Abstract: Methods and systems for providing gaming services are provided. One system embodiment includes an operating system for executing a first and second instance of game logic for defining a game environment for a video game. The first and second instances game logic process game commands for a first and second user, respectively. A hardware GPU is configured for rendering video frames of a first video stream for the first game logic and video frames of a second video stream for the second game logic. Video frames of the first video stream are configured to be rendered on a display associated with the gaming system, and in some embodiments, without being encoded. An encoder of the system encodes the video frames of the second video stream, which are transmitted to a client device of the second user for game play.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are provided for generating an interactive space. One method includes operations for associating a first device to a reference point in 3D space, and for calculating by the first device a position of the first device in the 3D space based on inertial information captured by the first device and utilizing dead reckoning. Further, the method includes operations for capturing images with a camera of the first device, and for identifying locations of one or more static features in the images. The position of the first device is corrected based on the identified locations of the one or more static features, and a view of an interactive scene is presented in a display of the first device, where the interactive scene is tied to the reference point and includes virtual objects.

Abstract: A method for sharing recorded gameplay of a video game to a social network, includes: executing, by a game console, a session of a video game; receiving, by the game console during the session of the video game, button input from a controller device that is interfaced with the game console; in response to receiving the button input, presenting, by the game console, a user interface configured to enable sharing of gameplay of the video game; receiving, by the game console via the user interface, one or more commands to share a video of at least a portion of the session of the video game to a social network, the video being recorded to a storage device during the session of the video game; sharing the video to the social network.

Abstract: A system and method for capturing and sharing console gaming data is described. Embodiments capture gameplay data directly at the gaming console, without the need for external hardware. This allows users to easily capture rich console gaming experiences and share them across a variety of outlets. In one embodiment, the methods described herein can be implemented with a patch or driver on the operating system of the user device, rendering it unnecessary to heavily modify the source code of the game.

Abstract: One or more hardware components identify a bottleneck stage within a processor pipeline that processes frames of a video stream. The bottleneck stage has a first clock. An upstream stage receives a feedback signal from the bottleneck stage. The upstream stage has a second clock and the feedback signal includes information as to time required by the bottleneck stage to operate on data and information as to time the data spent queued. The upstream stage adjusts the speed at which the upstream stage operates and queues data to approximate the speed at which the bottleneck stage is operating and queuing data.

Abstract: A system and method of pausing a game in a cloud gaming system including playing a game on a first game computer included in the cloud gaming system, pausing the game at a selected point in the game and capturing game state data for the paused game. The paused game can be resumed by retrieving the game state data and applying the game state data to a selected game computer and resuming the game at the selected point in the game on the selected game computer.

Abstract: A system determines which user of multiple users provided input through a single input device. A mechanism captures images of the one or more users. When input is detected, the images may be processed to determine which user provided an input using the input device. The images may be processed to identify each users head and eyes, and determine the focus point for each user's eyes. The user which has eyes focused at the input location is identified as providing the input. When the input mechanism is a touch screen, the user having eyes focused on the touch screen portion which was touched is identified as the source of the input.

Abstract: Management of user-generated game play advice is disclosed. The present invention allows for management of game play advice that is complete and up-to-date regardless of when a particular interactive gaming title is released. Game play advice is pervasive and easily accessible to game players in addition to being accurate and credible such that game players can trust or rely upon the rendered advice.

Abstract: A video game system includes a video server system (VSS) having a first network address. The VSS pairs a game controller having a second network address with a display system having a third network address. The VSS receives controller data packets directed to the first network address from the game controller over a first communication channel. The controller data packets include the second network address and information for updating a game state of a video game. The VSS decodes the controller data packets and directs generation of an updated game state of the video game using information within the controller data packets. The VSS generates a video stream of the video game using the updated game state. The VSS transmits the video stream to the display system at the third network address over a second communication channel. The first and second communication channels differ by at least one network segment.

Abstract: A method for using a distributed game engine includes receiving a request from a user account via a computer network to play a game, identifying processing power assignment for the user account, and determining node assembly for the user account to utilize two or more processing nodes for the play of the game based on the processing power assignment. The method further includes initializing the two or more processing nodes for execution of the game for the user account. The operation of initializing is performed to set up a transfer of processing code for the game from one processing nods to another processing node. The method includes defining an internal communication channel between the two or more processing nodes for exchange of state information of the game. The exchange of state information is performed to enable shared processing of the game by the two or more nodes.

Abstract: A method for sharing gameplay is provided, including the following operations: executing a video game; while executing the video game, buffering a portion of gameplay of the video game, wherein buffering the portion of gameplay captures a predefined amount of gameplay prior to a currently executing gameplay; receiving an input generated from a controller device; responsive to receiving the input, then sharing the portion of gameplay to a website.

