System and method for placing a character animation at a location in a game environment

A method for execution by a processor of a computer system, comprising:

• maintaining a game environment;
• receiving a request to execute an animation routine during gameplay;
• attempting to identify a location in the game environment having a surrounding area that is free to host the requested animation routine;
• in case the attempting is successful, carrying out the animation routine at the identified location in the game environment;
• determining an animation radius, wherein attempting to identify the location in the game environment having the surrounding area that is free to host the requested animation routine comprises attempting to identify a location in the game environment that is unobstructed in an area defined by the animation radius relative to that location;
• and
• in case the attempting is unsuccessful, determining a location having a surrounding area that is unobstructed within a reduced animation radius less than the animation radius, and constraining the requested animation routine to the reduced animation radius.

A computer system, comprising:

• a memory storing data and program instructions, the data representing a game environment;
• a processor configured to execute the program instructions stored in the memory, such that execution of the program instructions causes the computer to implement a method that comprises:
• receiving a request to execute an animation routine;
• attempting to identify a location in the game environment having a surrounding area that is free to host the requested animation routine;
• and
• in case the attempting is successful, carrying out the animation routine at the identified location in the game environment;
• wherein attempting to identify a location in the game environment having a surrounding area that is free to host the requested animation routine comprises:
• a) determining whether an area surrounding an initial location is free to host the requested animation routine;
• b) in case the area surrounding the initial location is not free to host the requested animation routine, selecting a next location;
• c) determining whether an area surrounding the next location is free to host the requested animation routine;
• d) in case the area surrounding the next location is not free to host the requested animation routine, selecting another next location;
• and
• wherein the attempting is considered successful when any of steps a) or c) determines a location that is free to host the requested animation routine.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program instructions which, when executed by a processor of a computer system running a game environment, causes the processor to implement a method in the game environment, the method comprising

• receiving a request to execute an animation routine;
• attempting to identify a location in the game environment having a surrounding area that is free to host the requested animation routine;
• and
• in case the attempting is successful, carrying out the animation routine at the identified location in the game environment
• wherein attempting to identify a location in the game environment having a surrounding area that is free to host the requested animation routine comprises:
• a) determining whether an area surrounding an initial location is free to host the requested animation routine;
• b) in case the area surrounding the initial location is not free to host the requested animation routine, selecting a next location;
• c) determining whether an area surrounding the next location is free to host the requested animation routine;
• d) in case the area surrounding the next location is not free to host the requested animation routine, selecting another next location;
• and
• wherein the attempting is considered successful when any of steps a) or c) determines a location that is free to host the requested animation routine.