# US 2014/0155164 A1 · Video game systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0155164 A1 - Document ID: US20140155164A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/172,629 - Filed: 2014-02-04 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-29 - Assignees: Nintendo Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Nintendo Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Shigeru MIYAMOTO; Hiroyuki KIMURA; Shigeyuki ASUKE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155164A1 ## CPC - A63F 13/10 - A63F 13/56: Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding - A63F 13/20: Input arrangements for video game devices - A63F 13/21: characterised by their sensors, purposes or types - A63F 13/235: using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet - A63F 13/25: Output arrangements for video game devices - A63F 13/327: using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet - A63F 13/45: Controlling the progress of the video game - A63F 13/58: by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level - A63F 13/822: Strategy games; Role-playing games (A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence) - A63F 13/843: involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player - A63F 2300/65: for computing the condition of a game character - A63F 2300/8088: involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Example systems and methods relate to a multi-player video game in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a game world displayed on a display screen. Movements of each game character in the game world are controlled in accordance with respective first game character control operations during the playing of the multi-player video game. In response to satisfaction of any one of a first condition and a second condition, one player's game character is protected from harm in the game world, wherein a position at which the protected game character appears when the first condition is satisfied is different than that when the second condition is satisfied. Movements of the protected game character are controlled in the game world and the protecting of the one player's game character is stopped in response to any one of one or more protecting stopping conditions, whereby the movements of the one player's game character in the game world are controllable in accordance with the first game character control operation for that game character. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: while playing a multi-player video game in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a game world displayed on a display screen, controlling movements of each game character in the game world in accordance with respective first game character control operations during the playing of the multi-player video game; in response to satisfaction of any one of a first condition and a second condition, protecting one player's game character from harm in the game world, wherein a position at which the protected game character appears when the first condition is satisfied is different than that when the second condition is satisfied; controlling movements of the protected game character in the game world; stopping the protecting of the one player's game character in response to any one of one or more protecting stopping conditions, whereby the movements of the one player's game character in the game world are controllable in accordance with the first game character control operation for that game character. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first condition is a condition triggered voluntarily by the one player and the second condition is an involuntary condition not triggered by the one player. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein: in response to satisfaction of the first condition, the protected character appears at a position where the character was at the time of satisfaction of the first condition; and in response to satisfaction of the second condition, the protected character appears at a position different than a position where the character was at the time of satisfaction of the second condition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein: a game screen is displayed so that the game screen is scrollable; and in response to satisfaction of the second condition, the protected character appears at a position displaced from the position where the character was at the time of satisfaction of the second condition in accordance with a direction in which the game screen is scrolled. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the movements of the protected game character are controlled in accordance with a second game character control operation which is different than the first game character control operation for that game character. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the second game character control operation provides more limited control of the movements of the game character by the one player than the first game character control operation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the second game character control operation prohibits free control of the movements of the protected game character by the one player. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the second game character control operation comprises limiting movement of the protected game character to a direction determined based on a game world state when a predetermined input is supplied to the input device of the one player. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined input comprises shaking the input device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined input causes the protected game character to move in the direction of another game character. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the protected game character is visually distinguished from other unprotected game characters. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the protected game character is visually distinguished by an object which surrounds or wraps around the protected game character. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a first protecting stopping condition comprises contact between the protected game character and an unprotected game character. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a first protecting stopping condition comprises contact between the protected game character and a projectile. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the stopping of protecting is further conditioned on the protected character not penetrating a geographic surface feature in the game world. ### Claim 16 A video game system comprising: input devices; and a processing system that executes a multi-player video game program in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a game world displayed on a display screen, the video game program being stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising instructions for: controlling movements of each game character in the game world in accordance with respective first game character control operations during the playing of the multi-player video game; in response to satisfaction of any one of a first condition and a second condition, protecting one player's game character from harm in the game world, wherein a position at which the protected game character appears when the first condition is satisfied is different than that when the second condition is satisfied; controlling movements of the protected game character in the game world; stopping the protecting of the one player's game character in response to any one of one or more protecting stopping conditions, whereby the movements of the one player's game character in the game world are controllable in accordance with the first game character control operation for that game character. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The video game system according to claim 16, wherein the first condition is a condition triggered voluntarily by the one player and the second condition is an involuntary condition not triggered by the one player. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The video game system according to claim 16, wherein: in response to satisfaction of the first condition, the protected character appears at a position where the character was at the time of satisfaction of the first condition; and in response to satisfaction of the second condition, the protected character appears at a position different than a position where the character was at the time of satisfaction of the second condition. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The video game system according to claim 18, wherein: a game screen is displayed so that the game screen is scrollable; and in response to satisfaction of the second condition, the protected character appears at a position displaced from the position where the character was at the time of satisfaction of the second condition in accordance with a direction in which the game screen is scrolled. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having encoded therein program instructions for a multi-player video game in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a game world displayed on a display screen, the instructions comprising instructions for: controlling movements of each game character in the game world in accordance with respective first game character control operations during the playing of the multi-player video game; in response to satisfaction of any one of a first condition and a second condition, protecting one player's game character from harm in the game world, wherein a position at which the protected game character appears when the first condition is satisfied is different than that when the second condition is satisfied; controlling movements of the protected game character in the game world; stopping the protecting of the one player's game character in response to any one of one or more protecting stopping conditions, whereby the movements of the one player's game character in the game world are controllable in accordance with the first game character control operation for that game character. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the first condition is a condition triggered voluntarily by the one player and the second condition is an involuntary condition not triggered by the one player. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein: in response to satisfaction of the first condition, the protected character appears at a position where the character was at the time of satisfaction of the first condition; and in response to satisfaction of the second condition, the protected character appears at a position different than a position where the character was at the time of satisfaction of the second condition. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein: a game screen is displayed so that the game screen is scrollable; and in response to satisfaction of the second condition, the protected character appears at a position displaced from the position where the character was at the time of satisfaction of the second condition in accordance with a direction in which the game screen is scrolled. ### Claim 24 A video game apparatus for a multi-player video game program in which multiple players each supply inputs to a respective input device to control a corresponding game character in a game world displayed on a display screen, the video game apparatus comprising: a processing system including at least one processor, the processing system configured to perform operations comprising: controlling movements of each game character in the game world in accordance with respective first game character control operations during the playing of the multi-player video game; in response to satisfaction of any one of a first condition and a second condition, protecting one player's game character from harm in the game world, wherein a position at which the protected game character appears when the first condition is satisfied is different than that when the second condition is satisfied; controlling movements of the protected game character in the game world; stopping the protecting of the one player's game character in response to any one of one or more protecting stopping conditions, whereby the movements of the one player's game character in the game world are controllable in accordance with the first game character control operation for that game character. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The video game apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the first condition is a condition triggered voluntarily by the one player and the second condition is an involuntary condition not triggered by the one player. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The video game apparatus according to claim 24, wherein: in response to satisfaction of the first condition, the protected character appears at a position where the character was at the time of satisfaction of the first condition; and in response to satisfaction of the second condition, the protected character appears at a position different than a position where the character was at the time of satisfaction of the second condition. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The video game apparatus according to claim 26, wherein: a game screen is displayed so that the game screen is scrollable; and in response to satisfaction of the second condition, the protected character appears at a position displaced from the position where the character was at the time of satisfaction of the second condition in accordance with a direction in which the game screen is scrolled.