ELECTRONIC PLAY DEVICE, CONTROL METHOD FOR ELECTRONIC PLAY DEVICE AND GAME PROGRAM
A moving operation having much amusement particularly in a simulated shooting game using a simulated gun is implemented in accordance with an input operated by a player character that plays a role as a player. In order to achieve this, as a plurality of objects set in a virtual space, there are a player character (P) that is operated in accordance with an operation of the player, an enemy character (E) that becomes a match-up opponent of the player character (P), and a plurality of shield objects (G) that are disposed in movement areas of the player character (P) and the enemy character (E). When a coordinate transformation process for an image acquired from viewing the objects inside the virtual space from a virtual view point is performed in accordance with an output from an input device operated by the player and the transformed image is displayed in a display device, in a case where there is a movement direction for the player character (P) and/or the enemy character E, the movement destination of one character that receives the movement direction is set based on a position relationship between the other character and the shield object (G).
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electronic play device, a control method for an electronic play device, and a game program. In particular, the present invention relates to preferable modification of control technology that is applied to an arcade-type gun-shooting game device.
2. Description of Related Art
A simulated gun-shooting game in which a player (gamer) shoots an enemy character inside a screen by operating a gun-type controller and acquires a score based on the success of the shooting is frequently implemented, for example, in so-called arcade-type electronic play devices.
In the above-described electronic play devices, three-dimensional virtualization technology in which objects are disposed in a virtual space formed as a three dimension, a perspective transformation process is performed for an image acquired from viewing the image from a virtual view point, and the transformed image is displayed on a monitor is used. An object described here is an object (target object) that is defined in the virtual space and is a generic term including a character (player character) that plays a role of the player, the enemy character, a background, and other targets.
As a conventional electronic play device for the above-described simulated gun shooting game, there is an electronic play device having selection inputting means that can be operated by a player for switching between a attack state in which the player character attacks the enemy character with its body exposed to the enemy character without hiding in an object formed of a gimmick such as a post and a state of defense in which the player character hides its body in a shadow of an object (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2). In addition, there is an electronic play device that has a pedal as means for operating the player character (for example, see Patent Document 3).
- Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-131466
- Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-169557
- Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-116946
However, even when the attack state in which the body is exposed and the defense state in which the body is hidden can be selectively input, as described above, there is a case where the player character cannot be freely operated by the operation of the player. As an example, for example, there may be an electronic play device in which a representation that the player character is automatically moved to a place determined as a next point along a predetermined path by satisfying a predetermined progress condition such as destroying all the enemies appearing in a specific spot, elapse of a predetermined time, or giving predetermined damage is set. In such a case, when the player cannot be freely operated by the player's operation in the middle of an actual shooting game, the amusement of the electronic play device as a recent game device is insufficient.
On the other hand, the above-described electronic play device can operate the player character by using the pedal, which can increase the amusement of the game. However, the pedal is used only for operations, for example, that are performed for placing the player character to face the right or left side in the current position, and the electronic play device is not new and striking as a device for recent game devices that have various functions.
The object of the present invention is to provide an electronic play device, a control method for an electronic play device and a game program for implementing moving operations having much amusement, particularly in a simulated shooting game using a simulated gun, in accordance with an operation input for a player character that plays a role as a player.
Means for Solving the ProblemsIn order to solve the above-described problems, the inventors of the present invention went through various considerations. For example, in the above-described electronic play device for a simulated gun-shooting game, there is an important factor in a tactic for appropriately switching conflicting factors of attack power and defense power such as attacking the enemy character in a dangerous state in which the body is exposed or defending the player character in a safe state in which the body is hidden in the shadow of an object by using a shield object formed of a gimmick such as a post. With this point primarily focused, the inventors of the present invention come to acquire a new finding for solving the above-described problems after repeating reviews for not only switch of the direction of the player character in the current position but also shield object related matters.
The present invention is based on the above-described finding. According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic play device that sets a player character that is operated in accordance with an operation of a player, an enemy character that becomes a match-up opponent of the player character, and a plurality of shield objects that are disposed in movement areas of the player character and the enemy character in a virtual space as a plurality of objects, performs a coordinate transformation process for an image acquired by viewing the objects inside the virtual space from a virtual view point in accordance with an output from an input device that is operated by the player by using an image processing device, and displays the transformed image in a display device. The electronic play device includes movement control means that, in a case where there is a movement direction for the player character and/or the enemy character, sets a movement destination of one character, which receives the movement direction, between the player character and the enemy character based on a position relationship between the other character and the shield objects.
According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic play control method for controlling a moving operation of any of objects at a time when a coordinate transformation process for an image acquired by viewing the objects inside a virtual space from a virtual view point in accordance with an output from an input device that is operated by a player is performed by using an image processing device and the transformed image is displayed in a display device. A plurality of the objects set in the virtual space include a player character that is operated in accordance with an operation of the player, an enemy character that becomes a match-up opponent of the player character, and a plurality of shield objects that are disposed in movement areas of the player character and the enemy character. In addition, in a case where there is a movement direction for the player character and/or the enemy character, a movement destination of one character, which receives the movement direction, between the player character and the enemy character is set based on a position relationship between the other character and the shield objects.
According to the present invention, there is provided a game program for allowing a computer of an electronic play device, which sets a player character that is operated in accordance with an operation of a player, an enemy character that becomes a match-up opponent of the player character, and a plurality of shield objects that are disposed in movement areas of the player character and the enemy character in a virtual space as a plurality of objects performs a coordinate transformation process for an image acquired by viewing the objects inside the virtual space from a virtual view point in accordance with an output from an input device that is operated by the player by using an image processing device, and displays the transformed image in a display device, to perform in a case where there is a movement direction for the player character and/or the enemy character, a sequence for setting a movement destination of one character, which receives the movement direction, between the player character and the enemy character, based on a position relationship between the other character and the shield objects.
In movement control technology according to the aspects of the present invention when there is a movement direction for one character the movement destination of the character is automatically set based on a position relationship between the other character and the shield object. In such a case, instead of a simple operation of switching the direction of the player character in the current position, an operation for appropriately moving the player character within a predetermined area can be performed. In addition, a moving operation of the player character to a point that can be changed in various manners based on the shield object and the other character (for example, the enemy character) can be performed. Accordingly, for example, in the above-described simulated gun shooting game, an operation having high relevance to the shield object (and the other character) formed of a gimmick such as a post is implemented. As a result, the player can enjoy the tactic, which is accompanied by switching between conflicting factors of the attack power and the defense power, such as transiting to a safe state in which the body is hidden in the shadow of the shield object once and then appropriately transiting to a dangerous state in which the body is exposed for attack to the full. Furthermore, the movement control technology according to the present invention that automatically sets the movement destination may be represented in a manner that so-called a scenario is set for the movement destination of the character. In such a case, even a player (for example, a player who plays the game for the first time) who is not accustomed to the electronic play device can easily start the game and enjoy the game sufficiently.
In the above-described aspects, it is preferable that the movement control means sets the movement destination of the one character that receives the movement direction to a position in which at least a part of the one character viewed from a view point of the other character, is hidden behind the shield object.
In addition, it may be configured that the shield object that is located closest to the one character in the movement direction of the one character that receives the movement direction is set as a movement destination shield object and the movement destination is set to a position located behind the movement destination shield object.
In addition, in the above-described movement control technology, in a case where the one character receives the movement direction, the movement destination of the one character that receives the movement direction may be set to a point on a virtual straight line that connects the position of the other character at a time point when the movement direction is received and a reference point of the movement destination shield object.
It is appropriate that the electronic play device according to the aspects of the invention provides a shooting game using a simulated gun and has a gun-type controller that can perform a simulated operation and left and right independent pedal switches that can be operated to move the player character in one direction and the other direction as movement directing means, as the input device.
In such a case, if the electronic play device further includes a gun aiming position detecting unit that detects an aiming position of the gun-type controller and moving speed of the player character is configured to be changed in accordance with the gun aiming position, the amusement of the gun-shooting game can be improved further.
