Image generation system, image generation method, and computer program product

An image generation system comprising:

• a character control section that controls a character based on operation information from an operation section;
• a virtual camera control section that controls a virtual camera;
• an image generation section that generates an image viewed from the virtual camera in an object space;
• and
• a motion mode switch section that switches a motion mode of the character,
• the motion mode switch section switching the motion mode of the character from a free-move mode to a battle mode when an encounter event between the character and another character has occurred in the free-move mode, the free-move mode being a mode in which the character moves on a field in the object space, and the battle mode being a mode in which the character battles the other character;
• and
• the virtual camera control section performing a free-move mode camera control process in the free-move mode, and performing a battle mode camera control process in the battle mode,
• the virtual camera control section setting a direction of a line-of-sight line that connects a target point and the character to be a target line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera when the virtual camera control section performs the free-move mode camera control process, and
• the virtual camera control section setting a direction of a line-of-sight line that diagonally intersects a connection line that connects the character and the other character to be a target line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera when the virtual camera control section performs the battle mode camera control process.

An image generation method comprising:

• controlling a character based on operation information from an operation section;
• controlling a virtual camera to generate an image viewed from the virtual camera in an object space;
• switching a motion mode of the character from a free-move mode to a battle mode when an encounter event between the character and another character has occurred in the free-move mode, the free-move mode being a mode in which the character moves on a field in the object space, and the battle mode being a mode in which the character battles the other character;
• moving the character on the field in a direction indicated by direction instruction information from a direction instruction section of the operation section in the free-move mode;
• and
• causing the character to make a battle motion indicated by the direction instruction information from the direction instruction section in the battle mode.

An image generation method comprising:

• controlling a character based on operation information from an operation section;
• controlling a virtual camera to generate an image viewed from the virtual camera in an object space;
• switching a motion mode of the character from a free-move mode to a battle mode when an encounter event between the character and another character has occurred in the free-move mode, the free-move mode being a mode in which the character moves on a field in the object space, and the battle mode being a mode in which the character battles the other character;
• performing a free-move mode camera control process in the free-move mode, and performing a battle mode camera control process in the battle mode;
• setting a direction of a line-of-sight line that connects a target point and the character to be a target line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera when performing the free-move mode camera control process;
• and
• setting a direction of a line-of-sight line that diagonally intersects a connection line that connects the character and the other character to be a target line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera when performing the battle mode camera control process.