Abstract: A method of generating sequential images representing an object under user control within a virtual environment, the method comprising accessing a set of scenic images which each represent at least part of said virtual environment as viewed from known viewpoints, and during sequential image generation: receiving user commands; maintaining object position variable data representing a current object position within said virtual environment, which is updated in response to said user commands; selecting scenic images to be accessed according to a current viewpoint determinant; overlaying a generated object image onto a selected scenic image according to the current object position.

Abstract: A video signal is generated having a moving image as a series of playback frames and representing movement of a viewer through a computer-generated virtual scene which is generated using stored images by taking the stored images to have different viewpoints within the virtual scene. The video signal is generated by selecting a first stored image based on the selection of a first viewpoint, generating a first playback frame using the first stored image, selecting a next viewpoint from a set of potential next viewpoints distributed relative to the first viewpoint across the virtual scene, selecting a second stored image on the basis of the selected next viewpoint, and generating a subsequent playback frame using the second stored image.