3D Virtual Environment Navigation with Interactive Scene Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional 3D virtual environments often result in users missing important details due to non-interactive cutscenes and limited user interaction, leading to a suboptimal experience.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that provides navigation assistance in 3D virtual environments by using predefined paths with dynamic virtual characters, virtual cameras, and interactive scene indications to guide users through the environment, capturing and sharing video streams, and utilizing a publish-subscribe model for data communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cutscenes are used to provide cinematic experiences and set mood, then user experience is improved, but user interaction is limited or prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically transitions between cutscene mode and interactive mode based on user presence and navigation state. When users are far from the cinematic area, the system plays cutscenes automatically. When users approach or enter the area, the system pauses or stops the cutscene and enables interactive exploration, thus adapting the interaction level dynamically to resolve the contradiction between cinematic experience and user interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically detects user positions and determines whether to play, pause, or stop cutscenes without requiring manual user input. The navigation path system automatically guides users to cinematic areas and manages the cutscene playback timing, allowing the system to self-regulate the balance between cinematic presentation and user interaction opportunities.
2Loss of information
If navigation paths are divided into sub-paths at virtual areas, then users can explore details holistically, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The navigation path is segmented into multiple sub-paths at virtual areas of interest. Each sub-path provides a specific viewing angle or approach to the virtual area, allowing users to explore details from multiple perspectives. This segmentation ensures that important details are not missed while maintaining organized path management through modular sub-path structures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If virtual characters are positioned dynamically to form geometries, then interactive cinematic experiences are created, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Virtual characters dynamically adjust their positions to form various geometries (such as circles, lines, or patterns) at virtual areas during cutscenes. This dynamic positioning creates diverse cinematic compositions and visual interest without requiring complex manual control, as the character positions are automatically managed by the system based on predefined cinematic patterns.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing navigation assistance in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual environment includes a plurality of virtual characters corresponding to a plurality of users, wherein the plurality of virtual characters communicates with each other in the 3D virtual environment and a plurality of virtual cameras corresponding to the plurality of virtual characters. Further, the given virtual camera being movable according to a movement of the corresponding virtual character. Further, providing at least one predefined navigation path in the 3D virtual environment for directing the plurality of virtual characters to move towards at least one virtual area in the 3D virtual environment. Furthermore, providing an indication of scene details in the at least one virtual area. Moreover, capturing a plurality of video streams using the plurality of virtual cameras and sending the plurality of video streams to the plurality of user devices for display thereat.