Resizing objects in regions of virtual universes

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach to resize (e.g., shrink and/or enlarge) objects in a region of a VU so that additional objects can be accommodated. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide a mechanism for a region/room to calculate when it has reached full capacity, and use a configurable multiplier to decrease the size of all objects in the room, including avatars, desks, chairs, tables, etc. This allows for accommodation of a significantly higher quantity of objects within the region. In a typical embodiment, the transition to smaller size would be seamless to the user. Moreover, in one embodiment, if the room is of a certain type (e.g., auditorium), additional objects may be auto-created or deleted based on the number of avatars entering or exiting the room. Still yet, objects can be enlarged as the occupancy falls below the capacity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 determining whether a capacity of a region of a virtual universe would be exceeded by adding a proposed object to the region; and   reducing a size of existing objects in the region by a multiplier, the multiplier being based on a current occupancy of the region and the capacity of the region.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 resizing the proposed object by the multiplier; and   adding the proposed object to the region.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , the multiplier being a configurable multiplier. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , the proposed object comprising an avatar, and the region comprising a room. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , the determining comprising:
 calculating the capacity of the region.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , the determining further comprising:
 calculating a percentage of the capacity that would be occupied by the existing objects and the proposed object, the reducing being performed if the percentage exceeds approximately 100 percent.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising increasing the size of the existing objects when the capacity is no longer exceeded. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a service solution provider provides a computer infrastructure that performs the method for one or more consumers. 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a bus;   a processor coupled to the bus; and   a memory medium coupled to the bus, the memory medium comprising instructions to:
 determine whether a capacity of a region of a virtual universe would be exceeded by adding a proposed object to the region; and 
 reduce a size of existing objects in the region by a multiplier, the multiplier being based on a current occupancy of the region and the capacity of the region. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , the memory medium further comprising instructions to:
 resize the proposed object by the multiplier; and   add the proposed object to the region.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , the multiplier being a configurable multiplier. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , the proposed object comprising an avatar, and the region comprising a room. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , the memory medium further comprising instructions to:
 calculate the capacity of the region; and   calculate a percentage of the capacity that would be occupied by the existing objects and the proposed object, the reducing being performed if the percentage exceeds approximately 100 percent.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , the memory medium further comprising instructions to increase the size of the existing objects when the capacity is no longer exceeded. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage media, and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media, to:
 determine whether a capacity of a region of a virtual universe would be exceeded by adding a proposed object to the region; and   reduce a size of existing objects in the region by a multiplier, the multiplier being based on a current occupancy of the region and the capacity of the region.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , further comprising program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media to:
 resize the proposed object by the multiplier; and   add the proposed object to the region.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , the multiplier being a configurable multiplier. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , the proposed object comprising an avatar, and the region comprising a room. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , further comprising program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media to:
 calculate the capacity of the region; and   calculate a percentage of the capacity that would be occupied by the existing objects and the proposed object, the reducing being performed if the percentage exceeds approximately 100 percent.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , further comprising program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media to increase the size of the existing objects when the capacity is no longer exceeded.