Game system, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein information processing program, information processing apparatus, and information processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11938396-B2
Application number	US-202217897241-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2022
Priority date	Mar 19, 2020
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

An example of a game system includes an input apparatus, at least a part of which elastically deforms by applying a force to the input apparatus. During the execution of a rhythm game, music is reproduced, and at each of a plurality of timings associated with the music, a user input is evaluated. If the input apparatus deforms at a predetermined timing, a user input at the predetermined timing is evaluated in favor of a user regardless of whether or not the input apparatus deforms from a time before the predetermined timing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A game system for providing a user with a rhythm game where a plurality of timings for evaluating a user input are set, the game system comprising:
an input apparatus including a member, at least a part of which elastically deforms by the user applying a force to the input apparatus;
a sensor configured to provide an output corresponding to deformation of the input apparatus; and
at least one processor, wherein
the at least one processor is configured to:
acquire, as a user input, information based on the output of the sensor;
execute the rhythm game;
during the execution of the rhythm game, evaluate the user input based on a first determination for determining whether or not the input apparatus deforms at any of the timings and a second determination based on a deformation amount of the input apparatus; and
in the first determination, give the same evaluation to the user input in a case where the input apparatus deforms at any of the timings, and a case where the input apparatus deforms from a time before the timing to the timing.

2. The game system according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one processor is configured to evaluate the user input related to the deformation more against the user in a case where the input apparatus deforms after the timing, than in a case where the input apparatus deforms before the timing.

3. The game system according to claim 1 , wherein
at the timing, the at least one processor is configured to give the same evaluation to the user input in (a) a case where the input apparatus deforms at a first timing, and the deformation continues also at a time point of a second timing after the first timing, and (b) a case where the input apparatus deforms at the first timing, then, the input apparatus returns to a steady state, and the input apparatus deforms again at the second timing.

4. The game system according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one processor is configured to:
if it is determined in the first determination that the input apparatus deforms, make the second determination after a certain time elapses from a time point when it is determined that the input apparatus deforms; and
evaluate the user input based on the deformation amount of the input apparatus in a certain period determined based on a time point when it is determined in the second determination that the input apparatus deforms.

5. The game system according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one processor is configured to:
output a first sound effect based on a result of the first determination; and
output a second sound effect based on a result of the second determination.

6. The game system according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one processor is further configured to display on a display apparatus an instruction sign for presenting any of the timings to the user.

7. The game system according to claim 6 , wherein
the at least one processor is configured to display the instruction sign to move in a near direction from a position in a depth direction of a screen of the display apparatus.

8. The game system according to claim 6 , wherein
the at least one processor is configured to move the instruction sign from an initial position to one of three or more determination areas, and
the at least one processor is further configured to:
detect an orientation of the input apparatus;
in accordance with the orientation of the input apparatus, specify one of the three or more determination areas; and
if the instruction sign is present in the specified determination area, and the input apparatus deforms at any of the timings, evaluate the user input in favor of the user.

9. The game system according to claim 8 , wherein
if the determination area where the instruction sign is present is specified once at the timing, the determination area continues to be specified regardless of the orientation of the input apparatus until the timing elapses.

10. The game system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the timings is a predetermined timing.

11. The game system according to claim 1 , wherein the first determination comprises setting a first evaluation value based on whether or not the input apparatus deforms at any of the timings,
wherein the second determination comprises setting a second evaluation value based on the deformation amount of the input apparatus, and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to evaluate the user input based on the first evaluation value and the second evaluation value.

12. The game system according to claim 1 , wherein the second determination is performed at any of the timings.

13. The game system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the timings comprises an elapsed period of time.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an information processing program executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus for providing a user with a rhythm game where a plurality of timings for evaluating a user input are set, the information processing program causing the computer to:
acquire, as a user input, information based on an output corresponding to deformation of an input apparatus, at least a part of which elastically deforms by the user applying a force to the input apparatus;
execute the rhythm game;
during the execution of the rhythm game, evaluate the user input based on a first determination for determining whether or not the input apparatus deforms at any of the timings and a second determination based on a deformation amount of the input apparatus; and
in the first determination, give the same evaluation to the user input in a case where the input apparatus deforms at any of the timings, and a case where the input apparatus deforms from a time before the timing to the timing.

15. An information processing apparatus including at least one processor for providing a user with a rhythm game where a plurality of timings for evaluating a user input are set, wherein
the at least one processor is configured to:
acquire, as a user input, information based on an output corresponding to deformation of an input apparatus, at least a part of which elastically deforms by the user applying a force to the input apparatus;
execute the rhythm game;
during the execution of the rhythm game, evaluate the user input based on a first determination for determining whether or not the input apparatus deforms at any of the timings and a second determination based on a deformation amount of the input apparatus; and
in the first determination, give the same evaluation to the user input in a case where the input apparatus deforms at any of the timings, and a case where the input apparatus deforms from a time before the timing to the timing.

16. An information processing method executed by an information processing system for providing a user with a rhythm game where a plurality of timings for evaluating a user input are set, the information processing method comprising:
acquiring, as a user input, information based on an output corresponding to deformation of an input apparatus, at least a part of which elastically deforms by the user applying a force to the input apparatus;
executing the rhythm game;
during the execution of the rhythm game, evaluating the user input based on a first determination for determining whether or not the input apparatus deforms at any of the timings and a second determination based on a deformation amount of the input apparatus; and
in the first determination, giving the same evaluation to the user input in a case where the input apparatus deforms a

Assignees

• Nintendo Co Ltd

Inventors

• Suzuki Ryosuke
• Hamaue Hiroki

Classifications

• A63F13/245 Primary

  specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels · CPC title

• A63F13/211

  using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes · CPC title

• A63F13/218

  using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player · CPC title

• A63F13/44

  involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot · CPC title

• A63F13/814

  Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation · CPC title