In addition, it is preferable that, when the movement direction for a direction that is reverse to a moving direction is received from the pedal switch during a moving operation of the player character in the moving direction, the player character is turned back to be moved in the reverse direction and a new movement destination is set in a movement direction after the turning-back operation.
In addition, it is more preferable that the pedal switches also serve as special command inputting means used for directing a special operation other than the moving operation to the player character in a case where a predetermined operation is input under a predetermined condition. In such a case, by setting so-called a secret method using the special command, the amusement of the gun-shooting game can be improved further.
In addition, the object of the present invention is to provide control technology of movement of the virtual camera that notifies a player of the surrounding environment of a predetermined object without decreasing the realistic sensation of the game. In order to achieve the above-described object, according to the present invention, an image processing device that executes a game application program determines the danger that the player character inside the virtual space faces, and the virtual camera is forcedly moved from a position of the first person point of view to a position of the third person point of view during a limited time period.
According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic play device including: an image processing device that disposes a plurality of objects in a virtual space, changes the position of a virtual view point in accordance with an output from an operation device operated by a player, performs a coordinate transformation process for an image acquired from viewing the objects within the virtual space from the virtual view point, and displays the transformed image in display means. Here, the image processing device includes: first means that disposes a first object in the virtual space; second means that disposes a second object near the first object; third means that disposes the virtual view point in a first position near the second object; fourth means that disposes the virtual view point in a second position departed from the second object; fifth means that calculates the degree of influence of objects other than the first object and the second object on the first object; and sixth means that places the virtual view point in the first position before the result of calculation exceeds a threshold value, moves the virtual view point located in the first position from the first position to the second position when the result of calculation exceeds the threshold value to be fixed to the second position, and releases fixing of the virtual view point to the second position after a limited time elapses.
According to the present invention, there is provided an image processing method in which an electronic play device including an image processing device that disposes a plurality of objects in a virtual space, changes the position of a virtual view point in accordance with an output from an operation device operated by a player, performs a coordinate transformation process for an image acquired from viewing the objects within the virtual space from the virtual view point, and displays the transformed image in display means is implemented. Here, the image processing device, based on a game program, includes: a first process that disposes a first object in the virtual space; a second process that disposes a second object near the first object; a third process that disposes the virtual view point in a first position near the second object; a fourth process that disposes the virtual view point in a second position departed from the second object; a fifth process that calculates the degree of influence of objects other than the first object and the second object on the first object; and a sixth process that places the virtual view point in the first position before the result of calculation exceeds a threshold value, moves the virtual view point located in the first position from the first position to the second position when the result of calculation exceeds the threshold value to be fixed to the second position, and releases fixing of the virtual view point to the second position after a limited time elapses.
According to the present invention there is provided a computer program that implements the above-described processes in an image processing device.
As described above, according to the present invention for example, by moving the position of the view point that is in the first person point of view to a position of the third person point of view only during a moment at which the player character is in danger, a chance for the player to objectively recognize the virtual space is given without decreasing the realistic sensation on the basis of the first person point of view.
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTIONAccording to the present invention, by performing an automatic control process in accordance with an input operation for the player character that plays a role as a player, a moving operation having much amusement particularly in a simulated shooting game using a simulated gun can be implemented. In addition, according to the present invention for example by moving the position of the view point that is in the first person point of view to a position of the third person point of view only during a moment at which the player character is in danger a chance for the player to objectively recognize the virtual space is given without decreasing the realistic sensation on the basis of the first person point of view.
10: CPU BLOCK
11: VIDEO BLOCK
12: SOUND BLOCK
100: BUS ARBITER
101: CPU (CONTROL DEVICE)
102: MAIN MEMORY
103: ROM
107: OPERATION DEVICE
110: VDP
111: GRAPHIC MEMORY
112: VIDEO CONVERTER
120: SOUND PROCESSOR
121: SOUND MEMORY
122: D/A CONVERTER
130: COMMUNICATION DEVICE
300: GAME DEVICE (ELECTRONIC PLAY DEVICE
302: FIRST CASING
304: SECOND CASING
306: MONITOR (DISPLAY DEVICE)
308: GUN-TYPE CONTROLLER (INPUT DEVICE)
310: PEDAL SWITCH (INPUT DEVICE)
312: PEDAL SWITCH (INPUT DEVICE)
600: PROGRAM DATA STORING UNIT
602: CONTROL UNIT
604: TRIGGER OF GUN-TYPE CONTROLLER
606: GUN AIMING POSITION DETECTING UNIT
E: ENEMY CHARACTER (OBJECT)
G: SCREENING OBJECT (SHIELD OBJECT)
16
P: PLAYER CHARACTER (OBJECT)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTHereinafter, the configuration of the present invention will be described in detail based on examples of embodiments illustrated in drawings.
Hereinafter, the electronic play device 300 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to drawings.
In the above-described game device 300, a player can enjoy a simulated gun battle game by hitting a simulated bullet that has been shot toward an enemy character E displayed on the monitor 306 by pulling a trigger in a state that the player aims the gun-type controller to be faced with the monitor 306 and bring the enemy character E down. The player character P inside the screen for which the player plays a role performs a gun battle with the enemy character E while hiding the body behind various gimmicks (in descriptions here, these are referred to as screening objects G) as shield objects imitating a post, a wall, a drum can, or the like. During the game, when the player pulls the trigger of the gun-type controller 308, an operation signal from the gun-type controller 308 is transmitted to the control board. At this moment, the control board determines whether the enemy character E is shot by a bullet. When the enemy character is shot, an image representation such as bringing the enemy character E down is performed.
Here, the gun-type controller 308 as an input device is formed of a simulated shooting gun such as a handgun, a machine gun, a rifle, or the like that is used for shooting the enemy appearing during the game. In addition, the pedal switches 310 and 312 as input devices are formed of left and right pedals to be pushed by the feet for directing the player character P in the game to perform an action such as moving to the left or right side, jumping aside, or the like or directing an input of a special command.
The gun-type controller 308 is an input device that is held and operated in the hands of the player, and is connected to the control unit 602, for example, through a connection cord and an input-output interface (not illustrated). In addition, together with the gun-type controller 308, a gun aiming position detecting unit 606 that is used for detecting the aiming position of the gun-type controller 308 is disposed. For example, the gun aiming position detecting unit 606 according to this embodiment is configured to include a light receiving element that is disposed in the gun-type controller 308 for reading a scanning spot (a light point of an electronic beam) of the point of impact on the monitor 306. By using the gun aiming position detecting unit 606, it can be determined whether the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller 308 is placed to face the inside of the screen of the monitor 306 or the outside of the screen. In addition, in the gun-type controller 308, a trigger switch that is operated in correspondence with the operation of the trigger of the gun-type controller 308 is disposed. A timing of detecting the scanning spot and a signal of the trigger timing are transmitted to the input-output interface through the connection cord.
The input-output interface of the gun-type controller 308, for example, is connected to the gun-type controller 308. Accordingly, shooting of the gun-type controller 308, the impact place, the number of shots, and the like are determined based on a detection signal of the scanning spot transmitted from the gun-type controller 308, a trigger signal that represents release of the trigger of the gun-type controller 308, the position of the current coordinates (X, Y) of the scanning electronic beam on the monitor 306, and the position of the target, and various flags corresponding thereto are set in predetermined positions inside the RAM.
The pedal switches 310 and 312 are the input devices for directing the operation of the character in the game by being pushed by the player's feet. For example, the pedal switches are connected to the control unit 602 through a connection cord and an input-output interface (not illustrated). In addition, the pedal switches according to this embodiment are configured by the left pedal 310 and the right pedal 312 that are independent pedals located on the right and left sides. These left and right pedal switches 310 and 312 are disposed on the left and right sides with a gap of an approximate shoe width of one foot interposed therebetween, so that the player can push one of the pedals by changing the direction of a toe with a heel of one foot used as an axis (pivot) by the player. However, this is merely one example of disposition of both the pedal switches 310 and 312. Thus, other than that, for example, the left pedal 310 and the right pedal 312 may be disposed to be pushed by the left and right feet. Each of the pedal switches 310 and 312 includes a switch that is shifted in a case where the pedal switch is pushed by the foot and is configured to transmit a signal to the input-output interface in a case where the pedal switch is pushed by the player's foot. In addition, according to this embodiment, another operation (for example, an operation for jumping aside) is configured to be performed for a case where an operation of pushing the pedal switches 310 and 312 twice within a short time period, that is, so-called a double click operation is performed.
