IP Library Granted Patent US 8,025,560
Granted Patent B2
US 8,025,560 · App. 11/912,740 · Granted Sep 27, 2011

Game control program, game control method, and game device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,025,560
App. No.
11/912,740
Granted
Sep 27, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A game apparatus controls a game in which a user-controlled character and an opponent character hit a ball. When the user gives an instruction for hitting the ball with a button of a controller, a hit control unit determines on the basis of the type of the button which is pressed by the user a shot when the character hits the ball, calculates the trajectory of the ball hit based on the shot, and displays the flying ball on a screen. A shot display control unit displays the figure marked on the button close to the ball on the screen, as information for specifying the shot.

Claims (14)

1. A non-transitory computer-readable recoding medium which stores a program which controls a game in which a user-controlled character and an opponent character hit a ball, the program comprising:

a module for determining a shot type and a shot timing when the character hits the ball;

a module for calculating a trajectory of the ball hit based on the shot type and displaying the flying ball on a display screen; and

a module for displaying information for specifying the shot type on the display screen, wherein the module for determining the shot type receives an input operation from the user and determines the shot type when the character controlled by the user hits the ball on the basis of a type of a button used for the input operation of a hitting instruction by the user, and

in response to the input operation the module is configured to display the information for specifying the shot type on the display screen by displaying a figure or letter marked on the button associated with the shot type on the screen; wherein the module is further configured to display a character on the display screen associated with the shot timing to notify the user whether their timing is slow, fast or just right.

2. A game control method performed by a computer which controls a game in which a user-controlled character and an opponent character hit a ball, comprising:

determining by the computer a shot type and a shot timing when the character hits the ball;

calculating by the computer a trajectory of the ball hit based on the shot type and displaying the flying ball on a display screen; and

displaying by the computer information for specifying the shot type on the display screen, wherein said determining the shot type receives an input operation from the user and determines the shot type when the character controlled by the user hits the ball on the basis of a type of a button used for the input operation of a hitting instruction by the user, and

said displaying the information for specifying the shot type on the display screen displays a figure or letter marked on the button associated with the shot type on the display screen; wherein the display screen is further configured to display a character on the display screen associated with the shot timing to notify the user whether their timing is slow, fast or just right.

3. A game apparatus which controls a game in which a user-controlled character and an opponent character hit a ball, comprising:

a determining unit which determines a shot type and a shot timing when the character hits the ball;

a calculating unit which calculates a trajectory of the ball hit based on the shot type and displaying the flying ball on a display screen; and

a display unit which is configured to display information for specifying the shot type on the display screen, wherein the determining unit receives an input operation from the user and determines the shot type when the character controlled by the user hits the ball on the basis of a type of a button used for the input operation of a hitting instruction by the user, and the display unit displays a figure or letter marked on the button associated with the shot type on the screen; wherein the display unit is further configured to display a character on the display screen associated with the shot timing to notify the user whether their timing is slow, fast or just right.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2011
From: SONY NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORM INC.
To: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 027449/0380 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 26, 2011
From: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
To: SONY NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORM INC.
Reel/Frame 027445/0773 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2008
From: IKEJIRI, DAISAKU; MURAMORI, MASASHI
To: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 021993/0741 →