Use of corroboration to generate reputation scores within virtual reality environments

1. A method for use with a computer implemented virtual reality (VR) environment that enables users of the VR environment to explore the VR environment and interact with one another within the VR environment using client computing devices that are being used by the users, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, from a client computing device used by a first user of the VR environment, information indicative of a positive gesture that an avatar of the first user made towards an avatar of a second user of the VR environment, which positive gesture is indicative of the first user having a positive impression of the second user,

wherein the positive gesture is selected from the group consisting of nodding, thumbs up, hand shaking, clapping, and waving;

(b) receiving, from a client computing device used by a third user of the VR environment, further information that is used to either corroborate or contradict that the avatar of the first user actually made the positive gesture towards the avatar of the second user within the VR environment,

wherein the further information, which is used to either corroborate or contradict that the avatar of the first user actually made the positive gesture towards the avatar of the second user within the VR environment, comprises objective information indicative of whether the third user, or an avatar of the third user, objectively witnessed the avatar of the first user making the positive gesture towards the avatar of the second user while the positive gesture was actually occurring;

(c) determining, based on the further information received from the client computing device used by the third user of the VR environment, that the positive gesture is corroborated;

(d) in response to determining that the positive gesture is corroborated, increasing a reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment; and

(e) enabling each of one or more users of the VR environment to access, using the client computing device they are using, the reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment;

wherein in order for the third user, or the avatar of the third user, to witness the avatar of the first user actually making the positive gesture towards the avatar of the second user, the avatar of the third user is within a specified distance of the avatars of the first and second users within the VR environment while the avatar of the first user makes the positive gesture towards the avatar of the second user, the avatar of the third user is facing the avatars of the first and second users while the avatar of the first user makes the positive gesture towards the avatar of the second user, and the avatars of the first and second users are not blocked from the view of the avatar of the third user by an intervening virtual object while the avatar of the first user makes the positive gesture towards the avatar of the second user.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment, that is increased at step (d) comprises an individual-to-individual (I2I) reputation score that is indicative of the first user's impression of the second user, the method further comprising:

(f) for a further user of the VR environment, whose avatar interacts with the avatar of the second user of the VR environment,

(f.1) determining a relative reputation score associated with a second user of the VR environment, wherein the relative reputation score is determined based on one or more I2I reputation scores associated with the second user that were determined for other users that are linked to both the further user and the second user of the VR environment; and

(f.2) enabling the further user of the VR environment to access, using the client computing device being used by the further user, the relative reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment.

3. A method for use with a computer implemented virtual reality (VR) environment that enables users of the VR environment to explore the VR environment and interact with one another within the VR environment using client computing devices that are being used by the users, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, from a client computing device used by a first user of the VR environment, information indicative of a negative gesture that an avatar of the first user made towards an avatar of a second user of the VR environment, which negative gesture is indicative of the first user having a negative impression of the second user,

wherein the negative gesture is selected from the group consisting of shaking a head side to side and a thumbs down;

(b) receiving, from a client computing device used by a third user of the VR environment, further information that is used to either corroborate or contradict that the avatar of the first user actually made the negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user within the VR environment,

wherein the further information, which is used to either corroborate or contradict that the avatar of the first user actually made the negative gesture towards the avatar of the second within the VR environment, comprises objective information indicative of whether the third user, or an avatar of the third user, objectively witnessed the avatar of the first user making the negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user while the negative gesture was actually occurring;

(c) determining, based on the further information received from the client computing device used by the third user of the VR environment, that the negative gesture is corroborated;

(d) in response to determining that the negative gesture is corroborated, decreasing a reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment;

(e) enabling each of one or more users of the VR environment to access, using the client computing device they are using, the reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment;

wherein in order for the third user, or the avatar of the third user, to witness the avatar of the first user actually making the negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user, the avatar of the third user is within a specified distance of the avatars of the first and second users within the VR environment while the avatar of the first user makes the negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user, the avatar of the third user is facing the avatars of the first and second users while the avatar of the first user makes the negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user, and the avatars of the first and second users are not blocked from the view of the avatar of the third user by an intervening virtual object while the avatar of the first user makes the negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user.

4. One or more processor readable storage devices having instructions encoded thereon which when executed cause one or more processors to perform a method for use with a virtual reality (VR) environment in which users can explore the VR environment and interact with one another within the VR environment using client computing devices that are being used by the users, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, from a client computing device used by a first user of the VR environment, information indicative of a positive gesture that an avatar of the first user made towards an avatar of a second user of the VR environment, which positive gesture is indicative of the first user having a positive impression of the second user,

wherein the positive gesture is selected from the group consisting of nodding, thumbs up, hand shaking, clapping, and waving;

(b) receiving, from a client computing device used by a third user of the VR environment, further information that is used to either corroborate or contradict that the avatar of the first user actually made the positive gesture towards the avatar of the second user within the VR environment,

wherein the further information, which is used to either corroborate or contradict that the avatar of the first user actually made the positive gesture towards the avatar of the second user within the VR environment, comprises objective information indicative of whether the third user, or an avatar of the third user, objectively witnessed the avatar of the first user making the positive gesture towards the avatar of the second user while the positive gesture was actually occurring;

(c) determining, based on the further information received from the client computing device used by the third user of the VR environment, that the positive gesture is corroborated;

(d) in response to determining that the positive gesture is corroborated, increasing a reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment; and

(e) enabling each of one or more users of the VR environment to access, using the client computing device they are using, the reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment;

wherein in order for the third user, or the avatar of the third user, to witness the avatar of the first user actually making the positive gesture towards the avatar of the second user, the avatar of the third user is within a specified distance of the avatars of the first and second users within the VR environment while the avatar of the first user makes the positive gesture towards the avatar of the second user, the avatar of the third user is facing the avatars of the first and second users while the avatar of the first user makes the positive gesture towards the avatar of the second user, and the avatars of the first and second users are not blocked from the view of the avatar of the third user by an intervening virtual object while the avatar of the first user makes the positive gesture towards the avatar of the second user.

