Abstract: A method includes providing a three-dimensional virtual environment by executing instructions and displaying the environment in two dimensions on a display screen of a computerized appliance, defining a matrix of cells within space of the virtual environment having objects with surfaces positioned by coordinates virtual environment, determining relative occupancy values for cells intersection of objects with cells, determining in the direction of light sources, relative illumination values for the cells with consideration of intensity and direction and occupancy values, including occlusion effects from cell to cell, and displaying illumination effects on surfaces of objects by managing pixel colors and intensity according to illumination values of adjacent cells.

Abstract: A method includes providing a three-dimensional virtual environment by executing instructions and displaying the environment in two dimensions on a display screen of a computerized appliance, defining a matrix of cells within space of the virtual environment having objects with surfaces positioned by coordinates virtual environment, determining relative occupancy values for cells intersection of objects with cells, determining in the direction of light sources, relative illumination values for the cells with consideration of intensity and direction and occupancy values, including occlusion effects from cell to cell, and displaying illumination effects on surfaces of objects by managing pixel colors and intensity according to illumination values of adjacent cells.

Abstract: A system has a server with a processor, a storage medium and coded instructions executable on the processor causing the server to display a video game to a player operating a computer, the video game comprising a virtual world having objects with surfaces, movable in the space of the virtual world by the player, and one or more light sources, create and manage a voxel grid associated with the player, compute an occupancy value for individual ones of the cells of the grid, compute an illumination value for cells of the grid by consideration of position and direction of the light sources, the occupancy value of the cell, and illumination values of immediately adjacent cells in the voxel grid, and determine brightness for pixels in display of surfaces of objects in frames of the video game based on the illumination values of cells proximate to the surfaces of the objects.

Abstract: A method includes steps of opening a link between a player's appliance and a network-connected server providing games, selecting a game to play by the player through an interface provided to the player's appliance by the server, transmitting virtual world data by the server to the player's appliance, along with a version identification, storing the virtual world data and associated version identification in a cache at the player's appliance, playing the game by the player using the player's appliance, and suspending play of the game by the player.

Abstract: A network-connected system serving digital games includes a game server having a first software application executing from a non-transitory physical medium coupled to the server, the server serving a digital game to individual ones of network-connected digital appliances, and distributed client software applications executing from non-transitory physical mediums coupled to the network-connected digital appliances. The client software applications monitor local processing capability for real-time processing of served objects and effects, communicate capability information to the game server, and the game server serves objects and effects compatible with a higher level of processing capability or objects and effects compatible with a lower level of processing capability depending on the capability information communicated.

Abstract: A system has a server with a processor, a storage medium and coded instructions executable on the processor causing the server to display a video game to a player operating a computer, the video game comprising a virtual world having objects with surfaces, movable in the space of the virtual world by the player, and one or more light sources, create and manage a voxel grid associated with the player, compute an occupancy value for individual ones of the cells of the grid, compute an illumination value for cells of the grid by consideration of position and direction of the light sources, the occupancy value of the cell, and illumination values of immediately adjacent cells in the voxel grid, and determine brightness for pixels in display of surfaces of objects in frames of the video game based on the illumination values of cells proximate to the surfaces of the objects.

Abstract: A system for rendering virtual terrain includes an Internet-connected server and software executing on the server from a non-transitory physical medium, the software providing a first function for building a basic terrain from geometric blocks, a second function for analyzing surrounding terrain properties, a third function for adding or subtracting blocks from the terrain, and a fourth function for smoothing the final terrain surfaces.

Abstract: A method includes steps of opening a link between a player's appliance and a network-connected server providing games, selecting a game to play by the player through an interface provided to the player's appliance by the server, transmitting virtual world data by the server to the player's appliance, along with a version identification, storing the virtual world data and associated version identification in a cache at the player's appliance, playing the game by the player using the player's appliance, and suspending play of the game by the player.

Abstract: A system for rendering virtual terrain includes an Internet-connected server and software executing on the server from a non-transitory physical medium, the software providing a first function for building a basic terrain from geometric blocks, a second function for analyzing surrounding terrain properties, a third function for adding or subtracting blocks from the terrain, and a fourth function for smoothing the final terrain surfaces.

Abstract: A network-connected system serving digital games includes a game server having a first software application executing from a non-transitory physical medium coupled to the server, the server serving a digital game to individual ones of network-connected digital appliances, and distributed client software applications executing from non-transitory physical mediums coupled to the network-connected digital appliances. The client software applications monitor local processing capability for real-time processing of served objects and effects, communicate capability information to the game server, and the game server serves objects and effects compatible with a higher level of processing capability or objects and effects compatible with a lower level of processing capability depending on the capability information communicated.