JP3786670B1 - Program, information storage medium, and image generation system - Google Patents

Abstract

Virtual camera control processing for realizing a powerful image with high visibility.
Based on position information of a first moving object CH1 and a second moving object CH2, and a first moving object CH1 and a second moving object CH2, a virtual camera control unit performs the first moving object. As the position of CH1 approaches the position of the second moving object CH2, the first distance d1 that is the distance between the first moving object CH1 and the virtual camera, and the distance between the second moving object CH2 and the virtual camera. The position CM of the virtual camera is changed so that the difference between the second distance d2 and the first moving object CH1 is separated from the second moving object CH2. The position CM of the virtual camera is changed so that the difference between the distance d1 and the second distance d2 becomes large.
[Selection] Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a program, an information storage medium, and an image generation system.

  Conventionally, an image generation system (game system) that generates an image that can be viewed from a virtual camera (a given viewpoint) in an object space (virtual three-dimensional space) in which an object such as a character is set is known. It is popular as a place to experience so-called virtual reality.

In such an image generation system, there are cases where the position of the virtual camera is controlled in order to keep a plurality of objects moving in the object space within the visual field range of the virtual camera. As a technique for controlling such a virtual camera, for example, there is a conventional technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-25580. However, in the conventional image generation system, as the distance between the objects increases, the position of the virtual camera is controlled to move away from the target object. It was.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-25580

  The present invention has been made in view of the problems as described above, and an object of the present invention is a program and an information storage medium capable of performing a virtual camera control process for realizing a powerful image with high visibility. And providing an image generation system.

(1) The present invention is an image generation system for generating an image,
A movement / motion processing unit that calculates at least one of movement and motion of the first moving object and the second moving object;
A virtual camera control unit that controls at least one of the position, orientation, and angle of view of the virtual camera based on the position information of the first moving object and the second moving object;
An image generator for generating an image of the object space viewed from a virtual camera;
Including
The virtual camera control unit is
As the position of the first moving object and the position of the second moving object approach, the first distance that is the distance between the first moving object and the virtual camera and the distance between the second moving object and the virtual camera Change the position of the virtual camera so that the difference between the second distance and
The position of the virtual camera is changed so that the difference between the first distance and the second distance increases as the position of the first moving object and the position of the second moving object increase. Related to the image generation system.

  The present invention also relates to a program that causes a computer to function as each of the above-described units. The present invention also relates to a computer-readable information storage medium that stores (records) a program that causes a computer to function as each unit.

  In the present invention, each of the first moving object and the second moving object may be composed of one moving object, or at least one of the plurality of object groups arranged within a predetermined range. You may make it do.

  According to the present invention, as the positions of the first moving object and the second moving object approach, the difference in the depth direction distance between the first moving object and the second moving object with respect to the virtual camera is reduced. The distance between the first moving object and the second moving object can be displayed in an easy-to-understand manner.

  Further, as the position of the first moving object and the second moving object approaches, the virtual camera can be brought closer to both the first moving object and the second moving object, so the first moving object In addition, both the second moving object and the second moving object can be displayed large in the image, and the visibility of both objects can be improved.

  In addition, as the position of the first moving object and the second moving object increases, the virtual camera is moved away from either the first moving object or the second moving object, but the other The virtual camera can be kept close.

  Therefore, even if the positions of the first moving object and the second moving object are separated from each other, either the first moving object or the second moving object can be displayed largely in the image. The visibility of the object can be improved.

(2) In the image generation system, program, and information storage medium according to the present invention,
The virtual camera control unit is
As the position of the first moving object and the position of the second moving object approach, the angle formed between the direction connecting the first moving object and the second moving object and the line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera approaches a right angle. Change the orientation of the virtual camera so that
As the position of the first moving object and the position of the second moving object are separated, the angle formed by the direction connecting the first moving object and the second moving object and the line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera is moved away from the right angle. As described above, the orientation of the virtual camera may be changed.

  In the present invention, the direction connecting the first moving object and the second moving object can be, for example, a direction along a line connecting the representative points of the respective objects.

  According to the present invention, even if the position of the virtual camera is changed so that the difference between the first distance and the second distance is reduced, the difference between the first distance and the second distance is increased. Thus, even if the position of the virtual camera is changed, the first moving object and the second moving object are kept within the visual field range of the virtual camera, and both the first moving object and the second moving object are displayed. be able to.

(3) In the image generation system, the program, and the information storage medium according to the present invention,
A movement / motion processing unit that calculates at least one of movement and motion of the first moving object and the second moving object;
A virtual camera control unit that controls at least one of the position, orientation, and angle of view of the virtual camera based on the position information of the first moving object and the second moving object;
An image generator for generating an image of the object space viewed from a virtual camera;
Including
The virtual camera control unit is
As the position of the first moving object and the position of the second moving object approach, the first distance that is the distance between the first moving object and the virtual camera and the distance between the second moving object and the virtual camera The position of the virtual camera may be changed so that the difference from the second distance is small.

  According to the present invention, as the positions of the first moving object and the second moving object approach, the difference in the depth direction distance between the first moving object and the second moving object with respect to the virtual camera is reduced. The distance between the first moving object and the second moving object can be displayed in an easy-to-understand manner.

  Further, as the position of the first moving object and the second moving object approaches, the virtual camera can be brought closer to both the first moving object and the second moving object, so the first moving object In addition, both the second moving object and the second moving object can be displayed large in the image, and the visibility of both objects can be improved.

(4) In the image generation system, the program, and the information storage medium according to the present invention,
The virtual camera control unit is
As the position of the first moving object and the position of the second moving object approach, the angle formed between the direction connecting the first moving object and the second moving object and the line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera approaches a right angle. As described above, the orientation of the virtual camera may be changed.

  According to the present invention, even if the position of the virtual camera is changed so that the difference between the first distance and the second distance is small, the first moving object and the second moving object are displayed in the field of view of the virtual camera. It is possible to display both the first moving object and the second moving object within the range.

(5) In the image generation system, the program, and the information storage medium according to the present invention,
A movement / motion processing unit that calculates at least one of movement and motion of the first moving object and the second moving object;
A virtual camera control unit that controls at least one of the position, orientation, and angle of view of the virtual camera based on the position information of the first moving object and the second moving object;
An image generator for generating an image of the object space viewed from a virtual camera;
Including
The virtual camera control unit is
As the position of the first moving object and the position of the second moving object are separated, the position of the virtual camera may be changed so that the difference between the first distance and the second distance increases. Good.

  According to the present invention, as the position of the first moving object and the second moving object increases, the virtual camera is moved away from either the first moving object or the second moving object, The virtual camera can remain close to the other.

  Therefore, even if the positions of the first moving object and the second moving object are separated from each other, either the first moving object or the second moving object can be displayed largely in the image. The visibility of the object can be improved.

(6) In the image generation system, the program, and the information storage medium according to the present invention,
The virtual camera control unit is
As the position of the first moving object and the position of the second moving object are separated, the angle formed by the direction connecting the first moving object and the second moving object and the line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera is moved away from the right angle. As described above, the orientation of the virtual camera may be changed.

  According to the present invention, even if the position of the virtual camera is changed so that the difference between the first distance and the second distance is increased, the first moving object and the second moving object are displayed in the field of view of the virtual camera. It is possible to display both the first moving object and the second moving object within the range.

(7) In the image generation system, the program, and the information storage medium according to the present invention,
The virtual camera control unit is
When changing the position of the virtual camera, the position of the virtual camera may be changed within a range where the first moving object and the second moving object fall within the visual field range of the virtual camera.

  In the present invention, the position of the virtual camera where the first moving object and the second moving object fall within the visual field range of the virtual camera is, for example, the position information of the first moving object and the position of the second moving object. Based on the information or based on the positional relationship between the first moving object and the second moving object, it may be calculated by a predetermined function, or the first moving object and the second moving object It may be determined in advance according to the positional relationship.

