Automatic decoration of a three-dimensional model

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system of an online service hosting a multi-player simulated three-dimensional virtual game, a two-dimensional (2D) image from a user to customize a three-dimensional character for control by the user in the multi-player simulated three-dimensional virtual game, the 2D image to be a texture on a three-dimensional model upon rendering the three-dimensional model in the multi-player simulated three-dimensional virtual game, the three-dimensional model to be a decoration of the three-dimensional character in the multi-player simulated three-dimensional game;

determining, by the computer system of the online service, a texture template corresponding to the three-dimensional model, wherein the texture template provides a guide on how to arrange the 2D image on a surface of the three-dimensional model, and wherein the texture template is to provide texture coordinates that map the 2D image to the three-dimensional model;

assigning, by the computer system of the online service, the texture coordinates to the 2D image in response to arranging the 2D image on the surface of the three-dimensional model based on the texture template;

storing, by the computer system of the online service, the 2D image and the three-dimensional model in a database; and

linking, by the computer system of the online service, the 2D image with the assigned texture coordinates to the three-dimensional model using a content file associated with the three-dimensional model, wherein the content file indicates that the three-dimensional model is associated with the content file, a background color of the three-dimensional model, the assigned texture coordinates for the 2D image, and a location of the 2D image stored in the database.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional character is a toy character.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional character is a toy person.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

scaling the 2D image to fit into the texture template corresponding to the three-dimensional model, wherein the texture template defines the texture for a region of the three-dimensional model.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein scaling the 2D image to fit into the texture template further comprises

modifying a resolution of the 2D image to fit the 2D image into a first area of the texture template.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein modifying the resolution of the 2D image scales the 2D image to a maximum resolution, wherein the maximum resolution is defined by either a maximum scaled width or a maximum scaled height of the scaled 2D image that does not exceed a maximum width or maximum height of the texture template.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising

creating a composite image file composed of the scaled 2D image, and alpha-channel image file segments for a second area of the texture template not covered by the scaled 2D image.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the 2D image is received by the online service as an image file uploaded from a client device of the user.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional model, using the 2D image as the texture, is the decoration for a plurality of three-dimensional characters upon rendering the plurality of three-dimensional characters in the multi-player simulated three-dimensional virtual game.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

loading the 2D image with the assigned texture coordinates; and

rendering the three-dimensional model with the 2D image as the decoration of the three-dimensional character.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional character is one of a toy person, an avatar, or a toy car.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional model is at least one of a t-shirt, a pant, a jacket, a shield, a hat, a purse, a briefcase, or a part of a car.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a selection of at least one of a color, a pattern, or an image transparency; and

designating the background color of the three-dimensional model as a user-specified background color based on the received selection.

14. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

one or more processors, coupled with the memory, to:

receive, by the system of an online service hosting a multi-player simulated three-dimensional virtual game, a two-dimensional (2D) image from a user to customize a three-dimensional character for control by the user in the multi-player simulated three-dimensional virtual game, the 2D image to be a texture on a three-dimensional model upon rendering the three-dimensional model in the multi-player simulated three-dimensional virtual game, the three-dimensional model to be a decoration of the three-dimensional character in the multi-player simulated three-dimensional game;

determine, by the system of the online service, a texture template corresponding to the three-dimensional model, wherein the texture template provides a guide on how to arrange the 2D image on a surface of the three-dimensional model, and wherein the texture template is to provide texture coordinates that map the 2D image to the three-dimensional model;

assign, the system of the online service, the texture coordinates to the 2D image in response to arranging the 2D image on the surface of the three-dimensional model based on the texture template;

store, by the system of the online service, the 2D image and the three-dimensional model in a database; and

link, by the system of the online service, the 2D image with the assigned texture coordinates to the three-dimensional model using a content file associated with the three-dimensional model, wherein the content file indicates that the three-dimensional model is associated with the content file, a background color of the three-dimensional model, the assigned texture coordinates for the 2D image, and a location of the 2D image stored in the database.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the three-dimensional character is a toy character.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processors further to:

load the 2D image with the assigned texture coordinates; and

render the three-dimensional model with the 2D image as the decoration of the three-dimensional character.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processors further to:

receive a selection of at least one of a color, a pattern, or an image transparency; and

designate the background color of the three-dimensional model as a user-specified background color based on the received selection.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium that provides instructions that, responsive to being executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the processors of an online service hosting a multi-player simulated three-dimensional virtual game, a two-dimensional (2D) image from a user to customize a three-dimensional character for control by the user in the multi-player simulated three-dimensional virtual game, the 2D image to be a texture on a three-dimensional model upon rendering the three-dimensional model in the multi-player simulated three-dimensional virtual game, the three-dimensional model to be a decoration of the three-dimensional character in the multi-player simulated three-dimensional game;

determining, by the processors of the online service, a texture template corresponding to the three-dimensional model, wherein the texture template provides a guide on how to arrange the 2D image on a surface of the three-dimensional model, and wherein the texture template is to provide texture coordinates that map the 2D image to the three-dimensional model;

assigning, by the processors of the online service, the texture coordinates to the 2D image in response to arranging the 2D image on the surface of the three-dimensional model based on the texture template;

storing, by the processors of the online service, the 2D image and the three-dimensional model in a database; and

linking, by the processors of the online service, the 2D image with the assigned texture coordinates to the three-dimensional model using a content file associated with the three-dimensional model, wherein the content file indicates that the three-dimensional model is associated with the content file, a background color of the three-dimensional model, the assigned texture coordinates for the 2D image, and a location of the 2D image stored in the database.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the three-dimensional character is a toy person.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 , the operations further comprising:

receiving a selection of at least one of a color, a pattern, or an image transparency; and

designating the background color of the three-dimensional model as a user-specified background color based on the received selection.