A computer-implemented method is provided for enabling virtual gameplay. Access is provided to at least one video game in which a player is able to interact with the video game according to a storyline. A player location is detected and stored. A local element is retrieved from a database based on the player location and the local element is correlated to a local element script actuatable in the video game. This local element script is retrieved and actuated in the video game to supplement or replace the video game's storyline.

User-involved battle development with strategic or tactical elements in a game is enabled. A method, implemented in a computer including a control unit, for providing a battle game in which a user repeatedly attacks and defends against an opponent using a plurality of objects placed in a plurality of areas arranged in a matrix, includes: a selection step of causing the user to select an area from the plurality of areas, and holding the area which has been already selected as a selected area; a first execution step of causing an object placed in the selected area, to execute a first action; a determination step of determining whether or not a combination of an already selected area and the currently selected area matches at least one line which is any of a row, a column, and a diagonal of the matrix; and a second execution step of causing an object to execute a second action, in the case where the determination step determines that the combination matches the at least one line.

A computer-implemented method is provided for enabling virtual gameplay. Access is provided to at least one video game in which a player is able to interact with the video game according to a storyline. A player location is detected and stored. A local element is retrieved from a database based on the player location and the local element is correlated to a local element script actuatable in the video game. This local element script is retrieved and actuated in the video game to supplement or replace the video game's storyline.

Provided is a server device capable of further promoting provision of videos. A center server stores video data to be distributed to user terminals connected via a network and distributes video data in response to a request from a user terminal. The center server also manages the video data so that a user ID and a video ID are associated and recorded and, when an additional condition including the viewing of individual videos as a requirement is satisfied, uses the video data as a basis to specify a first user corresponding via user ID to a video viewed through a user terminal in order to satisfy the additional requirement. Furthermore, when a user terminal additionally functions as a game terminal for providing a game, the center server provides additional information to the first user for adding a game change to the game.

A server includes a content storage medium configured to store content data of content usable in different types of games up to a first upper number, and a management information storage medium configured to store valid period information of a right to use an extended function concerning the content data The server, in case that a right to use an extended function is valid, sends the content data to an information-processing device or receives the content data from the information-processing device, and stores the content data in the content storage medium up to a second upper number larger than the first upper number. The server, in case that the right is invalid, performs at least one of transmission of the content data to the information-processing device and reception of the content data from the information-processing device, in a restricted manner as compared with a case where the right is valid.

Redirection of physical media interaction is disclosed. For instance, a read action can be redirected from an optical disc to a secure virtualization module that virtualizes optical discs. The module can take digital packages in one format and present them to optical disc drivers configured to read the content of such packages in a different format. Thus, the module allows for online media content to remain in its native format while being accessible to existing native gaming console resources configured to read content in a different format. In other aspects, the module can perform various security checks on the packages, including hashing the fragments of packages, where such fragments can contain licensing provisions that can be examined by the module. The module itself can be downloaded and installed onto a gaming system or it can be pre-installed.

A game device for playing a game includes a first display having a first display area, and being configured to display images for the game in the first display area, the first display area including an operation area on which a user item of a user is movably placeable, a computing device, and a storage medium containing program instructions stored therein, execution of which by the computing device causes the game device to provide the functions of: obtaining item information from the user item, the item information including a game character that is used by the user in the game, executing the game using the item information, and controlling displaying of the first display, by causing an associated image that is associated with the user item that has been movably placed on the operation area to display in the first display area.

A multi-platform gaming system for amusing or entertaining one or more game participants playing a game on a gaming platform is described. The multi-platform gaming system can include collectible toys depicting or representing one or more game characters or objects relevant to a game adapted to be played on the gaming platform. The collectible toys can have associated therewith an RFID tag including a corresponding unique tag identification number. The RFID tag can include an antenna, integrated circuitry for wirelessly transmitting and receiving information to and from an associated RFID tag reader, and non-volatile programmable memory for storing game-relevant information describing skills, abilities or attributes associated with one of said game characters or objects.

A read-only-memory (ROM) medium in which a file constituting application software and an additional content file are recorded is mounted to a media drive. A recording processing section copies the file recorded in the ROM medium to an auxiliary storage device. After copying the additional content file to the auxiliary storage device, the recording processing section copies the file constituting the application software to the auxiliary storage device. In the case where the additional content file downloaded from a content server is stored in the auxiliary storage device, the application software can utilize both the additional content file copied from the ROM medium to the auxiliary storage device and the additional content file downloaded from the content server into the auxiliary storage device.

A first grounded portion is at least one of portions of an apparatus that are grounded, and vibrates in accordance with a vibration of at least a first vibration unit. A second grounded portion is at least one of the portions of the apparatus that are grounded, and vibrates in accordance with a vibration of at least a second vibration unit. Then, a first control signal for controlling the vibration of the first vibration unit and a second control signal for controlling the vibration of the second vibration unit are generated, whereby, in a state where the apparatus is on a certain surface, the apparatus moves on the certain surface by a vibration of the first grounded portion grounded on the certain surface and/or a vibration of the second grounded portion grounded on the certain surface.