Abstract: In a multiplayer video game, virtual cameras are controlled by continually assessing and ranking storylines relating to the interactions of various players during a game session. A ranking for each storyline may be based on various factors such as, but not limited to, what the players can see, the distance between certain players, nearby game items or in-game. Subsequently, at least one virtual camera is navigated to provide a view of the highest-ranking storyline, subject to certain limitations on how the camera can move, transition, or otherwise display the interactions between players. A set of rules including rules of cinematography, are used to provide additional control of the movement of the virtual camera. Movements of a human camera-person are used on a mocap system to control the movement of the virtual camera.

Abstract: A multiplayer game implementing a method for generating a plurality of training virtual areas; generating at least one GUI to display a list of the plurality of training virtual areas; using the at least one GUI, enabling a player to choose one of the plurality of training virtual areas, wherein said one of the plurality of training virtual areas is associated with at least one attribute; allowing the player to navigate a virtual character to said one of the plurality of training virtual areas; monitoring an activity of the virtual character in said one of the plurality of training virtual areas; determining a value of the at least one attribute based on the monitored activity; and updating a first attributes profile of the virtual character to a second attributes profile based on the determined value of the at least one attribute.

Abstract: A seed number for use in generating aspects of a game world may be formed using GPS location information of a game device. The game device may include GPS circuitry for providing the GPS location information.

Abstract: Facets of a video game are modified based on scanning of bar codes. The bar codes may be bar codes of retail products. The facets of the video game may one or more of availability of game characters for use in play of the video game, characteristics of the game characters, availability or characteristics of in-game items, or game player status.

Abstract: An approach is provided for streaming of media streams (e.g., from a game console). In one implementation, a media stream that includes a secondary view of the game world may be generated at the game console. The secondary view may be of a lower-quality version of a primary view of the game world. The generation of the media stream may include: prefetching, to a cache of the game console, portions of the primary view and/or instructions for encoding the portions; and encoding, based on the prefetching, the portions to produce the secondary view. In another implementation, game play information may be executed to reproduce previous game play of a previous game session during a reproduction of the previous game session. Augmentation content may be added to the reproduced game session during the reproduction of the previous game session, creating an augmented game session having one or more views for streaming.

Abstract: In computer-implemented methods and systems for secure storage and transmission of data in a distributed network environment, each piece of data is transformed in to multiple pieces of metadata for transmission and storage. Each piece of metadata is transmitted and stored on a different server, which is selected from separate pools of servers.

Abstract: A method of tracking phishing activity is disclosed. A request to download a webpage hosted as part of a legitimate website on a server is initiated. The request includes identification data pertaining to at least one user computing device. The identification data is extracted from the request. A unique identifier corresponding to the extracted identification data is generated. Fingerprint data is generated using at least a subset of the extracted identification data. The unique identifier, the extracted identification data and the fingerprint data is stored. The fingerprint data is encoded into a program and/or data associated with the webpage to generate a modified webpage. The modified webpage is transmitted from the server to the user computing device in response to the request.

Abstract: The present specification describes computer-implemented methods and systems for selecting and modifying messaging within a virtual gaming environment. Digital assets are selectively placed at various locations within scenes of the virtual gaming environment for improved visibility and impact. The scenes are evaluated and scored based on past, real time and predicted game data, to determine scores. The scores are used to identify values of digital asset placement within those scenes.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for imparting dynamic, non-linear and realistic movement and look and feel to a player's/virtual character's first-person limbs and hand-held object model, and procedurally animating a first-person virtual camera such that it simulates the movement of a camera handheld by the player/virtual character. To impart chaotic or random motion to the first-person limbs and hand-held object model a first module defines and implements first and second two dimensional mass-spring-damper systems, each of which is linked to the player's/virtual vector's view vector. Procedural animation or rotational shake is implemented by a second module by applying a coherent noise function to each of the six axes of the first-person virtual camera.

Abstract: Systems and methods enable most valuable players (MVPs) of a gameplay session to play a bonus gameplay session where other players (non-MVP players) participate as player-spectators in online video games and, through a collective voting mechanism or through active interaction, determine the occurrence of certain events or contents of the bonus gameplay in real time. In this manner, non-MVP players are able to directly affect the course of the bonus gameplay.

