Apparatus, system, and method for automated generation of a virtual environment for software applications

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for generating a reproducible virtual environment in a computer software program. This invention describes a method of generating a realistic virtual environment dependent on a sequence of pseudo-random numbers generated by a pseudo-random number generator initialized by a seed value that may be created by the user. If a user starts with the same initial seed, the same virtual environment is created each time the program is run. However, if a new seed is used, a new virtual environment will be created.

1 . A method for generating a reproducible pseudo-random virtual environment in a computer software program, the method comprising: 
 determining a seed value;    initializing a pseudo-random number generator with the seed value;    generating a sequence of pseudo-random numbers using the pseudo-random number generator previously initialized with the seed value, the sequence comprising at least one pseudo-random number;    executing a series of software decisions to create a virtual environment,    the outcome of at least one of the decisions dependent upon the sequence of pseudo-random numbers; and    wherein the virtual environment is reproducible based on the seed value.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual environment comprises a spatial layout.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising placing physical features into the spatial layout based on the sequence of pseudo-random numbers.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the physical features relate to a computer-based simulation selected from the group of computer-based simulations consisting of a computer-based golf game, a computer-based baseball game, a computer-based tennis game, a computer-based ice hockey game, a computer-based boxing game, a computer-based chess game, a computer-based horse racing game, a computer-based car racing game, and a computer-based flight simulator which tests the flight skills of pilots.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual environment comprises a series of unanticipated events, wherein the unanticipated events are computer generated events dependent on the sequence of pseudo-random numbers.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the seed value comprises a filename associated with the virtual environment.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein executing a series of software decisions to create a virtual environment comprises: 
 generating a series of geometric shapes having dimensions dependent on the sequence of pseudo-random numbers; and    positioning each geometric shape within the series of geometric shapes based on the sequence of pseudo-random numbers.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein shapes within the series of geometric shapes are selected from the group consisting of ellipses, circles, squares, rectangles, trapezoids, triangles, arcs, curves, lines, points, and hexagons.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the virtual environment is mapped using x, y, and z coordinates and wherein positioning each geometric shape comprises: 
 selecting x-y planar coordinates for the geometric shape; and    selecting the z coordinate of the geometric shape, wherein the z coordinate defines the height of the shape in the virtual environment,    wherein selecting the coordinates for the geometric shape is dependent on the sequence of pseudo-random numbers.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 calculating the height of a point in the virtual environment proximate to a geometric shape by 
 first calculating a factor representative of the influence of the geometric shape on the point; and  
 determining a z coordinate for the point using the formula  
     z=H ((π/2)−arc tangent(factor)),  
 where H is the height of z value assigned to the geometric shape.  
   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 calculating the height of a point in the virtual environment proximate to a geometric shape by 
 first calculating a factor representative of the influence of the geometric shape on the point; and  
 determining a z coordinate for the point using the formula  
     z=H (arc tangent(factor)),  
 where H is the height of z value assigned to the geometric shape.  
   
   
   
       12 . A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform an operation to generate a reproducible virtual environment, the operation comprising: 
 receiving a seed value;    initializing a pseudo-random number generator with the seed value;    generating a sequence of pseudo-random numbers using the pseudo-random number generator previously initialized with the seed value, the sequence comprising at least one pseudo-random number;    executing a series of software decisions to create a virtual environment wherein each software decision incorporates one or more pseudo-random numbers selected from the sequence of pseudo-random numbers in a predetermined order such that the virtual environment is reproducible from the same seed value.    
   
   
       13 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 12 , wherein the virtual environment comprises a spatial layout and wherein the operation further comprises placing terrain specific features into the spatial layout based on the sequence of pseudo-random numbers.  
   
   
       14 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 12 , wherein the virtual environment comprises a series of unanticipated events, wherein the unanticipated events are computer generated events dependent on the sequence of pseudo-random numbers.  
   
   
       15 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 14 , wherein the series of unanticipated events comprises meteorological changes in the virtual environment and wherein the attributes of meteorological changes are dependent on the sequence of pseudo-random numbers.  
   
   
       16 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 12 , wherein executing a series of software decisions to create a virtual environment comprises: 
 generating a series of geometric shapes defined at least in part by the sequence of pseudo-random numbers; and    positioning each geometric shape in a manner defined at least in part by the sequence of pseudo-random numbers.    
   
   
       17 . A system to generate a reproducible virtual environment in a computer software program, the system comprising: 
 a computing device;    a seed reception module configured to receive a seed value;    a pseudo-random number generator initialized with the seed value and configured to generate a sequence of pseudo-random numbers, wherein the sequence comprises at least one pseudo-random number;    an environment creation module configured to create a virtual environment defined at least in part by the sequence of pseudo-random numbers,    wherein the virtual environment is reproducible based on the seed value.    
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the virtual environment is a spatial layout and the environment creation module is further configured to place terrain specific features into the spatial layout based on the sequence of pseudo-random numbers.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the virtual environment comprises a series of unanticipated events, wherein the unanticipated events are computer generated events dependent on the sequence of pseudo-random numbers.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the environment creation module is further configured to create the virtual environment by 
 generating a series of geometric shapes having dimensions defined at least in part by the sequence of pseudo-random numbers; and    positioning each geometric shape in a manner that is defined at least in part by the sequence of pseudo-random numbers.