The gun aiming position detecting unit 606 that detects the aiming of the gun-type controller 308 is configured as follows. As illustrated in FIG. 24 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-86038, a plurality of LEDs is disposed near a display panel and is configured to emit light sequentially. Then, a plurality of light receiving units disposed in a simulation controller receives the light. Then, the control unit 602 analyzes signals from each light receiving unit so as to detect the direction of the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller 308. The control unit 602 determines the position of a virtual view point inside the virtual space based on the game program. Then, the control unit 602 performs a projection transformation process for an image acquired from viewing the virtual space from the position of the virtual view point and displays the transformed image in a display unit 608. In addition, the game program generates various sound effects such as a bullet shooting sound or a hit sound and generates the sound effects by using a sound generating unit 610.
The CPU 101 serving as a control device transfers program data for an operating system stored in the game program data memory unit 600 to the main memory 102 by executing an initial program (initial execution program) that is stored in the ROM 103 at a time when the power is turned on. Thereafter, the CPU 101 is operated in accordance with the operating system. Thus, the CPU continuously transfers the application program data stored in the program data memory unit to the main memory 102 and executes the program. In addition, the CPU 101 is configured to be able to transfer image data to a graphic memory 111 and transfer voice data to a sound memory 121. The processes performed by the CPU 101 in accordance with the program data are mainly an input of an operation signal from an operation device 107 and analysis of communication data from the communication device 130 and an image process directed to the video block 11 and a voice process directed to the sound block 12, based thereon.
The main memory 102, in addition to mainly storing the above-described program data for the operating system and the application program data provides a work area in which a static variable, a dynamic variable, or the like is stored to the CPU. The ROM 103 is an area in which an initial program loader is stored.
In the program data memory unit, program data for enabling the game device 300 to perform a predetermined image processing method, image data for displaying an image, voice data for outputting voice, and the like are stored. For example, in this embodiment, shape data (in particular, for example, an object such as the enemy character E and three-dimensional data such as a game background including a landscape, a building, the inside of a house, a subway, or the like) relating to a game and the like are stored. In addition, the game device 300 can enable the player character P to fight against an enemy character E operated by a match-up player as a match-up opponent in a common virtual three-dimensional space by exchanging data with another game device through the communication device 130. When there is no match-up player, the enemy character E is operated by the CPU 101.
The operation device 107 outputs an operation signal corresponding to the state of a gamer's operation performed by a player for the operation button or the like to a bus of the CPU block 10. The video block 11 includes a VDP (Video Display Processor) 110, a graphic memory 111, and a video converter 112. In the graphic memory 111, as described above, the image data read out from the program data memory unit is stored.
The VDP 110 is configured to read image data needed for image display from the image data stored in the graphic memory 111 and perform coordinate transformation (geometry calculation), a texture mapping process, a display prioritizing process, a shading process, or the like in accordance with data needed for image display which is supplied from the CPU 101, that is, command data, view point position data, light source position data, object designating data, object position data, texture designating data, texture density data, field of sight converting matrix data, or the like.
In addition, the above-described processes such as the coordinate transformation may be configured to be performed by the CPU 101. In other words, a process is assigned to a specific device in consideration of calculation capability of each device. The video converter 112 is configured to convert the image data generated by the VDP 110 into a predetermined television signal in an NTSC mode or the like and output the television signal to the monitor 306 that is connected externally.
The sound block 12 includes a sound processor 120, a sound memory 121, and a D/A converter 122. In the sound memory 121, as described above, the voice data read out from the CD-ROM is stored. The sound processor 120 is configured to read out the voice data such as waveform data stored in the memory 121 and perform various effect processes on the basis of a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) function, a digital/analog conversion process, and the like based on the command data supplied from the CPU 101. Then, the D/A converter 122 is configured to be able to convert the voice data generated by a sound processor 120 into an analog signal and output the analog signal to a speaker 5 that is connected externally.
Next, the flow of a game will be described with the content of the game device 300 according to this embodiment before a virtual gun fight exemplified.
In this embodiment, a one-to-one gun battle between a character (the player character P) operated by the player and a character (the enemy character E) that is an enemy is virtually played. In such a case, the operation of the enemy character E is controlled by the CPU in a player's single play mode (for example, a story mode in which a represented story and a mission, under which a virtual gun battle is played, are alternately displayed). On the other hand, the enemy character is operated in accordance with an operation of the other player in a mode (the match-up mode) in which two players play a battle. In addition, in the story mode, each time an enemy character E is brought down so as to proceed to the next stage, a deployment in which another enemy character E as a stronger enemy appears can be used.
In addition, according to the game device 300 of to this embodiment, in a field in which the virtual gun battle is deployed, the player character P is configured to be moved to the left or right side within a movement area that is located on the front side of the screen, and the enemy character E is configured to be moved to the left or right side within a movement area that is located on the inner side of the screen (see
In addition, according to this embodiment, the player character P in a hiding state behind the screening object G is programmed to be shifted between a shooting posture (attack posture) and a non-shooting posture (defense posture) in accordance with the direction of the gun-type controller 308 held in the hands of the player (see
In addition, according to this embodiment, the player character P can be moved to the left or right side by player's operating the pedal switches 310 and 312 by using the feet (see
In addition, the progress and result of a virtual gun battle between the player character P and the enemy character E and the shooting capability of the player can be quantified to be displayed, for example, as follows. Various elements such as physical strength, shooting capability, and agility are quantified and set depending on the type of the enemy character E, and damage points corresponding to hit points of a head part, a body part, hands, and legs of each character are set in advance. A character hit by a bullet on each hit point receives damage corresponding to the hit point, and corresponding points are subtracted from the strength point. While a virtual gun battle is played, the strength point that is displayed in a strip-like shape inside the screen (for example, an upper left part of the screen) all the time is calculated each time the character is hit by a bullet (a bullet lands in the character), and is displayed as the total remaining strength. When the strength point is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, a corresponding character (the player character P or the enemy character E) falls down on the screen and is treated as a defeated character. In addition, by using the above-described strength point and the like, the shooting capability of the player that is determined based on what type of the enemy is brought down within a predetermined time and/or how many enemy characters E are brought down within a predetermined time can be represented quantitatively.
In addition, in the above-described quantifying technique for a simulated gun battle, additionally, the damage points corresponding to the hit points can be set differently, as in a case where the damage point is set high for a case that the head part is hit by a bullet and set low for a case that any other point is hit by a bullet. In addition, points (strength values) may be set and calculated for each spot such as a hand or a leg, and a process and a representation that are for breaking up a part from the other parts for a case where the point corresponding to the part is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value can be performed. In the game device 300 according to this embodiment, the strength point can be set in a wide variety of ways as described above. For example, settings and representations in which a strength point is configured to be easily decreased for a specific enemy character E (a specific enemy character is configured to be easily brought down) by setting the width of decrease in the strength point to be large, the areas of the hit points to be large, or the like and a strong enemy character cannot be easily brought down by being hit by a bullet several times can be performed.
In addition, the game device 300 according to this embodiment has a same reload function as that of a conventional device. The reload function simulates a real shooting gun by arranging an upper limit of the number of loaded simulated bullets of the gun-type controller 308 and requiring an operation for loading (reloading) bullets in the middle of a simulated shooting operation. For example, in this embodiment, a representation in which simulated bullets are automatically loaded in a case where the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller 308 faces the outside of the screen of the monitor 306 is performed. The number of remaining simulated bullets is represented by the number of pictures imitating bullets inside the screen of the monitor 306 (for example, on a side lower than the stripe-like shaped strength point represented in the upper-left part of the above-described screen). In addition, when the number of the remaining simulated bullets is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value or is zero (a state out of the bullet), it is warned by displaying a text of “RELOAD” inside the screen or the like.
