U.S. Patent No. 9,409,085: Game system, game control method, game device, and computer-readable storage medium

Issued August 9, 2016, to Nintendo Co., Ltd. 

Priority Date February 16, 2012

Summary:

U.S. Patent No. 9,409,085 (the '085 Patent) describes a method to have an interactive background for a tennis video game. This gameplay mechanic is used in Mario Tennis Open's Super Mario Tennis mode. In the mode, a player using a game character, like Mario, hits a tennis ball against a practice wall. Super Mario levels are superimposed onto the practice wall. The levels scroll like a Super Mario level and even feature classic Mario enemies like Bowser or Gumbas. Players can interact with the level by hitting the ball against the practice wall. Hitting different areas of the level will cause different effects. If the ball hits a Gumba, then the Gumba is squashed, and the player earns points. Hitting a box may cause a powerup to appear giving the players special powers. The player completes the mode like every other Mario game, defeating Bowser and rescuing Peach. 

Abstract:

An exemplary embodiment sets the game background image with surface objects (bricks, coins, item closed box baffles, monsters, and the like) arranged therein in the middle of the tennis court within a virtual space for executing a tennis game containing the motion of hitting the tennis ball according to an operation by the player, and scrolls the surface objects arranged in the game background image. Then, there is provided an effect corresponding to the type of the surface object (benefit object, the hit map switching object, scoring object, or the like) arranged in a position of the game background image, where the tennis ball shot in response to a player-operation has reached.

Illustrative Claim:

1. A game system including a display device and a player operation inputting device, the game system configured to perform video game processing to execute and display a virtual ball game which takes place within a virtual space, comprising: one or more processors configured to interact with a user providing inputs via an operation inputting device and perform game processing to execute and display the virtual ball game which takes place within a virtual space, said one or more processors configured to perform functions and operate as: virtual ball movement processor which performs a game process wherein a virtual ball is moved within the virtual space in response to a hitting operation performed by a player using the operation inputting device; a virtual object setter configured to set a virtual three-dimensional object at a predetermined position in the virtual space, the virtual three-dimensional object having a surface where a virtual ball hit during the game process can reach; a virtual object surface image arranger configured to make one or more object surface images appear upon the surface of the virtual three-dimensional object; a virtual object surface image movement processor configured to move, within the surface of the virtual three-dimensional object, the one or more object surface images made to appear upon the surface of the virtual three-dimensional object; an effect processor configured to provide a predetermined effect in the game process, based on a condition that at least one of the object surface images made to appear upon the surface of the virtual three-dimensional object are present at a contact position of the virtual ball with a point on the surface of the virtual three-dimensional object, when a hit virtual ball reaches the surface of the virtual three-dimensional object; and a display processor configured to display the virtual space and the virtual ball game on the display device.

Researched By: Andrew F. Thomas

U.S. Patent No. 8,764,563: Video Game superimposing virtual characters on user supplied phot used as game screen background

Issued July 1, 2014, to Bandai Namco Entertainment, Inc.

Priority Date: March 24, 2009

 

 

Summary:

 

Abstract:

A feature image area that has a similar feature (e.g., quadrangular outline) is extracted from an original two-dimensional image photographed by a player. When a game has started, the original two-dimensional image is displayed as the background of a game stage, and a target character 4 is caused to appear or disappear from the extracted feature image area at a random appearance frequency and a random appearance speed. When the player has touched the target character 4, points are added to the score of the player.

 

Illustrative Claim:

1. A method comprising: detecting an image area that satisfies a feature image area condition from a photographed image, the feature image area condition being a condition to detect an image area that has an outline of a given shape and satisfies a proper size condition; displaying the photographed image on a touch panel; selecting character type based on at least one of a color of the image area and a size of the image area; displaying a character of the selected character type on the photographed image in a manner such that the character appears to emerge from the image area; and incrementing a score linked to the character that has appeared from the image area when a user inputs a touch operation on the character, wherein the detecting, the selecting, the displaying the character, and the incrementing are performed by a hardware processor.

U.S. Patent No. 9,393,486: Character simulation and playback notification in game session replay

Issued July 17, 2016, to Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Priority June 27, 2014

U.S. Patent No. 9,393,486 (the '486 Patent) relates to U.S. Patent No. 9,409,083 (the '083 Patent) titled Spawning new timelines during game session replay. The '083 Patent describes a method for allowing players to "step into" a replay and restart a session from that given point. For a more in-depth summary of the '083 Patent, click here. The '486 Patent builds on the '083 Patent by describing a system to send out a notification to all players involved in the previous session. The notified players can either participate or spectate the session.

