Image browsing device, computer control method and information recording medium

1. An image viewing device, comprising:

a viewpoint position mover for moving a position of a viewpoint in a virtual space where a plurality of image objects are placed, according to a viewpoint moving operation carried out by a user;

a far-near value obtainer for obtaining a far-near value indicating an extent of apartness between the position of the viewpoint and a position of the respective image object;

a semi-transparency degree determiner for determining a semi-transparency degree of the respective image object, based on the respective far-near value obtained by the far-near value obtainer;

a space image producer for producing a space image showing a picture obtained by viewing the virtual space from the position of the viewpoint, according to the semi-transparency degree of the respective image object, determined by the semi-transparency degree determiner;

a space image display for displaying the space image produced by the space image producer; and

an image selector for selecting one or more selection image objects from one or more selection target image objects,

wherein the image selector is configured to have the one or more selection image objects be selected by a user using a cursor,

wherein the plurality of image objects include the one or more selection target image objects that are shown opaque and one or more non-selection target image objects that are shown semi-transparent,

wherein the semi-transparency degrees of the one or more selection target image objects differ from the semi-transparency degrees of the one or more non-selection target image objects by at least a predetermined value, wherein said opaque image objects are selectable by said cursor and said semi-transparent image objects are not selectable by said cursor, and

wherein the semi-transparency degree determiner determines the semi-transparency degree of the respective image object such that an image object having a far-near value smaller than a predetermined first value is shown transparent, an image object having a far-near value equal to or larger than the first value and smaller than a predetermined second value is shown opaque, and an image object having a far-near value equal to or larger than the second value is shown semi-transparent.

2. The image viewing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a distinctive displayer for distinctively displaying an image object to be displayed in detail among the plurality of image objects, according to a detail display operation carried out by the user;

a distinctive display switcher for switching the image object to be displayed in detail, according to an object switching operation carried out by the user; and

a distinctive display switching destination determiner for determining an image object, among the plurality of image objects, to which the image object to be displayed in detail by the distinctive display switcher is switched, based on the respective far-near value obtained by the far-near value obtainer.

3. The image viewing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an object position mover for moving a position of the image object located ahead of the viewpoint in the virtual space.

4. The image viewing device according to claim 3 , wherein the object position mover moves the position of the image object so as to overlap less with another image object when viewed from the viewpoint.

5. The image viewing device according to claim 3 , wherein the object position mover moves the position of the image object according to a state of the viewpoint.

6. The image viewing device according to claim 1 , wherein the selection target image objects have a far-near value equal to or larger than the first value and smaller than the second value, and

wherein the non-selection target image objects have a far near-value equal to or larger than the second value.

7. The image viewing device according to claim 1 , wherein said cursor is positioned so that it is around said selected target image object.

8. The image viewing device according to claim 1 , wherein the cursor identifies the selected target image object.

9. The image viewing device according to claim 1 , wherein said image selector is configured to have said user choose one of a plurality of target image objects within a field of view.

10. The image viewing device according to claim 9 , wherein the image selector is configured to have a user click on one of the plurality of target image objects in order to select said image object.

11. A computer control method comprising:

a viewpoint position moving step of moving a position of a viewpoint in a virtual space where a plurality of image objects are placed, according to a view point moving operation carried out by a user;

a far-near value obtaining step of obtaining a far-near value indicating an extent of apartness between the position of the viewpoint and a position of the respective image object;

a semi-transparency degree determination step of determining a semi-transparency degree of the respective image object, based on the respective far-near value obtained at the far-near value obtaining step;

a space image production step of producing a space image showing a picture obtained by viewing the virtual space from the position of the viewpoint, according to the semi-transparency degree of the respective image object, determined at the semi-transparency degree determination step; and

a space image display step of displaying the space image produced at the space image production step; and

selecting one or more selection image objects from one or more selection target image objects,

wherein the one or more selection image objects are selected by a user using a cursor,

wherein the plurality of image objects include the one or more selection target image objects that are shown opaque and one or more non-selection target image objects that are shown semi-transparent and wherein the semi-transparency degrees of the one or more selection target image objects differ from the semi-transparency degrees of the one or more non-selection target image objects by at least a predetermined value,

wherein said opaque image objects are selectable by said cursor and said semi-transparent image objects are not selectable by said cursor, and

wherein the semi-transparency degree determiner determines the semi-transparency degree of the respective image object such that an image object having a far-near value smaller than a predetermined first value is shown transparent, an image object having a far-near value equal to or larger than the first value and smaller than a predetermined second value is shown opaque, and an image object having a far-near value equal to or larger than the second value is shown semi-transparent.

12. A non-transitory information storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as:

viewpoint position moving means for moving a position of a viewpoint in a virtual space where a plurality of image objects are placed, according to a viewpoint moving operation carried out by a user;

far-near value obtaining means for obtaining a far-near value indicating an extent of apartness between the position of the viewpoint and a position of the respective image object;

semi-transparency degree determination means for determining a semi-transparency degree of the respective image object, based on the respective far-near value obtained by the far-near value obtaining means;

space image production means for producing a space image showing a picture obtained by viewing the virtual space from the position of the viewpoint, according to the semi-transparency degree of the respective image object, determined by the semi-transparency degree determination means;

space image display means for displaying the space image produced by the space image production means; and

image selection means for selecting one or more selection image objects from one or more selection target image objects,

wherein the one or more selection image objects are selected by a user using a cursor,

wherein the plurality of image objects include the one or more selection target image objects that are shown opaque and one or more non-selection target image objects that are shown semi-transparent and wherein the semi-transparency degrees of the one or more selection target image objects differ from the semi-transparency degrees of the one or more non-selection target image objects by at least a predetermined value,

wherein said opaque image objects are selectable by said cursor and said semi-transparent image objects are not selectable by said cursor, and

wherein the semi-transparency degree determiner determines the semi-transparency degree of the respective image object such that an image object having a far-near value smaller than a predetermined first value is shown transparent, an image object having a far-near value equal to or larger than the first value and smaller than a predetermined second value is shown opaque, and an image object having a far-near value equal to or larger than the second value is shown semi-transparent.