  According to the present invention, both the first moving object and the second moving object are displayed even when the positions of the first moving object and the second moving object are changed and the position of the virtual camera is changed. be able to.

(8) In the image generation system, the program, and the information storage medium according to the present invention,
The virtual camera control unit is
When the orientation of the virtual camera is changed, the orientation of the virtual camera may be changed within a range in which the first moving object and the second moving object are within the visual field range of the virtual camera.

  In the present invention, the directions in which the first moving object and the second moving object enter the visual field range of the virtual camera are, for example, the position information of the first moving object and the position information of the second moving object. Or based on the positional relationship between the first moving object and the second moving object, it may be calculated by a predetermined function, or the position between the first moving object and the second moving object. It may be predetermined according to the relationship.

  According to the present invention, both the first moving object and the second moving object are displayed even when the positions of the first moving object and the second moving object are changed and the orientation of the virtual camera is changed. be able to.

(9) In the image generation system, the program, and the information storage medium according to the present invention,
The virtual camera control unit is
When the orientation of the virtual camera is changed, the orientation of the virtual camera may be changed so as to face a point having a predetermined positional relationship with the first moving object and the second moving object.

  In the present invention, the point having a predetermined positional relationship with the first moving object and the second moving object is, for example, the position information of the first moving object and the position information of the second moving object. Or based on the positional relationship between the first moving object and the second moving object, it may be calculated by a predetermined function, or the position between the first moving object and the second moving object. It may be predetermined according to the relationship.

  The point having a predetermined positional relationship can be set on a line segment connecting the representative point of the first moving object and the representative point of the second moving object, for example, and the representative point closer to the viewpoint And the midpoint of the line segment. For example, a point having a predetermined positional relationship includes a bisector of an angle formed by the representative point of the first moving object, the viewpoint and the representative point of the second moving object, and the representative point of the first moving object. The intersection of the line connecting the representative point of the second moving object and the midpoint of the line connecting the representative point of the first moving object and the representative point of the second moving object, or the first The point may be a point on a line segment connecting the representative point of one moving object and the representative point of the second moving object and at a predetermined distance from the representative point of any object.

  According to the present invention, by setting the point where the first moving object and the second moving object fall within the visual field range of the virtual camera, the direction of the virtual camera can be controlled with a small amount of calculation.

(10) In the image generation system, the program, and the information storage medium according to the present invention,
The virtual camera control unit is
When the position of the first moving object and the position of the second moving object are close to a given distance, the difference between the first distance and the second distance is zero so that the difference between the first distance and the second distance becomes zero. The position may be changed.

  According to the present invention, when the position of the first moving object and the second moving object approaches a given distance, the depth direction of both the first moving object and the second moving object with respect to the virtual camera Can be made the same distance.

  Therefore, when the positions of the first moving object and the second moving object are close to a given distance, the distance between the first moving object and the second moving object can be displayed in an easy-to-understand manner. it can.

(11) In the image generation system, the program, and the information storage medium according to the present invention,
The virtual camera control unit is
Based on a predetermined function using at least one of the position of the first moving object and the position of the second moving object and the distance between the first moving object and the second moving object as a variable, the position of the virtual camera is determined. It may be changed.

  According to the present invention, an appropriate function corresponding to at least one of the positions of the first moving object and the second moving object and the distance between the first moving object and the second moving object is determined by a preset function. It is possible to calculate a correct viewpoint position.

(12) In the image generation system, the program, and the information storage medium according to the present invention,
The virtual camera control unit is
You may make it change the position of a virtual camera according to the attribute data set to the said moving object.

  In the present invention, the attribute data set for the moving object is character attribute data that changes according to the character type of the moving object, or item attribute data that changes according to the item type acquired by the moving object. Or attribute data that changes depending on the combination of character attribute data and item attribute data. For example, the attribute data storage unit can store the attribute data of each character and the attribute data of each item. Then, based on the attribute data set for the moving object, for example, the coefficient of the function for calculating the position of the virtual camera may be changed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to change the movement mode such as the movement speed and movement locus of the position of the virtual camera according to the attribute data set for the moving object. Therefore, various images can be generated according to the attribute data set for the moving object.

(13) In the image generation system, the program, and the information storage medium according to the present invention,
At least one of movement and movement of the first moving object is formed to be operable based on an input signal from the operation unit,
The virtual camera control unit is
As the position of the first moving object and the position of the second moving object are separated, the position of the virtual camera may be changed so that the ratio of the first distance to the second distance decreases. .

  According to the present invention, as the position of the first moving object and the second moving object increases, the first camera that can be operated by the player while moving the virtual camera away from the second moving object that is not operated by the player. The moving camera can be kept close to the moving object.

  Therefore, even if the positions of the first moving object and the second moving object are separated from each other, the first moving object that can be operated by the player can be displayed large in the image, and the object that can be operated by the player can be visually recognized. Can increase the sex.

(14) In the image generation system, the program, and the information storage medium according to the present invention,
An object space setting unit for setting first to Nth (N ≧ 3) moving objects in the object space;
An object selection unit that selects one moving object from N-1 moving objects excluding the first moving object;
Further including
The virtual camera control unit is
You may make it change the position of a virtual camera by making the moving object selected by the said object selection part into a 2nd moving object.

  In the present invention, the object selection unit may select one moving object based on input information from the operation unit, or may select one moving object based on a given program. Good.

  According to the present invention, the second moving object serving as a reference for controlling the position of the virtual camera is changed to the moving object selected by the object selection unit. Therefore, it is possible to automatically control the position of the virtual camera in accordance with the position of the first moving object and the position of the selected one moving object.

(15) In the image generation system, the program, and the information storage medium according to the present invention,
The virtual camera control unit is
When one moving object is selected by the object selection unit, the position of the virtual camera is changed with the selected moving object as the second moving object,
When no moving object is selected by the object selection unit, at least one of the position and orientation of the virtual camera may be changed based on an input signal from the operation unit.

  According to the present invention, when one moving object is selected by the object selection unit, the position of the virtual camera according to the position of the first moving object that can be operated by the player and the selected moving object is controlled. This is performed automatically, and when one moving object is not selected, the control of the position and orientation of the virtual camera can be operated by the operation unit. Therefore, it is possible to perform an optimal virtual camera control process according to the state of the object space.

(16) In the image generation system, the program, and the information storage medium according to the present invention,
A movement / motion processing unit that calculates at least one of movement and motion of the first moving object and the second moving object;
A virtual camera control unit that controls at least one of the position, orientation, and angle of view of the virtual camera based on the position information of the first moving object and the second moving object;
An image generator for generating an image of the object space viewed from a virtual camera;
A determination unit that determines whether either the first condition or the second condition is satisfied;
Including
The virtual camera control unit is
A first distance that is a distance between the first moving object and the virtual camera and a second distance that is a distance between the second moving object and the virtual camera when the first condition is satisfied; Change the position of the virtual camera so that the difference is small,
When the second condition is satisfied, the position of the virtual camera may be changed so that the difference between the first distance and the second distance is increased.

  In the present invention, as a first condition, for example, a given event such as a moving object operated by a player in a soccer game receiving a ball or a moving object operated by a player in an adventure game encounters an enemy. Can be a condition. In addition, as the second condition, the end of the event that has occurred or the occurrence of another event can be set as a condition.

  According to the present invention, when the first condition is satisfied, the virtual camera can be brought close to both the first moving object and the second moving object, and the second condition is satisfied. In addition, the virtual camera can be kept away from one of the first moving object and the second moving object while the virtual camera is kept close to the other.

  Therefore, when the first condition is satisfied, both the first moving object and the second moving object can be displayed large in the image, the visibility of both objects can be improved, and the second When the above condition is satisfied, either the first moving object or the second moving object can be displayed large in the image, and the visibility of either one of the objects can be improved.

  Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described. In addition, this embodiment demonstrated below does not unduly limit the content of this invention described in the claim. In addition, all the configurations described in the present embodiment are not necessarily essential configuration requirements of the present invention.