Not all players from a previous session are required to replay a previous session. The '486 Patent also describes a system to allow a person to replay a multiplayer session without needing the other players. The system creates a profile based on the behavior of a given player. If a single player wishes to replay a past multiplayer session, then AI bots will take over missing human players. AI will use the player's profile to inform how the character should behave in a given circumstance.

Abstract:

A game system in which game sessions may be recorded and saved as game records. A previously recorded game session may be selected and replayed, and players may step into and assume control of respective game characters during the replay. When a player steps into and takes control of game a character during replay of a game session, a new timeline is spawned from the original timeline, and a new game record corresponding to the new timeline is generated and stored. Players that were involved in a previously recorded game session that is being replayed may be manually or automatically notified that the game session is being replayed. The notification may occur upon initiation of the replay and/or when a new timeline is spawned. Notified players may view the game session without participating, or may take control their respective characters to participate.

Illustrative Claim:

1. A system, comprising; one or more computing devices configured to implement a game system configured to: store a game record comprising a game session involving one or more game characters acting within a game universe, wherein the game characters are associated with one or more of a plurality of players; begin a playback of the game session as recorded in the stored game record to at least one client device; and for at least one of the one or more game characters involved in the game session being played back, send a notification to a player associated with the respective game character via one or more communications channels, said notification indicating to the player that the game session involving the player's game character is being played back.

Researched By: Andrew F. Thomas

U.S. Patent No. 9,409,083: Spawning new timelines during game session replay

Issued August 9, 2017, to Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Priority date: June 27, 2014

 

 

Summary:

Traditionally, to restart a multiplayer session requires that all the players begin anew. For co-op multiplayer games, restarting means starting from a point designated by the level designers. Restarting from a designated point can become frustrating when fighting a challenging boss. U.S. Patent No. 9,409,083 (the '083 Patent) describes an alternative method. Every gaming session is recorded by a game using the '083 Patent system. If the players were to die, the game would use the record to show the players a replay of their last session. The players can watch the replay and see the exact moment where things went wrong. Players can then decide to "step in" and start a new session from that point, creating a new timeline or universe that diverges from the original game session. The new (altered) gaming session will create a new record from which players can repeat the process.

 

Abstract:

A game system in which game sessions involving one or more players may be recorded and saved as game records. A previously recorded game session may be selected and replayed. However, in addition to providing a static replay of the game session, the game system may allow one or more players to step into and assume control of respective game characters at any point during the replay of the game session. When a player steps into and takes control of game a character during the playback, a new timeline is spawned from the original timeline with potentially different outcomes, and a new game record corresponding to the new timeline is generated and stored. 

 

Illustrative Claim:

1. A system, comprising; one or more computing devices configured to implement a game system configured to: store game records comprising previously played game sessions, each game session involving one or more game characters acting within a game universe along a game session timeline; receive selection input from one of one or more client devices, said selection input selecting one of the stored game records for playback; begin playback of the game session as recorded in the selected game record to at least one client device; receive game input from a game client instance on one of the one or more client devices, said game input causing an action by one of the one or more game characters within the game universe; and in response to said game input, spawn a new game session timeline from the game session timeline as recorded in the selected game record and generate a new game record for the new game session timeline.

Researched By: Andrew F. Thomas



U.S. Patent No. 10,004,981: Input method and apparatus

Issued June 26, 2018 to Nintendo Co. Ltd

 

 

Summary:

U.S. Patent No. 10,004,981 (the '981 Patent) describes a method for displaying a digital driving wheel on a touch screen which can control a car in driving games. The '981 Patent specifically relates to the Nintendo DS system and how to optimize the bottom, touch screen for driving games. The DS is a dual-screen handheld console. The top screen is a standard screen while the bottom screen had touch capabilities. Driving games could use the bottom screen to display a driving wheel. A player could choose to control their vehicle using this virtual driving wheel. The virtual driving wheel gave players more control over their car than the traditional D-pad control scheme.  

 

Abstract:

A vehicle simulation such as for example a driving game can be provided by displaying an image of a steering wheel on a touch sensitive screen. Touch inputs are used to control the rotational orientation of displayed steering wheel. The rotational orientation of the displayed steering wheel is used to apply course correction effects to a simulated vehicle. Selective application of driver assist and different scaling of touch inputs may be provided.

 

Illustrative Claim:

1. A handheld device comprising: a housing shaped and dimensioned for being held by a hand; a touch sensitive screen disposed on the housing; a graphics processor operatively connected to the touch sensitive screen, the graphics processor generating display of a virtual object on the touch sensitive screen; and a processor operatively connected to the touch sensitive screen and to the graphics processor, the processor being responsive to input sensed by the touch sensitive screen to detect movements along a multiplicity of paths on the screen, the processor defining vectors in response to said detected touch movements and causing the orientation of the displayed virtual object to change in response to the defined vectors.


Researched By: Andrew F. Thomas