Control of interactions within virtual environments

Abstract

A method for restricting the number of consequential interactions to further virtual objects having a relationship with a first virtual object, resulting from an interaction with said first virtual object. The method comprises: defining a maximum number of consequential interactions, counting consequential interactions, and stopping further interaction when the maximum number of consequential interactions is reached.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dedicated control element for controlling the functionality of three-dimensional virtual objects belonging to a set of three-dimensional virtual objects within a distributed three-dimensional virtual environment, said dedicated control element being associated with said environment, and comprising:
 a set identifier configured to determine whether a three-dimensional virtual object within said distributed three-dimensional virtual environment is a member of said set, and   a set controller configured to process events associated with said member of said set, thereby to provide relationship-based control for members of said set.   
     
     
         2 . The dedicated control element of  claim 1 , wherein said set is defined by a physical relationship within said environment. 
     
     
         3 . The dedicated control element of  claim 2 , wherein said physical relationship comprises a one-way physical relationship with a further virtual object. 
     
     
         4 . The dedicated control element of  claim 2 , wherein said physical relationship comprises a two-way physical relationship with a further virtual object. 
     
     
         5 . The dedicated control element of  claim 2 , wherein said physical relationship comprises a one-way physical relationship with another member of said set, or wherein said physical relationship comprises a two-way physical relationship with another member of said set. 
     
     
         6 . The dedicated control element of  claim 2 , wherein said physical relationship comprises a mutual movement relationship, such that said set is defined as the group of all virtual objects that move when a further virtual object is moved. 
     
     
         7 . The dedicated control element of  claim 1 , wherein said set is defined by a logical relationship between virtual objects. 
     
     
         8 . The dedicated control element of  claim 1 , configured to recognize a predetermined trigger to invoke a corresponding predetermined interaction among members of said set. 
     
     
         9 . The dedicated control element of  claim 1 , wherein said set controller is configured to process said events according to a relationship between said three-dimensional virtual object and said set. 
     
     
         10 . The dedicated control element of  claim 1 , wherein said set control functionality is configured for processing one member of the group consisting of events received from any object and applicable to said three-dimensional virtual object identified as belonging to said set; and events received from said three-dimensional virtual object identified as belonging to said set, thereby to provide relationship-based control for members of said set. 
     
     
         11 . The dedicated control element of  claim 10 , wherein said set is defined by a physical relationship within said environment. 
     
     
         12 . The dedicated control element of  claim 11 , wherein said physical relationship is selected from the group consisting of:
 a one-way physical relationship with a further virtual object, two-way physical relationship with a further virtual object:   a one-way physical relationship with another member of said set;   a two-way physical relationship with another member of said set.   
     
     
         13 . The dedicated control element of  claim 11 , wherein said physical relationship comprises a mutual movement relationship, such that said set is defined as the group of all virtual objects that move when a further virtual object is moved. 
     
     
         14 . The dedicated control element of  claim 10 , wherein said set is defined by a logical relationship between virtual objects. 
     
     
         15 . The dedicated control element of  claim 10 , configured to recognize a predetermined trigger to invoke a corresponding predetermined interaction among members of said set. 
     
     
         16 . A method for controlling functionality of a set of three-dimensional virtual objects within a distributed three-dimensional virtual environment, the three-dimensional virtual environment implemented on electronic processors networked together, the method comprising:
 incorporating allowable functionality for said set of three-dimensional virtual objects within a dedicated control element associated with said distributed three-dimensional virtual environment,   incorporating identification functionality within said dedicated control element to enable said dedicated control element to distinguish between three-dimensional virtual objects within said set and three-dimensional virtual objects not within said set, and   thereby allowing said dedicated control element to apply rules applicable to said set to control virtual objects within said set.   
     
     
         17 . A distributed common three-dimensional virtual environment implemented on an electronic processor networked to other electronic processors, the common virtual environment comprising:
 three-dimensional virtual scenery; and   a plurality of expert game control modules, each game control module comprising control and implementation data for implementing a respectively different game within said three-dimensional virtual scenery.   
     
     
         18 . A server adapted to communicate with a remote client, said server implementing a virtual computing environment using an electronic processor, said virtual computing environment comprising:
 a plurality of virtual objects, each virtual object configured to interact by providing an action in response when presented with a predefined initiating condition by another object, said interacting being a direct reaction to said initiating condition within confines of said environment and giving rise to a direct consequential interaction in a further object, the environment further comprising an interaction stopper configured for avoiding undesirable looping behavior by preventing additional consequential interactions between one of said virtual objects and a later one of said virtual objects when a number of objects already involved in direct consequential interactions of a given initial interaction reaches a predefined maximum, said preventing comprising configuring said following object not to provide a consequential interaction in response to a respective preceding consequential interaction, thereby arresting undesirable continuation of said looping behavior.   
     
     
         19 . A server as claimed in  claim 18 , said relationship with at least said second virtual object being defined by an order number, said order number being equal to the number of consequentially interacting objects. 
     
     
         20 . A server as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said predetermined interaction limit is specific to at least one of an interaction order and an interaction type, and said interaction stopper is operable to stop interactions within said specificity. 
     
     
         21 . A server as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said consequential interaction with said at least second object comprises a change in at least one of location, movement, shape, size, status, internal parameters, color and texture of said second object. 
     
     
         22 . A dedicated control element for controlling the functionality of virtual objects belonging to a set of virtual objects within a virtual reality environment, said dedicated control element being implemented on an electronic processor and associated with said virtual reality environment, and comprising:
 identification functionality for determining whether a first virtual object within said virtual reality environment is a member of said set, and   control functionality for processing events received from said first virtual object, said events including events given rise to initial conditions able to cause direct interactions with further virtual objects of said set within said environment, said further virtual objects being directly caused by respective preceding direct interactions to interact with further virtual objects within confines of said environment, said control functionality further comprising an interaction stopper configured to avoid undesirable loops of said consequential interactions by preventing more than a predetermined number of direct consequential interactions following an initial interaction within said environment, said preventing comprising configuring a further virtual object not to provide a response to a consequential interaction of a preceding object when said maximum is reached, which response is configured in said later object for said consequential interaction of said preceding object otherwise.