Apparatus and method of mapping a virtual environment

1. A method of mapping a virtual environment, comprising:

obtaining a first sequence of video images output by a videogame title;

obtaining a corresponding sequence of in-game virtual camera positions at which the video images were created;

obtaining a corresponding sequence of depth buffer values for a depth buffer used by the videogame whilst creating the video images; and

for each of a plurality of video images and corresponding depth buffer values of the obtained sequences,

obtain mapping points corresponding to a sampling distribution of points over the area of a respective video image and their associated depth values; wherein

respective mapping points are obtained by projecting co-ordinates derived from the sample points from the video image and associated depth values back into a 3D game world co-ordinate system of the videogame title;

thereby obtaining a point cloud dataset of mapping points corresponding to the first sequence of video images.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein projecting sample points from the video image back into a 3D game world co-ordinate system comprises:

transforming co-ordinates derived from the sample points and corresponding depth buffer values through an inverse perspective projection matrix.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein projecting sample points from the video image back into a 3D game world co-ordinate system comprises:

transforming co-ordinates output by an inverse perspective projection matrix through an inverse camera matrix.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein projecting sample points from the video image back into a 3D game world co-ordinate system comprises:

generating two planes within the game-world co-ordinate system, forming a frustum; and

interpolating the position of sample points between the planes as a function the corresponding depth buffer value.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining a point cloud dataset of mapping points corresponding to the first sequence of video images comprises:

culling mapping points that only occur in a predetermined number of contiguous image frames or fewer.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

snapping the mapping points to a volumetric grid having a predetermined pitch size in the game-world co-ordinate system.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a mesh from the point cloud dataset, using one selected from the list consisting of:

i. screened Poisson surface reconstruction; and

ii. ball-pivot surface reconstruction.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining colour information at the predetermined set of positions within the respective video image; and

associating the colour information with the corresponding generated mapping points.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

recording the first sequence of video images output by the videogame;

recording the corresponding sequence of in-game virtual camera positions used to create the video images;

recording the corresponding sequence of depth buffer values for a depth buffer used by the videogame whilst creating the video images; and

recording the mapping points,

and

associating the sequences of in game virtual camera positions, depth buffer values and the mapping points with the recording of the first sequence of video images.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sequence of video images is obtained from a first video recording, with which the corresponding virtual camera positions and sequence of depth buffer values are associated.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein

the corresponding sequence of depth buffer values is obtained from a second video recording that was generated by encoding the sequence of depth buffer values.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the mapping points are obtained from data associated with a first video recording comprising the sequence of video images, or a second video recording comprising the sequence of depth buffer values.

13. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions adapted to cause a computer system to perform a method comprising:

obtaining a first sequence of video images output by a videogame title;

obtaining a corresponding sequence of in-game virtual camera positions at which the video images were created;

obtaining a corresponding sequence of depth buffer values for a depth buffer used by the videogame whilst creating the video images; and

for each of a plurality of video images and corresponding depth buffer values of the obtained sequences,

obtain mapping points corresponding to a sampling distribution of points over the area of a respective video image and their associated depth values; wherein

respective mapping points are obtained by projecting co-ordinates derived from the sample points from the video image and associated depth values back into a 3D game world co-ordinate system of the videogame title;

thereby obtaining a point cloud dataset of mapping points corresponding to the first sequence of video images.

14. An entertainment device, comprising:

a video data processor configured to obtain a first sequence of video images output by a videogame title;

a camera position data processor configured to obtain a corresponding sequence of in-game virtual camera positions at which the video images were created;

a depth data processor configured to obtain a corresponding sequence of depth buffer values for a depth buffer used by the videogame whilst creating the video images; and

a mapping data processor configured, for each of a plurality of video images and corresponding depth buffer values of the obtained sequences,

to obtain mapping points corresponding to a sampling distribution of points over the area of a respective video image and their associated depth values, wherein

respective mapping points are obtained by projecting co-ordinates derived from the sample points from the video image and associated depth values back into a 3D game world co-ordinate system of the videogame title,

thereby obtaining a point cloud dataset of mapping points corresponding to the first sequence of video images.

15. The entertainment device of claim 14 , wherein the video data processor configured to obtain the sequence of video images from a first video recording, with which the corresponding virtual camera positions and sequence of depth buffer values are associated; and

the depth data processor is configured to obtain the corresponding sequence of depth buffer values from a second video recording that was generated by encoding the sequence of depth buffer values.