Game program

US008187094B2

(12) Ulllted States Patent

(10) Patent N0.:

Sawada et a]. (54)

(45) Date of Patent:

GAME PROGRAM

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(75) Inventors: gs‘??? izw‘gldg Tokyo (JP); Yas‘mon 0

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8/1999

FitZGerald

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8/2000

SugaWara

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434/16

463/31

~~ 463/43

Takatsuka ....................... .. 463/4

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

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2002166045 A

*

6/2002

ication

“A Boy and His Blob” instruction manual for the NES, sourced from WWW.replacementd0cs.c0m, released Jun. 1, 1989*

ata

(Continued)

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Forelgn Apphcatlon Prmnty Data

Sep. 22, 2004

. . . ..

. . . ..

(Continued)

Jun. 1, 2006 _

463/2

463/44

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

seP- 22: 2005 P P bl

US 2006/0116186 A1

.........

......

9/2000 Tokita et a1~ 11/2000

Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35

Filed:

................ ..

A

(21) Appl. No.: 11/231,77 6

(52)

L

5,941,708

JP

(51)

8/1996

6,102,801

U.S.C. 154(b) by 1521 days.

(30)

gakaguchi est ................. et a1~ ..~~~~~~~~~~~~~~..

*

6,149,520 A *

(22) (65)

May 29, 2012

5,649,862 A * 7/1997 sgliiguchi et al. .

Assignee: Sega Corporation, Tokyo (JP)

( * ) Notice:

US 8,187,094 B2

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm * Dickstein Shapiro LLP

(JP) ............................... .. 2004-275866

Int, C], A63F 9/24

(2006.01)

A63F 13/00

(2006.01)

(57)

ABSTRACT

In the game program, a computer 100 is operated as means for moving a game character in a game ?eld, based on an input

signal inputted from an operation unit 114 and outputting the

us. Cl. ............................. .. 463/36; 463/37; 463/43

motions to display means 110- The game Program Comprises

(58) Field of Classi?cation Search ................ .. 463/8, 4,

Lhe Péocessing Of @1113 a pllayer ch?afcter PC whichmoveés

463/363 37

~ ~ See appl1cat1on ?le for complete search h1story.

ase on an operat1on s1gna mputte

114 b y a

rom an operat1on umt PT Which g ame P la y er _and a P artner character _ _

References Cited

moves, based on a prescr1bed movement algor1thm, and judg ing Whether or not a ?rst input signal has been inputted from

U_S, PATENT DOCUMENTS

Where the player character PC is movable to a prescribed

(56)

the operation unit, and the processing of restricting a range 3 874 669 A *

4/1975 Ammo et a1‘ ““““““““““ “ 463/4

range Withapresent position of the partner character PT inthe

4,093,221 A *

6/197g

Dash , , , , , , , ,

, , , , ,, 463/3

gate ?eld as a reference When it is judged that the ?rst input

4,148,485 A *

4/ 1979

Rains . . . . . . .

