Virtual Camera Viewpoint Switching for Game Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional video games face challenges in diversifying game fields while maintaining appropriate visibilities of the game field and player object, especially as games become more complex and sophisticated.
Innovation Solution
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an information processing program that controls virtual object movement and camera viewpoints, allowing switching between different movement restriction states and camera perspectives to enhance visibility and gameplay experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the game field is diversified with multiple regions and objects, then the gameplay complexity and sophistication increase, but the visibility of the player object and game field deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the camera viewpoint changeable between first viewpoint (when player object is visible) and second viewpoint (when player object is hidden). The camera position and orientation are dynamically adjusted based on the player's position relative to objects in the game field, ensuring optimal visibility in different game scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes dimensionality change by switching between different viewpoint dimensions - the first viewpoint provides a view from one dimension (when visible) while the second viewpoint provides a view from another dimension (when hidden behind objects). This allows the player to perceive the player object's position from multiple spatial perspectives.
2Ease of operation
If a single camera viewpoint is used to follow the player object, then the implementation is simple, but the visibility and player engagement deteriorates when the player object is hidden
Solution Approach 1:
The camera control system is made dynamic by automatically switching between first and second viewpoints based on whether the player object is visible. The camera position and orientation parameters are dynamically adjusted according to the player's position relative to game objects, providing adaptive visibility enhancement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring whether the player object is visible from the current viewpoint and automatically switching to an alternative viewpoint when the player object is hidden behind objects. This closed-loop control ensures optimal visibility without requiring manual camera adjustment.
3Device complexity
If the camera viewpoint is fixed, then the system complexity is reduced, but the player engagement and gameplay experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system incorporates dynamic viewpoint switching between first and second viewpoints based on game conditions. This adds adaptability to the camera system without requiring complex manual controls, automatically adjusting the viewpoint to enhance player engagement while maintaining reasonable system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Diversification of a game field is realized while maintaining appropriate visibilities of the game field and a player object. An information processing apparatus includes: an object control section which controls movement of the virtual object by performing, based on a predetermined condition, switching between a first and a second state in which a virtual object movable region in the virtual space is restricted to a first and a second region, respectively; an image generation section which generates an image taken by a virtual camera; and a virtual camera control section which sets, in the first state, the position of the virtual camera to a first viewpoint that is a high-angle viewpoint with respect to the first region, and sets, in the second state, the position of the virtual camera to a second viewpoint that is a viewpoint other than the high-angle viewpoint.