Storage medium storing information processing program, information processing apparatus, information processing system, and information processing method

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus that controls a racing game employing a virtual game stage, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

• determining whether the racing game on the virtual game stage is to be executed in a first mode or in a second mode, according to a user's selection operation;
• controlling a movement of a player object on the virtual game stage according to the user's movement operation, and automatically controlling a movement of a non-player object on the virtual game stage, in the first mode;
• changing positions of the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage according to the user's position changing operation such that a relative positional relationship between the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage for use in the second mode is a first positional relationship;
• automatically controlling movements of the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage while maintaining the first positional relationship, in the second mode;
• and
• giving a reward to the user, based on a game event based on the position of the player object in a progression and/or result of the racing game on the virtual game stage in each of the first and second modes,
• wherein the relative positional relationship between the player object and the non-player object is set to one selected from a plurality of preset patterns, according to the position changing operation.

An information processing apparatus for controlling a racing game employing a virtual game stage, comprising:

• at least one processor configured to control the information processing apparatus to at least:
• determine whether the racing game on the virtual game stage is to be executed in a first mode or in a second mode, according to a user's selection operation;
• control a movement of a player object on the virtual game stage according to the user's movement operation, and automatically control a movement of a non-player object on the virtual game stage, in the first mode;
• change positions of the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage according to the user's position changing operation such that a relative positional relationship between the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage for use in the second mode is a first positional relationship;
• automatically control movements of the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage while maintaining the first positional relationship, in the second mode;
• and
• give a reward to the user, based on a game event based on the position of the player object in a progression and/or result of the racing game on the virtual game stage in each of the first and second modes,
• wherein the user's operation in the first mode is the movement operation, and
• wherein a position and/or orientation of a virtual camera for generating the racing game image are changed according to the user's operation in the second mode.

An information processing system for controlling a racing game employing a virtual game stage, comprising:

• at least one processor configured to control the information processing system to at least:
• determine whether the racing game on the virtual game stage is to be executed in a first mode or in a second mode, according to a user's selection operation;
• control a movement of a player object on the virtual game stage according to the user's movement operation, and automatically control a movement of a non-player object on the virtual game stage, in the first mode;
• change positions of the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage according to the user's position changing operation such that a relative positional relationship between the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage for use in the second mode is a first positional relationship;
• automatically control movements of the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage while maintaining the first positional relationship, in the second mode;
• and
• give a reward to the user, based on a game event based on the position of the player object in a progression and/or result of the racing game on the virtual game stage in each of the first and second modes,
• wherein the user's operation in the first mode is the movement operation, and
• wherein a position and/or orientation of a virtual camera for generating the racing game image are changed according to the user's operation in the second mode.

An information processing method for controlling a racing game employing a virtual game stage, the method comprising:

• determining whether the racing game on the virtual game stage is to be executed in a first mode or in a second mode, according to a user's selection operation;
• controlling a movement of a player object on the virtual game stage according to the user's movement operation, and automatically controlling a movement of a non-player object on the virtual game stage, in the first mode;
• changing positions of the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage according to the user's position changing operation such that a relative positional relationship between the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage for use in the second mode is a first positional relationship;
• automatically controlling movements of the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage while maintaining the first positional relationship, in the second mode;
• and
• giving a reward to the user, based on a game event based on the position of the player object in a progression and/or result of the racing game on the virtual game stage in each of the first and second modes,
• wherein the user's operation in the first mode is the movement operation, and
• wherein a position and/or orientation of a virtual camera for generating the racing game image are changed according to the user's operation in the second mode.

An information processing apparatus for controlling a racing game employing a virtual game stage, comprising:

• at least one processor configured to control the information processing apparatus to at least:
• determine whether the racing game on the virtual game stage is to be executed in a first mode or in a second mode, according to a user's selection operation;
• control a movement of a player object on the virtual game stage according to the user's movement operation, and automatically control a movement of a non-player object on the virtual game stage, in the first mode;
• change positions of the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage according to the user's position changing operation such that a relative positional relationship between the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage for use in the second mode is a first positional relationship;
• automatically control movements of the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage while maintaining the first positional relationship, in the second mode;
• and
• give a reward to the user, based on a game event based on the position of the player object in a progression and/or result of the racing game on the virtual game stage in each of the first and second modes,
• wherein the relative positional relationship between the player object and the non-player object is set to one selected from a plurality of preset patterns, according to the position changing operation.

An information processing system for controlling a racing game employing a virtual game stage, comprising:

• at least one processor configured to control the information processing system to at least:
• determine whether the racing game on the virtual game stage is to be executed in a first mode or in a second mode, according to a user's selection operation;
• control a movement of a player object on the virtual game stage according to the user's movement operation, and automatically control a movement of a non-player object on the virtual game stage, in the first mode;
• change positions of the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage according to the user's position changing operation such that a relative positional relationship between the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage for use in the second mode is a first positional relationship;
• automatically control movements of the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage while maintaining the first positional relationship, in the second mode;
• and
• give a reward to the user, based on a game event based on the position of the player object in a progression and/or result of the racing game on the virtual game stage in each of the first and second modes,
• wherein the relative positional relationship between the player object and the non-player object is set to one selected from a plurality of preset patterns, according to the position changing operation.

An information processing method for controlling a racing game employing a virtual game stage, the method comprising:

• determining whether the racing game on the virtual game stage is to be executed in a first mode or in a second mode, according to a user's selection operation;
• controlling a movement of a player object on the virtual game stage according to the user's movement operation, and automatically controlling a movement of a non-player object on the virtual game stage, in the first mode;
• changing positions of the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage according to the user's position changing operation such that a relative positional relationship between the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage for use in the second mode is a first positional relationship;
• automatically controlling movements of the player object and the non-player object on the virtual game stage while maintaining the first positional relationship, in the second mode;
• and
• giving a reward to the user, based on a game event based on the position of the player object in a progression and/or result of the racing game on the virtual game stage in each of the first and second modes,
• wherein the relative positional relationship between the player object and the non-player object is set to one selected from a plurality of preset patterns, according to the position changing operation.