AU2013254905B2 - Gaming system - Google Patents

Abstract

A gaming system including a gaming platform adapted to run a computer game in which an avatar is associated with a player of the game' a memory arranged to store one or more attributes associated with said avatar, said attributes determining at least the performance of the avatar in the game, a first input port adapted to receive an input of the player for controlling the avatar to perform tasks during progression of the avatar in the game, and a second input port adapted to receive an input of a moderator indicating a modification to be applied to one or more of the avatar attributes stored in said memory, wherein the gaming platform is adapted to display to the player an indication of modified attributes. Gaming Platform 110 1117106 Game 102 071 Core ] Moderator _______Player interface L Display Avatar 104 109 .108 Profile Playercontrole Moderator --------_---_----------- Input Device ] F 1 T Inut Dvice Figl Gaming Platform Game 202 210 211 207 206 4z21 204 .205 1 Moderator Player A Player B Display interface Avatar Profile Avatar Profile 11--,'1 .1-, 1 209A -,208A Moderator - Player A Player B Sensor Memory Sensor Memory Player A control Input Device ",208B Player A Player B Player B controle Sensor Sensor Input Device Fig 2 212A! 212B) -302 Gaming Gaming Player 314 Platform ,38 Platform A ' A 1308 B 316 312 304P Gaming Player Platform Gaming Player Platform Fi AB 3J18 C Fg3'- Fig 3B