1. Configuration FIG. 1 shows an example of a functional block diagram of an image generation system (game system) of the present embodiment. Note that the image generation system of the present embodiment may have a configuration in which some of the components (each unit) in FIG. 1 are omitted.

  The operation unit 160 is for a player to input operation data, and the function can be realized by a lever, a button, a steering, a microphone, a touch panel display, a housing, or the like.

  The storage unit 170 serves as a work area for the processing unit 100, the communication unit 196, and the like, and its function can be realized by a RAM (VRAM) or the like. For example, the processing unit 100 functions as a hold storage unit that temporarily holds information acquired.

  The information storage medium 180 (computer-readable medium) stores programs, data, and the like, and functions as an optical disk (CD, DVD), hard disk, memory card, memory cassette, magnetic disk, or memory ( ROM) or the like. The processing unit 100 performs various processes of the present embodiment based on a program (data) stored in the information storage medium 180. That is, the information storage medium 180 stores a program for causing a computer to function as each unit of the present embodiment (a program for causing a computer to execute processing of each unit).

  The display unit 190 outputs an image generated according to the present embodiment, and its function can be realized by a CRT, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), touch panel display, HMD (Head Mount Display), or the like. The sound output unit 192 outputs the sound generated by the present embodiment, and its function can be realized by a speaker, headphones, or the like.

  The portable information storage device 194 stores player personal data, game save data, and the like. Examples of the portable information storage device 194 include a memory card and a portable game device. The communication unit 196 performs various controls for communicating with the outside (for example, a host device or other image generation system), and functions thereof are hardware such as various processors or communication ASICs, programs, and the like. It can be realized by.

  Note that a program (data) for causing a computer to function as each unit of this embodiment is distributed from the information storage medium of the host device (server) to the information storage medium 180 (storage unit 170) via the network and communication unit 196. May be. Use of the information storage medium of such a host device (server) can also be included in the scope of the present invention.

  The processing unit 100 (processor) performs processing such as game processing, image generation processing, or sound generation processing based on operation data (input information) from the operation unit 160, a program, and the like. Here, as the game process, a process for starting a game when a game start condition is satisfied, a process for advancing the game, a process for placing an object such as a character or a map, a process for displaying an object, and a game result are calculated. There is a process or a process of ending a game when a game end condition is satisfied. The processing unit 100 performs various processes using the storage unit 170 as a work area. The functions of the processing unit 100 can be realized by hardware such as various processors (CPU, DSP, etc.), ASIC (gate array, etc.), and programs.

  The processing unit 100 includes an object space setting unit 110, a movement / motion processing unit 112, a virtual camera control unit 114, a game calculation processing unit 116, a condition determination unit 118, an object selection unit 119, a drawing unit 120, and a sound generation unit 130. . Note that some of these may be omitted.

  The object space setting unit 110 includes various objects (polygons, free-form surfaces, subdivision surfaces, etc.) representing display objects such as characters, cars, tanks, balls, thrown objects, buildings, trees, pillars, walls, and maps (terrain). A process of placing and setting (objects composed of primitive surfaces) in the object space is performed. That is, the position and rotation angle (synonymous with direction and direction) of the object (model object) in the world coordinate system are determined, and the rotation angle (X, Y, Z axis around the position (X, Y, Z)) is determined. Arrange objects at (rotation angle). In particular, in the present embodiment, processing for setting the arrangement of the first to Nth (N ≧ 3) moving objects in the object space is performed.

  The movement / motion processing unit 112 performs a movement / motion calculation (movement / motion simulation) of an object (a character, a car, a ball, a thrown object, etc.). That is, an object (moving object) is moved in the object space based on operation data (input information) input by the player through the operation unit 160, a program (movement / motion algorithm), various data (motion data), and the like. , Process to move the object (motion, animation). Specifically, a simulation process for sequentially obtaining object movement information (position, rotation angle, speed, or acceleration) and motion information (position or rotation angle of each part object) every frame (1/60 second). I do. A frame is a unit of time for performing object movement / motion processing (simulation processing) and image generation processing.

  The virtual camera control unit 114 performs a virtual camera (viewpoint) control process for generating an image viewed from a given (arbitrary) viewpoint in the object space. Specifically, based on input information from the operation unit 160, position information of the moving object, a given program (movement / rotation algorithm), various data (virtual camera control data), etc., the position of the virtual camera (X, Y, Z), direction (rotation angle around X, Y, Z axes), and angle of view (field of view range) are controlled.

  Here, as control of the orientation of the virtual camera, a gazing point that is a point seen by the virtual camera may be set in the object space, and the rotation angle of the virtual camera may be controlled so as to face the set gazing point. . The angle of view of the virtual camera may be controlled by enlarging or reducing the angle of view, or may be controlled by changing the distance between the screen (virtual screen) on which the object is projected and the virtual camera. . Note that it is possible to generate an image that zooms in on the target object by reducing the angle of view of the virtual camera or increasing the distance between the screen and the virtual camera, and widen the angle of view of the virtual camera or the distance between the screen and the virtual camera. It is possible to generate an image to be zoomed back from the target object by approaching.

  Here, when shooting an object (for example, a character, a ball, or a car) with a virtual camera, the position, orientation, and angle of view of the virtual camera are controlled so that the virtual camera follows changes in the position or rotation of the object. . In this case, the virtual camera can be controlled based on information such as the position, rotation angle, or speed of the object obtained by the movement / motion processing unit 112.

  For example, when there are a plurality of objects to be photographed, the position and orientation of the virtual camera are determined by a predetermined function based on the position information of each of the objects or the positional relationship information (distance, angle, etc.). The virtual camera can be controlled by calculating.

  In the present embodiment, when the first moving object and the second moving object to be imaged by the virtual camera are set, the virtual camera control unit 114 sets the first moving object and the second moving object. As the position of the object approaches, the difference between the first distance, which is the distance between the first moving object and the virtual camera, and the second distance, which is the distance between the second moving object and the virtual camera, decreases. The direction of the virtual camera is changed so that the angle formed by the direction connecting the first moving object and the second moving object and the line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera approaches a right angle. The virtual camera control process is performed.

  In addition, as the position of the first moving object and the second moving object increases, the position of the virtual camera is changed so that the difference between the first distance and the second distance increases. Virtual camera control processing is performed to change the direction of the virtual camera so that the angle formed by the direction connecting the moving object and the second moving object and the line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera is away from the right angle.

  In this case, the virtual camera control unit 114 is based on the position information of the first moving object and the position information of the second moving object, or based on the distance between the first moving object and the second moving object. Then, a process for calculating the position and orientation of the virtual camera for each frame is performed.

  Further, the virtual camera may be controlled to rotate at a predetermined rotation angle or to move along a predetermined movement route. In this case, the virtual camera can be controlled based on virtual camera data for specifying the position (movement path) or rotation angle of the virtual camera. Here, a plurality of types of virtual camera data can be stored in the virtual camera data storage unit 172 of the storage unit 170, and may be selected according to the game situation.

  The game calculation processing unit 116 performs various game processes such as setting various conditions for a game and progressing a predetermined game based on an input signal from the operation unit 160 and a given program.

  The condition determination unit 118 performs a process for determining whether or not various conditions relating to the game are satisfied based on an input signal from the operation unit 160 and a given program.

  The object selection unit 119 performs processing for selecting a second moving object to be subjected to the virtual camera control processing characteristic of the present embodiment, based on an input signal from the operation unit 160 and a given program. Do. Here, the second moving object may be selected by the player operating the operation unit 160, or may be automatically selected according to a given algorithm.

  The drawing unit 120 performs drawing processing based on the results of various processing (game processing) performed by the processing unit 100, thereby generating an image and outputting the image to the display unit 190. In the case of generating a so-called three-dimensional game image, first, geometric processing such as coordinate transformation (world coordinate transformation, camera coordinate transformation), clipping processing, or perspective transformation is performed, and drawing data ( The position coordinates, texture coordinates, color data, normal vector, α value, etc.) of the vertexes of the primitive surface are created. Then, based on the drawing data (primitive surface data), the object (one or a plurality of primitive surfaces) after the perspective transformation (after the geometry processing) is stored in the drawing buffer 174 (frame buffer, work buffer, etc.) in pixel units. Can be drawn in a VRAM). Thereby, an image that can be seen from the virtual camera (given viewpoint) in the object space is generated.

