Game Device Trace Rendering via Texture Blending

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing game devices are limited by processing speed and memory in rendering long traces of object movement in virtual game worlds, requiring excessive polygons and restricting the maximum trace length.

Innovation Solution

A game program and device that render the trace as a texture blended with the game field, allowing constant processing speed and memory usage regardless of trace length, by updating and rendering the trace shape information based on object movement, and blending it with the game field texture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of moving object

If the trace is rendered using traditional polygon methods, then the trace can be displayed in the virtual game space, but the processing speed decreases and memory usage increases when the trace length increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrace lengthVSAvoidprocessing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional polygon-based rendering mechanism with a texture-based rendering mechanism. Instead of using polygons to represent the trace, the invention uses a texture that is mapped onto the ground surface. This substitution transforms the rendering process from geometric primitive assembly to texture mapping, which is computationally more efficient and memory-friendly, thereby resolving the contradiction between trace length and processing speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the rendering parameter from polygon count to texture coordinates and blending ratios. By controlling the trace display through texture parameters (such as texture repetition, offset, and alpha blending) rather than increasing polygon quantities, the system can display traces of any length without proportionally increasing processing load or memory requirements, thus resolving the contradiction between trace length and processing speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Duration of action of moving object

If the trace is rendered using traditional polygon methods, then the trace can be displayed in the virtual game space, but the memory space required increases when the trace length increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrace lengthVSAvoidmemory space

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional polygon-based rendering mechanism with a texture-based rendering mechanism. Instead of using polygons to represent the trace, the invention uses a texture that is mapped onto the ground surface. This substitution transforms the rendering process from geometric primitive assembly to texture mapping, which is computationally more efficient and memory-friendly, thereby resolving the contradiction between trace length and processing speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a single texture image that can be repeatedly mapped and blended to represent traces of any length. Rather than storing unique polygon data for each trace segment, the system reuses the same texture resource multiple times with different mapping parameters, significantly reducing memory requirements while maintaining the ability to display long traces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Duration of action of moving object

If more polygons are reserved for longer traces, then the maximum trace length can be increased, but the memory allocation requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaximum trace lengthVSAvoidmemory allocation

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal texture resource that can represent traces of any length through parameter adjustment rather than requiring different memory allocations. The same texture asset serves multiple purposes by varying its mapping parameters (coordinates, repetition count, blending ratio), eliminating the need to pre-allocate memory for maximum possible trace lengths and enabling flexible trace length adaptation without additional memory commitment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the rendering parameter from polygon count to texture coordinates and blending ratios. By controlling the trace display through texture parameters (such as texture repetition, offset, and alpha blending) rather than increasing polygon quantities, the system can display traces of any length without proportionally increasing processing load or memory requirements, thus resolving the contradiction between trace length and processing speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS7834895B2Storage medium storing game program, and game device

Publication Date: 2010.11.16 NINTENDO CO LTD

AI summary

Trace shape information, representing the shape of a trace along which an object has moved across a game field in a virtual game world is updated based on the change in the position where the object is located in the virtual game world. A ground texture is produced by blending together an image of the game field in the virtual game world with the trace and that without the trace based on the trace shape information. The game field in the virtual game world is rendered by using the ground texture. Then, the virtual game world, in which the object has been placed, is displayed on a display device.