Description

1 GAMING SYSTEM FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a gaming system and a method of 5 controlling a game, and in particular to a gaming system and method involving an avatar. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Computing games, such as games played on a PC or on a games console, often involve avatars. Avatars represent the player in a game, and are often 10 designed to the taste of the player. The avatar may be more or less anthropomorphic, thereby increasing the level of involvement and identification the player has with his/her virtual representation in the game. The appearance and performance of the avatar in the game may evolve during the game, for example if the avatar loses health, picks up objects, gains strength etc. 15 In such games, it is generally an objective to make the player feel as part of the gaming world as possible. The control of the avatar in a game is usually achieved by the player using a handheld input device, such as a control pad, and some gaming consoles also come equipped with other inputs such as foot pedals, which can to some extent match actions in the real world performed by a player to 20 actions of the avatar in the game, and thereby improve the playing experience. However, there exists a technical problem in improving the interaction between the player's environment and the game environment. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect, the present invention provides a device 25 including a memory to store instructions; and a processor configured to execute the instructions to receive an input, from a user device, for controlling an avatar to perform tasks during progression of the avatar in a game, provide one or more avatar attributes to a moderator device, receive a command from the moderator device to modify at least one of the one or more avatar attributes, the command being 30 manually entered at the moderator device, the command being based on an analysis of one or more attributes associated with a health of a user of the user device, and at least one of the one or more avatar attributes not being modified when at least one of 2 the one or more attributes associated with the health of the user indicates that a corresponding avatar attribute should be modified, modify, based on the command, at least one of the one or more avatar attributes to create a modified avatar, and replace the avatar with the modified avatar in the game. 5 According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method including receiving, by a device, an input, from a user device, for controlling an avatar to perform tasks during progression of the avatar in a game, providing, by the device, one or more avatar attributes to a moderator device, receiving, by the device, a command from the moderator device to modify at least one or the one or 10 more avatar attributes, the command being manually entered at the moderator device, the command being based on an analysis of one or more attributes associated with a health of a user of the user device, and at least one of the one or more avatar attributes not being modified when at least one of the one or more attributes associated with the health of the user indicates that a corresponding avatar 15 attribute should be modified, modifying, by the device, at least one of the one or more avatar attributes to create a modified avatar, and replacing, by the device, the avatar with the modified avatar in the game. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non-transitory storage medium storing instructions, the instructions including one or 20 more instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to initiate a gaming session, receive an input, from a user device, for controlling an avatar to perform tasks during progression of the avatar in the gaming session, provide, during the gaming session, one or more avatar attributes to a moderator device, receive, during the gaming session, a command from the 25 moderator device to modify at least one of the one or more avatar attributes, the command being manually entered at the moderator device, the command being based on an analysis of one or more attributes associated with a health of a user of the user device, and at least one of the one or more avatar attributes not being modified when at least one of the one or more attributes associated with the health of 30 the user indicates that a corresponding avatar attribute should be modified, modify, based on the command and during the gaming session, at least one of the one or 3 more avatar attributes to create a modified avatar, and replace, during the gaming session, the avatar with the modified avatar. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other purposes, features and aspects of the 5 invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of 4 embodiments, given by way of ilustration and not limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 2, 3A and 38 illustrate gaining systems according to embodiments of the present invention, 5 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 illustrates a gaming systern 100 including a gaming platform 101. The gaming platform 101 includes a game core 102 and an avatar profile 104, Coupled to the gaming platform, either directly or via a network such as the Internet (not shown), is a player display 106 coupled via an output port 107 of the gaming 10 platfoma, and a player control input device 108 coupled via an input port 109 of the gaming platform. A moderator intedace 11D is also coupled to an input port 1 of the gaming platform 101 and is controled by amoderator, The gaming platform 101 is for example a PC or games console. Alternatively, it could be a server' 101, in which case the display 106 and input device 15 108 are for example coupled to the gaming platform va a network or the Internet As a further alternative, the gaming platform 101 could be a mobile device such as a portable games console, mobile telephone or laptop. In this case, the display 106 is for example the display of the mobile device, and the player control input device 108 is for example the keypad of the mobile device. Viile the player is playing the game, 20 the player controls the actions of the avatar using the player control input device 108, and views the game using the display 106 The game core 102 for example includes a software engine for executi g the computer game based on the player input and generating the images displaed to player during the computer game on display 06. 25 The avatar profile 104 is for example stored in a memory and is used to store atributes that affect the visual appearance of the asatar in the computer game, and also characteristics of the avatar that affect the avatars performance in the computer game, such as the difficulty level, skill level, speed, etc The moderator interface 110 allows a moderator to access the gaming 0 plform 101, and in particular the avatar profile 104 The moderator interface 110 is for example a PC that a moderator can use to view and modify the avatar attributes. The moderator interface 110 is coupled directly, or via a network such as a wireless 5 LAN and/or the Intemet, to the input port 111, which for example includes a network adaptor, web portal or other type of communications interface. The moderator may modify attributes associated with the avatar in the avatar profile 104 based on variables taken from the players daily life. The avatar attributes are for example 5 transmited to the moderator interface 110 to be viewed by the moderator, and in response, a series of data values modifying the avatar attributes is sent via the moderatorinterface10 to the avatar profie 104 Examples of variable in the players dal y life that can be used as a basis for determining modifications to the avatars attributes include variables relating 10 to the playrs health, such as the players weight, blood pressure, body mass index, body fat percentage. smoking habits, eating habits, drinking habits, heart rate, lung capacity, blood sugar level, etc. Furthermore, a pedometer, accelerometer or camera could be used to test movement and therefore general fitness of aiplayer, or physical or mental tests could be made on the user. 15 For example, a player can be weighed by the moderator, who then updates the avatar profile 104 in the computer game based on the player's weight. This for example involves changing the appearance of the avatar in the game, to show coresponding weight loss or gain. Alternatively or additionay, this involves changing the performance of the avatar, such as reducing or increasing the avatars 20 speed, stength or skill in the game. The moderator who updates the avatar profile in such embodiments is for example a health expert such as a doctor, nurse or dietician, This is preferable, as changes in such variables may be viewed as positive or negative based on the players health Natory and/or other factors affecting the player. For example, if the 25 variable is the players weight, and the player is an overweight adult, a weight loss should be considered as positive and a weight gain as negative- However, if the player is a growing child of normal weight or an underweight adult, a weight loss should be considered as negative andan increase In weight should be considered as normal or positive 30 As a different example, the variables in a