Systems and methods for triggering action character cover in a video game

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium stored on a computing device, the computing device comprising a touch screen display, one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more programs singularly or collectively comprise instructions for running an application on the computing device, wherein (i) the application is associated with a user, (ii) the application includes a first virtual character that is associated with a categorical cover status selected from the set {“cover” and “active”}, (iii) the cover status “cover” is associated with a first plurality of images of the first virtual character stored in the computing device or accessible to the computing device from a remote location, and (iv) the cover status “active” is associated with a second plurality of images of the first virtual character stored in the computing device or accessible to the computing device from a remote location, the application performing the method of:

• displaying a scene on the touch screen display, wherein the scene is obtained from a plurality of scene images stored in the computing device or that is accessible to the computing device from a remote location;
• obtaining a weapon status of a virtual weapon in the application;
• providing a first affordance region and a second affordance region on the scene;
• responsive to contact with the first affordance region by the user, changing an orientation of the scene;
• responsive to contact with the second affordance region by the user when the weapon status is in a first value range that is other than a second value range, performing a firing process comprising:
• i) displaying one or more images from the second plurality of images of the first virtual character on the scene;
• ii) firing the virtual weapon into the scene;
• iii) updating the weapon status to account for the firing of the virtual weapon;
• and
• iv) performing a status check, wherein, the status check comprises:
• a) when (i) the first affordance region and the second affordance region are free of user contact or (ii) the second affordance is presently in contact with the user and the weapon status is deemed to be in the second value range, performing the method of:
• deeming the cover status to be “cover”,
• terminating firing the virtual weapon into the scene,
• terminating display of the one or more images from the second plurality of images of the first virtual character, and
• displaying one or more images from the first plurality of images of the first virtual character;
• and
• b) when the second affordance is presently in contact with the user and the weapon status is in the first value range, repeating the firing process;
• and
• c) when (i) the first affordance is presently in contact with the user, (ii) the weapon status is in the first value range, and (iii) the second affordance is not in contact with the user, repeating the firing process upon user contact with the second affordance region.

A computing system comprising a touch screen display, one or more processors, and memory, the memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs singularly or collectively comprising instructions for running an application on the computing system, wherein

• (i) the application is associated with a user, (ii) the application includes a first virtual character that is associated with a categorical cover status selected from the set {“cover” and “active”}, (iii) the cover status “cover” is associated with a first plurality of images of the first virtual character stored in the computing system or accessible to the computing system from a remote location, and (iv) the cover status “active” is associated with a second plurality of images of the first virtual character stored in the computing system or accessible to the computing system from a remote location, the application performing the method of:
• displaying a scene on the touch screen display, wherein the scene is obtained from a plurality of scene images stored in the computing system or that is accessible to the computing system from a remote location;
• obtaining a weapon status of a virtual weapon in the application;
• providing a first affordance region and a second affordance region on the scene;
• responsive to contact with the first affordance region by the user, changing an orientation of the scene;
• responsive to contact with the second affordance region by the user when the weapon status is in a first value range that is other than a second value range, performing a firing process comprising:
• i) displaying one or more images from the second plurality of images of the first virtual character on the scene;
• ii) firing the virtual weapon into the scene;
• iii) updating the weapon status to account for the firing of the virtual weapon;
• and
• iv) performing a status check, wherein, the status check comprises:
• a) when (i) the first affordance region and the second affordance region are free of user contact or (ii) the second affordance is presently in contact with the user and the weapon status is deemed to be in the second value range, performing the method of:
• deeming the cover status to be “cover”,
• terminating firing the virtual weapon into the scene,
• terminating display of the one or more images from the second plurality of images of the first virtual character, and
• displaying one or more images from the first plurality of images of the first virtual character;
• and
• b) when the second affordance is presently in contact with the user and the weapon status is in the first value range, repeating the firing process;
• and
• c) when (i) the first affordance is presently in contact with the user, (ii) the weapon status is in the first value range, and (iii) the second affordance is not in contact with the user, repeating the firing process upon user contact with the second affordance region.

A method of serving an application at a server comprising one or more processors, and memory for storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs singularly or collectively encoding the application, wherein

• (i) the application is associated with a user,
• (ii) the application includes a first virtual character that is associated with a categorical cover status selected from the set {“cover” and “active”},
• (iii) the cover status “cover” is associated with a first plurality of images of the first virtual character stored in the server or accessible to the server from a remote location, and
• (iv) the cover status “active” is associated with a second plurality of images of the first virtual character stored in the server or accessible to the server from a remote location, the application performing the method of:
• formatting a scene for display on a remote electronic device associated with the user, wherein the scene is obtained from a plurality of scene images stored in the server, the remote electronic device, or that is accessible to the server from a remote location;
• obtaining a weapon status of a virtual weapon in the application;
• formatting a first affordance region and a second affordance region on the scene;
• responsive to contact with the first affordance region by the user, changing an orientation of the scene;
• responsive to detecting contact with the second affordance region by the user when the weapon status is in a first value range that is other than a second value range, initiation a firing process comprising:
• i) displaying one or more images from the second plurality of images of the first virtual character on the scene;
• ii) firing the virtual weapon into the scene;
• iii) updating the weapon status to account for the firing of the virtual weapon;
• and
• iv) performing a status check, wherein, the status check comprises:
• a) when (i) the first affordance region and the second affordance region are free of user contact or (ii) the second affordance is presently in contact with the user and the weapon status is deemed to be in the second value range, performing the method of:
• deeming the cover status to be “cover”,
• terminating firing the virtual weapon into the scene,
• terminating display of the one or more images from the second plurality of images of the first virtual character, and
• displaying one or more images from the first plurality of images of the first virtual character;
• and
• b) when the second affordance is presently in contact with the user and the weapon status is in the first value range, repeating the firing process;
• and
• c) when (i) the first affordance is presently detected as being in contact with the user, (ii) the weapon status is in the first value range, and (iii) the second affordance is detected as not being in contact with the user, repeating the firing process upon detecting user contact with the second affordance region.