Allowing an alternative action in a virtual world

A method for allowing an alternative action in a virtual world, comprising:

• permitting a user to request an original action for an avatar of the user in the virtual world;
• determining if the original action is available for the user's avatar at the time of the request;
• determining, using a computer, if at least one alternative action is available for the user's avatar in response to the original action being unavailable to the user's avatar;
• presenting the at least one alternative action as an option to the user, and
• allowing the user's avatar to perform the at least one alternative action in response to the user selecting the at least one alternative action.

A method for allowing an alternative action in a virtual world, comprising:

• presenting an original graphical user interface to permit a user to request an original action for the user's avatar in the virtual world;
• receiving a request for the original action;
• performing the original action in response to the original action being available for the user's avatar;
• and
• in response to the original action being unavailable for the user's avatar at the time that the user requests the original action:
• providing a notification that the original action is unavailable;
• storing the request for the original action in a queue;
• determining, using a computer, an alternative action to present to the user based on at least one of the group of virtual demographics, information about the user's avatar, previously requested actions by the user and other actions that are relevant to the original action;
• determining if the alternative action for the user's avatar is available;
• presenting a second graphical interface to the user to allow the user to request the alternative action
• receiving a request for the alternative action;
• permitting the user's avatar to perform the alternative action while the request for the original action is still in the queue;
• determining if the original action is available for the user's avatar;
• sending a notification of availability of the original action in response to the original action being determined to be available for the user's avatar;
• providing a graphical user interface to the user in response to the original action being determined to be available for the user's avatar;
• providing a predetermined time period for allowing the user to accept the original action;
• performing the original action in response to the user accepting the original action within the predetermined time period;
• allowing the user's avatar to continue to perform the alternative action in response to the user not accepting the original action within the predetermined time period;
• and
• dropping the user's request for the original action from the queue in response to the user not accepting the original action within the predetermined time period.