players life could for example be the time spent working on a project or doing homework In this case, the moderator could be an independent arbitrator, such as a teacher or the parent of a child playeryho judges whether sfficient te doing homework or working on the project has performed If so, the aftibutes jn the avatar profit 1e04 of the avatar associated with the player may be modified to gi e the avatarmore poinr increase skil level, etc. Again, the use of an expert as the moderato is preferable, as an 5 expert can judge what dher extenuating circumstance exist he p aye ife That may affed the imespent working on projedsthomework such as hdaysbad heah, or other comments in the playd&slife. urthemore a teacher is an expert whtcan judge howlong a student ofa partcular age should be spending doing homework In the embodiments described herein, the avatar's performance and/or appearance are for example altered to reward players who achieve nosrtve iesye objectives, On the other hand, for players who perform' poorly in achieving lifestyle objectives, the avatar's performance and/or appearance are for example moted negatively These modfcations can thereby motivate players to prove their ifestyle 1$ choices. For example, the avatar of a player who needs to lose weight but who gains weight is made to have an obese appearance and to run slowly, which is both visually unappealing to the player, and also undesirable to the plaer as-th reduced dance of the avatar can negatively affct the ability of The p t compe 20 the game, The player is thus motivated to lose weight As another example, the avatar of a player who smokes too much is made to look old and to lose heat points, to motivate the player to reduce the amount they smoke., As a further example, The avatar of a player who does not spend enough time doing school assignments is .modified to respond more slowly to the players control movements 25 using the control input device, making progression in the game harder. The player is then encouraged to work more on their school assignments to improve the response tine of the avatar in the game, When an improvement in the lifestyle variables of the player is detected, the appearance and/or performance of the avatar are modified to reward the player 30 and encourage further improvement towrds their lifestyle goals The avatar profile 104 is for example reloaded each twe a player logs into the computer game to play, Modifications to the avatar profile 104 made by the 7 moderaor can fot example be implemented while a player is playing, In which case the changes can have mediate effect on The avatars appearance andor performance or nodficatons canbe made between gaming sessions such that the avatars appearance and/or performance can be seen by the player the next time 5 hrdsehe logs on to pa. In operaticO, a player for example loads a game into the gaming platform 101, for example by introducing softwate for running the game, in the form of a DVD or other storage medium or downoading the game Aitematively the game is hosted by a remote server th player for example logs into the game via the 10 inteet. When a new gare is started, the player is for example given opons for selecting visualand/or performance characteristics of an avatar to be assigned to that player during the game. For example, if the avatar is humano4 the player may be abl to select hair eye and skin tones, build, height etc 15 Once the avatar has been defined by a player, the attributes selected by the player. along wth other attributes having anal value that for example can only be modified during the progression of the game, are loaded into the avatar profile 104 The player plays the game by controlng the avatar to perform tasks 20 using the control input device -108. The attributes of the avatar stored in the avatar profile 104 are for example moifedduring the game based on the olyers actions. At any time once the game has started, thne avatar profile can also be modifed by the moderator via the moderate interface 110 In some embodiments of the game, a Feedback Activated Option may 25 be selected, and when not activated, no feedback from a moderator to update the attrbutes i provided On the other hand, when the Feedback Activated Option is selected, the game runs until t reaches a time out established by the moderator. For example, the game could be given to a player by their ieath expert or dletician during a visit, and the health expert or detician could set a [me out to 30 occur around the time of the next scheduled visit, During the next visit, tests are ade on the player, and the expert updates the avatar parameters accordingly 8 Arematively, the game could be given to a player by a teacher. and the teacher could set the time outs at times of exams, and based on examn results, the teacher could update the avatar profile. Figure 2 illustrates a gaming system 200 including a gamnog platform 0 201, an avatar A profile 204 and an avatar B profide 20$ CoupK to the gaming platform 201 is a display 206 coupled via an output port 207 of the gaming platfon, a player A control rput device 208A coupled via an input port 209A of the gaming platform, a payer B contUro input device 208B coupled va an input port 209B of The gaming platform and a moderator interface 210 coupled via an input port 211 of the 10 gaming platform A player A sensor 212A and a player B sensor 212B are also coupled to the gaming platform 201 via input ports 213A and 21 3B .respectively of the gaming platform A player A sensor memory 214 and a player B sensor memory/ 215, which may be provided as parts of a same memory device, are povied for storing data sensed by sensors 212A and 2128 respectively 1 The gaming system 200 allows two players to play using the same gaming patform 201. The avatar A profile 204 stores attributes relating to the avatr of player A, which are for example the same attribtes as described above in relation to avatar profile 104, and likewise for avatar B profile 205, which stores attributes relating to playerB 20As with the gaming system 100, te gami platform 201 of gaming system 200 is for example a PC or games console, a server, or a mobie device such as a portable games consok mobile telephone or aptop Playes A and B for example share a sae display 206, or a separatedsay could be provided for each player, As with moderator interface 110 the modrator interface 210 is for example a 25 PC that a moderatorcan use toview and modifythe avataratibutes The moderator interface 210 is coupled direcdy or via a network such as a wireless LAN and/or te Internet to the input port 211. which for example ircds a network adaptor web portalor other type of communications interface in the gaming system 200, player sensors 2124 and 212B provide 30 sensor data relating to the players' lifestyle, For example, the sensors 212A and 213B may include one or more of: weighing scales, accelerometers, pedometers, smoke sensors, microphones and digitl cameras. Other possihltces iude sensors for determining the blood pressure of the players, sensors for determining the body tat percentage of the players, blood sugar testers or other tyoes of blood testers, breath test gauges for detecting lung capacity, humidity sensors and pressure sensors. Such sensor could also indude a trer, such that a player can tine how 5 long they spend doing homework or wordng n a project The data sensed by sensors 212A and 212B is stored in memories 214 and 215. and is access ble via the moderator interface 210, For example, the sensed data, along with the modifiable avatar attributes for each player are tVnsmitted t ogether or individually to the moderator interface 210, and in response, modified avatar attbutes are transmitted to the avatar profiles 204 and 205. In some embodimnents, the moderator interface 210 is for example programmed by the moderator such that for certain sensed data ranges for a particular player, the avatar attributes are modified accordingly, In this case, the response can be generated automatsctly by the modeator interface 210. Aternatively, the response by the 15 moderator interface 210 is semiautomatic, meaning that some attribute are automatically rnodified based on the sensed data while others are modified by the moderator, or entirely manua the moderator entering all modifications, The gaining platform, 200 could be extended to support more than two players, for example three, four, five or more players. n particular, an additional 20 avatar profile, control input aId sensor input can be provided for each additional player. Alermatively, one or more sensors may be shared by the players. For example, if the sensor is a weight sensor c body fat percentage sensor, the players can use this sensor in turn. Operation of the gaming system 200 of Figure 2 is for aarule very 25 simi"arto that of the gaming system 00 ofFigurdescribed above except that the sensors 212A and 212B provide data allowing the moderator to modify the avatar attributes with or without meeting the payer inperson. Depending on the types of sensors, the sensors may need passive or active input from the players. For example, sensors such as smok sensors 30 microphones, r ameras coud he activated to sese data wthoutneeding actions of thepayers. Othetypes of sensors, such as heart monitors or blood testers may need the players to perform actions to provide inputs to the sensors.

