Method and system for providing an interactive application over a network

1. A computerized method of providing an interactive application over a network, comprising:

transmitting, by a server device, foreground content and background content over a network to a client device, the foreground and background content corresponding to a current state of an interactive application;

transmitting, by the server device, a set of executable display instructions that direct the client device to present the background content in a background display and individual elements of the foreground content in a foreground display that overlays at least a portion of the background display;

receiving, by the server device, a key code from the client device over the network, the key code comprising data identifying a positional location of a user-selected element of the foreground content in the foreground display;

determining, by the server device, a next state of the interactive application based on the current state of the interactive application and the positional location of the user-selected element;

obtaining, by the server device, information corresponding to a rendering state of the client device, the rendering state including the foreground content, the background content and the display instructions previously transmitted to the client device; and

generating and transmitting, by the server device, a minimum set of executable display instructions, foreground content and background content based on the rendering state that causes the client device to transform one or more of the foreground display and the background display from the current state to the next state of the interactive application.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the interactive application is a video game.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising arranging the foreground display according to a grid comprising a plurality of grid tiles, each grid tile corresponding to a positional location of an individual element of the foreground content.

4. A computerized method of providing an online interactive application over a network, comprising:

receiving, by a client device, foreground content and background content over a network from a server device, the foreground and background content corresponding to a current state of an interactive application;

executing, by the client device, a set of executable display instructions from the server device to present the background content in a background display and individual elements of the foreground content in a foreground display that overlays at least a portion of the background display;

receiving, by the client device, navigational commands from a user and, in response, automatically causing a graphical selection indicator in the foreground display to move in one or more directions according to the received navigational signals without transmitting any messages to the server device;

receiving, by the client device, a selection command from the user and, in response, transmitting, by the client device, a key code to the server device over the network, the key code comprising data identifying a positional location of a user-selected element of the foreground content in the foreground display; and

executing, by the client device, a minimum set of executable display instructions, foreground content and background content received from the server device in response to transmission of the key code to transform one or more of the foreground display and the background display from the current state to the next state of the interactive application;

wherein the minimum set of executable display instructions, foreground content and background content is generated by the server device based a rendering state of the client device, the rendering state including the foreground content, the background content and the display instructions previously transmitted to the client device by the server device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the interactive application is a video game.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising arranging the foreground display according to a grid comprising a plurality of grid tiles, each grid tile corresponding to a positional location of an individual element of the foreground content.

7. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage device, for providing an interactive application over a network, including instructions being operable to cause a server device to:

transmit foreground content and background content over a network to a client device, the foreground and background content corresponding to a current state of an interactive application;

transmit a set of executable display instructions that direct the client device to present the background content in a background display and individual elements of the foreground content in a foreground display that overlays at least a portion of the background display;

receive a key code from the client device over the network, the key code comprising data identifying a positional location of a user-selected element of the foreground content in the foreground display;

determine a next state of the interactive application based on the current state of the interactive application and the positional location of the user-selected element;

obtain information corresponding to a rendering state of the client device, the rendering state including the foreground content, the background content and the display instructions previously transmitted to the client device; and

generate and transmit a minimum set of executable display instructions, foreground content and background content based on the rendering state that causes the client device to transform one or more of the foreground display and the background display from the current state to the next state of the interactive application.

8. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage device, for providing an interactive application over a network, including instructions being operable to cause a client device to:

receive foreground content and background content over a network from a server device, the foreground and background content corresponding to a current state of an interactive application;

execute a set of executable display instructions from the server device to present the background content in a background display and individual elements of the foreground content in a foreground display that overlays at least a portion of the background display;

receive navigational commands from a user and, in response, automatically causing a graphical selection indicator in the foreground display to move in one or more directions according to the received navigational signals without transmitting any messages to the server device;

receive a selection command from the user and, in response, transmit a key code to the server device over the network, the key code comprising data identifying a positional location of a user-selected element of the foreground content in the foreground display; and

execute a minimum set of executable display instructions, foreground content and background content received from the server device in response to transmission of the key code to transform one or more of the foreground display and the background display from the current state to the next state of the interactive application;

wherein the minimum set of executable display instructions, foreground content and background content is generated by the server device based on a rendering state of the client device, the rendering state including the foreground content, the background content and the display instructions previously transmitted to the client device by the server device.