Electronic game utilizing photographs

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:

selecting a prior state of an interactive electronic game from a plurality of prior states, the prior state identifying user input previously provided to the electronic game and a set of values representing a condition of the electronic game before the user input was processed by the electronic game;

setting a current condition of the electronic game according to the set of values and providing the user input to the electronic game;

obtaining a new set of values corresponding to a new condition of the electronic game by processing of the user input by the electronic game based on the current condition and the set of values; and

selecting a sequence of one or more photographic images based on the new set of values.

2 . The method of claim 1 where the interactive electronic game simulates a game of skill.

3 . The method of claim 1 where the interactive electronic game is a first-person shooter game.

4 . The method of claim 1 where selecting the prior state includes basing the selection on a received identifier of the prior state.

5 . The method of claim 4 where the identifier is part of a message sent over one or more computer networks.

6 . The method of claim 1 where the new set of values includes a three-dimensional path of a virtual object relative to a physical terrain.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

selecting the sequence of one or more photographic images based on the path.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

incorporating a representation of a virtual object into one or more photographic images in the sequence of one or more photographic images based on the new set of values.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving input indicating shot preferences; and

selecting the sequence of one or more photographic images based on the shot preferences.

10 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining a three-dimensional path relative to a model of a physical terrain for a physical course, and where a plurality of areas of the physical course are captured by one or more two-dimensional photographic images;

determining which of the physical course areas are on the path; and

selecting a sequence of one or more photographic images having a view of the physical course areas on or about the path.

11 . The method of claim 10 where the path at least partially lies on the physical terrain.

12 . The method of claim 10 where the model is a topology of the physical course.

13 . The method of claim 10 where two or more of the areas overlap each other.

14 . The method or claim 10 where determining the three-dimensional path includes:

modeling the physics of a virtual object's interaction with the model of the physical terrain.

15 . The method of claim 14 where the model of the physical terrain includes one or more obstacles rising vertically from the terrain and where determining the three-dimensional path includes:

modeling the physics of the virtual object's interaction with the one or more obstacles.

16 . The method of claim 10 where each photographic image is associated with a priority and where selecting the sequence of one or more photographic images is based on the associated priorities.

17 . The method of claim 16 where selecting a sequence of one or more photographic images includes:

determining if two or more first photographic images have a view of an area on or about the path; and

selecting the first photographic image with the highest priority.

18 . The method of claim 10 where determining which of the physical course areas are on the path includes determining if the path lies on or over a portion of the model of the physical terrain that is captured by a two-dimensional photographic image.

19 . The method of claim 10 where selecting a sequence of one or more photographic images is governed by a script.

20 . A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

selecting a prior state of an interactive electronic game from a plurality of prior states, the prior state identifying user input previously provided to the electronic game and a set of values representing a condition of the electronic game before the user input was processed by the electronic game;

setting a current condition of the electronic game according to the set of values and providing the user input to the electronic game;

obtaining a new set of values corresponding to a new condition of the electronic game by processing of the user input by the electronic game based on the current condition and the set of values; and

selecting a sequence of one or more photographic images based on the new set of values.

21 . The program product of claim 20 where the interactive electronic game simulates a game of skill.

22 . The program product of claim 20 where the interactive electronic game is a first-person shooter game.

23 . The program product of claim 20 where selecting the prior state includes basing the selection on a received identifier of the prior state.

24 . The program product of claim 23 where the identifier is part of a message sent over one or more computer networks.

25 . The program product of claim 20 where the new set of values includes a three-dimensional path of a virtual object relative to a physical terrain.

26 . The program product of claim 25 , further comprising:

selecting the sequence of one or more photographic images based on the path.

27 . The program product of claim 20 , further comprising:

incorporating a representation of a virtual object into one or more photographic images in the sequence of one or more photographic images based on the new set of values.

28 . The program product of claim 20 , further comprising:

receiving input indicating shot preferences; and

selecting the sequence of one or more photographic images based on the shot preferences.

29 . A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

determining a three-dimensional path relative to a model of a physical terrain for a physical course, and where a plurality of areas of the physical course are captured by one or more two-dimensional photographic images;

determining which of the physical course areas are on the path; and

selecting a sequence of one or more photographic images having a view of the physical course areas on or about the path.

30 . The program product of claim 29 where the path at least partially lies on the physical terrain.

31 . The program product of claim 29 where the model is a topology of the physical course.

32 . The program product of claim 29 where two or more of the areas overlap each other.

33 . The program product of claim 29 where determining the three-dimensional path includes:

modeling the physics of a virtual object's interaction with the model of the physical terrain.

34 . The program product of claim 33 where the model of the physical terrain includes one or more obstacles rising vertically from the terrain and where determining the three-dimensional path includes:

modeling the physics of the virtual object's interaction with the one or more obstacles.

35 . The program product of claim 29 where each photographic image is associated with a priority and where selecting the sequence of one or more photographic images is based on the associated priorities.

36 . The program product of claim 35 where selecting a sequence of one or more photographic images includes:

determining if two or more first photographic images have a view of an area on or about the path; and

selecting the first photographic image with the highest priority.

37 . The program product of claim 29 where determining which of the physical course areas are on the path includes determining if the path lies on or over a portion of the model of the physical terrain that is captured by a two-dimensional photographic image.

38 . The program product of claim 29 where selecting a sequence of one or more photographic images is governed by a script.

39 . A system comprising:

a display device;

a machine-readable storage device including a program product; and

one or more processors operable to execute the program product, interact with the display device, and perform operations comprising:

selecting a prior state of an interactive electronic game from a plurality of prior states, the prior state identifying user input previously provided to the electronic game and a set of values representing a condition of the electronic game before the user input was processed by the electronic game;

setting a current condition of the electronic game according to the set of values and providing the user input to the electronic game;

obtaining a new set of values corresponding to a new condition of the electronic game by processing of the user input by the electronic game based on the current condition and the set of values; and

selecting a sequence of one or more photographic images based on the new set of values.

40 . A system comprising:

a display device;

a machine-readable storage device including a program product; and

one or more processors operable to execute the program product, interact with the display device, and perform operations comprising:

determining a three-dimensional path relative to a model of a physical terrain for a physical course, and where a plurality of areas of the physical course are captured by one or more two-dimensional photographic images;

determining which of the physical course areas are on the path; and

selecting a sequence of one or more photographic images having a view of the physical course areas on or about the path.