Altering avatar appearances based on avatar population in a virtual universe
First Claim
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1. A method for degrading the appearance of avatars in a virtual universe, comprising:
- specifying a point of interest, the point of interest being a virtual object for which an unobstructed view is desired, within a region of the virtual universe;
counting an amount of a plurality of avatars within a predetermined rendering radius of the point of interest;
selecting, in response to a determination that the amount of avatars exceeds a predetermined threshold, a set of avatars that includes all of the plurality of avatars within the predetermined rendering radius that are obstructing a view of the point of interest;
reducing the obstructing of the view of the point of interest by degrading, in response to the determination, the appearance of only the selected set of avatars within the predetermined rendering radius based on a policy table having a series of avatars at multiple levels of degradation, the degrading comprising applying a first degradation type from at least one of the following degradation types;
reducing at least one geometric dimension of each of the set of avatars from the plurality of avatars, or increasing a transparency of each of the set of avatars from the plurality of avatars so that each of the set of avatars from the plurality of avatars is more transparent than virtual universe content of the object of interest; and
further degrading, using a second degradation type from the degradation types that is different from the first degradation type, a subset of the selected set of avatars within the predetermined rendering radius that have a second characteristic based on the policy table.
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Abstract
An invention for the alteration of avatar appearances based on avatar population in a virtual universe is provided. In one embodiment, there is a degradation tool, including an identification component configured to count an amount of a plurality of avatars within a region of a virtual universe. The degradation tool further comprises a modification component configured to degrade the appearance of a set of avatars from the plurality of avatars in the virtual universe based on the amount of the plurality of avatars within the region of the virtual universe.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for degrading the appearance of avatars in a virtual universe, comprising:
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specifying a point of interest, the point of interest being a virtual object for which an unobstructed view is desired, within a region of the virtual universe; counting an amount of a plurality of avatars within a predetermined rendering radius of the point of interest; selecting, in response to a determination that the amount of avatars exceeds a predetermined threshold, a set of avatars that includes all of the plurality of avatars within the predetermined rendering radius that are obstructing a view of the point of interest; reducing the obstructing of the view of the point of interest by degrading, in response to the determination, the appearance of only the selected set of avatars within the predetermined rendering radius based on a policy table having a series of avatars at multiple levels of degradation, the degrading comprising applying a first degradation type from at least one of the following degradation types;
reducing at least one geometric dimension of each of the set of avatars from the plurality of avatars, or increasing a transparency of each of the set of avatars from the plurality of avatars so that each of the set of avatars from the plurality of avatars is more transparent than virtual universe content of the object of interest; andfurther degrading, using a second degradation type from the degradation types that is different from the first degradation type, a subset of the selected set of avatars within the predetermined rendering radius that have a second characteristic based on the policy table. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer system for degrading avatar appearances in a virtual universe, comprising:
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at least one processing unit; memory operably associated with the at least one processing unit; and a degradation tool storable in memory and executable by the at least one processing unit, the degradation tool comprising, that performs a process, comprising; specifying a point of interest, the point of interest being a virtual object for which an unobstructed view is desired, within a region of the virtual universe; counting an amount of a plurality of avatars within predetermined rendering radius of the point of interest; selecting, in response to a determination that the amount of avatars exceeds a predetermined threshold, a set of avatars that includes all of the plurality of avatars within the predetermined rendering radius that are obstructing a view of the point of interest; reducing the obstructing of the view of the point of interest by degrading, in response to the determination, the appearance of only the selected set of avatars within the predetermined rendering radius based on a policy table having a series of avatars at multiple levels of degradation, applying a first degradation type from at least one of the following degradation types;
reducing at least one geometric dimension of each of the set of avatars from the plurality of avatars, or increasing a transparency of each of the set of avatars from the plurality of avatars so that each of the set of avatars from the plurality of avatars is more transparent than virtual universe content of the object of interest; andfurther degrading, using a second degradation type from the degradation types that is different from the first degradation type, a subset of the selected set of avatars within the predetermined rendering radius that have a second characteristic based on the policy table. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer-readable storage device storing computer instructions, which when executed, enables a computer system to degrade avatar appearances in a virtual universe, the computer instructions comprising:
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specifying a point of interest, the point of interest being a virtual object for which an unobstructed view is desired, within a region of the virtual universe; counting an amount of a plurality of avatars within a predetermined rendering radius of the point of interest; selecting, in response to a determination that the amount of avatars exceeds a predetermined threshold, a set of avatars that includes all of the plurality of avatars within the predetermined rendering radius that are obstructing a view of the point of interest; reducing the obstructing of the view of the point of interest by degrading, in response to the determination, the appearance of only the selected set of avatars within the predetermined rendering radius based on a policy table having a series of avatars at multiple levels of degradation, the degrading comprising applying a first degradation type from at least one of the following degradation types;
reducing at least one geometric dimension of each of the set of avatars from the plurality of avatars, or increasing a transparency of each of the set of avatars from the plurality of avatars so that each of the set of avatars from the plurality of avatars is more transparent than virtual universe content of the object of interest; andfurther degrading, using a second degradation type from the degradation types that is different from the first degradation type, a subset of the selected set of avatars within the predetermined rendering radius that have a second characteristic based on the policy table. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for deploying a degradation tool for use in a computer system that degrades avatar appearances in a virtual universe, the method comprising:
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providing a computer infrastructure operable to; specify a point of interest, the point of interest being a virtual object for which an unobstructed view is desired, within a region of the virtual universe; count an amount of a plurality of avatars within a predetermined rendering radius of the point of interest; select, in response to a determination that the amount of avatars exceeds a predetermined threshold, a set of avatars that includes all of the plurality of avatars within the predetermined rendering radius that are obstructing a view of the point of interest; reducing the obstructing of the view of the point of interest by degrading, in response to the determination, the appearance of only the selected set of avatars within the predetermined rendering radius based on a policy table having a series of avatars at multiple levels of degradation, the degrading comprising applying a first degradation type from at least one of the following degradation types;
reducing at least one geometric dimension of each of the set of avatars from the plurality of avatars, or increasing a transparency of each of the set of avatars from the plurality of avatars so that each of the set of avatars from the plurality of avatars is more transparent than virtual universe content of the object of interest; andfurther degrading, using a second degradation type from the degradation types that is different from the first degradation type, a subset of the selected set of avatars within the predetermined rendering radius that have a second characteristic based on the policy table.
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Specification