Storage medium, information processing apparatus, image processing method, and information processing system

An information processing apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• at least one memory;
• and
• a non-transitory storage medium storing at least one image processing program, the image processing program, when executed by the at least one processor, causing performance of operations including:
• controlling a virtual camera in a virtual space;
• reading out, from the storage medium, an object, among objects recorded in the storage medium as objects present in the virtual space, that based on at least a distance from the virtual camera is newly selected as the virtual camera moves, holding the object in the at least one memory, and newly arranging the object in the virtual space;
• calculating physical behavior of the object in the virtual space and updating a position of the object;
• determining whether the object, when newly arranged, is in an unstable state based on the physical behavior of the object immediately after the object is arranged in the virtual space, the unstable state being a state in which the object moves;
• setting the object so as to be displayed in a manner appropriate for a predetermined timing after the object is newly arranged, and furthermore, in a case where the object has been determined to be in an unstable state, setting the object so as to be displayed in a manner appropriate for a timing later than the predetermined timing rather than the manner appropriate for the predetermined timing;
• and
• generating an image of the virtual space including the object to be displayed based on the virtual camera.

An image processing method carried out by a computer of an information processing apparatus with at least one memory and a non-transitory storage medium, the method comprising:

• controlling a virtual camera in a virtual space;
• reading out, from the storage medium, an object, among objects recorded in the storage medium as objects present in the virtual space, that based on at least a distance from the virtual camera is newly selected as the virtual camera moves, holding the object in the at least one memory, and newly arranging the object in the virtual space;
• calculating physical behavior of the object in the virtual space and updating a position of the object;
• determining whether the object, when newly arranged, is in an unstable state based on the physical behavior of the object immediately after the object is arranged in the virtual space, the unstable state being a state in which the object moves;
• setting the object so as to be displayed in a manner appropriate for a predetermined timing after the object is arranged, and furthermore, in a case where the object has been determined to be in an unstable state, setting the object so as to be displayed in a manner appropriate for a timing later than the predetermined timing rather than the manner appropriate for the predetermined timing;
• and
• generating an image of the virtual space including the object to be displayed based on the virtual camera.

An information processing system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• at least one memory;
• and
• a non-transitory storage medium storing at least one information processing program,
• the information processing program, when executed by the at least one processor, causing performance of operations including:
• generating data of objects present in a virtual space, and
• for at least some of the objects arranged in the virtual space, in a case where a first object is below a second object and at least makes contact with the second object, associating information indicating that the first object is supporting the second object with the first object and the second object and storing the information in the storage medium, the information further indicating position, orientation, and direction for the second object when in an unstable state and when in each of plural stable states,
• wherein a change to the first object causes the second object to be moved immediately to a new position without passing through intermediate positions and in accordance with the information stored in the storage medium.

An information processing system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• at least one memory;
• and
• a non-transitory storage medium storing at least one information processing program,
• the information processing program, when executed by the at least one processor, causing performance of operations including:
• generating data of objects present in a virtual space, and
• for at least some of the objects arranged in the virtual space, calculating physical behavior(s) thereof and updating a position of each such object until the respective object is still, updating the position of each such object that has become still, storing the updated position in the storage medium, and storing information further indicating position, orientation, and direction for each such object when in an unstable state and when in each of plural stable states,
• wherein a change to a first object causes a second object to be moved immediately to a new position without passing through intermediate positions and in accordance with the information stored in the storage medium.