Here, in the game device 300 according to this embodiment, control (movement control) for setting a movement destination for a moving operation of each character (the player character P and the enemy character E) is performed based on the position relationship between the opponent character and the above-described screening object G. In particular, for example, when the player directs the player character P to move by pushing the pedal switches 310 and 312 by using the feet (when movement is input), basically a position in which the player character can avoid direct shoot up from the enemy character E by hiding in the shadow of a nearest screening object G in the movement direction is set as the movement destination (see
In the above-described movement control, the movement destination of each character can be designated by coordinates. For example, when the coordinate values of the movement destination of a character is set, the character can be moved to the movement destination by adding a difference to the coordinate values at the current time point. The coordinate values of each screening object G or the like can be acquired by referring to a coordinate table (map).
In addition, when the player performs movement input (pushes the pedal switch 310 or 312 by using the foot) while the enemy character E is moving, various movement control processes can be considered. For example, in this embodiment, a position in which the player character P can hide in the shadow of the screening object G, viewed from the enemy character E, with reference to the position of the enemy character E at a time point when the player performs the movement input is set as a movement destination. In other words, in this embodiment, the movement control process is performed in consideration of only the position of the enemy character E regardless of the state of the enemy character E (for example, the shooting posture, the non-shooting posture, or the like). In addition, similarly at a time point when the player character P receives damage or at a time when the player character jumps aside, the movement destination is simply set based on only the coordinate values at the time point.
In addition, when a movement input for moving back in the reverse direction is performed in the middle of movement of the player character P (that is, when the pedal switch 310 or 312 on the opposite side of the movement direction is pushed by using the foot), as the content of the movement control process, a simple control process of returning the player character to the original position or the like can be made. However, in this embodiment, the movement destination is recalculated to be set. In other words, when there is a movement input for moving the player character in the reverse direction (returning direction) in the middle of the movement of the player character, the movement destination is set based on the position of a nearest screening object G in the returning direction and the position of the enemy character E at that time point.
In addition, according to this embodiment, the moving operation is differently set for the shooting posture and the non-shooting posture (see
The control process of the moving operation described above (control process of the aimed movement and the defensive movement) will be simply described by using a flow representing only a part of a looping process as below (see
Here, the above-described movement control process will be described in detail as follows with an example of a detailed shape of the screening object G.
First, for example, when the screening object G is a circular cylindrical shape formed of a gimmick of a drum can (see
Next, for example, when the screening object G is a rectangular shape such as a post, (see
Subsequently, when the screening object G is a rectangular shape such as a tanker and has a height smaller than that of the player character P (see
As is apparent from the above-described description, when the player performs a movement input for the player character P that hides in a screening object G, the player character P moves toward a position (hiding position) in which the player character can hide in the shadow of the nearest screening object G in the movement direction (see
In addition, for example, even when the screening object G has a shape that is long and thin in the movement direction as illustrated in
Here, as described above, a concrete embodiment for a case where the screening object G has a thin and long shape (for example, a wall between windows) described above will be also described (see
As described above, the game device 300 according to this embodiment is automatically controlled such that the movement destination to which each character (the player character P and the enemy character E) is moved becomes the shadow of the screening object G. In addition, when the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller 308 is faced with the outside of the screen, the character is configured to take the non-shooting posture in the hiding position. On the other hand, when the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller 308 is faced with the inside of the screen, the character can take the shooting posture in an aimed position protruding from the shadow of the screening object G (axis movement). In addition, by player's operating the left and right pedal switches 310 and 312, the player character P can be moved from the shadow of one screening object G to the shadow of another screening object G (see
In addition, since the movement of the player character P to the left or right side is based on the operation of the pedal switches 310 and 312, the player can basically move the player character P on his intention. However, for a representation of a shooting game, an operation for causing movement may be provided. Although not described in detail in this embodiment, for example, when an endurance value of each screening object G for stray bullets is set and a representation in which the screening object G is slowly broken to be finally exploded or crushed is performed, the player who wants to reduce damage of the player character P may be motivated to move the player character to the left or right side.
In addition, in the above-described embodiment, a case where the screening object G has a thin and long shape is exemplified (see
Subsequently, basic actions (movements) of each character (the player character P and the enemy character E) in the game device 300 according to this embodiment, including the above-described movement control process will be described with examples of more detailed screens and objects (see
[Aiming]
In the hiding position located in the shadow of the post-shaped screening object G, while the player places the gun-type controller 308 to face the outside of the screen of the monitor 306, the player character P, as described above, takes the non-shooting posture in which the player character hides its body in the shadow (see
[Running]
When the player continues to push the pedal switches 310 and 312 by using the feet, the character runs and moves further without stopping at the nearest screening object G (see
[Turning Back]
When the player pushes the pedal switch 310 or 312 for the reverse direction by using the foot while the character is moving, the character turns back (see
[Plunging Body Aside]
When the player performs so-called a double click (or double pedal), that is, continuously pushing the pedal switch 310 or 312 twice in the middle of the aimed movement (movement to the left or right side in the shooting posture) in a short time, the player character P performs an operation of jumping aside (see FIG. 33). The character in the middle of the operation of jumping aside ignores a screening object G even in a case where the screening object G exists in the middle of the movement and continues the operation of jumping aside. In addition, when the trigger of the gun-type controller 308 is pulled in the middle of the operation of jumping aside, the character can perform gun shooting (jumping aside shot). For example, in this embodiment, the attack power (destruction power) of the jumping aside shot is increased, for example, to be twice that for a normal case. The above-described operation of jumping aside is technology of a high level requiring the player to perform a series of agile operations. Thus, in this embodiment, a representation in which a privilege of increasing the attack power (destruction power) is acquired is performed in a case where the operation of jumping aide is accomplished. In addition, it is preferable that the character after the special operation is set to be in a weak state. In such a case, a high-skilled person who has mastered the operation of the game device 300 comes to hesitate overissuing the special operation for which the privilege is added, and accordingly, the person can improve tactics of the shooting game further. For example, in this embodiment, a representation of a rigid state for several tens of “ints” after the character jumping aside lands is performed (“int” is an abbreviation of interrupt and represents the number of interrupts or the number of rewriting operations for the screen. 1 int=60 frames/sec, 2 ints=30 frames/sec), so that the player character P cannot shoot the gun in the rigid state. Thus, according to the game device 300 of this embodiment, the jumping aside shot exhibits an aspect of so-called double edged sword-like technology in which large damage can be given to the enemy character and the character has a high risk for receiving large damage. Accordingly, the amusement of the game is improved. The character after the rigid state is cancelled basically moves in the direction in which the character has jumped aside. However, when the character performs the operation of jumping aside in both end parts of a movement area in which the character can be moved, the character turns back and moves to the nearest hiding position. In addition, in
[Avoiding]
When the double click (double pedal) for the pedal switch 310 or 312 is performed during the defensive movement, the character performs an avoiding operation (see
Subsequently, a zoom control function of the game device 300 according to this embodiment will be described (see
Here, in this embodiment, two types of zoom control including normal zoom (concentrate zoom) and quick zoom are performed. Hereinafter, the overview of three-dimensional virtualization technology in the game device 300 will be described, and then, the condition and content of the zoom function will be described.
The three-dimensional virtualization technology is for disposing characters (the player character P and the enemy character E) inside a virtual space formed as a three-dimension, performing projection transformation for the characters onto a video viewed from a virtual view point, and displaying the video in a display. The virtual view point is a view point from a virtual camera that is defined inside the three-dimensional virtual space. In addition, the game device 300 according to this embodiment is configured to be shifted between two types of view points including a view point (first person point of view) that simulates the view point of the player character P and a view point (third person point of view) that simulates a view point from which both the player character P and the enemy character E can be visually recognized. In the first person point of view, an image having realistic sensation viewed from the player character P is projected on the screen, and accordingly, the player can enjoy a simulated gun fighting as if the player is the same body as the player character P. On the other hand, in the third person point of view, a field in which a simulated gun fighting is played is projected including the player character P, and accordingly, the player can easily acquire the entire appearance and surrounding situation. The above-described image process is implemented by performing process control by using a device for processing an image (image processing device) that is constituted by the control unit 602, the above-described image composing device, and the like.
