Method and system for providing a virtual presentation including a virtual companion and virtual photography

A method of creating and presenting a virtual collection in a virtual world comprising:

• using a computer system, displaying a plurality of virtual objects to be collected within the virtual world on a display device, said virtual objects being classified in a plurality of different categories of virtual objects within the virtual world;
• using the computer system, and in response to an input from the user selecting a target virtual object to be collected and added to the virtual collection associated with the user, adding the target virtual object to a virtual photo album within an appropriate category in which the target virtual object is classified from one of said plurality of different categories;
• displaying a first prize for the user in response to addition of the target virtual object to the virtual photo album;
• and
• presenting the user with a gift in response to the user collecting all virtual objects in the appropriate category, wherein presentation of the gift comprises at least one of an audio component and a video component.

A method of providing a virtual presentation, the method comprising:

• using a computer system, representing a toy with a virtual character in the virtual world, said virtual character being controllable according to commands input by a user via the computer system;
• using the computer system, providing a plurality of different virtual beings in the virtual world, wherein the user can select at least one of the virtual beings within the virtual world to be a virtual companion of the virtual character;
• in response to selection of the virtual companion by the user, associating the virtual companion with the virtual character controlled by the user;
• displaying the virtual companion within a close proximity of the virtual character in the virtual world to establish a relationship between the virtual character and the virtual companion;
• moving the virtual character to a desired location within the virtual world in response to commands input by the user;
• and
• substantially maintaining the relationship between the virtual character and virtual companion while the virtual character is moved.

A method of providing a virtual presentation comprising:

• using a computer system, granting a user access to a virtual character within a virtual world and allowing the user to control movement of the virtual character within the virtual world;
• using the computer system, receiving and validating an access code associated with a real-world toy possessed by the user;
• in response to receiving and validating the access code, granting the user access to a virtual companion for the virtual character, allowing the user to establish a relationship between the virtual character and the virtual companion by causing the virtual companion to be positioned in close proximity to the virtual character within the virtual world;
• and
• substantially maintaining the relationship between the virtual companion and the virtual character while following movement of the virtual character in the virtual world in response to an input from the user requesting movement of the virtual character.

A method of providing a virtual presentation comprising:

• using a computer system, granting a user access to a virtual character within a virtual world and allowing the user to control movement of the virtual character within the virtual world;
• using the computer system, granting the user access to a virtual companion for the virtual character and displaying the virtual companion in close proximity to the virtual character within the virtual world;
• substantially maintaining the displaying between the virtual companion and the virtual character after movement of the virtual character in the virtual world in response to an input from the user requesting movement of the virtual character;
• and
• providing the user with a virtual dwelling for the virtual companion within the virtual world;
• and
• allowing the user to store the virtual companion within the virtual dwelling when the virtual companion is not displayed within close proximity to the virtual character.

A method of providing a virtual presentation comprising:

• using a computer system, granting a user access to a virtual character within a virtual world and, in response to receiving input commands from the user, controlling movement of the virtual character within the virtual world in a manner consistent with the input commands;
• restricting access to a restricted portion of the virtual world to prevent the user from participating in an activity in the restricted portion that allows the user to attempt to select a virtual being displayed within the restricted portion of the virtual world;
• using the computer system, receiving and validating an access code associated with a real-world object in possession of the user;
• in response to receiving and validating the access code, granting the user access to the restricted portion of the virtual world and allowing the user to participate in the activity by attempting to select the virtual being displayed within the restricted portion of the virtual world;
• displaying the virtual being in another portion of the virtual world, other than the restricted portion of the virtual world, where said another portion was accessible to the user before granting access to the restricted portion of the virtual world, wherein the virtual being can be selected by the user in the another portion of the virtual world;
• and
• awarding a prize to the user in response to successful selection of the virtual being within the another portion of the virtual world.

A method of providing a virtual presentation comprising:

• using a computer system, granting a user access to a virtual character in a virtual room associated with the virtual character;
• in response to receiving commands input into the computer system by the user, controlling movement of the virtual character within the virtual room in a manner consistent with the commands;
• using the computer system, granting the user access to a virtual companion for the virtual character, wherein the virtual companion is to be selectively positioned by the user adjacent to the virtual character in the virtual room to accompany the virtual character during movements of the virtual character controlled by the user;
• and
• providing a secondary virtual room for the virtual companion, wherein the virtual companion is to be displayed within the secondary virtual room when not accompanying the virtual character within the virtual room.