Abstract: A game spectating system that provides interfaces and methods for providing game content to viewers. The spectating system obtains game metadata from game systems for games being broadcast by the spectating system according to the API, and generates broadcast content based at least in part on the game metadata. The broadcast content includes user interface (UI) elements for obtaining virtual or physical objects corresponding to the game content. The broadcast content is provided to spectator devices with the broadcasts. The spectating system receives indications of spectators' interactions with the broadcast content from the spectator devices including interactions requesting the virtual or physical objects, and facilitates provisioning or delivery of the objects to respective spectator devices or spectators.

Abstract: A game information system that locates and identifies content in live or prerecorded video of games or other events, and that obtains information about the located content from one or more sources. Players associated with the located and identified content may be identified, and information about the players may also be obtained. The information about the identified content and/or players may be provided to devices associated with participants for display. The information may be overlaid on the game video and/or displayed in separate windows or screens. A participant may interact with the displayed information to obtain additional information about the content and/or players. Video and/or audio analysis techniques may be used to locate the content in the video. A machine learning technique may be used to improve performance of content location and identification over time.

Abstract: An audio analysis system that may analyze participant audio input in a game spectating environment. The audio analysis system may receive audio input for participants (broadcasters and/or spectators) in a game spectating system. The audio analysis system may analyze the audio input to generate audio analysis information for broadcasts, and provide the information to the game spectating system. The audio analysis information may be applied in the game spectating system in various ways. For example, the information may be used to determine active or popular broadcasts, broadcasters, games, and/or recordings of broadcasts, and the active or popular content may be indicated to spectators via a game spectating user interface. The audio analysis system may provide an application programming interface (API) to receive the audio input and to provide audio analysis information.

Abstract: A spectating system that leverages game metadata and/or broadcast metadata to provide rewards to or otherwise acknowledge participants in broadcasts. The system may analyze the metadata to detect events or other information about broadcasts, and may recognize and/or reward participants based at least in part on the analysis. Spectators may be rewarded for participating in broadcasts, or in particular events in broadcasts. Broadcasters may be rewarded for in-game achievements or for achieving levels of audience participation or support. Participants may select or vote on other participants to receive rewards. Rewards may, for example, include acknowledgement of participants via the user interface, virtual items such as in-game virtual gear, physical items such as game-related merchandise, and granting of benefits or privileges by the spectating system and/or game system such as special content for a broadcaster's channel.

Abstract: A real-time video targeting (RVT) system may leverage network-based computation resources and services, available 2D or 3D model data, and available viewer information to dynamically personalize content of, or add personalized content to, video for particular viewers or viewer groups. When playing back pre-recorded video to viewers, at least some objects or other content in at least some of the scenes of the video may be replaced with objects or content targeted at particular viewers or groups according to profiles or preferences of the viewers or groups. Since the video is being rendered and streamed to different viewers or groups in real-time by the network-based computation resources and services, any given scene of a video may be modified and viewed in many different ways by different viewers or groups based on the particular viewers' or groups' profiles.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining highlights from broadcasts in spectating environments. A highlight service obtains highlight data for broadcasts including game- and participant-specified events, audio input, and text chat, analyzes the highlight data to determine notable events (highlights) in the broadcasts, and extracts highlight segments from the broadcasts according to the determined events. Highlight reels may be created from the highlight segments according to one or more highlight selection criteria and/or spectator preferences. The highlight service may provide access to the highlights and highlight reels via a highlight user interface (UI). The spectators may selectively view the highlights or highlight reels via the highlight UI.

Abstract: A spectating system that generates game inputs based on spectator inputs and interactions, and provides the game inputs to game systems according to an application programming interface (API). The spectating system may allow spectators to interact with and affect a game being broadcast via inputs to and interactions with user interface (UI) elements presented on the spectating UI. Spectators may affect or influence the game, objects within the game universe, events within the game, or the players in the game via the UI elements on the spectating UI. The spectators may become involved in the games being broadcast by influencing game play via the spectating inputs. Game play for the players may be enhanced by providing interesting variations in game play based on the spectating inputs.

Abstract: An audio analysis system that may analyze participant audio input in a game spectating environment. The audio analysis system may receive audio input for participants (broadcasters and/or spectators) in a game spectating system. The audio analysis system may analyze the audio input to generate audio analysis information for broadcasts, and provide the information to the game spectating system. The audio analysis information may be applied in the game spectating system in various ways. For example, the information may be used to determine active or popular broadcasts, broadcasters, games, and/or recordings of broadcasts, and the active or popular content may be indicated to spectators via a game spectating user interface. The audio analysis system may provide an application programming interface (API) to receive the audio input and to provide audio analysis information.

Abstract: An audio analysis system that may analyze participant audio input in an online game environment. The audio analysis system may receive audio input for participants (players or spectators) in a current game session of a game executing within an online game system. The audio analysis system may analyze the audio input to generate audio analysis information for the current game session, and provide the audio analysis information to the online game system. The audio analysis information may be applied within the online game system in various ways. For example, the information may be displayed to the players and/or spectators via a user interface provided by game clients executing on respective client devices. The audio analysis system may provide an application programming interface (API) to receive audio input and provide audio analysis information to one or more game systems.

Abstract: A game system in which virtual representations of real-world, physical objects may be designed or modified by game players within a virtual game universe. Real-world physical interactions of the virtual objects may be simulated by a game engine during game play within the game universe. Performance data may be collected for the virtual objects that simulates real-world performance data for corresponding physical objects. The performance data for the virtual objects may, for example, be used in evaluating performance of modifications to a physical object, or for comparing performance of two or more physical objects. Production or manufacturing decisions for respective physical objects may be made at least in part based on the performance data collected for the virtual representations of the objects.

