Patent ID: 7336276

Claim:
An image processing method for displaying a spatial object positioned at a distance from a terrain surface set within a virtual space, comprising: calculating a position of the spatial object in the virtual space with reference to shape data defining the spatial object; calculating a position of the terrain surface in the virtual space with reference to shape data defining the terrain surface; calculating a position of a virtual light source on a terrain surface side of the spatial object; calculating a distance between the virtual light source and the terrain surface with reference to the calculated positions of the terrain surface and the virtual light source; calculating, if the distance between the virtual light source and the terrain surface is within a predetermined reference distance, a size of a projected image corresponding to light from the virtual light source in relation to the distance; setting, if the distance between the virtual light source and the terrain surface exceeds the predetermined reference distance, the size of the projected image to a predetermined reference size; calculating a position on the terrain surface a projected image object for displaying the projected image, based on the calculated size of the projected image; and generating image data for displaying an image of each of the terrain surface, the projected image object, and the spatial object, based on their respective calculated positions in the virtual space.