Storage Medium for Deforming Non-Player Objects into Directional Cues
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for drawing user attention to non-player objects in a game space are insufficient, as speech balloons are not effective in capturing user focus.
Innovation Solution
Deforming non-player objects from a first shape to a second shape, such as a letter or mark, based on proximity and orientation to the player object, to attract attention and provide directional guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If speech balloons are displayed above the non-player object's head, then the non-player object can indicate conversation capability, but the user's attention is not sufficiently drawn to the non-player object
Solution Approach 1:
The non-player object dynamically changes its shape from a first shape to a second shape that imitates a letter or mark when the player object is within a predetermined range. This dynamic shape transformation makes the non-player object itself the notification mechanism, eliminating the need for separate speech balloons while effectively capturing user attention through visual deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies visual changes (analogous to color changes) by transforming the non-player object's shape into recognizable letters or marks. This visual transformation makes the non-player object stand out and attract user attention without requiring additional notification elements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple shape data are stored for different directions of arrows, then directional guidance can be provided, but data storage requirements and labor increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single arrow shape data is stored and reused for all directional indications. The arrow is rotated to different orientations (up, down, left, right) to indicate different directions, making one shape data serve multiple functions. This eliminates the need to store separate shape data for each direction, reducing data storage requirements while maintaining full directional guidance capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the orientation parameter of the arrow shape through rotation transformations. By rotating the same arrow data to different angles, the system provides directional guidance for multiple directions without storing multiple copies of the shape data, thus reducing memory usage while maintaining adaptability.
3Loss of information
If the non-player object is suddenly deformed from the first shape to the second shape, then attention is captured, but the deformation may appear jarring or unnatural
Solution Approach 1:
The non-player object repeatedly transforms between the first shape and the second shape in a periodic manner. This oscillating transformation creates a rhythmic visual effect that naturally captures user attention without appearing jarring, as the deformation occurs in a predictable, repeating pattern rather than as a sudden one-time change.
Data Source
AI summary
An example of an information processing system places a player object and a non-player object in a virtual space. The information processing system moves the player object in the virtual space, based on a user input. The non-player object is deformed from a first shape to a second shape that imitates a letter or a mark, according to a condition including that the player object is located within a range in the vicinity of the non-player object, and/or that the player object faces the non-player object.