Abstract: The present specification describes a system and method for aggregating user results, rankings and statistical data associated with playing video games across two or more games, normalizing the aggregated data to unified values and presenting the aggregated and unified data via an interface, such that data from one game may be fairly combined and/or compared to data from another game. The present system enables users of one game to trade game-related virtual items with users of another game by providing a normalized score or value for virtual items, thereby permitting virtual items associated with one game to be fairly compared against virtual items of another game.

Abstract: A video game may utilize mobile device location information in providing game rewards for a video game to game players. In some embodiments the video game is played on the mobile device. In some embodiments the video game is played on a non-mobile device, for example a game console. In some embodiments the mobile device is a smart phone, and in some embodiments the mobile device is a simple near field communication device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a performance heatmap that accounts for barriers, playable areas and non-playable areas are disclosed. The system applies a blur operation to a performance heatmap associated with a game map to generate a blurred heatmap, the heatmap having a plurality of pixels, where at least a portion of the pixels is associated with one or more values corresponding to one or more performance metrics. A mask representative of a top down image of the game map is generated, where the mask defines first areas that are accessible to players and second areas that are not accessible to players. A data structure is defined having n×m elements, wherein each of the n×m elements has a weight associated therewith based on an association of the data structure and mask. The blurring operation is executed on the heatmap using the data structure.

Abstract: System and methods for defining and applying animations to virtual characters with interchangeable body parts that may be combined to form composite virtual characters are disclosed. According to aspects of the invention, a software program running on a gaming platform comprises a plurality of virtual characters, each comprising a plurality of interchangeable body parts. An animation clip may be defined for an interchangeable body part of a first virtual character. The animation clip may be defined for the first virtual character's interchangeable body party using a virtual skeleton that has the bones of the interchangeable body part and the bones of one or more generic body parts. The defined animation clip may control one or more of the bones of the interchangeable body part and one or more of the bones of the one or more generic body parts.

Abstract: The present specification describes systems and methods for efficiently generating scaled down versions of heatmaps that can be presented in real-time to a player. Data representative of events in a video game are recorded at occurring at one or more coordinates within a virtual geographical landscape of the video game. The virtual geographical landscape is divided into subsections to form a secondary map. Performance metrics are generated based on the data and assigned to at least one of the subsections based on the one or more coordinates. The heatmap is formed and displayed by generating a non-alphanumeric visual representation of the performance metrics and overlaying the non-alphanumeric visual representation of the performance metrics on the secondary map. Locations of the non-alphanumeric visual representation of the performance metrics is based on to which subsections the generated performance metrics was assigned.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for controlling access to software via a physical object. The system may include one or more of a physical object, such as a toy, a computing device, and a server. The toy may include a unique identifier that permits an owner of the toy to download software to the computing device via the server. In some variations, a purchaser of the toy may be permitted to download software to the computing device directly from a storage device associated with the toy.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the health of a compute resource includes determining a baseline for the amount of time required for the resource to complete a specific task, monitoring the resource to measure the amount of time actually used by the resource to complete the task in a given instance, comparing the baseline time to the measured time, and determining if the resource is operating within acceptable tolerances based on the comparison. An alert may be created or other remedial action may be taken if the resource is not operating within acceptable tolerances.

Abstract: A real world location information related video game. The video game utilizes real world location information derived from a player's mobile device to associate attributes and entities to game players. The associated attributes and entities may be useful in further game play on a player's mobile device or PC.

Abstract: A system and method for uniquely identifying physical trading cards and/or incorporating trading card game items in a video game is provided. In certain implementations, a unique code that identifies a trading card may be obtained. A graphical representation of the unique code may be generated based on a graphical coding scheme. The graphical representation of the unique code may comprise at least a part of: (1) a depiction of a game item that is usable in the video game; or (2) a border of the trading card. Content associated with the depiction of the game item may be obtained. The trading card may be generated based on the content associated with the depiction of the game item and the graphical representation of the unique code such that the generated trading card depicts the game item and the graphical representation of the unique code.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for transparently styling non-player characters (“NPCs”) in multiplayer video games such that it is difficult to distinguish between human players and computer-controlled NPCs. NPCs may be styled to resemble human players in terms of both player profile attributes and gameplay actions such that players may not recognize NPCs as non-human, computer-controlled players. Additionally, or alternatively, NPCs and/or human players may be presented with a limited set of profile attributes that may reduce or eliminate the ability to distinguish between human players and NPCs, one or more profile attributes may be “anonymized,” and/or the ability to view player profiles of human players and/or NPCs may be disabled altogether. In certain gameplay sessions including real and/or practice gameplay sessions, human players may be prompted to select from among a predetermined set of playable characters having predefined profile attributes.

