Motion-controlled video entertainment system

A game method employed in a game device, the game device including a real interface device that resembles a contact unit of a sporting device having a contact unit that an athlete contacts and an operation unit that to athlete uses to act upon an object, the real interface device operated by a player in a real space in order to manipulate a virtual interface device having a virtual contact unit in contact with a virtual player and a virtual operation unit that acts upon a virtual object in a virtual space, and the game method comprising the steps of:

• detecting real positions of the real interface device in the real space;
• converting real positions of the real interface device into virtual positions of the virtual contact unit in the virtual space such that the real positions of the real interface device with respect to the player in the real space match virtual positions of the virtual contact unit with respect to the virtual player;
• calculating virtual positions of the virtual operation unit by employing the virtual positions of the virtual contact unit;
• and
• controlling the detecting step so as to repeatedly detect the real positions of the real interface device, controlling the converting step so as to repeatedly convert the real positions of the real interface device to the virtual positions of the virtual contact unit, and changing the virtual positions of the virtual operation unit in accordance with changes in the real positions of the real interface device;
• wherein the virtual contact unit and the virtual operation unit respectively resemble the contact unit and the operation unit of the sporting device, and impart a feeling to the player that the real interface device is the sporting device when the player operates the real interface device.

A game program employed in a game device, the game device including a real interface device that resembles a contact unit of a sporting device having a contact unit that an athlete contacts and an operation unit that the athlete uses to act upon an object, the real interface device operated by a player in a real space in order to manipulate a virtual interface device having a virtual contact unit in contact with a virtual player and a virtual operation unit that acts upon a virtual object in a virtual space, the game program causing a computer to execute the steps of:

• detecting real positions of the real interface device in the real space;
• converting real positions of the real interface device into virtual positions of the virtual contact unit in the virtual space such that the real positions of the real interface device with respect to the player in the real space match virtual positions of the virtual contact unit with respect to the virtual player;
• calculating virtual positions of the virtual operation unit by employing the virtual positions of the virtual contact unit;
• and
• controlling the detecting step so as to repeatedly detect the real positions of the real interface device, controlling the converting step so as to repeatedly convert the real positions of the real interface device to the virtual positions of the virtual contact unit, and changing the virtual positions of the virtual operation unit in accordance with changes in the real positions of the real interface device;
• wherein the virtual contact unit and the virtual operation unit respectively resemble the contact unit and the operation unit of the sporting device, and impart a feeling to the player that the real interface device is the sporting device when the player operates the real interface device.

A game system, comprising:

• a real interface device that resembles a contact unit of a sporting device having a contact unit that an athlete contacts and an operation unit that the athlete uses to act upon an object, the real interface device operated by a player in a real space in order to manipulate a virtual interface device having a virtual contact unit in contact with a virtual player and a virtual operation unit that acts upon a virtual object in a virtual space;
• real position detection means that detects real positions of to real interface device in the real space;
• position conversion means that converts real positions of the real interface device into virtual positions of the virtual contact unit in the virtual space such that the real positions of the real interface device with respect to the player in the real space match virtual positions of the virtual contact unit with respect to the virtual player;
• operation position calculation means that employs the virtual positions of the virtual contact unit in order to calculate virtual positions of the virtual operation unit;
• and
• control means that controls the position detection means so as to repeatedly detect the real positions of the real interface device, controls the conversion means so as to repeatedly convert the real positions of the real interface device to the virtual positions of the virtual contact unit, and changes to virtual positions of to virtual operation unit in accordance with changes in the real positions of the real interface device;
• wherein the virtual contact unit and the virtual operation unit respectively resemble the contact unit and the operation unit of the sporting device, and impart a feeling to the player that the real interface device is the sporting device when the player operates the real interface device.