Directed communication in a virtual environment

A computer system, comprising:

• at least one processing unit;
• memory operably associated with the at least one processing unit;
• a system for providing directed communication between avatars in a virtual environment that are controlled by end-users from outside the virtual environment that is storable in memory and executable by the at least one processing unit, the system comprising:
• a system for determining a relative location of a first avatar and a second avatar in a virtual environment, wherein at least one end-user of the first avatar and the second avatar wears a headset configured to track head movements thereof, wherein the head movements of the end-user translate to their avatar and influence volume of voice communication from their avatar;
• a system for adjusting aspects of a voice communication between the first avatar and the second avatar based on the relative location and the track head movements;
• a system for referring to a list of avatars whose audio characteristics are to be portrayed differently in a voice communication, the list containing types of audio characteristics to be portrayed for each avatar on the list, wherein the list and the types of audio characteristics to be portrayed for each avatar on the list are detected and generated automatically from audio characteristics that the avatars have used in past interactions within the virtual environment;
• and
• a system for further adjusting the audio characteristics of one of the first avatar and the second avatar in accordance with the types of audio characteristics set forth in the automatically generated list of avatars whose detected audio characteristics are to be portrayed differently in a voice communication in response to determining that one of the first avatar and the second avatar is in the automatically generated list of avatars whose detected audio characteristics are to be portrayed differently in a voice communication.

A program product stored on a computer readable storage device, which when executed by a computer system, provides directed communication between avatars in a virtual environment that are controlled by end-users from outside the virtual environment, the computer readable storage device comprising program code for:

• determining a relative location of a first avatar and a second avatar in a virtual environment, wherein at least one end-user of the first avatar and the second avatar wears a headset configured to track head movements thereof, wherein the head movements of the end-user translate to their avatar and influence volume of voice communication from their avatar;
• adjusting aspects of a voice communication between the first avatar and the second avatar based on the relative location and the track head movements of the at least one end-user;
• referring to a list of avatars whose audio characteristics are to be portrayed differently in a voice communication, the list containing types of audio characteristics to be portrayed for each avatar on the list, wherein the list and the types of audio characteristics to be portrayed for each avatar on the list are detected and generated automatically from audio characteristics that the avatars have used in past interactions within the virtual environment;
• and
• further adjusting the audio characteristics of one of the first avatar and the second avatar in accordance with the types of audio characteristics set forth in the automatically generated list of avatars whose detected audio characteristics are to be portrayed differently in a voice communication in response to determining that one of the first avatar and the second avatar is in the automatically generated list of avatars whose detected audio characteristics are to be portrayed differently in a voice communication.

A method for deploying an application for providing directed communication between avatars in a virtual environment that are controlled by end-users from outside the virtual environment, comprising:

• providing a computer infrastructure being operable to:
• determine a relative location of a first avatar and a second avatar in a virtual environment, wherein at least one end-user of the first avatar and the second avatar wears a headset configured to track head movements thereof, wherein the head movements of the end-user translate to their avatar and influence volume of voice communication from their avatar;
• adjust aspects of a voice communication between the first avatar and the second avatar based on the relative location and the track head movements of the at least one end-user;
• refer to a list of avatars whose audio characteristics are to be portrayed differently in a voice communication, the list containing types of audio characteristics to be portrayed for each avatar on the list, wherein the list and the types of audio characteristics to be portrayed for each avatar on the list are detected and generated automatically from audio characteristics that the avatars have used in past interactions within the virtual environment;
• and
• further adjust the audio characteristics of one of the first avatar and the second avatar in accordance with the types of audio characteristics set forth in the automatically generated list of avatars whose detected audio characteristics are to be portrayed differently in a voice communication in response to determining that one of the first avatar and the second avatar is in the automatically generated list of avatars whose detected audio characteristics are to be portrayed differently in a voice communication.