A system and method are described for managing the state of an online video game. A method includes initiating a new online video game in response to user input from a client device, the online video game being in a first state on a first server when initiated; executing the online video game on the server, thereby causing the online video game to enter a second state; pausing or terminating the online video game; determining differences between the first state and the second state and generating difference data containing the differences; transmitting the difference data over a network to a second server; and recreating the second state from the difference data and the first state in response to user input indicating that the user wishes to resume the online video game and in response to the second server being selected as the server on which to execute the video game.

One aspect of the disclosure relates to a system configured to provide a virtual space, in accordance with one or more implementations. Users of virtual spaces may encounter barriers in a game. During these barriers, users may receive and/or provide assistance to other affiliation members. One aspect of the disclosure relates to allowing affiliations or other groups to utilize in-game items to assist other players in game progress in an online game. This may incent positive player actions towards affiliation members, may enhance engagement between affiliation members, may provide an incentive for users to join an affiliation, and/or have other results. These results may ultimately contribute to enhanced retention, enhanced monetization, enhanced user satisfaction, and/or other enhancements.

Methods and systems for executing games are provided. One example method includes executing at a server of the gaming system a first game logic and a second game logic. The first game logic is for a first game stream to a first user and the second game logic is for a second game stream to a second user. The method includes providing a first virtual driver for the first game logic and a second virtual driver for the second game logic. The method includes executing a hardware graphical processing unit (GPU). The hardware GPU having a non-virtual driver that communicates with each of the first and second virtual drivers. The non-virtual driver is configured for receiving data associated with the first game and the second game using the first virtual driver and the second virtual driver, respectively. The hardware GPU is configured for rendering video frames for the first game and the second game. The method includes encoding the video frames for the first game and the second game using an encoder. The encoded video frames including the first and second game streams to devices of the first and second users connected to the gaming system over a network.

Methods for and operating a service and systems are provided. One method includes executing one or more video games on one or more servers of a service. The one or more video games are played or used by one or more users on one or more client devices remote to the service via compressed streaming interactive video. The compressed streaming interactive video is sent to the one or more client devices where decompression of the compressed streaming interactive video is preformed to display video of each of said one or more video games and said one or more servers are configured to receive user control input to driver interactivity with said one or more video games. The method includes broadcasting the one or more video games as one or more streams of compressed streaming interactive video to enable one or more viewing client devices to view said one or more video games over the Internet. Each of the one or more viewing client devices receives one or more of the streams of compressed streaming interactive video. The method includes overlaying with the streams of compressed streaming interactive video, audio from one or more of the viewing client devices, such that the audio is included in the broadcasting of the one or more video games. And, adjusting a compression rate for said broadcasting to each of said viewing client devices based on a respective connection performance each of said viewing client devices has with respect to said one or more servers of the service.

A first list of available players is provided to each individual user who then selects a first fantasy lineup, where selections by another individual user does not preclude other individual users from also selecting the same player. First fantasy lineups are received from each individual user, the fantasy lineups comprising one or more players selected from the first list of available players. Each individual user may provide a replacement lineup prior to the end of a game. A subsequent list of available players is provided to each user and does not include players from the first fantasy lineup. Subsequent fantasy lineups from each individual user are received comprising only players selected from the subsequent list of available players. None of the players of the first fantasy lineup for an individual user is included in any subsequent fantasy lineup of the individual user.

A video server is configured to provide streaming video to players of computer games over a computing network. The video server can provided video of different games to different players simultaneously. This is accomplished by rendering several video streams in parallel using a single GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The output of the GPU is provided to graphics processing pipelines that are each associated with a specific client/player and are dynamically allocated as needed. A client qualifier may be used to assure that only clients capable of presenting the streaming video to a player at a minimum level of quality receive the video stream. Video frames provided by the video server optionally include overlays added to the output of the GPU. These overlays can include voice data received from another game player.

A distributed game engine for provisioning resources for an online game includes a plurality of management nodes and a plurality of processing nodes. The management nodes are configured to distribute functional portions of the distributed game engine over the plurality of processing nodes. A resource allocation mode is constructed from user inputs game states of the online game and success criteria included in game play training data. A resource allocation agent is used to access the resource allocation model and to communicate with a configuration agent to identify the processing nodes required for processing specific ones of the functional portions for the online game, based on the resource allocation dictated by the resource allocation model. A process synchronization layer interfaces with the processing nodes and the management nodes to provision the resources for executing the functional portions for the online game in order to produce video frames for rendering at client devices of the users.

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.

A method of and system for handling latency issues encountered in producing real-time entertainment such as games of skill synchronized with live or taped televised events is described herein. There are multiple situations that are dealt with regarding latencies in receiving a television signal with respect to real-time entertainment based on the unfolding games played along with the telecasts. Systemic delays, arbitrarily imposed delays of a broadcast signal and variances in the precise broadcast times of taped television programs have to be equalized so as to provide fair entertainment.

A data exchange method includes: obtaining an operation instruction based on a control operation on a first virtual character; controlling, according to the operation instruction, the first virtual character to perform an interaction action on the first virtual object; and adjusting a state of the first virtual object to a first target state based on the interaction action performed on the first virtual object and adjusting a state of a second virtual object displayed in a second area of the display interface to a second target state in response to the state of the first virtual object being changed, a second virtual character displayed in the second area of the display interface being controlled by a second client to perform an interaction action on the second virtual object.