a display unit and a voice output device.
Each of these systems has the following components: a controller to be operated by the player; a storage medium recording a game program data; a CPU which performs various kinds of control for generating sounds and images in accordance with the game program data; a processor for generating images; a processor for generating sounds; a CRT for displaying the images; and a speaker for outputting the sound. CD-ROMs, semiconductor memories, and cassettes incorporating semiconductor memories are major storage mediums used in the game systems of the type described above.
As a kind of video games implemented by these game systems, a fishing game is conceivable which simulates a fishing competition between fisher characters on a simulated fishing site displayed on a game display screen.
In the meantime, a technique has been commonly adopted in the field of video games, in which the game display screen is switched from one to another in accordance with an operation performed by the user on operating means of the game system and, in addition, animation images are displayed regardless of the operation on the operating means so as to enhance the realistic feel of the game. It is desirable that the fishing game of the kind described above also employs such animation images suitably displayed on the displaying means.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a video game apparatus which implements a fishing game simulating a fishing competition between a plurality of fisher characters, wherein animation images are suitably displayed on the displaying means, as well as an animation display controlling method for use in a video game and a computer readable storage medium storing an animation display controlling program for use in a video game.
To these ends, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a video game apparatus which implements a competition between fisher characters in a simulated fishing site in which the fisher characters attempt to fish up by fishing lines fishes that exhibit predetermined behaviors, the video game apparatus comprising: a plurality of operating means corresponding to the respective fisher characters, for giving fishing action instructions to the respective fisher characters; displaying means for displaying a game display screen; image storing means for storing animation images representing behaviors of hooked fishes; fishing display controlling means for causing the displaying means to display, as the game display screen, a fishing image including the simulated fishing site and the fisher characters; first determining means for determining whether a predetermined first condition pertaining to fishing has been met; animation display controlling means for causing the displaying means to display, as the game display screen, the animation images; and switching means for switching the game display screen from the fishing image to the animation images when the first determining means has determined that the first condition has been met; wherein the animation display controlling means displays the animation images in such a manner as to enable identification of the fisher character whose fishing line has hooked up a fish.
In accordance with these features, a fishing image composed of a simulated fishing site and a plurality of fisher characters is displayed as a game display screen on the displaying means. The fisher characters compete with one another at the fishing site by fishing up, by means of their fishing lines, fishes which exhibit predetermined behaviors. Determination is made as to whether a predetermined condition pertaining to fishing has been met and, when it is determined that the first condition is met, the game display screen is temporarily switched from the fishing image to animation images. The animation images are displayed in such a manner as to enable identification of the fisher character whose fishing line has hooked up the fish of the animation images, so that players understand who has hit the fish. Thus, the animation images are suitably displayed on the displaying means.
The video game apparatus may be arranged such that the animation display controlling means causes the displaying means to display, at a predetermined position on the displaying means, a letter which identifies the fisher character whose fishing line has hooked up the fish of the animation image.
With this arrangement, letters which indicate the fisher character whose fishing line hooked on the fish of the animation display are displayed at a predetermined position on the display means, so that the game player can know without fail which one of the fisher characters has hit the fish.
The video game apparatus may further comprise: second determining means for determining whether a predetermined second condition pertaining to fishing has been satisfied; and switching prohibiting means for prohibiting the switching of the game display screen when the second determining means has determined that the second condition has been met.
With this arrangement, a determination is made as to whether a predetermined second condition pertaining to fishing has been met and, when it is determined that the second condition is met, the switching operation to be performed by the switching means is prohibited. The second condition may be determined to be a condition or a situation where the display of the animation image is inadequate. When such a situation has occurred, the second condition is met to prevent the animation image from being displayed.
The video game apparatus may further comprise time measuring means for measuring time lapsed after each switching of the game display screen performed by the switching means, wherein the second determining means determines that the second condition has been met, when the time measured by the time measuring means by the moment at which the first determining means has determined that the first condition is met is not longer than a predetermined time.
With this arrangement, time lapsed is measured from the moment at which the game display screen is switched by the switching means, each time such a switching is performed. The second determining means determines that the second condition is met, when the measured time lapsed is not longer than a predetermined time at the moment at which the first condition is determined to have been met. This arrangement avoids suspension of the display of the fishing image due to frequent switching of the game display screen to the animation image.
The video game apparatus may further comprise operation determining means for determining, when the first determining means has determined that the first condition is met, whether the operating means for a fisher character other than the identified fisher character is giving an instruction for a specific action among fishing actions, wherein the second determining means determines that the second condition has been met when the operation determining means has determined that the instruction for the specific action is being given to the other fisher character.
According to the described features, when the first condition is determined to have been met, a determination is made as to whether an instruction for a specific action among fishing actions
Miyoshi Takemasa
Nagayama Kentaro
Jordan and Hamburg LLP
Kasick Julie
Konami Co. Ltd.
Martin-Wallace Valencia
LandOfFree
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