JP7713359B2 - Program and control method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to technology for controlling displays.

Mobile devices such as smartphones have a display equipped with a touch sensor (sometimes called a touch panel). A user enjoys a game by using the touch sensor of the mobile device as an input device. The mobile device can provide the user with a game by executing a game application program. In games that include an element of controlling a character in a virtual space, the screen displayed on the display often displays a view from a first-person viewpoint, or a view from a virtual viewpoint set near the character.

Changes (movements) in the field of view are generally achieved by moving the character. On the other hand, if you want to change the field of view without moving the character, a technique for changing the field of view by operating a specific area set on a touch sensor is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1.

Special Publication No. 2020-510272

According to the technology of Patent Document 1, when trying to change the field of view while moving a character, it is necessary to operate the touch sensor in at least two places. In this case, for example, while holding the portable device in the right hand, the user operates one place on the touch sensor with the thumb of the right hand, and further operates another place on the touch sensor with the fingers of the left hand. In other words, when holding the portable device, the user needs to operate the touch sensor with both hands.

One of the objectives of the present invention is to easily implement operations for changing the field of view displayed on the screen.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a program is provided for causing a portable device to display, on a display of the portable device, an area that is part of a virtual space and that is viewed in a predetermined line of sight from a predetermined viewpoint, and to change the area displayed on the display by controlling the viewpoint and line of sight based on the behavior of the portable device while a first operation is being input to a touch sensor disposed on the display.

The first operation may include an instruction to control a character in the virtual space.

Controlling the character may include a first control that moves the character in a first manner in the virtual space.

Controlling the character may include a second control for transitioning to an operation mode for moving the character in the virtual space in a second manner different from the first manner.

The first operation may include an instruction to move the character in the second manner.

The control range of the viewpoint and the line of sight direction when the second control is executed may be different from the control range when the first control is executed.

When the character moves in the first manner, the viewpoint and the line of sight direction may change according to the position or orientation of the character, and when the character moves in the second manner, the line of sight direction may be controlled to face within a predetermined range.

The area displayed on the display may be further changed by controlling the viewpoint and line of sight based on a second operation input to the touch sensor.

The touch sensor may include at least a first area and a second area, and may receive the first operation in the first area and the second operation in the second area.

The behavior of the portable device may include a change in the tilt of the portable device.

According to one embodiment, a field of view control method is provided that includes displaying an area of a part of a virtual space viewed from a predetermined viewpoint in a predetermined line of sight on a display of a mobile device, and changing the area displayed on the display by controlling the viewpoint and line of sight based on the behavior of the mobile device while a first operation is being input to a touch sensor arranged on the display.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, operations for changing the field of view displayed on the screen can be easily realized.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication system according to an embodiment; FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication device according to an embodiment. 1 is a diagram for explaining a change in direction of a communication device according to an embodiment; 1 is a diagram for explaining a change in direction of a communication device according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a server according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating game display functions in one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a game progress control function in one embodiment. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a field of view control method according to an embodiment. 11A and 11B are diagrams for explaining visual field control in a virtual space in one embodiment. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating an example of an operation performed on an operation unit according to an embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of field of view control by moving a game character in one embodiment. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating an example of visual field control by a line of sight change instruction according to an embodiment. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating an example of field of view control by transitioning to a special mode in one embodiment. 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating an example of field of view control by game character movement in a special mode in one embodiment. 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating an example of visual field control by a line of sight change instruction in a special mode according to an embodiment. 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating an example of visual field control by a line of sight change instruction in a special mode according to an embodiment.

One embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below is an example of an embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In the drawings referred to in this embodiment, identical parts or parts having similar functions are given the same or similar symbols (symbols consisting of only a number followed by A, B, etc.), and repeated explanations may be omitted.

[Configuration of communication system]
Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication system according to an embodiment. The communication system 1000 according to an embodiment is a client-server system having a communication device 10 and a server 50. The communication device 10 and the server 50 are connected to a network NW such as the Internet or a communication line. In Fig. 1, the server 50 is shown as a single device, but may be composed of multiple devices that cooperate with each other.

The communication device 10, which is a client, is, for example, a smartphone, and can communicate with other devices by connecting to the network NW. The communication device 10 is not limited to a smartphone, but may be any portable device that can be held by a user, such as a tablet terminal or a portable game console.

By executing the installed game program, the communication device 10 cooperates with the server 50 to provide the user of the communication device 10 with a game in which multiple users can compete against each other. In this example, a game in which the user can control a game character that can move in a virtual space to fight other game characters is provided to the user. As this is a game in which multiple game characters compete against each other, multiple communication devices 10 corresponding to the multiple game characters respectively connect to the server 50.

