A method for navigating through a gaming world during game play, comprising: capturing a plurality of snapshot images generated from a video game executed for a first user; generating for display a first timeline of game play by the first user playing the video game, wherein the first timeline includes the captured snapshot images of the game play as the first user progresses through the video game, the first timeline displayed in relation to a currently rendered image of the video game executing in association with the first user; generating for display in the first timeline a plurality of first thumbnails including a plurality of first snapshot images associated with game play of the first user, wherein the plurality of first snapshot images comprises at least one rendered image showing past progress of the first user in comparison to the currently rendered image; and generating for display in the first timeline a plurality of second thumbnails including a plurality of second snapshot images associated with game play of a second user, wherein the plurality of second snapshot images comprises at least one rendered image showing progress of the second user at a point in the video game in relation to the currently rendered image, wherein each snapshot image corresponds to a snapshot that enables execution of an instance of the video game beginning from a first point in the video game corresponding to the snapshot image, wherein each snapshot image comprises a rendered image generated by execution of the video game in association with game play of a corresponding user and the snapshot includes: game state data enabling the generation of an environment corresponding to the first point in the video game; random seed data providing additional features for the environment; and user saved data enabling generation of a character for the game play of the corresponding user, wherein the character has a first state corresponding to the first point in the video game, the method further comprising: receiving selection of a selected snapshot image in either the plurality of first snapshot images associated with prior game play of the first user or the plurality of captured snapshot images; and jumping execution of the video game based on a selected snapshot corresponding to the selected snapshot image to a jump point in the video game associated with the selected snapshot image. capturing a plurality of snapshot images generated from a video game executed for a first user; generating for display a first timeline of game play by the first user playing the video game, wherein the first timeline includes the captured snapshot images of the game play as the first user progresses through the video game, the first timeline displayed in relation to a currently rendered image of the video game executing in association with the first user; generating for display in the first timeline a plurality of first thumbnails including a plurality of first snapshot images associated with game play of the first user, wherein the plurality of first snapshot images comprises at least one rendered image showing past progress of the first user in comparison to the currently rendered image; and generating for display in the first timeline a plurality of second thumbnails including a plurality of second snapshot images associated with game play of a second user, wherein the plurality of second snapshot images comprises at least one rendered image showing progress of the second user at a point in the video game in relation to the currently rendered image, wherein each snapshot image corresponds to a snapshot that enables execution of an instance of the video game beginning from a first point in the video game corresponding to the snapshot image, wherein each snapshot image comprises a rendered image generated by execution of the video game in association with game play of a corresponding user and the snapshot includes: game state data enabling the generation of an environment corresponding to the first point in the video game; random seed data providing additional features for the environment; and game state data enabling the generation of an environment corresponding to the first point in the video game; random seed data providing additional features for the environment; and user saved data enabling generation of a character for the game play of the corresponding user, wherein the character has a first state corresponding to the first point in the video game, the method further comprising: receiving selection of a selected snapshot image in either the plurality of first snapshot images associated with prior game play of the first user or the plurality of captured snapshot images; and jumping execution of the video game based on a selected snapshot corresponding to the selected snapshot image to a jump point in the video game associated with the selected snapshot image. receiving selection of a selected snapshot image in either the plurality of first snapshot images associated with prior game play of the first user or the plurality of captured snapshot images; and jumping execution of the video game based on a selected snapshot corresponding to the selected snapshot image to a jump point in the video game associated with the selected snapshot image.