10 For some sensor types, such as weighing sensors, or heart monitors, the players could be requested to use the sensors each time the player starts a game., and the sensed data could be recorded, for example along with a time stamp such that The moderator knows the time and date that the data is collected. 5 Alternatively or additionally, the players could be requested to use the sensors at regular intervals during the game, for example each hour, or in order for the player to progress from one level in the game to another., Such regular intervals could be preset by the moderator. For example, if the sensor is a blood sugar level sensor, the health adviser of the player could preset blood sugar tests to be made 10 based on the needs of the player, for example every 2 hours. The gaming platform 201 could be arranged to provide an alami to indicate that the test should be made even when the game is not being played. In some embodiments, if a player does not respect the request to perform the test, the game could be deactivated. Some sensors are arranged to capture data all of the time. or at certain 15 times, without intervention of the player. As an example, a microphone is arranged to detect noise all of the time while child players are playing, and if noise levels climb too high, a moderator could program the avatar attributes to change The avatar attributes so that the players are made aware they are making too much noise. Figure 3A illustrates a gaming system 300 including a gaming platform 20 A 302, a gaming platform B 304 and a gaming platform C $06. The gaming platforms are interconnected by a communications network 308, such as a wireless LAN (local area network) and/or the Intemet, Each of the gaming platforms 302 to 306 is for example the gaming platform 101 or 201 described above, including a communications interface (not shown in Figures 1 and 2) for communicating via 25 communications network 308, in this embodiment a multiplayer game can be created by interconnecting the gaming platforms, A moderator interface for each gaming platform could be provided, connected directly to each platform, or could be connected elsewhere to network 308 via a separate interface. Figure 3B Illustrates a system 310 according to an aftemative 30 embodiment in which a gaming platform 312 is implemented in the form of a server. The gaming platform 312 is for example the gaming platform 101 of Figure 1 or platform 201 of Figure 2, and in this case, a player A 314, a player [ 316 and a player C $3 may enter the game by communicating with tne gaming platfom 312 via a communications network 320, which is for example provided by a wireless LAN and/or the Internet 320. Each player is for example equipped with a PC having a communicatons interface for communicating via network 320, a display for displaying 5 the game, and a control input device, In this embodiment, one or more moderator interfaces are coupled directly to the gaming platform 312 or coupled via the communications network $20. The computer game described herein can for example be stored on a digita storage medium such as a CD or DVD, and when loaded into a games 10 console, PC' server or The like, corresponding to the gaming platform described herein, the operation as described above is implemented. An advantage of enbodiments of the gaming system and method described herein is That by providing a moderator inteiface 110 210 and an avatar profile 104, 204, 205 that can be modied via the moderator i terface the 15 progression of the game can be controlled such that the game more closely follows the tfestyle of the players, Furthermore, a ccmbinatton of one or more input sensors 212, 213, a memory 214, 215 for storing sensor data and a moderator interface, allows a moderator to review data captured by the sensor and make appropriate modfcfaos to the ava t roe 20 A further advantage of embodiments of the gaming platforms described henein is that by providing a gaming patforn that adjusts the visual appearance and/or performance of the avatar in the game based on the avatar profile feedback is provided to the player on how the moderator has modified the avatar attributes via the moderator interface, Thus the player is able to identify the aftezts of his/her 25 ifestyle habis on the progression in the game. An advantage of the nuftipiayer embodiments of Figures 2, 3A and 38 s that by providing one or more moierator interfaces, the avatar profile associated with each player can be modtfied, and thus competition can be encouraged between the players. 30 Multiplayer embodiments are also advantageous as modifications to the visual appearance of The avatar of one player an be seen by other players in the game, providing more motivation for the player to improve their lifestyle choices.

