Patent ID: 8554526

Claim:
A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising instructions for causing a processor in an electronic device to perform a method of managing virtual 3-dimensional objects in a simulation, the method comprising: a. defining a subset of virtual 3-dimensional objects in a simulation as physics objects; b. defining at least a first basic parameter and a first state for a first of the physics objects, the first basic parameter characterized by a first value and a first type, the first state being selected from a group consisting of: mobile, immobile, undamaged, damaged, destroyed, or attached; c. defining at least a second basic parameter and a second state for a second of the physics objects, the second basic parameter characterized by a second value and a second type, wherein the first type is different from the second type, the second state being selected from the group consisting of: mobile, immobile, undamaged, damaged, destroyed, or attached; d. defining at least one synergistic interaction, caused by a trigger, between the first and second of the physics objects leading to an emergent result, the emergent result of the synergistic interaction at least in part dependent upon the first and second parameters and first and second states, wherein the trigger is selected from a group consisting of: a player character or non-player character affecting the first or second of the physics objects, a player character or non-player character interacting with the first or second of the physics objects, a player character or non-player character touching the first or second of the physics objects, a player character or non-player character damaging the first or second of the physics objects, a player character or non-player character picking up the first or second of the physics objects, a player character or non-player character throwing the first or second of the physics objects, or a predetermined scripted event; e. subsequent to the at least one synergistic interaction, transitioning either the first or second physics object from the first or second respective state to a new state selected from the group consisting of: mobile, immobile, undamaged, damaged, destroyed, or attached, the new state different from the first or second respective state; and f. sending a signal to a renderer and rendering an indication of the result of the synergistic interaction for each of the first of the physics objects and the second of the physics objects.