IP Library Granted Patent US 8,177,642
Granted Patent B2
US 8,177,642 · App. 12/375,339 · Granted May 15, 2012

Game control program, game control method, and game device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,177,642
App. No.
12/375,339
Granted
May 15, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A highly amusing game apparatus is achieved. A game apparatus controls a game where a character operated by a user and an opponent character play ball to compete against each other by hitting a ball. When the user instructs the hitting of the ball by pressing a button of a controller, a hit control unit determines the timing at which the ball is hit by the character and the type of shot according to which button has been pressed by the user. When a parameter indicating the timing of hitting the ball, height of the ball, balance of the character, position of the character and distance between the character and the ball, or athletic ability of the character lies outside a predetermined range in which normal hitting is performable, the hit control unit changes the type of shot from the determined type of shot to another type of shot favorable to the opponent character.

Claims (25)

1. A game apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of controllers;

a control unit which receives an instruction input from the plurality of controllers and executes a match game;

a controller control unit which, when a predetermined operation input is received from a first controller included in the plurality of controllers while a plurality of objects to be operated by the plurality of controllers are being displayed, displays an objected to be operated by a second controller operating an object to be operated belonging to a same team of an object to be operated by the first controller having received the predetermined operation input in a display format different from the objects to be operated by the controllers other than the first and second controllers.

2. The game apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller control unit sends a control signal to said first controller having received the predetermined operation input so as to vibrate the first controller or have the first controller emit light.

3. A game control program stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium for a computer having a processor to receive an instruction input from a plurality of controllers and controlling a match game, the program comprising instructions for the computer to execute:

a module which, when a predetermined operation input is received from a first controller included in the plurality of controllers while a plurality of objects to be operated by the plurality of controllers are being displayed on a display screen, displays an object to be operated by a second controller operating an object to be operated belonging to a same team of an object to be operated by the first controller having received the predetermined operation input in a display format different from the objects to be operated by the controllers other than the first and second controllers.

4. The game apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller control unit sends a control signal to said second controller so as to vibrate the second controller or have the second controller emit light.

5. A game apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of controllers;

a control unit that receives an instruction input from the plurality of controllers and executes a match game;

a controller control unit that, when a predetermined operation input is received from a first controller included in the plurality of controllers while a plurality of objects to be operated by the plurality of controllers are being displayed, displays an object to be operated by the first controller having received the predetermined operation input in a display format different from the objects to be operated by the controllers other than the first controller.

6. The game control program according to claim 3 , further including a module which sends a control signal to said first controller having received the predetermined operation input so as to vibrate the first controller or have the first controller emit light.

7. The game control program according to claim 3 , further including a module that sends a control signal to said second controller so as to vibrate the second controller or have the second controller emit light.

8. A game control program stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium for a computer having a processor to receive an instruction input from a plurality of controllers and controlling a match game, the program comprising instructions for the computer to execute a module which, when a predetermined operation input is received from a first controller included in the plurality of controllers while a plurality of objects to be operated by the plurality of controllers are being displayed on a display screen, displays an object to be operated by the first controller having received the predetermined operation input in a display format different from the objects to be operated by the controllers other than the first controller.

9. A game control method executed by a computer having a processor comprising:

receiving an instruction input at the computer from a plurality of controllers and controlling a match game;

displaying, on a display screen, when a predetermined operation input is received from a first controller included in the plurality of controllers while a plurality of objects to be operated by the plurality of controllers are being displayed, an object to be operated by a second controller operating an object to be operated belonging to a same team of an object to be operated by the first controller having received the predetermined operation input in a display format different from the objects to be operated by the controllers other than the first and second controllers.

10. The game control method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

sending a control signal to said first controller having received the predetermined operation input so as to vibrate the first controller or have the first controller emit light.

11. The game control method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

sending a control signal to said second controller so as to vibrate the second controller or have the second controller emit light.

12. A game control method executed by a computer having a processor comprising:

receiving an instruction at the computer input from a plurality of controllers and controlling a match game;

displaying on a display screen, when a predetermined operation input is received from a first controller included in the plurality of controllers while a plurality of objects to be operated by the plurality of controllers are being displayed, an object to be operated by the first controller having received the predetermined operation input in a display format different from the objects to be operated by the controllers other than the first controller.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2011
From: SONY NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORM INC.
To: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 027449/0469 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 26, 2011
From: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
To: SONY NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORM INC.
Reel/Frame 027448/0895 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 25, 2009
From: IKEJIRI, DAISAKU; MURAMORI, MASASHI
To: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 023143/0633 →