Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Player-actuated control structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-09
2003-10-21
Hughes, S. Thomas (Department: 3714)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Player-actuated control structure
C463S037000, C463S038000, C463S039000, C463S031000, C463S032000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06634947
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to video game systems and video-game memory mediums, and more particularly to a video game system and video-game memory medium for playing a game by choosing a course therefor or displaying a player object moving to defeat enemies, such as in a shoot game.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the conventional video game it is impossible to replay a once-cleared course in the middle of the game. The once-cleared course cannot be replayed unless the game machine is reset to replay the game from the beginning. Furthermore, prior art video games that display a moving player object on which hit determination is made only register a hit at one point thereof.
In a game to compete with a total score of clearing courses of among a plurality of courses, when one course is cleared at a high score, and another course is cleared at a low score, the total score would still be low. Due to this, a high score is difficult for a player to achieve. Furthermore, in order to replay a course, the game machine requires resetting in order to allow the game to replay from the beginning. Thus, even if the player does not want to play a course again, he is forced to replay the game from the beginning. Accordingly, the player is burdened with unwanted labor, thereby losing his interest in the game or having a burdensome feeling during the game.
Also, games using a player object operable to determine hit at only one point thereof, it is impossible to give variation of display to each effected portion of the player object. This makes it difficult to display the player object with diversification, thus imposing limitation on image representation. As a result, interest in such a game is reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore it is a principal object of this invention to provide a novel video game system and game-processing memory medium.
It is another object of this invention to provide a video game system and game-processing memory medium, which makes it possible, where a plurality of courses are provided, to gain a high score even in a difficult game, and advance to a same course (i.e. replay) even after clearing a course or scene difficult to manipulate, so that the player can win a high and satisfactory score without requiring resetting of the game data, thereby enhancing game amusement and the player's feeling of achievement.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a video game system and video-game memory medium, which has a player object divided into a plurality of portions which can register hit determinations so that the display player object is changed depending upon the portion damaged, thereby providing greater display variation and improving interest in the game.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a video game system and video game memory medium, having a player object that is varied in movement in a diversified manner depending upon how the player operates an operating means, giving realistic motion to the player object and providing player interest.
It is another object of this invention to provide a video game system and video game memory medium, having a player object that is varied in movement based on each divisional portion, thereby giving realistic motion to the player object and improving player interest.
A video game system according to this invention, having an operating means to be operated by a player, and an image processing apparatus for supplying image data to a display unit to display and vary a display image according to a program and depending on operation of the operating means, wherein the operating means includes a direction designating means to designate a direction of movement of a player object, and a plurality of motion designating switches for designating a motion of the player object, comprises: a player object image data generating means for generating data to display an image of the player object; a course image data generating means for storing with a plurality of course data to display different courses through which the player object can advance, and displaying one course chosen based on an operating state of the operating means by the player; an object image data generating means for displaying an image of an object other than the player object on each of the courses through which the player object advances; a choosing-screen data generating means for displaying a course choosing screen by which a course next to play is chosen from among the courses by operation of the operating means when starting a game or clearing a course; a score-giving condition setting means for setting a condition to give an in-a-course score to the respective courses; a score-giving condition detecting means for detecting that a score-giving condition set by the score-giving condition setting means is met depending on the relationship between the player object and the other object when the player object is advancing on the course chosen; a first score count means for counting a score on the course depending on an output of the score-giving condition detecting means when the player object is advancing on the course chosen; a course-clear detecting means for detecting that a clear condition for each course is met by the player object; a course-score memorizing means for memorizing on a course-by-course basis a score that has been counted for the course of among the courses by the first score count means; a control means for writing a cleared-course score that is counted by the first score count means into a corresponding area of the course-score memorizing means to the cleared course when the course-clear detecting means detects a course clear, and resetting the first score counting means to write an initial value into a corresponding area of the course-score memorizing means for a course immediately-before cleared, based on choosing to advance to a same course; and a second score count means for determining a sum of the course-scores memorized in the course-by-course area of the course-score memorizing means.
A video game machine in accordance with the invention includes an external memory medium such as a ROM. The external memory medium comprises: a player object image data generating program for generating data to display an image of the player object; a course image data generating program for storing a plurality of course data to display different courses through which the player object can advance, and displaying one course chosen based on an operating state of the operating means by the player; an object image data generating program for displaying an image of an object other than the player object on each of the courses through which the player object advances; a choosing-screen data generating program for displaying a course choosing screen by which a course next to play is chosen from among the courses by operation of the operating means when starting a game or clearing a course; a score-giving condition setting program for setting a condition to give an in-a-course score to the respective courses; a score-giving condition detecting program for detecting that a score-giving condition set by the score-giving condition setting means is met depending on the relationship between the player object and the other object when the player object is advancing on the course chosen; a first score count program for counting a score on the course depending on an output of the score-giving condition detecting means when the player object is advancing on the course chosen; a course-clear detecting program for detecting that a clear condition for each course is met by the player object; a course-score memorizing program for memorizing on a course-by-course basis a score that has been counted for the course of among the courses by the first score count means; a control program for writing a cleared-course score that is counted by the first score count means into a corresponding area of the course-score memorizing means to the cleared course when the course-clear detecting means de
Imamura Takaya
Kihara Tsuyoshi
Miyamoto Shigeru
Morita Kazuaki
Shimizu Takao
Hughes S. Thomas
Nintendo Co. Ltd.
White Carmen D.
LandOfFree
Video game system and video game memory medium 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 system and video game memory medium, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Video game system and video game memory medium will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3113768