Abstract: A virtual reality network provides access to a number of virtual reality representations, each virtual reality representation representing a location in a virtual universe and defined by VR data stored on the network. The VR data can be in a simplified data format. A database stores the network address and the location in the universe of each virtual reality representation. A database server provides access to the database. The database server generates a list of locations in response to a location query from a visitor, and provides the network address of the virtual reality representation of a selected location. A visitor connects to the database server with a client host to visit the locations in the virtual universe.

Abstract: Methods and systems for presenting an image of a user interacting with a video game includes providing images of a virtual reality (VR) scene of the video game for rendering on a display screen of a head mounted display (HMD). The images of the VR scene are generated as part of game play of the video game. An input provided at a user interface on the HMD received during game play is used to initiate a signal to pause the video game and to generate an activation signal to activate an image capturing device. The activation signal causes the image capturing device to capture an image of the user interacting in a physical space. The image of the user captured by the image capturing device during game play is associated with a portion of the video game that corresponds with a time when the image of the user was captured. The association causes the image of the user to be transmitted to the HMD for rendering on the display screen of the HMD.

Abstract: Systems and methods for verifying an advertisement impression in a digital environment are provided. In some aspects, methods of the subject technology include operations for defining a portion of the digital environment as an impression area, wherein the impression area is associated with a tagged advertisement area, providing a stream of an advertisement to the tagged advertisement area, and updating advertising impression information stored in memory regarding the advertisement, wherein an advertising impression is based on the identification of the character within the impression area and the availability of an unobstructed line-of-sight between the character and the tagged advertisement area. In some aspects, computer readable media are also provided.

Abstract: Methods for hosting low-latency streaming interactive audio/video (A/V) include executing one or more video games or applications on a server communicatively coupled to a data network. Packet streams are received from a plurality of users and routed to the one or more video games. The packet streams include user control input that are used to compute A/V data in response. The A/V data are received from the video games or applications. Portions of the A/V data are compressed in parallel using processing units resulting in low-latency streaming compressed A/V data. The low-latency streaming compressed A/V data are routed to each of the users over a corresponding data network communication channel. The executing of video games, receiving of packet streams and A/V data, compressing portions of the A/V data and routing the compressed A/V data are performed with a latency such that at least one user has the perception that the controlled video game is responding instantly.

Abstract: A cloud gaming manager selects a game server to stream a computer game to a requesting client game console based on which server in the cloud system has the requested game in server memory, or the requested game system in server memory, or the user files of the requesting console in server memory.

Abstract: A system, method, and graphical user interface for playing games and/or executing applications on a tablet-based client. One embodiment of a graphical user interface (GUI) for playing a video game on a tablet-based client device comprises: a virtual controller rendered on a display of the tablet computer, the virtual controller substantially mimicking the control provided by a thumb stick of a physical game controller and providing omnidirectional, free-form movement in a synchronous direction in which a user moves a finger on the display of the tablet-based client.

Abstract: An apparatus includes one or more servers of a hosting service center operable to execute a twitch video game or real-time application for one or more users remotely located from the hosting service center. The execution of the twitch video game or real-time application on the one or more servers produces uncompressed video of 3D animation. The one or more servers are operable to integrate live video with the twitch video game or real-time application such that the live video appears within the uncompressed video of 3D animation. The live video is received at a hosting service center from one or more client devices correspondingly associated with the one or more users. The uncompressed video 3D animation is generated, at least partially, using data streamed from a high-speed storage unit of the hosting service center coupled to the one or more servers. The high-speed storage unit is configured to load geometry for efficient loading and rendering of objects of the 3D animations.

Abstract: Dynamically balancing imbalanced teams in a multiple team game, including: generating at least three teams, each team comprising members belonging to a first type or a second type; applying a first growth pattern to members of the first type and a second growth pattern to members of the second type, converting at least one member of the first type to the second type; and adjusting the first and second growth patterns based on the conversion of the at least one member.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer programs for controlling a view of a virtual scene with a handheld device are presented. In one method, images of a real world scene are captured using a device. The method further includes operations for creating an augmented view for presentation on a display of the device by augmenting the images with virtual reality objects, and for detecting a hand in the images as extending into the real world scene. In addition, the method includes operations for showing the hand in the screen as detected in the images, and for generating interaction data, based on an interaction of the hand with a virtual reality object, when the hand makes virtual contact in the augmented view with the virtual reality object. The augmented view is updated based on the interaction data, which simulates on the screen that the hand is interacting with the virtual reality object.