Subsequently, the condition and content of the zoom function will be described. First, the normal zoom is performed on a condition that the gun-type controller 308 is faced with any between the enemy character E and the screening object G for a predetermined time (any between the enemy character and the screening object is aimed for a predetermined time). Thus, when the condition is satisfied and a flag is set, a predetermined zoom function is implemented. Hereinafter, the process sequence of the normal zoom will be described as below by using a flow representing only a loop process part (see
First, the state (a state that the gun-type controller 308 is out of a bullet, a state that the character falls down, or the like) of the player (player character P) is acquired (Step S11), and it is determined whether the state is a zoomable state (Step S12). In particular, it is determined that the state is not the zoomable state in a case where the state that the gun-type controller 308 is out of a bullet, the state that the player character P falls down, or the like.
In the zoomable state, the screening object G and the enemy character E that can be zoomed are transformed into 2D coordinates on a plane viewed from the above-described camera of the first person point of view (Step S13). Here, in the 3D objects such as the enemy character E and the screening object G, a plurality of zoom points is set in advance (for example, the abdomen or the like of the enemy character E). After transforming the zoomable objects into 2D coordinates as described above, when any one (a zoom point located closest to aiming) of the zoom points and aiming are located within a predetermined distance (in other words, when the state is a collision state in which the zoom point and the aiming are within a determination circle of a predetermined range), coordinates of the aiming are set as a zoom target (Step S14). In particular, the coordinates of the aiming at the time point are temporarily stored as the coordinates of the zoom target. In addition, by appropriately changing the size of the determination circle such that the determination circle is large for an object located relatively near and is small for an object located relatively far, zoom determination that is based on the law of perspective and is close to the real can be performed. In addition, when the enemy character E hides in the shadow of the screening object G, a distance from the aiming is measured based on not the zoom point of the screening object G but the zoom point of the enemy character E in this embodiment. The process described up to here is so-called a first collision process for determining whether a relative distance between the aiming and the zoom point is smaller than a predetermined value.
As described above, when a zoom collision is generated from the zoom point that is closest to the aiming (that is, when a relative distance between the aiming and the zoom point closest to the aiming is determined), it is determined whether there is a target (zoom target) (Step S15). Thereafter, an area (for example, a rectangle area, and is referred to as a collision in this embodiment) formed in a predetermined range from the stored zoom target as its center is generated. Then, when the aiming at the time point is within the collision, a counting operation is performed (Step S16). Here, it is determined whether a predetermined condition subsequent (for example, the player shoots a bullet by pulling the trigger of the gun-type controller 308, the gun-type controller is out of a bullet, or the player places the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller 308 to be faced with the outside of the screen) is satisfied (Step S17). Then, when the condition subsequent is not satisfied, it is determined whether a state that the aiming is located inside the collision for a predetermined time is formed (whether a concentrate state is formed) (Step S18). The process for determining whether the aiming is within the area (collision) of the predetermined range is so-called a second collision process.
When the above-described state that the aiming is within the above-described collision for the predetermined time is formed, an effect process is activated, and an image process for a zoom operation using the aiming or the zoom target as its center is performed (Step S19). The above-described effect process generates a screen effect for notifying start of the zoom operation. During the effect process, it is determined whether a predetermined condition subsequent (for example, during the effect process, the gun muzzle is turned far away from the enemy character E to another place or the player character shoots a bullet) is satisfied (Step S20). When the condition subsequent is satisfied, a series of processes is completed, and the process is looped to the initial step. On the other hand, when the condition subsequent is not satisfied, it is determined whether the screen effect caused by the zoom effect is completed (Step S21). Then, when the screen effect is completed, the process proceeds to the next zoom process (Step S22). During the zoom process, a privilege such as increasing the attack power or accomplishing a head shot for a specific case, as described later, is represented. After performing the zoom process, when a predetermined condition subsequent (for example, the player shoot a bullet by pulling the trigger of the gun-type controller 308, or the gun-type controller is out of a bullet) is satisfied, the process is looped to the initial step (Step S23).
In addition, here, as the condition subsequent for the normal zoom operation, player's shooting a bullet by pulling the trigger of the gun-type controller 308 or the like is exemplified. However, these are only detailed examples of the condition subsequent for the normal zoom operation. Thus, other than the above-described examples, movement of the enemy character E or player character P's being covered in collapse of the screening object G may be used as the condition subsequent.
The process sequence and content of the normal zoom are as described above, and subsequently, an example of the above-described normal zoom will be described with an image example (see
When the effect process is activated, an image process for an effect focused on the aiming or the zoom target is performed (se
When the effect process is completed, subsequently, the zoom process focused on the aiming or the zoom target is started (see
When the zoom operation is performed to the end as described above (see FIG. 37(D)), according to this embodiment, the following advantages and disadvantages are implemented. Described with a detailed example, as advantages, the attack power is doubled, and the attack power is tripled for a case where the head shot, to be described later, is achieved, and whereby large damage can be given to the enemy character E. On the other hand, as a disadvantage, damage for a case where the player character is shot by a bullet as a counter shot by the enemy character E that moves during the zoom operation is tripled. In addition, in the zoomed state, the field of sight of the player is narrowed, which can be another disadvantage.
Here, during the zoom process, tactics by using the zoom process can be represented by performing processes such as “head shot”, “camera rigidity”, and “counter shot” as described below.
[Head Shot]
When the player can attack the head part of the enemy character E during the zoom process, it is called a head shot, and the attack power (the magnitude of damage received by the enemy character E) is tripled. As described above, it may be configured that the attack power during the zoom process is doubled and the attack power of the head shot is tripled, whereby the magnitude of the damage increases by six times for a case where the head shot is achieved. In addition, when the head shot is achieved, a process (representation) in which reload (bullet loading) is automatically performed or the head-shot target character cannot shoot a gun may be added.
[Camera Rigidity]
During the zoom operation, when the enemy character E moves and is lost from the inside of the screen, for example, the camera rigidity for about 40 “ints” is generated. The camera rigidity is a representation of a state that the camera cannot be switched by fixing a zoomed image for a predetermined time. In the state of the camera rigidity, a place in which the enemy character E is located cannot be acquired at least for a moment, and thus impatience can be given to the player. During the above-described camera rigidity, when the player character E receives attack from the moved enemy character and is shot by a bullet, the “counter shot” is achieved. To the contrary, when the player character can attack the enemy character E during the camera rigidity, an image in which the enemy character E staggers about is displayed (the enemy character E's staggering is represented). In addition, detailed examples of the condition for generating the camera rigidity during the zoom operation are as follows.
There are a case where the aimed/hidden enemy character E and the screening object G in which the enemy character E is located are zoomed and the enemy character E moves therefrom, a case where the enemy character E moves to a place of a zoomed screening object G and then moves therefrom (however, the camera rigidity is not generated for a case where the enemy character E passes by the zoomed screening object G), and the like.
[Counter Shot]
During the camera rigidity, when the player character P is attacked from the moved enemy character E and shot by a bullet, the “counter shot” is achieved. The feature for such a case, for example, is that tripled damage is received as in the above-described head shot.
