Patent ID: 9579576
Date: 2017-02-28
CPC Classifications: A63F

Claim:
1. A computer-readable medium, comprising instructions for causing a processor in an electronic device to perform a method of generating responses of a non-player character in an online video game simulation of an environment, the method comprising: tracking data pertaining to interactions between a player character and a non-player character in the online simulation of the environment, the tracked data at least including data about a state of a relationship between the player character and the non-player character; receiving a first signal from a client computing device, the first signal indicating either that a player character has initiated a communication with a non-player character or that the player character has moved to within a predetermined distance from the non-player character in the online simulation of the environment; calculating a response of the non-player character to the first signal, wherein the calculating includes calculating the response based on the tracked data, wherein the calculated response includes a response selected from the following group: an ally personalization response, and affirmation anchor, and admonishment anchor, and enemy personalization response, an in-game event response, or a framing response; and transmitting a second signal, corresponding to the response, to the client computing device, the response in part causing a video renderer or sound renderer in the client computing device to render an indication of the response on a video or audio device, respectively, or both; wherein calculating the response further comprises basing the response on a shared history between the player character and the non-player character, the response including displaying data about the non-player character to the player character, and wherein transmitting the second signal occurs at least in part in response to a determination that the player character is within a predetermined distance from a spawning point having associated therewith an activatable element to initiate rendering and playback of media relating to a past history of the non-player character; wherein the non-player character is categorized as a primary, secondary, global, or generic character; and wherein the displayed data included in the response comprises varying levels of available information about the non-player character that is dependent upon the category of the non-player character.