Apparatus and method of modifying an online environment

1. An entertainment device, comprising:

a display generator arranged to generate for display a representation of an on-line virtual environment, that on-line virtual environment being able to host interactions between an avatar of a user of the entertainment device and avatars of other users of one or more remote entertainment devices, the entertainment device and the one or more remote entertainment devices holding in common code to represent the on-line virtual environment;

a network communications arrangement operable to receive data representative of the interactions of the other users within the on-line virtual environment, and operable to receive data indicative of any supplementary data files comprising a modification to be applied to the displayed on-line virtual environment, to represent the avatar of one or more remote entertainment devices of users who join the on-line virtual environment, said supplementary data files comprising one or more graphics textures;

a data file searcher operable to search the entertainment device for any supplementary data files indicated by the received data;

a data file acquisition arrangement operable to acquire, from a networked device, a copy of a supplementary data file indicated by the received data that was not found on the entertainment device; and

a data file integrator operable to incorporate relevant elements of the or each supplementary data file into the representation of the on-line virtual environment.

2. An entertainment device according to claim 1 , in which a supplementary data file comprises one or more selected from a list consisting of:

i. one or more graphics models;

ii. one or more instruction scripts readable by the display generator; and

iii. usage conditions.

3. An entertainment device according to claim 2 , in which the usage conditions stipulate which elements of the supplementary data file may be used by the entertainment device and under what conditions.

4. An entertainment device according to claim 2 , in which the supplementary data file comprises:

i. an instruction script governing new behaviour that is available to an identified owner of the data file; and

ii. an instruction script governing new behaviour that is available to other users.

5. An entertainment device according to claim 2 in which the usage conditions include one or more limitations selected from a list consisting of:

i. limiting use by a non-owner to a specified period;

ii. limiting use by a non-owner to a specific number of on-line sessions; and

iii. limiting use by a non-owner to only while the remote entertainment device of the original user associated with the mod is still connected to the virtual environment.

6. An entertainment device according to claim 1 in which the networked device is another entertainment device of the virtual environment that is connected to the entertainment device in a peer-to-peer configuration.

7. An entertainment device according to claim 1 in which the networked device is a server hosting the on-line virtual environment.

8. An on-line system comprising a server and a plurality of entertainment devices, in which the server comprises:

a network communications arrangement operable to receive data representative of actions of each user within an on-line virtual environment, and to transmit data representative of the actions of each other user to a remote entertainment device of each user within the on-line virtual environment;

the network communications arrangement being operable to receive from a remote entertainment device joining the on-line virtual environment data indicative of a supplementary data file required to represent an avatar of the user of the joining remote entertainment device within the online virtual environment;

a data file obtainer operable to obtain an indicated supplementary data file,

and in which:

the network communications arrangement is operable to transmit corresponding supplementary data files to the remote entertainment devices of one or more users already within the on-line virtual environment other than the joining remote entertainment device,

and in which each entertainment device comprises:

a display generator arranged to generate for display a representation of an on-line virtual environment, that on-line virtual environment being able to host interactions between an avatar of a user of the entertainment device and avatars of other users of one or more remote entertainment devices, the entertainment device and the one or more remote entertainment devices holding in common code to represent the on-line virtual environment;

a network communications arrangement operable to receive data representative of the interactions of the other users within the on-line virtual environment, and operable to receive data indicative of any supplementary data files comprising a modification to be applied to the displayed on-line virtual environment, to represent the avatar of one or more remote entertainment devices of users who join the on-line virtual environment, said supplementary data files comprising one or more graphics textures;

a data file searcher operable to search the entertainment device for any supplementary data files indicated by the received data;

a data file acquisition arrangement operable to acquire, from a networked device, a copy of a supplementary data file indicated by the received data that was not found on the entertainment device; and

a data file integrator operable to incorporate relevant elements of the or each supplementary data file into the representation of the on-line virtual environment.

9. A method of modifying an online environment comprising the steps of:

connecting an entertainment device to an on-line virtual environment able to host interactions between an avatar of a user of the entertainment device and avatars of other users of one or more remote entertainment devices, and generating for display a representation of that environment, the entertainment device and the one or more remote entertainment devices holding in common code to represent the on-line virtual environment;

receiving, at the entertainment device, data indicative of any supplementary data files to represent within the on-line virtual environment avatars of users of one or more remote entertainment devices joining the same on-line virtual environment, said supplementary data files comprising one or more graphics textures;

searching the entertainment device for any supplementary data files indicated by the received data;

acquiring, from a networked device, a copy of a supplementary data file indicated by the received data if not found on the entertainment device; and

incorporating relevant elements of the or each supplementary data file into the representation of the on-line virtual environment.

10. A method according to claim 9 comprising the step of determining from usage conditions associated with the supplementary data file which elements of the supplementary data file may be used by the entertainment device and under what conditions.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out a method of modifying an online environment comprising the steps of:

connecting an entertainment device to an on-line virtual environment able to host interactions between an avatar of a user of the entertainment device and avatars of other users of one or more remote entertainment devices, and generating for display a representation of that environment, the entertainment device and the one or more remote entertainment devices holding in common code to represent the on-line virtual environment;

receiving, at the entertainment device, data indicative of any supplementary data files to represent within the on-line virtual environment avatars of users of one or more remote entertainment devices joining the same on-line virtual environment, said supplementary data files comprising one or more graphics textures;

searching the entertainment device for any supplementary data files indicated by the received data;

acquiring, from a networked device, a copy of a supplementary data file indicated by the received data if not found on the entertainment device; and

incorporating relevant elements of the or each supplementary data file into the representation of the on-line virtual environment.