Progress bar for branched videos

1. A system for navigating and visualizing the progression of selectably presentable video content, the system comprising:

a computing device having at least one processing unit programmed to provide:

a progress indicator module for providing for display a dynamic progression status of at least one of a plurality of video content paths, each content path comprising a plurality of selectably presentable video content segments,

wherein the progression status comprises a video content length indicator that is dynamically updated after each decision point to indicate a possible amount of remaining video playback time, wherein the possible amount of remaining video playback time is based on the playback lengths of one or more potentially viewable video content segments in one or more video content paths following the decision point, and wherein a particular decision point comprises a point in a video content segment for determining a transition from the video content segment to one of a plurality of other video content segments,

wherein the possible amount of remaining video playback time comprises at least one of a maximum duration based in part on a possible video content path following the decision point and having the longest total length of video content segments, a minimum duration based in part on a possible video content path following the decision point and having the shortest total length of video content segments, and an average duration based in part on an average playback length of all possible video content paths following the decision point; and

an interactive control module for facilitating navigation along the video content paths.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the progression status comprises a visual indicator representing one or more of a portion of video content downloaded, a portion of video content played, and a portion of video content remaining for download.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the progression status comprises at least one visual indicator identifying a decision point for transitioning from a source video content segment to a selectable one of a plurality of target video content segments.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the progression status further comprises a time marker for the decision point, the time marker measured from the beginning of a currently traveled video content path.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the progression status further comprises a time interval representing an amount of time permitted, upon reaching the decision point, to select one of the target video content segments to continue on a video content path.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the progression status further comprises an amount of time until the decision point is reached.

7. The system of claim 3 , wherein the progression status further comprises at least one option indicator identifying each target video content segment for potential selection at the decision point.

8. The system of claim 3 , wherein the progression status further comprises an option indicator identifying a selected one of the target video content segments, the option indicator displayed upon selection of the selection segment at the decision point.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the progression status is dynamically updated after each decision point along a currently traveled video content path.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the progression status comprises a graphical tree structure.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the tree structure comprises linked video content segments forming a traveled video content path prior to a current point in time.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the tree structure further comprises potential selectable video content segments branching from the traveled video content path after the current point in time.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the tree structure comprises linked video content segments forming all of the video content paths.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control module facilitates navigation within the tree structure.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the progression status comprises statistics based on user selection of the video content segments.

16. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a preview module for providing for display a plurality of video thumbnails associated with a particular point in time of the progression status, each video thumbnail representing a respective video content segment from a different one of the video content paths, the respective video content segment being potentially viewable at the particular point in time.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the control module, upon selection of one of the video thumbnails, seeks to the video content segment corresponding to the thumbnail.

18. A method for navigating and visualizing the progression of selectably presentable video content, the method comprising the steps of:

providing for display, by a computing device having at least one processing unit, a dynamic progression status of at least one of a plurality of video content paths, each content path comprising a plurality of selectably presentable video content segments,

wherein the progression status comprises a video content length indicator that is dynamically updated after each decision point to indicate a possible amount of remaining video playback time, wherein the possible amount of remaining video playback time is based on the playback lengths of one or more potentially viewable video content segments in one or more video content paths following the decision point, and wherein a particular decision point comprises a point in a video content segment for determining a transition from the video content segment to one of a plurality of other video content segments,

wherein the possible amount of remaining video playback time comprises one or more of a maximum duration based in part on a possible video content path following the decision point and having the longest total length of video content segments, a minimum duration based in part on a possible video content path following the decision point and having the shortest total length of video content segments, and an average duration based in part on an average playback length of all possible video content paths following the decision point; and

facilitating navigation along the video content paths.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the progression status comprises a visual indicator representing one or more of a portion of video content downloaded, a portion of video content played, and a portion of video content remaining for download.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the progression status comprises at least one visual indicator identifying a decision point for transitioning from a source video content segment to a selectable one of a plurality of target video content segments.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the progression status further comprises a time marker for the decision point, the time marker measured from the beginning of a currently traveled video content path.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the progression status further comprises a time interval representing an amount of time permitted, upon reaching the decision point, to select one of the target video content segments to continue on a video content path.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the progression status further comprises an amount of time until the decision point is reached.

24. The method of claim 20 , wherein the progression status further comprises at least one option indicator identifying each target video content segment for potential selection at the decision point.

25. The method of claim 20 , wherein the progression status further comprises an option indicator identifying a selected one of the target video content segments, the option indicator displayed upon selection of the selection segment at the decision point.

26. The method of claim 18 , further comprising dynamically updating the progression status after each decision point along a currently traveled video content path.

27. The method of claim 18 , wherein the progression status comprises a graphical tree structure.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the tree structure comprises linked video content segments forming a traveled video content path prior to a current point in time.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the tree structure further comprises potential selectable video content segments branching from the traveled video content path after the current point in time.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein the tree structure comprises linked video content segments forming all of the video content paths.

31. The method of claim 27 , wherein the facilitating step further comprising facilitating navigation within the tree structure.

32. The method of claim 18 , wherein the progression status comprises statistics based on user selection of the video content segments.

33. The method of claim 18 , further comprising providing for display a plurality of video thumbnails associated with a particular point in time of the progression status, each video thumbnail representing a respective video content segment from a different one of the video content paths, the respective video content segment being potentially viewable at the particular point in time.

34. The method of claim 33 , further comprising upon selection of one of the video thumbnails, seeking to the video content segment corresponding to the thumbnail.