System and method for providing a progress indicator of an amount of time left in a users turn in a virtual game environment

Abstract

A system and method provide a virtual game environment to users. The virtual game environment may enable the users to participate in a game within the virtual game environment. The game may be a turn-based game. A progress indicator may be included in views of the virtual game environment provided to the users that indicates an amount of time left in a present turn of a user in an enhanced manner. For example, the progress indicator may unobtrusively indicate an amount of time left in the present turn in a clear, distinctive manner.

1 . A method for providing a virtual game environment to users, the method being implemented in a computer system comprising one or more physical processors, the method comprising:
 determining view information for transmissions to client computing platforms associated with users that facilitate presentation of views of a game environment to the users on the client computing platforms, wherein the game environment is common among the users, wherein the individual users are represented in the game environment by avatars, and wherein the users comprise a first user represented by a first avatar;   managing a game being played by the users within the game environment, wherein the game is a turn-based game, and wherein user turns during the game are timed; and   determining transitions of user turns including turn beginnings and turn endings, and   depicting, in views of the game environment, a progress indicator that progresses around individual avatars during the turns of the corresponding users such that during a turn of the first user the progress indicator progresses around the first avatar in the views of the game environment from a starting point that corresponds to the beginning of the turn of the first user to an ending point that corresponds to the end of the turn of the first user, whereby the progress of the progress indicator from the starting point to the ending point graphically indicates an amount of time left in the turn of the first user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising depicting, during the turn of the first user, the progress indicator following a path from the starting point to the ending point that surrounds the first avatar in the views of the game environment. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising depicting, during the turn of the first user, the progress indicator increasing in length as the progress indicator progresses from the starting point to the ending point of the path in the views of the game environment. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the increase in the length of the progress indicator in the views of the game environment is equal to the distance the progress indicator has moved along the path. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising depicting, during the turn of the first user, the progress indicator decreasing in length as the progress indicator progresses from the starting point to the ending point of the path in the views of the game environment. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the game decrease in the length of the progress indicator in the views of the game environment is equal to the distance the progress indicator has moved along the path. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising depicting, during the turn of the first user, the one or more portions of the path that are not occupied by the progress indicator as having a different color than the progress indicator in the views of the game environment. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising depicting, during the turn of the first user, the progress indicator changing colors in the views of the game environment such that at the beginning of the turn of the first user the progress indicator has a first color and at the end of the turn of the first user the progress indicator has a second color. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising depicting, during the turn of the first user, the progress indicator having a third color in the views of the game environment at a point in time between the beginning of the turn and the end of the turn. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising depicting, responsive to a success of the first user in the game, the path changing color in the views of the game environment to indicate the success of the first user. 
     
     
         11 . A method for presenting a view of a virtual game environment to a first user on a client computing platform having:
 one or more processors, the method comprising:   receiving view information at the client computing platform;   generating a view of a game environment for presentation to a user using the client computing platform;   wherein the game environment -is common among the user and a set of other users to facilitate playing of a group game by the user and the set of other users within the game environment,   wherein the individual users are represented in view of the game environment by avatars,   wherein the set of other users comprise a first user represented by a first avatar,   wherein the game is a turn-based game,   wherein user turns during the game are timed; and   depicting a progress indicator that progresses around individual avatars during the turns of the corresponding users such that during a turn of the first user the progress indicator progresses around the first avatar in the view of the game environment from a starting point that corresponds to the beginning of the turn of the first user to an ending point that corresponds to the end of the turn of the first user, whereby the progress of the progress indicator from the starting point to the ending point graphically indicates an amount of time left in the turn of the first user.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising depicting, during the turn of the first user, the progress indicator following a path from the starting point to the ending point that surrounds the first avatar in the view of the game environment. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising depicting, during the turn of the first user, the progress indicator increasing in length as the progress indicator follows the path from the starting point to the ending point that surrounds the first avatar. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising depicting, during the turn of the first user, the increase in the length of the progress indicator in the view of the game environment being equal to the distance the progress indicator has moved along the path, as the progress indicator progresses from the starting point to the ending point of the path. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising depicting, during the turn of the first user, the progress indicator decreasing in length as the progress indicator progresses from the starting point to the ending point of the path in the view of the game environment. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising depicting, during the turn of the first user, the decrease in the length of the progress indicator in the view of the game environment being equal to the distance the progress indicator has moved along the path as the progress indicator progresses from the starting point to the ending point of the path. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising depicting in the view of the game environment, during the turn of the first user, the one or more portions of the path, that are not occupied by the progress indicator, as having a different color than the progress indicator. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein during the turn of the first user the progress indicator changes colors in the view of the game environment such that at the beginning of the turn of the first user the progress indicator has a first color and at the end of the turn of the first user the progress indicator has a second color. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein during the turn of the first user the progress indicator has a third color in the view of the game environment at a point in time between the beginning of the turn and the end of the turn. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising depicting, responsive to a success of the first user in the game, the path changing color in the view of the game environment to indicate the success of the first user.