Modifying a display quality of an area in a virtual universe according to avatar characteristics

• US 8,624,903 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2011
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Hamilton, Rick A. II, Moskowitz, Paul A., O'Connell, Brian M., Pickover, Clifford A., Seaman, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROOME, SAID A
• Application Number:
  US13/169,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20110254853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/28 involving image processing hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/36 Level of detail
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/62 Semi-transparency

Abstract

Described herein are processes and devices that modify a display quality of an area of a virtual universe. Some embodiments include operations to determine a number of avatars that occupy the area, determine a display quality of the area that can be reduced to conserve a computing resource that processes data to present the area and modify the display quality of the area proportionally to the number of avatars that occupy the area. The operations can further modify usage of a computing resource to process data to present the area in response to modification of the display quality of the area.

Claims

1. A computer system for modifying an appearance of an area of a virtual universe, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more tangible computer-readable memories, and one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to determine a number of avatars that occupy an area of a virtual universe;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to determine a display quality of the area of the virtual universe that can be reduced to conserve a computing resource that processes data to present the area of the virtual universe;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to reduce the display quality of the area of the virtual universe proportionally to the number of avatars that occupy the area of the virtual universe, and in response, to reduce usage of the computing resource to process the data to present the area of the virtual universe; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to convert a first value that represents the number of avatars to a second value that represents a range of avatar population in the area.

2. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to select the area based on boundary lines that mark a section of the virtual universe controlled by the computing resource.

3. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the program instructions to reduce the display quality of the area reduce the usage of the computing resource proportional to the second value.

4. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the program instructions to reduce the display quality of the area determine that there are no avatars that occupy the area, and in response, remove a display of objects within the area.

5. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to modify the display quality of the area based on an additional number of avatars outside and in proximity to the area.

17. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the program instructions to reduce the display quality of the area proportionally to the number of avatars that occupy the area reduce a display quality of one or more of a building in the area, landscaping of the area, topology of the area, and all objects within the area.

18. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions to reduce the display quality of the area proportionally to the number of avatars that occupy the area:

determine that a third value assigned to an event that occurs within the area outweighs the second value; and

delay reduction of the display quality in response to a determination that the third value outweighs the second value.

6. A computer program product for modifying an appearance of an area of a virtual universe, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to determine a number of avatars that occupy an area of a virtual universe;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to determine a display quality of the area of the virtual universe that can be reduced to conserve a computing resource that processes data to present the area of the virtual universe;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to reduce the display quality of the area of the virtual universe proportionally to the number of avatars that occupy the area of the virtual universe, and in response, to reduce usage of the computing resource to process data to present the area of the virtual universe; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to convert a first value that represents the number of avatars to a second value that represents a range of avatar population in the area.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to select the area based on boundary lines that mark a section of the virtual universe controlled by the computing resource.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the program instructions to reduce the display quality of the area reduce the usage of the computing resource proportional to the second value.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the program instructions to reduce the display quality of the area determine that there are no avatars that occupy the area, and in response, remove a display of objects within the area.

10. The computer program product of claim 6 further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to reduce the display quality of the area quality based on one or more of a virtual real-estate boundary within the area, a monetary significance of the area, and a goal associated with the area.

11. The computer program product of claim 6 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to present the area in response to reducing the display quality of the area.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the program instructions to present the area modify one or more of a number of objects presented in the area, an amount of textures in the area, and a number of colors presented in the area.

19. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the program instructions to reduce the display quality of the area proportionally to the number of avatars that occupy the area:

determine that a third value assigned to an event that occurs within the area outweighs the second value, and

delay reduction of the display quality in response to a determination that the third value outweighs the second value.

13. A computer program product for modifying an appearance of an area of a virtual universe, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to perform an evaluation of a first significance value assigned to an activity that occurs in the area against a second significance value assigned to an avatar population value for the area;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to determine, based on the evaluation, that the first significance value outweighs the second significance value; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to modify a display quality of the area in accordance with a determination that the first significance value outweighs the second significance value.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to provide a reward to one or more avatars in the area to reduce a display quality for the area in accordance with a display quality value associated with the second significance value, wherein the reward comprises at least one of a special privilege, a number of points, virtual currency, a discount, or access to a restricted function.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to determine, based on the second significance value, that a first display quality value for the area should be reduced to a second display quality value that corresponds to the second significance value; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to reduce the display quality of the area to the second display quality value after a time period associated with the activity in accordance with the determination that that the first significance value outweighs the second significance value.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to modify the display quality of the area:

detect a linear diminishing of the first significance value associated with the activity; and

gradually reduce the display quality of the area in accordance with the linear diminishing of the first significance value.

20. A computer system for modifying an appearance of an area of a virtual universe, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more tangible computer-readable memories, and one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to determine a number of avatars that occupy an area of a virtual universe;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to determine a display quality of the area of the virtual universe that can be reduced to conserve a computing resource that processes data to present the area of the virtual universe;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to reduce the display quality of the area of the virtual universe proportionally to the number of avatars that occupy the area of the virtual universe, and in response, to reduce usage of the computing resource to process the data to present the area of the virtual universe; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to gradually modify the display quality of the area based on a change to the number of avatars over time.

21. A computer program product for modifying an appearance of an area of a virtual universe, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to determine a number of avatars that occupy an area of a virtual universe;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to determine a display quality of the area of the virtual universe that can be reduced to conserve a computing resource that processes data to present the area of the virtual universe;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to reduce the display quality of the area of the virtual universe proportionally to the number of avatars that occupy the area of the virtual universe, and in response, to reduce usage of the computing resource to process data to present the area of the virtual universe; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to reduce the display quality of the virtual universe based on a user setting that indicates to voluntarily have the display quality reduced.