Methods and systems for facilitating intra-game communications in a video game environment

1. A method of facilitating intra-game communication in video game environments featuring first-person or third-person perspectives, the method comprising:

determining, using control circuitry, a first location within a video game environment of a first avatar corresponding to a first user;

determining, using the control circuitry, a second location within the video game environment of a second avatar corresponding to a second user;

determining, using the control circuitry, an on-screen graphic location for an on-screen graphic to be displayed on a display screen depicting at least a portion of the video game environment by:

determining line-of-sight boundaries, within the video game environment, from a perspective of the first user at the first location;

determining a first trajectory from the first location to the second location within the video game environment;

determining a line-of-sight boundary, of the line-of-sight boundaries, intersected by the first trajectory;

determining a first point in the line-of-sight boundary that is intersected by the first trajectory;

determining a plane that includes the first point and is perpendicular to a line of sight of the first user; and

selecting the on-screen graphic location within the plane;

determining, using the control circuitry, a second trajectory from the on-screen graphic location to the first point; and

generating, using the control circuitry, the on-screen graphic at the on-screen graphic location, wherein the on-screen graphic includes a pointer along the second trajectory.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a size of the on-screen graphic based on a distance, within the video game environment, between the first location and the second location.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a size of the on-screen graphic based on a size of an object, within the video game environment, between the first location and the second location.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a size of the on-screen graphic based on a ratio between a first distance and a second distance, wherein the first distance equals a distance, within the video game environment, between the first location and the first point along the first trajectory, and wherein the second distance equals a distance, within the video game environment, between the first point and the second location along the first trajectory.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a size of the on-screen graphic based on a ratio between a first distance and a second distance, wherein the first distance equals a distance, within the video game environment, between the first location and the point along the first trajectory, and wherein the second distance equals a distance, within the video game environment, between the point and the second location along the first trajectory.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a presentation format of the on-screen graphic by comparing the detection that the second user is interactive with the video game environment to a database listing presentation formats associated with different types of user interactions.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a distance, within the video game environment, between the first location and the second location;

comparing the distance to a threshold distance; and

in response to determining that the distance is within the threshold distance, determining to generate for display the on-screen graphic.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the distance is equal to or exceeds the threshold distance, determining not to generate for display the on-screen graphic.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the distance is equal to or exceeds the threshold distance, identifying a second point based on a position of the second user on an on-screen map;

determining a third trajectory from the on-screen graphic location to the second point; and

generating the on-screen graphic at the on-screen graphic location, wherein the on-screen graphic includes a pointer along the third trajectory.

10. A system of facilitating intra-game communication in video game environments featuring first-person or third-person perspectives, the system comprising:

storage circuitry configured to store graphical elements for rendering a video game environment; and control circuitry configured to:

determine a first location within a video game environment of a first avatar corresponding to a first user;

determine a second location within a video game environment of a second avatar corresponding to a second user;

determine an on-screen graphic location for an on-screen graphic to be displayed on a display screen depicting at least a portion of the video game environment by:

determining line-of-sight boundaries, within the video game environment, from a perspective of the first user at the first location;

determining a first trajectory from the first location to the second location within the video game environment;

determining a line-of-sight boundary, of the line-of-sight boundaries, intersected by the first trajectory;

determining a first point in the line-of-sight boundary that is intersected by the first trajectory;

determining a plane that includes the first point and is perpendicular to a line of sight of the first user; and

selecting the on-screen graphic location within the plane; and

determine a second trajectory from the on-screen graphic location to the first point; and

generate the on-screen graphic at the on-screen graphic location, wherein the on-screen graphic includes a pointer along the second trajectory.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine a size of the on-screen graphic based on a distance, within the video game environment, between the first location and the second location.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine a size of the on-screen graphic based on a size of an object, within the video game environment, between the first location and the second location.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine a size of the on-screen graphic based on a ratio between a first distance and a second distance, wherein the first distance equals a distance, within the video game environment, between the first location and the first point along the first trajectory, and wherein the second distance equals a distance, within the video game environment, between the first point and the second location along the first trajectory.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine a size of the on-screen graphic based on a ratio between a first distance and a second distance, wherein the first distance equals a distance, within the video game environment, between the first location and the point along the first trajectory, and wherein the second distance equals a distance, within the video game environment, between the point and the second location along the first trajectory.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine a presentation format of the on-screen graphic by comparing the detection that the second user is interactive with the video game environment to a database listing presentation formats associated with different types of user interactions.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine a distance, within the video game environment, between the first location and the second location;

compare the distance to a threshold distance; and

in response to determining that the distance is within the threshold distance, determine to generate for display the on-screen graphic.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine not to generate for display the on-screen graphic in response to determining that the distance is equal to or exceeds the threshold distance, determining not to generate for display the on-screen graphic.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

in response to determining that the distance is equal to or exceeds the threshold distance, identify a second point based on a position of the second user on an on-screen map;

determine a third trajectory from the on-screen graphic location to the second point; and

generate the on-screen graphic at the on-screen graphic location, wherein the on-screen graphic includes a pointer along the third trajectory.