PLAYER TRACKING VIDEO GAME
A rhythm-based video game (“game”) is disclosed. In the game, a player slashes blocks representing musical beats using a pair of energy blades resembling a lightsaber. A gaming console renders multiple digital objects, e.g., digital blocks, digital mines and digital obstacles, that are approaching a player in a virtual space. The gaming console also renders a digital representation of an instrument, e.g., a lightsaber (“digital saber”), using which the player slashes, cuts or otherwise interacts with the digital blocks to cause a digital collision between the digital saber and the digital blocks. The player can score by slashing the digital blocks, not hitting the digital mines and avoiding the digital obstacles. The game presents the player with a stream of approaching digital objects in synchronization with music, e.g., a song's beats, being played in the game. The pace at which the digital blocks approach the player increases with the beats.
1 . A method comprising:
rendering a 3D virtual space that includes a digital position of a user;
instantiating in the 3D virtual space a first digital element, wherein a set of coordinates and orientation of the first digital element relative to the digital position of the user corresponds to an absolute orientation of a first real hand of the user to a real body of the user;
graphically representing a plurality of digital objects in the 3D virtual space that approach the digital position from a distance;
detecting a digital collision in the 3D virtual space between a first digital object of the plurality of digital objects and the first digital element, the digital collision including a first surface of the first digital object where the first digital element first collides with the first digital object and a second surface of the first digital object where the first digital element exits the first digital object, wherein the first digital object includes a collision guide component indicating a first predetermined surface and a second predetermined surface; and
in response to the digital collision, causing either of:
a first game action to occur where the first surface is the same as the first predetermined surface and the second surface is the same as the second predetermined surface; or
a second game action to occur where either the first surface is not the same as the first predetermined surface or the second surface is not the same as the second predetermined surface.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a pace of the approach of the digital objects to the digital position of the user corresponds with musical notes.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing a third game action to occur in response to a second digital object of the plurality of digital objects passing by a collision region without digitally colliding with the first digital element.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first digital element is a sword.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first game action or the second game action are any of:
increasing a game score;
decreasing the game score;
effecting a pace of the approach of the digital objects;
effecting a creation of the digital objects; or
effecting a rate of change in the game score.
6 . (canceled)
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first game action is caused and the digital collision includes a contact angle between the first digital element and the first predetermined surface, and wherein the second game action varies in effect based on a degree of inconsistency of the contact angle with a perpendicular axis to the first predetermined surface.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
instantiating in the 3D virtual space a second digital element, wherein a second set of coordinates and orientation of the second digital element relative to the digital position of the user corresponds to an orientation of a second real hand of the user to the real body of the user;
causing an additional game action to occur in response to a digital collision in the 3D virtual space between a second digital object of the plurality of digital objects and the second digital element.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein a first subset of the plurality of digital objects are color coded to the first digital element and a second subset of the plurality of digital objects are color coded to the second digital element.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first digital object includes a type criterion and the game action includes an effect style, wherein the effect style is based on the type criterion.
11 . A system comprising:
a hand tracking apparatus configured to track an absolute position and orientation of at least a first real hand of a user;
a processor configured to direct rendering a 3D virtual space that includes a digital position of the user, instantiate a first digital element in the 3D virtual space that positioned and oriented relative to the digital position corresponding to the absolute position and orientation of the first real hand of a user, the processor further configured to cause a display to graphically represent a plurality of digital objects in the 3D virtual space that approach the digital position from a distance, the processor further configured to detect a digital collision in the 3D virtual space between a first digital object of the plurality of digital objects and the first digital element, the digital collision including a first surface of the first digital object where the first digital element first collides with the first digital object and a second surface of the first digital object where the first digital element exits the first digital object, wherein the first digital object includes a collision guide component indicating a first predetermined surface and a second predetermined surface, and wherein the processor causes a first game action or a second game action depending on whether the first surface and second surface are respectively consistent with the first predetermined surface and the second predetermined surface.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the hand tracking apparatus is any of:
hand-held peripherals that wirelessly transmit the position and orientation to a communication apparatus communicatively coupled with the processor;
hand-held peripherals including magnetic position sensors that sense a position of the hand-held peripherals in relation to a non-hand-held peripheral; or
a depth sensing camera positioned toward at least the first hand of the user.
13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the display is any of:
a head mounted display;
a 2D display monitor.
14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the 3D virtual space is any of:
an immersive virtual reality environment wherein the 3D space surrounds the user;
a digital space overlaid on a real space via augmented reality wherein the 3D space surrounds the user; or
a digital space wherein a user perspective is positioned external to a fourth wall.
15 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a body or head tracking apparatus configured to track body or head position and orientation, and wherein a detected change in body or head position and orientation cause the processor to effect a corresponding change in a position and orientation of the digital position of the user in the 3D virtual space.
16 . A method comprising:
instantiating a game space that includes a player location, and a 3D lane having a proximate end positioned next to the player location and a distal end opposite the player location;
rendering a plurality of digital objects that move in a linear path in the 3D lane from the distal end to the proximate end; and
detecting collisions between the plurality of digital objects and digital sword elements controlled by the user, control of the digital sword elements is based on a position and orientation of a pair of hands of the user, wherein a collision between a first digital object of the plurality of digital objects and at least one of the digital sword elements effect a game action, wherein the digital collision includes an entry surface and an exit surface of the digital sword elements, and wherein the first digital object includes a collision guide component including an indicated entry surface and an indicated exit surface on the first digital object and wherein a result of the game action is based on whether the digital collision between the digital sword elements and the first digital object is consistent between the entry surface and the exit surface and the indicated entry surface and indicated exit surface of the collision guide component.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the game action is any of:
increasing a game score;
decreasing the game score;
effecting a pace of the approach of the digital objects;
effecting a creation of the digital objects; or
effecting a rate of change in the game score.
18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
playing a musical score including musical notes, wherein a pace of movement of the plurality of digital objects through the 3D lane is based on the musical notes.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein a pace of generation of the plurality of digital objects within the 3D lane is based on the musical notes.
20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the digital sword elements include a right sword and a left sword, and wherein a first subset of the plurality of digital objects correspond to the right sword and a second subset of the plurality of digital objects correspond to the left sword, and wherein detected collisions between the plurality of digital objects and a corresponding digital sword element effect a first game action and detected collisions between the plurality of digital objects and the an opposing digital sword element effect a second game action.
21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the digital collision includes a contact angle between the first digital sword element and the entry surface, and wherein the result of the game action is further based on a degree of inconsistency of the contact angle with a perpendicular axis to the entry surface.