Abstract: A system and method is provided that generates a game log that specifies game events during gameplay to enable efficient distribution of video game playback, facilitates the annotation of gameplay through content from users and others, and generates a video game stream that includes the game log and content. The system facilitates the efficient sharing of video game playback, as well as annotations from users and others. For example, e-sportscasters may use the system to broadcast video game playback with their commentary and/or graphical overlays. Video game players may use the system to share video game playback efficiently with other users. The system may also facilitate the sharing of loadout conditions and micro-transactions relevant to video game playback.

Abstract: Information may be provided to smartphones to allow users to display video game characters of other individuals in a social or other setting, outside of and/or independent of game play of the video game. The smartphones may read information, for example of a badge or a face, and use the information to obtain information of a visual representation of a virtual game character of another person. The information of the game character may also be used for displays in a virtual reality game, results of which may be used to update game character status in a video game.

Abstract: In a process for selecting a LOD visual asset from a set of pre-generated LOD visual assets for rendering during gameplay, data representative of the set of pre-generated LOD visual assets and associated switch distances is accessed. One or more variables related to the client devices and/or the gameplay being rendered on the client devices is monitored. Thereafter, either a first action of applying at least one corrective factor to the associated switch distance in order to generate modulated switch distances and then selecting a LOD from the set of pre-generated generated LOD visual assets based on one of the modulated switch distances or a second action of selecting a LOD visual asset from the set of pre-generated LOD visual assets based on the associated switch distances corresponding to the selected LOD visual asset is performed.

Abstract: A method for generating at least one proxy level of detail (LOD) visual asset for contents of a grid cell of a game map is described. A LOD management engine receives data indicative of grid cell contents and at least one function is applied to the data. The LOD engine generates a base proxy LOD visual asset representative of the data and an associated base proxy switch distance as a result of the applying, received by a LOD management module which generates a first proxy LOD visual asset by iteratively reducing a polygon mesh complexity of the base proxy LOD visual asset until a maximum geometric deviation of the first proxy LOD visual asset approaches a predefined threshold value. The LOD management module generates a first proxy switch distance at which the predefined threshold value, when projected on a display of a default resolution, comprises a predefined number of pixels.

Abstract: A method of managing evolution of an active object in a game space based on interaction of one or more players with the active object, the method including the following steps implemented concurrently and independently by server-side and client-side modules: acquiring data indicative of a first player's interaction with the active object during gameplay; determining data indicative of a first state of the active object and data indicative of a first attribute associated with the first state; determining altered state data indicative of a second state of the active object, wherein a second attribute is associated with the second state; and determining evolved object data indicative of a change from the first attribute to the second attribute. Further, the client-side module uses the evolved object data to render the active object on the first player's client device in the second state and the second attribute.

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 disclosed systems and methods integrate gaming functionality with viewing a video program. Systems and methods for generating an interactive multimedia game for a user during the viewing of a video program by the user includes a host computer that generates the game in a context of the video program viewed on a first graphical user interface and recommends the video game to the user. The user may opt to engage with the video game on a second graphical user interface, which may be overlaid on the first graphical user interface.

Abstract: A method of shading spatial units while rendering a frame in a video game. Initially, the virtual camera field of view is divided into a group of spatial units and each spatial unit in the group of spatial units is tested to determine which decals intersect the spatial unit. To do so, an initial list of decals associated with a given game space is tested. Once a subset of decals for a given spatial unit is identified, that spatial unit is subdivided further into smaller spatial units. The smaller spatial units are tested again, however, instead of using the initial list of decals, only the smaller subset of decals that was identified is used. The iterative process of subdividing the spatial units into smaller and smaller spatial units and testing each spatial unit continues until a given (higher) resolution is reached for the game space.

Abstract: A system and method for customizing a replay of one or more game events in a video game is provided. During a gameplay session, a trigger event is detected prompting a replay of the trigger event in-game. One or more system-defined customization templates and/or user-defined customization templates may be applied to customize the trigger event replay.

Abstract: The application describes methods and systems for dynamically generating a music clip for rendering at client devices in a multi-player gaming network. Player data and event data are acquired and classified into two or more profiles. The music clip is then generated by identifying a mood based on one of the two or more event profiles and one of the two or more player profiles and modulating one or more music elements of a segment of audio data based on the identified mood.