Systems and Methods for Customized Camera Views and Customizable Objects in Virtualized Environments

• US 20170368461A1
• Filed: 06/05/2017
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hothead Games Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hothead Games Inc.
• Inventors: Ceraldi, James Paul, Steeves, Brad, Brandt, Bryan
• Granted Patent: US 10,010,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5252 using two or more virtual cameras concurrently or sequentially, e.g. automatically switching between fixed virtual cameras when a character changes room or displaying a rear-mirror view in a car-driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5258 by dynamically adapting the position of the virtual camera to keep a game object or game character in its viewing frustum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing customized camera views and customized objects within virtualized environments are provided herein. In one embodiment a method includes detecting a gameplay event of interest within a virtual gaming environment and displaying a customized camera view of the gameplay event of interest based on user input receiving during traversal of a projectile from a weapon to a target. The customized camera view has a focal point of the projectile. In some embodiments the projectile has a virtual wrapper that can include a user-provided image.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A method, comprising:

providing a virtual gaming environment that comprises a projectile fired from a weapon within the virtual gaming environment, wherein the projectile comprises a virtual wrapper created from a user-provided image file, wherein the weapon is wrapped with a second virtual wrapper that is different from the virtual wrapper applied to the projectile;

receiving a selection of the virtual wrapper for the projectile;

applying the virtual wrapper to the projectile; and

providing the projectile with the virtual wrapper within the virtual gaming environment when the weapon is discharged by;

displaying a customized camera view of a gameplay event of interest based on user input received during traversal of the projectile from the weapon to a target, wherein the customized camera view has a focal point of the projectile, wherein displaying further comprises slowing a travel velocity or rotation of the projectile when discharged from the weapon and impacting the target, and further wherein the target is a representation of a first player and the projectile is displayed to the representation of the first player to identify a representation of a second player that owns the virtual wrapper applied to the projectile.

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising placing the virtual wrapper in a virtual gallery for sale to other players.

15. The method according to claim 9, further comprising providing a virtual reward to a player for placing their virtual wrapper in a virtual gallery.

16. The method according to claim 9, further comprising providing a paint studio within the virtual gaming environment that allows the user to design virtual wrappers from virtual wrapper templates.

10-13. -13. (canceled)

17. A system, comprising:

a gaming server that comprises;

a gaming application that provides a virtual gaming environment that comprises a plurality of gaming objects within the virtual gaming environment, wherein each of the plurality of gaming objects comprises a shape and size, wherein the plurality of gaming objects comprise a projectile and a weapon, wherein the projectile comprises a virtual wrapper created from a user-provided image file, wherein the weapon is wrapped with a second virtual wrapper that is different from the virtual wrapper applied to the projectile;

an interface for receiving selections of the virtual wrapper and the second virtual wrapper;

a wrapping module that applies the selected virtual wrapper and the second virtual wrapper; and

wherein the system is further configured to slow a travel velocity or rotation of the projectile when discharged from the weapon and impacting a target, and further wherein the target is a representation of a first player and the projectile is displayed to the representation of the first player to identify a representation of a second player that owns the virtual wrapper applied to the projectile.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the virtual wrapper or the second virtual wrapper are user-provided and uploaded by a client device of the first player and the second player, respectively, through the interface.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the virtual wrapper is an image file selected by the first player.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the wrapping module is further configured to selectively adjust the image file to the shape and the size of the least one of the plurality of gaming objects.