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Cinematic techniques in avatar-centric communication during a multi-user online simulation

  • US 7,386,799 B1
  • Filed: 04/08/2003
  • Issued: 06/10/2008
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2002
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of displaying a user-specified conversation involving a plurality avatars in a simulation environment during a simulation in which each of a plurality of users participate, each of the users using a separate one of a plurality of processing systems on a network to control a separate one of the avatars, the method comprising:

  • storing data defining a prop to facilitate the user-specified conversation between the avatars, the prop includinga plurality of associated slots, in proximity to each other, at which an avatar can be placed to facilitate the conversation, anda plurality of viewpoints in proximity to the plurality of associated slots and defined relative to the prop, each of the viewpoints to provide a view during the simulation, at least one of the viewpoints to provide a view directed to one of the slots; and

    placing the prop in the simulation environment during the simulation;

    placing each of the plurality of avatars in a separate one of the slots in the prop during the simulation;

    generating a view of a first avatar controlled by a first user from a first viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints during the simulation; and

    automatically changing the view from the first viewpoint to a second viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints, in response to a user-initiated action of a second avatar controlled by a second user, where the second viewpoint differs from the first viewpoint in field of view or distance to subject or both, such as to give the second viewpoint a different zoom from the first viewpoint, to emphasize an element of non-verbal avatar communication.

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