U.S. Patent No. 8,491,365: Sports video game with enhanced control features
Issued Jul. 23, 2013, to Nintendo Co., Ltd.
Summary:
The ‘365 patent applies to sports video games with battle game aspects. The described game may deal damage instead of awarding points, allowing rounds of play to last longer. An in game character who has taken too much damage or lost too much health may be removed from play or die in the game. The player may use power-ups or different moves to increase the damage dealt by a particular play. The patent focuses on the integration of competitive battle game qualities into traditional sports games.
Abstract:
A battle volleyball or other sports game having both sports and battle game aspects is played between opposing teams. A game object, having at least one associated characteristic, is used in the game. An associated characteristic of the game object is altered based on properly timed player input, the input being timed to coincide with one or more action indicators displayed along a game object movement path. The game object may also negatively affect a health or other game character related parameter of a game character towards which the game object is directed.
Illustrative Claim:
1. A method of playing a battle video game providing a video game play graphical user interface in accordance with instructions executed by at least one processor, the processor providing images for display and changing the images in response to user input, the method comprising:
using the at least one processor, modeling at least one ball;
using the at least one processor, and initiated based on input from a first user, generating
animation for display that shows the ball flying along a trajectory;
animation for display that shows the ball flying along a trajectory;
using the at least one processor, displaying at least one action indicator along the trajectory of said ball the action indicator having features;
using the at least one processor, accepting further input from the first user and determining timing of the further input relative to when the ball has correspondence with features of the action indicator; and
using the at least one processor, based on the further input from the first user, applying a power boost to the ball while it is flying along the trajectory.
