IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,469,809
Granted Patent B2
US 8,469,809 · App. 11/196,237 · Granted Jun 25, 2013

Game apparatus, storage medium storing game program and game controlling method

Inventor: Souichi Nakajima (Kyoto, JP)
Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,469,809
App. No.
11/196,237
Granted
Jun 25, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A game apparatus includes an LCD, and a touch panel is placed on a top surface of the LCD. A player instructs an enemy character displayed on the LCD by use of a stick to attack the enemy character. For example, in a case that the enemy character exists at a depth of a game screen, little damage is applied to the enemy character, and a weak vibration is applied to the game apparatus. Conversely, in a case that the enemy character exists at a front of the game screen, much damage is applied to the character, and a strong vibration is applied to the game apparatus. In either case, the vibrations are transmitted to the fingers or hands of the payer via the stick.

Claims (54)

1. A method of controlling a game apparatus provided with a touch panel having an associated display, and a vibrator for vibrating at least a screen of said display, including:

displaying a game character on said screen, said character having at least one associated game related parameter;

selecting said character by using a pointing device on said touch panel;

detecting the state of a parameter associated with said character in response to said selection of said character by a player; and

vibrating said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to the state of the detected parameter when the player directly touches said character, wherein said game related parameter comprises a position of the game character in a game space.

2. A game apparatus provided with a display for displaying a game screen, a touch panel provided in association with the display, and a vibrator for vibrating at least a screen of said display, comprising:

a game screen for displaying the game including an image of a character appearing in a game on the screen of said display;

updating programmed logic circuitry for updating a parameter for changing a display manner of said character or a state of said character in the game in correspondence to the proceeding of the game;

detecting programmed logic circuitry for detecting position coordinates in response to an operation input to said touch panel by a player;

obtaining programmed logic circuitry for obtaining the parameter of said character at a time of the operation input to said touch panel when the player directly touches the display area of said character; and

vibration controlling programmed logic circuitry for vibrating said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to the parameter obtained by said obtaining programmed logic circuitry, wherein

said updating programmed logic circuitry updates arrangement coordinates of said character in a game space, and

said vibration controlling programmed logic circuitry vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to said arrangement coordinates.

3. The game apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

said updating programmed logic circuitry updates a flag for determining whether at least said character is in an attack state or a non-attack state, and

said vibration controlling programmed logic circuitry vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to turn-on/off of said flag.

4. The game apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

said updating programmed logic circuitry updates life, offensive power and mentality of said character, and

said vibration controlling programmed logic circuitry vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to at least one of the life, offensive power and mentality of said character.

5. The game apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

said vibration controlling programmed logic circuitry includes selecting one vibration pattern corresponding to said parameter out of a plurality of vibration patterns.

6. A storage medium storing a game program of a game apparatus provided with a display for displaying a game screen, a touch panel provided in association with the display, and a vibrator for vibrating at least a screen of said display,

said game program causes a processor of said game apparatus to execute:

displaying the game screen including an image of a character appearing in a game on the screen of said display;

updating a parameter for changing a display manner of said character or a state of said character in the game in correspondence to the proceeding of the game;

detecting position coordinates in response to an operation input to said touch panel by a player;

obtaining the parameter of said character at a time of the operation input to said touch panel when the player directly touches the display area of said character; and

vibration controlling for vibrating said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to the parameter obtained by said obtaining, wherein

said updating updates arrangement coordinates of said character in a game space, and

said vibration controlling vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to said arrangement coordinates.

7. The storage medium storing a game program according to claim 6 , wherein

said updating updates a flag for determining whether at least said character is in an attack state or a non-attack state, and

said vibration controlling vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to turn-on/off of said flag.

8. The storage medium storing a game program according to claim 6 , wherein

said updating updates life, offensive power and mentality of said character, and

said vibration controlling vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to at least one of the life, offensive power and mentality of said character.

9. The storage medium storing a game program according to claim 6 , wherein

said vibration controlling includes selecting one vibration pattern corresponding to said parameter out of said plurality of vibration patterns.

10. A game controlling method of a game apparatus provided with a display for displaying a game screen, a touch panel provided in association with the display, and a vibrator for vibrating at least a screen of said display, includes:

displaying the game screen including an image of a character appearing in a game on the screen of said display;

updating a parameter for changing a display manner of said character or a state of said character in the game in correspondence to the proceeding of the game;

detecting position coordinates in response to an operation input to said touch panel by a player;

obtaining the parameter of said character at a time of the operation input to said touch panel when the player directly touches the display area of said character; and

vibrating said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to the parameter obtained by said obtaining the parameter, wherein

said updating a parameter updates arrangement coordinates of said character in a game space, and

said vibrating vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to said arrangement coordinates.

11. The game controlling method according to claim 10 , wherein

said updating a parameter updates a flag for determining whether at least said character is in an attack state or a non-attack state, and

said vibrating vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to turn-on/off of said flag.

12. The game controlling method according to claim 10 , wherein

said updating a parameter updates life, offensive power and mentality of said character, and

said vibrating vibrates said vibrator in a vibration pattern according to at least one of the life, offensive power and mentality of said character.

13. The game controlling method according to claim 10 , wherein

said vibrating includes selecting one vibration pattern corresponding to said parameter out of said plurality of vibration patterns.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2005
From: NAKAJIMA, SOUICHI
To: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 016865/0251 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2004-254243 · Sep 1, 2004 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20060046843A1 · Mar 2, 2006