Abstract: A computing system is configured to execute a computer program on a server and to provide a video stream of the program output to a geographically remote client over a communication network. The computing system is further configured to provide executable content of the computer program to the client over the communication network in parallel with the video stream. When a sufficient amount of the executable content has been provided to the client execution of the computer program is transitioned from the server to the client. The transition optionally includes communicating a state of the computer program from the server to the client. The executable content can be provided to the client in an order that is determined based on the state of the computer program. Those parts of the executable content deemed most likely to be necessary to support game play on the client are given priority.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a content block is provided. Media and at least one set of activity data associated with the media may be stored in memory. A user request may be received by a server from a user device to stream the media. Such user request may include information about at least one of user completed activities or user in progress activities that a user has engaged with. The media may be monitored to identify a trigger indicating that an activity to be displayed is not one of the at least one of user completed activities or user in progress activities. A notification may be generated to the user that the activity to be displayed is not one of the at least one of user completed activities or user in progress activities.

Abstract: A method for verifying behavior associated with play of a game is described. The method includes receiving a characterization of a first player from a user account as being abusive and accessing a recording of the behavior of the first player stored for a pre-determined time period in response to receiving the characterization of the first player. The method further includes analyzing, by an artificial intelligence model, the behavior of the first player to determine whether the behavior is abusive. The operation of analyzing whether the behavior of the first player is abusive is performed to determine whether the characterization of the first player is accurate.

Abstract: The subject disclosure relates systems and methods for returning accurate and relevant search results in an online platform. In some aspects, a process of the disclosed technology can include steps for displaying a first set of search results, the first set of search results including a first plurality of media content items arranged in an order of descending relevance based on search frequency, receiving a first character input from a user of a user device, the first character input defining a first character in a search query, and updating the first set of search results to a second set of search results based on the first character input, the second set of search results comprising at least one media content item not included in the first set of search results that is available for consumption by the user. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for providing notifications regarding relevant and trending digital content. For example, these techniques include identifying an instance of content accessible over a network as relevant content, monitoring a volume of activity associated with the relevant content over a period of time, comparing the volume of activity over the time period to a threshold level, and sending a notification to a client device when the volume of activity exceeds the threshold level.

Abstract: A method for animation. The method including generating a first sub-shape of a first shape that corresponds to a first expression of a face, wherein the first sub-shape corresponds to a first portion of the face. The method including generating a second sub-shape of a second shape that corresponds to a second expression of the face, wherein the second sub-shape corresponds to a second portion of the face. The method including modifying the first sub-shape. The method including generating a combined shape by combining the first sub-shape that is modified and the second sub-shape using an editing application. The method includes applying a correction to the combined shape to align relative portions of the combined shape with the first shape or the second shape.

Abstract: A block chain system allows mining for new valid values in a system such as a computer game or computer-based trading card system. Instead of each new value being added to the block chain being equivalent, each new value is one of a plurality of possible choices.

Abstract: A plurality of game titles may be hosted on a gaming network platform, and gameplay data in sessions involving the game titles may be tracked in real-time. Each session may be associated with a stream. One or more event criteria may be stored for each of a plurality of predefined events of interest. An event of interest may be identified when the tracked gameplay data for a session meets the stored criteria. A list of available streams identified as including the identified event may be sorted, and a subset of the available streams may be identified as being at a top of the list. A notification may be provided to a spectator device that includes a link to one of the streams in the subset. The criteria for the event of interest may also be updated based on subsequent game data and feedback (e.g., use of the link).

Abstract: Technology is described for Testing as a Service (TaaS) for a video game. In one embodiment, a method includes an operation for receiving a game application for testing for one or more bugs. The method further provides for executing, by an automated game testing module, a plurality of automated sessions of the game session while implementing testing inputs for the plurality of automated sessions, the testing inputs include control inputs, game states, system parameters and network parameters. The method further includes operations for detecting an occurrence of a bug during the said executing the plurality of sessions for generating a snapshot file including a portion of the control inputs, the game state data, and a video component associated with the occurrence of the bug.

Abstract: A method, system and non-transitory computer readable instructions for data change detection includes decrypting encrypted patch data that includes compressed variable sized patch data chunks. The compressed variable sized patch data chunks are decompressed and a strong hash value is generated. The strong hash values are compared with strong hash values of corresponding variable sized application data chunks to determine a potentially non-referable patch data chunk. A bloom filter is generated for the variable sized application data chunks. A rolling hash value for a window of the potentially non-referable patch data chunk is used to determine a potentially referable area from the potentially non-referable patch data chunk. The potentially referable area is designated as referable when a weak hash and a strong hash of an application data chunk matches the weak hash and the strong hash of the potentially referable area.

