Abstract:
A virtual game environment may be provided to users. In views of the virtual game environment, avatars representing users may remain static (or relatively static) as a game is being played by the users in the virtual game environment. Nevertheless, communications between the users may be presented in the views within chat bubbles appearing to emanate from the appropriate avatars. This may enhance a level of engagement and/or immersion of the users in spite of the visually static nature of the avatars.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The disclosure relates to a system and method or providing a virtual game environment to users in which avatars remain substantially visually static during game-play, and in which user communications may be represented in 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Virtual environments used to enable users to participate in games are known. In some of these virtual environments, avatars representing the users may be visually static during game-play. For example, virtual environments supporting card and/or board games may represent avatars in a relatively static manner. 
         [0003]    In such virtual environments, users may be able to communicate, or “chat”, with each other. Traditionally, the user communications may be presented to the users in a separate chat window that displays the communications persistently, and in the temporal order in which they were submitted by the users. As a communication is submitted, it is added to the log in the chat window, along with an identification of the user that submitted the communication. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    One aspect of the disclosure relates to a system and method for providing a virtual game environment to users. In views of the virtual game environment, avatars representing users may remain static (or relatively static) as a game is being played by the users in the virtual game environment. Nevertheless, communications between the users may be presented in the views within chat bubbles appearing to emanate from the appropriate avatars. This may enhance a level of engagement and/or immersion of the users in spite of the visually static nature of the avatars. 
         [0005]    In some implementations, the system may include a server and client computing platforms that operate in a server/client configuration. Views of the virtual game environment may be presented to the users on the client computing platforms, and the users may be able to interact with the virtual game environment and/or participate in the game through inputs to the client computing platforms. The server may be configured to execute one or more of an environment module, a game module, a communication module, and/or other modules. 
         [0006]    The environment module may be configured to determine view information for transmissions to client computing platforms associated with users that facilitate presentation of views of a game environment to the users on the client computing platforms. The game environment may be common among the users. The individual users may be represented in the game environment by avatars located at fixed positions in the views of the game environment. The users may comprise a first user represented by a first avatar, a second user represented by a second avatar, and/or other users. 
         [0007]    The game module may be configured to manage a game being played by the users within the game environment. Managing the game may include one or more of determining score, assessing success and/or failure (e.g., of individual actions, sets, of actions, matches, game events within an individual match, and/or other episodes), determining random or pseudo-random game parameters (e.g., card value during ordering and/or distribution, dice values, battle multipliers, and/or other parameters), and/or other game management functions. 
         [0008]    The communication module may be configured to receive communication inputs from the users represented in the game environment by the avatars. The communication inputs may include content to be presented to the users within the views of the game environment. The content may include one or more of text, images, video, and/or other content. The communication inputs may be input by the users via the client computing platforms. 
         [0009]    The environment module may be further configured such that responsive to reception of a communication input from the first user, a chat bubble associated with the first avatar having therein the text from the communication input of the first user may be presented in the views of the virtual game environment. The chat bubble may remain visible in the view of the game temporarily. The chat bubble may be superimposed over a portion of the views. This may include a portion of the views that includes a game field in which the game being played is presented. 
         [0010]    Responsive to reception of a communication input from the second user while the first chat bubble is present in the views of the virtual game environment, a second chat bubble may be presented in the views of the virtual game environment with the content therein from the communication input from the second user. In the views of the virtual game environment, there may be no indication given as to which of the first chat bubble or the second chat bubble appeared first, other than the first chat bubble disappearing before the second chat bubble disappears (e.g., because the first chat bubble appeared first). 
         [0011]    While the lack of temporal indicators and/or the obscuring of other fields and/or elements within the views may appear to be drawbacks in presenting user communication in the chat bubbles, this may not be the case. The representation of communication between the users using chat bubbles (e.g., rather than a conventional chat log) may enhance the sense of engagement and/or immersion of the users, even though the avatars may be static or substantially static in view  30 . For example, this presentation of user communications may seem more conversational to the users, and/or may more closely mimic real world conversations. 