  The drawing unit 120 can perform texture mapping processing, hidden surface removal processing, and α blending processing.

  Here, the texture mapping process is a process of mapping a texture (texel value) stored in the texture storage unit 175 to an object. Specifically, the texture (surface properties such as color and α value) is read from the texture storage unit 175 using the texture coordinates set (given) at the vertices of the object (primitive surface). Then, a texture that is a two-dimensional image or pattern is mapped to the object. In this case, processing for associating pixels and texels, bilinear interpolation (texel interpolation), and the like are performed.

  The hidden surface removal process is realized, for example, by a Z buffer method (depth comparison method, Z test) using a Z buffer 176 (depth buffer) in which the Z value (depth information) of each pixel is stored. That is, when drawing each pixel of the primitive surface of the object, the Z value stored in the Z buffer 176 is referred to. Then, the Z value of the referenced Z buffer 176 is compared with the Z value at the drawing target pixel on the primitive surface, and the Z value at the drawing target pixel is the front side when viewed from the virtual camera (for example, a small value). Z value), the drawing process for the pixel is performed and the Z value in the Z buffer 176 is updated to a new Z value.

  The α blending process is a process performed based on the α value (A value), and includes normal α blending, α addition blending, α subtraction blending, and the like. For example, in the case of normal α blending, the following processing is performed.

R _Q = (1−α) × R ₁ + α × R ₂
G _Q = (1−α) × G ₁ + α × G ₂
B _Q = (1−α) × B ₁ + α × B ₂
On the other hand, in the case of addition α blending, the following processing is performed.

R _Q = R ₁ + α × R ₂
G _Q = G ₁ + α × G ₂
B _Q = B ₁ + α × B ₂
Here, R ₁ , G ₁ , and B ₁ are images (original images) already drawn in the drawing buffer 174.
R ₂ , G ₂ , and B ₂ are RGB components of the image to be drawn in the drawing buffer 174.
It is an ingredient. R _Q , G _Q , and B _Q are RGB components of an image obtained by α blending. The α value is information that can be stored in association with each pixel (texel, dot), for example, plus alpha information other than color information. The α value can be used as translucency (equivalent to transparency and opacity) information, mask information, or bump information.

  The sound generation unit 130 performs sound processing based on the results of various processes performed by the processing unit 100, generates game sounds such as BGM, sound effects, or sounds, and outputs the game sounds to the sound output unit 192.

  Note that the image generation system of the present embodiment may be a system dedicated to the single player mode in which only one player can play, or may be a system having a multiplayer mode in which a plurality of players can play. Further, when a plurality of players play, game images and game sounds to be provided to the plurality of players may be generated using one terminal, or connected via a network (transmission line, communication line) or the like. Alternatively, it may be generated by distributed processing using a plurality of terminals (game machine, mobile phone).

2. Next, the features of this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, the case where the present embodiment is applied to an action game will be mainly described as an example. However, in the present embodiment, two or more moving objects such as a soccer game or the like other than the action game are represented in the object space. The present invention can be widely applied to various image generation systems that move in the interior.

2-1: Outline of Game As shown in FIG. 2, the action game system of this embodiment is a virtual game in which a player object 12, an enemy object 14, another enemy object 16, and a map (floor) MP are arranged. The three-dimensional object space SP is displayed on the display unit 190. Then, the player operates the movement / movement of the player object 12 using the operation unit 160 while looking at the display unit 190, and the enemy object 14, which is a plurality of enemies that move / motion according to a given program, and the like. Enjoy a game of fighting with the enemy object 16

  FIG. 3 shows an example of the operation unit 160. The operation unit 160 according to the present embodiment is formed so that the player can hold the left and right sides of the operation unit 160 with both hands, and can operate the plurality of controls arranged on the operation unit 160 with the thumb, index finger, and middle finger of the left and right hands. ing.

  A left lever 312 and a right lever 314 are provided at the lower center of the operation unit 160. The left lever 312 and the right lever 314 are formed so that the lever portion can be tilted in all directions, and the amount by which the lever portion is tilted, the amount of change in direction, and the change speed can be detected in an analog manner. In the present embodiment, the player object 12 is moved on the map (floor) MP according to the direction in which the left lever 312 is tilted. Further, the position and orientation of the virtual camera that captures the object space SP are changed in the object space SP according to the direction in which the right lever 314 is tilted. Therefore, in the action game system of the present embodiment, the position and rotation angle of the player object 12 and the position and orientation of the virtual camera can be manipulated in an analog manner (continuously).

  In addition, four buttons formed so as to be able to detect ON / OFF are provided in the center on the right side of the operation unit 160. In this embodiment, the player object 12 is placed by pressing the Δ button 316. The player object 12 is configured to perform a batting attack operation such as punching or kicking by performing a motion of throwing a given object (for example, a spear or a metal bat) and pressing a circle button 318.

  Further, a left button 320 and a right button 322 formed so as to be able to detect ON / OFF are provided on the upper left and right sides of the operation unit 160. In this embodiment, the player object is pressed by pressing the left button 320. 12 is configured to perform an action of picking up a given object to be thrown. Also, a mode for performing virtual camera control processing that follows the player object 12 by pressing the right button 322, and a mode for performing virtual camera control processing according to the distance between moving objects, which is characteristic of the present embodiment. And are formed so as to be switched. In the present embodiment, when the mode for performing the virtual camera control process corresponding to the distance between the moving objects is set, the virtual camera corresponding to the distance between the moving objects is set by tilting the right lever 314. A target object to be subjected to control processing can be selected from a plurality of enemy objects.

2-2: Virtual Camera Control Processing According to Distance Between Moving Objects In this embodiment, the viewpoint position and the line-of-sight direction are controlled so as to follow the player object 12 in the initial state. As a characteristic process of the present embodiment, when one enemy object from the enemy objects 14 and 16 is selected as the target object, the player object 12 and the enemy object selected as the target object are Control of a predetermined viewpoint position and line-of-sight direction is performed so as to fall within the field of view of the camera.

  Specifically, the player character 12 is set as the first moving object CH1, the selected enemy object is set as the second moving object CH2, and the positions of the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2 are set. As the distance approaches, the difference between the first distance, which is the distance between the first moving object CH1 and the virtual camera, and the second distance, which is the distance between the second moving object CH2 and the virtual camera, becomes smaller. While changing the position of the virtual camera, the direction of the virtual camera is changed so that the angle formed by the direction connecting the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2 and the line of sight of the virtual camera approaches a right angle. The virtual camera control process is performed.

  In addition, as the position of the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2 increases, the position of the virtual camera is changed so that the difference between the first distance and the second distance increases. A virtual camera control process is performed to change the orientation of the virtual camera so that the angle formed by the direction connecting the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2 and the viewing direction of the virtual camera is away from the right angle. Hereinafter, virtual camera control processing according to the distance between moving objects, which is characteristic of the present embodiment, will be described.

  FIGS. 4A to 4E are diagrams (viewed from directly above) representing the object space SP in which the first moving object CH1, the second moving object CH2, and the viewpoint CM are arranged on the XZ plane. . Arbitrary Y coordinates are given to the first moving object CH1, the second moving object CH2, and the viewpoint CM, respectively. 2 and 5 to 8 are diagrams illustrating images generated when the viewpoint position and the line-of-sight direction are in FIGS. 4 (A) to 4 (E).

