Storage medium for storing animation data, image processing method using same, and storage medium storing image processing programs

Abstract

A storage medium for a game relating to the present invention contains: (1) a game program for calling up drawing functions for prescribed scenes in accordance with the progress of the game; (2) animation data including sprite data forming two-dimensional still images, and motion data capable of generating animations by causing the sprites to change with each frame; and (3) a drawing program for generating rendering data (drawing commands) positions, colours, texture co-ordinates, and the like, for each sprite in a frame (display screen), according to the animation data specified by the drawing function. In general terms, animation data is data capable of generating moving images (animations) of characters as intended by a designer, and this animation data can be developed separately from the game program. Moreover, a drawing program is a generic drawing library capable of interpreting the animation data and generating rendering data, including position data for each sprite in a frame, for each respective frame. A game program simply calls up a drawing function (library function) which specifies animation data so as to be capable of causing the drawing library to interpret the specified animation data and generate rendering data accordingly.