         [0012]    These and other objects, features, and characteristics of the system and/or method disclosed herein, as well as the methods of operation and functions of the related elements of structure and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. As used in the specification and in the claims, the singular form of “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system configured to provide a virtual game environment to users. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  illustrates a view of a virtual game environment. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  illustrates a view of a virtual game environment. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  illustrates a method of providing a virtual game environment to users. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system  10  configured to provide a virtual game environment to users. The system  10  may be configured such that the users participate in a game within the virtual game environment. While views of the game environment provided to users may be relatively static visually, communication between the users may be represented using chat bubbles, instead of via a conventional chat log. This interface may enhance engagement and/or immersion of the users while still maintaining the relatively low processing, storage, and/or communication bandwidth costs of a relatively visually static environment. Providing the virtual game environment may include hosting the virtual game environment over a network. 
         [0018]    In some implementations, system  10  may include a server  12 . The server  12  may be configured to communicate with one or more client computing platforms  14  according to a client/server architecture. The users may access system  10  and/or the virtual game environment via client computing platforms  14 . 
         [0019]    The server  12  may be configured to execute one or more computer program modules. The computer program modules may include one or more of an environment module  16 , a game module  18 , a communication module  20 , and/or other modules. 
         [0020]    The environment module  16  may be configured to provide one or more virtual game environments to users via client computing platforms  14 . As used herein, a “virtual environment” may include a virtual space, one or more interactive, electronic social media, and/or other virtual environments. A virtual game environment may refer to a virtual environment in which a game is being played that involves a plurality of users. Providing a virtual environment to users may include executing one or more instances of a virtual environment, determining view information representing the virtual environment (e.g., from the instance(s)) for the users (e.g., individually and/or collectively), transmitting the view information to the client computing platforms  14  associated with the users to facilitate views of the virtual environment being presented to the users, and/or other activities. 
         [0021]    A virtual space may comprise a simulated space that is accessible by users via clients (e.g., client computing platforms  14 ) that present the views of the virtual space to a user. The simulated space may have a simulated physical layout, express ongoing real-time interaction by one or more users, and/or be constrained by simulated physics that governs interactions between virtual objects in the simulated space. In some instances, the simulated physical layout may be a 2-dimensional layout. In other instances, the simulated physical layout may be a 3-dimensional layout. 
         [0022]    The environment module  16  may be configured to express the virtual space in a relatively limited manner. For example, views of the virtual space presented to the users may be selected from a limited set of graphics depicting an event in a given place within the virtual space. The views may include additional content (e.g., text, audio, pre-stored video content, movable icons, avatars, and/or other content) that describes particulars of the current state of the space, beyond the relatively generic graphics. For example, a view of the virtual space may depict a card table and/or a non-player character that are static (or change relatively little) visually in views of virtual space. Icons representing game components (e.g., game pieces, playing cards, dice, and/or other game components) may change and/or move within the views of the virtual space to depict a game being played within the virtual space. Such limited representation of the virtual space may reduce the cost of hosting the virtual game environment in terms of processing, storage, communication bandwidth, and/or other computing resource (e.g., on server  12  and/or client computing platforms  14 ). Other expressions of individual places within the virtual space are contemplated. 
         [0023]    Within the instance(s) of the virtual space (or other virtual environment) executed by environment module  16 , users may control avatars to interact with the virtual space and/or each other. As used herein, the term “user character” may refer to an object (or group of objects) present in the virtual space that represents an individual user. The avatar may be controlled by the user with which it is associated. While a game is being played within the virtual space, the avatars may be positioned at fixed locations within the virtual space and/or views thereof. This may reduce the cost of providing the virtual game environment to the users, and may be consistent with the mechanic of the game being played. The avatar representing a given user may be created and/or customized by the given user. The user may have an “inventory” of virtual goods and/or currency that the user can use (e.g., by manipulation of an avatar or other user controlled element, and/or other items), display, gift, and/or otherwise interact with in the virtual space. 
         [0024]    The users may participate in the virtual space by controlling one or more of the available user controlled elements in the virtual space (e.g., game elements, avatars, and/or other elements). Control may be exercised through control inputs and/or commands input by the users through client computing platforms  14 . 
         [0025]    Interactive, electronic social media may include one or more of a social network, a virtual space, a micro-blogging service, a blog service (or host), a browser-based game, a multi-player mobile game, a file (e.g., image file, video file, and/or other files) sharing service, a messaging service, a message board, a forum, and/or other electronically distributed media that are scalable and enable interaction between the users. As was the case with virtual spaces, in some implementations, users may be represented within interactive, electronic social media by avatars. An avatar representing a given user may be presented in views of the interactive, electronic social media as being associated with content that may be provided by the given user, directed the given user, related to the given user, and/or associated with the given user in other ways. Some non-limiting specific examples of interactive, electronic social media may include the micro-blogging service provided by Twitter™, the social network provided by Facebook™, the social network provided by MySpace™, the social network provided by Foursquare®, the virtual world provided by SecondLife®, the massively multi-player online game provided by World of Warcraft®, the file sharing service provided by Flickr®, Blogger, YouTube, PlayStation® Home, Xbox® Live, and/or other interactive electronic social media. 
