Unified Character Control System for Multi-User Virtual Spaces
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for managing character control in multi-character networked games are inflexible, requiring hard coding on a case-by-case basis and lacking shared functionality between user-controlled and non-user-controlled characters, leading to choppy character animations and inefficient network traffic.
Innovation Solution
A system that unifies character control sources by switching between user and non-user control input streams based on the current control type, using a common instruction set and allowing easy migration of characters between control sources, including user, AI, and network resources, with modules for user and non-user input management and coupling detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If character control is implemented with separate hard-coded solutions for user-controlled and non-user-controlled characters, then specific control functionality can be achieved, but the system becomes inflexible and difficult to maintain with no shared functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal control input module that can receive and process control inputs from multiple sources (user input, AI control, network control) through a unified interface. This allows the same character control system to serve multiple control modes without requiring separate hard-coded solutions, enabling shared functionality while maintaining adaptability to different control sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between different control sources based on the current control type. The control input module can transition between user-controlled, AI-controlled, and network-controlled modes without requiring system reconfiguration, making the control architecture flexible and adaptable to changing game states.
2Adaptability or versatility
If character control transitions between different control sources are supported, then character versatility is improved, but control switching complexity increases requiring explicit coding for each transition scenario
Solution Approach 1:
The universal control input module handles all control source transitions through a single unified interface, eliminating the need for explicit case-by-case coding for each transition scenario. The module automatically manages switching between user, AI, and network control sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system automatically manages transitions between control sources without requiring manual intervention or complex switching logic. The control input module self-adapts to the current control type and manages the transition scenarios autonomously.
3Reliability
If network control is implemented with literal character location and animation updates, then network synchronization is achieved, but network traffic volume increases and character animation becomes choppy
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses extrapolation to create educated guesses about character position and animation state, rather than literally transmitting every character location and animation frame. This reduces network traffic while maintaining synchronization, as the receiving end can reconstruct character state from partial information.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of transmitting complete character state information (location, animation, frame) for every update, the system transmits only necessary partial information and uses extrapolation to fill in the gaps. This reduces network traffic volume while maintaining acceptable synchronization accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
Character control in a virtual space may be managed between user instructions and non-user instructions. User instructions associated with controllable aspects of characters within the virtual space may be received. The characters may include a first character associated with a first user and a second character. Non-user instructions associated with controllable aspects of characters within the virtual space may be provided. A determination may be made as to whether two or more characters are coupled together. The first character may be coupled with the second character responsive to a coupling action performed by one or both of the first character or the second character. A determination may be made as to whether user instructions or non-user instructions should dictate control of controllable aspects of characters. Individual characters may be configured to be agnostic as to whether user instructions or non-user instructions dictate control of controllable aspects.