Competitive video game system and method of displaying images in competitive video game system

A method of displaying images in a video game system having at least first and second game machine units, each having a display unit and manual input controls for player input, and a field of play which is a field having first and second ends with a longitudinal direction extending between said first and second ends and first and second sides with a transverse direction extending between said first and second sides, comprising the steps of:

• accepting input from a player at said first game machine unit selecting one of two viewpoints including a transverse viewpoint for viewing said field along the transverse direction from a position adjacent said first side and a longitudinal viewpoint for viewing said field along the longitudinal direction from a position adjacent said first end;
• accepting input from a player at said second game machine unit selecting one of two viewpoints including a transverse viewpoint for viewing said field along the transverse direction from a position adjacent said second side and a longitudinal viewpoint for viewing said field along the longitudinal direction from a position adjacent said second end;
• generating image data representative of images to be displayed on said display units, based on control signals supplied from said manual input controls and the selected viewpoints selected by said game players;
• supplying the generated image data of the selected viewpoint of the player at the first game machine unit to said display unit of said first game machine unit;
• and
• supplying the generated image data of the selected viewpoint of the player at the second game machine unit to said display unit of said second game machine unit.

A video game system for playing a video game, comprising:

• at least first and second game machine units each having manual input controls and a display unit;
• and
• a control system including:
• an image information generating means for generating, based on control signals supplied from said manual input controls and a predetermined game routine, image coordinate and structure data of a field of play which is a field having first and second ends with a longitudinal direction extending between said first and second ends and first and second sides with a transverse direction extending between said first and second sides;
• view selection reading means for reading viewpoint selections of players at each of said first and second game machine units, made via respective ones said manual input controls, of one of at least two viewpoints of a field of play of the video game without affecting of a status of play of the video game;
• said at least two viewpoints provided for selection at said first game machine unit including a transverse viewpoint for viewing said field along the transverse direction from a position adjacent said first side and a longitudinal viewpoint for viewing said field along the longitudinal direction from a position adjacent said first end;
• said at least two viewpoints provided for selection at said second game machine unit including a transverse viewpoint for viewing said field along the transverse direction from a position adjacent said second side and a longitudinal viewpoint for viewing said field along the longitudinal direction from a position adjacent said second end;
• a primary image buffer memory and a secondary image buffer memory;
• primary image data generation means for converting said image coordinate and structure data into primary image data based on the viewpoint selection of the player at one of said first and second game machine units and storing said primary image data in said primary image buffer memory;
• secondary image data generation means for converting said image coordinate and structure data into secondary image data based on the viewpoint selection of the player at another one of said first and second game machine units and storing said secondary image data in said secondary image buffer memory;
• and
• display generation means for driving said display unit of said first game machine unit to produce images based on one of siad primary image data and said secondary image data and for driving said display unit of said second game machine unit to produce images based on another one of siad primary image data and said secondary image data.

A video game system for playing a video game, comprising:

• at least first and second game machine units each having manual input controls and a display unit;
• a control system including:
• view selection reading means for reading viewpoint selections of players at each of said first and second game machine units, made via respective ones of said manual input controls, of one of at least two viewpoints of a field of play of the video game without affecting of a status of play of the video game;
• an image information generating means for generating image coordinate and structure data of said field of play, representative of images to be displayed on said display units, based on control signals supplied from said manual input controls and a predetermined game routine;
• a primary image buffer memory and a secondary image buffer memory;
• primary image data generation means for converting said image coordinate and structure data into primary image data based on the viewpoint selection of the player at one of said first and second game machine units and storing said primary image data in said primary image data buffer memory;
• secondary image data generation means for converting said image coordinate and structure data into secondary image data based on the viewpoint selection of the player at another one of said first and second game machine units and storing said secondary image data in said secondary image data buffer memory;
• and
• display generation means for driving said display units to display images thereon using said primary image data and said secondary data in accordance with said viewpoint selections.