Patent ID: 8821234

Claim:
A computer implemented method for interacting with a virtual environment that includes existing virtual terrain elements, the virtual environment including a plurality of connection points for creating new virtual slope terrain, the method comprising: determining a plurality of valid start points from among the plurality of connection points; outputting the determined plurality of valid start points to a display; receiving a user selection of a start point from among the plurality of valid start points to begin a slope; determining at least one valid end point from among the plurality of connection points based on the received user selection of the start point, where at least some of the plurality of connection points are not included in the determined at least one valid end point, wherein invalid end points are end points for which the selected start point would result in new virtual slope terrain elements that collides with existing virtual terrain elements; receive a user indicated position to end the slope; selecting an end point from among the determined at least one valid end point based on the user indicated position to end the slope; updating, by using at least one processor of a computing system, the virtual environment to include at least one new virtual slope terrain element that is between the user selection of the start point and the selected end point; and outputting the updated virtual environment that includes the at least one new virtual slope terrain element to the display.