12 An advantage of providing the gaming platform 101 or 201 as part of a mobile device, such as a mobile telephone or portable games console, is that such devices may be carried with a player wherever they go. Furthermore, such devices are often equipped with sensors that can be used in the game, such as microphones, 5 still or video cameras, accelerometers, position sensors etc and include an interface that can be used for ommuracations with a moderator, for example via a communications interface provided in the device. VVhle a number of specific embodiments have been d"sVr-d t will be apparent to those killed in the art that various altematves and modifications may be 10 appled. For example, the moderator interfaces and player input controls and display may be arranged differently with respect to the gaming platform. The gaming platforms desired rerein cn be used to support any type of game, which may involve humanoid characters, or other types of avatars, 15 such as racing cars, alien creatures etc. The gaming platforms described herein could support games to be played in one session, or games played in multipe sessions. Certain lifestyle habits of the player, such as the player's weight or body fat percentage, are better suited to computer games played over a relatively long period of time, for example weeks or 20 months, Other lifestyle habits, stch as the number of cigarettes smoked or alcohol consumed may be better suited to shorter games lasting afew hours or days, As described above, while a moderator is used to oversee modfcations to the avatar attributes in the computer game, values provided by the moderator interface that modify the avatar attributes in the profe may he generated 25 automatically based on criteria set by the moderator, generated semi[utomaticlly or generated by the moderator directly. It will be apparent to those sailed in the art that features or any of the embodiments described herein may be combined with any of the other embodiments, For example, the platform i01 of Figre 1 could be made to be 30 multiplayer, and/or include a sensor and sensor .memory as described in relation to Pgure 2 The reference to any prior at in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form or suggestion that the prior at forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia, Throughout this specificalion and laims which follow, unless the 5 context requires otherwise the word comprise, and variations such as 'tompres" and comprisingg w be understood toimply the indusionof a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. Although a few implementation have been desc'bed in detail above, it wi 1 nevetheless be understood that various modifiatons may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosuim in addition, the ogic flows depicted in the figures do not require the pafticular onder shown, or senia orde to achieve desirabe esus tr addikon other stepmay be proved. or steps may be eliminated, om the descrbed flows and other components nay be added or 15 removed from, t ',e described systems. According, other uptementatons are wbln the scope of thefw&vcdin

