US Patent 12064694 Travel of virtual characters

A player may send virtual characters to travel to remote locations in a parallel-reality game. The remote locations are virtual locations corresponding to real-world locations other than where the player is located. The player can therefore send a virtual character to a virtual location without traveling to the corresponding real-world location themselves. A travel time and a path the character will travel along to reach the remote location is determined. Once the virtual character has reached the remote location, it stays there for a duration of time. Client devices of players near the remote location may display a visual representation of the virtual character. The virtual character may collect virtual items and interact with other players and return to the player with any virtual items it has collected or been given.