  First, as an initial state at the start of the game, the gazing point EP of the virtual camera is set to the player object 12 as shown in FIG. 4A, and an image centered on the player object 12 is displayed as shown in FIG. Generated. When the mode for performing the virtual camera control process according to the distance between the moving objects is set, as shown in FIG. 4B, the distance between the first moving object CH1 (player character 12) and the viewpoint CM is set. The viewpoint CM is continuously moved so that a certain first distance d1 is slightly smaller than the second distance d2, which is the distance between the second moving object CH2 (enemy character 14) and the viewpoint CM. Then, the gazing point EP of the virtual camera is continuously moved between the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2, and the direction of the virtual camera is controlled so that the line-of-sight direction ED faces the gazing point EP. .

  Then, as shown in FIG. 5, an image viewed between the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2 as a center is generated from a side slightly closer to the first moving object CH1. The mark 18 above the second moving object CH2 is for indicating that the enemy object is selected as the second moving object CH2.

  As shown in FIG. 4C, when the position of the first moving object CH1 and the position of the second moving object CH2 are separated, the ratio of the first distance d1 to the second distance d2 is decreased. The virtual camera controls the position of the viewpoint CM so that the angle formed between the direction CC connecting the representative point of the first moving object CH1 and the representative point of the second moving object CH2 and the line-of-sight direction ED is away from the right angle. Control the direction of the. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, an image viewed between the first moving object CH <b> 1 and the second moving object CH <b> 2 as a center is generated from an oblique rear side near the first moving object CH <b> 1.

  Then, as shown in FIGS. 4D and 4E, when the position of the first moving object CH1 and the position of the second moving object CH2 are further separated, the first distance d1 with respect to the second distance d2 The position of the viewpoint CM is controlled so that the ratio is further reduced, and the direction of the virtual camera is controlled so that the angle formed by the direction CC and the line-of-sight direction ED is further away from the right angle. Then, in the state of FIG. 4D, as shown in FIG. 7, the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2 are viewed from the diagonally rear side near the first moving object CH1 as the center. An image is generated. In the state of FIG. 4E, as shown in FIG. 8, an image is generated in which the second moving object CH2 is viewed in the depth direction from substantially the rear side of the first moving object CH1.

  In the present embodiment, when the angle formed by the direction CC and the line-of-sight direction ED moves away from a right angle until the state shown in FIG. 4E, the position of the first moving object CH1 and the position of the second moving object CH2 Control is performed so that the angle formed by the direction CC and the line-of-sight direction ED does not change even if the distance further increases. That is, the minimum value of the viewing direction ED with respect to the direction CC is set to the angle in the figure. As a result, when the position of the first moving object CH1 and the position of the second moving object CH2 are further away, the second moving object CH2 is hidden behind the first moving object CH1 and is not displayed. Can be prevented.

  On the other hand, when the position of the first moving object CH1 approaches the position of the second moving object CH2 from the state of FIG. 4E to the state of FIG. 4B, the first distance d1 and the second distance The position of the viewpoint CM is controlled so that the difference from the distance d2 of 2 becomes small, and the direction of the virtual camera is controlled so that the angle formed by the direction CC and the line-of-sight direction ED approaches a right angle.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, even if the positions of the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2 are separated by performing the virtual camera control process according to the distance between the moving objects, The moving object CH1 can be displayed large in the image, the visibility of the player character 12 that can be operated by the player can be improved, and a powerful image can be displayed.

  Moreover, in the present embodiment, as the positions of the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2 approach, the depth direction relative to the viewpoint CMs of both the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2 is increased. By reducing the difference in distance, the distance between the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2 can be displayed in an easily understandable manner. In particular, in the action game system as in the present embodiment, in the case of a close battle, the player character 12 and the enemy character 14 can be displayed in an easy-to-understand manner so that the player can perform an attack action or a defense action. The operation for can be performed appropriately.

  In addition, as the position of the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2 increases, the distance between the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2 is increased by increasing the distance in the depth direction from the viewpoint CM of the second moving object CH2. It can be expressed that the position of the second moving object CH2 is separated.

  Therefore, even when the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2 are separated from each other, even if the first moving object CH1 is displayed largely in the image, the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH1 are displayed. Both objects CH2 can be accommodated within the visual field range of the virtual camera, and both objects can be displayed.

  In particular, in the action game of this embodiment, even when the position of the player character 12 and the position of the enemy character 14 are separated, an attack can be performed by throwing a given object such as a spear or a metal bat. However, in the present embodiment, it is possible to display the attacking action by the subject to be thrown at such a distant position as an appropriate and powerful image.

  Note that when the distance between the position of the first moving object CH1 and the position of the second moving object CH2 is equal to or less than a predetermined distance, the viewpoint CM is defined as the first distance d1 and the second distance d2. The line-of-sight direction ED may be controlled so as not to change from the direction in which the direction CC and the line-of-sight direction ED intersect at a substantially right angle.

2-3: Specific Method of Virtual Camera Control Processing According to Distance Between Moving Objects Hereinafter, an example of specific processing of virtual camera control processing according to the distance between moving objects will be described using the drawings.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an overview of the virtual camera control process according to the distance between moving objects, and FIGS. 10A and 10B are flowcharts showing details of the process of FIG. FIGS. 11 to 13 are views showing the object space SP in which the first moving object CH1, the second moving object CH2, and the viewpoint CM are arranged on the XZ plane (viewed from directly above). An arbitrary Y coordinate is given to each of the first moving object CH1, the second moving object CH2, and the viewpoint CM.

  First, in step S12 of FIG. 9, it is determined whether or not the frame has been updated. If the frame has been updated (Y in step S12), the viewpoint CM of the previous frame is the first frame in step S14. It is determined which position is located with respect to the direction CC connecting the moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2.

  Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the rotation angle θ1 and the direction around the Y axis of the line-of-sight direction ED of the previous frame with respect to the reference axis Z arbitrarily set in parallel to the Z-axis direction. It is determined whether or not the difference θ3 in the rotation angle θ2 around the Y axis of CC is less than zero. For example, as shown in FIG. 11A, when θ3 <0, the viewpoint CM is at a position where the first moving object CH1 is seen on the left side. On the other hand, when θ3 <0 is not satisfied, the viewpoint CM is at a position where the first moving object CH1 is viewed to the right as shown in FIG. Note that the viewpoint CM may be stored in the holding storage unit for each frame, and the position of the viewpoint CM of the previous frame may be determined by referring to the viewpoint CM.

  In step S16, the movement calculation of the position coordinate CH1 of the first moving object CH1 and the position coordinate CH2 of the second moving object CH2 in the previous frame is performed, and the position coordinate CH1 of the first moving object CH1 ′ after the movement is calculated. '(X1, z1) and the position coordinate CH2' (x2, z2) of the second moving object CH2 'are obtained. Then, in step S18, a calculation process for obtaining the position of the viewpoint CM ′ after movement is performed, and in step S20, a calculation process for obtaining the line-of-sight direction ED ′ after movement is performed.

  In the present embodiment, the arithmetic processing performed in step S18 and step S20 is performed using a predetermined function. Here, two types of predetermined functions are prepared, and each calculation process is performed using a function corresponding to the position of the viewpoint CM of the previous frame determined in step S14.

  Then, in step S22, a process of drawing an image of the current frame obtained by capturing the first moving object CH1 ′ and the second moving object CH2 ′ after the movement with the viewpoint CM ′ and the line-of-sight direction ED ′ after the movement. Do.

  FIG. 10A shows a detailed flowchart of the calculation process for obtaining the viewpoint CM ′ after movement. In the present embodiment, first, in step S24, the midpoint CE (x3, z3) of CH1 ′ (x1, z1) and CH2 ′ (x2, z2) after movement is obtained. In step S26, the rotation angle θ4 around the Y axis with respect to the reference axis Z in the direction DD0 connecting the midpoint CE (x3, z3) and the moved viewpoint CM ′ (cx, cz) is determined by a predetermined function. Ask.

  In the present embodiment, the rotation angle around the Y axis is 90 ° = 0.25, the distance between the first moving object CH1 ′ and the second moving object CH2 ′ after movement is L1, and the predetermined coefficients are A and L2. = L1 / A, and if θ3 <0 is determined in step S14 of FIG. 9, θ4 is obtained as shown in FIG. 12A by using the following formula A1.

