Providing game information via characters in a game environment

Abstract

Providing game information via character in a game environment comprises monitoring a position of a character in the game environment, providing visual information to the user based on the position of the character in the game environment, the visual information being presented as a modification of the character, and providing audio information to the user based on the position of the character in the game environment, the audio information being presented as statements from another character. A visual information module visually provides game information to the user within the context of the game environment and an audio information module audibly provides game information to the user within the context of the game environment.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for providing game information to a user, comprising: 
 monitoring a state of a character in a game environment; and    presenting game information to the user based on the state of the character, the game information being presented within a context of the game environment.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the state of the character is a position of the character.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the state of the character is an action of the character.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein presenting game information further comprises presenting visual information.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the visual information is presented to the user as a modification of the character.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the modification of the character comprises modifying a direction of orientation of a head of the character within a range of motion appropriate to the character.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein presenting game information further comprises presenting audio information.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the audio information is presented to the user as statements by another character in the game environment.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the other character is a companion to the character that is present with the character throughout the game environment.  
     
     
         10 . A system for providing game information, comprising: 
 a visual information module configured to visually provide information to a user by modifying a character in a game environment.    
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising an audio information module configured to audibly provide information to the user by initiating playback of audio signals that represent statements between characters in the game environment.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the visual information module is further configured to monitor a state of the character in the game environment and modify the character based on the state.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the state of the character is a position of the character.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the state of the character is an action of the character.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the visual information module is further configured to modify a direction of orientation of a head of the character within a range of motion appropriate to the character.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the visual information module is further configured to modify a component of the character not controllable by the user.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the audio information module is further configured to monitor a state of the character in the game environment and to select an appropriate audio signal of the audio signals based on the state.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the state of the character in the game environment is a position of the character.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the state of the character in the game environment is an action of the character.  
     
     
         20 . An electronic-readable medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a machine to perform a method for providing game information to a user, the method comprising: 
 monitoring a state of a character in a game environment; and    presenting game information to the user based on the state of the character, the game information being presented within a context of the game environment.    
     
     
         21 . A system for providing game information to a user, comprising: 
 means for monitoring a state of a character in a game environment; and    means for presenting game information to the user based on the state of the character, the game information being presented within a context of the game environment.