Abstract: A number of licenses for play of a video game may be modified or adjusted based on in-game activities of the video game. The in-game activities may be activities of game characters controlled by game players.

Abstract: The specification describes methods and systems for increasing a dimensional depth of a two-dimensional image of a face to yield a face image that appears three dimensional. The methods and systems identify key points on the 2-D image, obtain a texture map for the 2-D image, determines one or more proportions within the 2-D image, and adjusts the texture map of the 3-D model based on the determined one or more proportions within the 2-D image.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for providing information for avoiding specific users of an immersive virtual environment. Generally, a primary user may specify other users to be avoided in a blacklist. The blacklisted users may be specified to be avoided at all times, or may be specified to be avoided in certain situations. In one embodiment, a user may be added to the blacklist during a specific situation, resulting in the characteristics of the situation being automatically stored in the blacklist. Subsequently, the blacklist may be used to determine the locations of the blacklisted users matching the current situation. The primary user may then avoid the locations having the greatest probability of encountering blacklisted users.

Abstract: A videogame includes a peripheral device that senses the presence and identity of toys near or on the peripheral. Each of the toys includes an identification device such as an RFID tag. Each of the toys is also associated with a corresponding game character or object. The toys include touchpoints that can be used to affect and navigate gameplay. Further, the toys include programmable payloads that can be programmed in response to gameplay.

Abstract: Play of a videogame may be conducted using one or more physical object detection devices as the sole form of game controller(s), or in conjunction with game controllers. Detection of physical objects by the detection devices may be used to determine structures in a virtual world of game play. The detection devices may include radio frequency identification (RFID) readers or voltage or current sensors. The physical objects may include RFID tags or one or more resistors.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method includes identifying a scene to be rendered, creating a plurality of light scattering tables within the scene, performing a computation of light extinction and light in-scattering within participating media of the scene, utilizing the plurality of light scattering tables, and during a ray tracing of the scene, approximating spatially heterogeneous media of the scene as spatially homogeneous media of the scene by performing a volume intersection for each light ray associated with the spatially heterogeneous media of the scene to determine a homogeneous scattering coefficient for the light ray, and applying to the spatially heterogeneous media of the scene one of the plurality of light scattering tables, where each of the plurality of light scattering tables corresponds to a single homogeneous scattering coefficient.

Abstract: The present specification describes systems and methods that enable non-players to participate as spectators in online video games and, through a collective voting mechanism, determine the occurrence of certain events or contents of the gameplay in real time. Game event options are generated and presented to non-players. A specific one of the game event options is then selected based on a collective vote of the non-players. Once selected, the specific one or more of the game event options are then generated as actual gaming events and incorporated into a video game stream that is transmitted to the players as part of the gameplay session. In this manner, non-players may be able to directly affect the course of gameplay.

Abstract: The present specification describes systems and methods for automatically animating personalized blendshapes from three dimensional stereo reconstruction data. The disclosed inventions facilitate the animation of blendshapes using an optimization process that applies to a frame a fitting process to yield a set of weighted blendshapes and applies to that frame a temporal smoothing process to yield a another set of weighted blendshapes and repeats that optimization process for a predetermined number of iterations to yield a final set of weighted blendshapes.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method includes identifying a scene to be rendered, creating a plurality of light scattering tables within the scene, performing a computation of light extinction and light in-scattering within participating media of the scene, utilizing the plurality of light scattering tables, and during a ray tracing of the scene, determining a homogeneous scattering coefficient for spatially homogeneous media of the scene, and applying to the spatially homogeneous media of the scene one of the plurality of light scattering tables, where each of the plurality of light scattering tables corresponds to a single homogeneous scattering coefficient.

Abstract: A tactile feedback system for use with a virtual reality system comprises a support structure and tactile feedback units coupled to and spaced apart around the support structure. A microcontroller is coupled to the tactile feedback units to independently control their activation. The microcontroller has a communication interface configured to communicate with the virtual reality system to receive control signals for controlling operation of the tactile feedback units. The microcontroller activates the tactile feedback units in response to control signals received from the virtual reality system to indicate aspects of the virtual reality experience. In another aspect, a haptic gun for use with a virtual reality system has tactile feedback units and a linear actuator for simulating a recoil of firing the gun. In another aspect a video game system provides a single game play instance for multiple clients utilizing different game platforms.