The server 50 is an example of an information processing device that provides application programs and various services to the communication device 10. The various services include, for example, services such as login processing and synchronization processing when playing an online game on the communication device 10. In addition, the various services may include, for example, a social networking service (SNS).

The application program includes, for example, an application program (referred to as a game program) for executing the game described below. The application program is recorded on a recording medium that can be read by the server 50. The recording medium may be a storage device included in the server 50, a storage device connected to the server 50, or a storage device to which the server 50 is connected via the network NW.

[Configuration of communication device]
2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a communication device in one embodiment. The communication device 10 in one embodiment includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a display unit 13, an operation unit 14, a sensor unit 15, an imaging unit 16, a position detection unit 17, and a communication unit 18. The communication device 10 is not limited to including all of these components. In addition, the communication device 10 may include other components such as a microphone and a speaker.

The control unit 11 is an example of a computer equipped with a processor (arithmetic processing circuit) such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a storage device such as a RAM. The control unit 11 executes programs stored in the storage unit 12 using the processor to realize various functions in the communication device 10. Signals output from each element of the communication device 10 are used by the various functions realized in the communication device 10. The control unit 11 executes a game program to realize a game display function used when providing a game to a user.

The memory unit 12 is a storage device such as a non-volatile memory or a hard disk drive. The memory unit 12 stores various data such as programs and parameters required to execute the programs. The above-mentioned game program is downloaded from the server 50 or another server via the network NW, and is installed in the communication device 10 by being stored in the memory unit 12. The game program may be provided in a state recorded on a recording medium such as a magnetic recording medium, an optical recording medium, a magneto-optical recording medium, or a semiconductor memory. In this case, the communication device 10 only needs to be equipped with a device for reading this recording medium. The memory unit 12 is also an example of a recording medium.

The display unit 13 is a display having a display area that displays various screens (e.g., a game screen, etc.) according to the control of the control unit 11. The display unit 13 is, for example, a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

The operation unit 14 is an operation device that outputs a signal corresponding to a user's operation to the control unit 11. The operation unit 14 is a touch sensor arranged on the surface of the display unit 13. The operation unit 14 constitutes a touch panel when combined with the display unit 13. When the user touches the operation unit 14 with a finger or a stylus pen, etc., a command or information corresponding to the user's operation is input to the communication device 10. The operation unit 14 may include a switch arranged on the housing of the communication device 10.

The sensor unit 15 is a device that has the function of collecting information related to the movement of the communication device 10 and the environment surrounding the communication device 10, and converting the information into a signal. The sensor unit 15 includes, for example, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, etc. The control unit 11 obtains information related to the behavior of the communication device 10 (for example, tilt, vibration, etc.) based on the output signal of the sensor unit 15. The sensor unit 15 may include an illuminance sensor, a temperature sensor, a magnetic sensor, or other sensors.

Figures 3 and 4 are diagrams for explaining the change in direction of a communication device in one embodiment. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the communication device 10 as viewed from the front. In this case, the display unit 13 is disposed in front of the housing 19 of the communication device 10. As shown in Figure 3, the sensor unit 15 outputs a signal according to the change in the inclination of the housing 19. Specifically, the sensor unit 15 outputs a signal indicating the angle indicating the left-right rotation ARH (rotation about the vertical axis) of the housing 19 and the up-down rotation ARV (rotation about the left-right axis) of the housing 19. In the following description, the angles related to the rotations ARH and ARV obtained by this signal may be referred to as angle information.

Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the communication device 10 as viewed from above. As shown in Figure 4, even if the communication device 10 rotates while moving from position P1 to position P2 rather than rotating around an axis, the sensor unit 15 can output a signal indicating the angle of rotation ARH when moving from position P1 to position P2. Let's return to Figure 2 and continue the explanation.

The imaging unit 16 is an imaging device that converts the image of the imaging target into a signal. The communication device 10 generates image data based on the imaging signal output from the imaging unit 16. The image data may be still image data or moving image data. In the following description, when referring to an image, both still images and moving images are included unless otherwise specified. The imaging unit 16 also functions as a scanner that reads identification codes such as one-dimensional codes or two-dimensional codes.

The position detection unit 17 detects the position of the communication device 10 based on the position information. In this embodiment, the position detection unit 17 detects the position of the communication device 10 using the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).

