System and method for utilizing vectors in a video game

Abstract

A system and method for recording and displaying vectors along a graphical path in a video game is provided. Upon initiation of a video game event, a player views vectors associated with the game paths of one or more player characters. The vectors may be net resultant force vectors generated in real time that act on each player character to determine each player character's dynamics of motion. Furthermore, the vectors may be net resultant force vectors associated with a previous game path, such as a “best time” path. The previous game path may comprise a “worst time” path and an “average time” path. Additionally, the net resultant force vectors may convey player character state travel information via one or more colors. In one embodiment of the present invention, the player may gauge game progress, future game maneuvers, and obstacle avoidance via observation of the net resultant force vectors.

1 . A method for utilizing vectors in a video game, comprising: 
 computing a plurality of vectors along one or more graphical paths, each of the one or more graphical paths associated with a player character; and    displaying the plurality of vectors along the one or more graphical paths.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vectors are a plurality of net resultant force vectors.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein computing further comprises computing the plurality of vectors based upon phenomenological laws.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing further comprises computing the plurality of vectors based upon physical laws of nature.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing further comprises computing the plurality of vectors in real time.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the displaying further comprises displaying the plurality of vectors along the one or more graphical paths as a plurality of colored vectors, a color of a vector of the plurality of vectors indicating a character state.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising 
 retrieving previous graphical path data associated with a previous run; and    displaying the previous graphical path data as a string of vectors.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising 
 determining a color for a vector of the string of vectors based upon an elapsed time of a current video game session and an elapsed time associated with the vector of the string of vectors.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the determining further comprises selecting a first color for the vector if the elapsed time associated with the vector is greater than the elapsed time of the current video game session.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the determining further comprises selecting a color for the vector based upon a character state associated with the vector if the elapsed time associated with the vector is less than or equal to the elapsed time of the current video game session.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the character state associated with the vector is an “on the ground” state.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the character state associated with the vector is an “airborne” state.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the character state associated with the vector is a “crashed” state.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the previous run is a “best time” run.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the previous run is a run selected from one or more previous runs.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the plurality of vectors along the one or more graphical paths to a data cache.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using the plurality of vectors to debug the video game.  
   
   
       18 . An electronic-readable medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a machine to perform a method for utilizing vectors in a video game, the method comprising: 
 computing a plurality of resultant force vectors in real time along one or more graphical paths, each of the one or more graphical paths associated with a player character; and    displaying the plurality of resultant force vectors along the one or more graphical paths.    
   
   
       19 . The electronic-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the displaying further comprises displaying the plurality of resultant force vectors in real time along the one or more graphical paths as a plurality of colored resultant force vectors, a color of a resultant force vector of the plurality of resultant force vectors indicating a character state.  
   
   
       20 . The electronic-readable medium of  claim 18 , further comprising 
 retrieving previous graphical path data associated with a previous run; and    displaying the previous graphical path data as a string of resultant force vectors.    
   
   
       21 . The electronic-readable medium of  claim 20 , further comprising determining a color for a resultant force vector of the string of resultant force vectors based upon an elapsed time of a current video game session and an elapsed time associated with the resultant force vector of the string of resultant force vectors.  
   
   
       22 . The electronic-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the determining further comprises selecting a first color for the resultant force vector if the elapsed time associated with the resultant force vector is greater than the elapsed time of the current video game session.  
   
   
       23 . The electronic-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the determining further comprises selecting a color for the resultant force vector based upon a character state associated with the resultant force vector if the elapsed time associated with the resultant force vector is less than or equal to the elapsed time of the current video game session.  
   
   
       24 . The electronic-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the previous run is a “best time” run.  
   
   
       25 . The electronic-readable medium of  claim 18 , further comprising storing the plurality of resultant force vectors to a data cache.  
   
   
       26 . An electronic entertainment system for utilizing vectors in a video game, comprising: 
 a data cache configured to store graphical path data associated with a current video game session and one or more previous video game sessions;    a processor configured to compute a plurality of force vectors associated with one or more graphical paths, each of the one or more graphical paths associated with a player character; and    a display device configured to display the plurality of force vectors.    
   
   
       27 . The electronic entertainment system of  claim 26 , wherein the graphical path data includes the plurality of force vectors.  
   
   
       28 . The electronic entertainment system of  claim 26 , wherein the processor is further configured to compute a color of a force vector from the plurality of force vectors, the color of the vector from the plurality of force vectors indicating a character state.  
   
   
       29 . The electronic entertainment system of  claim 26 , wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve the graphical path data associated with one of the one or more previous game sessions and to generate a string of force vectors.  
   
   
       30 . The electronic entertainment system of  claim 29 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a color of a force vector of the string of force vectors based upon an elapsed time of the current video game session and an elapsed time associated with the force vector.  
   
   
       31 . The electronic entertainment system of  claim 29 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a color of a force vector of the string of force vectors based upon a character state associated with the force vector.  
   
   
       32 . The electronic entertainment system of  claim 26 , further comprising a memory card configured to store the graphical path data.  
   
   
       33 . The electronic entertainment system of  claim 26 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate and store graphical path data of the current video game session in the data cache.  
   
   
       34 . The electronic entertainment system of  claim 27 , wherein the processor is further configured to store graphical path data of the current video game session as “best time” run graphical path data if a total elapsed time of the current video game session is less than total elapsed times associated with the one or more previous video game sessions.  
   
   
       35 . A system for utilizing vectors in a video game session, comprising: 
 means for computing a plurality of vectors along one or more graphical paths, each of the one or more graphical paths associated with a player character; and    means for displaying the plurality of vectors along the one or more graphical paths.