Abstract: An apparatus for displaying an object such as a billboard in a virtual world is provided. An input history of a user's operation for moving a character in the virtual world is obtained. The movement track of the character in the virtual world is also obtained. The position and direction of the billboard are changed according to the input history and the movement track so that the billboard is visible to the user. For instance, on a street where the user is expected to move at a high speed, the direction of the billboard is changed so that its display surface can face the front of the character and the billboard is displayed in a position far away from the user's viewing position.

Abstract: A remote controller apparatus has a controller body, which is provided with annularly disposed display devices displaying as images operating buttons for the purpose of executing functions of a remotely controlled apparatus, and which is further provided with a display device at the center of the annularly disposed display devices. Operating switches are provided below each of the display devices, a transparent shuttle ring is disposed over the annularly disposed display devices, and a transparent center button is provided over the display device at the center. The shuttle ring is caused to rotate, and if necessary operating buttons displayed by each of the display devices are switched to other operating buttons.

Abstract: A communication device communicates information via a virtual world configured by a server machine to client terminal devices operating characters in the virtual world. It is therefore possible to transmit various information to and to receive various information from the virtual world, even from a place remote from the client terminal devices, which enables a linking between the virtual world and the real world to be realized.

Abstract: A message to be transmitted is selected from a list which includes the number of times a calling signal is to be sent for each of a plurality of messages. The number of calling signals corresponding to the message to be transmitted is read, and a transmitter controls communication so that the number of transmitted calling signals is limited to the number of calling signals corresponding to the message to be transmitted. A receiver, after a message corresponding to the number of calling signals arriving at the receiver is read from a list, displays the message on a display unit. According to this configuration, a message may be transmitted and received simply and surely under conditions set beforehand without establishing a voice communication line between the transmitter and receiver.

Abstract: Objects which are created in conformity with the data format of objects to be handled in a virtual world, are offered to users on the terminal computers of the users independently of the virtual world. The users transmit the offered objects to a server computer which generates the virtual world, while the server computer stores these objects in association with the operators. Since these objects are recorded in the format which can be interpreted by the server computer for generating the virtual world, they can be handled in the virtual world likewise to the other objects which are defined in the virtual world beforehand. Thus, the users are permitted to use in the virtual world the objects which are different from the objects defined in the virtual world beforehand.