θ4 = θ2 + 0.25−L2 (formula A1)
The value A is a value satisfying L1 / A <0.25. The larger the value of A, the smaller the rate of change with respect to the change in L1, and the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object. The viewpoint CM changes relatively slowly with respect to the change in the distance to CH2. In addition, a predetermined maximum value is set for L2, and a value is set such that the minimum value of the angle of the line-of-sight direction ED with respect to the direction CC is the angle shown in FIG.

  In step S28, the distance between the viewpoint CM ′ and the midpoint CE is set to L3, and the moved viewpoint CM ′ (cx, cz) is obtained from θ4 and L3. In the present embodiment, L3 = L1 × B + C is obtained using the following formulas A2 and A3.

cx = x3-sin (θ4) × L3 (Expression A2)
cz = z3-cos (θ4) × L3 (formula A3)
Note that the values B and C are the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2 in the visual field range of the moved virtual camera, and the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object. It is possible to set an arbitrary value for displaying CH2 in an optimum size. In addition, a predetermined maximum value is set in L3, and a value is set so that the viewpoint CM ′ is not too far from the first moving object CH1 even when L1 becomes large.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S14 of FIG. 9 that θ3 <0 is not satisfied, θ4 is obtained as shown in FIG.

θ4 = θ2−0.25 + L2 (Equation B1)
Further, the viewpoint CM ′ (cx, cz) after movement is expressed by the following equations B2, B3.
cx = x3-sin (θ4) × L3 (formula B2)
cz = z3 + cos (θ4) × L3 (formula B3)
Find using.

  FIG. 10B shows a detailed flowchart of the calculation process for obtaining the line-of-sight direction ED ′ after movement. Here, an example in which the line-of-sight direction ED ′ is obtained for the viewpoint CM ′ after movement obtained by the expressions A2 and A3 shown in FIG.

  In this embodiment, first, in step S30, as shown in FIG. 13A, around the Y axis with respect to the reference axis Z in the direction DD1 connecting the viewpoints CM ′ (cx, cz) and CH1 ′ (x1, z1). And the rotation angle θ6 around the Y axis with respect to the reference axis Z in the direction DD2 connecting the viewpoints CM ′ (cx, cz) and CH2 ′ (x2 ′, z2 ′), ∠CH1′CM′CH2 An angle θ7 that bisects ′ is obtained as θ7 = (θ6-θ5) / 2, and in step S32, a rotation angle θ7 ′ around the Y axis with respect to the reference axis Z in the line-of-sight direction ED ′ after movement is obtained. It is determined using a predetermined function formula C1.

θ7 ′ = θ7 × D + θ5 (formula C1)
Note that the value D is set so that the line-of-sight direction ED ′ after movement is slightly closer to the first moving object CH1 than the direction DV along the bisector of ∠CH1′CM′CH2 ′. Can be set to any value that is displayed closer to the center.

Then, in step S34, as shown in FIG. 13B, the distance between the viewpoint CM ′ and the temporary gaze point IE is set to L3, and the temporary gaze point IE (x4, z4) is obtained from θ7 ′ and L3. In this embodiment, L3 = L1 × B + C, and the following formulas C2 and C3
x4 = cx + sin (θ7 ′) × L3 (formula C2)
z4 = cz + cos (θ7 ′) × L3 (formula C3)
Find using.

  Then, in step S36, the coordinates (ix, iz) of the moved gazing point EP ′ are obtained by obtaining the intersection of the direction CC and the direction ED ′ connecting the viewpoint CM ′ and the temporary gazing point IE.

In the present embodiment, when the coordinates of CH1 ′ and CH2 ′ are the same, the following equations D1 and D2
ix = x1 (Formula D1)
iz = (z4-cz) * (ix-cx) / (x4-cx) + cz .. (formula D2)
Find using.

When x4 = cx, the following equations E1, E2
ix = x4 (formula E1)
iz = (z2−z1) × (ix−x1) / (x2−x1) + z1 (Equation E2)
Find using.

In other cases, the following formulas F1 and F2
ix = {(z2-z1) * x1 / (x2-x1)-(x4-cz) * cx / (x4-cx) + cz-z1} / {(z2-z1) / (x2-x1)-(z4 -Cz) / (x4-cx)} (Formula F1)
iz = (z2-z1) * (ix-x1) / (x2-x1) + z1 (Formula F2)
Find using.

  In step S38, the rotation angle of the virtual camera is controlled so that the watch point EP ′ (ix, iz) after the movement is viewed.

  Thus, as shown in FIG. 13B, when the second moving object CH2 moves away from the position of CH2 to the position of CH2 ′ with respect to the first moving object CH1, the position of the virtual camera is changed from CM to CM ′. And the point of sight is moved from EP to EP ′. Then, the line-of-sight direction is changed from ED to ED ′. On the other hand, when the second moving object CH2 approaches the first moving object CH1 from the position of CH2 ′ to the position of CH2, the position of the virtual camera is moved from CM ′ to CM, and the gazing point is changed from EP ′. Move to EP. Then, the line-of-sight direction is changed from ED ′ to ED.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, an appropriate viewpoint position and line-of-sight direction corresponding to the distance between the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2 are calculated for each frame using a preset function. be able to.

  Note that the virtual camera control process according to the distance between moving objects can also be realized by a method other than the above method. For example, when determining the gazing point EP ′ after movement, the temporary gazing point IE is not set, and the line of sight is viewed from the angle θ7 ′ of the line-of-sight direction ED ′ after movement obtained in step S32 of FIG. The gazing point EP ′ after the movement may be obtained by obtaining an equation of a line along the direction ED ′ and obtaining an intersection coordinate from the equation of the line along the direction CC.

  Further, the coefficient of the function may be changed based on attribute data set in at least one of the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2. In this case, according to the attribute data set for the moving object, the movement mode such as the viewpoint, the moving speed in the line-of-sight direction, and the moving locus can be changed. Therefore, various images can be generated according to the attribute data set for the moving object.

  Here, the attribute data is stored in the attribute data storage unit 173 of the storage unit 170 as the attribute data of each character and the attribute data of each item, and the game calculation processing unit 116 reads out the attribute data corresponding to the game situation, and the moving object Perform the process for each setting.

2-4: Virtual camera control processing according to the distance between a plurality of moving objects Also, in the present embodiment, when the mode for performing the virtual camera control processing according to the distance between the moving objects is set. By selecting the right lever 314 of the operation unit 160, the target object to be subjected to the virtual camera control process according to the distance between the moving objects can be selected from a plurality of enemy objects. When another enemy object is selected as the target object, the selected other enemy object is changed and set as the second moving object, and the first moving object and the changed second moving object are The virtual camera control process according to the distance is performed.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the flow of the virtual camera control process according to the distance between a plurality of moving objects. FIG. 15 shows the object space SP in which the player object 12, the enemy object 14, the enemy object 16, and the viewpoint CM are arranged on the XZ plane (viewed from directly above).

  First, in step S58, when the enemy object 14 is set as the second moving object CH2 as shown in FIG. 15, the viewpoint position is CM1 and the gazing point is EP1 according to the distance between the moving objects. Performs virtual camera control processing. Then, in step S60, it is determined whether or not the target object has been changed. If it is determined that the target object has been changed (Y in step S60), the changed enemy object 16 is set as the second moving object CH2 ′ in step S62.

  In step S64, based on the position of the first moving object CH1 and the changed position of the second moving object CH2 ′, the viewpoint CM2 after the change of the target object and the note after the change of the target object are determined by a predetermined function. The viewpoint EP2 is obtained. Then, in step S66, the position of the viewpoint is continuously changed from CM1 corresponding to the distance to the enemy character 14 to CM2 corresponding to the distance to the enemy character 16. Then, the gazing point of the virtual camera is continuously changed from EP 1 corresponding to the distance to the enemy character 14 to EP 2 corresponding to the distance to the enemy character 16. In step S68, a virtual camera control process is performed according to the distance between the player object 12 (first moving object CH1) and the enemy object 16 (second moving object CH2 ′).