The communication unit 18 is a wireless communication module that connects to the network NW under the control of the control unit 11 and transmits and receives information to and from other devices, such as a server 50, connected to the network NW. The communication unit 18 may include a communication module that performs infrared communication, short-range wireless communication, etc.

[Server configuration]
5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a server according to an embodiment. The server 50 according to the embodiment includes a control unit 51, a storage unit 52, and a communication unit 53.

The control unit 51 is an example of a computer equipped with a processor (arithmetic processing circuit) such as a CPU and a storage device such as a RAM. The control unit 51 executes programs stored in the storage unit 52 using the processor to realize various functions in the server 50. Signals output from each element of the server 50 are used by the various functions realized in the server 50. The control unit 51 executes a game providing program to realize a game progress control function for progressing the game provided to the communication device 10.

The memory unit 52 is a storage device such as a non-volatile memory or a hard disk drive. The memory unit 52 stores programs and information such as parameters required to execute the programs. The programs include a game providing program. The game providing program is also stored in the memory unit 52. Various data received from the communication device 10 while the game is being provided is also stored in the memory unit 52. The memory unit 52 may store a game program provided to the communication device 10.

The game providing program may be installed on the server 50 by being downloaded from another server via the network NW and stored in the memory unit 52. The game providing program may be provided in a state recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a magnetic recording medium, an optical recording medium, a magneto-optical recording medium, or a semiconductor memory. In this case, the server 50 only needs to be equipped with a device for reading this recording medium. The memory unit 52 is also an example of a recording medium.

The communication unit 53 is a wireless communication module that connects to the network NW under the control of the control unit 51 and transmits and receives information to and from other devices, such as the communication device 10 and other servers connected to the network NW. Examples of other servers include game servers, SNS servers, and mail servers.

[Game display function]
A game is provided to a user by a game display function and a game progress control function. First, the game display function will be described. The game display function is realized by the control unit 11 of the communication device 10 executing a game program. A part or all of the configuration for realizing the game display function described below may be realized by hardware.

Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the game display function in one embodiment. The game display function 100 in one embodiment includes a game operation acquisition unit 101, an operation data transmission unit 103, a control data reception unit 105, a game data storage area 107, and a display data generation unit 109.

The game operation acquisition unit 101 acquires game operations from among the operations input by the user to the operation unit 14. Game operations are operations related to the game from among the operations input by the user to the operation unit 14, and include, for example, movement of a game character, specification of parameters, etc.

The operation data transmission unit 103 generates operation data indicating the game operations acquired by the game operation acquisition unit 101, and transmits the operation data to the server 50 via the communication unit 18.

The control data receiving unit 105 receives control data from the server 50 via the communication unit 18. The control data is data generated by the server 50 based on the operation data transmitted from each communication device 10.

The game data memory area 107 is an area that stores data (e.g., image data, etc.) necessary to display the game screen.

The display data generating unit 109 generates display data for displaying a game screen on the display unit 13 based on the game operation acquired by the game operation acquiring unit 101 and the control data received by the control data receiving unit 105. At this time, the display data generating unit 109 uses data stored in the game data storage area 107 as necessary. The processing of the game screen based on the game operation includes, for example, a field of view control process described below.

In cases where the game operation indicates an operation other than an operation for moving a game character, such as an operation on a setting screen displayed on the game screen, the display data generating unit 109 may generate display data based on the game operation regardless of the control data.

[Game progress control function]
Next, the game progress control function will be described. The game progress control function is realized by the control unit 51 of the server 50 executing the game providing program. A part or all of the configuration for realizing the game progress control function described below may be realized by hardware.

Figure 7 is a block diagram showing a game progress control function in one embodiment of the present invention. The game progress control function 500 in one embodiment includes an operation data receiving unit 501, a process execution unit 503, and a control data transmission unit 505.

The operation data receiving unit 501 receives operation data transmitted from multiple communication devices 10. The operation data is associated with a game character corresponding to the communication device 10 that transmitted the operation data. The game character corresponding to the communication device 10 is assigned to a user who logs in via the communication device 10, and is a game character that can be controlled by the user.

Based on the operation data received by the operation data receiving unit 501, the processing execution unit 503 generates status data for controlling the action of the game character corresponding to this operation data in the virtual space.

Status data, for example, specifies the coordinates, orientation, movement, and various other states of a game character in virtual space. The action of the game character is controlled so that it is in the state specified by the status data. Status data is not limited to specifying the state of a game character operated by a user, but may also specify the states of various objects in virtual space. Objects here include, for example, objects whose state changes as the game progresses (either as a result of the passage of time or the action of a game character), but may not include objects whose state does not change at all as the game progresses. In the following explanation, game characters and objects may be collectively referred to simply as characters.

