Method for generating image animation effect

1. A method for generating an image in a virtual space seen from a predetermined viewpoint in a game to be output on a display, comprising:

judging whether to start a motion of a first object placed in the virtual space in the game;

if it is judged to start the motion of the first object, automatically controlling the motion of the first object in a predetermined moving direction;

if it is judged to start the motion of the first object, displaying a plurality of effect objects at predetermined positional intervals at substantially the same time, the plurality of effect objects provided three-dimensionally at the side that the first object is going to move from a location of the first object immediately before the first object starts moving, each of the plurality of effect objects showing a respective future sequential motion of the first object;

making the plurality of effect objects sequentially disappear in proximate order from the location of the first object at a time in which it is judged to start the motion of the first object after the first object starts moving as the first object moves into the position corresponding the respective effect object; and

displaying the first object and effect objects on the display,

wherein locating the plurality of effect objects includes:

determining a plurality of locations where the first object is to pass with the motion of the first object controlled;

locating at each of the plurality of locations determined, an object showing a posture of the first object at a time in which the first object arrives at the each of the plurality of locations, as each of the plurality of effect objects, the plurality of effect objects being plate-like objects on which an image is mapped, the image being seen from a viewpoint different from the predetermined viewpoint, and the plurality of effect objects intersecting the moving direction by a predetermined angle.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the making the plurality of effect objects sequentially disappear includes making the plurality of effect objects located at a rear side in the moving direction from the location of the first object, sequentially disappear according to the controlling the motion of the first object.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising changing color information of the plurality of effect objects in accordance with the motion of the first object being controlled.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the changing the color information includes changing the color information so as to decrease a transparency degree as a distance between the location of the first object and each of the plurality of effect objects becomes shorter.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the first object comprises a plurality of action-receiving parts;

a plurality of pieces of effect object information is provided to each of the plurality of action-receiving parts,

the judging whether to start the motion of the first object includes judging to start the motion of the first object if any one of the plurality of action-receiving parts satisfies a predetermined action-receiving condition; and

the locating the plurality of effect objects includes locating the plurality of effect objects based on the plurality of pieces of effect object information corresponding to the action-receiving part that is judged to satisfy the action-receiving condition.

6. An information storage medium having information recorded thereon, when the information is loaded onto an operating apparatus, the information making the operating apparatus execute the method as claimed in claim 1 .

7. An image generation device for generating an image in a virtual space seen from a predetermined viewpoint in a game to be output on a display, comprising:

a memory that stores a computer executable program;

a processor that, when the program is executed, functions as:

a judging section for judging whether to start a motion of a first object placed in the virtual space in the game;

a motion control section for, if it is judged to start the motion of the first object, automatically controlling the motion of the first object in a predetermined moving direction;

a display control section for, if it is judged to start the motion of the first object, controlling to display a plurality of effect objects at predetermined positional intervals at substantially the same time, the plurality of effect objects being provided three-dimensionally at the side that the first object is going to move from a location of the first object immediately before the first object starts moving, each of the plurality of effect objects showing a respective future sequential motion of the first object;

a nondisplay control section for controlling to make the plurality of effect objects sequentially disappear in proximate order from the location of the first object at a time in which it is judged to start the motion of the first object after the first object starts moving as the first object moves into the position corresponding the respective effect object,

wherein the display control section:

determines a plurality of locations where the first object is to pass with the motion of the first object controlled;

locates at each of the plurality of locations determined, an object showing a posture of the first object at a time in which the first object arrives at the each of the plurality of locations, as each of the plurality of effect objects, the plurality of effect objects being plate-like objects on which an image is mapped, the image being seen from a viewpoint different from the predetermined viewpoint, and the plurality of effect objects intersecting the moving direction by a predetermined angle.

8. A program stored in a computer readable storage medium, when the program is loaded onto an operating device, the program generating an image in a virtual space by making the operating device execute the method as claimed in claim 1 .

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first object is an attacked object and the plurality of effect objects are displayed behind the attacked object.

10. The image generation device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the first object is an attacked object and the plurality of effect objects are displayed behind the attacked object.