Abstract: A portable information processing apparatus, comprising: an execution part which executes an application of a test; an input part which inputs answer data of an examinee of the test; a storage part which stores the answer data in association with identification information of the examinee; and a sending part which sends the identification information and the answer data stored in the storage part to a server during the test or after completion of the test.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a system comprises a game controller module, a trigger satisfaction module, a metadata module, and a marker module. The game controller module may be configured to receive user control signals and execute gameplay based on the user control signals. The trigger satisfaction module may be configured to determine whether one or more events that occur during the gameplay satisfy one or more trigger conditions of a trigger. The metadata module may be configured to generate one or more trigger satisfaction indicators based on the satisfaction of the one or more trigger conditions of the trigger. The marker module may be configured to associate the one or more trigger satisfaction indicators with video of the gameplay to generate one or more game event markers to be used to enable a viewer to jump to one or more game segments associated with the trigger.

Abstract: A server includes a storage unit storing characteristic data objects of each user, each characteristic data object having a first parameter value representing an ability of the characteristic data object to exert power, a second parameter value representing an ability to reduce the first parameter value of each characteristic data object of another user different from the user having the characteristic data object, and one of attributes having a superiority-inferiority relationship relative to each other. The server further includes a receiving unit receiving a game proceeding instruction from a device of each user, and a parameter adjusting unit adjusting the second parameter value of each characteristic data object of the user of the device, based on a first number of characteristic data objects of the user that have an attribute superior to a first attribute assigned among characteristic data objects of a second user different from the user.

Abstract: Card-handling devices may include a randomizer configured to randomize ordering of playing cards in a set of playing cards. An output may be configured to present a group of cards at a time from the randomizer for removal from the card-handling device. An image capturer may be positioned and configured to capture image data of at least a portion of each playing card handled by the randomizer, the image data comprising at least a suit and a rank of each playing card. A nontransitory memory device may be operatively connected to the randomizer and to the image capturer, the nontransitory memory device configured to store at least the image data and group assignment data of each playing card in each group of cards presented for removal by the output. A display may be operatively connected to the nontransitory memory, the display configured to display a history of the image data and group assignment data of each playing card in each group of cards presented for removal by the output upon request.

Abstract: Described herein are methods, systems and apparatus for determining a player position in an instance of a game. Embodiments include retrieving a placement value for each player in a set of players wherein the placement value represents a relative measure of advantages and disadvantages related to position experienced by each player in prior game instances; and determining player position assignments for a current game instance based upon the placement values. In one embodiment, determining player position assignments includes determining a number of lottery entries for each player based on the placement value of each player, the lottery entries being used to determine player positions for the players in a current instance of a game. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for wagering on a skills-based digital gaming competition, the method executing on a computing device including storage storing a peer-wagering module that is external and distinct from at least one game stored on the storage device or another storage device, the method including: receiving potential game and competitor player data; receiving game competition selection information from the player that includes at least one selected game instance and at least one wager amount; receiving game instance match ID data generated by the transactional server, wherein the game instance match ID data includes at least one of: credential data associated with the player, player wager amount or a board, level, or difficulty setting associated with the selected game instance; and transmitting the game instance match ID data and game initiation data to the game, thereby activating the at least one selected game instance on the computing device.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a multiplayer secondary game having an outcome determined based on play of a primary game of at least one, but not all, of the secondary game players. In various embodiments, play of a primary game of a designated one of a plurality of players of a secondary game controls play of the secondary game independent of any play of any primary games of the other players of the secondary game. Put differently, play of the secondary game depends on play of the primary game of the designated player and does not depend on any play of any primary games of the other. Thus, while multiple players participate in the secondary game and may concurrently play individual primary games, play of the primary game of one, but not all, of those players controls play of the secondary game.

Abstract: In one or more implementations, a system and method are provide that include an interactive gaming environment for providing a scene having a size and scale and in coordination with a figurine. Position sensors are arranged relative to the gaming environment, and circuitry that is configured to interrogate passive sensors are provided with the figurine. A processor that is configured to process information from the sensors computes at least a position and orientation of the figurine. A rendering module renders a virtual representation of the gaming environment, in accordance with the processed information from the sensors. The passive sensors can be provided inside the figurine. The passive sensors can include radio-frequency identification (“RFID”) tags.

Abstract: Methods and systems for conducting a competition within a gaming environment. Two or more players can be enabled to electronically access a gaming environment over a communication network. The players can be registered to allow, access to a competition within the gaming environment. Each player can be enabled to compete against one or more other players by selecting from macro events displayed in the gaming environment one or more micro event outcomes to future micro events, the micro event outcomes randomized to prevent cheating. A selection of the micro outcomes utilizes a number of points or credits, wherein each selection of a micro outcome increases a selecting player's points or credit balance if the micro outcome occurs or decreases the points or credit balance if the micro outcome selected does not occur.

