Controllers with selectable force feedback

A recording medium storing a program for use by an entertainment system comprising:

• at least one entertainment apparatus for executing various programs;
• and
• manual controllers connected to said entertainment apparatus for inputting control requests of users to said entertainment apparatus, said manual controllers each having physical effect applying means disposed in a grip of said manual controller for generating physical effects,
• wherein said program comprises the steps of:
• selecting a type of physical effect based on a control request inputted by a user from one of said manual controllers;
• and
• outputting an instruction to apply said selected type of a physical effect to said manual controller of another user;
• wherein each manual controller comprises a plurality of control keys, each control key indicates a particular vibration type, and the user can select a particular vibration type to be sent to the manual controller of another user by selecting an appropriate control key.

An entertainment apparatus connected to a plurality of manual controllers having means for generating physical effects disposed in said manual controller, comprising:

• means for receiving a control request inputted by a user from one of said manual controllers;
• means for selecting a type of physical effect based on said control request;
• and
• means for outputting an instruction to apply said selected type of physical effect to a grip of said manual controller of another user;
• wherein each manual controller comprises a plurality of control keys, each control key indicates a particular vibration type, and the user can select a particular vibration type to be sent to the manual controller of another user by selecting an appropriate control key.

A program executing system comprising:

• a program executing apparatus;
• input devices connected to said program executing apparatus for inputting data to said program executing apparatus, said input devices each having means for generating physical effects disposed in a grip of said input device,
• wherein data inputted by a user from one of said input devices is transmitted to said program executing apparatus, and said program executing apparatus processes said input data to output an instruction to another of said input devices for generating physical effects according to said input data;
• wherein each input device comprises a plurality of control keys, each control key indicates a particular vibration type, and the user can select a particular vibration type to be sent to the input device of another user by selecting an appropriate control key.

A method for controlling physical effects for an entertainment system comprising an entertainment apparatus, a first manual controller, and a second manual controller manipulated by respective users, the method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a control signal from said first manual controller to said entertainment apparatus;
• determining a physical effect parameter based on said control signal;
• generating an instruction signal corresponding to the physical effect parameter in said entertainment apparatus;
• transmitting the instruction signal from said entertainment apparatus to said second manual controller;
• and
• generating a physical effect by physical effect applying means disposed in a grip of said second manual controller according to the instruction signal;
• wherein each manual controller comprises a plurality of control keys, each control key indicates a particular vibration type, and the user can select a particular vibration type to be sent to the manual controller of another user by selecting an appropriate control key.