The processing execution unit 503 provides the status data generated corresponding to each character to the control data transmission unit 505.

The control data transmission unit 505 transmits control data including status data to each of the multiple communication devices 10 via the communication unit 58 at predetermined time intervals.

In this way, the game display function 100 and the game progress control function 500 provide the game to the user.

[Viewing control method]
Next, a description will be given of the visual field control process (visual field control method) executed by the game display function 100. When a game is started, the communication device 10 (game display function 100) starts the visual field control process.

Figure 8 is a flowchart showing a field of view control method in one embodiment. The communication device 10 displays a game screen and controls the game screen based on game operations and control data (step S100). The game screen includes an area (field of view) that is part of the virtual space. The field of view is defined by a viewpoint and a line of sight set in the virtual space.

Figure 9 is a diagram for explaining field of view control in a virtual space in one embodiment. The field of view VA is a partial area of the virtual space VS, and corresponds to the area displayed as a game screen on the display unit 13 when the virtual space VS is viewed from the viewpoint VP along the line of sight VD (see Figure 10). Game character CH1 is a game character operated by the user of the communication device 10. Game character CH2 is a game character operated by a user other than this user, or a game character controlled by the server 50 according to a predetermined algorithm.

The character reference point VC is defined as a position that is linked to the position of the game character CH1 that is operated by the user of the communication device 10. For example, the character reference point VC may be the head center of the game character CH1, or may be a position outside the game character CH1 that is shifted a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction from the head center.

The character direction DC corresponds to the front direction of the game character CH1. The viewpoint VP is set behind the game character CH1, and more specifically, is set on the opposite side of the character direction DC with respect to the character reference point VC. The distance between the viewpoint VP and the character reference point VC is set in advance.

The line of sight direction VD corresponds to the direction from the viewpoint VP to the character reference point VC. The viewpoint VP moves up, down, left, and right around the character reference point VC. In the following explanation, the up, down, left, and right directions are defined as the directions when looking at the character reference point VC from the viewpoint VP.

When the viewpoint VP moves in the upward direction D1, the line of sight VD tilts downward, so the field of view VA changes downward. When the viewpoint VP moves in the downward direction D2, the line of sight VD tilts upward, so the field of view VA changes upward. When the viewpoint VP moves in the leftward direction D3, the line of sight VD tilts to the right, so the field of view VA changes to the right. When the viewpoint VP moves in the rightward direction D4, the line of sight VD tilts to the left, so the field of view VA changes to the left.

In this example, the control of the field of view VA, i.e., the control of the viewpoint VP and line of sight direction VD, includes three types of control. First, the first field of view control is a control associated with the movement of the game character CH1. According to this control, the viewpoint VP is controlled so that the character direction DC, which corresponds to the direction of movement, and the line of sight direction VD are the same.

The second field of view control is control based on the behavior of the communication device 10. In this example, the behavior of the communication device 10 is represented by angle information due to the rotation of the housing 19. Therefore, the second field of view control can also be said to be control based on angle information. In this example, the second field of view control is executed when a specific operation (a first operation described later) is input to the operation unit 14. The third field of view control is control based on an operation (a second operation described later) to the operation unit 14.

According to the second field of view control and the third field of view control, even if the game character CH1 is moving, the viewpoint VP is controlled regardless of the direction of movement. As a result, since the line of sight direction VD changes with the change in the viewpoint VP, the orientation of the game character CH1 (character direction DC) is controlled so that the line of sight direction VD and the character direction DC are the same. As a result, when the game character CH1 is moving, the direction of movement and the character direction DC may differ.

In the second and third field of view control, the character direction DC may be controlled not to change even if the line of sight direction VD changes. The character direction DC may be controlled not to change only under specific conditions. In this case, the line of sight direction VD and the character direction DC may not be the same. Let's return to Figure 8 to continue the explanation.

The communication device 10 controls the display of the game screen until any of the first operation, the second operation, or the game end instruction is input to the operation unit 14 (steps S100, S200; No, S300; No, S400; No). If the game end instruction is input to the operation unit 14 (step S400; Yes), the communication device 10 ends the field of view control process. Next, the first operation and the second operation will be described.

Figure 10 is a diagram showing an example of operations on the operation unit in one embodiment. As shown in Figure 10, the game screen displayed on the display unit 13 includes an area corresponding to the field of view VA in the virtual space VS. The area (hereinafter referred to as the operation area) that accepts operations on the operation unit 14 (touch sensor) is located in the same area as the display unit 13. The operation area includes a first area TA1 and a second area TA2.

