A virtual environment server. The server manages time-shifted presentation
data between multiple participants in a shared virtual environment
system. The server includes a routing module configurable for coupling to
multiple participants, a real-time data management module coupled to the
routing module, a time-shifted data management module coupled to the
routing module, and a data store module coupled to the real-time data
management module and to the time-shifted data management module.
Participant output presentation data is received from the participants,
stored as real-time presentation data, and transferred to appropriate
participants. In response to requests from a requesting participant to
obtain time-shifted presentation data from a time-shifted participant and
any influence participants, time-shifted presentation data is retrieved
from the data store module and transferred to the requesting participant.
Influence participants are participants whose input presentation data are
influenced by time-shifted participant and whose output presentation data
influence presentation environment of requesting participant.