Abstract: The invention generally relates to virtual environments and systems and methods for avoiding collisions or other conflicts. The invention provides systems and methods for collision avoidance while exposing a participant to a virtual environment by detecting a probable collision and making a shift in the virtual environment to cause the participant to adjust their motion and avoid collision. In certain aspects, the invention provides a collision avoidance method that includes exposing a participant to a virtual environment, detecting a motion of the participant associated with a probable collision, and determining a change to the motion that would nullify the probable collision. An apparent position of an element of the virtual environment is shifted according to the determined change, thereby causing the participant to adjust the motion and nullify the probable collision.