In addition, the representation of the head shot, the counter shot, the staggering described above can be configured to be generated in a same condition for the player character P and the enemy character E. In other words, while a zooming side can achieve the head shot or make the opponent stagger about, a zoomed side can determine the counter shot after moving (see
In addition, the condition subsequent (reset condition) of the above-described normal zoom is exemplified as below with reference to a table (see
Subsequently, the quick zoom will be described. Although an ordinary zoom control process is the normal zoom (concentrate zoom) as described above, in this embodiment, a quick zoom control process in which zoom standby is not performed and the zoom process is immediately performed under a specific condition is performed. Hereinafter, the process sequence of the quick zoom process will be described as below by using a flow representing only a looping process part (see
First, the state (a state that the gun-type controller 308 is out of a bullet, a state that the character falls down, or the like) of the player (player character P) is acquired (Step S31), and it is determined whether the state is a zoomable state (Step S32). In particular, it is determined that the state is not the zoomable state in a case where the state that the gun-type controller 308 is out of a bullet, the state that the player character P falls down, or the like.
In the zoomable state, it is determined whether the player performs the zoom operation (Step S33). The zoom operation described here is an operation for pushing the pedal switch 310 or 312 within a predetermined time period (for example, within 10 to 20 frames) after the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller 308 is faced with the inside of the screen. The operation of the pedal switch 310 or 312 for this case is treated as an input command for transiting to the quick zoom process, and thus a player's operation such as horizontal movement is not performed. In addition, for example, in this embodiment, the predetermined time period (the predetermined frame) is set to be short. Accordingly, it is difficult for a player to transit to the quick zoom process, and the player is required to have adroitness or skill to some degree (see
When it is determined that the zoom operation is performed, the zoom point of the enemy character E that is, for example, set in the abdomen is transformed into 2D coordinates in a plane viewed from the above-described camera of the first person point of view (Step S34). Next, an area (for example, a rectangle area and is referred to as a collision in this embodiment) of a predetermined range having the position of the zoom point that is transformed into the 2D coordinates as its center is generated (Step S35). Subsequently, it is determined whether the position of the aiming is within the collision (Step S36). When the position of the aiming is within the collision, the position of the aiming is used as the center of zoom (Step S37). On the other hand, when the position of the aiming is not within the collision, an intersection between a segment connecting the transformed zoom point and the aiming and the outer periphery (outer frame) of the collision is used as the center of zoom (Step S38).
Next, whether the aiming of the gun-type controller 308 is faced with the outside of the screen is determined as one of the condition subsequent (Step S39). When the aiming of the gun-type controller is not faced with the outside of the screen, the process proceeds to the zoom process (Step S40). During the zoom process, as described above, a privilege such as increasing the attack power or achieving the head shot for a specific case is represented. After the zoom process, when a predetermined condition subsequent (for example, the player places the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller 308 to face the outside of the screen, or the player is covered in the collapse of the screening object G) is satisfied, the process is looped to the initial step (Step S41). In this embodiment, a case where out-of-bullet or movement of the enemy character E is not included in the condition subsequent of the quick zoom process. When the condition subsequent is not satisfied, the zoomed state is continued until a predetermined time elapses. Then, after the predetermined time elapses, the process is looped to the initial step (Step S42).
The process sequence and content of the quick zoom are as described above, and subsequently, an example of the above-described quick zoom will be described with an image example (see
When the zoom operation is performed to the end as described above (see FIG. 38(B)), according to this embodiment, the following advantages and disadvantages are implemented. Described with a detailed example, as advantages, the attack power is doubled, and the attack power is tripled for a case where the head shot, to be described later, is achieved, and whereby large damage can be given to the enemy character E. On the other hand, as a disadvantage, a rigid state is represented after the quick zoom operation, and thus the player character P cannot shoot the gun during the rigid state (see
Although the above-described embodiment is one appropriate embodiment of the present invention, the invention is not limited thereto. Thus, the embodiment may be changed in various manners without departing from the gist of the present invention.
Subsequently, another embodiment of the present invention will be described (see
A player aims the gun-type controller to be faced with the monitor 306 and pulls a trigger toward the enemy character displayed on the monitor. When a bullet hits the enemy character, the enemy character inside the monitor can be brought down. From the gun-type controller 308, a communication line is drawn out, and the communication line is connected to the second casing 304. In addition, the entire height of the second casing 304 is smaller than that of the first casing 302, and thus, it is configured that the field of view of the player is not blocked. Inside the first casing 304, a control board of the electronic play device is housed.
In addition, pedal switches 310 and 312 are provided from a front end of the lower end of the second casing 304 on the player side toward the player. There are left and right pedal switches. By player's individually pushing the left and right pedal switches by the feet, a player character on a screen can be moved to the left or right side.
In the example of a game that is implemented in the above-described electronic play device, a player character fights an enemy character in a three-dimensional virtual space. The player character performs a gun battle with the enemy character while hiding its body behind a post or the like. When the player pulls the trigger of the gun-type controller, an operation signal from the gun-type controller is transmitted to the control board, and the control board determines whether the enemy character is shot by a bullet. When the enemy character is shot, an image representation such as bringing the enemy character down is performed.
On the other hand, when the player character is shot by a bullet of the enemy character, or a post near the player character is shot by a bullet of the enemy character, the post is collapsed to cause damage to the player character. Even when a drum can, for example, containing a combustible material that is located near the player character is shot by a bullet, the player character receives damage due to explosion of the drum can.
The gun aiming-position detecting unit 606 that detects the aiming of the gun-type controller is configured as follows. As illustrated in FIG. 24 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-86038, a plurality of LEDs is disposed near the display panel and is configured to emit light sequentially. Then, a plurality of light receiving units disposed in a simulation controller receives the light. Then, the control unit 10 analyzes signals from each light receiving unit so as to detect the direction of the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller. The control unit 602 determines the position of a virtual view point inside the virtual space based on the game program. Then, the control unit 602 performs a projection transformation process for an image acquired from viewing the virtual space from the position of the virtual view point and displays the transformed image in a display unit 608. In addition, the game program generates various sound effects such as a bullet shooting sound or a hit sound, and generates the sound effects by using a sound generating unit 610.
The CPU block 10 is a main body for performing an image process based on the game program and includes a bus arbiter 100, a CPU 101, a main memory 102, a ROM 103, and a program data memory unit 600. The bus arbiter 100 is configured to be able to control data reception and data transmission by assigning a bus occupying time period to a device that is interconnected with the arbiter through a bus.
The CPU 101 transfers program data for an operating system stored in the game program data memory unit 600 to the main memory 102 by executing an initial program (initial execution program) that is stored in the ROM 103 at a time when the power is turned on. Thereafter, the CPU 101 is operated in accordance with the operating system. Thus, the CPU continuously transfers the application program data stored in the program data memory unit to the main memory 102 and executes the program.
In addition, the CPU 101 is configured to be able to transfer image data to a graphic memory 111 and transfer voice data to a sound memory 121. The processes performed by the CPU 101 in accordance with the program data are mainly the input of an operation signal from an operation device 107 and analysis of communication data from the communication device 130 and an image process directed to the video block 11 and a voice process directed to the sound block 12, based thereon.
The main memory 102, other than mainly storing the above-described program data for the operating system and the application program data, provides a work area in which a static variable, a dynamic variable, or the like is stored to the CPU. The ROM 103 is an area in which an initial program loader is stored.
In the program data memory unit, program data for enabling the game device to perform a predetermined image processing method, image data for displaying an image, voice data for outputting voice, and the like are stored. In addition, the game device can enable the player character P to fight against an enemy character operated by a match-up player as a match-up opponent in a common virtual three-dimensional space by exchanging data with another game device through the communication device 130. When there is no match-up player, the enemy character is operated by the CPU 101.
The operation device 107 outputs an operation signal corresponding to the state of a gamer's operation performed by a player for the operation button or the like to a bus of the CPU block 10. The video block 11 includes a VDP (Video Display Processor) 110, a graphic memory 111, and a video converter 112. In the graphic memory 111, as described above, the image data read out from the program data memory unit is stored.
The VDP 110 is configured to read image data needed for image display from the image data stored in the graphic memory 111 and perform coordinate transformation (geometry calculation), a texture mapping process, a display prioritizing process, a shading process, or the like in accordance with data needed for image display which is supplied from the CPU 101, that is, command data, view point position data, light source position data, object designating data, object position data, texture designating data, texture density data, field of sight converting matrix data, or the like.
