BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to video game systems and, more specifically, to an interactive video game system that enables simultaneous multi-player game play.

Video game systems generally enable players to control characters in a virtual environment to achieve predefined goals or objectives. Traditional video game systems generally rely on manual input devices, such as joysticks, game controllers, keyboards, and so forth, to enable players to control characters within the virtual environment of the game. Additionally, certain modern video game systems can include a camera capable of tracking the movements of players, enabling players to control video game characters based on their movements. However, these systems typically suffer from issues with occlusion, in which a portion of a player is at least temporarily obscured from the camera and, as a result, the system is no longer able to accurately track the position or movements of the player. For example, occlusion can cause jittering or stuttering in the movements of the characters in the virtual environment, as well as other imprecise or erroneous translation of player actions into character actions within the game. Additionally, for multi-player video game systems, the potential for occlusion dramatically increases with the number of players.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Present embodiments are directed to an interactive video game system that includes an array of volumetric sensors disposed around a play area that is configured to collect respective volumetric data for each of a plurality of players. The system includes a controller communicatively coupled to the array of volumetric sensors. The controller is configured to receive, from the array of volumetric sensors, respective volumetric data of each of the plurality of players. The controller is configured to combine the respective volumetric data of each of the plurality of players to generate at least one respective model for each of the plurality of players. The controller is also configured to generate a respective virtual representation for each player of the plurality of players based, at least in part, on the generated at least one respective model of each player of the plurality of players. The controller is further configured to present the generated respective virtual representation of each player of the plurality of players in a virtual environment.

Present embodiments are also directed to an interactive video game system having a display device disposed near a play area and configured to display a virtual environment to a plurality of players in the play area. The system includes an array of sensing units disposed around the play area, wherein each sensing unit of the array is configured to determine a partial model of at least one player of the plurality of players. The system also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the array of sensing units. The controller is configured to: receive, from the array of sensing units, the partial models of each player of the plurality of players; generate a respective model of each player of the plurality of players by fusing the partial models of each player of the plurality of players; determine in-game actions of each player of the plurality of players based, at least in part, on the generated respective model of each player of the plurality of players; and display a respective virtual representation of each player of the plurality of players in the virtual environment on the display device based, at least in part, on the generated respective model and the in-game actions of each player of the plurality of players.

Present embodiments are also directed to a method of operating an interactive video game system. The method includes receiving, via processing circuitry of a controller of the interactive video game system, partial models of a plurality of players positioned within a play area from an array of sensing units disposed around the play area. The method includes fusing, via the processing circuitry, the received partial models of each player of the plurality of players to generate a respective model of each player of the plurality of players. The method includes determining, via the processing circuitry, in-game actions of each player of the plurality of players based, at least in part, on the generated respective models of each player of the plurality of players. The method also includes presenting, via a display device, a virtual representation of each player of the plurality of players in a virtual environment based, at least in part, on the generated respective model and the in-game actions of each player of the plurality of players.

