A method for using a distributed game engine includes receiving a request from a user account via a computer network to play a game, identifying processing power assignment for the user account, and determining node assembly for the user account to utilize two or more processing nodes for the play of the game based on the processing power assignment. The method further includes initializing the two or more processing nodes for execution of the game for the user account. The operation of initializing is performed to set up a transfer of processing code for the game from one processing nods to another processing node. The method includes defining an internal communication channel between the two or more processing nodes for exchange of state information of the game. The exchange of state information is performed to enable shared processing of the game by the two or more nodes.

In a method of notifying a user of an option to participate in a meta game, a presence of a player of a computer-implemented game at a location is detected. An association between a computer-implemented meta-game and the location is identified. The player of the computer-implemented game is presented with an option to participate in the computer-implemented meta-game. An indication of an acceptance of the option to participate in the computer-implemented meta game is received from the player of the computer-implemented game. A performance of an action within the computer-implemented game by the player of the computer-implemented game is reflected within the computer-implemented meta game.

A computer-implemented system and method are described for managing audio chat for an online video game or application. For example, a system according to one embodiment comprises: an online video game or application execution engine to execute an online video game or application in response to input from one or more users of the video game or application and to responsively generate audio and video of the video game or application; and a chat subsystem to establish audio chat sessions with the one or more users and one or more spectators to the video game or application, the chat subsystem establishing a plurality of audio chat channels including a spectator channel over which the spectators participate in audio chat and a user channel over which the users participate in audio chat.

An apparatus includes one or more servers of a hosting service center operable to execute a twitch video game or real-time application for one or more users remotely located from the hosting service center. The execution of the twitch video game or real-time application on the one or more servers produces uncompressed video of 3D animation. The one or more servers are operable to integrate live video with the twitch video game or real-time application such that the live video appears within the uncompressed video of 3D animation. The live video is received at a hosting service center from one or more client devices correspondingly associated with the one or more users. The uncompressed video 3D animation is generated, at least partially, using data streamed from a high-speed storage unit of the hosting service center coupled to the one or more servers. The high-speed storage unit is configured to load geometry for efficient loading and rendering of objects of the 3D animations. A compression unit compresses the uncompressed video 3D animation integrated with the live video, and compressed streaming interactive video being produced therefrom. An outbound routing network device coupled to the compression unit that transmits the compressed streaming interactive video over a packetized network to the one or more users.

A system for allowing a user to remotely access a game includes: a game console; a remote console client configured to receive a game control signal; and a remote console server. The remote console server includes an audio and video encoder configured to receive an audio output and a video output from the game console and to convert the audio output and the video output to a network packet. The remote console server also includes: a game controller emulation unit and a network interface configured to send and receive the network packet. The game controller emulation unit is configured to receive a game controller signal from the game console and to send the game controller signal to the remote console client and to receive a game controller input from the remote console client and send the game controller input to the game console.

A virtual reality hierarchical tracking system provides real-time response in wide-ranging situations by partitioning the data collection and tracking computation across multiple slave and master servers. Each slave server manages a different subset of the tracking cameras and locates tracking markers within its own tracking camera images. A master server controls the slave servers and uses slave server results to determine the position of tracking markers.

A game apparatus includes an input-output processor, and by following an instruction from the input-output processor, messages are transmitted and received with other game apparatus 12 connected via a network. The messages are transmitted and received in an electronic mail format, and has identification information of an application being a creation source of the message as well as general information, such as a transmission source, a destination and a subject as header information.

A method for providing virtual world functionality to a user of a base virtual world having base virtual world functionality and a base world list of base virtual world users, includes providing a virtual world layer, communicating to the base virtual world that the virtual world layer will overlay the base virtual world and adding the virtual world layer to the base world list in order to register the virtual world layer with the base virtual world.

Embodiments of the present invention monitor and dynamically allocate computing resources to a game service. A game service provides a remote gaming environments to which users connect over a wide area network, such as the internet. A game session runs a single instance of a game title. The game session runs the video game code responsible for creating the playing experience for the users. In another embodiment, the number of active game sessions is monitored and computing resources are allocated dynamically as the number of sessions increases or decreases.

A mobile device is configured as a point and shoot type weapon for gaming, training, or the like. Utilizing the mobile device based weapon, such as a smart phone for example, a user thereof can simply aim the mobile device at a target and shoot. Shooting may be accomplished by tapping the mobile device, activating a button or soft key on the mobile device, making a gesture (e.g., moving a finger as if a trigger is being pulled), providing an audible command (e.g., shoot), or the like.