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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9180366-B2
Application number	US-201213605317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2012
Priority date	May 22, 2012
Publication date	Nov 10, 2015
Grant date	Nov 10, 2015

Abstract

In a game system, a first game screen obtained by a first virtual camera taking an operation target object in a first direction is displayed on a first display section, and a second game screen obtained by a second virtual camera taking the operation target object in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction is displayed on a second display section different from the first display section. The operation target object is controlled to move in a predetermined direction in a virtual space in accordance with an input direction detected based on input to an operation section. At a predetermined timing based on game processing, a direction in which the first virtual camera is set as seen from the operation target object and a direction in which the second virtual camera is set as seen from the operation target object are switched therebetween.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A game system comprising:
an operation device having an operation section and a first display section;
an input direction detector configured to detect an input direction that is designated, based on input to the operation section;
an object controller configured to, in accordance with the input direction, perform control such that an operation target object in a virtual space moves in a predetermined direction in the virtual space associated with the input direction;
a first virtual camera setter configured to set a first virtual camera for taking the operation target object in a first direction;
a second virtual camera setter configured to set a second virtual camera for taking the operation target object in a second direction which is substantially opposite to the first direction;
a first image generator configured to generate a first game screen, based on the first virtual camera;
a second image generator configured to generate a second game screen, based on the second virtual camera;
a first image transmitter configured to transmit the first game screen to the operation device;
a second image outputter configured to output the second game screen to a second display device which is a device separate from the first display section; and
a viewpoint switcher configured to, at a predetermined timing based on game processing, in the virtual space, replace a direction in which the first virtual camera is set as seen from the operation target object and a direction in which the second virtual camera is set as seen from the operation target object with each other;
the first image generator further generates an image shielding at least a part of an image of the virtual space taken by the first virtual camera, at a predetermined timing based on a game processing.

2. The game system according to claim 1 , wherein
the viewpoint switcher replaces, in accordance with game progress, a direction in which the first virtual camera is set as seen from the operation target object and a direction in which the second virtual camera is set as seen from the operation target object with each other.

3. The game system according to claim 1 , wherein
the operation target object is at least a part of a player object,
the first virtual camera setter sets the first virtual camera such that the first virtual camera takes the operation target object from a viewpoint seeing the back of the player object,
the second virtual camera setter sets the second virtual camera such that the second virtual camera takes the operation target object from a viewpoint seeing the front of the player object,
the object controller performs control such that the input direction is the same as a movement direction of the at least part of the player object as seen from the back, and
the viewpoint switcher replaces the viewpoint seeing the back and the viewpoint seeing the front with each other, or reverses a direction of the player object.

4. The game system according to claim 3 , wherein
the operation section includes a stick section,
the input direction detector detects a stick input direction, based on an input to the stick section, and
the object controller performs control such that the stick input direction apparently coincides with a movement direction of the at least part of the player object as seen from the back.

5. The game system according to claim 4 , wherein
the stick section includes a left stick section provided so as to be operable by the left hand of a player, and a right stick section provided so as to be operable by the right hand of a player,
the operation target object includes a left object which is a part of the player object and is positioned on the left as seen from the back, and a right object which is a part of the player object and is positioned on the right as seen from the back,
the input direction detector
detects a left stick input direction, based on an input to the left stick section, and
detects a right stick input direction, based on an input to the right stick section, and

the object contoller
performs control such that the left stick input direction apparently coincides with a movement direction of the left object as seen from the back, and
performs control such that the right stick input direction apparently coincides with a movement direction of the right object as seen from the back.

6. The game system according to claim 1 , further comprising
a game progress controller configured to progress a game when movement of the operation target object controlled by the object controller is the same as predetermined movement that is set.

7. The game system according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a timing determiner configured to determine whether or not a timing of an input to the operation section coincides with a predetermined timing that is set; and
a movement direction determiner configured to determine whether or not the input direction detected by the input direction detector is the same as a predetermined direction that is set, wherein
the game progress controller progresses a game when at least one of a determination result by the timing determiner and a determination result by the movement direction determiner is positive.

8. The game system according to claim 1 , wherein
the operation section includes a gyro sensor, and
the input direction detector detects the input direction that is designated, based on the gyro sensor.

9. A game processing method comprising:
detecting an input direction that is designated, based on input to an operation section of an operation device;
performing control, in accordance with the input direction, such that an operation target object in a virtual space moves in a predetermined direction in the virtual space associated with the input direction;
setting a first virtual camera for taking the operation target object in a first direction;
setting a second virtual camera for taking the operation target object in a second direction which is substantially opposite to the first direction;
generating a first game screen, based on the first virtual camera;
generating a second game screen, based on the second virtual camera;
transmitting the first game screen to the operation device;
outputting the second game screen to a second display device which is a device separate from a first display section of the operation device;
replacing, at a predetermined timing based on game processing, in the virtual space, a direction in which the first virtual camera is set as seen from the operation target object and a direction in which the second virtual camera is set as seen from the operation target object with each other; and
generating an in at least a part of an image of the virtual space taken by the first virtual camera, at a predetermined timing based on game processing.

10. The game processing method according to claim 9 , wherein
the replacing step replaces, in accordance with game progress, a direction in which the first virtual camera is set as seen from the operation target object and a direction in which the second virtual camera is set as seen from the operation target object with each other.

11. The game processing method according to claim 9 , wherein
the operation target object is at least a part of a player object,
the first virtual camera setting step sets the first virtual camera such that the first virtual camera takes the operation target object from a viewpoint seeing the back of the player object,
the second virtual camera setting step sets the second virtual camera such that the second virtual camera takes the operation target object from a viewpoint seeing the front of the p

Assignees

• Fujii Hideki
• Kageyama Daisuke
• Mizuta Masato
• Yamazaki Atsushi
• Nintendo Co Ltd

Inventors

• Fujii Hideki
• Kageyama Daisuke
• Mizuta Masato
• Yamazaki Atsushi

Classifications

• A63F13/211

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

• A63F13/5255 Primary

  according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character · CPC title

• A63F13/26 Primary

  having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth · CPC title

• A63F2300/6676

  by dedicated player input · CPC title

• A63F2300/6045

  for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands · CPC title