. . . . .. 463/6

signal has been inputted. The game program permits a player

Slant; et a1~ ~

~~~~ ~~

character a player operates and a partner character Which

i i

437383451 A *

4/l988 L23;

4,905,168 A * 5,287,446 A * 5,292,254 A *

2/1990 McCarthy et al. .. 345/474 2/1994 Williams et al. .. 345/474 3/ 1994 Miller et al. .................. .. 434/11

4630

supports the player character to make various cooperative monons'

7 Claims, 21 Drawing Sheets

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93/97

SP1554159

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US 8,187,094 B2 Page 2 U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS Mathias et al. ................. .. 463/2

3/2001

6,210,273 B1*

4/2001 Matsuno

6,254,394 B1 *

7/2001 Draper et al.

434/11

6,287,196 B1*

9/2001

463/23

6,340,332 B1 *

1/2002 Rimoto et a1.

463/31

last updated Dec. 12, 2002*

6,409,604 B1 *

6/2002

463/43

“Suikoden: Unite AttacksiIcyBriancom”, sourced from WWW.

.. 463/8

KaWano .... .. Matsuno .......... ..

6,424,353 B2 *

7/2002 Yamamoto et al.

. 345/619

6,426,752 B1 *

7/2002

. 345/473

Goden

............. ..

6,461,237 B1 * 10/2002 Yoshinobu et al. 6,471,585 B1* 10/2002 Rimoto et a1.

463/3 .. 463/4

icybrian.com/games/suikoden/unites.php, copyright 1997.* “Suikoden”

instruction

manual,

sourced

from

WWW.

replacementdocs.com, copyright 1996 Konami.*

6,514,142 B1*

2/2003 Hattori et al.

463/31

“Suikoden

6,533,663 B1*

3/2003 IWao et al. ..

463/32

replacementdocs.com, release date Sep. 25, 1999.*

II”

instruction

manual,

sourced

from

WWW.

from

WWW.

6,558,258 B1*

5/2003

Rupert et al. ................. .. 463/33

“Suikoden

6,595,850 B2 *

7/2003

Yamaki ........................... .. 463/1

replacementdocs.com, copyright 2002 Konami.* “Suikosource: Weblog: Suikoden IV Update #2”, sourced from http://WWW. suikosource.com/Weblog/2004/04/ 1 0/ suikodeniiviup

6,666,769 B2 * 12/2003 Stronach 6,729,954

B2 *

5/2004

Atsumi et a1.

463/40 .....

6,935,955 B1*

8/2005 KaminkoW et al.

6,938,898 B2 *

9/2005 Merritt, III

7,004,838 B2 *

2/2006 Hayashida et al.

7,126,607 B2 *

10/2006

Emerson .......... ..

. . . ..

7,390,254 B2 * 7,399,224 B2 *

6/2008 7/2008

463/7

463/35 . 273/236

463/31 . 345/474

7,300,345 B2 * 11/2007 Mifune et a1.

463/4

Hirai ............................... .. 463/4 Hirai ............................... .. 463/4

7,402,106 B2 *

7/2008 Weisel et al.

463/63

7,452,279 B2 *

11/2008 Yamashita ..

463/43

7,594,847 B1* 2003/0109305 A1*

9/2009 York et al. .. 6/2003 Gavin et al. .

463/5 463/31

2004/0046800 A1 *

3/2004

Emerson ..................... .. 345/810

“GameFAQS: Suikoden II FaQ/Walkthrough by Sir Aronar”, sourced WWW. gamefaqs.com/console/psx/?le/ 1 98844/4776,

III”

instruction

manual,

sourced

dateiZphp, published Apr. 10, 2004.* “Suikoden Tactics” instruction manual, copyright 2005 Konami.* “Suikoden V” instruction manual, copyright 2006 Konami.* “With giant sWings, your comrade gets throWn” in-game screen shot from Suikoden IV to illustrate a combo attack. Sourced from http:// WWW. suiko source .com/images/games/gs4/previeW/040904/Com

bat3.jpg. Published Apr. 9, 2004.* “GameFAQs: Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES) FAQ/Walkthrough by SnoW Dragon”, sourced from http://WWW.gamefaqs.com/console/ nes/?le/525244/12524, last updated Aug. 26, 2002* “Super Mario 64” instruction manual, copyright 1996 Nintendo.*

OTHER PUBLICATIONS from

“GameFAQs: Suikoden II (PS) FAQ/Walkthrough by JL Lee”, sourced from http://WWW.gamefaqs.com/console/psX/?le/l98844/ 4778, last updated Jan. 16, 2000.* “GameFAQs: Suikoden III (PS2) Combo FAQ by DFuZed”, sourced from http://WWW.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/?le/536777/20089,

6,196,917 B1*

last

updated Feb. 29, 2000.*

“Donkey Kong Country WalkthroughiIGN FAQS”, sourced from http://faqs.ign.com/aIticles/644/644519p1.htrnl, copyright 2001.* “Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong’s Quest” instruction manual, copyright 1995 Nintendo.* “Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’ s Double Trouble” instruction manual, copyright 1996 Nintendo.* “Donkey Kong County” instruction manual, sourced from WWW. replacementdocs.com, released Nov. 24, 2004.* “Unite AttacksiSuikoden Wika”, sourced from http://suikoden. Wikia.com/Wiki/UniteiAttacks.* “GameFAQs: Suikoden II (PS) Unite Attacks Guide by Jerome”, sourced from http://WWW.gamefaqs.com/console/psX/?le/l98844/ 20394, last updated Nov. 28, 2002*

