Snapshot view of multi-dimensional virtual environment

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

• perform, at a server system, the following steps:
• exchange information with a first client and a second client, wherein the first and second clients are mutually participating in a communication session, including:
• transmitting to the second client object information representing a plurality of objects in a multi-dimensional virtual environment, the transmitted object information including position information about positions of the plurality of objects in the multi-dimensional virtual environment, wherein the multi-dimensional virtual environment is rendered at the second client and plurality of objects includes a non-avatar object;
• transmitting access control data to the second client, the access control data indicating an access level to the multi-dimensional virtual environment for a first user, the access level being determined based on social network information associated with the first user;
• and
• transmitting to the first client a first image for display by a client application, the first image including a representation of the multi-dimensional virtual environment and depicting the plurality of objects including the non-avatar object in the multi-dimensional virtual environment;
• and
• wherein the second client has an application, distinct from the client application, for rendering multi-dimensional virtual environments.

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory storing instructions that when executed cause a server system to:
• exchange information with a first client and a second client, wherein the first and second clients are mutually participating in a communication session, including:
• transmitting to the second client object information representing a plurality of objects in a multi-dimensional virtual environment, the transmitted object information including position information about positions of the plurality of objects in the multi-dimensional virtual environment, wherein the multi-dimensional virtual environment is rendered at the second client and plurality of objects includes a non-avatar object;
• transmitting access control data to the second client, the access control data indicating an access level to the multi-dimensional virtual environment for a first user, the access level being determined based on social network information associated with the first user;
• and
• transmitting to the first client a first image for display by a client application, the first image including a representation of the multi-dimensional virtual environment and depicting the plurality of objects including the non-avatar object in the multi-dimensional virtual environment;
• and
• wherein the second client has an application, distinct from the client application, for rendering multi-dimensional virtual environments.