  Thus, in this embodiment, when the enemy object set as the second moving object is changed to another enemy object, the viewpoint position corresponding to the position with the changed enemy object is changed. Control can be performed automatically. In selecting the target object, one moving object may be automatically selected based on a given program. In this case, the distance between the player object and a plurality of enemy objects may be determined, the closest enemy object may be selected as the target object, and virtual camera control processing may be performed according to the distance between the moving objects.

  In step S64, CM3 in the figure is obtained as a viewpoint after changing the target object by a predetermined function based on the position of the first moving object CH1 and the position of the second moving object CH2 ′ after the change. You may do it. In this case, in step S66, the viewpoint position may be continuously changed from CM1 corresponding to the distance to the enemy character 14 to CM3 corresponding to the distance to the enemy character 16.

3. Other Embodiments As another embodiment to which the present invention can be applied, the first viewpoint position change is performed regardless of the distance between the position of the first moving object and the position of the second moving object. It is determined whether either the condition or the second viewpoint position change condition is satisfied, and the virtual camera control unit 114 determines that the first moving object and the virtual position are virtual when the first viewpoint position change condition is satisfied. The viewpoint position is changed so that the difference between the first distance that is the distance to the camera and the second distance that is the distance between the second moving object and the virtual camera is small, and the second viewpoint position is set. When the change condition is satisfied, the viewpoint position may be changed so that the difference between the first distance and the second distance is increased.

  In this embodiment, for example, taking a soccer game as an example, the ball can be set as the first moving object CH1, and the player character can be set as the second moving object CH2. Then, as shown in FIG. 16A, when the condition determination unit 118 determines that the player character 20 is keeping the ball 22, that is, when the first viewpoint position change condition is satisfied, The viewpoint CM is set to the position of CM1 so that the difference between the distance d1 of 1 and the second distance d2 becomes small. Then, the gazing point EP1 is set near the midpoint of the line segment CC connecting the first moving object CH1 and the second moving object CH2. Then, it is possible to draw an image in which the player character 20 holding the ball 22 is seen from the lateral direction.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 16B, when the condition determination unit 118 determines that the player character 20 does not keep the ball 22, that is, when the second viewpoint position change condition is satisfied, The viewpoint CM is set to CM2 and continuously moved from CM1 to CM2 so that the ratio of the second distance d2 to the distance d1 of 1 is reduced. Then, the gazing point is set to EP2 from the second moving object CH2 on the line segment CC and from the midpoint of the line segment CC, and is continuously moved from EP1 to EP2. As a result, it is possible to draw an image in which the player character 20 is viewed from the near side of the player character 20 not keeping the ball 22 to the front side and the ball 22 is viewed in the depth direction.

  Also in this embodiment, one moving object can be selected from N-1 moving objects (player characters) excluding the first moving object CH1 (ball), and the virtual camera control unit 114 is The viewpoint position may be changed by using the selected moving object as the second moving object CH2. In this case, the player selects one player character to be operated by the operation unit 160 from among the 11 player characters, and the viewpoint position, depending on whether the selected player character keeps the ball 22 or not. Control the line-of-sight direction.

  Thus, according to this embodiment, when the player character 20 keeps the ball 22, it is possible to display an image of the ball 22 and the player character 20 viewed from the lateral direction. The state of keeping the ball 22 can be displayed in an easy-to-understand manner. Even when the player character 20 does not keep the ball 22, the ball 22 can be displayed in the depth direction while the player character 20 selected by the player is displayed largely on the near side, for example, flying from the depth direction. The appearance of receiving the coming long pass can be displayed as a powerful image.

4). Hardware Configuration FIG. 17 shows an example of a hardware configuration capable of realizing this embodiment. The main processor 900 operates based on a program stored in a CD 982 (information storage medium), a program downloaded via the communication interface 990, a program stored in the ROM 950, or the like, and includes game processing, image processing, sound processing, and the like. Execute. The coprocessor 902 assists the processing of the main processor 900, and executes matrix operation (vector operation) at high speed. For example, when a matrix calculation process is required for a physical simulation for moving or moving an object, a program operating on the main processor 900 instructs (requests) the process to the coprocessor 902.

  The geometry processor 904 performs geometry processing such as coordinate conversion, perspective conversion, light source calculation, and curved surface generation based on an instruction from a program operating on the main processor 900, and executes matrix calculation at high speed. The data decompression processor 906 performs decoding processing of compressed image data and sound data, and accelerates the decoding processing of the main processor 900. Thereby, a moving image compressed by the MPEG method or the like can be displayed on the opening screen or the game screen.

  The drawing processor 910 executes drawing (rendering) processing of an object composed of primitive surfaces such as polygons and curved surfaces. When drawing an object, the main processor 900 uses the DMA controller 970 to pass the drawing data to the drawing processor 910 and, if necessary, transfers the texture to the texture storage unit 924. Then, the drawing processor 910 draws the object in the frame buffer 922 while performing hidden surface removal using a Z buffer or the like based on the drawing data and texture. The drawing processor 910 also performs α blending (translucent processing), depth cueing, mip mapping, fog processing, bilinear filtering, trilinear filtering, anti-aliasing, shading processing, and the like. When an image for one frame is written in the frame buffer 922, the image is displayed on the display 912.

  The sound processor 930 includes a multi-channel ADPCM sound source and the like, generates game sounds such as BGM, sound effects, and sounds, and outputs them through the speaker 932. Data from the game controller 942 and the memory card 944 is input via the serial interface 940.

  The ROM 950 stores system programs and the like. In the case of an arcade game system, the ROM 950 functions as an information storage medium, and various programs are stored in the ROM 950. A hard disk may be used instead of the ROM 950. The RAM 960 is a work area for various processors. The DMA controller 970 controls DMA transfer between the processor and the memory. The CD drive 980 accesses a CD 982 in which programs, image data, sound data, and the like are stored. The communication interface 990 performs data transfer with the outside via a network (communication line, high-speed serial bus).

  The processing of each unit (each unit) in this embodiment may be realized entirely by hardware, or may be realized by a program stored in an information storage medium or a program distributed via a communication interface. Also good. Alternatively, it may be realized by both hardware and a program.

  When the processing of each part of this embodiment is realized by both hardware and a program, a program for causing the hardware (computer) to function as each part of this embodiment is stored in the information storage medium. More specifically, the program instructs the processors 902, 904, 906, 910, and 930, which are hardware, and passes data if necessary. Each processor 902, 904, 906, 910, 930 realizes the processing of each unit of the present invention based on the instruction and the passed data.

  The present invention is not limited to that described in the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example, terms (frame buffer / work buffer, α value, lookup table, etc.) cited as broad or synonymous terms (drawing area, pixel value, conversion table, etc.) in the description or drawings are not Alternatively, in other descriptions in the drawings, terms can be replaced with terms having a broad meaning or the same meaning.

  The present invention can be applied to various games. Further, the present invention is applied to various image generation systems such as a business game system, a home game system, a large attraction system in which a large number of players participate, a simulator, a multimedia terminal, a system board for generating a game image, and a mobile phone. it can.

