Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and system for generating an adjustment in a visual aspect of a computer-implemented interactive environment. The method and system conserve the resources of the computing resource implementing the environment and still enable visual representations of users, such as avatars, to be generated.

Abstract: A method includes: rendering a field of view of a virtual environment for a first user of a head mounted display, rendering a view of the virtual environment outside the field of view of the first user at a lower resolution, outputting the rendered field of view for display to the first user, and recording the combined render as a video for subsequent viewing by a second user. A corresponding method includes requesting to download or stream the video from a remote source, receiving the download or stream of the video from the remote source, and outputting at least part of the stream or video for display to a second user wearing a head mounted display.

Abstract: A system for generating an input signal for a video game includes: a receiving unit configured to receive a video game output signal output by a video game playing device during the playing of a video game; a reasoning model configured to determine an action to take within the video game based on the received video game output signal, the reasoning model being configured to generate a representation of the determined action that is independent of the video game; and an encoding unit configured to translate the representation into an input signal and to provide the input signal to a video game playing device at which the video game is being played, thereby causing the determined action to be performed within the video game.

Abstract: A method of video recording comprises the steps of: rendering a field of view of a virtual environment for a first user of a head mounted display at a first resolution, rendering a view of the virtual environment outside the field of view of the first user at a second lower resolution than the first resolution, outputting the rendered field of view for display to the first user, and recording the combined render as a video for subsequent viewing by a second user; meanwhile a corresponding method of video playback comprises requesting to download or stream the video from a remote source, receiving the download or stream of the video from the remote source, and outputting at least part of the stream or video for display to a second user wearing a head mounted display, wherein the step of outputting the stream of video comprises detecting the field of view of the second user wearing the head mounted display, and providing the corresponding portion of the recorded stream or video for output to the head mounted di

Abstract: A video processing method for a circular panoramic video recording including an original field of view region at a first resolution and a further peripheral region outside the original field of view at a second, lower resolution, the method including the steps of performing spatial upscaling of the further peripheral region to a resolution higher than the second resolution.

Abstract: An apparatus for configuring an avatar responsive to a content having at least one of a video and an audio signal includes an authoring unit configured to detect one or more events in a content comprising at least one of a video and an audio signal, categorise one or more of the detected events, and generate an event track for the content, the event track comprising one or more of the categorised events associated with a respective time; a selecting unit configured to select a configuration of an avatar to correspond to a respective categorised event of the event track; and an output generator configured to generate control data to configure an avatar in response to a selected configuration.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling the rendering of a video game instance includes obtaining game state information and player inputs from a plurality of client devices participating in a video game session. Based on the obtained game state information, a client device is identified as being likely to render a video game instance with a quality that is less than a threshold quality. A cloud game client is allocated to the identified client device. The player inputs associated with the identified client device and the obtained game state information are provided to the cloud game client, which renders the video game instance for the identified client device. The video game instance rendered at the cloud device is then transmitted to the identified client device for display at an associated display.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling the rendering of a video game instance includes obtaining game state information and player inputs from a plurality of client devices participating in a video game session. Based on the obtained game state information, a client device is identified as being likely to render a video game instance with a quality that is less than a threshold quality. A cloud game client is allocated to the identified client device. The player inputs associated with the identified client device and the obtained game state information are provided to the cloud game client, which renders the video game instance for the identified client device. The video game instance rendered at the cloud device is then transmitted to the identified client device for display at an associated display.

Abstract: A system for generating an input signal for a video game includes: a receiving unit configured to receive a video game output signal output by a video game playing device during the playing of a video game; a reasoning model configured to determine an action to take within the video game based on the received video game output signal, the reasoning model being configured to generate a representation of the determined action that is independent of the video game; and an encoding unit configured to translate the representation into an input signal and to provide the input signal to a video game playing device at which the video game is being played, thereby causing the determined action to be performed within the video game.

Abstract: An apparatus for configuring an avatar responsive to a content comprising at least one of a video and an audio signal comprises an authoring unit configured to detect one or more events in a content comprising at least one of a video and an audio signal, categorise one or more of the detected events, and generate an event track for the content, the event track comprising one or more of the categorised events associated with a respective time; a selecting unit configured to select a configuration of an avatar to correspond to a respective categorised event of the event track; and an output generator configured to generate control data to configure an avatar in response to a selected configuration.

Abstract: An entertainment system comprises a receiver operable to receive broadcast programmes and electronic programme guide data, a display generator operable to generate an image for display, a user interface generator operable to use received electronic programme guide data to generate an electronic programme guide indicating one or more programmes on a broadcast schedule, for display as some or all of the image, a user input operable to receive an input indicating a programme selected by a user from the electronic programme guide, and a network communicator operable to communicate with one or more remote entertainment systems over a network. The entertainment system is arranged to obtain information based upon the electronic programme guide data corresponding to the user's selected programme, and the communicator is arranged to transmit a message comprising the obtained information to one or more remote entertainment systems, thereby indicating to each remote system the user's selected programme.

Abstract: A method of transferring a preview version of material from a first entertainment apparatus to a second entertainment apparatus is disclosed. In said first entertainment apparatus, said method comprises the steps of: extracting said preview material from a package containing both a full version of the material and said preview version of the material, said preview version being an illustration of said full version of the material; and uploading at least part of said preview material to said second apparatus over a network.

Abstract: An entertainment system comprises a receiver operable to receive broadcast programmes and electronic programme guide data, a display generator operable to generate an image for display, a user interface generator operable to use received electronic programme guide data to generate an electronic programme guide indicating one or more programmes on a broadcast schedule, for display as some or all of the image, a user input operable to receive an input indicating a programme selected by a user from the electronic programme guide, and a network communicator operable to communicate with one or more remote entertainment systems over a network. The entertainment system is arranged to obtain information based upon the electronic programme guide data corresponding to the user's selected programme, and the communicator is arranged to transmit a message comprising the obtained information to one or more remote entertainment systems, thereby indicating to each remote system the user's selected programme.

Abstract: A method of transferring a preview version of material from a first entertainment apparatus to a second entertainment apparatus is disclosed. In said first entertainment apparatus, said method comprises the steps of: extracting said preview material from a package containing both a full version of the material and said preview version of the material, said preview version being an illustration of said full version of the material; and uploading at least part of said preview material to said second apparatus over a network.