Simulation system, processing method, and information storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10915166-B2
Application number	US-201916245598-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2019
Priority date	Jul 13, 2016
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

A simulation system includes a processor including hardware. The processor is configured to perform: acquiring tracking information for point-of-view information about a user wearing an HMD; moving a moving body, corresponding to the user, in a virtual space; controlling a virtual camera set as a first person point-of-view of the user; and generating an image as viewed from the virtual camera in the virtual space, as a display image on the HMD. The processor is configured to perform, in controlling the virtual camera, setting the virtual camera so that a position and/or an orientation of the virtual camera is changed based on the tracking information, but orientation change of the virtual camera corresponding to at least one of pitching and rolling is disabled or limited in a case where a traveling direction of the moving body changes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A simulation system comprising a processor including hardware, the processor being configured to perform:
an input process that acquires tracking information including tracking information for point-of-view information about a user of a head mounted display worn by the user;
a moving body process that moves a moving body in a virtual space, which corresponds to the user;
a virtual camera control process that controls a virtual camera within the virtual space, the virtual camera being set as a first person point-of-view of the user, the virtual camera being set to be at a position corresponding to a point-of-view of the moving body in the virtual space, and when the moving body moves in the virtual space, the position of the virtual camera changes to follow the movement of the moving body; and
a display process of generating an image as viewed from the virtual camera in the virtual space, the generated virtual image being a display image displayed on the head mounted display to the user,
wherein in the virtual camera control process, the processor is configured to perform setting the virtual camera so that a position and an orientation of the virtual camera is changed based on the tracking information, while orientation change of the virtual camera corresponding to at least one of pitching and rolling is disabled or limited in a case where a traveling direction of the moving body corresponds to at least one of the pitching and the rolling changes.

2. The simulation system as defined in claim 1 , wherein in the input process, the processor acquires the tracking information obtained through a tracking process on the head mounted display, the tracking information including change information indicating a change in the point-of-view information from initial point-of-view information of the user.

3. The simulation system as defined in claim 1 , wherein:
in the moving body process, the processor performs a process of moving the moving body while disabling or limiting the orientation change of the moving body corresponding to at least one of the pitching and rolling in a case where a traveling direction of the moving body changes, and
in the virtual camera control process, the processor sets the virtual camera at the point-of-view of the moving body for which the orientation change is disabled or limited.

4. The simulation system as defined in claim 3 , wherein a process of moving a reference position of a local coordinate system for the moving body in a world coordinate system is performed, the local coordinate system is set so that rotational movement of the local coordinate system corresponding to at least one of pitching and rolling with respect to the world coordinate system is disabled or limited, and a point-of-view coordinate system for the virtual camera is set at the point-of-view position of the moving body in the local coordinate system.

5. The simulation system as defined in claim 3 , wherein in the moving body process, the processor moves the moving body on a course while disabling or limiting the change in the orientation of the moving body corresponding to at least one of the pitching and rolling in a case where the traveling direction of the moving body, which changes due to a change in a status of the course in the virtual space, while changing an orientation of a given object accompanying the moving body in accordance with the status of the course.

6. The simulation system as defined in claim 3 , wherein in the display process, the processor generates, for a competition image, an observation image, or a demo image, an image displaying a second moving body for which the change in orientation corresponding to at least one of the pitching and rolling is not disabled or limited.

7. The simulation system as defined in claim 3 , wherein in the virtual camera control process, the processor turns ON or OFF a process of disabling or limiting the change in orientation of the moving body corresponding to at least one of the pitching and rolling in accordance with whether a given condition is satisfied.

8. The simulation system as defined in claim 7 , wherein in the virtual camera control process, the processor turns ON or OFF a process of disabling or limiting the change in the orientation of the moving body corresponding to at least one of the pitching and rolling in accordance with a status of a course on which the moving body moves in the virtual space.

9. The simulation system as defined in claim 1 , wherein:
in the moving body process, the processor moves the moving body so that the orientation of the moving body changes in accordance with a change in the traveling direction of the moving body, and
in the virtual camera control process, the processor sets the virtual camera to disable or limit the change in the orientation of the virtual camera corresponding to at least one of the pitching and rolling in a case where the orientation of the moving body changes in accordance with a change in the traveling direction of the moving body.

10. The simulation system as defined in claim 9 , wherein in the moving body process, the processor sets the orientation of the moving body with reference to at least one of the position and the orientation of the virtual camera.

11. The simulation system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a movable casing that changes a play position of the user in accordance with a change in the traveling direction of the moving body or in accordance with a status of a course on which the moving body moves.

12. The simulation system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to perform a sound process of generating sound corresponding to a change in the traveling direction of the moving body or generating output sound corresponding to a status of a course on which the moving body moves.

13. The simulation system as defined in claim 1 , wherein in the virtual camera control process, the processor performs sets the process of disabling or limiting the change in the orientation of the virtual camera to be ON or OFF based on information set by the user or play history information about the user.

14. The simulation system as defined in claim 1 , wherein in the virtual camera control process, the change in the orientation of the virtual camera corresponding to yawing is not disabled or limited in a case where the traveling direction of the moving body corresponding to yawing changes.

15. A simulation system comprising a processor including hardware, the processor being configured to perform:
a moving body process that moves a moving body in a virtual space, which corresponds to the user;
a virtual camera control process that controls a virtual camera within the virtual space, the virtual camera being set as a first person point-of-view of the user, the virtual camera being set to be at a position corresponding to a point-of-view of the moving body in the virtual space, and when the moving body moves in the virtual space, the position of the virtual camera changes to follow the movement of the moving body; and
a display process of generating an image as viewed from the virtual camera in the virtual space, the generated virtual image being a display image displayed on a head mounted display to the user, wherein:
in the moving body process, the processor moves the moving body while disabling or limiting a change in orientation of the moving body in accordance with an orientation change of the virtual camera corresponding to at least one of pitching and rolling is disabled or limited in a case where a traveling direction of the moving body corresponds to at least

Assignees

• Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc

Inventors

• Ishii Yoshiaki
• Making Shinya

Classifications

• A63F13/25 Primary

  Output arrangements for video game devices · CPC title

• A63F13/807

  Gliding or sliding on surfaces, e.g. using skis, skates or boards · CPC title

• A63F13/525

  Changing parameters of virtual cameras · CPC title

• A63F13/212

  using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity · CPC title

• G06T19/00

  Manipulating three-dimensional [3D] models or images for computer graphics · CPC title