Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Data storage or retrieval
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-18
2001-01-09
Sager, Mark A. (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Data storage or retrieval
C463S044000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06171189
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a video game device and a storage medium on which a video game program is stored. In particular, the present invention pertains to a video game device, in consonance with the duration of a game, which enables the repeated performance of a generational transformation process by a character displayed on a display as an artificial living entity, and provides the display of new characters; and to a storage medium on which a video game program is stored.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Video game devices that permit CPUs to execute game programs and permit display devices to display a variety of characters have become popular.
And recently, in a background of increased CPU speeds and reduced memory prices, video game devices that can provide virtual reality using three-dimensional data have been developed and are being widely marketed.
In this situation, there is increased demand for games that enable players to experience a sense of unity with characters displayed on displays during the course of the games, or for games that can provide a pseudo-sense of reality, as though a character displayed on a display were a living entity, and for video game devices for these games.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a video game device with which a player can experience a sense of unity with a character in a scene on a display, and which can provide a pseudo-sense of reality, as though a character projected on a display were a living entity, and a storage medium on which a video game program is stored.
To achieve the above object, according to a first arrangement for a video game device and a storage medium on which a video game program is stored, a video game device increases:
a controller for executing a program; and
a memory in which, based on the control provided by the controller consonant with execution of the program, are stored character data, concerning a plurality of characters to be displayed on a display device, that are read from the program,
wherein inheritance probabilities are defined for individual portions, of the character data concerning the plurality of characters, that constitute the characters, and wherein, under a predesignated condition available during the execution of the program, a portion constituting one character, of portions constituting two characters, is maintained at a predetermined inheritance probability that has been defined while data for a new character are prepared.
Also provided, in addition to the first arrangement, is a second arrangement for a video game device and a storage medium on which a video game program is stored, wherein the data concerning the plurality of characters define specific motion patterns for the plurality of characters to be displayed on the display device; and wherein, according to a predesignated condition available during the execution of the program, the specific motion patterns defined respectively for the two characters are defined as specific motion patterns for the new character.
Further, provided, in addition to the first or the second arrangement, is a third arrangement for a video game device and a storage device on which a video game program is stored, wherein the data concerning the plurality of characters are employed to define specific traveling patterns for the plurality of characters to be displayed on the display device; and wherein, according to a predesignated condition available during the execution of the program, the specific traveling patterns defined respectively for the two characters are defined as specific traveling patterns for the new character.
Additionally provided, in addition to the first, the second and the third arrangements, is a fourth arrangement for a video game machine and a storage medium on which a video game program is stored, wherein a player character, the form and the movement of which are varied in response to signals input by a user, is displayed on the display device under the control of the CPU; wherein the data concerning the plurality of characters include consistent relationship data corresponding to a movement of the player character; wherein basic music data constituted by a plurality of measures, and altered music data for each of the measures are stored in the memory; and wherein the altered music data for the measures are combined in accordance with a predetermined usage probability, based on the consistent relationship data, to provide the music data as background musical tones for a display on the display device.
Also, the predesignated condition available during the execution of the program is established when display coordinates for specific portions of the two characters displayed on the display device coincide.
In addition, when the present invention is not limited to the above video game device and is applied to an environmental video picture display apparatus, such an environmental video picture display apparatus includes:
a CPU for executing a program; and
a memory in which are stored data that concern a plurality of characters to be displayed on a display device under the control provided by the CPU consonant with the execution of the program, and that are read from the program,
wherein the data concerning the plurality of characters define an inheritance probability for portions which constitute the plurality of characters individually, and
wherein under a predesignated condition available during the execution of the program a portion of one character, of portions constituting two characters, is maintained at a predetermined inheritance probability that has been defined, and data for a new character are prepared.
With the arrangement for the environmental video picture display apparatus, a plurality of characters to be displayed take the forms of fish in an aquarium.
The other objects of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention given while referring to the accompanying drawings.
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Katano Tetsu
Makino Yukifumi
Saito Yuji
Dickstein , Shapiro, Morin & Oshinsky, LLP
Sager Mark A.
Sega Enterprises, Ltd
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