Virtual Camera Focus Transition for Baseball Game Trajectory Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional game technologies fail to provide a realistic viewing experience of a movable object in a virtual three-dimensional space, as the virtual camera's control methods either obscure the ball when it's high in the sky or prevent players from grasping the point where the ball will fall, making it difficult to track the ball's motion and fielders' positions.
Innovation Solution
A game program and apparatus that control a virtual camera to follow the ball's trajectory, adjusting its point of attention based on the ball's velocity and position, ensuring the ball is displayed realistically and allowing players to track its descent by transitioning the camera focus from the ball to its shadow as it falls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the virtual camera follows the shadow of the ball regardless of position, then the area near the shadow is continuously displayed, but the ball itself may not be displayed when flying high above the ground
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic camera control that adapts to the ball's flight state. When the ball is ascending or at peak height, the camera follows the ball directly. When the ball is descending and close to the ground, the camera transitions to follow the shadow. This dynamic adjustment ensures the ball remains visible throughout its trajectory while providing meaningful spatial information about the landing area.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the camera's target parameter based on ball position and velocity. The camera target switches between the ball's three-dimensional position and its two-dimensional shadow position on the ground. This parameter change allows the camera to maintain optimal viewing angles and ensure ball visibility across different flight phases.
2Loss of information
If the virtual camera shoots from behind the fielder, then the fielder and ball are visible, but the point where the ball will fall and other fielders' positions cannot be grasped
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the shadow as a two-dimensional projection of the three-dimensional ball position onto the ground plane. This dimensional transformation provides direct visual information about the landing area and spatial relationships on the ground without requiring the camera to be positioned at ground level. The shadow acts as a informative overlay that complements the view of the ball and fielders.
Data Source
AI summary
While a ball is rising, a point of attention of a virtual camera is set at the current position of the ball. At the instant when the movement of the ball is changed from rising to falling, the point of attention of the virtual camera is moved from the position of the ball to the position of the shadow of the ball. While the ball is falling, the point of attention of the virtual camera is set at the position of the shadow of the ball. Thus, in a baseball game or the like, a game image capable of providing a realistic feeling to the player and also allowing the player to grasp an area below the ball before the ball drops on the ground can be generated.