IP Library Granted Patent US 6,860,812
Granted Patent B2
US 6,860,812 · App. 09/973,120 · Granted Mar 1, 2005

Video game having smooth character control

Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,860,812
App. No.
09/973,120
Granted
Mar 1, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

A video game program enables smooth movement of a character while simplifying an operation. The video game program causes a computer to: always detect an angle θ formed by a line of sight of a camera and a direction of a player character. If a player operates a direction key, the computer corrects an input direction received by the operated direction key with the angle θ and generates the corrected direction, as a progress direction of the player character. The computer further stores this generated progress direction in a storage area and moves the player character in the direction. If operation of a key part of an identical direction is continued in the direction key, the computer moves the player character in the stored progress direction regardless of whether the line of sight moves. Therefore, the player character continues to move in the identical direction in the three-dimensional space even if a camera angle changes.

Claims (19)

1. A recording medium having recorded thereon a video game program for causing a computer to execute a video game for displaying a virtual three-dimensional space while causing a line of sight to change and at the same time displaying a character on a screen and causing said character to move in said three-dimensional space based on a direction input by a direction key operated by a player,

wherein the video game program causes a computer to execute:

a generating procedure that, when said direction key is operated by the player, corrects said input direction by an angle to generate a corrected direction as a progress direction of said character in said three-dimensional space;

a first character movement controlling procedure that moves said character in said progress direction in said three-dimensional space;

a storing procedure that stores said progress direction;

a determining procedure that determines whether an identical direction is input from said direction key continuously; and

a second character movement controlling procedure that, when it is determined that an identical direction is input from said direction key continuously, moves said character in said stored progress direction in said three-dimensional space regardless of movement of said line of sight.

2. A method of controlling movement of a character in a video game for displaying a virtual three-dimensional space while causing a line of sight to change and at the same time displaying a character on a screen and causing said character to move in said three-dimensional space based on a direction input by a direction key operated by a player, comprising:

correcting, when said direction key is operated by the player, said input direction by an angle to obtain a corrected direction as a progress direction of said character in said three-dimensional space;

moving said character in said progress direction in said three-dimensional space;

storing said progress direction of said character;

determining whether an identical direction is input from said direction key continuously; and

moving, when it is determined that the identical direction is input from said direction key continuously, said character in said stored progress direction in said three-dimensional space regardless of movement of said line of sight.

3. A game apparatus for displaying a virtual three-dimensional space while causing a line of sight to change and at the same time displaying a character on a screen and causing said character to move in said three-dimensional space based on a direction input by a direction key operated by a player, comprising:

a generator that, when said direction key is operated by the player, corrects said input direction by an angle to generate a corrected direction as a progress direction of said character in said three-dimensional space;

a first character movement controller that moves said character in said progress direction in said three-dimensional space;

a storage that stores said progress direction of said character;

a determining system that determines whether an identical direction is input from said direction key continuously; and

a second character movement controller that, when it is determined that the identical direction is input from said direction key continuously, moves said character in said progress direction stored in said storage in said three-dimensional space regardless of movement of said line of sight.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 4, 2009
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA SQUARE ENIX (ALSO TRADING AS SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.)
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA SQUARE ENIX (ALSO AS SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.)
Reel/Frame 022368/0822 →
MERGER Recorded May 27, 2003
From: SQUARE CO., LTD.
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA SQUARE ENIX (ALSO TRADING AS SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.)
Reel/Frame 014074/0196 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2001
From: NAKAZATO, TAKAYOSHI; SUGIMOTO, KOJI
To: SQUARE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 012375/0512 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2001-095450 · Mar 29, 2001 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20020142837A1 · Oct 3, 2002