Control device and control method

1. A control apparatus comprising;

an input part, which receives an instruction from a user; and

a control part, which controls movement of a character object operated by the user based on the user instruction input from said input part, and wherein

said control part includes a first control unit that controls a first operation mode in which the character object is moved forward along the x-axis and y-axis in a three-dimensional space, and a second control unit that controls a second operation mode in which the character object is moved along a two-dimensional plane relating to the x-axis and z-axis of said three-dimensional space, the second operation mode operated with an operation system different from in the first operation mode;

wherein, within the first operation mode, said first control unit instructs the character object to move in a forward direction and to be controlled along the x-axis and y-axis, maintains a tracking perspective of the character object showing the perspective of a background and an immediate foreground behind the character object, and sets the tracking perspective according to the movement of the character object until a designated event occurs in the first operation mode whereby the first operation mode is switched to the second operation mode by the control part; and

wherein, within the second operation mode, said second control unit controls the character object so as to move the character object in the three-dimensional space along the two-dimensional plane as instructed by the user, sets the perspective of the character object to a fixed tracking perspective whereby the perspective is fixed to a position in the immediate foreground, behind the character object, and maintains the perspective in the same orientation regardless of the movement of the character object along the two-dimensional plane.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

said second control unit includes a line control part, which connects a plurality of established control points with a plurality of lines to express a linear object in a simulated fashion when the character object operated by the user and another object interact to pull against each other through the linear object.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said line control part controls behavior of the linear object by calculating a physical quantity at the control points.

4. The control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the physical quantity is a speed or acceleration of the object, or a force acting on the object.

5. A control method performed by a computer for controlling movement of a character object operated by a user, the method comprising:

receiving by the computer an instruction on a direction of movement of the character object from the user by a first control unit that controls a first operation mode in which the character object is moved forward along the x-axis and y-axis in a three-dimensional space;

controlling the direction of the movement of the character object to a direction as instructed from the user, maintaining a tracking perspective of the character object showing the perspective of a background and an immediate foreground behind the character object, and setting the tracking perspective according to the movement of the character object until a designated event occurs in the first operation mode whereby the first operation mode is switched to a second operation mode;

receiving an instruction on the direction of movement of the character object from the user by a second control unit that controls the second operation mode where the object is moved along a two-dimensional plane relating to the x-axis and z-axis of said three-dimensional space, the second operation mode operated with an operation system different from in the first operation mode; and

controlling the character object so as to move the character object in the three-dimensional space along the two-dimensional plane as instructed by the user, setting the perspective of the character object to a fixed perspective whereby the perspective is fixed to a position in the immediate foreground, behind the character object, and maintaining the perspective in the same orientation regardless of the movement of the character object along the two-dimensional plane.

6. A non-transitory, computer-readable recording medium having recorded therein a program comprising:

a receiving module, which receives an instruction on a direction of movement of a character object from a user when controlling movement of the character object operated by the user in a first operation mode in which the object is moved forward along the x-axis and y-axis in a three-dimensional space;

a first controlling module, which controls the direction of the movement of the character object to a direction as instructed from the user, maintaining a tracking perspective of the character object showing the perspective of a background and an immediate foreground behind the character object, and setting the tracking perspective according to the movement of the character object;

a second receiving module, which receives an instruction on the direction of movement of the character object from the user in a second operation mode to which the first operation mode is switched when a designated event occurs in the first operation mode, where the object is moved along a two-dimensional plane relating to the x-axis and z-axis of said three-dimensional space, the second operation mode operated with an operation system different from in the first operation mode; and

a second controlling module, which controls the character object so as to move the character object in the three-dimensional space along the two-dimensional plane as instructed by the user, setting the perspective of the character object to a fixed perspective whereby the perspective is fixed to a position in the immediate foreground, behind the character object, and maintaining the perspective in the same orientation regardless of the movement of the character object along the two-dimensional plane.

7. A non-transitory, computer-readable recording medium containing a program for realizing:

a function by which a first control unit that controls a first operation mode in which a character object is moved forward along the x-axis and y-axis in a three-dimensional space, upon receiving an instruction on a direction of movement of the character object from a user when controlling movement of the character object operated by the user;

a function by which the first control unit controls the direction of the movement of the character object to a direction as instructed from the user, maintaining a tracking perspective of the character object showing the perspective of a background and an immediate foreground behind the character object, and setting the tracking perspective according to the movement of the character object;

a function by which a second control part, which controls a second operation mode where the character object is moved along a two-dimensional plane relating to the x-axis and z-axis of said three-dimensional space, the second operation mode operated with an operation system different from in the first operation mode, receives an instruction on the direction of movement of the object from the user, the second operation mode being switched from the first operation mode when a designated event occurs in the first operation mode; and

a function by which the second control part controls the character object so as to move the character object in the three-dimensional space along the two-dimensional plane as instructed by the user, setting the perspective of the character object to a fixed perspective whereby the perspective is fixed to a position in the immediate foreground, behind the character object, and maintaining the perspective in the same orientation regardless of the movement of the character object along the two-dimensional plane.