Abstract: Games are processed in a more realistic and immediate manner during image processing for soccer games and the like. Specifically, the movements of characters more accurately simulate those of actual opponents, resulting in greater game realism. The invention is an image processing device for imaging and displaying the behavior of characters modeled on opponents in virtual three-dimensional space. It is determined (S21 to S24) whether or not there exists a certain situation in which the relation to the game contents (in the centering area, for example) or the positional relation (such as distance) between characters and a target (such as opponent characters or the ball) having a relation through the game to said characters matches certain conditions, and the eyes of the characters are directed to the target (S25, S26, S28, etc.) when it is determined that the certain situation exists. The invention is especially suitable for soccer games.

Abstract: An expansion unit 50, 60 or 70 is connected to a controller body 10 including an analog direction key 12, a digital direction key 14, command buttons 20a-20z, command levers 22l, 22r, etc. An expansion unit 50 including a photo emitting unit 52 is connected to thereby make the controller cordless. An expansion unit 60 including a photo detecting unit 65, whereby shooting games in which an enemy on a monitor screen can be shot can be played. An expansion unit 70 including a vibration unit 75 is connected, whereby a vibration is given to the controller body 10 to make a shooting game more realistic. New functions can be added to the conventional controller, and the new functions can be added freely without making no change to the controller body.

Abstract: An expansion unit 50, 60 or 70 is connected to a controller body 10 including an analog direction key 12, a digital direction key 14, command buttons 20a-20z, command levers 22l, 22r, etc. An expansion unit 50 including a photo emitting unit 52 is connected to thereby make the controller cordless. An expansion unit 60 including a photo detecting unit 65, whereby shooting games in which an enemy on a monitor screen can be shot can be played. An expansion unit 70 including a vibration unit 75 is connected, whereby a vibration is given to the controller body 10 to make a shooting game more realistic. New functions can be added to the conventional controller, and the new functions can be added freely without making no change to the controller body.

Abstract: A data processing method is provided whereby, even if communication delay occurs between computer game devices connected through a communication network, data is processed practically simultaneously between the respective computer game devices. When a computer game contest is carried out through a network having communication delay, before the game is started, the delay times between the game devices are found and, using these, synchronization of the time counted by the individual game devices is obtained. Then, during the progress of the game, the operating data signal is processed after the lapse of the longest delay time of the delay times between the game devices measured beforehand after it is generated. In this way, the operating data signal can be processed simultaneously in a plurality of game devices.

Abstract: A video monitor 13 is provided on the front surface of a game apparatus casing 2. An operation panel 11 is provided immediately below the video monitor 13. Light detection units 15 for detecting a position provided on both side of the upper end. In the game apparatus casing below the video monitor 13 there are provided a game processing board 10 for generally controlling the game apparatus, an operation device control board 16 for controlling maraca-shaped operation device 20 operated by a game player, and a position detecting board 17 for detecting a position of the operation device 20. The game apparatus enables a game player to operate operation device by natural motions without directly operating the operation device, etc.

Abstract: A loop track for racing objects is disposed at the center of a race game device, for example for a simulated horse race. A plurality of racing objects, such as race horses, run on the track. The X- and Y-directional positions of the race horses are detected by a separable position detecting means underlying the track. The separable position detecting means allows for easier maintenance, transport, assembly, and disassembly of the device. Information regarding the positions of the horses is displayed on a game screen. Players can write memos to themselves on individual game screens by pressing a trace over the game information on the game screen. A control unit provides game information corresponding to other races other than a current race, including future races, and players may select information corresponding to future races on the individual game screen.

Abstract: An expansion unit 50, 60 or 70 is connected to a controller body 10 including an analog direction key 12, a digital direction key 14, command buttons 20a–20z, command levers 22l, 22r, etc. An expansion unit 50 including a photo emitting unit 52 is connected to thereby make the controller cordless. An expansion unit 60 including a photo detecting unit 65, whereby shooting games in which an enemy on a monitor screen can be shot can be played. An expansion unit 70 including a vibration unit 75 is connected, whereby a vibration is given to the controller body 10 to make a shooting game more realistic. New functions can be added to the conventional controller, and the new functions can be added freely without making no change to the controller body.

Abstract: A game device, which monitors with a virtual camera a picture of a game being proceeded in a virtual space by a first object controlled by a player and a second object controlled by a computer or an opponent and displays a picture on the screen of a monitor, includes a camera position switch ordering unit for issuing switching orders to switch the position of the virtual camera to a first position which shows the front of the first object and to a second position which shows the front of the first object from the rear of the first object, and a symbol displaying unit for displaying a symbol representing the second object on the monitor screen in correspondence with the switching order to switch the position of the virtual camera to the first position upon the second object existing behind the first object.

Abstract: This method of forming a polygon image comprises the steps of obtaining a plurality of polygons having normal line data as apex data and constituting a model; sorting the model constituted by the plurality of polygons into polygons of a first color part and polygons of a second color part by boundary lines consisting of the direction of a light source and normal lines of the model; pasting up a first mono-color texture on the sorted polygons having the first color part, and pasting up a second mono-color texture on the sorted polygons having the second color part; and dividing the polygons intersecting the boundary lines along the boundary lines, pasting up the first mono-color texture on the polygons belonging to the first color part out of the divided polygons, and pasting up the second mono-color texture on the polygons belonging to the second color part.

