Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating an avatar are described. A number of user-modifiable genes are maintained in a local processing system, each of which represents a different user-perceivable attribute of the avatar. An encoded representation of the genes is then transmitted to a remote processing system over a network. The genes represent non-geometry parameters, which are used in both the local processing system and the remote processing system to generate geometry for rendering the avatar. One or more of the genes may represent a biomechanical, behavioral, and/or biometric attribute of the avatar. One or more of the genes may be adjusted by a user to allow the user to customize the avatar, which may be performed using a graphical user interface designed for avatar customization. Adjusting one or more of the genes may generate a variation of a previously-generated avatar and may be used to control blending between two or more 3-D models or animation scripts.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for managing terrain rendering information. The terrain rendering information includes a data structure of render blocks. The data structure represents a three-dimensional terrain topology of a virtual world with a set of two-dimensional terrain topologies. Each render block includes primitives that define samples of a respective area of terrain to be rendered. A render block manager manages the allocation of render blocks in the data structure based on current reference point information and allocation criteria. Terrain data at higher levels of detail (that is, a greater resolution) is kept closer to the reference point information by adding and removing appropriate render blocks. In this way, appropriate terrain rendering information is maintained efficiently in the data structure during movement of a reference point.