Abstract: Techniques for performing region-to-region transitions between regions of a virtual environment are provided. In a viewing-phase of a transition, a user remains in a current region of the virtual environment, but sees, within that current region, a portal marker that displays an out-of-phase depiction of a target region. If the user performs a transition-triggering action, a transition phase begins in which the user is moved to a transition region that is locally generated, allowing the client application of the user to be disconnected from all dedicated servers. While in the transition region, a match-making operation is performed to match the user to an instance of the target region. Once matched, the user is transitioned to the selected instance of the target region by sending to the client application information about the dynamic elements of the instance, thereby allowing the client application to gradually materialize an in-phase depiction of the instance.

Abstract: Techniques for performing region-to-region transitions between regions of a virtual environment are provided. In a viewing-phase of a transition, a user remains in a current region of the virtual environment, but sees, within that current region, a portal marker that displays an out-of-phase depiction of a target region. If the user performs a transition-triggering action, a transition phase begins in which the user is moved to a transition region that is locally generated, allowing the client application of the user to be disconnected from all dedicated servers. While in the transition region, a match-making operation is performed to match the user to an instance of the target region. Once matched, the user is transitioned to the selected instance of the target region by sending to the client application information about the dynamic elements of the instance, thereby allowing the client application to gradually materialize an in-phase depiction of the instance.