Abstract: Various methods for implementation by a computer that executes a video game. A first method comprises obtaining a desired direction of motion of a playing character that is in cover mode and on a cover path; and moving the character along the cover path in case the desired direction of motion is within a given range of directions, the character being kept in cover mode. A second method comprises determining a distance of the character to a cover path associated with a particular game object; determining the character's angle of approach relative to the game object; and responsive to receipt of a command to invoke cover mode, causing the character to enter cover mode in case a plurality of conditions is satisfied including a first condition that depends on the distance of the character to the cover path and a second condition that depends on the character's angle of approach.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, gaming device and computer-readable medium for an Augmented Reality (AR) application. The method includes maintaining an AR gaming environment during a gaming session. The method also includes receiving image data representing a real-world scene including one or more real-world objects. The method also includes detecting in the image data at least one real-world object from a set of detectable real-world objects. The method further includes upon detection of the at least one real-world object in the image data, generating at least one virtual character in the AR gaming environment, the at least one virtual character having an association with the at least one real-world object.

Abstract: A computer-implemented graphics processing method, which comprises providing an original set of vertices of a terrain mesh; producing a new set of vertices from the original set of vertices; and, for a given vertex in the original set of vertices: (i) obtaining texture coordinates for vertices in a subset of vertices in the new set of vertices that corresponds to the given vertex in the original set of vertices; and (ii) combining the obtained texture coordinates to obtain a texture coordinate for the given vertex in the original set of vertices. The combining may comprise determining a weighted sum of the obtained texture coordinates, and the weights may be the weights for which the given vertex in the original set of vertices is the centroid of a polygon formed by the corresponding vertices in the new set of vertices.

Abstract: A video game apparatus, comprising at least one processor and a non-transitory storage medium operably connected to the at least one processor and storing computer-readable program instructions. The at least one processor is configured to execute the program instructions, wherein execution of the program instructions by the at least one processor causes carrying out of a method. The method comprises maintaining a virtual environment in the memory, the virtual environment including a player character; receiving a request for enhanced motion functionality of the player character; identifying a landing site in the virtual environment based on one or more validity criteria; determining a trajectory to the identified landing site; and causing the player character to exhibit enhanced motion functionality by traveling at least partly along said trajectory.

Abstract: A method comprises producing image frames representing evolution of a scene in a field of view of a virtual camera in a virtual environment; and rendering in the image frames an appearance of movement of an environment element in the scene in correspondence with movement of the virtual camera within the virtual environment. In another method the virtual environment may include a virtual camera, an object of interest and an environment element of which at least a portion is located between the virtual camera and the object of interest. The method may comprise producing a sequence of image frames representing evolution of a scene, and over the course of multiple image frames, rendering an appearance of movement of the portion of the environment element to expose more of the object of interest in at least part of the scene previously occupied by the portion of the environment element that was moved.

Abstract: A computer readable medium and an image processing method implemented by a computer processor, for determining a color value for a given pixel of a current frame. The method comprises: selecting, by the computer processor, coordinates of a sample position within the given pixel of the current frame; determining, by the computer processor, a present color value for said sample position coordinates; blending, by the computer processor, the computed color value with a color value for at least one pixel of a previous frame, the at least one pixel of the previous frame including a pixel related to the given pixel; and storing in a memory the blended color value for the given pixel of the frame. Thus, aliasing may be mitigated by dynamically varying the relative contributions of the past and the present to the rendered color value of pixels in a frame.

Abstract: A computer system comprising a memory storing data and program instructions, the data representing a game environment including a character and a plurality of cover segments; a player interface; and a processor configured to execute the program instructions stored in the memory. Execution of the program instructions causes the computer to implement a method that comprises determining a selected subset of the cover segments; determining a curved path that passes through control points associated with the selected subset of the cover segments; and rendering images for display via the player interface, the images showing movement of the character along the curved path while the character is in cover mode.

Abstract: A method for execution by a processor of a computer system for computer gaming. The method comprises maintaining a game environment; receiving a request to execute an animation routine during gameplay; attempting to identify a location in the game environment having a surrounding area that is free to host the requested animation routine; and in case the attempting is successful, carrying out the animation routine at the identified location in the game environment.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system and computer-readable medium for determining an illumination component for a selected point in a multi-dimensional space. The method comprises identifying a set of probes associated with the selected point, the probes located in the multi-dimensional space; for each selected one of the probes, determining which of a plurality of zones for the selected probe contains the selected point and determining visibility of said determined zone from the selected probe; and deriving an illumination component at the selected point by combining scene irradiance data associated with those of the probes from which the corresponding determined zone is determined to be visible. The illumination component being determined may be the diffuse component of global illumination as applicable to computer graphics rendering.