Utilizing line-of-sight vectors in a game environment

1. A method for utilizing line-of-sight vectors in a game environment, comprising:

calculating a line-of-sight vector in the game environment, wherein the line-of-sight vector is defined by a position of a game environment camera with respect to a position of an object in the game environment;

determining whether the line-of-sight vector is intersected in the game environment by a plane of a game element corresponding to a line-of-sight volume; and

replacing the game element that intersects the line-of-sight vector with a line-of-sight volume corresponding to the game element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the object is a game character in the game environment.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the position of the game character in the game environment is controlled by a user playing a game.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein if the line-of-sight vector is not intersected by the plane of a game element corresponding to a line-of-sight volume, the game element corresponding to the line-of-sight volume continues to be displayed.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the replacement of the game element that intersects the line-of-sight vector with the corresponding line-of-sight volume allows a user to substantially view the object in the game environment.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding line-of-sight volume is a grid volume having a size and shape that matches the size and shape of the game element that intersects the line-of-sight vector.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the grid volume comprises a thr dimensional grid of white lines.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding line-of-sight volume is a semitransparent volume having a size and shape that matches the size and shape of the game element that intersects the line-of-sight vector.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the semitransparent volume is white.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the semitransparent volume is gray.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding line-of-sight volume is a portion of the game element.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding line-of-sight volume substantially mimics the game element that intersects the line-of-sight vector.

13. A system for utilizing line-of-sight vectors in a game environment, comprising:

a memory configured to store game software including game element data and line-of-sight volume data, the game element data including a set of game elements that each correspond to a line-of-sight volume, the line-of-sight volume data each corresponding to one of the set of game elements;

a processor configured to execute the game software; and

a display device configured to display one of the set of game elements or its corresponding line-of-sight volume when a line-of-sight vector defined by a position of a game environment camera and a position of an object in the game environment is intersected by a plane of one of the set of game elements that corresponds to a line-of-sight volume as determined by the processor when executing the game software.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the object is a character in the game environment.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the position of the character in the game environment is controlled by a user playing a game.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein displaying the corresponding line-of-sight volume allows a user to substantially view the object in the game environment.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the corresponding line-of-sight volume is a grid volume having a size and shape that matches the size and shape of the game element that intersects the line-of-sight vector.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the grid volume comprises a three-dimensional grid of white lines.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the corresponding line-of-sight volume is a semitransparent volume having a size and shape that matches the size and shape of the game element that intersects the line-of-sight vector.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the semitransparent volume is white.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein the semitransparent volume is gray.

22. A computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon one or more instructions executable by a computer to perform a method for utilizing line-of-sight vectors in a game environment, the method comprising:

calculating a line-of-sight vector in the game environment, wherein the line-of-sight vector is defined by a position of a game environment camera with respect to a position of an object in the game environment;

determining whether the line-of-sight vector is intersected in the game environment by a plane of a game element corresponding to a line-of-sight volume; and

replacing the game element that intersects the line-of-sight vector with a line-of-sight volume corresponding to the game element.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22 , wherein the object is a game character in the game environment.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein if the line-of-sight vector is not intersected by the plane of a game element corresponding to a line-of-sight volume, the game element corresponding to the line-of-sight volume continues to be displayed.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22 , wherein the replacement of the game element that intersects the line-of-sight vector with the corresponding line-of-sight volume allows a user to substantially view the object in the game environment.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22 , wherein the corresponding line-of-sight volume is a grid volume having a size and shape that matches the size and shape of the game element that intersects the line-of-sight vector.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 26 , wherein the grid volume comprises a three-dimensional grid of white lines.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22 , wherein the corresponding line-of-sight volume is a semitransparent volume having a size and shape that matches the size and shape of the game element that intersects the line-of-sight vector.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28 , wherein the semitransparent volume is white.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28 , wherein the semitransparent volume is gray.

31. A system for utilizing line-of-sight vectors in a game environment, comprising:

means for calculating a line-of-sight vector in the game environment, wherein the line-of-sight vector is defined by a position of a game environment camera with respect to a position of an object in the game environment;

means for determining whether the line-of-sight vector is intersected in the game environment by a plane of a game element corresponding to a line-of-sight volume; and

means for replacing the game element that intersects the line-of-sight vector with a line-of-sight volume corresponding to the game element.