Patent ID: 7951000
Filing Date: 2011-05-31
Classification: A63F

Abstract:
1. A computer-readable medium storing on a physical object computer-executable instructions for performing the following steps: displaying an interactive first frame on a screen as part of a video game, the first frame including a first user-controlled character which performs volitional actions on the screen which are directly controlled by the user via a game player's controller; displaying a first animated non-interactive video cutscene in a second frame adjacent to the first frame as part of the video game, the first animated non-interactive video cutscene displaying a first computer-controlled character, wherein any simulated volitional action exhibited by the first computer-controlled character is directly controlled by computer programming without user intervention; displaying a second animated non-interactive video cutscene in a third frame adjacent to the first frame as part of the video game, the second animated non-interactive video cutscene displaying a second computer-controlled character, wherein any simulated volitional action exhibited by the second computer-controlled character is directly controlled by computer programming without user intervention; receiving a user command to switch the user's control via the game player's controller from the first user-controlled character to a selected one of the first and second computer-controlled characters; determining one of the second and third frames in which the selected one of the first and second computer-controlled characters is displayed; converting the selected one of the first and second computer-controlled characters to a second user-controlled character and converting the determined one of the second and third frames into an interactive frame; and converting the first frame into a corresponding animated non-interactive frame, wherein the user directly controls volitional actions performed by the second user-controlled character in the determined one of the second and third frames via the game player's controller.