Abstract: A game apparatus includes a CPU. In the game apparatus, it is determined whether movement state of a player object formed by a plurality of parts has satisfied a predetermined requirement or not. The predetermined requirement is, for example, that a movement speed is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value, or that an event where a difference in angle between a current movement direction and an immediately preceding movement direction is equal to or more than a predetermined value has been detected a predetermined number of times or more within a given length of time. When the predetermined requirement is satisfied, that is, when there is an input operation to move the player object quickly or when there is an input operation to shake the player object, for instance, the player object is separated into the plurality of parts.

Abstract: A plurality of selection subjects which are divided into groups under a predetermined condition are displayed on a display screen. One group is selected based on coordinate information output from a pointing device. Next, based on an operation signal output from an input device which outputs an operation signal of a plurality of types of operation signals, depending on a player's operation, one is selected from the selection subjects belonging to the group, and a process is performed, depending on the selected selection subject.

Abstract: Game apparatuses connected in a peer-to-peer manner play a competitive game with each other. Each of the game apparatuses stores a ranking table ranking points of multiple users based on past games of the users. When finishing playing the game, the game apparatuses respectively calculate points obtained by the respective users based on the result of the game, and update the ranking tables based on the newly calculated points. The game apparatuses transmit and receive information on the updated ranking table to and from each other. Each game apparatus integrates the ranking table locally stored with the ranking table transmitted from the other game apparatus to generate a new ranking table, and displays the new ranking table on a display device.

Abstract: Video game play rendered using a panoramic view of a cube map style rendering uses an associated depth map to supply three-dimensionality to the pre-rendered scene. The resulting panoramic rendering may be indistinguishable from rendering the original scene in real-time except that the background is of pre-rendered quality.

Abstract: A plurality of areas are set on an image displayed on a display screen, and a plurality of performance indexes, each of which indicates a range of each of the areas, are displayed. An area designated by an operation input is detected, and sound output information is generated when an operation input, which designates one of the areas, and then further designates another area other than the designated area, is detected. Thereafter, a sound is outputted from a speaker in accordance with the sound output information.

Abstract: When a battery pack, comprising an overcurrent protection section for stopping, when a current greater than a first threshold value passes, a current supply, is connected to a power supply terminal of an information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus draws a current greater than the first threshold value. Thereafter, an output current and output voltage of the battery pack are detected, thereby measuring a time period from when a current drawing section draws the current greater than the first threshold value to when the battery pack stops the current supply. When the measured time period is within a first predetermined time range, the battery pack is permitted to supply an electric power. On the other hand, when the measured time period is not in the first predetermined time range, the battery pack is prohibited from supplying the electric power.

Abstract: A game apparatus includes a first LCD, a second LCD, and a microphone disposed between the first LCD and the second LCD. A computer of the game apparatus displays a game image including an object image on at least one of the first LCD and the second LCD. When sound is detected through the microphone, the computer changes the object image displayed on the first LCD and/or the second LCD.

Abstract: A game apparatus displays a game screen of 9×9 grid, for example, of a Sudoku puzzle on one LCD and an empty cell (cell to be answered) is large-displayed on the other LCD. A touch panel is provided on the LCD to allow a player to handwrite a numeral to fill in the cell with a stick, etc. on the touch panel. When a handwritten region is larger at a certain degree or more with respect to the cell, it is considered that an answer numeral is input, and the answer numeral is large-displayed. If the handwritten region is not so large as to the cell, it is considered that a note numeral is input, and the note numeral is displayed in a smaller region in the cell. However, if the notes numeral is settled as an answer numeral, a game determination is performed according to the answer numeral.

Abstract: A computer of an image processing device executing an image processing program displays, on a display device, a virtual three-dimensional space where there are a plurality of objects. The computer varies a size of a collision detection region defined for a predetermined object so that the size repeatedly increases and decreases over time, while the predetermined object is moving. Then, based on the collision detection region, it is determined whether or not the predetermined object and another object are in contact with each other. The computer displays, on the display device, a predetermined effect being inflicted on the object determined to be in contact with the predetermined object.

Abstract: A communication terminal transmits, to an access point apparatus, a connection request which includes communication terminal information for identifying the communication terminal and display manner information representing a display manner in which the communication terminal information is displayed on a display device of the access point apparatus. The access point apparatus displays particulars of the communication terminal information included in the connection request, transmitted from the communication terminal, in the display manner represented by the display manner information included in the connection request. The access point apparatus further allows the user to select whether the communication terminal corresponding to the communication terminal information displayed on the display device is to be permitted for connection or not.

