Image generating apparatus, image generating method, and program for displaying fixation point objects in a virtual space

1. An image generating apparatus comprising:

a viewpoint object arranging section configured to arrange, using a processor, a viewpoint object indicative of a viewpoint at a first position in a virtual space, the first position being associated with the position of a first head-mounted display;

a fixation point object arranging section configured to arrange, using the processor, a fixation point object indicative of a fixation point at a position away from the first position in a first visual line direction passing through the first position in the virtual space, the first visual line direction corresponding to the attitude of the first head-mounted display; and

an image generating section configured to generate, using the processor, an image indicating how the virtual space appears from a second viewpoint position in a second visual line direction corresponding to the attitude of a second head-mounted display, the second viewpoint being arranged in the virtual space in which both the viewpoint object and the fixation point object are arranged simultaneously,

wherein the virtual space includes a virtual object visible by a user wearing the first head-mounted display and by a user wearing the second head-mounted display,

wherein the fixation point object arranging section arranges, in the image, the fixation point object as a marker centered at an intersection point between the virtual object and a line passing through the first position in the first visual line direction, and

wherein the fixation point object arranging section arranges, in the image, a second fixation point object as a second marker centered at a second intersection point between the virtual object and a line passing through the second viewpoint position and the second virtual line direction.

2. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a two-dimensional image is mapped to the virtual object; and

the fixation point object arranging section arranges the fixation point object on the two-dimensional image.

3. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the fixation point object arranging section arranges a plurality of the fixation point objects and a plurality of viewpoint objects, both associated with a plurality of the head-mounted displays; and

the plurality of the fixation point objects allow the associated head-mounted displays to be identified.

4. An image generating method comprising:

arranging a viewpoint object indicative of a viewpoint at a first position in a virtual space, the first position being associated with the position of a first head-mounted display;

arranging a fixation point object indicative of a fixation point at a position away from the first position in a first visual line direction passing through the first position in the virtual space, the first visual line direction corresponding to the attitude of the first head-mounted display;

generating an image indicating how the virtual space appears from a second viewpoint position in a second visual line direction corresponding to the attitude of a second head-mounted display, the second viewpoint being arranged in the virtual space in which both the viewpoint object and the fixation point object are arranged simultaneously,

wherein the virtual space includes a virtual object visible by a user wearing the first head-mounted display and by a user wearing the second head-mounted display;

arranging, in the image, the fixation point object as a marker centered at an intersection point between the virtual object and a line passing through the first position in the first visual line direction; and

arranging, in the image, a second fixation point object as a second marker centered at a second intersection point between the virtual object and a line passing through the second viewpoint position and the second virtual line direction.

5. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a program for causing a computer, the program comprising:

by a viewpoint object arranging section, arranging a viewpoint object indicative of a viewpoint at a first position in a virtual space, the first position being associated with the position of a first head-mounted display;

by a fixation point object arranging section, arranging a fixation point object indicative of a fixation point at a position away from the first position in a first visual line direction passing through the first position in the virtual space, the first visual line direction corresponding to the attitude of the first head-mounted display; and

by an image generating section, generating an image indicating how things look from a second viewpoint in a second visual line direction corresponding to the attitude of a second head-mounted display, the second viewpoint being arranged in the virtual space in which both the viewpoint object and the fixation point object are arranged,

wherein the virtual space includes a virtual object visible by a user wearing the first head-mounted display and by a user wearing the second head-mounted display,

wherein the fixation point object arranging section arranges, in the image, the fixation point object as a marker centered at an intersection point between the virtual object and a line passing through the first position in the first visual line direction, and

wherein the fixation point object arranging section arranges, in the image, a second fixation point object as a second marker centered at a second intersection point between the virtual object and a line passing through second viewpoint position and the second virtual line direction.