A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus having a processor to detect a gaming accessory stimulation associated with a programmable layer of a number of programmable layers. The processor identifies a substitute gaming accessory stimulation of the programmable layer of the number of programmable layers of the gaming accessory. The substitute gaming accessory stimulation of the programmable layer is associated with the gaming accessory stimulation of the programmable layer of the number of programmable layers, according to a user profile of a number of user profiles associated with a user account. Other predetermined associations of stimulations of the gaming accessory with other substitute accessory stimulations are recorded in other user profiles of the number of user profiles, and the substitute gaming accessory stimulation is provided to a computing device to manage a gaming software application. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus which is connected to a manipulating device, the apparatus including: a manipulation receiving unit configured to accept from the manipulating device specific manipulation for instructing to execute a specific function independent of an application program, and a limiting unit configured to limit the acceptance of the specific manipulation in the case where an alternative section to instruct the execution of the specific function apart from the specific manipulation is available.

A method of calibration a video game system can include removing an optical filter that filters out visible light from a field of view of a camera to allow the camera to view visible light. The method can also include displaying a calibration image on a display screen located within the field of view of the camera, processing the video output feed from the camera with a computer processor to identify the calibration image, and calculating with the processor coordinates that represent corners of the display screen in the field of view of the camera once the calibration image is identified.

A hand operated game controller for controlling a game console. Multiple push buttons are arranged on the surface of the game controller. The push buttons are placed in an arrangement that approximately matches the natural position of the fingers of the user's hands. As the user presses the buttons, control signals are sent from the buttons to the game console via wiring.

A positional tracking system for tracking a user includes: a plurality of tracking units to be worn by a user, a tracking unit identification unit operable to identify the plurality of tracking units, and a position identification unit operable to identify a position of a user in dependence upon the location of the plurality of tracking units, where each of the plurality of tracking units is operable to transmit a signal that may be used to locate that tracking unit, and wherein the transmitted signal comprises information identifying the transmitting tracking unit and its position and/or orientation.

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus having a processor to detect a gaming accessory stimulation associated with a programmable layer of a number of programmable layers. The processor identifies a substitute gaming accessory stimulation of the programmable layer of the number of programmable layers of the gaming accessory. The substitute gaming accessory stimulation of the programmable layer is associated with the gaming accessory stimulation of the programmable layer of the number of programmable layers, according to a user profile of a number of user profiles associated with a user account. Other predetermined associations of stimulations of the gaming accessory with other substitute accessory stimulations are recorded in other user profiles of the number of user profiles, and the substitute gaming accessory stimulation is provided to a computing device to manage a gaming software application. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

While one type of input, either a mouse input or a joystick input, may be preferred for one type of a game, it may not be preferred, or even compatible, for another type of a game. Introduced herein is a game controller that employs a dedicated input, which is capable of the absolute accuracy of a mouse input or trackball input, but is also capable of measuring how far off center the input is (e.g., how far off center it has moved), and can also return to center when released, as is present in a joystick input. The introduced game controller integrates a touch sensing trackball to enjoy the benefits of both the mouse type input and joystick type input, in a single dedicated input, providing a user freedom to play any type of game without worrying about the compatibility of their game controllers.

Systems and methods are described for recommending a proposed hardware configuration to a first user in response to determining that a performance aspect of the first user having a first hardware configuration playing a multiplayer game is worse than a performance aspect of a second user having a second hardware configuration jointly playing the multiplayer game. The proposed hardware configuration is generated based on the first hardware configuration and the second hardware configuration and caused to be displayed on a device of the first user.

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a method for detecting that a gaming system has presented a first of a plurality of gaming venue states of a game, presenting a first of a plurality of screen shots at a display responsive to detecting the first gaming venue state, detecting that the gaming system has transitioned to a presentation of a second of the plurality of venue states, and presenting a second of the plurality of screen shots at the display responsive to detecting the second gaming venue state. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

A device for online gaming includes a memory that stores instructions. A processor coupled to the memory, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations including receiving a selection of a gaming accessory, receiving a selection of a game, and receiving inputs corresponding to selections of parameters for generating a vibration effect at the gaming accessory. The parameters include a control component of the gaming accessory, a game event associated with the control component, a vibration frequency of the vibration effect associated with the game event, a vibration intensity and duration, and a delay time associated with the event. The processor stores the selected parameters and presents the vibration effect during the game in accordance with occurrence of the game event and in accordance with the selected parameters; the vibration effect is presented after the occurrence of the game event in accordance with the delay time.