In this example, the first area TA1 is a semicircular area located at a position where it partially overlaps with the area where the game character CH1 is displayed. The first area TA1 is an area that accepts operations for controlling the game character CH1. If the starting point of an operation is included in the first area TA1, it is recognized as an operation for controlling the game character CH1. The second area TA2 is a rectangular area in this example. The second area TA2 only needs to be located in an area different from the first area TA1, and may be all areas other than the first area TA1.

When an operation is input to slide from position TP1 in the first area TA1 to position TP2, game character CH1 moves in the direction from position TP1 to position TP2. If the operation starts in the first area TA1, it is recognized as an operation for controlling game character CH1, even if the operation enters the second area TA2 during the operation or the operation ends in the second area TA2. In this example, this corresponds to an operation for moving game character CH1 towards game character CH2. In this example, this operation does not fall under either the first operation or the second operation.

Figure 11 is a diagram showing an example of field of view control by game character movement in one embodiment. When game character CH1 moves towards game character CH2 in response to a sliding operation from position TP1 to position TP2, the field of view VA changes in conjunction with the movement of game character CH1. The field of view control accompanying the movement of game character CH1 corresponds to the first field of view control described above, and as game character CH1 moves towards game character CH2, game character CH2 is positioned near the center of the game screen (field of view VA) as shown in Figure 11.

As shown in FIG. 10, when an operation of sliding from position TP3 in the second area TA2 to position TP4 is input, the communication device 10 detects that the operation input to the operation unit 14 is the second operation (FIG. 8, step S300; Yes) and performs field of view control based on the second operation (FIG. 8, step S350). If the start point of the operation is included in the second area TA2, it is detected as the second operation even if the operation enters the first area TA1 during the operation or the end point of the operation is the first area TA1. The second operation is an operation on the second area TA2. This field of view control corresponds to the third field of view control described above.

Figure 12 is a diagram showing an example of field of view control by a line of sight change instruction in one embodiment. When a sliding operation from position TP3 to position TP4 is input, the communication device 10 recognizes this operation as a line of sight change instruction. The communication device 10 scrolls the game screen along the sliding direction from position TP3 to position TP4 (the direction of the arrow shown by the two-dot chain line). The field of view VA changes in the opposite direction to this arrow. Conversely, the field of view VA may change in the sliding direction from position TP3 to position TP4. Even if the sliding direction is not horizontal to the virtual space VS, in this example, the field of view VA changes horizontally in response to the orientation of the horizontal component of the sliding direction. The field of view VA changes according to the amount of sliding from position TP3.

As shown in FIG. 10, when an operation for a predetermined time (hereinafter referred to as a long press operation) is input in the first area TA1 (e.g., position TP5), the communication device 10 detects that the operation input to the operation unit 14 is the first operation (FIG. 8, step S200; Yes) and performs field of view control based on the angle information (FIG. 8, step S250). The first operation is a long press operation in the first area TA1. This field of view control corresponds to the second field of view control described above.

By performing a long press operation on the first area TA1, the communication device 10 also executes control to transition the operation mode of the game character CH1 to a special mode in parallel with the second field of view control. In this example, the special mode is a mode in which other game characters are snipes. The operation mode before transitioning to the special mode is hereinafter referred to as the normal mode. When the long press operation is released (the operation on the operation unit 14 is released), the special mode is released and the mode returns to the normal mode.

Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example of field of view control by transition to a special mode in one embodiment. When transitioning to the special mode, as shown in Figure 13, a target marker TM, which is an image of the sight of a weapon such as a rifle, is displayed at a predetermined position on the game screen. Furthermore, the field of view VA changes so that a game character that satisfies a predetermined condition is superimposed on the position of the target marker TM. The game character that satisfies the predetermined condition is, for example, a character determined according to a condition that uses as a parameter a distance from the center of the game screen, a distance from the game character CH1, a relationship with the attributes of the game character CH1 (the character's situation, a predetermined set value, etc.), or a combination of these. The line of sight direction VD is changed accordingly, and the field of view VA changes. At this time, the character direction DC is also controlled to face the game character superimposed on the target marker TM. In other words, the character direction DC and the line of sight direction VD are linked. When the game character superimposed on the target marker TM moves, the target marker TM may move by following the game character, or may not follow it.

