Virtual Camera Control for 3D Game Screen Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional game apparatuses using virtual cameras in three-dimensional game spaces often cause blurring or make it difficult to play due to excessive following intensity or inertia, leading to three-dimensional sickness or an unviewable game screen.
Innovation Solution
A game apparatus that updates the virtual camera's location based on a target location determined by the player character's location, shortening the distance from a reference location to the virtual camera at a predetermined ratio, regardless of the character's movement, to maintain a stable and smooth game image.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the virtual camera follows the player character with high following intensity (large spring constant), then the blurring of the image during acceleration or deceleration is minimized, but the viewpoint oscillates back and forth due to virtual spring elasticity causing three-dimensional sickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control parameter from a fixed spring constant to a variable following intensity that adapts to player skill level. For beginner players, a larger spring constant provides stable following with minimal blurring, while for advanced players, a smaller spring constant creates more dramatic oscillation effects. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction by making the harmful oscillation acceptable only when the player has the skill to handle it.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the virtual camera system dynamic by allowing the spring constant to change based on player performance. The system transitions from a static, fixed-following mode to a dynamic adaptive mode where the following intensity adjusts in real-time based on whether the player is classified as beginner or advanced, resolving the trade-off between stability and oscillation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the virtual camera uses inertia to follow the moving body, then the following behavior is smooth, but when the moving body suddenly stops, the virtual camera unnecessarily moves close to the player character making the game screen hard to view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the inertia parameter dynamically based on player skill level. Advanced players receive a larger inertia value that allows the camera to overshoot and move close when the player stops, creating a dramatic effect suitable for skilled players. Beginner players receive a smaller inertia value that prevents excessive overshooting and keeps the camera at an appropriate distance for clear viewing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static inertia-based following system to a dynamic one where the inertia parameter changes based on player classification. This dynamic adjustment allows the same inertia mechanism to serve dual purposes: providing smooth following for beginners while creating dramatic overshoot effects for advanced players without compromising screen visibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the virtual camera follows the player character closely, then the game image is impressive for advanced players, but it causes difficulty in playing for beginners
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements parameter changes based on player skill level classification. The spring constant and inertia parameters are adjusted according to whether the player is beginner or advanced, allowing the system to optimize the camera following behavior for each player type and resolve the contradiction between impressiveness and playability.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual camera system becomes dynamic and adaptive, automatically adjusting its following characteristics based on the detected player skill level. This dynamic adaptation allows the same game system to provide beginner-friendly stable following for new players while delivering impressive, dynamic camera behavior for advanced players.
Data Source
AI summary
A game apparatus includes a CPU. The CPU generates a game image based on an image photographed by a virtual camera arranged in a game space, and displays the game image on a monitor connected to the game apparatus. A character location of a player character is used as a target location, for example, and the virtual camera is moved in such a manner that a location of a point-of-regard (point-of-regard location) of the virtual camera is brought close to this target location at a predetermined ratio. That is, the virtual camera follows the player character from behind after some delay.