         [0026]    The game module  18  may be configured to manage the game being played by the users within the virtual game environment. Managing the game may include one or more of determining score, assessing success and/or failure (e.g., of individual actions, sets, of actions, matches, game events within an individual match, and/or other episodes), determining random or pseudo-random game parameters (e.g., card value during ordering and/or distribution, dice values, battle multipliers, and/or other parameters), and/or other game management functions. Managing the game may include accepting input in the form of user selections and/or actions (e.g., input at client computing platforms  14 ), output from one or more random (or pseudo-random) number generators, rules and/or settings governing one or more game mechanics of the game, and/or other inputs. Managing the game may include determining outputs in the form scores (e.g., of individual actions, sets, of actions, matches, game events within an individual match, and/or other episodes), winners and/or losers, required actions to be performed by the users, and/or other outputs. 
         [0027]    By way of non-limiting example, in some implementations, game module  18  may be configured to manage a game of poker being played within the virtual game environment. Such management may require one or more of determining blind size and/or assignment, determining card value and/or distribution, managing the pot (e.g., receiving bets, distributing winnings, and/or other management), determining hand winners, maintaining user chip stacks, maintaining user bank rolls, and/or other management tasks. As another non-limiting example, game module  18  may be configured to manage a game of backgammon. Such management may require one or more of managing checker position, determining dice value, determining doubling cube value, determining score, determining a winner, and/or other management tasks. Implementations in which game module  18  manages other turn-based games are contemplated. Such games may be based on real world board and/or card games, and/or games that have not previously been implemented as real world games. 
         [0028]    It will be appreciated that the description herein of environment module  16  providing a virtual game environment to a set of users in which a game is being played by the set of users is not intended to be limiting. For example, environment module  16  may be configured to provide a plurality of different virtual game environments to a plurality of different sets of users. The individual sets of users may be participating in different instances of the game within the individual virtual game environments. The concepts described herein with respect to the individual virtual game environment and game should be extendible to implementations in which a plurality of different virtual game environments are being used to conduct a plurality of different instances of the game (e.g., between different sets of users). 
         [0029]    The communication module  20  may be configured to receive communication inputs from the users. The communication inputs may include communications to be conveyed within the virtual game environment to the other users participating in the virtual game environment. The communication inputs may include content. The content may include one or more of text, an image, video, and/or other content. For example, a user may enter a communication input to system  10  by inputting text to the client computing platform  14  corresponding to the user. The communication input (with the input text) may be communicated to communication module  20 . Conveying the content from a communication input to other users within the virtual game environment may include presenting the content in the views of the virtual game environment that are determined by environment module  16  for the other users. 
         [0030]    By way of illustration,  FIG. 2  illustrates a view  30  of a virtual game environment. The view  30  may include a game field  32 , a first avatar  34 , a second avatar  36 , a third avatar  38 , a fourth avatar  40 , and/or other fields or features. The game field  32  may be configured to present information to the user viewing view  30  of the game being played in the virtual game environment. For example, if the game is a board game or a card game, the game board and/or the cards may be represented in game field  32 . In some implementations, game field  32  may be represented as a table on which the board and/or cards sit. 
         [0031]    The avatars  34 ,  36 ,  38 , and/or  40  may represent a first user, a second user, a third user, and/or a fourth user, respectively within view  30 . In some implementations, avatars  34 ,  36 ,  38 , and/or  40  may be located at fixed, or substantially fixed, positions in view  30  during the game (e.g., around game field  32 ). This may reduce the cost associated with determining view  30  and/or providing view  30  to the user. 
         [0032]    Traditionally, users may be able to communicate with each other within views of virtual game environments similar to or the same as view  30  through displays of text (and/or other content) that have been received from the users. However, the display of such text and/or other content has been made in a designated field set apart from game field  32  and/or avatars  34 ,  36 ,  38 , and/or  40 . In the designated field, the text and/or other content would be represented in the form of a conventional chat log in which a given communication identifies the user that submitted the content and then presents the content. As further communications are presented, they are added to the designated field to provide a log of the communication between the users in an ongoing manner. 
