Using real-time constructive solid geometry to provide painting and thinning game mechanics
AssigneeDisney Enterprises, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey N. Grills, Peter J. Shelus, III, Bruce F. Naylor, Matt Baer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques are described for providing a painting and thinning mechanic within a computer-generated environment (e.g., in a video game). The painting and thinning mechanic allows geometry within the computer-generated environment to be “painted” or “thinned.” Painting and thinning refers to a mechanic that involves making parts of the virtual environment visibly and collidably transparent (thinning) or visibly and collidably opaque (painting). The painting/thinning mechanic may be achieved using binary space partitioning (BSP) trees.
Claims27
A computer-implemented method for executing a video game, comprising:
- receiving input indicating to apply a paint or thinner material to a first set of geometry in the video game;
- merging, by operation of one or more processors, a first binary space partitioning (BSP) tree with a second BSP tree, wherein the first BSP tree represents the first set of geometry, wherein the second BSP tree represents a second set of geometry, of the paint or thinner material, wherein one or more elements of geometry represented in the first BSP tree are associated with a respective paint/thinning state, and wherein the merged BSP tree represents a merged set of geometry created from the first and second sets of geometry;
- and
- updating, in the merged BSP tree, a paint/thinning state associated with a respective one or more elements of the merged set of geometry.
A computer-readable storage medium comprising a program product which, when executed, is configured to perform an operation for executing a video game, the operation comprising:
- receiving input indicating to apply a paint or thinner material to a first set of geometry in the video game;
- merging a first binary space partitioning (BSP) tree with a second BSP tree, wherein the first BSP tree represents the first set of geometry, wherein the second BSP tree represents a second set of geometry, of the paint or thinner material, wherein one or more elements of geometry represented in the first BSP tree are associated with a respective paint/thinning state, and wherein the merged BSP tree represents a merged set of geometry created from the first and second sets of geometry;
- and
- updating, in the merged BSP tree, a paint/thinning state associated with a respective one or more elements of the merged set of geometry.
A system, comprising:
- a memory device storing an application program;
- and
- a processor which, when executing the application program is configured to perform an operation, comprising:
- receiving input indicating to apply a paint or thinner material to a first set of geometry in a video game,
- merging a first binary space partitioning (BSP) tree with a second BSP tree, wherein the first BSP tree represents the first set of geometry, wherein the second BSP tree represents a second set of geometry, of the paint or thinner material, wherein one or more elements of geometry represented in the first BSP tree are associated with a respective paint/thinning state, and wherein the merged BSP tree represents a merged set of geometry created from the first and second sets of geometry, and
- updating, in the merged BSP tree, a paint/thinning state associated with a respective one or more elements of the merged set of geometry.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.