IP Library Granted Patent US 11,491,397
Granted Patent B2
US 11,491,397 · App. 17/004,505 · Granted Nov 8, 2022

Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein game program, game system, information processing apparatus, and information processing method

Inventors: Kenta Motokura (Kyoto, JP); Shinya Hiratake (Kyoto, JP); Katsuyasu Ando (Kyoto, JP); Jonathan Johnson (Redmond, WA); Brandon Dulyea (Redmond, WA)
Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
A63F13/42A63F13/211A63F13/214
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,491,397
App. No.
17/004,505
Granted
Nov 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a first mode, based on an operation input to a controller of a first player, a game system controls a first character object and controls a pointer object. In the first mode, the game system automatically controls a second character object and causes the second character object to perform a predetermined action on a position in a virtual space indicated by the pointer object. In a second mode, the game system controls the first character object based on the operation input to the controller of the first player and controls the second character object based on an operation input to a controller of a second player.

Claims (88)

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein a game program executed by an information processing apparatus configured to perform information processing based on an operation input assigned to each player, the game program causing a computer of the information processing apparatus to provide execution comprising:

in a first mode where a game is played based on an operation input assigned to a first player using first and second controllers:

controlling, based on the operation input assigned to the first player, a first character object in a virtual space and controlling a pointer displayed on a game screen, and

automatically controlling, in the virtual space, a second character object in accordance with a situation in the virtual space and causing the second character object to perform a predetermined action on a position in the virtual space indicated by the pointer, wherein

the operation input assigned to the first player includes at least inertial data corresponding to an output from an inertial sensor in at least one of the first or second controller, and

in the first mode, a position of the pointer is controlled based on the inertial data output from the inertial sensor in at least one of the first or second controller; and

in a second mode where the game is played based on the operation input assigned to the first player using the first controller and an operation input assigned to a second player using the second controller:

controlling, based on the operation input assigned to the first player, the first character object in the virtual space, and

controlling, based on the operation input assigned to the second player, the second character object in the virtual space.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the game program according to claim 1 , wherein

the operation input assigned to the first player includes at least touch data corresponding to an input to a touch panel, and

in the first mode, the position of the pointer is controlled based on the touch data.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the game program according to claim 1 , wherein

the operation input assigned to the first player includes at least a first direction input, and the operation input assigned to the second player includes at least a second direction input,

in the first mode, a movement of the first character object is controlled based on the first direction input, and

in the second mode, the movement of the first character object is controlled based on the first direction input, and a movement of the second character object is controlled based on the second direction input.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the game program according to claim 1 , wherein

in the first mode, if an object is present at the position in the virtual space indicated by the pointer, the second character object performs the predetermined action on the object.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the game program according to claim 4 , wherein

the second character object performs an action that differs in accordance with a type of the object.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the game program according to claim 1 , wherein

in the first mode, as the predetermined action, the second character object moves to the position in the virtual space indicated by the pointer.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the game program according to claim 1 , wherein

in the first mode, in accordance with an instruction included in the operation input assigned to the first player, the second character object performs the predetermined action.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the game program according to claim 1 , wherein

in the first mode, the second character object automatically moves within a predetermined range in the virtual space in accordance with a position of the first character object, and in accordance with an instruction included in the operation input assigned to the first player, performs the predetermined action on the position in the virtual space indicated by the pointer.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the game program according to claim 1 , wherein

the first mode includes a plurality of first modes,

the second character object includes a degree of support based on the first mode set from the plurality of first modes, and

the second character object a degree of movement based on the first mode set from the plurality of first modes.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the game program according to claim 1 , wherein in the first mode:

the first character object is controlled based on the operation input to an operation portion of the first controller as the first player holds the first controller in a first hand, and

the position of the pointer is controlled based on the inertial data output from the inertial sensor of the second controller as the first player holds the second controller in a second hand.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the game program according to claim 10 , wherein the first controller is held by the first player in a first orientation and the second controller is held by the first player in the first orientation.

12. A game system, comprising:

at least one processor configured to perform information processing based on an operation input assigned to each player; and

at least one memory configured to store computer readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the game system to:

in a first mode where a game is played based on an operation input assigned to a first player using first and second controllers:

control, based on the operation input assigned to the first player, a first character object in a virtual space and control a pointer displayed on a game screen, and

automatically control, in the virtual space, a second character object in accordance with a situation in the virtual space and cause the second character object to perform a predetermined action on a position in the virtual space indicated by the pointer, wherein

the operation input assigned to the first player includes at least inertial data corresponding to an output from an inertial sensor in at least one of the first or second controller, and

in the first mode, a position of the pointer is controlled based on the inertial data output from the inertial sensor in at least one of the first or second controller; and

in a second mode where the game is played based on the operation input assigned to the first player using the first controller and an operation input assigned to a second player using the second controller:

control, based on the operation input assigned to the first player, the first character object in the virtual space, and

control, based on the operation input assigned to the second player, the second character object in the virtual space.