         [0033]    By contrast, view  30  is configured such that despite the static positions of avatars  34 ,  36 ,  38 , and  40  within view  30 , content from a communication input may be displayed in a chat bubble emanating from the avatar associated with the user that submitted the content. By way of illustration,  FIG. 3  depicts an example in which a first user associated with first avatar  34  has submitted a communication input having text therein. The text from the communication input from the first user may be presented in view  30  within a chat bubble  42 . The chat bubble  42  may be depicted as emanating from first avatar  34 . The chat bubble  42  may be present in view  30  for some period of time. The period of time may be a predetermined period of time. The period of time may be common among all of the users that receive a view of the virtual game environment, and/or the period of time may differ between different views (e.g., based on user preferences, and/or other parameters). 
         [0034]    While chat bubble  42  is present in view  30 , responsive to the second user submitting a communication input having text therein, the text submitted by the second user may be presented in view  30  in a chat bubble  44  associated with second avatar  36 . As such, chat bubbles  42  and  44  may both be present in view  30  for a period of time (e.g., until chat bubble  42  is longer present). While chat bubbles  42  and  44  are present in view  30 , no indication of which chat bubble appeared first may be given. 
         [0035]    As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , depending on the arrangement of avatars  34 ,  36 ,  38 , and/or  40  and game field  32  in view  30 , a given chat bubble, such as chat bubble  44  may be superimposed over at least a portion of game field  32 . The portion of game field  32  over which chat bubble  44  is superimposed may be visible, obscured in some way, or blocked entirely through chat bubble  44 . 
         [0036]    While the lack of temporal indicators and/or the obscuring of other fields and/or elements within view  30  may appear to be drawbacks in presenting user communication in chat bubbles  42  and/or  44 , this may not be the case. The representation of communication between the users using chat bubbles  42  and/or  44  may enhance the sense of engagement and/or immersion of the users, even though avatars  34 ,  36 ,  38 , and/or  40  may be static or substantially static in view  30 . For example, this presentation of user communications may seem more conversational to the users, and/or may more closely mimic real world conversations. 
         [0037]    Turning back to  FIG. 1 , in some implementations,  12  server and client computing platforms may be operatively linked via one or more electronic communication links. For example, such electronic communication links may be established, at least in part, via a network such as the Internet and/or other networks. It will be appreciated that this is not intended to be limiting, and that the scope of this disclosure includes implementations in which server  12  and/or client computing platforms  14 . 
         [0038]    A given client computing platform  14  may include one or more processors, and electronic display, a control interface, and/or other components. The one or more processors may be configured to execute computer program modules. The computer program modules may be configured to enable or user associated with the given client computing platform  14  to interface with system  10 , and/or provide other functionality attributed herein to client computing platforms  14 . For example, the computer program modules may include a view module configured to receive view information from server  12  (e.g., generated by environment module  16 ), and to present a view of the virtual game environment (e.g., as described above) based on the received view information. This may facilitate participation by the user of the given client computing platform  14  in the game taking place in the virtual game environment. By way of non-limiting example, the given client computing platform  14  may include one or more of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a tablet computing platform, a NetBook, a Smartphone, a gaming console, and/or other computing platforms. 
         [0039]    The server  12  may include electronic storage  50 , one or more processors  52 , and/or other components. The server  12  may include communication lines, or ports to enable the exchange of information with a network and/or other computing platforms. Illustration of server  12  in  FIG. 1  is not intended to be limiting. The server  12  may include a plurality of hardware, software, and/or firmware components operating together to provide the functionality attributed herein to server  12 . For example, server  12  may be implemented “in the cloud” by a plurality of computing platforms operating together as server  12 . 
         [0040]    Electronic storage  50  may comprise electronic storage media that electronically stores information. The electronic storage media of electronic storage  50  may include one or both of system storage that is provided integrally (i.e., substantially non-removable) with server  50  and/or removable storage that is removably connectable to server  50  via, for example, a port (e.g., a USB port, a firewire port, etc.) or a drive (e.g., a disk drive, etc.). Electronic storage  50  may include one or more of optically readable storage media (e.g., optical disks, etc.), magnetically readable storage media (e.g., magnetic tape, magnetic hard drive, floppy drive, etc.), electrical charge-based storage media (e.g., EEPROM, RAM, etc.), solid-state storage media (e.g., flash drive, etc.), and/or other electronically readable storage media. The electronic storage  50  may include one or more virtual storage resources (e.g., cloud storage, a virtual private network, and/or other virtual storage resources). Electronic storage  50  may store software algorithms, information determined by processor  52 , information received from server  12 , information received from client computing platforms  14 , and/or other information that enables server  12  to function as described herein. 