Furthermore, in this example, the communication device 10 moves the positions of the viewpoint VP and the character reference point VC in FIG. 9 to the right of the game character CH1. That is, the character reference point VC moves to the space to the right of the character CH1, rather than to the position of the head of the character CH1. By narrowing the area of the field of view VA in FIG. 9 and displaying it on the game screen, for example, the vicinity of the target marker TM may be enlarged and displayed.

In the special mode, for example, game character CH1 can be moved by sliding the finger to another position (a position other than position TP5) in succession to a long press (without releasing the finger). The movement of game character CH1 in the special mode differs from the movement of game character CH1 in the normal mode.

Figure 14 is a diagram showing an example of field of view control by game character movement in a special mode in one embodiment. In this example, an example is shown in which a slide operation is performed to the right from the long press position TP5. In this special mode, the game character CH1 moves in the direction of the slide operation (the direction of the arrow shown by the two-dot chain line) while keeping the line of sight VD fixed in the direction of the game character CH2 on which the target marker TM is superimposed, and while linking the line of sight VD with the character direction DC. At this time, the display position of the game character CH1 on the display unit 13 is almost fixed, and the background near the game character CH1 scrolls from right to left. In other words, when the game character CH1 moves in the special mode, the line of sight VD is controlled to face a predetermined range (in this example, near the game character CH2).

The moving speed in the special mode may be controlled to be slower or faster than the moving speed in the normal mode. In addition to the moving speed, various elements may be controlled by the transition from the normal mode to the special mode. Examples of the controlled objects include a change in the appearance of the game character CH1, a change in the moving method (e.g., walking and levitation, etc.), the creation of an alter ego of the game character CH1, a change in status (e.g., an increase in attack power, recovery of physical strength, etc.), a change in the attack method (e.g., from a single attack to a continuous attack), a change or addition of the type of attack (e.g., an attack that damages a game character that touches the game character CH1 itself), etc. The state of a game character related to the game character CH1 operating in the special mode may be changed. The other game character related to the game character CH1 may be, for example, another game character existing within a predetermined range determined based on the position of the game character CH1, or another game character that has been given an attribute having a specific relationship with the game character CH1.

In such a special mode, the communication device 10 controls the field of view VA according to angle information regarding the rotation ARH of the housing 19. Here, the communication device 10 changes the line of sight direction VD according to the angle information.

Figure 15 is a diagram showing an example of field of view control by a line of sight change instruction in a special mode in one embodiment. In the special mode, when the housing 19 is rotated from position P1 to position P2 shown in Figure 4, the communication device 10 recognizes this rotation as a line of sight change instruction. The communication device 10 changes the field of view VA according to the direction (left and right direction) and the amount of rotation ARH. When the field of view VA is changed so that the line of sight direction VD faces rightward by rotating the housing 19 from position P1 to position P2 shown in Figure 4, the game screen scrolls in the direction of the arrow shown by the two-dot chain line. At this time, the character direction DC also links with the line of sight direction VD. The field of view VA changes in the opposite direction to this arrow. The field of view VA changes according to the amount of rotation ARH. At this time, the display position of the target marker TM does not change, so the target marker TM moves away from the game character CH2. Even with this type of control, as described above, the viewpoint VP is maintained as being set on the opposite side of the character direction DC from the character reference point VC, so the viewpoint VP and line of sight direction VD in the virtual space VS are controlled to change even if the position of the game character CH1 (character reference point VC) does not change.

The rotation angle of the line of sight direction VD may be controlled in the same way as the angle of the rotation ARH, or may be controlled differently. When the rotation angle of the line of sight direction VD is controlled to be different from the angle of the rotation ARH, for example, the rotation angle of the line of sight direction VD may be controlled to be larger as the rotation speed of the housing 19 is faster. The rotation angle of the line of sight direction VD may be an angle obtained by multiplying the angle of the rotation ARH by a predetermined value. The predetermined value may be set to be greater than 1, for example. If the predetermined value is 2, the rotation angle of the line of sight direction VD can be set to 180 degrees when the rotation ARH is 90 degrees. This allows the field of view VA to be changed significantly with respect to the rotation of the housing 19. If the predetermined value is set to be less than 1, the field of view VA can be changed finely with respect to the rotation of the housing 19. Of these various controls, the control to be applied may be set in advance or may be set according to the attributes of the game character CH1. When multiple types of operations are detected as the first operation, the control to be applied may be changed according to the type of operation.