Abstract: A video game has at least one player client with control over an aspect of a shared virtual environment. The video game also has at least one spectator client with limited to no control over the shared virtual environment. For example, the spectator client's control may be limited to the game server generating audience cheers or boos in response to spectator input during gameplay. In response to detection of a trigger event by a game server, the player and spectator may switch roles. The client switching from spectator to player experiences an increase in network transfer quality from the game server to help provide smooth gameplay. The client switching from player to spectator faces a decrease in network transfer properties to compensate.

Abstract: A method for gaming assistance. Information related to a plurality of game plays of players for a gaming application is received over a network at a back-end server. A query is received from a first player playing the gaming application, wherein the query is related to a first game play of the first player. A current game context of a first game play of a first player is determined from the information. A response to the query and the current game context is generated based on the information related to the plurality of game plays. The response is delivered back to a device of the first player.

Abstract: Systems and methods for downloading and updating save data to a data center are described. Save data is downloaded from a cloud storage to the data center before play of a game to cache the save data in the data center. Any updates to the save data that occur during a play of a game are stored in the data center and are uploaded to the cloud storage. Next time, a user desires to access the game, there is no need to transfer the updates to the data center from the cloud storage.

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: A method is provided, including: receiving, from a client device, a request to spectate a live event by a remote spectator; assigning the remote spectator to a seat in a physical venue; streaming a first video feed, captured by a first camera in the physical venue, to the client device for rendering to a first display for viewing by the remote spectator, wherein the first video feed provides a field of view of the physical venue; rendering a second video feed, from a second camera that captures the seat in the physical venue, to a display device in the physical venue; wherein when the field of view provided by the first video feed includes the display device in the physical venue, then the rendering of the second video feed on the display device that is shown in the field of view is altered, showing the remote spectator in the seat.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for online game streaming is provided, which includes receiving a request from a remote client to access a user account. The user account identifies information regarding the user and digital content available for the user to access from the remote client. The request is received over an Internet connection at a hosting service that includes one or more servers and the digital content including a video game. The method includes receiving selection of the game by the hosting service from the remote client and initiating a data rate test of the remote client. The data rate test identifies a maximum available data rate between the remote client and one or more servers of the hosting service. The data rate test includes gradually increasingly the data rate and then gradually decreasing the data rate to identify an active data rate for streaming interactive content of the video game.

Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to the de-interleaving of captured game data for the creation of separate video data and statistical metadata repositories. In some aspects, a process of the disclosed technology includes steps for capturing gameplay data based on live gameplay in a game environment, the gameplay data comprising video data and statistical metadata based on player interactions with the game environment, de-interleaving the video data and the statistical metadata, storing the video data to a first database, and storing the statistical metadata to a second database, the first database being different from the second database. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Abstract: A method provides for requesting data in a cloud gaming system that includes a cloud storage system and a cloud compute system, each of which has a respective peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) interface and a respective computer memory. The cloud gaming system includes a PCIe switch connected to both the PCIe interface of the cloud storage system and the PCIe interface of the cloud compute system. The PCIe switch exposes a doorbell register that is monitored by the cloud storage system. The cloud compute system writes to the doorbell register, which causes an interrupt to fire on the cloud storage system. The cloud storage system handles the interrupt, which directs the cloud storage system to read a message from a specified computer memory location. The message directs the cloud storage system to read requested data from a storage device accessible by the cloud storage system.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for enabling users playing online games to create coaching videos of gameplay, and post such coaching videos to a cloud gaming system. In one example, coaching videos include a video clip of the gameplay and a video of the user, guiding and/or explaining how the game was played. A user playing the same game may desire coaching, and the cloud gaming system can identify previously posted coaching videos that correspond to the point in time or action in which the user requesting coaching is currently playing. The cloud system can access a database of coaching options, which are then presented to a user. The coaching options may be videos of gameplay and videos of the user providing coaching. The user can then view the coaching videos, rate them if desired, and then resume with his or her gameplay.

Abstract: Video server systems and methods for providing video streams to a plurality of remote clients are described. In one implementation, the video streams are based on game states received from a remote game server. The game states are dependent on game commands received by the video server system from the remote clients and forwarded to the remote game server. The video server system is configured to appear, from the point of view of the game server, as more than one client. For example, the video server system may receive game states from the remote game server at more than one different Internet Protocol address and each of these Internet Protocol addresses may be associated with a different game session.