Method and apparatus for using a common pointing input to control 3d viewpoint and object targeting

A method of allowing a video game user to both (a) target a location in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual world and (b) pan a view presented from a virtual camera in a desired direction to reveal additional portions of the 3D virtual world with a three-dimensional video game computer graphics display system that includes at least one processor, the method comprising:

• displaying, on a display in a display area, an image of the 3D virtual world viewed through the virtual camera that has a viewing orientation;
• controlling, based on and in response to user input, a targeting position in the display area, where the targeting position is used to indicate location within the 3D virtual world;
• determining whether the controlled targeting position is within a distance threshold;
• targeting different locations within the 3D virtual world without panning the virtual camera as a result of the determination that the controlled targeting position is located within the distance threshold;
• and
• panning, via the at least one processor, the virtual camera to a new viewing orientation to reveal additional portions of the 3D virtual world for display on the display area as a result of the determination that the controlled targeting position is located outside of the distance threshold.

A computer system for controlling a view of a three-dimensional (3D) virtual world presented by a virtual camera, the computer system comprising:

• a processing system that includes at least one hardware processor, the processing system configured to:
• generate images of the 3D virtual world by using a virtual camera that is at a first viewing orientation and output the generated images to a display device that is coupled to the processing system for display within a display area of a display screen;
• accept and process user input that is provided to the computer system;
• determine, responsive and based on the user input, a targeting position within the display area, where the targeting position is used to indicate a location within the 3D virtual world;
• determine whether a distance between the determined targeting position and another position within the display area is outside of a threshold distance;
• pan, based on the distance between the determined targeting position and the another position, the virtual camera to a second viewing orientation to thereby reveal additional portions of the 3D virtual world for display within the display area;
• and
• target, when the distance is inside the threshold distance, different locations within the 3D virtual world while also maintaining the first viewing orientation of the virtual camera.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions for use with a computer system that includes at least one hardware processor, the stored computer executable instructions comprising instructions that cause the computer system to:

• generate images of a three-dimensional (3D) virtual world by using a virtual camera with a first viewing orientation and correspondingly output the generated images to a display device that is coupled to the computer system for display within a display area of the display device;
• while the generated images are displayed, accept and process user input that is provided to the computer system;
• determine, responsive and based on the user input, a targeting position within the display area, where the targeting position is used to indicate a location within the 3D virtual world;
• determine whether a distance between the determined targeting position and another position within the display area is outside of a threshold distance;
• adjust, based on determination that the distance between the determined targeting position and the another position is outside of the threshold distance, the virtual camera to a second viewing orientation to thereby reveal additional portions of the 3D virtual world for display within the display area;
• and
• target, when the distance is inside the threshold distance, different locations within the 3D virtual world while also maintaining the first viewing orientation of the virtual camera.