Abstract: An electronic device with one or more processors and memory stores one or more respective sound effect units in association with each of a plurality of scene elements used in a game. The electronic device obtains a scene element template for a respective scene in the game, the scene element template including one or more constituent scene elements of the respective scene. The electronic device also selects one or more corresponding sound effect units for each of the one or more constituent scene elements in the scene element template for the respective scene. The electronic device further generates a composite sound effect for the respective scene using the selected sound effect units.

Abstract: A method and a device for invoking a plug-in function are disclosed, which relate to the technical field of wed games. The method includes: detecting whether there exists a need to execute a function of a preset plug-in in an online game, and if there exists the need to execute the function of the preset plug-in in the online game, acquiring a type of a browser on which the online game is played; when the browser on which the online game is played is a non-IE browser, acquiring the preset plug-in and instantiating a refresh-free plug-in instance according to the preset plug-in; and invoking the refresh-free plug-in instance in the online game, and executing a function of the preset plug-in. Through the present invention, it is not required to refresh a webpage in an IE browser, and the function of the preset plug-in can be executed by instantiating the refresh-free plug-in instance, thereby improving the execution efficiency of the webpage.

Abstract: A centralized social network tool is configured to interface with and integrates into one or more videogames and/or videogame series. The social network tool may be integral to the theme of the games and be pervasive within game play. The social network may drive progression of the story and interaction between characters. According to another aspect of the invention, the members of the social network may include actual members (corresponding to real people) and virtual members (e.g., artificial intelligence controlled bot members). The virtual members may be part of the social network and may interact with real members within and outside of the game as part of the theme of the game.

Abstract: Public safety and commercial delivery management integrates data collection from video cameras, sensory devices worn by people and/or mounted on aircraft, and locally-mounted data processing components for modeling activity and event data. A vehicle-mounted interface, website, and mobile device application present related content that allows data to be viewed and manipulated data before, during and after the activity or event occurs.

Abstract: One aspect of the disclosure relates to implementing a system to encourage cross platform operation in an online game. The online game may provide the ability to provide incentives for participating in cross platform game play. The system may monitor the player's performance on a particular console and provide incentives to accomplish tasks through game play on a different platform than the player is currently operating to play the game.

Abstract: There is provided a game system capable of displaying appropriately a comment while suppressing decrease of visibility of a game screen. The game system includes a game apparatus allowing a user to play a game, and displays, on the game apparatus, comments to the user on the game screen to be displayed according to game status, wherein areas inappropriate for comment display on the game screen are determined as display restricted areas, and in each display restricted area, by hiding the comment for example, a predetermined restriction is applied to the comment display in the display restricted area.

Abstract: A physical activity monitoring method and system may include a competition component requiring users to compete based on various metrics. The challenge may be device-specific, activity type-specific, user-type specific and the like. In some examples, the users' performance might only affect the status of the competition if the user synchronizes the information to an activity monitoring system.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a system comprises a game controller module, a trigger satisfaction module, a metadata module, and a marker module. The game controller module may be configured to receive user control signals and execute gameplay based on the user control signals. The trigger satisfaction module may be configured to determine whether one or more events that occur during the gameplay satisfy one or more trigger conditions of a trigger. The metadata module may be configured to generate one or more trigger satisfaction indicators based on the satisfaction of the one or more trigger conditions of the trigger. The marker module may be configured to associate the one or more trigger satisfaction indicators with video of the gameplay to generate one or more game event markers to be used to enable a viewer to jump to one or more game segments associated with the trigger.

Abstract: A method for handling communication for a computer game is provided. Once example method includes executing the computer game for game play by a user. The computer game has an interface for recording audio signatures to use during game play based specific qualifying events. During game play, the method detects that a qualifying event has occurred by examining metadata associated with the game play. The method includes generating a message in response to detecting the qualifying event. The message is configured to include an audio signature that was associated with the qualifying event. Then, transmit the message including the audio signature to a predefined recipient that is playing the computer game via a second computing device. The audio signature is output by a speaker associated with the second computing device upon receiving the message.

Abstract: A guitar-shaped video game controller includes a body having a shape that resembles a guitar body, and a neck that is pivotally coupled to the guitar body via a hinge so that the neck can pivot between an extended position and a folded position relative to the guitar body. A latch assembly is actuatable to selectively lock the neck in the extended position to the body. A cable extends between and electrically connects the neck and the body to maintain an electrical connection between the neck and the body when the neck is in the extended and the folded positions.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method and system for detecting unusual performance in a game. The game has a participant. The method calculates for the participant, a performance metric. The method compares the performance metric to a threshold value. Based on the comparison, the method optionally connects to a server. In some embodiments, the connection is for uploading a set of data from the participant to the server. The server, of some embodiments, broadcasts to the participant. The broadcast is a one-way transmission. In some embodiments, the broadcast includes a distribution based on a set of sample participants. In these embodiments, the set of sample participants comprises a representative sample of all the participants in the game. The threshold value, of some embodiments, is based on the broadcast and in some embodiments, the broadcast includes a histogram. The connecting occurs, in some embodiments, when the performance metric exceeds the threshold value.