Abstract: A method has steps tracking states for objects in a virtual world by software (SW) executed by a processor from a non-transitory physical medium, noting that physics simulation is necessary to determine a change in display for a particular object, noting characteristics of the particular object, selecting from a plurality of modules, a specific physics simulation module optimized for objects having the characteristics of the particular object, and applying the physics simulation module selected to determine display change for the particular object.

Abstract: A system has a server coupled to a data repository and software executing from a non-transitory medium on the processor, the software providing a site serving games to players connected to the server, and providing discovering instances of interaction with the server by first-time players, serving links to a first percentage of the first-time players for games having known high retention value, defined as a characteristic that first-time players who play the game return to the site within a specified period of time, serving links to a remaining percentage of the first-time players for games having no well-developed retention value, marking selection by first-time players of games having no well-developed retention value, monitoring the site for return time of players having selected games having no well-developed retention value, providing a return time period, and using the return time period, assigning or amending a retention value for the game.

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 drawing system has a computerized appliance having a processor coupled to a data repository, software (SW) executing on the processor, the software providing tools to enable a user to join objects in a display, creating an assembled object, Upon the user selecting to drag a first object in the display in a first direction, the SW monitors geometric features of the first object and of a second object in the display positioned in the first direction, determines compatible join features of the first and second objects, and upon the first and second objects being moved within a preprogrammed threshold distance (TD) greater than zero in the display, provides a join operation, bringing the compatible join features of the first and the second object together, creating an assembled new object.

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 drawing system has software (SW) providing tools to enable a user to create geometric objects in a display, and to select and drag the objects in the display. An assembly engine is a part of the SW, and monitors properties of objects and movement of objects in the display. The assembly engine monitors features and properties of a first object selected and dragged, and features and properties of second objects in the display, determines compatible geometric features that might be joined in assembly between the first and second objects, and upon compatible features for join being moved within a preprogrammed threshold distance (TD) in the display, affects a join operation, bringing the compatible features of the first and the second object together in an assembly and redrawing the assembly.

Abstract: A game platform has a network-connected server having one or more processors coupled to a non-transitory physical storage medium, and software (SW) executing on the server. The software provides an interactive interface for a game creator, tools selectable in the interactive interface enabling the game creator to create a game having a virtual environment including game objects that may be moved by a player in the game relative to other objects and structures, a mechanism enabling the game creator to apply impediments to specific activities initiated by the player, and one or more interactive mechanisms for presenting choices to the game player. In response to the player attempting an activity to which an impediment has been applied, the game dynamics apply the impediment.

Abstract: A system has a computerized server connected to a network and having a processor, a data repository coupled to the processor, and software (SW) executing on the processor from a non-transitory medium. The software enables a player operating a computerized appliance connected to the network to log in to a site hosted on the server, the site providing video games and other places to which the player may navigate, enables the player to purchase virtual currency spendable in games the player may enter to play and at other places the player may select to navigate, credits the player with Points in a pre-established ratio to virtual currency spent by the player while logged in to the site, and accounts for points accredited to the player and other players, and displaying on the site Point totals for at least players having the greatest number of Points.

Abstract: A network-based gaming system includes a website hosted by a web server connected to the network, the website including a member login interface, a social graph application program interface (API), and at least one hyperlink to a multi-dimensional game served by a game server connected to the network and a social graph information reader accessible to the game server, the social graph information reader for identifying one or more players of the game by correlating identification information provided or known about the players with social graph data aggregated about the players, and a game configuration interface resident on and executable from the digital medium accessible to the game server, the game configuration interface enabling a member to configure rules pertaining to game and or game object recognition of, and treatment of certain players of the game determined to be friends of the member.