In addition, the above-described processes such as the coordinate transformation may be configured to be performed by the CPU 101. In other words, a process is assigned to a specific device in consideration of calculation capability of each device. The video encoder 112 is configured to output the image data generated by the VDP 110 to the monitor device 608.
The sound block 12 includes a sound processor 120, a sound memory 121, and a D/A converter 122. In the sound memory 121, as described above, the voice data read out from the CD-ROM is stored. The sound processor 120 is configured to read out the voice data such as waveform data stored in the memory 121 and perform various effect processes on the basis of a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) function, a digital/analog conversion process, and the like, based on the command data supplied from the CPU 101. Then, the D/A converter 122 is configured to be able to convert the voice data generated by a sound processor 120 into an analog signal and output the analog signal to a speaker 610 that is connected externally.
Next, the operation of the game device will be described based on a flowchart. The control unit 602 of the electronic play device 602, mainly the CPU 101 performs control for moving the virtual view point based on a flowchart represented in
This flowchart is performed for each frame. In Step 700, the CPU acquires the state of the player character. The state of the player character is the state of the player character including whether the player is stopped or the player character is moving or the like. There are control values for each state of the player character, and by checking the control values by using the CPU, the state of the player character can be determined. The control values are stored in the main memory 102. In addition, the movement of the player character to the left or right side in the virtual space is implemented by ON of the left and right pedal switches 310 and 312, and thus, the CPU can determine that the player character is moving based on ON of the pedal switches.
When it is determined that the player character is moving in Step S702, the process returns to Step 700. In addition, when the player character is not active, for example, when the player character is shot by a bullet from the enemy character and is fallen down, and thus an input operation from the player cannot be reflected on the player character, the process returns similarly.
On the other hand, when the player character is substantially in a stop state, the process proceeds to Step 704. Then, it is determined whether there is a screening object such as a post near the player character in which the player character can hide its body. When there is the screening object, damage of the screening object is determined. The damage of the screening object is calculated based on the number of hits of bullets of the enemy character and the types of the hit bullets. It is determined whether the screening object is hit by a bullet based on whether a moving bullet and the screening object collide with each other in the virtual space.
Each time the screening object is hit by a bullet, the endurance value of the screening object decreases. An image in which the screening object is gradually damaged is reproduced in accordance with the decrease in the endurance value. When the endurance value is equal to or smaller than a limit value, an image in which the screening object collapses is reproduced.
The CPU determines whether the endurance value is equal to or smaller than a specific threshold value (706). When the endurance value is equal to or larger than the threshold value, it is determined that there is no possibility that the screening object collapses, and the process proceeds to Step 700. On the other hand, when the endurance value is equal to or smaller than the threshold value, it is determined whether the warning mark “!” has appeared in the past.
As is represented in Step 710 and thereafter, when the endurance value of the screening object is equal to or smaller than a specific value, a warning mark is represented, and a position of the virtual view point is changed from the first person point of view to a position of the third person point of view. The process of Step 708 represents that the process returns to Step 700 in a case where the player character is located near the screening object that becomes the target for the warning mark and the warning mark has appeared in the past. This means that a process for displaying a warning mark and moving the view point is performed only once for a specific screening object.
The CPU sets a flag that indicates whether a warning mark is displayed for each screening object in the system memory 102. The CPU performs a determination process of Step 708 by checking this flag.
When negative determination is acquired in Step 708, the process proceeds to Step 710, and a warning mark is displayed near the specific screening object and the player character.
In Step 712, the CPU acquires the state of the player character. In Step 714, it is checked whether the player character is on the gun-aiming behavior. As the player places the gun-type controller toward the screen without pushing the pedal switches by the feet, the player character performs an operation for aiming the gun. At this moment, the first person point of view is selected by the game program (
When it is checked that the player character is on the gun-aiming behavior in Step 714, the virtual camera is moved from the position (
As can be known from
The CPU checks whether a condition for canceling the warning mark and view point moving process occurs (718). For example, the condition subsequent is that the player character who fights against the enemy character with hiding in the shadow of the screening object is apart from the wall by an operation of the pedal switches performed by the player who has seen the warning mark. In such a case, originally, the warning mark is not needed, and the view point is not needed to be fixed to the third person point of view. In addition, a case where attack from the enemy character is violent and the screening object collapses or the like corresponds to the condition subsequent.
When negative determination is made for the condition subsequent, the CPU checks whether a predetermined time period elapses after displaying the warning mark on the screen in Step 718. When the predetermined time period elapses, the CPU removes the warning mark “!” from the screen, and cancels locating the position of the camera to the third person point of view (716). Then, the CPU moves the position of the camera to a position appropriate to the current situation (Steps 722 and 724). For example, the position of the virtual camera is returned from the position of the third person point of view represented in
The “predetermined time period” in Step 720 is determined as follows. When the screen (the display time period represented in
For the predetermined time period, a set value is stored in the memory. The set value for the predetermined time period may be read out by the CPU from a memory unit or a main memory. In addition, the time period for retreating the virtual camera may be appropriately changed based on the progress state of the game, the type of the object to be broken, or the like. The time period for retreating the camera and the time period for displaying the warning mark are set in accordance with the type of the screening object. Thus, when the screening object is a dangerous material (a material causing large damage in case of explosion, compared to a normal case), the “predetermined time period” may be set to be relatively long, compared to an ordinary case.
In the above-described embodiment, the screening object corresponds to a first object in the claims, the player character corresponds to a second object in the claims, and the enemy character corresponds to the other objects in the claims. In addition, the degree of endurance corresponds to the degree of influence in the claims.
According to the above-described embodiment, as can be known by comparing
The invention in the above-described embodiment relates to an electronic play device, and more particularly, to an electronic play device that implements a shooting game in which a player shoots an enemy character by using a gun-type controller and obtains a score based on the success of shooting. Here, the background of the present invention and problems to be solved will be described as below.
Three-dimensional virtualization technology is employed in the electronic play device. The three-dimensional virtualization technology is technology in which an object is disposed inside a virtual space formed as a three dimension, a perspective transformation process is performed for an image acquired from viewing the object from a virtual view point, and the transformed image is displayed in a display. The virtual view point is defined as a virtual camera inside the three dimensional space. The virtual camera is moved inside the virtual space on reception of an output signal from a gun-type model that is handled by a player.
An object is defined inside the virtual space and may be a character, a background, or the like. A character is mainly a person. A character operated by a player is called a player character. In addition a character that becomes an enemy of the player character is called an enemy character. In an application program for a shooting game, a shooting game between the player character and the enemy character is played. In a play system in which players fight one another among a plurality of electronic play devices, shooting battles among the player characters are played.
As view point switching technology for switching between positions of virtual view points, there is technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 07-116343. According to the disclosed technology, there are a first person point of view and a third person point of view as view points. The former view point is located in a position of the eyes of the player character or in a position near a head part of the player character from which the head part of the player character is mainly looked down. In addition, the latter view point is located in a position departed from the player character from which the entire body of the player character is looked down.
According to the first person point of view, the player can adjust the view point by matching an approximate height of eyes of the player character, and accordingly, the first person point of view provides a game environment having high realistic sensation to the player. On the other hand, while the third person point of view does not have the above-described advantage, the third person point of view has an advantage that the player can recognize the virtual space widely.
Besides, there is a conventional example in which disposition of a plurality of characters is displayed on a screen like a radar in a real world. In this example, the player can acquire relative positions of the plurality of characters regardless of the position of the view point.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problems to be Solved by the Invention]For example, a player in the first person point of view may not recognize a case where a wall near the character is started to collapse or the like. Thus, to notify the player of danger by displaying a warning mark may be considered. However, the position of the view point does not change, and accordingly, the player cannot objectively recognize the environment in which he faces the danger. Thus, when the user operates the operation device so as to switch from the first person point of view to the third person point of view, the realistic sensation of the first person point of view may decrease.
Thus, the object of the present invention is to provide technology for controlling movement of the virtual camera which notifies the player of the surrounding environment of a specific object without decreasing the realistic sensation.
