Method and system for controlling user interface environments on a display

Abstract

Disclosed in some examples is a method for controlling a user interface environment, the method including rendering, on a display, a user interface including a first environment in a first portion of the user interface and a second environment in a second portion of the user interface, the first environment visually representing an unlocked area of a game and the second environment visually representing a locked area of the game, displaying a player character in the first portion of the user interface, wherein the player character has access to the first environment and is restricted from accessing the second environment, and displaying, in the second portion of the user interface, a visual effect obscuring display of a visual property of the second environment and indicating a location of an object in the second environment, while the visual property is displayed in the first portion of the user interface region.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system to display a Graphical User Interface, the system comprising:
 one or more computer processors coupled to a memory to perform the operations of:   displaying a first environment rendered in a first portion of the Graphical User Interface and a second environment rendered in a second portion of the Graphical User Interface, the first environment containing graphical information visually representing an unlocked area of a game and the second environment containing second graphical information visually representing a locked area of the game;   displaying a player character in the first portion of the Graphical User Interface, wherein the player character has access to the first environment and is restricted from accessing the second environment;   the second graphical information rendered to automatically produce a visual effect obscuring of a visual property of the second environment in the second portion of the Graphical User Interface, the visual effect indicating a location of an object in the second environment, wherein the visual property is displayed in the first portion of the Graphical User Interface region;   detecting a change in an achievement of the player character used to determine whether an unlocking condition has been achieved, the unlocking condition unlocking the locked area of the game visually represented by the second graphical information in the second environment; and   responsive to detecting the change in the achievement of the player character:
 in accordance with a determination that the unlocking condition has been achieved, removing the visual effect obscuring the visual property of the second environment in the second portion of the Graphical User Interface; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the unlocking condition has not been achieved continuing to automatically produce the visual effect obscuring the visual property of the second environment in the second portion of the Graphical User Interface. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 displaying a message responsive to a detected user interaction with the object, the message corresponding to the object.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the visual property of the second environment is revealed for a predetermined time period responsive to a detected user interaction with the Object. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the visual effect applies a different visual texture to the second environment than the first environment. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the object is an in-game character, a tree, a rock, a plant, a water feature, a structure, a path, a road, or a bridge. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the visual effect includes one or more of dimming, coloring, shading, tinting, or texturing effects. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the visual effect is partially removed responsive to a detected user interaction with the second environment. 
     
     
         28 . A machine-readable medium for controlling Graphical User Interface environments, the machine readable medium storing instructions, which when performed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
 displaying a first environment rendered in a first portion of the Graphical User interface and a second environment rendered in a second portion of the Graphical User interface, the first environment containing graphical information visually representing an unlocked area of a game and the second environment containing second graphical information visually representing a locked area of the game;   displaying a player character in the first portion of the Graphical User Interface, wherein the player character has access to the first environment and is restricted from accessing the second environment;   the second graphical information rendered to automatically produce a visual effect obscuring of a visual property of the second environment in the second portion of the Graphical User Interface, the visual effect indicating a location of an object in the second environment, wherein the visual property is displayed in the first portion of the Graphical User Interface region;   detecting a change in an achievement of the player character used to determine whether an unlocking condition has been achieved, the unlocking condition unlocking the locked area of the game visually represented by the second graphical information in the second environment; and   responsive to detecting the change in the achievement of the player character:
 in accordance with a determination that the unlocking condition has been achieved, removing the visual effect obscuring the visual property of the second environment in the second portion of the Graphical User Interface; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the unlocking condition has not been achieved continuing to automatically produce the visual effect obscuring the visual property of the second environment in the second portion of the Graphical User Interface. 
   
     
     
         29 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 28 , further comprising determining that an in-game objective was reached by the player character; and in response to determining that the in-game objective was reached by the player character, removing the visual effect obscuring display of the visual property of the second environment from the second portion of the Graphical User Interface. 
     
     
         30 . The machine-readable medium of claim  8 , further comprising:
 receiving information indicative of a user interaction with the object; and   responsive to receiving the information indicative of the user interaction with the object, outputting a message corresponding to the object.   
     
     
         31 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 receiving information indicative of a user interaction with the object; and   responsive to receiving the information indicative of the user interaction with the object, revealing the visual property of the second environment for a predetermined time period.   
     
     
         32 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 28 , wherein displaying the visual effect comprises applying a different visual texture to the second environment than the first environment. 
     
     
         33 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 28 , wherein the object is an in-game character, a tree, a rock, a plant, a water feature, a structure, a path, a road, or a bridge. 
     
     
         34 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 28 , wherein displaying the visual effect includes using one or more dimming, coloring, shading, tinting, texturing, or other effects. 
     
     
         35 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 receiving information indicative of a user interaction with the second environment; and   responsive to receiving the information indicative of the user interaction with the second environment, partially removing the visual effect.   
     
     
         36 . A method for controlling Graphical User Interface environments, the method comprising:
 using one or more computer processors coupled to a memory to perform the operations of:   displaying a first environment rendered in a first portion of the Graphical User interface and a second environment rendered in a second portion of the Graphical User Interface, the first environment containing graphical information visually representing an unlocked area of a game and the second environment containing second graphical information visually representing a locked area of the game;   displaying a player character in the first portion of the Graphical User Interface, wherein the player character has access to the first environment and is restricted from accessing the second environment;   the second graphical information rendered to automatically produce a visual effect obscuring of a visual property of the second environment in the second portion of the Graphical User Interface, the visual effect indicating a location of an object in the second environment;   wherein the visual property is displayed in the first portion of the Graphical User Interface region;   detecting a change in an achievement of the player character used to determine whether an unlocking condition has been achieved, the unlocking condition unlocking the locked area of the game visually represented by the second graphical information in the second environment; and   responsive to detecting the change in the achievement of the player character:
 in accordance with a determination that the unlocking condition has been achieved, removing the visual effect obscuring the visual property of the second environment in the second portion of the Graphical User Interface; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the unlocking condition has not been achieved continuing to automatically produce the visual effect obscuring the visual property of the second environment in the second portion of the Graphical User Interface. 
   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising determining that an in-game objective was reached by the player character; and in response to determining that the in-game objective was reached by the player character, removing the visual effect obscuring display of the visual property of the second environment from the second portion of the Graphical User Interface. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 receiving information indicative of a user interaction with the object; and   responsive to receiving the information indicative of the user interaction with the object, outputting a message corresponding to the object.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 receiving information indicative of a user interaction with the object; and   responsive to receiving the information indicative of the user interaction with the object, revealing the visual property of the second environment for a predetermined time period.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein displaying the visual effect comprises applying a different visual texture to the second environment than the first environment.