Claims (22)

1. A device including: a memory to store instructions; and a processor configured to execute the instructions to: receive an input, from a user device, for controlling an avatar to perform tasks during progression of the avatar in a game; provide one or more avatar attributes to a moderator device; receive a command from the moderator device to modify at least one of the one or more avatar attributes, the command being manually entered at the moderator device, the command being based on an analysis of one or more attributes associated with a health of a user of the user device, and at least one of the one or more avatar attributes not being modified when at least one of the one or more attributes associated with the health of the user indicates that a corresponding avatar attribute should be modified; modify, based on the command, at least one of the one or more avatar attributes to create a modified avatar; and replace the avatar with the modified avatar in the game.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: provide, for display, the modified avatar in the game.

3. A device according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive sensor data associated with the user, the one or more attributes associated with the health of the user being based on the sensor data; and provide the received sensor data to the memory of storage.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to: provide the received sensor data to the moderator device.

5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more attributes associated with the health of the user are associated with an appearance of the avatar in the game. 15

6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more avatar attributes are associated with at least one of: a physique of the avatar, a skin tone of the avatar, or a size of the avatar.

7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processor is included in a gaming console.

8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the user device is part of a gaming console and the processor is located remotely from the user device.

9. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device is a mobile device.

10. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processor receives the manually entered command form a health expert.

11. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the game includes a plurality of avatars, and the processor is further configured to: receive a command from the moderator device to modify at least one avatar attribute for more than one of the plurality of avatars; and modify, based on the received command, at least one avatar attribute for each of the more than one of the plurality of avatars to create a respective modified avatar for each of the more than one or the plurality of avatars.

12. A method including: receiving, by a device, an input, from a user device, for controlling an avatar to perform tasks during progression of the avatar in a game; providing, by the device, one or more avatar attributes to a moderator device; receiving, by the device, a command from the moderator device to modify at least one or the one or more avatar attributes, the command being manually entered at the moderator device, the command being based on an analysis of one or more attributes associated with a health of a user of the user 16 device, and at least one of the one or more avatar attributes not being modified when at least one of the one or more attributes associated with the health of the user indicates that a corresponding avatar attribute should be modified; modifying, by the device, at least one of the one or more avatar attributes to create a modified avatar; and replacing, by the device, the avatar with the modified avatar in the game.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein, the manually entered command is received from a health expert.

14. A method according to either claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the one or more attributes associated with the health of the user includes at least one of: a weight of the user, a blood pressure of the user, a blood sugar level of the user, a heart rate of the user, a lung capacity of the user, or a muscle/fat ratio of the user.

15. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, further including: receiving sensor data associated with the user, the one or more attributes associated with the health of the user being based on the sensor data; and providing the received sensor data to the moderator device.

16. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, where the game includes a plurality of avatars, and the method further includes: receiving a command from the moderator device to modify at least one avatar attribute for more than one of the plurality of avatars; and modifying, based on the received command, at least one avatar attribute for each of the more than one of the plurality of avatars to create a respective modified avatar for each of the more than one of the plurality of avatars. 17

17. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein the one of more attributes associated with the health of the user are associated with a visual appearance of the avatar in the game.

18. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein, when modifying at least one of the one or more avatar attributes to create a modified avatar, the method further includes: modifying a speed of the avatar in the game.

19. A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions, the instructions including: one or more instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: initiate a gaming session; receive an input, from a user device, for controlling an avatar to perform tasks during progression of the avatar in the gaming session; provide, during the gaming session, one or more avatar attributes to a moderator device; receive, during the gaming session, a command from the moderator device to modify at least one of the one or more avatar attributes, the command being manually entered at the moderator device, the command being based on an analysis of one or more attributes associated with a health of a user of the user device, and at least one of the one or more avatar attributes not being modified when at least one of the one or more attributes associated with the health of the user indicates that a corresponding avatar attribute should be modified; modify, based on the command and during the gaming session, at least one of the one or more avatar attributes to create a modified avatar; and replace, during the gaming session, the avatar with the modified avatar.

20. A non-transitory storage medium according to claim 19, wherein the instructions include: one or more instructions to provide, for display, the modified avatar in the game.

21. A non-transitory storage medium according to either claim 19 or claim 20, wherein the instructions further include: one or more instructions to receive sensor data associated with the user, the one or more attributes associated with the health of the user being based on the sensor data; 18 one or more instructions to provide the received sensor data to the moderator device.

22. A non-transitory storage medium according to any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein the game includes a plurality of avatars, and the instructions further include: one or more instructions to receive a command from the moderator device to modify at least one avatar attribute for more than one or the plurality of avatars; and one or more instructions to modify, based on the received command, at least one avatar attribute for each of the more than one of the plurality of avatars to create a respective modified avatar for each of the more than one of the plurality of avatars.