Game Apparatus Subordinate Character Formation Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing game apparatuses struggle to move multiple subordinate characters in a coordinated manner while following a main character, especially when obstacles are present, leading to increased processing load and difficulty in maintaining formation or detouring around obstacles.

Innovation Solution

A game apparatus with a leader character and subordinate characters, utilizing movement control means, destination coordinate setting, correlating means, and relative coordinate storage to control subordinate characters' movements, allowing them to follow the leader while detouring around obstacles by storing footstep coordinates and adjusting destinations based on the leader's movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If individual characters determine their own traveling directions independently, then each character can move autonomously, but it becomes difficult to set a single destination and move characters in formation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautonomous movement of charactersVSAvoidformation arrangement of characters

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces destination coordinates as an intermediary element that mediates between the leader character's movement and subordinate characters' autonomous navigation. The destination coordinates act as a virtual target that guides subordinate characters to follow the leader while maintaining formation, resolving the conflict between autonomous movement and formation stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously updates destination coordinates based on the leader character's current position and the relative formation arrangement. This feedback mechanism ensures that subordinate characters dynamically adjust their trajectories to maintain formation while moving autonomously toward the updated destination

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If a character cannot move forward due to an obstacle, then the character must detour around the obstacle, but determining an appropriate detouring route increases processing load

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to detour around obstaclesVSAvoidprocessing load for route determination

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-calculates and stores relative coordinate arrangements for formation patterns before runtime. When obstacles are detected, the system can quickly retrieve and apply pre-prepared detour routes based on the current formation type, avoiding the need for complex real-time route calculation and reducing processing load

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the formation arrangement and destination coordinates based on obstacle detection and character positions. The formation can transition between different predefined patterns, allowing characters to adapt their movement routes dynamically without requiring complex real-time path planning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Quantity of substance

If multiple subordinate characters follow a main character, then the main character can be followed by a group, but it becomes impossible to move multiple subordinate characters in formation with a single destination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of subordinate charactersVSAvoidformation arrangement

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the formation into multiple destination coordinates, with each subordinate character assigned to a specific destination coordinate corresponding to its position in the formation. This segmentation allows multiple characters to move autonomously while maintaining their relative positions and formation arrangement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Extent of automation

If individual characters determine their own traveling directions independently, then each character moves autonomously, but it becomes impossible to rearrange the formation of characters

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautonomous movementVSAvoidformation rearrangement capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system allows dynamic switching between different formation arrangements by updating the relative coordinate storage. When rearrangement is needed, the system can transition to a different predefined formation pattern, and subordinate characters will autonomously navigate to their new destination coordinates, maintaining both autonomy and adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS7785198B2Game apparatus and game program providing lead character and sub character group movement

Publication Date: 2010.08.31 NINTENDO CO LTD

AI summary

A plurality of slots are set in a game space with reference to the current location of a leader character, and one slot is correlated with one sub character. Each sub character is controlled so as to move it from the current location toward the corresponding slot. As the leader character moves, so too does each slot. Thus, it is possible to provide a video game in which the leader character's movement is controlled by a player and a plurality of sub characters' movements are controlled by a predetermined algorithm so as to follow the leader character to move in formation in a natural manner.