Abstract: A graphics system including a custom graphics and audio processor produces exciting 2D and 3D graphics and surround sound. The system includes a graphics and audio processor including a 3D graphics pipeline and an audio digital signal processor. Techniques for efficiently buffering graphics data between a producer and a consumer within a low-cost graphics systems such as a 3D home video game overcome the problem that a small-sized FIFO buffer in the graphics hardware may not adequately load balance a producer and consumer—causing the producer to stall when the consumer renders bit primitives. One aspect of the invention solves this invention by allocating part of main memory to provide a variable number of variable sized graphics commands buffers. Applications can specify the number of buffers and the size of each. All writes to the graphics FIFO can be routed a buffer in main memory. The producer and consumer independently maintain their own read and write pointers, decoupling the producer from the consumer.

Abstract: A first collision determination area and a second collision determination area moving concurrently with a motion of a player character are set, and a collision of the first or second collision determination area against an object is detected. Each time a collision of the first collision determination area against an object is detected, an influence to be exerted on the object which has collided against the first collision determination area is determined as being one of a plurality of preset influences at a predetermined probability. Each time a collision of the second collision determination area against an object is detected, an influence to be exerted on the object which has collided against the second collision determination area is determined as being a predetermined influence. The display state of each object is changed to a display state in accordance with the respectively determined influence.

Abstract: A game apparatus includes a first LCD and a second LCD, and a touch panel is provided on the second LCD. A question screen is displayed on the first LCD, and an operation screen for answering the question is displayed on the second LCD. On the question screen, a plurality of points are connected by a connecting line to display figures, characters, symbols (figure, etc). The operation screen displays a figure, etc. displayed on the question screen with a part of the connecting line thereof erased. A player performs an operation on a touch panel so as to display a figure, etc. the same as the figure, etc. displayed on the question screen. The player touches the touch panel to determine a drawing start point, the determination area of a point to be connected with thereto is set to become large while the determination area of the point not to be connected thereto is set to become small.

Abstract: A first recessed portion shaped so as to be open toward an outer periphery of a substrate is disposed on the substrate, and a conductive pattern is provided on an edge portion of the first recessed portion. A connector mounted on the substrate includes a body and terminals which are surface-mounted on the substrate and protrude from the body. The connector is mounted on the substrate such that a bottom of the terminals is positioned higher than a bottom of the body by a predetermined height. The connector is mounted on the substrate such that the body is disposed in the first recessed portion and the terminals contact the conductive pattern on the substrate.

Abstract: A first display displays a game image which is generated by perspective transformation of a virtual three-dimensional space. A second display is provided under a touch panel to display an image of a two-dimensional plane excluding a height direction with a player character always placed in a center position. Multiple specific coordinate positions are set at predetermined positions on the touch panel, and plural pieces of motion data are prestored in association with the respective specific coordinate positions. When a player touches the touch panel, specific coordinate positions whose associated motion data is to be blended are selected according to the coordinates of the touched position.

Abstract: When a direction is input through a direction indicating switch of an operation switch unit, a player character of a game, such as, but not limited to, for example a basketball game, moves in the inputted direction while dribbling a ball. When a direction directed toward the position of the ball from the position of the player character matches with the inputted direction, the moving speed of the player character becomes V. When the direction directed toward the position of the ball from the position of the player character does not match with the input direction, the moving speed of the player character becomes Vcos(?/2) where ? is an angle defined by the direction directed toward the position of the ball from the position of the player character and the inputted direction.

Abstract: A color image viewed from a virtual camera is generated. Next, a fog image is generated by adding a fog color to respective objects in accordance with distances from a position, which is represented by a Z value, of a player object to positions of the respective objects which are represented by Z values. Further, mask processing is performed so as to add to the fog image a predetermined fog color in accordance with distances from a predetermined reference pixel to pixels in a lateral and a longitudinal directions in the fog image. And an image into which the fog image and the color image have been synthesized is displayed as a game image.

Abstract: A multi-player game system includes number-of-players detection means for detecting the number of players participating in the game; primary game field data storage means for storing primary game field data; secondary game field data storage means for storing at least two units of secondary game field data 150, such that each unit of secondary game field data is associated with a different number of participating players; secondary game field data selection means for selecting, in accordance with the number of participating players as detected by the number-of-players detection means, one of the at least two units of secondary game field data from the secondary game field data storage means; game field generation means for combining the primary game field data with the secondary game field data to generate a game field. A plurality of players are allowed to play a game on the generated game field. Thus, in a multi-player game, it is possible to vary data concerning the game field, e.g.

Abstract: A fully programmable, graphics microprocessor is disclosed which is designed to be embodied in a removable external memory unit for connection with a host information processing system. In an exemplary embodiment, a video game system is described including a host video game system and a pluggable video game cartridge housing the graphics microprocessor. The game cartridge also includes a read-only program memory (ROM) and a random-access memory (RAM). The graphics coprocessor operates in conjunction with a three bus architecture embodied on the game cartridge. The graphics processor using this bus architecture may execute programs from either the program ROM, external RAM or its own internal cache RAM.