Virtual Activity Space Interface for Concurrent Game Navigation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtual activity spaces do not efficiently allow users to navigate and switch between multiple concurrent activities, limiting their ability to participate in multiple online games or applications simultaneously due to interface limitations and resource constraints.
Innovation Solution
A client-server system with a user interface that includes a primary view module, secondary interface module, and view selection module, allowing users to interact with multiple activities by presenting primary and secondary activities differently, enabling seamless navigation between them through touch-based interactions on a limited electronic display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If users attempt to participate in multiple concurrent activities on a single electronic display, then user engagement and productivity increase, but the interface becomes cluttered and difficult to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The interface is segmented into multiple independent activity windows that can be individually managed and positioned. Each activity occupies a distinct region of the display, allowing users to participate in multiple activities simultaneously while maintaining clear visual separation and independent control of each activity's interface elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from traditional single-focus interface navigation to a multi-dimensional workspace where activities are arranged spatially across the display. Users can navigate between activities by moving across different regions of the screen rather than switching through sequential screens, adding a spatial dimension to interface navigation.
2Loss of information
If multiple full-featured activity interfaces are displayed simultaneously, then users can access all activity information, but the combined interface exceeds the available display area
Solution Approach 1:
The display area is segmented into multiple activity windows of appropriate sizes based on the importance and complexity of each activity. Critical activities receive larger windows while less critical ones use smaller windows, allowing all activity information to be displayed simultaneously without exceeding the total display area.
Solution Approach 2:
Each activity window displays the most essential information and controls for that activity, providing a simplified but functional interface. Users can access additional details and controls within each activity as needed, rather than displaying all possible information for all activities at once.
3Loss of time
If users switch between multiple activities frequently, then they can respond to time-sensitive actions, but navigation time and cognitive load increase
Solution Approach 1:
All activity interfaces are prepared and displayed simultaneously in their respective windows before the user needs to interact with them. This eliminates the need to load or transition between interfaces, allowing users to immediately respond to time-sensitive actions in any activity without navigation delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The activity windows are dynamically arranged and sized based on user interactions and activity priorities. Frequently accessed activities can be positioned in more accessible locations, and window sizes can adjust based on the current state of each activity, optimizing the interface layout for rapid switching.
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual activity space is provided to users. The virtual activity space, or instances of the virtual activity space, may be used to enable users to participate in an activity such as, e.g., a card game. A user may participate in multiple activities concurrently. One of these activities, the so-called primary activity, is more dominantly and/or prominently presented than the other activities, the so-called secondary activities. Navigating between concurrent activities is accomplished through an interface that is displayed at the periphery of a view of a virtual activity space. A selection of a secondary activity simultaneously causes the primary activity to become a secondary activity, and causes the selected activity to become the new and current primary activity.