Modifying environmental chat distance based on chat density of an area in a virtual world

1. A method comprising:

determining a first chat amount within a first time window in an area of a virtual universe associated with an environmental chat associated with an avatar;

determining a second chat amount within a second time window in the area of the virtual universe associated with the environmental chat associated with the avatar;

comparing the second chat amount to the first chat amount; and

modifying a chat distance in response to determining that the first chat amount is different than the second chat.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the area of the virtual universe associated with the environmental chat associated with the avatar comprises the area of the virtual universe displayed on a computer system associated with the avatar.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first chat amount within the first time window comprises determining a number of characters associated with conversations between avatars within the first time window.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the environmental chat is a voice chat, and

determining the first chat amount within the first time window comprises determining a number of words associated with conversations between avatars within the first time window.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chat distance is inversely proportional to the first chat amount detected within the first time window.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

if the first chat amount is within a first predefined range of chat amounts, determining the chat distance includes selecting a first chat distance from a plurality of predefined chat distances, and

if the first chat amount is within a second predefined range of chat amounts that is higher than the first predefined range of chat amounts, determining the chat distance includes selecting a second chat distance that is less than the first chat distance from the plurality of predefined chat distances.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the avatar associated with the environmental chat is controlled by a user, and

the user associated with the avatar initiates determination of the first chat amount.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental chat is an environmental text chat, an environmental voice chat, or both an environmental voice and text chat.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting a first chat distance from a plurality of predefined chat distances based on the first chat amount such that the first chat distance is inversely proportional to the first chat amount.

10. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory machine readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to:

determine a chat amount within a time window in an area of a virtual universe associated with an environmental chat associated with an avatar;

determine a chat distance from the avatar at which chats between other avatars are observable to the avatar, wherein the chat distance is associated with the environmental chat based on the chat amount; and

modify the chat distance in response to a change in the chat amount in the area of the virtual universe associated with the environmental chat.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the area of the virtual universe associated with the environmental chat associated with the avatar comprises the area of the virtual universe displayed on a computer system associated with the avatar.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the program instructions to determine the chat amount within the time window include program instructions to determine a number of words associated with conversations between avatars within the time window.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the environmental chat is a voice chat, and wherein the program instructions to determine the chat amount within the time window include program instructions to determine a number of words associated with conversations between avatars within the time window.

14. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the chat distance is inversely proportional to the chat amount detected within the time window.

15. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the program instructions further include program instructions to cause the processor to select a first chat distance from a plurality of predefined chat distances if the chat amount is within a first predefined range of chat amounts, and select a second chat distance that is less than the first chat distance if the chat amount is within a second predefined range of chat amounts that is higher than the first predefined range of chat amounts.

16. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the environmental chat is an environmental text chat, an environmental voice chat, or both an environmental voice and text chat.

17. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory unit coupled to the one or more processors, the memory unit having stored therein program instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to:

determine a chat amount within a time window in an area of a virtual universe associated with an environmental chat associated with an avatar;

determine a chat distance associated with the environmental chat based on the chat amount; and

modify the chat distance in response to a change in the chat amount in the area of the virtual universe associated with the environmental chat.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the program instructions to determine the chat amount within the time window include program instructions to determine a number of words associated with conversations between avatars within the time window.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the environmental chat is a voice chat, and wherein the program instructions to determine the chat amount within the time window include program instructions to determine a number of words associated with conversations between avatars within the time window.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the program instructions further include program instructions to cause the one or more processors to select a first chat distance from a plurality of predefined chat distances if the chat amount is within a first predefined range of chat amounts, and select a second chat distance that is less than the first chat distance if the chat amount is within a second predefined range of chat amounts that is higher than the first predefined range of chat amounts.