5. The one or more processor readable storage devices of claim 4 , wherein the reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment, that is increased at step (d) comprises an individual-to-individual (I2I) reputation score that is indicative of the first user's impression of the second user, the method further comprising:

(f) for a further user of the VR environment, whose avatar interacts with the avatar of the second user of the VR environment,

(f.1) determining a relative reputation score associated with a second user of the VR environment, wherein the relative reputation score is determined based on one or more I2I reputation scores associated with the second user that were determined for other users that are linked to both the further user and the second user of the VR environment; and

(f.2) enabling the further user of the VR environment to access, using the client computing device being used by the further user, the relative reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment.

6. One or more processor readable storage devices having instructions encoded thereon which when executed cause one or more processors to perform a method for use with a virtual reality (VR) environment in which users can explore the VR environment and interact with one another within the VR environment using client computing devices that are being used by the users, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, from a client computing device used by a first user of the VR environment, information indicative of a negative gesture that an avatar of the first user made towards an avatar of a second user of the VR environment, which negative gesture is indicative of the first user having a negative impression of the second user,

wherein the negative gesture is selected from the group consisting of shaking a head side to side and a thumbs down;

(b) receiving, from a client computing device used by a third user of the VR environment, further information that is used to either corroborate or contradict that the avatar of the first user actually made the negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user within the VR environment,

wherein the further information, which is used to either corroborate or contradict that the avatar of the first user actually made the negative gesture towards the avatar of the second within the VR environment, comprises objective information indicative of whether the third user, or an avatar of the third user, objectively witnessed the avatar of the first user making the negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user while the negative gesture was actually occurring;

(c) determining, based on the further information received from the client computing device used by the third user of the VR environment, that the negative gesture is corroborated;

(d) in response to determining that the negative gesture is corroborated, decreasing a reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment;

(e) enabling each of one or more users of the VR environment to access, using the client computing device they are using, the reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment;

wherein in order for the third user, or the avatar of the third user, to witness the avatar of the first user actually making the negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user, the avatar of the third user is within a specified distance of the avatars of the first and second users within the VR environment while the avatar of the first user makes the negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user, the avatar of the third user is facing the avatars of the first and second users while the avatar of the first user makes the negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user, and the avatars of the first and second users are not blocked from the view of the avatar of the third user by an intervening virtual object while the avatar of the first user makes the negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user.

7. A system for supporting a computer implemented virtual reality (VR) environment in which users of the VR environment can explore the VR environment and interact with one another within the VR environment using client computing devices that are being used by the users, the system comprising:

a memory storing instructions;

one or more hardware processors coupled to the memory and configured to receive, from a client computing device used by a first user of the VR environment, information indicative of a positive or negative gesture that an avatar of the first user made towards an avatar of a second user of the VR environment, which positive or negative gesture is used to determine whether the first user has a positive or negative impression of the second user,

wherein the positive gesture is selected from the group consisting of nodding, thumbs up, hand shaking, clapping, and waving, and

wherein the negative gesture is selected from the group consisting of shaking a head side to side and a thumbs down;

the one or more hardware processors also configured to receive, from a client computing device used by a third user of the VR environment, further information that is used to either corroborate or contradict that the avatar of the first user actually made the positive or negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user within the VR environment,

wherein the further information, which is used to either corroborate or contradict that the avatar of the first user actually made the positive or negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user within the VR environment, comprises objective information indicative of whether the third user, or an avatar of the third user, objectively witnessed the avatar of the first user making the positive or negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user while the positive or negative gesture was actually occurring;

the one or more hardware processors also configured to determine, based on the further information received from the client computing device used by the third user of the VR environment, that the positive or negative gesture is corroborated;

the one or more hardware processors also configured to adjust a reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment, in response to a determination that the positive or negative gesture is corroborated; and

the one or more hardware processors also configured to enable each of one or more users of the VR environment to access, using the client computing device they are using, the reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment;

wherein in order for the third user, or the avatar of the third user, to witness that avatar of the first user actually making the positive or negative gesture towards the avatar of the second, the avatar of the third user is within a specified distance of the avatars of the first and second users within the VR environment while the avatar of the first user makes the positive or negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user, the avatar of the third user is facing the avatars of the first and second users while the avatar of the first user makes the positive or negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user, and the avatars of the first and second users are not blocked from the view of the avatar of the third user by an intervening virtual object while that avatar of the first users makes the positive or negative gesture towards the avatar of the second user.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment, that is increased, not increased, or decreased, comprises an individual-to-individual (I2I) reputation score that is indicative of the first user's impression of the second user;

the one or more hardware processors are also configured to determine, for a further user of the VR environment, whose avatar interacts with the avatar of the second user of the VR environment, a relative reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment, wherein the relative reputation score is determined based on one or more I2I reputation scores associated with the second user that were determined for other users that are linked to both the further user and the second user of the VR environment; and

the one or more hardware processors are also configured to enable the further user of the VR environment to access, using the client computing device being used by the further user, the relative reputation score associated with the second user of the VR environment.