Abstract: A computer-readable recording medium with a video game program recorded thereon; a video game program; a video game processing method; and a video game processing apparatus, with which it is possible to understand easily which of a number of displayed characters is to be the object of an action of a player character and it is possible to make a player character execute an intended action exactly. The input of an action to be performed by a predetermined character is accepted and the input of a candidate character intended to be an object of the action is accepted, and the display color of a cursor pointing at the candidate character is made to be different when the action accepted as input is an attack action and the candidate character is an enemy character from when the action accepted as input is an attack action and the candidate character is not an enemy character.

Abstract: A video game wherein input of a candidate character intended to be the object of an action to be performed by a predetermined character is accepted in accordance with a control operation of a player. On the basis of position information pertaining to the characters, a direction is detected. In accordance with this direction, image-control is carried out so that a line of sight of the predetermined character points to the candidate character accepted as input. The input is accepted of an action to be performed by a predetermined character in accordance with a control operation of a player, the action accepted as input is distinguished. When the action has been executed, a direction is successively detected on the basis of position information on the predetermined character arising from internal processing and position information on a character to be the object of the action.

Abstract: When starting a new game, saved translation dictionary data is selected and compared with other translation dictionary data. Based on the comparison result, translation dictionary parts differing from the saved translation dictionary parts are determined as un-obtained parts. Data corresponding to the un-obtained parts are then retrieved from the other translation dictionary data and stored in a predetermined area of a RAM as new translation dictionary data. Further, at a game start, translation dictionary data of saved data loaded at the beginning of a game and each of translation dictionary data in a memory card are compared. Based on the comparison result, translation dictionary parts differing from the saved translation dictionary parts are determined to be un-obtained parts. Data corresponding to the un-obtained parts are obtained from each of the translation dictionary data in the memory card and stored in a predetermined area of the RAM as new translation dictionary data.

Abstract: A setting map is displayed in which two kinds of map points relating to character capability setting, map points for restricting marker position movement, and map points that are irrelevant to the character capability setting are arranged. A marker movement destination is accepted in a movable range corresponding to first points that have been acquired during progress of a game and the first points are decreased in accordance with the accepted marker movement destination. The movement destination map point and map points adjacent to it are employed during processing subject map points. A category of each processing subject map point is recognized, and it is judged whether second points corresponding to the recognized category is greater than or equal to a prescribed value. A capability corresponding to a desired map point is set in accordance with a judgment result in response to a decision manipulation of the player and the second points are decreased by a prescribed value.

Abstract: The present invention enables restriction of content of information in a message, which has been prepared by a user and is provided in an information service system for the viewing by a group of users, in accordance with a use purpose. The message information is prepared by selecting and combining words from a word group prepared in advance. The information for viewing is prepared by a game device.

Abstract: Techniques suitable for controlling the action power of a player character are disclosed. The techniques can be implemented in a video game that represents battles between characters. A command can specify an action of a character. A plurality of color attributes are respectively assigned to actions of the character. A number of color attributes which are the same as that of the action identified by the command can then be obtained. The action power of the player character is increased in accordance with the obtained number of color attributes to make the player character execute the action identified by the command. The color attribute of action executed in the player character is stored in the historical information. Finally, the color attributes in the historical information can be displayed in respective colors on a screen.

Abstract: After a batter hits a ball, the height of the ball moving on a trajectory passing through present movement positions is judged. For example, future movement positions respectively positioned on a time axis ahead of the present movement positions are indicated on the ground by elliptical marks. The peak of the height becomes a boundary, and before the peak, the mark has a first color and the size of the mark is enlarged in a rising process of the ball, and after the peak, the mark has a second color and the size of the mark is reduced in a falling process of the ball. Therefore, the real pleasure of the operation by the combination of the operation support of a computer and the operation skill of the user himself can be obtained.

Abstract: After a batter hits a ball, the height of the ball moving on a trajectory passing through present movement positions is judged. For example, future movement positions positioned on a time axis ahead of the present movement positions are indicated on the ground by elliptical marks. The peak of the height becomes a boundary, and in the rising process of the ball, the mark is displayed in, for example, a star shape and blue, and in the falling process of the ball, the mark is displayed in, for example, an elliptical shape and red. Therefore, enjoyment of operations by the combination of the operation support of a computer and the operation skill of the user himself can be obtained.

Abstract: An unprocessed cluster index and its amount of parallel movement are acquired. The order of processing clusters does not matter as long as the frame is the same. Subsequently, with respect to an unprocessed vertex corresponding to this acquired cluster index, a vertex index and the weight w of this vertex are obtained. Then, according to the amount of parallel movement and weight w in the same frame, the values of coordinates of the vertex buffer are changed. Since the cluster transformation is effected by parallel movement here, the order of processing clusters does not matter, and it is thereby possible to calculate the vertex coordinates after transformation by simple multiplication and addition alone without matrix operations.

Abstract: In a message exchange system, a first user and a second user mutually register their handle names (HNs) to their friend lists each provided in a server. When the first user deletes the registration of HN of the second user from the first user's friend list, the first user notifies the second user of the deletion of the HN via the server to request the second user to delete the registration of the first user's HN from the second user's friend list. The HN of the first user is deleted from the second user's friend list.

