Abstract: A high-quality motion simulation based on the sampled simulated motion of a piloted object or vehicle and a system to provide visual information to teach a user how to manipulate the object's controls to achieve the displayed motion. The invented method includes piloting the object, periodically sampling various characteristics of the object while it is in motion, providing the sampled information to a processor, interpolating additional characteristics of the object that represent its motion and position between chronologically adjacent pieces of sampled information, and rendering an apparently smooth presentation of the object's motion. The invented method may also include presenting the control parameters used to produce such motion in order to teach a viewer how to manipulate the controls to achieve the desired motion.

Abstract: Computerized puzzle gaming method and apparatus are described. The method and apparatus provide for the computer-assisted creation, storage, recall, editing, solving and sharing of animated puzzles. Puzzles may be created for posing and solution on a personal computer's (PC's) display screen by user selection and placement of objects including structural members, action devices and characters each of which has a set of programmed physical and intellectual attributes. Structural members and characters, for example, have an artificial intelligence in that they seemingly are aware of the existence, identity, proximity, orientation and activity of objects around them and selectively act on those objects or react to those objects in predefined ways to enhance the animation. Objects are programmed to obey physical laws such as the laws of gravity, motion, etc., and natural laws such as hunger, affinity, etc.

Abstract: The invented computer simulation playback method includes the steps of recording commands entered during use of a simulation, operating the simulation with the recorded commands and allowing new commands to be entered at any point during the step of operating the simulation with the recorded commands. More specifically, the invented method runs a simulation on a computer system that includes a user input device and a visual display. Images are shown on the display and the person using the simulation enters commands through the user input device. The commands affect the images shown on the visual display and are recorded in the sequence that they were entered. The method then runs the simulation again and automatically enters the recorded commands in the same sequence that they were recorded so that substantially the same images that were produced when the commands were initially entered are displayed again. During that step, new commands can be entered.

Abstract: The invented computer simulation playback method includes the steps of recording commands entered during use of a simulation, operating the simulation with the recorded commands and allowing new commands to be entered at any point during the step of operating the simulation with the recorded commands. More specifically, the invented method runs a simulation on a computer system that includes a user input device and a visual display. Images are shown on the display and the person using the simulation enters commands through the user input device. The commands affect the images shown on the visual display and are recorded in the sequence that they were entered. The method then runs the simulation again and automatically enters the recorded commands in the same sequence that they were recorded so that substantially the same images that were produced when the commands were initially entered are displayed again. During that step, new commands can be entered.