Game Machine Environmental Effect Rendering Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

In three-dimensional games, displaying effects like falling snow or rain increases processing load due to the need for numerous objects to be rendered across the entire game space, leading to increased computational demands.

Innovation Solution

A game machine and method that strategically places environmental effect objects within a target region of the three-dimensional game space based on the viewpoint position and sight line direction, allowing the target region to move in response to changes in the viewpoint or sight line, thereby reducing the number of objects that need to be rendered across the entire game space.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If a plurality of environmental effect objects are placed over the entire three-dimensional game space, then the effect coverage is improved, but the processing load increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveeffect coverage areaVSAvoidprocessing load
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by concentrating environmental effect objects only in the target region (foreground area) rather than distributing them uniformly across the entire game space. This creates a localised high-density zone of effects where they are most visible to the player, while leaving other areas with fewer or no effects, thereby reducing overall processing load while maintaining visual impact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the three-dimensional game space into a target region (foreground) and other regions, placing environmental effect objects selectively in the target region. This spatial segmentation allows the system to render fewer objects by focusing computational resources on the area most critical for visual effect perception.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the target region is moved in response to viewpoint changes, then the effect follows the player's view, but the complexity of tracking and updating increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveview-following capabilityVSAvoidtarget region control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamics by making the target region movable and responsive to changes in viewpoint position and sight line direction. The target region dynamically adjusts its position and orientation to follow the player's view, ensuring environmental effects remain visible in the foreground. This dynamic adaptation is achieved through computational updates based on viewpoint parameters rather than complex physical tracking mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP1938875B1Game machine, game machine control method, and information storage medium
Publication Date: 2012.05.23 KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT CO LTD
  • EP1938875B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1938875B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1938875B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

A game machine is provided in which processing load for displaying a scene of falling snow or falling rain, for example, on a game screen in a three-dimensional game can be reduced. An environmental effect object placement unit (snow object placement unit (64)) places a plurality of environmental effect objects in a target region of a three-dimensional game space based on a viewpoint position and a sight line direction. A target region controlling unit (snow generation target region controlling unit (60)) moves the target region, in response to a change of the viewpoint position or the sight line direction, based on the viewpoint position and sight line direction after the change. A display unit (70) displays a game screen representing a scene, in the three-dimensional game space in which the plurality of environmental effect objects are placed in the target region, viewed from the viewpoint position toward the sight line direction.