Abstract: An image processor for achieving an effective image processing when realizing a play simulating a reality such as a fighting game. A data processor comprises a display 3a, a control panel 4a, a speaker 11a and a speaker 11a and a game processing board 10a. Fighters C1 and C2 are displayed on the display 3a. When the joy sticks 41am and 41ah of the control panel 4a are operated, the operating data is input to the game processing board 10a. The game processing board 10a performs an image processing of the fighters C1 and C2 based on the operating signal, forms video signals based on the image processed result and displays them on the display 3a as the fighters C1 and C2. The game processing board 10a realizes a polygon forming means so that the head of the fighter C2 is constituted of a minimum number of polygons, and increases the number of polygons of the head when the part of a display member composed of a minimum number of polygons is transformed and displayed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an information processing system, including an information processing apparatus for executing a program by reading a program recorded in a recording medium, and a peripheral apparatus connected to the information processing apparatus, wherein the peripheral apparatus stores a security code and operation of the peripheral apparatus stops unless the same security code as the security code recorded in a recording medium is sent from the information processing apparatus.

Abstract: A gaming system includes a parent game apparatus and at least one child game apparatus which is connectable to the parent game apparatus. A main game program executes on the parent game apparatus and is ordinarily controlled by player actions on the parent game apparatus. When the main game reaches a predetermined state, the parent gain apparatus downloads a subgame to a child game apparatus connected to the parent game apparatus. The subgame executes on the child game apparatus and transfers a result of the subgame to the parent game apparatus. The result of the subgame affects the state of the main game.

Abstract: A game system and method is disclosed that has at least one game display, an input controller, and a device executing a game program, wherein a controller for displaying the progress of a game as a real time image on the game display, in response to information input through the input controller is provided. The invention includes data storage for replaying a predetermined scene of the real time image and a replay controller for displaying the replay sequence in response in response to predetermined criteria. The replay is displayed on a replay display window that appears on the game display and replay display is shown along with a part of or the entire said real time image. Furthermore, the replay display and the real time image are simultaneously displayed.

Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide a method of expressing, in an easily visible manner, a game proceeded in a plurality of game fields formed hierarchically.

Abstract: An expansion unit 50, 60 or 70 is connected to a controller body 10 including an analog direction key 12, a digital direction key 14, command buttons 20a-20z, command levers 22l, 22r, etc. An expansion unit 50 including a photo emitting unit 52 is connected to thereby make the controller cordless. An expansion unit 60 including a photo detecting unit 65, whereby shooting games in which an enemy on a monitor screen can be shot can be played. An expansion unit 70 including a vibration unit 75 is connected, whereby a vibration is given to the controller body 10 to make a shooting game more realistic. New functions can be added to the conventional controller, and the new functions can be added freely without making no change to the controller body.

Abstract: An image processing method, and apparatus therefor, for implementing volume representation in real time are disclosed. The image processing method is one wherein a volume is defined by volume polygon, the depth difference between the volume polygon and a delineation subject polygon is detected, and the attributes of the volume polygon are modulated from the depth difference. Image data are also generated for each pixel from the modulated volume polygon and the delineation subject polygon. Thus volume representation can be realized by real time polygon delineation.

Abstract: An image processing method whereby an image of object generated in real time in a pre-generated background image by giving operators an impression of depth or distance can be synthesized and a storage medium for storing the image processing program are provided. In the present invention, image data of a pre-generated image, such as a background image, includes image data, which is texture data or color data, and Z data indicating a depth in a screen. Then, the data of the pre-generated image like a background image is recorded on a storage medium in advance. The Z data of real timely generated image is compared with the Z data of the background image, and the image data, which is foremost in the screen, is written in a frame buffer. It becomes possible to synthesize the image of real timely generated object in the background image with giving an impression of depth or distance by adding the Z data to the data of pre-generated image.

Abstract: A geometry processor 10 has an image processing device having a matrix computing unit 14 that is connected to a vector bus VB through which coordinate conversion target data is supplied and a matrix bus MB through which coordinate conversion matrix is supplied, and that performs multiplication of the coordinate conversion target data by the coordinate conversion matrix, wherein the processor is provided with a switching unit 24 that supplies a mixture ratio S28 to the vector bus VB and interpolation computation target data S18 to the matrix bus MB, and wherein the matrix computing unit 14 performs interpolation computation of the interpolation computation target data S18 in accordance with the mixture ratio S28. According to this invention, the interpolation computation needed for a subdivision surface process and other processes may be performed using the matrix computing unit 14 provided in the geometry processor, normally for the purpose of coordinate conversion.

Abstract: An image processing method is for fogging an object 12 in a three-dimensional space, which is observed at a view point. A fog density of the object observed at the view point is computed based on a distance d between a fog base plane 10 set in the three-dimensional space and the object 12. The image processing method can provide realistic images.

Abstract: A storage medium for a game relating to the present invention contains: (1) a game program for calling up drawing functions for prescribed scenes in accordance with the progress of the game; (2) animation data including sprite data forming two-dimensional still images, and motion data capable of generating animations by causing the sprites to change with each frame; and (3) a drawing program for generating rendering data (drawing commands) positions, colours, texture co-ordinates, and the like, for each sprite in a frame (display screen), according to the animation data specified by the drawing function. In general terms, animation data is data capable of generating moving images (animations) of characters as intended by a designer, and this animation data can be developed separately from the game program.