Game apparatus, storage medium storing game program and game controlling method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9474963-B2
Application number	US-201313874504-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2013
Priority date	Sep 1, 2004
Publication date	Oct 25, 2016
Grant date	Oct 25, 2016

Abstract

A game apparatus includes an LCD, and a touch panel is placed on a top surface of the LCD. A player instructs an enemy character displayed on the LCD by use of a stick to attack the enemy character. For example, in a case that the enemy character exists at a depth of a game screen, little damage is applied to the enemy character, and a weak vibration is applied to the game apparatus. Conversely, in a case that the enemy character exists at a front of the game screen, much damage is applied to the character, and a strong vibration is applied to the game apparatus. In either case, the vibrations are transmitted to the fingers or hands of the payer via the stick.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A game apparatus, comprising:
a display configured to display a game image including a moving character in a three dimensional virtual space, the moving character being displayed in a display area of the display;
a touch panel provided in association with the display configured to detect a coordinates position entered by a user within the display area of the display while the moving character is moving in the three dimensional virtual space;
a vibrator which applies vibration to the user; and
a processor configured to perform at least:
vibrating the vibrator when the coordinates position that is entered after the beginning of the movement of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space by the user and detected by the touch panel is included in the display area of the moving character on the display, and not vibrating the vibrator when the coordinates position that is entered after the beginning of the movement of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space by the user and detected by the touch panel is not included in the display area of the moving character on the display.

2. The game apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the moving character moves in a depth direction of the display.

3. The game apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the moving character moves at random.

4. The game apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor is further configured to perform continuously updating at least one parameter, the vibrator being vibrated based on the parameter.

5. The game apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the processor is further configured to perform obtaining the parameter at a time when the coordinates position is included in the display area of the moving character on the display.

6. The game apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the parameter is the coordinates position of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space.

7. The game apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the coordinates position of the moving character is a position in a depth direction of the display.

8. The game apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the parameter is updated regardless of whether or not the touch panel is touched by the user.

9. The game apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the vibrator vibrates in a vibration pattern, the vibration pattern depending on the parameter.

10. The game apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the moving character is assigned with a plurality of vibration patterns, the vibrator being vibrated in the vibration pattern selected from the plurality of vibration patterns in accordance with the parameter.

11. The game apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a memory including a table in which the parameters and vibration patterns are stored in correspondence to each other, wherein the vibration pattern is selected according to the parameter by referring to the table.

12. The game apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
the table is prepared for each moving character.

13. The game apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the vibration pattern indicates strength of vibration.

14. The game apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the display has a first display area and a second display area, and the vibrator vibrates when the coordinates position is included in the display area of the moving character on the first display area.

15. The game apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the game image is changed when the vibrator vibrates.

16. The game apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a speaker.

17. The game apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein
the speaker outputs a sound corresponding to the vibration by the vibrator.

18. The game apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one push button for playing a game.

19. The game apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a cross switch for playing a game.

20. The game apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vibrator is an eccentric motor.

21. The game apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the vibrator is a voice coil.

22. A game system for playing a game by a user, comprising:
a display configured to display a game image including a moving character in a three dimensional virtual space, the moving character being displayed in a display area of the display;
a touch panel provided in association with the display, configured to detect a coordinates position entered by the user within the display area of the display while the moving character is moving in the three dimensional virtual space;
a vibrator which applies vibration to the user; and
a processor configured to perform at least:
vibrating the vibrator when the coordinates position that is entered after the beginning of the movement of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space by the user and detected by the touch panel is included in the display area of the moving character on the display, and not vibrating the vibrator when the coordinates position that is entered after the beginning of the movement of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space by the user and detected by the touch panel is not included in the display area of the moving character on the display.

23. A game method in a game system which is capable of playing a game by a user, the game system including a processor, a display configured to display a game image including a moving character in a three dimensional virtual space, the moving character being displayed in a display area of the display, a touch panel provided in association with the display, configured to detect a coordinates position entered by the user within the display area of the display while the moving character is moving in the three dimensional virtual space, and a vibrator which applies vibration to the user, the game method comprising:
vibrating the vibrator when the coordinates position that is entered after the beginning of the movement of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space by the user and detected by the touch panel is included in the display area of the moving character on the display, and not vibrating the vibrator when the coordinates position that is entered after the beginning of the movement of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space by the user and detected by the touch panel is not included in the display area of the moving character on the display.

24. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium which stores a game program executed by a processor included in a game system which is capable of playing a game by a user and includes a vibrator which applies vibration to the user, a display configured to display a game image including a moving character in a three dimensional virtual space, the moving character being displayed in a display area of the display, and a touch panel provided in association with the display and configured to detect a coordinates position entered by the user within a display area of the display while the moving character is moving in the three dimensional virtual space, the game program causes the processor to perform at least:
vibrating the vibrator when the coordinates position that is entered after the beginning of the movement of the moving character in the three dimensional virtual space by the user and detected by the touch panel is included in the display area of the mo

Assignees

• Nintendo Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nakajima Souichi

Classifications

• A63F13/285

  Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback · CPC title

• A63F2300/1037

  being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback · CPC title

• A63F2300/638

  according to the timing of operation or a time limit · CPC title

• A63F2300/1075

  using a touch screen · CPC title

• A63F2300/8029

  Fighting without shooting · CPC title