Abstract: A system that collects, analyzes, and applies physical metrics from participants in game environments. Participants (players and/or spectators) in a game may wear or hold devices that collect physical data from the participants via sensors, generate metrics data from the sensor data, and provide the metrics data to a participant metrics module. The module may receive the metrics data from the devices, analyze the metrics data to generate game inputs based on the participants' physical metrics, and provide the game inputs to the game system to affect game play. The module may also receive alerts or other information from the game system or from players, determine feedback for participants according to the received information, and signal the devices to provide feedback or alerts to the participants in the game. The devices may include indicators that are activated by the signals to provide visual, audio, and/or haptic indications to respective participants.

Abstract: A system that collects, analyzes, and applies physical metrics from participants in game environments. Participants (players and/or spectators) in a game may wear or hold devices that collect physical data from the participants via sensors, generate metrics data from the sensor data, and provide the metrics data to a participant metrics module. The module may receive the metrics data from the devices, analyze the metrics data to generate game inputs based on the participants' physical metrics, and provide the game inputs to the game system to affect game play. The module may also receive alerts or other information from the game system or from players, determine feedback for participants according to the received information, and signal the devices to provide feedback or alerts to the participants in the game. The devices may include indicators that are activated by the signals to provide visual, audio, and/or haptic indications to respective participants.

Abstract: A game system in which game sessions involving player(s) may be recorded and saved as game records. A player or other entity may offer or market the game records to other players via one or more channels such as websites. The game records may be offered in exchange for virtual or real currency, or for free. Player profiles for the player(s) that recorded the original game session may be provided with the game records. A player that obtains a game record may replay the recorded game session to watch the game play, or alternatively may choose to participate in the replay by assuming control of a character in the game to play with the original player's character as simulated according to the player's profile. If a player steps into a game session being replayed, a new universe/timeline may be spawned and saved as a new game record.

Abstract: A real-time video exploration (RVE) system that allows users to pause, step into, and explore 2D or 3D modeled worlds of scenes in a video. The system may leverage network-based computation resources to render and stream new video content from the models to clients with low latency. A user may pause a video, step into a scene, and interactively change viewing positions and angles in the model to move through or explore the scene. The user may resume playback of the recorded video when done exploring the scene. Thus, rather than just viewing a pre-rendered scene in a movie from a pre-determined perspective, a user may step into and explore the scene from different angles, and may wander around the scene at will within the scope of the model to discover parts of the scene that are not visible in the original video.

Abstract: A real-time video exploration (RVE) system that allows users to pause, step into, move through, and explore 2D or 3D modeled worlds of scenes in a video. The RVE system may allow users to discover, select, explore, and manipulate objects within the modeled worlds used to generate video content. The RVE system may implement methods that allow users to view and explore in more detail the features, components, and/or accessories of selected objects that are being manipulated and explored. The RVE system may also implement methods that allow users to interact with interfaces of selected objects or interfaces of components of selected objects.

Abstract: A real-time video exploration (RVE) system that allows users to pause, step into, and explore 2D or 3D modeled worlds of scenes in a video. The system may leverage network-based computation resources to render and stream new video content from the models to clients with low latency. A user may pause a video, step into a scene, and interactively change viewing positions and angles in the model to move through or explore the scene. The user may resume playback of the recorded video when done exploring the scene. Thus, rather than just viewing a pre-rendered scene in a movie from a pre-determined perspective, a user may step into and explore the scene from different angles, and may wander around the scene at will within the scope of the model to discover parts of the scene that are not visible in the original video.

Abstract: A real-time video exploration (RVE) system that allows users to pause, step into, move through, and explore 2D or 3D modeled worlds of scenes in a video. The RVE system may allow users to discover, select, explore, and manipulate objects within the modeled worlds used to generate video content. The RVE system may implement methods that allow users to view and explore in more detail the features, components, and/or accessories of selected objects that are being manipulated and explored. The RVE system may also implement methods that allow users to interact with interfaces of selected objects or interfaces of components of selected objects.

Abstract: Location data that corresponds to one or more user devices each associated with a user may be obtained. Based on the location data, the particular location of a user may be determined. Similarities between various users may be identified when it is determined that those users have visited the same locations. Upon at least two users visiting a threshold amount of the same locations, one or more recommendations may be provided to the users, whereby the recommendations relate to places that those users have yet to visit. In addition, the users may have the opportunity to reveal information about themselves to other users, while maintaining their anonymity. As a result, the users may meet people and learn about new places that are likely to be of interest to those users.

Abstract: A service provider may obtain information about a plurality of items offered for acquisition by a merchant. The service provider may identify one or more items of the plurality of items that are the same as one or more respective items included in a catalog of items associated with the service provider. The items included in the catalog of items may be available for acquisition via the service provider. Additionally, the service provider may communicate with the merchant to offer services in relation to the items included in the service provider catalog of items that match the items offered by the merchant.

Abstract: A real-time video exploration (RVE) system that allows users to pause, step into, move through, and explore 2D or 3D modeled worlds of scenes in a video. The RVE system may allow users to select and manipulate objects within a scene, and to modify an object by adding or removing accessories from the object or otherwise customizing the object according to the user's preferences or desires. The RVE system may also provide an interface or interfaces via which the user can obtain additional information for the object, customize the object, be given a price or price(s) for the object as customized, and purchase the object as specified if desired.