         [0041]    Processor(s)  52  is configured to provide information processing capabilities in server  12 . As such, processor  52  may include one or more of a digital processor, an analog processor, a digital circuit designed to process information, an analog circuit designed to process information, a state machine, and/or other mechanisms for electronically processing information. Although processor  52  is shown in  FIG. 1  as a single entity, this is for illustrative purposes only. In some implementations, processor  52  may include a plurality of processing units. These processing units may be physically located within the same device, or processor  52  may represent processing functionality of a plurality of devices operating in coordination. The processor  52  may be configured to execute modules  16 ,  18 , and/or  20 . Processor  52  may be configured to execute modules  16 ,  18 , and/or  20  by software; hardware; firmware; some combination of software, hardware, and/or firmware; and/or other mechanisms for configuring processing capabilities on processor  52 . 
         [0042]    It should be appreciated that although modules  16 ,  18 , and/or  20  are illustrated in  FIG. 1  as being co-located within a single processing unit, in implementations in which processor  52  includes multiple processing units, one or more of modules  16 ,  18 , and/or  20  may be located remotely from the other modules. As a non-limiting example, some or all of the functionality attributed to modules  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and/or  22  may be provided “in the cloud” by a plurality of processors connected through a network. The description of the functionality provided by the different modules  16 ,  18 , and/or  20  herein is for illustrative purposes, and is not intended to be limiting, as any of modules  16 ,  18 , and/or  20  may provide more or less functionality than is described. For example, one or more of modules  16 ,  18 , and/or  20  may be eliminated, and some or all of its functionality may be provided by other ones of modules  16 ,  18 , and/or  20 . As another example, processor  52  may be configured to execute one or more additional modules that may perform some or all of the functionality attributed below to one of modules  16 ,  18 , and/or  20 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 4  illustrates a method  60  of providing a virtual game environment to client computing devices for interaction by users. The operations of method  60  presented below are intended to be illustrative. In some embodiments, method  60  may be accomplished with one or more additional operations not described, and/or without one or more of the operations discussed. Additionally, the order in which the operations of method  60  are illustrated in  FIG. 4  and described below is not intended to be limiting. 
         [0044]    In some embodiments, method  60  may be implemented in one or more processing devices (e.g., a digital processor, an analog processor, a digital circuit designed to process information, an analog circuit designed to process information, a state machine, and/or other mechanisms for electronically processing information). The one or more processing devices may include one or more devices executing some or all of the operations of method  60  in response to instructions stored electronically on an electronic storage medium. The one or more processing devices may include one or more devices configured through hardware, firmware, and/or software to be specifically designed for execution of one or more of the operations of method  60 . 
         [0045]    At an operation  62 , the virtual game environment may be hosted. Hosting the virtual game environment may include determining, and/or sending to client computing platforms, view information defining views of the virtual game environment for display on the client computing platform. Users may be represented by avatars within the views. The avatars may include a first avatar associated with a first user. In some implementations, operation  62  may be performed by an environment module similar to or the same as environment module  16  (shown in  FIG. 1  and described herein). 
         [0046]    At an operation  64 , a game being played by users within the virtual game environment may be managed. In some implementations, operation  64  may be performed by a game module similar to or the same as game module  18  (shown in  FIG. 1  and described herein). 
         [0047]    At an operation  66 , a communication input may be received from the first user. The communication input may include content, such as text, to be communicated with the other users. In some implementations, operation  66  may be performed by a communication module similar to or the same as communication module  20  (shown in  FIG. 1  and described herein). 
         [0048]    At an operation  68 , the content from the communication input may be represented in view information defining the views of the virtual game environment as a chat bubble emanating from the first avatar. In some implementations, operation  68  may be performed by the environment module. 
         [0049]    At an operation  70 , the representation of the chat bubble may be removed from the view information defining the views after some period of time has passed. In some implementations, operation  70  may be performed by the environment module. 
         [0050]    Although the system(s) and/or method(s) of this disclosure have been described in detail for the purpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred implementations, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that the disclosure is not limited to the disclosed implementations, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be understood that the present disclosure contemplates that, to the extent possible, one or more features of any implementation can be combined with one or more features of any other implementation.