# US 2019/0174121 A1 · Image processing apparatus and storage medium for deforming or moving displayed objects > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0174121 A1 - Document ID: US20190174121A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/255,896 - Filed: 2019-01-24 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-08 - Assignees: Nintendo Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Nintendo Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Atsushi ASAKURA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190174121A1 ## CPC - H04N 13/279: the virtual viewpoint locations being selected by the viewers or determined by tracking - A63F 13/5258: by dynamically adapting the position of the virtual camera to keep a game object or game character in its viewing frustum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball - A63F 13/57: Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game (A63F13/56 takes precedence) - G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)} - G06F 3/04815: Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional [3D], e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object - G06T 19/00: Manipulating three-dimensional [3D] models or images for computer graphics - A63F 2300/6653: for altering the visibility of an object, e.g. preventing the occlusion of an object, partially hiding an object - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract A non-limiting example game system includes a game apparatus, and a terminal device and a television are connected to the game apparatus. A game image that is displayed on the television is an image that various kinds of objects arranged in a virtual space are imaged by a virtual camera. The virtual camera follows a player object so as to keep a predetermined distance with the player object, and when the player object enters a grassland object with comparatively long length, for example, each grass object is deformed or moved so as to go away from the virtual camera. For example, a height of the grass object near the virtual camera is made comparatively low, and the height is gradually made high as it separates from the virtual camera. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image processing apparatus, comprising: a processing system, including a computer hardware processor, the processing system being configured to at least perform: object control to control objects arranged in a virtual space; virtual camera control to control a virtual camera that is movably arranged in the virtual space; and image generation to produce an image of the virtual space based on the virtual camera, wherein the object control further performs first object control processing that deforms a plurality of first kind objects out of the objects arranged in the virtual space in accordance with a distance from the virtual camera so as to go away from the virtual camera; and the first object control processing deforms the plurality of the first kind objects so that when the distance of the first kind objects from the virtual camera decreases, length of the first kind objects decreases such that the height of the first kind objects decreases. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprises an operation receiver configured to receive an operation input by a user, wherein the virtual camera control moves the virtual camera in the virtual space according to the operation input by the user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the objects arranged in the virtual space further include a second kind object that is controlled according to the operation input by the user, and the object control further performs second object control processing that controls a position of the second kind object in the virtual space according to the operation input by the user, and the virtual camera control performs control that makes the virtual camera follow the second kind object so that the second kind object can enter into a field of view of the virtual camera. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first object control processing performs the deformation such that the length and the height of the first kind objects change so as to be proportional to the distance of the first kind objects from the virtual camera or a square of the distance ### Claim 5 An image processing apparatus, comprising: an operation receiver configured to receive an operation input by a user; and a processing system, including a computer hardware processor, the processing system being configured to at least perform: an object control to control objects arranged in a virtual space; a virtual camera control to control a virtual camera that is movably arranged in the virtual space; and an image production to produce an image of the virtual space based on the virtual camera, wherein the objects arranged in the virtual space include a plurality of first kind objects and a second kind object that is controlled in accordance with the operation input by the user, the object control determines, based on the virtual camera, whether at least a part of the second kind object is hindered by the first kind objects, and in a case of a hindering state, performs first object control processing that deforms the first kind objects so that the first kind objects go away from the virtual camera, the first object control processing deforms the plurality of the first kind objects so that when the distance of the first kind objects from the virtual camera decreases, length of the first kind objects decreases such that the height of the first kind objects decreases. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the objects arranged in the virtual space further includes a third kind object as a ground, and the first kind object is an object of a vertically-long shape arranged on the third kind object, and the object control performs the deformation such a length from an upper surface of the third kind object to an upper end of the first kind object decreases, so that a height from the upper surface of the third kind object to the upper end of the first kind object decreases, as the distance of the first kind objects from the virtual camera decreases. ### Claim 7 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a game program that is executed by a computer, wherein the game program causes one or more processors provided in the computer to perform an object controlling step controlling objects arranged in a virtual space; a virtual camera controlling step controlling a virtual camera that is movably arranged in the virtual space; and an image producing step producing an image of the virtual space based on the virtual camera, wherein: the object controlling step performs first object control processing that deforms a plurality of first kind objects out of the objects arranged in the virtual space in accordance with a distance from the virtual camera so as to go away from the virtual camera, and the first object control processing deforms the plurality of the first kind objects so that when the distance of the first kind objects from the virtual camera decreases, length of the first kind objects decreases such that the height of the first kind objects decreases. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The storage medium according to claim 7, wherein the game program further causes the one or more processors to perform an operation receiving step receiving an operation input by a user, and the virtual camera controlling step moves the virtual camera in the virtual space according to the operation input by the user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the objects arranged in the virtual space further include a second kind object that is controlled according to the operation input by the user, and the object controlling step includes a second object controlling processing that controls a position of the second kind object in the virtual space according to the operation input by the user, and the virtual camera controlling step performing control that makes the virtual camera follow the second kind object so that the second kind object can enter into a field of view of the virtual camera. ### Claim 10 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a game program that is executed by a computer, wherein the game program causes one or more processors provided in the computer to perform an operation receiving step receiving an operation input by a user; an object controlling step controlling objects arranged in a virtual space; a virtual camera controlling step controlling a virtual camera that is movably arranged in the virtual space; and an image producing step producing an image of the virtual space based on the virtual camera, wherein the objects arranged in the virtual space include a plurality of first kind objects and a second kind object that is controlled in accordance with the operation input by the user, and the object controlling step determines, based on the virtual camera, whether at least a part of the second kind object is hindered by the first kind objects, and in a case of a hindering state, performs first object control processing that deforms the first kind objects so that the first kind objects go away from the virtual camera, and the first object control processing deforms the plurality of the first kind objects so that when the distance of the first kind objects from the virtual camera decreases, length of the first kind objects decreases such that the height of the first kind objects decreases. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The storage medium according to claim 7, wherein the objects arranged in the virtual space further includes a third kind object as a ground, and the first kind object is an object of a vertically-long shape arranged on the third kind object, and the object controlling step performs the deformation so that a length from an upper surface of the third kind object to an upper end of the first kind object decreases, and a height from the upper surface of the third kind object to the upper end of the first kind object decreases, as the distance of the first kind objects from the virtual camera decreases. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the object controlling step performs the deformation changing the length or the height so as to be proportional to a distance from the virtual camera or a square of the distance. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The storage medium according to claim 12, wherein the object controlling step performs the deformation changing the length or the height between a lower limit and an upper limit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The storage medium according to claim 12, wherein the distance is a horizontal distance in a horizontal direction perpendicular to a direction of a line of sight of the virtual camera. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The storage medium according to claim 12, wherein the distance is a three-dimensional distance from the virtual camera. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The storage medium according to claim 12, wherein the distance is a horizontal distance in a horizontal direction perpendicular to a direction of a line of sight of the virtual camera or a three-dimensional distance from the virtual camera, the object controlling step performs the first object control processing that deforms, according to a predetermined rule, the plurality of first kind objects according to the horizontal distance or the three-dimensional distance so as to go away from the virtual camera. ### Claim 17 (depends on 3) The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second kind object is a player object. ### Claim 18 (depends on 5) The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second kind object is a player object. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) The storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the second kind object is a player object. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the second kind object is a player object.