Storage medium storing game program, information processing apparatus, information processing system, and game processing method

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a computer of an information processing device, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

repeatedly acquiring input positions detected by a pointing device, each position corresponding to a position on a display screen;

setting a first reference position, at least on a condition that an input position detected when a movement operation input to the pointing device is started is outside a predetermined area, on the basis of the input position detected when the movement operation input is started;

causing an object to move in a virtual game space by a first movement process, based on the first reference position and on the input position of the input which is continuously performed from start of the movement operation input;

setting a second reference position, at least on condition that the input position detected when the movement operation input to the pointing device is started is within the predetermined area, on the basis of the input position detected when the movement operation input is started; and

causing the object to move in the virtual game space by a second movement process different from the first movement process, based on the second reference position and on the input position of the input which is continuously performed from start of the movement operation input, wherein:

in the first movement process, a movement direction of the object is changed in the virtual game space, based on a distance between the first reference position and the input position,

in the second movement process, the movement direction of the object is changed in the virtual game space, based on a distance between the second reference position and the input position, and

when the distance between the first reference position and the input position is equal to the distance between the second reference position and the input position, an amount of change in the movement direction of the object in the first movement process is different from an amount of change in the movement direction of the object in the second movement process.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein when the distance between the first reference position and the input position is equal to the distance between the second reference position and the input position, the amount of change in the movement direction of the object in the second movement process is greater than the amount of change in the movement direction of the object in the first movement process.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined area is set so as to include a position on an input screen of the pointing device, the position corresponding to a position, on the display screen, in which the object is displayed.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 3 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the computer to perform further operations comprising displaying, on the display screen, an image of the virtual game space such that the object is fixedly disposed at a predetermined position on the display screen during a predetermined time period in which the first movement process and the second movement process are executable.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 3 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the computer to perform further operations comprising displaying, on the display screen, an image of a game space that does not include an image representing the predetermined area, during a predetermined time period in which the first movement process and the second movement process are executable.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 3 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the computer to perform further operations comprising changing the reference position set to a position within a predetermined distance from the input position of the input which is continuously performed from start of the input to the pointing device.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the computer to perform further operations comprising executing a predetermined process on the object, in the case where the input position detected when the movement operation input is started is within the predetermined area, and where the input which is continuously performed from start of the movement operation input satisfies a predetermined condition.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7 , wherein the predetermined process relates to movement of the object.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7 , wherein the predetermined process is executed in response to end of the input which is continuously performed from start of the movement operation input.

10. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a memory for storing instructions; and

one or more processors in communication with the memory, wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

repeatedly acquiring input positions detected by a pointing device, each position corresponding to a position on a display screen;

setting a first reference position, at least on a condition that an input position detected when a movement operation input to the pointing device is started is outside a predetermined area, on the basis of the input position detected when the movement operation input is started;

causing an object to move in a virtual game space by a first movement process, based on the first reference position and on the input position of the input which is continuously performed from start of the movement operation input;

setting a second reference position, at least on condition that the input position detected when the movement operation input to the pointing device is started is within the predetermined area, on the basis of the input position detected when the movement operation input is started; and

causing the object to move in the virtual game space by a second movement process different from the first movement process, based on the second reference position and on the input position of the input which is continuously performed from start of the movement operation input, wherein:

in the first movement process, a movement direction of the object is changed in the virtual game space, based on a distance between the first reference position and the input position,

in the second movement process, the movement direction of the object is changed in the virtual game space, based on a distance between the second reference position and the input position, and

when the distance between the first reference position and the input position is equal to the distance between the second reference position and the input position, an amount of change in the movement direction of the object in the first movement process is different from an amount of change in the movement direction of the object in the second movement process.