When the communication device 10 detects a second operation in the special mode (step S300), it executes the process of step S350 as described above, i.e., field of view control based on the second operation (third field of view control). In this example, the communication device 10 can execute first field of view control and third field of view control in the normal mode, and can execute second field of view control and third field of view control in the special mode. When the special mode is released and the normal mode is returned to, the field of view VA immediately before the transition to the special mode is not applied to the game screen, but the field of view VA of the character direction DC and the line of sight direction VD corresponding to the character direction DC immediately before the return to the normal mode is applied to the game screen.

In this example, in field of view control based on angle information (second field of view control), the field of view VA also changes when the housing 19 rotates in the direction of the rotation ARV.

Figure 16 is a diagram showing an example of field of view control by a line of sight change instruction in a special mode in one embodiment. The communication device 10 changes the field of view according to the direction (up and down) of the rotation ARV and the amount of rotation. When the housing 19 is rotated so that it faces downward (tilting the top of the housing 19 toward the back and rotating so that the display unit 13 faces upward), the communication device 10 recognizes this rotation as a line of sight change instruction and changes the field of view VA so that the line of sight VD faces downward. As shown in Figure 16, the game screen scrolls in the direction of the arrow indicated by the two-dot chain line. The field of view changes in the opposite direction to this arrow. The field of view VA changes according to the amount of rotation ARV. At this time, the display position of the target marker TM does not change, so the target marker TM moves away from the game character CH2.

Furthermore, the communication device 10 may display the game character CH1 tilting the rifle downwards while leaning slightly forward and facing downwards by pointing the character direction DC downwards. When rotating the housing 19 to face upwards, the communication device 10 may change the field of view VA so that the line of sight direction VD faces upwards, and may further display the game character CH1 tilting the rifle upwards while lifting its head slightly and looking up by pointing the character direction DC upwards.

As described above, the game character to be attacked can be changed by tilting the housing 19 to change the direction of the target marker TM in the virtual space VS. If the process includes locking onto the game character to be attacked, the target to be locked onto can be changed. If an attack method such as throwing a bomb at the target marker TM (an attack in which an object used in the attack moves in a parabolic trajectory under the influence of gravity) is used, the trajectory of the bomb can be changed by tilting the housing 19 up or down, for example, to change the destination.

When the special mode is released and the mode is returned to normal, if the line of sight direction VD has changed in the vertical direction, the field of view VA displayed on the game screen may be controlled so as to return to the control range of the line of sight direction VD in normal mode. In this case, the field of view may return gradually (continuous field of view change) or in stages (one or more discontinuous field of view changes).

When the special mode is released and the mode is returned to normal, even if the viewing direction VD has changed in the up or down direction, the field of view VA of the character direction DC and the viewing direction VD corresponding to the character direction DC immediately before returning to normal mode is applied to the game screen, just as in the case where the viewing direction VD has changed in the left or right direction, and the viewing direction VD may be controlled to return to the control range of the viewing direction VD in normal mode by a specified operation thereafter.

By using this type of control, the special mode can be used as an operating mode for achieving a field of view that is not applicable in normal mode. In this way, the special mode operates as a mode that expands the control range of the field of view, making it possible to see places that cannot be seen in normal mode. For such purposes, the special mode does not need to operate as a mode for sniping other game characters as described above.

Thus, the third field of view control executable in normal mode limits the line of sight VD to movement only left and right, whereas the second and third field of view controls executable in special mode allow the line of sight VD to move up, down, left and right. Therefore, the control range of the field of view VA (viewpoint VP and line of sight VD) in normal mode is different from the control range in special mode.

Normal mode is a mode whose main purpose is to move game character CH1. From experience, when moving game character CH1, the user can respond to left and right changes in the field of view without feeling uncomfortable, but may feel uncomfortable and be unable to respond to up and down changes in the field of view, making them feel unwell. By limiting the control range of the field of view VA to the left and right in normal mode, it is possible to reduce the discomfort felt by the user. This concludes the explanation of the field of view control process.

In this way, the communication device 10 can change the field of view VA in response to the behavior of the communication device 10 (housing 19) after switching to the special mode and during the movement of the game character in that mode. Therefore, the user can change the field of view VA of the game screen by tilting the communication device 10 during game operation. Because the field of view VA can be changed in this way, the user can tilt the communication device 10 while operating the operation unit 14 (touch sensor) with only one hand holding the communication device 10. Furthermore, the field of view VA does not change even if the communication device 10 is tilted unless a specific operation is being input to the operation unit 14, so it is possible to prevent the field of view VA from changing unintentionally during the game.