“Super Mario Bros. 2” instruction manual, sourced from WWW. replacementdocs.com, release date Oct. 1988.*

“Super Mario Bros.” instruction manual, copyright 1985 Nintendo.* “Super Mario RPG” instruction manual, copyright 1996 Nintendo/

Square.* “Super Mario World 2Yoshi’s Island” instruction manual, Copyright 1995 Nintendo.*

“Super Mario World” instruction manual, Copyright 1991 Nintendo.*

“Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Of?cial Guide Book, Complete Edition,” Square EniX Co., Ltd., Oct. 10, 2003, First Edition, pp. 37 and 50.

“Sakura Wars 2, -Don’ you Dare Lay DoWn Your Life. -,Strategy Guide Book, Volume of Earth, for Professional,” Ascii Inc., Jul. 4, 1998, First Edition, p. 30.

* cited by examiner

US. Patent

May 29, 2012

Sheet 2 0f 21

US 8,187,094 B2

S001 OPERATION INPUT IS LOCK OPERATION

NO

STOP PARTNER CHARACTER PC AND LET HIM STAND BY. PARTNER CHARACTER MAKE STAND BY SPECIAL MOTION

V DETERMINE LINK TECHNIQUE AND ITS EFFECT RANGE, BASED ON POSITIONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLAYER CHARACTER PC AND PARTNER

CHARACTER STAND KIND OF LINK TECHNIQUE AND DISPLAY ICON IMAGE OF THE LINK TECHNIQUE '

S005

OPERATION INPUT IS MOVEMENT OPERATION OF PLAYER CHARACTER

'

PC?

// SO06 MOVE PLAYER CHARACTER PC AND CHANGE DISPLAY POSITION OF ICON IMAGE IC, BASED ON POSITIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH PARTNER CHARACTER PT

SO02

v8

SO07 NO

GENERATE IMAGES

OPERATION INPUT IS TECHNIQUE MAKING OPERATION?

BASED ON A KIND OF LINK TECHNIQUE SET USABLE AND POSITIONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLAYER CHARACTER PC AND PARTNER CHARACTER PT, DETERMINE A POINT OF MAKING THE LINK TECHNIQUE

OF MOVEMENT OF PLAYER CHARACTER PC AND PARTNER CHARACTER PT

DETERMINE EFFECT RANGE OF THE LINK TECHNIQUE, BASED ON POSITIONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLAYER CHARACTER PC AND PARTNER CHARACTER PT, ABILITY VALUE, ETC.

V GENERATE IMAGE OF THE LINK TECHNIQUE

I COMPUTE EFFECT OF THE LINK TECHNIQUE ON ENEMY CHARACTER AND CONTROL DISPLAY FOR THE ENEMY CHARACTER

1» S010

US. Patent

May 29, 2012

Sheet 3 0f 21

US 8,187,094 B2

FIG. 3

PC

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HP 999/999

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Sheet 4 0f 21

US 8,187,094 B2

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Sheet 5 0f 21

US 8,187,094 B2

FIG. 5

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Sheet 6 0f 21

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FIG. 6

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Sheet 7 0f 21

US 8,187,094 B2

FIG. 7

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HP 61/157 SP 228/243

US. Patent

May 29, 2012

Sheet 9 0f 21

US 8,187,094 B2

FIG. 9 OPERATION INPUT BY FIRST GAME PLAYER IS

LOCK OPERATION?

STOP PLAYER CHARACTER PCl AND LET HIM STAN BY.

PLAYER CHARACTER PCl MAKES STAN BY SPECIAL MOTION

N

$103

S104 OPERATION INPUT BY FIRST GAME PLAYER IS SELECTION INPUT FOR LINK

TECHNIQUE? DETERMINE EFFECT RANGE OF THE LINK TECHNIQUE, BASED POSITIONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLAYER CHARACTER PCI AND PLAYER CHARACTER PC2

"\d S105

AND KIND OF THE LINK TECHNIQUE AND DISPLAY

S102

ICON IMAGE OF THE LINK TECHNIQUE

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S106

OPERATION INPUT BY SECOND GAME PLAYER IS OPERATION OF MAKING LINK

TECHNIQUE? YES

BASED ON KIND OF THE LINK TECHNIQUE SET USABLE, AND POSITIONAL RELATIONSHIP AND DISTANCE BETWEEN PLAYER CHARACTER PCl AND PAYER CHARACTER PC2, DETERMINE A POINT OF MAKING THE LINK TECHNIQUE

II GENERATE IMAGES OF MOVEMENTS

OP PLAYER CHARACTER PCl AND PLAYER

CHARACTER PC2

S107

I DETERMINE EFFECT RANGE OF THE LINK TECHNIQUE, BASED ON POSITIONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLAYER CHARACTER PCl AND PLAYER CHARACTER PC2, ABILITY VALUE, ETC.

“3103

I I

GENERATE IMAGE OF THE LINK TECHNIQUE

I’» S109

j COMPUTE EFFECT OF THE LINK TECHNIQUE FOR ENEMY CHARACTER AND CONTORT DISPLAY TO THE ENEMY CHARACTER \

END

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