Systems and methods provide haptic feedback at locations of a keyboard palm rest during operation of a software program, such as a video game. During game play, a haptic event, such as an explosion, is detected within the game. A magnitude of the event and a direction of the event from a reference location in the game, such as an avatar's location, are determined. Haptic feedback locations on the palm rest are selected based on the magnitude of the event and the direction of the event from the reference location. Mechanical and thermal haptic feedback are generated at the selected locations of the palm rest, where the strength and timing of the feedback at each location are selected based on the magnitude and direction information for the event. Embodiments thus provide multi-dimensional haptic feedback that relates positional awareness to a user of events occurring within a video game.

This application discloses a method and apparatus for determining characteristics of a sound source. The method may include: acquiring a first position of a first virtual role controlled by an application client in a virtual scene; detecting, in a sound source detection area associated with the first position, a second position of a sound source virtual object in the virtual scene; determining transparency of a position mark that matches the sound source virtual object, according to a sound source distance between the first position and the second position, the position mark identifying the second position of the sound source virtual object; and displaying, on an interaction interface of the application client, the position mark of the sound source virtual object according to the transparency.

Provided are a content playback program and a content playback device in which a character displayed on a display unit takes a predetermined reaction in response to a screenshot acquisition operation. When execution of a screenshot caused by a user's operation is detected in a state in which a character is displayed on the display unit, a content playback processing unit executes a production in which a facial expression of the character changes and/or a production in which the character speaks, immediately after completion of the screenshot.

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computing device having a controller to modify sound produced by a gaming application according to an otological profile of a user. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, a gaming system that cooperates with a graphical user interface to enable user modification and enhancement of one or more audio streams associated with the gaming system. In embodiments, the audio streams may include a game audio stream, a chat audio stream of conversation among players of a video game, and a microphone audio stream of a player of the video game. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a gaming console having a controller to receive a request to decrease or increase at least one of a plurality of sounds generated by a gaming application to enhance at least one condition in the gaming application, and modify sound produced by the gaming application according to the request. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

When a first condition related to a change in a position of a virtual microphone in a virtual space is satisfied, a residual virtual microphone is placed at a position of the virtual microphone before the change in the position, and residual virtual microphone acquisition sound data whose volume is set on the basis of a distance between the residual virtual microphone and a virtual sound source and current virtual microphone acquisition sound data whose volume is set on the basis of a distance between the virtual microphone after the change in the position and the virtual sound source are outputted to a speaker such that an output level of the residual virtual microphone acquisition sound data is gradually decreased and an output level of the current virtual microphone acquisition sound data is gradually increased.

The invention generates progressive music in real-time for video games using random, seeded random, and manually input variables to affect melody, phrase length, harmonic chords and complexity, and percussive accompaniment. As the game is played, variables may be passed in that change the music to increase or decrease complexity and tension levels and to interpolate between styles. The generated music then progresses from stable, simple, and consonant to more tense, dissonant, and complex melodies, harmonies and rhythms, and back to the original stage as a musical resolution. Through variables controlling musical parameters, music may progressively change from the atonal region where there is no clear resolution or stability, to tonal, where there is only consonance and stability, and anywhere in between. These variables are assigned through a middleware or a game-engine setup that uses the current device as an audio source plugin, or manually coded into the individual video game.

An interactive system includes a portable device configured to be carried by a user as the user travels through an interactive attraction. The portable device includes a trigger device and first ultra-wideband (UWB) circuitry. A central system includes second UWB circuitry and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to determine a location and an orientation of the portable device within the interactive attraction based on communication between the first UWB circuitry and the second UWB circuitry, receive an indication of actuation of the trigger device via communication between the first UWB circuitry and the second UWB circuitry, and display a virtual projectile on a display screen of the interactive attraction based on the location and the orientation of the portable device during the actuation of the trigger device.

An information processing apparatus capable of outputting a variety of background music according to game situations is provided.

The information processing apparatus comprises: a competitive game execution unit that executes a competitive game in which a plurality of players participate; a determining unit that determines at least one player among the plurality of players who satisfies a predetermined condition relating to the competitive game during the progress of the competitive game; and a music output device that outputs, during the progress of the competitive game, a first music piece associated with a player satisfying the predetermined conditions and output, after the first music piece, a second music piece to be selected regardless of a player satisfying the predetermined conditions, wherein the music output device, when a player satisfying the predetermined condition is replaced during the progress of the game, causes the first music piece associated with the player newly satisfying the predetermined condition to be output, and after the first music piece, causes a second music piece different from the second music piece included in a music piece that was output before the player was replaced.