<Modification>
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this embodiment can be modified in various ways as described below. In addition, the above-mentioned embodiment and the modified examples described below can be combined with each other and applied as long as no contradiction occurs. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

(1) As described above, a game is provided to a user by a game display function realized in the communication device 10 and a game progress control function realized in the server 50. A part of the game display function may be realized in the server 50. For example, of the game display function, the control data receiving unit 105, the game data storage area 107, and the display data generating unit 109 may be realized in the server 50. In this case, the communication device 10 receives display data from the server 50 and displays on the display unit 13 based on the display data.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, when a slide operation starting from the first area TA1 is input, field of view control (first field of view control) is executed in association with the movement of the game character CH1. By detecting such a slide operation as the first operation as well, field of view control (second field of view control) based on angle information may be executed for the movement of the game character CH1. In this way, the first operation may be another operation or may include multiple types of operations as long as it corresponds to an instruction to control the game character CH1. Conversely, an operation on the operation unit 14 (touch sensor) does not necessarily have to correspond to an instruction to control the game character CH1.

In this way, if the first operation includes an operation other than a long press operation, there are cases where the special mode is not entered. In this case, for example, by enabling only the field of view control corresponding to the rotating ARH and disabling the field of view control corresponding to the rotating ARV, the control range of the line of sight direction VD may be limited to the left and right, or the line of sight direction VD may be controlled in the same way as in the special mode.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, one viewpoint VP is set in the virtual space VS near the game character CH1, and the field of view VA changes as the viewpoint VP moves. That is, one virtual camera is set in the virtual space VS for one game character CH1. On the other hand, multiple virtual cameras (multiple viewpoints VP) may be set in the virtual space VS for one game character CH1. For example, by setting a virtual camera to be used in normal mode and a virtual camera to be used in special mode, when the operation mode is switched, the field of view may be controlled by the virtual camera corresponding to the operation mode. A virtual camera may be set for each type of field of view control.

10...communication device, 11...control unit, 12...storage unit, 13...display unit, 14...operation unit, 15...sensor unit, 16...imaging unit, 17...position detection unit, 18...communication unit, 50...server, 51...control unit, 52...storage unit, 58...communication unit, 100...game display function, 101 game operation acquisition unit, 103...operation data transmission unit, 105...control data reception unit, 107...game data storage area, 109...display data generation unit, 500...game progress control function, 501...operation data reception unit, 503...processing execution unit, 505...control data transmission unit, 1000...communication system

Claims (12)

displaying an area, which is a part of the virtual space and is seen from a predetermined viewpoint in a predetermined line of sight direction, on a display of the portable device;
performing control to change a lock-on target among characters to be attacked that are present in the area to another character based on a behavior of the portable device while a first operation is being input to a touch sensor disposed on the display;
while the first operation is not input to the touch sensor, the control based on the behavior is stopped;
Including, the program. The program product according to claim 1 , wherein the first operation includes a long press operation . The computer-readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein the first operation includes a long press operation and a movement operation subsequent to the long press operation for moving the character in the virtual space . the character is moved in a first manner in the virtual space by the movement operation before the long press operation ;
The program according to claim 3 , wherein the moving operation performed after the long press operation causes the character to move in the virtual space in a second manner different from the first manner . 5. The program according to claim 4 , wherein a control range of the viewpoint and the line of sight direction when the character moves in the second manner is different from the control range when the character moves in the first manner . When the character moves in the first manner, the viewpoint and the line of sight change according to a position or a direction of the character;
6. The program according to claim 4 , further comprising control for controlling the line of sight to be oriented within a predetermined range when the character moves in the second manner. The program according to claim 6 , wherein the predetermined range is a range that includes the lock-on target. The program according to claim 1 , further comprising: controlling the viewpoint and line of sight direction based on a second operation input to the touch sensor, thereby further changing the area displayed on the display. The touch sensor includes at least a first region and a second region,
The program according to claim 8 , further comprising: receiving the first operation in the first area; and receiving the second operation in the second area. The program according to claim 1 , wherein the behavior of the portable device includes a change in tilt of the portable device. A computer-implemented control method, comprising:
displaying an area, which is a part of the virtual space and is seen from a predetermined viewpoint in a predetermined line of sight direction, on a display of the portable device;
performing control to change a lock-on target among characters to be attacked that are present in the area to another character based on a behavior of the portable device while a first operation is being input to a touch sensor disposed on the display;
while the first operation is not input to the touch sensor, the control based on the behavior is stopped;
A control method comprising: The control method according to claim 11 , wherein the first operation includes a long press operation, or a long press operation and a movement operation subsequent to the long press operation for moving the character in the virtual space.