User action data characterizing action by a player in a game environment executing at a user client is received at a server. The game environment is created by the user client separate from the server. Data characterizing a selected viewing position is received. The selected viewing position is different than a player viewing position. The selected viewing position characterizes a viewing location within the game environment. A recreated game environment is generated from the user action data at the server. A video stream of the recreated game environment is generated. The video stream includes video from a perspective of the selected viewing position. The video stream is transmitted to a viewing client. Related apparatus, systems, articles, and techniques are also described.

A method, system, computer readable media and cloud systems are provided for generating views of a virtual reality environment for a spectator. One example method includes enabling a spectator to view into a virtual reality environment, and control what specific content within the environment the spectator wishes to see. Motions of an HMD worn by an HMD player can be tracked so as to provide a geared spectator view into the virtual reality environment. The gearing of the spectator view enables a spectator to view the virtual reality content in a more normal way which is not tied to the strict movements of the HMD worn by the HMD player. The gearing effects can be programmable or can be set based on the content being navigated by the HMD player or preferences of the individual spectators.

Fantasy sports systems and methods comprising receiving a fantasy lineup roster including a plurality of players, each player assigned to a playing position and one or more of the plurality of players further assigned to one or more alternative positions, assigning scores to each of the plurality of players based on statistics derived from one or more real life competitions, receiving a notification of at least one substitution event, each substitution event associated with one of the players and also associated with a substitution segment within the one or more real life competitions, and calculating a fantasy lineup score by aggregating the assigned scores of each of the players assigned to a playing position.

The invention concerns an electronic platform-screen comprising (a) a globally flat case (200); electronic processing, storage and interface means housed in the case; (c) a flat screen display (110) arranged at an upper surface (202) of the case; and (d) a plurality of user-interface elements (300) for several users, distributed around the display screen and connected to the interface means housed in the case. The invention also concerns a method for controlling clearance for executing downloaded programmes such as games. The invention is applicable in particular to electronic games involving several players.

A method includes steps of admitting a first player and a second player to play an on-line video game implemented in a virtual environment, establishing a definition of proximity for any two objects or avatars in the virtual environment, tracking location in the video game for each player avatar or object controlled by a player, noting an event each time the two players are in proximity, as defined by the proximity definition, recording time period that the two players are in proximity for each event, and issuing to one or both players a Friend suggestion for the other player, based on proximity events and time in proximity.

A system and method for enabling one network to use the functionality of another network is provided. The system comprises a first network system having a first network functionality and a second network system having a second network functionality. A server connected to the second network system passes directions through the first network to enable a component connected to both the first network system and the second network system to perform a second network functionality.

Recommending game-playing friends or buddies, including: receiving at least one of playing habits, behaviors, and preferences of online game players; selecting a subset of the online game players matching a set number of criteria of the at least one of playing habits, behaviors, and preferences that are similar or complementary; and recommending the subset of the online game players selected as matching a set number of criteria as game-playing friends or buddies. Keywords include improved game experience, social building, and community growing.

The present invention relates to an application that is configured to be operated in a multi-participant environment on a computer network. The application manages participants in an online session of a multi-user application so that if one of the participants exits the session, the session can continue without interruption. The application initiates an online session of the multi-user application, wherein the online session includes two or more participants comprised of network computers that are communicatively linked to a computer network. If the application detects that a first participant has disconnected from the online session, wherein the first participant is responsible for managing certain managerial functionality associated with the running of the multi-user application, then the application broadcasts a notification to existing participants of the online session over the communication network, thereby notifying the existing participants that the first participant has disconnected from the online session. The initiating application then re-assigns the functionality associated with the first participant to an existing participant of the online session. The participants can be communicating in a peer-to-peer arrangement or can be performing server duties in a client-server arrangement.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having instructions stored therein causes at least one processor of a game apparatus to: communicate with a distribution system configured to distribute videos to a plurality of terminal apparatuses; progress a computer game; generate, based on a progress of the computer game, video information that is used to play a video of the computer game indicating a state of a virtual space of the computer game; supply a distribution video based on the video information to the distribution system; acquire spectator information from the distribution system, the spectator information relating to at least one spectator apparatus that is a part of the plurality of terminal apparatuses, and receives the distribution video from the distribution system; and control content of an advertisement to be displayed in the virtual space, based on the spectator information.

A method of scoring in a fantasy sports league comprising the steps of: providing a system server in communication with a sports data server; receiving, in the system server, a sports data source from the sports data server, wherein the sports data source includes real time statistics including statistics related to a play within a real life competition; storing, in the system server, a scoring matrix configured to provide a score for a first player or team based on the play, wherein the score is based on a default fantasy score and a contextual modifier for the play, wherein the scoring matrix instructs the system server how to modify the default fantasy score related to the play based on the contextual modifier; and calculating a fantasy lineup score by aggregating the assigned, modified scores of each of the players.