Abstract: A CD-ROM which records a game program and movie data is used to display a movie on part of a face of a character appearing in a game. A predetermined face object is placed in a virtual three-dimensional space. A region of which expression should be changed within the face object is specified. An image data reading unit sequentially reads frame images of movie data representative of a change of expression of the region from the CD-ROM to an image data buffer unit. An image data transferring unit sequentially stores the frame images into a plurality of buffer areas included in a texture data buffer unit, while switching the buffer areas. A texture mapping unit sequentially maps the frame images sequentially stored in the buffer areas within the texture data buffer unit to the region as texture data, in parallel to the storing operation.

Abstract: A terminal receives service provided by a server while using any one of a group of user-names stored in the server for each user and while using a character associated with the user-name. When a character currently in use is switched to another character according to a user instruction, the terminal compares a user-name associated with the switched character with a user-name currently in use. When the compared user-name is different from the user-name currently in use, the terminal switches the user-name on the terminal side to a user-name associated with the switched character, and transmits information, indicating the user-name associated with the switched character, to the server.

Abstract: Input of a manipulation by a user is accepted before a player receives the ball. Upon occurrence of input of a manipulation, motion of the player including catching and throwing of the ball is determined in response to the input of the manipulation. By using the motion, transitions of display is made from a state before a catch of the ball by the player to a throw of the ball.

Abstract: A profile server group determines whether any request for status notification is received from the client. If there is a request for status notification, a handle name included in the request is obtained, and a status flag corresponding to the handle name is extracted from the hard disk. Next, the status flag is checked. If the on-line flag is set to “ON”, the user status is checked. If the user status is not “IN HIDING”, the user status is notified. On the other hand, when the on-line flag is set to “OFF”, the client with the handle name relating to the request notifies that it is offline.

Abstract: A computer readable program product stores a program for a ball-playing type game enabling continuous action at the time a player catches a ball in a ball-playing game to be expressed smoothly. When a fielder starts a catching action, a difference between a position of a glove at the time the fielder catches the ball by a group of motion and an arrival position of the ball is calculated. The position of the glove at one motion based on a group of motion for catching in the catching motion of the fielder is corrected in accordance with the difference between the position of the glove and the arrival position. Other motion with the position of the glove corrected is displayed, and the position of the glove of the fielder is matched to the arrival position of the ball when the fielder catches the ball in the motion after correction.

Abstract: Players can quickly and easily determine the sequence of play following the player character in the current turn, and can flexibly use the characteristics applied to each of multiple characters to strategically advance the game. When a battle scene is detected, information preset according to the actions that the player characters are to perform, information preset according to the characteristics assigned individually to multiple characters, and information preset according to the status derived from game progress for each of the multiple characters is used in a calculation to determine the action sequence of the multiple characters. The determined action sequence is displayed according to the selection of actions each player character is to perform. If the player then performs a specific operation, the selected actions and the action sequence of the multiple characters corresponding to those actions are accepted.

Abstract: Player characters can participate, quickly as alternated, in a battle while simplifying the alternating procedure. At the instant of a transfer to an acceptance of decisions on the player characters and actions, a standby state continues until a button is pushed, until an X-button is pushed, or until the actions for the player characters to execute are selected. When the button is pushed, a list of standby player characters is displayed to display the character names and characteristics of the characters. When the selections of the relief characters are received and selected by the player, the characters are alternated. When the X-button is pushed, the character alternations are restored. When the actions for the player characters to execute are selected, moreover, the operations for executing the decided actions are executed to end a series of player characters and the acceptance of the action decisions.

Abstract: A game apparatus and a game control method for controlling three-dimensional movements by simple and reliable operations. In response to a movement designation input of a character, the screen is moved independently of the direction, in which an operated character faces, in a direction designated by an operation key from the screen being displayed when the game character moves in water. At the movement controlling time in three-dimensions, as in the movement control of the character in water, the character dives downward while an X-button is being depressed, and dives upward while the X-button is being not depressed.

Abstract: A video game program enables smooth movement of a character while simplifying an operation. The video game program causes a computer to: always detect an angle &thgr; formed by a line of sight of a camera and a direction of a player character. If a player operates a direction key, the computer corrects an input direction received by the operated direction key with the angle &thgr; and generates the corrected direction, as a progress direction of the player character. The computer further stores this generated progress direction in a storage area and moves the player character in the direction. If operation of a key part of an identical direction is continued in the direction key, the computer moves the player character in the stored progress direction regardless of whether the line of sight moves. Therefore, the player character continues to move in the identical direction in the three-dimensional space even if a camera angle changes.

Abstract: Disclosed in a video game of enhanced realism in which actual combat is closely simulated. The game is so adapted that an enemy character on a display screen may launch an attack against a player character on the same screen, even while the player character is the process of inputting a command, at elapse of a set time period specific to the enemy character. The attack is made without an interruption in the flow of time of the game.