Image processing apparatus, storage medium having image processing program stored thereon, game apparatus and storage medium having game program stored thereon

A storage medium having stored thereon a game program for causing a computer of a game apparatus, including a display device for displaying, on a screen, an operation target object in a virtual space and a pointing device for designating a position on the screen, to execute:

• an input coordinate value detection step of detecting an input coordinate value indicating a position on the screen designated by the pointing device every predetermined time unit;
• a determination step of, where a first input coordinate value has been detected in the input coordinate value detection step, determining whether or not there is a second input coordinate value which was detected discretely from, and before, the first input coordinate value, and of determining whether or not there are at least two input coordinate values detected in succession;
• a direction calculation step of, when it is determined in the determination step that there is the second input coordinate value, calculating a changing direction based on the first input coordinate value and the second input coordinate value;
• a rotation step of rotating the operation target object in a rotation direction in accordance with the changing direction calculated in the direction calculation step;
• a continuous direction calculation step of, when it is determined in the determination step that there are the at least two input coordinate values detected in succession, calculating a direction connecting the at least two input coordinate values;
• and
• a moving step of moving the operation target object in a moving direction in accordance with the direction calculated in the continuous direction calculation step.

An image processing apparatus including a display device for displaying, on a screen, an operation target object in a virtual space and a pointing device for designating a position on the screen, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• an input coordinate value detection section for detecting an input coordinate value indicating a position on the screen designated by the pointing device every predetermined time unit;
• a direction calculation section for, where a first input coordinate value has been detected by the input coordinate value detection section, determining whether or not there is a second input coordinate value which was detected discretely from, and before, the first input coordinate value, and when there is the second input coordinate value, calculating a changing direction based on the first input coordinate value and the second input coordinate value;
• and
• a rotation section for rotating the operation target object in a rotation direction in accordance with the changing direction calculated by the direction calculation section.

A game apparatus including a display device for displaying, on a screen, an operation target object in a virtual space and a pointing device for designating a position on the screen, the game apparatus comprising:

• an input coordinate value detection section for detecting an input coordinate value indicating a position on the screen designated by the pointing device every predetermined time unit;
• a determination section for, where a first input coordinate value has been detected by the input coordinate value detection section, determining whether or not there is a second input coordinate value which was detected discretely from, and before, the first input coordinate value, and for determining whether or not there are at least two input coordinate values detected in succession;
• a direction calculation section for, when it is determined by the determination section that there is the second input coordinate value, calculating a changing direction based on the first input coordinate value and the second input coordinate value;
• a rotation section for rotating the operation target object in a rotation direction in accordance with the changing direction calculated by the direction calculation section;
• a continuous direction calculation section for, when it is determined by the determination section that there are the at least two input coordinate values detected in succession, calculating a direction connecting the at least two input coordinate values;
• and
• a moving section for moving the operation target object in a moving direction in accordance with the direction calculated by the continuous direction calculation section.