| Game program, game device, and game method -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Game program, game device, and game methodRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, Including Means For Processing Electronic Data (e.g., Computer/video Game, Etc.), Perceptible Output Or Display (e.g., Tactile, Etc.)Game program, game device, and game method description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070197284, Game program, game device, and game method. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation application of International Application No. PCT/JP2005/016629 filed on Sep. 5, 2005. The entire disclosure of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2005/016629 is hereby incorporated herein by reference. [0002] This application claims priority to Japan Patent Application No. 2004-273569. The entire disclosure of Japan Patent Application No. 2004-273569 is hereby incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] 1. Field of the Invention [0004] The present invention relates to a game program, and in particular to a game program for causing a computer to implement a game that displays a moving object on a touch panel type of monitor. In addition, the present invention relates to a game device and a game method that is implemented by this game program. [0005] 2. Background Information [0006] Various video games have been proposed in the past. Various video games now allow one to issue various commands to a character displayed on a monitor by operating an input unit that is separate from a game unit, e.g., various input buttons on a controller, or by operating various input buttons that are integrally provided on the game unit. For example, a standard game device has a monitor, a game unit that is separate from the monitor, and a controller that is separate from the game unit. A plurality of input buttons are arranged on the controller. In addition, a portable game device has a game unit, a liquid crystal monitor arranged in the approximate central portion of the game unit, and a plurality of input buttons that are arranged on both sides of the liquid crystal monitor. With this type of game device, various commands can be issued to a character displayed on the monitor by operating at least one of the plurality of input buttons. [0007] Thus, one known video game in which commands to a character are performed from input buttons includes a competitive video game, e.g., a baseball game, in which athlete characters are displayed on a monitor and a competition takes place. When a player operates a hitter character in this baseball game, the ball thrown from the pitcher character will be displayed on the monitor in the position at which it will arrive at home base, i.e., the expected pass position of the ball. The expected pass position of the ball will move on the monitor in response to changes in the trajectory of the ball thrown from the pitcher character. At this point, the player will view the moving expected pass position, while continuously operating directional command buttons so that a ball contact cursor on the bat will match the expected pass position. Then, when the player presses the enter button, the batter character will initiate a bat swing. Then, if the expected pass position of the ball matches the ball contact cursor on the bat within a predetermined range, the batter character can strike the ball with the bat. [0008] In a conventional baseball game, a player can operate a batter character by operating input buttons comprising directional command buttons, an enter button, and the like. However, when a player commands a batter character to hit the ball, the player must continuously operate the input buttons, such as the direction command buttons and the enter button, in the short period of time from when the pitcher character releases the ball to when the ball arrives at the expected pass position. Because of this, the input operations when issuing commands to the batter character become complicated, and thus the player may erroneously operate the input buttons. [0009] In order to solve this type of problem, the adoption of an input method has been considered in which the input operation is performed in a short period of time. One method that has been considered for making the input operation executable in a short period of time is a method in which commands are issued to the batter character displayed on the monitor by employing a touch panel type of monitor, and using a command means such as a touch pen, a finger, or the like instead of input buttons. In this case, by directly contacting the expected pass position of the ball with the command means, the ball contact cursor of the bat can be set to the expected pass position of the ball, and the ball can be hit by the batter character. In other words, with a single operation in which the command means is contacted with the expected pass position, the ball contact cursor can be set, and the ball can be instantly hit by the batter character. This means that a player that operates the batter character can easily cause the batter character to hit the ball by sufficiently ascertaining the movement of the expected pass position of the ball. Because of this, the pleasure of operating the batter character by a player may be lost. [0010] In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need to allow a player to easily execute commands to a character, and prevent the loss of pleasure a player feels when operating a character. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] A game program according to a first aspect of the present invention is a program for implementing the following functions on a computer capable of implementing a game in which a moving object is displayed on a touch panel type of monitor. [0012] (1) A pass area setting function that sets an expected pass display area of a moving object in a predetermined position between a dispatch position of the moving object and an arrival position of the moving object. [0013] (2) A pass position setting function that sets an expected pass position of the moving object in the expected pass display area. [0014] (3) A first trajectory setting function that sets the trajectory of the moving object that passes through the expected pass display area to a predetermined trajectory. [0015] (4) A contact position identification function that identifies a contact position of contact means on a monitor when the contact means is placed in contact with the monitor. [0016] (5) A contact position movement function that will make the contact position moveable in the expected pass display area by means of the command means. [0017] (6) A final contact position identification function that identifies the contact position as a final contact position between a point in time in which the contact position was identified to a point in time at which the moving object arrived at the expected pass position. [0018] (7) A positional relationship identification function that identifies the positional relationship between a pass position of the moving object that will pass through the expected pass display area and the final contact position. [0019] (8) A second trajectory setting function that sets the trajectory of the moving object after the moving object has arrived at the expected pass position to a predetermined trajectory or a trajectory that differs from the predetermined trajectory. [0020] With the game implemented by this program, the expected pass display area of the moving object will be set in a predetermined position between the dispatch position of the moving object and the arrival position of the moving object with the pass area setting function. With the pass position setting function, the expected pass position of the moving object will be set in the expected pass display area. With the first trajectory setting function, the trajectory of the moving object that passes through the expected pass display area will be set to a predetermined trajectory. With the contact position identification function, the contact position of the command means on a monitor will be identified when the command means is placed in contact with the monitor. With the contact position movement function, the contact position will be made moveable in the expected pass display area by means of the command means. With the final contact position identification function, the contact position will be identified as the final contact position between a point in time in which the contact position was identified to a point in time at which the moving object arrived at the expected pass position. With the positional relationship identification function, the positional relationship between the pass position of the moving object that will pass through the expected pass display area and the final contact position will be identified. With the second trajectory setting function, the trajectory of the moving object after the moving object has arrived at the expected pass position will be set to a predetermined trajectory or a trajectory that differs from the predetermined trajectory. [0021] With this program, the contact position of the command means on a monitor will be identified when a player places the command means in contact with the monitor. Then, the contact position that is movable by the command means in the expected pass display area will be identified as the final contact position, during the time period from when the contact position was identified to when the moving object arrived at the expected pass position. Then, the positional relationship between the pass position of the moving object that will pass through the expected pass display area and the final contact position will be identified. Continue reading about Game program, game device, and game method... Full patent description for Game program, game device, and game method Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Game program, game device, and game method patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Game program, game device, and game method or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Betting terminal with watchdog Next Patent Application: Gaming machine Industry Class: Amusement devices: games ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Game program, game device, and game method patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.13383 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Computers: Graphics , I/O , Processors , Dyn. Storage , Static Storage , Printers 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