Abstract: A computerized server managing a Virtual Environment (VE) has a network port for communicating with remote computerized appliances, a plurality of virtually-defined rigid objects in the VE, including one or more avatars representing persons in the VE, a physics simulation engine executing from a machine-readable medium, for calculating object states and properties, including motion of virtually-defined rigid objects, and a mechanism for assigning and tracking identification of remote computerized appliances connected via the network port, each remote appliance capable of physics simulation. The server responds to signals from the remote computerized appliances to assign individual ones of the virtually-defined rigid objects to individual ones of the remote computerized appliances for physics simulation, and the server simulates all virtually-defined objects in the VE that are not assigned to at least one of the remote computerized appliances.

Abstract: A method has steps tracking states for objects in a virtual world by software (SW) executed by a processor from a non-transitory physical medium, noting that physics simulation is necessary to determine a change in display for a particular object, noting characteristics of the particular object, selecting from a plurality of modules, a specific physics simulation module optimized for objects having the characteristics of the particular object, and applying the physics simulation module selected to determine display change for the particular object.

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 set of atomic three dimensional objects that can be joined together in a workspace to form one or more complex three dimensional objects, each atomic object includes one or more object join features parameterized to enable joining with one or more parameterized join features of another atomic object in the set of objects, and a shape that may be modified according to one or more parametrically defined constraint attributes. A user may reshape and or resize one or more of the atomic three dimensional objects prior to joining the three dimensional objects together at the appropriate parameterized join features to form one or more of the complex three dimensional objects.

Abstract: A computerized server managing a Virtual Environment (VE) has a network port for communicating with remote computerized appliances, a plurality of virtually-defined rigid objects in the VE, including one or more avatars representing persons in the VE, a physics simulation engine executing from a machine-readable medium, for calculating object states and properties, including motion of virtually-defined rigid objects, and a mechanism for assigning and tracking identification of remote computerized appliances connected via the network port, each remote appliance capable of physics simulation. The server responds to signals from the remote computerized appliances to assign individual ones of the virtually-defined rigid objects to individual ones of the remote computerized appliances for physics simulation, and the server simulates all virtually-defined objects in the VE that are not assigned to at least one of the remote computerized appliances.

Abstract: A game platform has a network-connected server having one or more processors coupled to a non-transitory physical storage medium, and software (SW) executing on the server. The software provides an interactive interface for a game creator, tools selectable in the interactive interface enabling the game creator to create a game having a virtual environment including game objects that may be moved by a player in the game relative to other objects and structures, a mechanism enabling the game creator to apply impediments to specific activities initiated by the player, and one or more interactive mechanisms for presenting choices to the game player. In response to the player attempting an activity to which an impediment has been applied, the game dynamics apply the impediment.

Abstract: A drawing system has software (SW) providing tools to enable a user to create geometric objects in a display, and to select and drag the objects in the display. An assembly engine is a part of the SW, and monitors properties of objects and movement of objects in the display. The assembly engine monitors features and properties of a first object selected and dragged, and features and properties of second objects in the display, determines compatible geometric features that might be joined in assembly between the first and second objects, and upon compatible features for join being moved within a preprogrammed threshold distance (TD) in the display, affects a join operation, bringing the compatible features of the first and the second object together in an assembly and redrawing the assembly.

Abstract: A method for determining forces on a rigid body at least partially immersed in a fluid medium includes steps for (a) dividing the rigid body into a number of cells; (b) calculating buoyancy force on each rigid body cell separately, taking into account properties of the fluid medium, situation as to submersion of each cell, and position of each cell in the rigid body; and (c) integrating the separate buoyancy forces to determine the net force vector and any torque on the rigid body.

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 game system involves software executing from a machine-readable physical medium on a computerized appliance, an interactive interface provided by the software and accessible to a client, enabling the client to participate in a video game incorporating an avatar associated with the client, a jumbled association of parts of a specific vehicle represented in a scene in the video game, and one or more trigger devices available to the client, individual trigger devices associated with different specific vehicles. Applying a trigger device from the one or more devices to the association of parts, if the device is associated with that specific vehicle, causes the parts to rearrange in the interactive interface into a recognizable vehicle operable by the avatar manipulated by the client.