According to the present invention, technology for controlling movement of the virtual camera which notifies the player of the surrounding environment of a specific object without decreasing the realistic sensation can be provided.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITYIt is preferable that the present invention is applied to an upright-type body sensory game device, and more particularly, to a simulated shooting game device using a simulated gun.
Claims
1-18. (canceled)
19. A game device that generates an image of a match-up game in which a player character that is operated by player's operating operation means and an enemy character that becomes a match-up opponent of the player character fight each other by moving within a virtual space and displays the generated image in a display device,
- wherein, in the virtual space, a player character moving area in which the player character can be moved and player character stop-position setting areas corresponding to a plurality of screening objects that are disposed in the player character area are set, and
- the game device comprising player character moving control means that determines the nearest screening object in the movement direction of the player character as a shield object that becomes a movement target of the player character based on a position of the player character and a movement direction input from the operation means at a time when an input for moving the player character in a predetermined direction is made by the operation means, sets a movement target point of the player character to a position, located within the player character stop-position setting area, in which the player character is in a shadow of the determined shield object with respect to a position of the player character based on information included in the player character stop-position setting area set for the determined screening object and coordinate information of the position of the enemy character at a time point when the moving operation is input, moves the player character toward the set player character stop-position, and performs a control operation for stopping the movement of the player character in the stop position at a time when the player character arrives at the player character stop-position.
20. The game device according to claim 19, wherein the shield object that is located closest to the one character in the movement direction of the one character that receives the movement direction is set as a movement destination shield object, and the movement destination is set to a position located behind the movement destination shield object.
21. The game device according to claim 20, wherein, in a case where the one character receives the movement direction, the movement destination of the one character that receives the movement direction is set to a point on a virtual straight line that connects the position of the other character at a time point when the movement direction is received and a reference point of the movement destination shield object.
22. The game device according to claim 19,
- wherein the electronic play device provides a shooting game using a simulated gun, and
- wherein the input device includes a gun-type controller that can perform a simulated operation and left and right independent pedal switches that can be operated to move the player character in one direction and the other direction as movement directing means.
23. The game device according to claim 22, further comprising a gun aiming position detecting unit that detects an aiming position of the gun-type controller, wherein moving speed of the player character changes in accordance with the gun aiming position.
24. The game device according to claim 22, wherein, when the movement direction for a direction that is reverse to a moving direction is received from the pedal switch during a moving operation of the player character in the moving direction, the player character is turned back to be moved in the reverse direction, and a new movement destination is set in a movement direction after the turning-back operation.
25. The game device according to any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the pedal switches also serve as special command inputting means used for directing a special operation other than the moving operation to the player character in a case where a predetermined operation is input under a predetermined condition.
26. A game control method for controlling a moving operation of any of objects at a time when a coordinate transformation process for an image acquired by viewing the objects inside a virtual space from a virtual view point in accordance with an output from an input device that is operated by a player is performed by using an image processing device and the transformed image is displayed in a display device,
- wherein a plurality of the objects set in the virtual space includes a player character that is operated in accordance with an operation of the player, an enemy character that becomes a match-up opponent of the player character, and a plurality of shield objects that are disposed in movement areas of the player character and the enemy character, and
- wherein, in a case where there is a movement direction for the player character and/or the enemy character, when a movement destination of one character, which receives the movement direction, between the player character and the enemy character at a time point when the movement direction is received is automatically set based on a position relationship between the other character and the shield objects, the movement destination of the one character that receives the movement direction is set to a position in which at least a part of the one character is hidden behind the shield object, viewed from the view point of the other character.
27. A game program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the game program comprising:
- computer readable code configured to allow the computer of a game device, which sets a player character that is operated in accordance with an operation of a player, an enemy character that becomes a match-up opponent of the player character, and a plurality of shield objects that are disposed in movement areas of the player character and the enemy character in a virtual space as a plurality of objects, performs a coordinate transformation process for an image acquired by viewing the objects inside the virtual space from a virtual view point in accordance with an output from an input device that is operated by the player by using an image processing device, and displays the transformed image in a display device, to perform, in a case where there is a movement direction for the player character and/or the enemy character, when a movement destination of one character, which receives the movement direction, between the player character and the enemy character at a time point when the movement direction is received is automatically set based on a position relationship between the other character and the shield objects, a sequence for setting the movement destination of the one character that receives the movement direction to a position in which at least a part of the one character is hidden behind the shield object, viewed from the view point of the other character.
28. A game device comprising: an image processing device that disposes a plurality of objects in a virtual space, changes the position of a virtual view point in accordance with an output from an operation device operated by a player, performs a coordinate transformation process for an image acquired from viewing the objects within the virtual space from the virtual view point, and displays the transformed image in display means,
- wherein the image processing device includes:
- first means that disposes a first object in the virtual space;
- second means that disposes a second object near the first object;
- third means that disposes the virtual view point in a first position near the second object;
- fourth means that disposes the virtual view point in a second position departed from the second object;
- fifth means that calculates the degree of influence of objects other than the first object and the second object on the first object; and
- sixth means that places the virtual view point in the first position before the result of calculation exceeds a threshold value, moves the virtual view point located in the first position from the first position to the second position when the result of calculation exceeds the threshold value to be fixed to the second position, and releases fixing of the virtual view point to the second position after a limited time elapses.
29. The game device according to claim 28, wherein the image processing device further includes means for generating a warning mark in the display means in a case where the degree of influence exceeds the threshold value.
30. The game device according to claim 28, wherein the limited time is a time period until the influenced first object exceeds the threshold value to be exploded.
31. The game device according to claim 28, wherein the sixth means moves the virtual view point located in the second position to a position that is determined based on an output from the input device.
32. The game device according to claim 28, wherein the sixth means moves the virtual view point located in the second position to the first position.
33. An image processing method in which a game device including an image processing device that disposes a plurality of objects in a virtual space, changes the position of a virtual view point in accordance with an output from an operation device operated by a player, performs a coordinate transformation process for an image acquired from viewing the objects within the virtual space from the virtual view point, and displays the transformed image in display means is implemented,
- wherein the image processing device, based on a game program, includes:
- a first process that disposes a first object in the virtual space;
- a second process that disposes a second object near the first object;
- a third process that disposes the virtual view point in a first position near the second object;
- a fourth process that disposes the virtual view point in a second position departed from the second object;
- a fifth process that calculates the degree of influence of objects other than the first object and the second object on the first object; and
- a sixth process that places the virtual view point in the first position before the result of calculation exceeds a threshold value, moves the virtual view point located in the first position from the first position to the second position when the result of calculation exceeds the threshold value to be fixed to the second position, and releases fixing of the virtual view point to the second position after a limited time elapses.
34. A game program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the game program comprising computer readable code configured to allow a game device including an image processing device that disposes a plurality of objects in a virtual space, changes the position of a virtual view point in accordance with an output from an operation device operated by a player, performs a coordinate transformation process for an image acquired from viewing the objects within the virtual space from the virtual view point, and displays the transformed image in display means is implemented to perform:
- a first process that disposes a first object in the virtual space;
- a second process that disposes a second object near the first object;
- a third process that disposes the virtual view point in a first position near the second object;
- a fourth process that disposes the virtual view point in a second position departed from the second object;
- a fifth process that calculates the degree of influence of objects other than the first object and the second object on the first object; and
- a sixth process that places the virtual view point in the first position before the result of calculation exceeds a threshold value, moves the virtual view point located in the first position from the first position to the second position when the result of calculation exceeds the threshold value to be fixed to the second position, and releases fixing of the virtual view point to the second position after a limited time elapses.
35. A recording medium having the game program recorded thereon that can be readable by the computer of the image processing device.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 10, 2007
Publication Date: Jan 14, 2010
Inventors: Kazutomo Sambongi (Tokyo), Naotoshi Eguchi (Tokyo), Takeshi Yamaya (Tokyo), Kazuya Takahashi (Tokyo)
Application Number: 12/445,279
International Classification: A63F 9/24 (20060101);