Game Program Touch Input Speed Control via Virtual Camera
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Solution Overview
Problem
In games using a touch panel for input, players experience dissatisfaction due to inconsistent movement speeds when navigating virtual game spaces with non-planar or curved surfaces, as the distance between touch coordinates and object coordinates is not proportional, leading to unpredictable movement speeds.
Innovation Solution
A game program that calculates target coordinates and movement speeds based on designated touch coordinates, using reference coordinates and distance calculations to ensure consistent movement speeds regardless of the game field's shape or inclination, by employing a designated coordinate acquisition, target coordinate calculation, distance calculation, speed information calculation, and object movement steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional touch panel control is used in three-dimensional virtual game space, then the player can directly control the object on the screen, but the movement speed becomes inconsistent and unpredictable due to non-proportional distance relationships
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual camera as an intermediary between the touch panel input and the three-dimensional game space. The camera position serves as a reference point, and touch coordinates are transformed relative to this intermediary, creating a stable coordinate system that decouples the direct screen control from the inconsistent 3D space geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter reference frame from absolute screen coordinates to relative coordinates based on virtual camera position. By calculating touch coordinates relative to the camera position and using this as the basis for object movement, the system maintains consistent movement speeds across different camera positions and game field geometries.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the game field has non-planar or curved surfaces, then the game space becomes more versatile and realistic, but the distance proportionality between touch coordinates and object coordinates breaks down
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual camera acts as a mediator that transforms the complex non-planar game field geometry into a manageable coordinate system. By referencing all coordinate transformations to the camera position rather than to the game field geometry itself, the system maintains coordinate proportionality regardless of the underlying field shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a camera position dimension as the reference frame, separating the 2D touch panel coordinate system from the 3D game space through an intermediate coordinate transformation. This dimensional approach allows the system to handle arbitrary game field geometries while maintaining consistent touch-to-movement proportionality.
3Productivity
If movement speed is calculated based on touch coordinate distance, then the control responds directly to player input, but the speed varies unpredictably when the virtual camera position changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter calculation from absolute touch coordinates to relative coordinates based on the difference between touch position and camera position. This parameter transformation ensures that movement speed remains stable and predictable regardless of camera position changes, while maintaining direct responsiveness to player input.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the virtual camera position as feedback to adjust the coordinate transformation. By continuously referencing the camera position and calculating touch coordinates relative to this dynamic reference point, the system maintains stable movement speeds while adapting to changing camera positions in real-time.
Data Source
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AI summary
Designated coordinates, on the display screen, designated by the pointing device are acquired, and target coordinates, in the virtual game space, corresponding to the designated coordinates are calculated. A distance from reference coordinates set on the display screen to the designated coordinates is calculated and speed information based on the distance is calculated. A predetermined object is moved toward the target coordinates in the virtual game space at a movement speed represented by the speed information.