Patent ID: 7573479

Claim:
A game machine comprising: a memory storing a game program; and a processing unit for generating an image of a character moving in a virtual space that includes a terrain feature formed by three-dimensional terrain feature data, based on a player's operation input and the game program, wherein the processing unit comprises: first means for moving a cursor, which is for moving the character, based on the player's operation input so that the character moves along the terrain feature, and obtaining positional information for the character in the virtual space; second means for determining, based on the positional information, whether the character is on an inclined surface of the terrain feature and should fall down the inclined surface; third means for determining, when it is determined by the second means that the character is on the inclined surface and should fall down the inclined surface, a direction of the character's fall based on a movement of the character prior to the fall and properties of the inclined surface; fourth means for computing a location of a fall destination on the terrain feature; fifth means for computing an elevation difference between a starting point and the fall destination based on positional information for the starting point and positional information for the fall destination; sixth means for moving the character from the starting point to the fall destination and computing an amount of damage suffered by the character due to the fall based on the computed elevation difference and the positional information for the fall destination; seventh means for reducing a life power of the character based on the amount of damage; and eighth means for performing image processing for the character based on the reduced life power.