Avatars in virtual environments

A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

• creating a virtual environment, the virtual environment being displayed within a first user interface on a first display of a first device and within a second user interface on a second display of a second device;
• in response to a request from a first user via the first device, generating (i) an avatar representing the first user within the virtual environment and (ii) an object with which the first user interacts via the avatar within the virtual environment,
• the avatar having a first attribute and a second attribute, the first attribute of the avatar describing an aspect of the avatar as displayed within the first user interface on the first display, the second attribute of the avatar describing the aspect of the avatar as displayed within the second user interface on the second display, the first attribute of the avatar and the second attribute of the avatar each having a value equal to a first value,
• the object having a spatial position within the virtual environment relative to the avatar as displayed within the first user interface on the first display and as displayed within the second user interface on the second display;
• and
• after generating the avatar, changing the value of the second attribute of the avatar from the first value to a second value to change the aspect of the avatar as displayed within the second user interface on the second display while (i) the value of the first attribute of the avatar remains equal to the first value and (ii) the spatial position of the object remains unchanged relative to the avatar as displayed within the first user interface on the first display.

A computer program product comprising a nontransitive storage medium, the computer program product including code that, when executed by processing circuitry of a computer, causes the processing circuitry to perform a method, the method comprising:

• receiving a stream of data over a network, the stream of data defining a virtual environment including (i) an avatar representing a first user within the virtual environment and (ii) an object with which the first user interacts via the avatar within the virtual environment;
• displaying the virtual environment on a display within a user interface accessible to a second user;
• while displaying the virtual environment within the user interface, receiving a request to change an aspect of the avatar as displayed within the user interface on the display, the aspect of the avatar being defined by a first value of an attribute in the stream of data;
• and
• in response to receiving the request, performing a transformation on the stream of data received over the network, the transformation (i) changing the value of the attribute of the avatar from the first value to a second value as the stream of data is received and (ii) maintaining a spatial position of the object within the virtual environment relative to the avatar when the aspect of the avatar is defined by the first value of the attribute.

An electronic apparatus, comprising:

• a network interface;
• memory;
• and
• controlling circuitry coupled to the memory, the controlling circuitry being configured to:
• receive a stream of data over a network, the stream of data describing a virtual environment including (i) an avatar representing a first user within the virtual environment and (ii) an object with which the first user interacts via the avatar within the virtual environment;
• display the virtual environment on a display within a user interface accessible to a second user;
• while displaying the virtual environment within the user interface, receive a request to change an aspect of the avatar as displayed within the user interface on the display, the aspect of the avatar being described by a first value of an attribute in the stream of data;
• and
• in response to receiving the request, perform a transformation on the stream of data received over the network, the transformation (i) changing the value of the attribute of the avatar from the first value to a second value as the stream of data is received and (ii) maintaining a spatial position of the object within the virtual environment relative to the avatar when the aspect of the avatar is described by the first value of the attribute.