13. The game system according to claim 12 , wherein

the operation input assigned to the first player includes at least touch data corresponding to an input to a touch panel, and

in the first mode, the position of the pointer is controlled based on the touch data.

14. The game system according to claim 12 , wherein

the operation input assigned to the first player includes at least a first direction input, and the operation input assigned to the second player includes at least a second direction input,

in the first mode, a movement of the first character object is controlled based on the first direction input, and

in the second mode, the movement of the first character object is controlled based on the first direction input, and a movement of the second character object is controlled based on the second direction input.

15. The game system according to claim 12 , wherein

in the first mode, if an object is present at the position in the virtual space indicated by the pointer, the second character object performs the predetermined action on the object, and

the second character object performs an action that differs in accordance with a type of the object.

16. The game system according to claim 12 , wherein

in the first mode, as the predetermined action, the second character object moves to the position in the virtual space indicated by the pointer.

17. The game system according to claim 12 , wherein

in the first mode, in accordance with an instruction included in the operation input assigned to the first player, the second character object performs the predetermined action.

18. The game system according to claim 12 , wherein

in the first mode, the second character object automatically moves within a predetermined range in the virtual space in accordance with a position of the first character object, and in accordance with an instruction included in the operation input assigned to the first player, performs the predetermined action on the position in the virtual space indicated by the pointer.

19. The game system according to claim 12 , wherein

in the first mode, the operation input assigned to the first player is operation inputs to the first controller and the second controller, and

in the second mode, the operation input assigned to the first player is an operation input to the first controller, and the operation input assigned to the second player is an operation input to the second controller.

20. The game system according to claim 12 , wherein

in the first mode, the operation input assigned to the first player is an operation input to the first controller, and

in the second mode, the operation input assigned to the first player is an operation input to the first controller, and the operation input assigned to the second player is an operation input to the second controller.

21. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a first controller;

a second controller; and

at least one processor configured to perform information processing based on the operation input assigned to each player, the at least one processor configured to:

in a first mode where a game is played based on an operation input assigned to a first player using the first and second controllers:

control, based on the operation input assigned to the first player, a first character object in a virtual space and control a pointer displayed on a game screen, and

automatically control, in the virtual space, a second character object in accordance with a situation in the virtual space and cause the second character object to perform a predetermined action on a position in the virtual space indicated by the pointer, wherein

the operation input assigned to the first player includes at least inertial data corresponding to an output from an inertial sensor in at least one of the first or second controller, and

in the first mode, a position of the pointer is controlled based on the inertial data output from the inertial sensor in at least one of the first or second controller; and

in a second mode where the game is played based on the operation input assigned to the first player using the first controller and an operation input assigned to a second player using the second controller:

control, based on the operation input assigned to the first player, the first character object in the virtual space, and

control, based on the operation input assigned to the second player, the second character object in the virtual space.

22. An information processing method performed by an information processing system including at least one processor, the method comprising:

in a first mode where a game is played based on an operation input assigned to a first player using first and second controllers:

controlling, based on the operation input assigned to the first player, a first character object in a virtual space and controlling a pointer displayed on a game screen, and

automatically controlling, in the virtual space, a second character object in accordance with a situation in the virtual space and causing the second character object to perform a predetermined action on a position in the virtual space indicated by the pointer, wherein

the operation input assigned to the first player includes at least inertial data corresponding to an output from an inertial sensor in at least one of the first or second controller, and

in the first mode, a position of the pointer is controlled based on the inertial data output from the inertial sensor in at least one of the first or second controller; and

in a second mode where the game is played based on the operation input assigned to the first player using the first controller and an operation input assigned to a second player using the second controller:

controlling, based on the operation input assigned to the first player, the first character object in the virtual space, and

controlling, based on the operation input assigned to the second player, the second character object in the virtual space.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 24, 2020
From: NINTENDO SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
To: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054457/0314 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 16, 2020
From: JOHNSON, JONATHAN; DULYEA, BRANDON
To: NINTENDO SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054381/0353 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 23, 2020
From: MOTOKURA, KENTA; HIRATAKE, SHINYA; ANDO, KATSUYASU
To: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054151/0983 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220062760A1 · Mar 3, 2022
Cited By (2)
US 12,186,666 US 12,370,450