Patent ID: 6042477
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: A63F,G06F,H04L

Abstract:
A method of rendering an object in a multiplayer electronic game virtual space such that time latency effects are reduced, wherein the object is controlled by a first one of a plurality of user computers in communication with each other across a communications network, wherein each user computer executes a game loop that renders objects within the virtual space, and wherein game loop execution on the plurality of user computers is asynchronous, the method comprising the steps of:receiving at a second user computer a data packet from the first user computer via the communications network, wherein the data packet comprises:a packet time that is based on a time when the data packet was transmitted from the first user computer; andinformation for rendering the object within the virtual space;interrupting asynchronous game loop execution at the second user computer to associate a time relative to an internal clock of the second user computer with the received data packet; andresuming asynchronous game loop execution to render the object on the second user computer in the virtual space with time dependent attributes that correspond to a current time during each game loop.