Outer Rim Archives
Archives · 2019 · 10467808

Granted patent

Systems and methods to provide narrative experiences for users of a virtual space

Number
10467808
Published
2019-11-05
Filed
2017-02-09
Assignee
Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors
Murdock; Malcolm E., Poswal; Mohammad, Hellam; Taylor, Di Zanni; Dario
CPC
A63F13/47; G06T19/003; G06F3/011; A63F13/67
Verdict
Low Notable software
Source
Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Narrative experiences for VR virtual space users.

Abstract

The systems and methods presented herein are related to providing narrative experiences for users of a virtual space. A machine learning based technique may be implemented for generating paths through the virtual space that present the narrative experiences. A path may be based on tagged points of interest, as illustrated in stored narrative information associated with the virtual space. A machine-learning training loop may be applied wherein the system may be trained to recognize and/or understand what sorts of virtual content within the virtual space may be considered to be of narrative interest to audience members.

Background

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE(1) This disclosure relates to providing narrative experiences for users of a virtual space.BACKGROUND(2) Providing interactive narrative content in a virtual space presents complex challenges.SUMMARY(3) One aspect of the disclosure relates to a system configured to provide narrative experiences for users of a virtual space. In persistent simulated virtual spaces that are used to generate narrative experiences (e.g., cinematic content and/or other experiences) for end users, it may be necessary to generate paths for AI characters to travel between interesting locations for narrative. Unfortunately, when dealing with automated path generation for procedural (vs. scripted) content, computer-generated paths may often lead to uninteresting locations from a story perspective. For example, just because a character walks behind a building doesn't mean there's anything interesting happening there. Thus, procedural rendering for cloud-based content generation may require a number of unique problems to be solved in order to optimize both the rendering efficiency and the final experience for the user. Character paths must be valid, e.g., obey world physics. Paths should take the character through interesting narrative events without pre-scripting. Paths for cinematic renderings should incorporate visually arresting locations/scenes.(4) One or more implementations of system 100 presented herein propose solutions for the above problems. The system 100 may implement

Claims

1. A system configured to provide narrative experiences for users of a virtual space, the system comprising: electronic storage configured to store narrative information associated with a virtual space, the virtual space including virtual space content, the virtual space content comprising static environments, virtual objects present within the static environments, one or more events that take place within the static environments, and simulated physical phenomena, the narrative information specifying values of narrative attributes of the virtual space content, the narrative attributes including one or more of a character role attribute, a plot point attribute, an interaction attribute, or an aesthetics attribute; one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to: execute an instance of the virtual space and implement the instance of the virtual space to facilitate participation of one or more users in the instance of the virtual space, user participation including interaction with the virtual space content via individual virtual characters associated with individual users; identify, based on the narrative information, narrative content within the virtual space, the narrative content comprising virtual space content that form bases for narrative experiences to be experienced by one or more users in the virtual space; determine, from the identified narrative content, individual sets of the identified narrative content to form individual ones of the narrative experiences; define the individual narrative experiences based on individual sets of identified narrative content determined for the individual narrative experiences; determine, for the individual narrative experiences, individual paths within the virtual space through which the virtual space is viewed during the individual narrative experiences, wherein the individual paths are determined such that the narrative content in the individual sets of identified narrative content of the individual narrative experiences are encountered without user input during the individual narrative experiences; and effectuate presentation of the individual narrative experiences to users of the virtual space. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein defining the individual narrative experiences based on individual sets of identified narrative content determined for the individual narrative experiences comprises: determining, for the individual paths, individual ordered sequences for encountering the narrative content included in the individual sets of identified narrative content. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the individual paths correspond to either fly-by camera views or non-user entity views. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to: obtain user interaction information for individual users of the virtual space, the user interaction information for an individual user including indications of the virtual space content that the individual user has interacted with; and wherein identifying the narrative content within the virtual space is further based on the user interaction information. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein defining the individual narrative experiences based on individual sets of identified narrative content determined for the individual narrative experiences is further based on the world physics of the virtual space. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein an individual event includes one or more interactions of one or more virtual objects with one or more other virtual objects within one or more static environments. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein defining the individual narrative experiences based on individual sets of identified narrative content determined for the individual narrative experiences is based on machine-learning. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual space is a persistent procedurally generated virtual space. 9. A method to provide narrative experiences for users of a virtual space, the method being implemented in a computer system including one or more physical processors and storage media storing machine-readable instructions, the method comprising: storing narrative information associated with a virtual space, the virtual space including virtual space content, the virtual space content comprising static environments, virtual objects present within the static environments, one or more events that take place within the static environments, and simulated physical phenomena, the narrative information specifying values of narrative attributes of the virtual space content, the narrative attributes including one or more of a character role attribute, a plot point attribute, an interaction attribute, or an aesthetics attribute; execute an instance of the virtual space and implementing the instance of the virtual space to facilitate participation of one or more users in the instance of the virtual space, user participation including interaction with the virtual space content via individual virtual characters associated with individual users; identifying, based on the narrative information, narrative content within the virtual space, the narrative content comprising virtual space content that form bases for narrative experiences to be experienced by one or more users in the virtual space; determining, from the identified narrative content, individual sets of the identified narrative content to form individual ones of the narrative experiences; defining the individual narrative experiences based on individual sets of identified narrative content determined for the individual narrative experiences; determining, for the individual narrative experiences, individual paths within the virtual space through which the virtual space is viewed during the individual narrative experiences, wherein the individual paths are determined such that the narrative content in the individual sets of identified narrative content of the individual narrative experiences are encountered without user input during the individual narrative experiences; and effectuating presentation of the individual narrative experiences to users of the virtual space. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: determining, for individual paths, individual ordered sequences for encountering the narrative content included in the individual sets of identified narrative content. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the individual paths correspond to either fly-by camera views or non-user entity views. 12. The method of claim 9, further comprising: obtaining user interaction information for individual users of the virtual space, the user interaction information for an individual user including indications of the virtual space content that the individual user has interacted with; and wherein identifying the narrative content within the virtual space is further based on the user interaction information. 13. The method of claim 9, wherein defining the individual narrative experiences based on individual sets of identified narrative content determined for the individual narrative experiences is further based on the world physics of the virtual space. 14. The method of claim 9, wherein an individual event includes one or more interactions of one or more virtual objects with one or more other virtual objects within one or more static environments. 15. The method of claim 9, wherein defining the individual narrative experiences based on individual sets of identified narrative content determined for the individual narrative experiences is based on machine-learning. 16. The method of claim 9, wherein the virtual space is a persistent procedurally generated virtual space.