It is an example of a functional block diagram of the image generation system of this embodiment. It is an example of the image produced | generated by this embodiment. It is an example of the operation part of this embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the method of virtual camera control of this embodiment. It is an example of the image produced | generated by this embodiment. It is an example of the image produced | generated by this embodiment. It is an example of the image produced | generated by this embodiment. It is an example of the image produced | generated by this embodiment. It is a flowchart of the virtual camera control process of this embodiment. 10A and 10B are flowcharts of the virtual camera control process of the present embodiment. FIGS. 11A and 11B are explanatory diagrams of the virtual camera control method according to the present embodiment. 12A and 12B are explanatory diagrams of the virtual camera control method of the present embodiment. FIGS. 13A and 13B are explanatory views of the virtual camera control method of the present embodiment. It is a flowchart of the virtual camera control process of this embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the method of virtual camera control of this embodiment. FIGS. 16A and 16B are explanatory diagrams of a virtual camera control method according to another embodiment. It is an example of the hardware constitutions of the image generation system of this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

CM viewpoint ED line-of-sight direction EP gazing point CH1 first moving object CH2 second moving object d1 first distance d2 second distance 100 processing unit 110 object space setting unit 112 movement / motion processing unit 114 virtual camera control unit 120 Drawing unit 160 Operation unit 170 Storage unit 180 Information storage medium 190 Display unit

Claims (16)

A program for generating a game image of a game in which a plurality of character objects attack each other,
An object space setting unit for setting the first to Nth (N ≧ 3) character objects in the object space;
A movement / motion processing unit that calculates at least one of movement and motion of the first to Nth character objects based on the motion data stored in the storage unit;
An object selection unit for setting one character object as a second character object from N-1 character objects excluding the first character object;
A virtual camera control unit that controls at least one of the position, orientation, and angle of view of the virtual camera based on the position information of the first character object and the second character object;
As an image generator that generates an image of the object space viewed from a virtual camera,
Make the computer work,
The virtual camera control unit is
As the position of the first character object and the position of the second character object approach, the first distance that is the distance between the first character object and the virtual camera, and the distance between the second character object and the virtual camera Change the position of the virtual camera so that the difference between the second distance and
As the position of the first character object and the position of the second character object are separated, the position of the virtual camera is changed so that the difference between the first distance and the second distance increases.
The object selection unit is
Based on an input signal from the operation unit, one character object is changed and set as a second character object from N-2 character objects excluding the character object set as the second character object ,
The image generator
A program for displaying a mark for indicating that the character object is selected as the second character object at a position corresponding to the character object selected as the second character object . In claim 1,
The virtual camera control unit is
As the position of the first character object and the position of the second character object approach, the angle formed between the direction connecting the first character object and the second character object and the line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera approaches a right angle. Change the orientation of the virtual camera so that
As the position of the first character object and the position of the second character object are separated, the angle formed between the direction connecting the first character object and the second character object and the line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera is moved away from the right angle. A program characterized by changing the orientation of the virtual camera. A program for generating a game image of a game in which a plurality of character objects attack each other,
An object space setting unit for setting the first to Nth (N ≧ 3) character objects in the object space;
A movement / motion processing unit that calculates at least one of movement and motion of the first to Nth character objects based on the motion data stored in the storage unit;
An object selection unit for setting one character object as a second character object from N-1 character objects excluding the first character object;
A virtual camera control unit that controls at least one of the position, orientation, and angle of view of the virtual camera based on the position information of the first character object and the second character object;
As an image generator that generates an image of the object space viewed from a virtual camera,
Make the computer work,
The virtual camera control unit is
As the position of the first character object and the position of the second character object approach, the first distance that is the distance between the first character object and the virtual camera, and the distance between the second character object and the virtual camera Change the position of the virtual camera so that the difference between the second distance and
The object selection unit is
Based on an input signal from the operation unit, one character object is changed and set as a second character object from N-2 character objects excluding the character object set as the second character object ,
The image generator
A program for displaying a mark for indicating that the character object is selected as the second character object at a position corresponding to the character object selected as the second character object . In claim 3,
The virtual camera control unit is
As the position of the first character object and the position of the second character object approach, the angle formed between the direction connecting the first character object and the second character object and the line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera approaches a right angle. A program characterized by changing the orientation of the virtual camera. A program for generating a game image of a game in which a plurality of character objects attack each other,
An object space setting unit for setting the first to Nth (N ≧ 3) character objects in the object space;
A movement / motion processing unit that calculates at least one of movement and motion of the first to Nth character objects based on the motion data stored in the storage unit;
An object selection unit for setting one character object as a second character object from N-1 character objects excluding the first character object;
A virtual camera control unit that controls at least one of the position, orientation, and angle of view of the virtual camera based on the position information of the first character object and the second character object;
As an image generator that generates an image of the object space viewed from a virtual camera,
Make the computer work,
The virtual camera control unit is
As the position of the first character object and the position of the second character object are separated, the first distance that is the distance between the first character object and the virtual camera, and the distance between the second character object and the virtual camera. Change the position of the virtual camera so that the difference from the second distance is larger,
The object selection unit is
Based on an input signal from the operation unit, one character object is changed and set as a second character object from N-2 character objects excluding the character object set as the second character object ,
The image generator
A program for displaying a mark for indicating that the character object is selected as the second character object at a position corresponding to the character object selected as the second character object . In claim 5,
The virtual camera control unit is
As the position of the first character object and the position of the second character object are separated, the angle formed between the direction connecting the first character object and the second character object and the line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera is moved away from the right angle. A program characterized by changing the orientation of the virtual camera. In any one of Claims 1-6,
The virtual camera control unit is
When changing the position of a virtual camera, the program which changes the position of a virtual camera within the range where a 1st character object and a 2nd character object enter in the visual field range of a virtual camera. In any one of Claims 1-7,
The virtual camera control unit is
A program for changing the orientation of a virtual camera within a range in which the first character object and the second character object fall within the visual field range of the virtual camera when the orientation of the virtual camera is changed. In any one of Claims 1-7,
The virtual camera control unit is
When changing the orientation of the virtual camera, the program changes the orientation of the virtual camera so that it faces a point having a predetermined positional relationship with the first character object and the second character object. . In any one of Claims 1-9,
The virtual camera control unit is
When the position of the first character object and the position of the second character object are close to a given distance, the virtual camera is set such that the difference between the first distance and the second distance becomes zero. A program characterized by changing the position. In any one of Claims 1-10,
The virtual camera control unit is
Based on a predetermined function using at least one of the position of the first character object and the position of the second character object and the distance between the first character object and the second character object as a variable, the position of the virtual camera is determined. A program characterized by changing. In any one of Claims 1-11,
The virtual camera control unit is
A program for changing a position of a virtual camera according to attribute data set for the character object. In any one of Claims 1-12,
At least one of movement and movement of the first character object is formed to be operable based on an input signal from the operation unit,
The virtual camera control unit is
The position of the virtual camera is changed so that the ratio of the first distance to the second distance becomes smaller as the position of the first character object and the position of the second character object are separated from each other. program. In any one of Claims 1-13,
The virtual camera control unit is
When one character object is selected by the object selection unit, the position of the virtual camera is changed with the selected character object as the second character object,
A program for changing at least one of a position and an orientation of a virtual camera based on an input signal from an operation unit when a character object is not selected by the object selection unit.   A computer-readable information storage medium, wherein the program according to any one of claims 1 to 14 is stored. An image generation system for generating a game image of a game in which a plurality of character objects attack each other,
An object space setting unit for setting first to Nth (N ≧ 3) character objects in the object space;
A movement / motion processing unit that calculates at least one of movement and motion of the first to Nth character objects based on the motion data stored in the storage unit;
An object selection unit for setting one character object as a second character object from N-1 character objects excluding the first character object;
A virtual camera control unit that controls at least one of the position, orientation, and angle of view of the virtual camera based on the position information of the first character object and the second character object;
An image generator for generating an image of the object space viewed from a virtual camera;
Including
The virtual camera control unit is
As the position of the first character object and the position of the second character object approach, the first distance that is the distance between the first character object and the virtual camera, and the distance between the second character object and the virtual camera Change the position of the virtual camera so that the difference between the second distance and
As the position of the first character object and the position of the second character object are separated, the position of the virtual camera is changed so that the difference between the first distance and the second distance increases.
The object selection unit is
Based on an input signal from the operation unit, one character object is changed and set as a second character object from N-2 character objects excluding the character object set as the second character object ,
The image generator
An image generation system for displaying a mark for indicating that the character object is selected as the second character object at a position corresponding to the character object selected as the second character object .

Images