11. An information processing system comprising:

a memory for storing instructions; and

one or more processors in communication with the memory, wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

repeatedly acquiring input positions detected by a pointing device, each position corresponding to a position on a display screen;

setting a first reference position, at least on a condition that an input position detected when a movement operation input to the pointing device is started is outside a predetermined area, on the basis of the input position detected when the movement operation input is started;

causing an object to move in a virtual game space by a first movement process, based on the first reference position and on the input position of the input which is continuously performed from start of the movement operation input;

setting a second reference position, at least on condition that the input position detected when the movement operation input to the pointing device is started is within the predetermined area, on the basis of the input position detected when the movement operation input is started; and

causing the object to move in the virtual game space by a second movement process different from the first movement process, based on the second reference position and on the input position of the input which is continuously performed from start of the movement operation input, wherein:

in the first movement process, a movement direction of the object is changed in the virtual game space, based on a distance between the first reference position and the input position,

in the second movement process, the movement direction of the object is changed in the virtual game space, based on a distance between the second reference position and the input position, and

when the distance between the first reference position and the input position is equal to the distance between the second reference position and the input position, an amount of change in the movement direction of the object in the first movement process is different from an amount of change in the movement direction of the object in the second movement process.

12. The information processing system according to claim 11 , wherein when the distance between the first reference position and the input position is equal to the distance between the second reference position and the input position, the amount of change in the movement direction of the object in the second movement process is greater than the amount of change in the movement direction of the object in the first movement process.

13. The information processing system according to claim 11 , wherein the predetermined area is set so as to include a position on an input screen of the pointing device, the position corresponding to a position, on the display screen, in which the object is displayed.

14. The information processing system according to claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the one or more processors to perform operations further comprising displaying, on the display screen, an image of a game space that does not include an image representing the predetermined area, during a predetermined time period in which the first movement process and the second movement process are executable.

15. The information processing system according to claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the one or more processors to perform operations further comprising displaying, on the display screen, an image of the virtual game space such that the object is fixedly disposed at a predetermined position on the display screen during a predetermined time period in which the first movement process and the second movement process are executable.

16. A game processing method executed in an information process system, the method comprising:

acquiring input positions detected by a pointing device, each position corresponding to a position on a display screen;

setting a first reference position, at least on a condition that an input position detected when a movement operation input to the pointing device is started is outside a predetermined area, on the basis of the input position detected when the movement operation input is started;

causing an object to move in a virtual game space by a first movement process, based on the first reference position and on the input position of the input which is continuously performed from start of the movement operation input;

setting a second reference position, at least on condition that the input position detected when the movement operation input to the pointing device is started is within the predetermined area, on the basis of the input position detected when the movement operation input is started; and

causing the object to move in the virtual game space by a second movement process different from the first movement process, based on the second reference position and on the input position of the input which is continuously performed from start of the movement operation input, wherein:

in the first movement process, a movement direction of the object is changed in the virtual game space, based on a distance between the first reference position and the input position,

in the second movement process, the movement direction of the object is changed in the virtual game space, based on a distance between the second reference position and the input position, and

when the distance between the first reference position and the input position is equal to the distance between the second reference position and the input position, an amount of change in the movement direction of the object in the first movement process is different from an amount of change in the movement direction of the object in the second movement process.

17. The game processing method according to claim 16 , wherein when the distance between the first reference position and the input position is equal to the distance between the second reference position and the input position, the amount of change in the movement direction of the object in the second movement process is greater than the amount of change in the movement direction of the object in the first movement process.

18. The game processing method according to claim 16 , wherein the predetermined area is set so as to include a position on an input screen of the pointing device, the position corresponding to a position, on the display screen, in which the object is displayed.

19. The game processing method according to claim 18 , further comprising displaying, on the display screen, an image of the virtual game space such that the object is fixedly disposed at a predetermined position on the display screen during a predetermined time period in which the first movement process and the second movement process are executable.

20. The game processing method according to claim 18 , further comprising displaying, on the display screen, an image of a game space that does not include an image representing the predetermined area, during a predetermined time period in which the first movement process and the second movement process are executable.