Methods, apparatus and systems are provided for generating an interactive non-player character (NPC) scene for a computer game environment of a video game. Changes are detected in relation to a script associated with the interactive NPC scene. For each NPC, a set of NPC data associated with the interactions said each NPC has within the script is generated corresponding to the changes. The generated set of NPC data is processed with an NPC rig associated with said each NPC to generate an NPC asset. A camera solver is applied to a region of the computer game environment associated with the script for determining locations of NPC assets and one or more cameras within said region in relation to said interactive NPC scene. Data representative of said each NPC asset and said determined NPC asset and camera locations for use by a game development engine for generating said interactive NPC scene.

An example of an information processing system sets an image capturing direction of a virtual camera in accordance with an image capturing direction of a camera, and if the image capturing direction of the camera is within a predetermined range, moves a virtual door in a virtual space in accordance with the image capturing direction of the virtual camera. If the image capturing direction of the camera is directed more upward than a first threshold, the information processing system does not move the virtual door further in the up direction. If the image capturing direction of the camera is directed more downward than a second threshold, the information processing system does not move the virtual door further in the down direction.

A method of mapping a virtual environment comprises obtaining a first sequence of video images output by a videogame title; obtaining a corresponding sequence of in-game virtual camera positions at which the video images were created; obtaining a corresponding sequence of depth buffer values for a depth buffer used by the videogame whilst creating the video images; and for each of a plurality of video images and corresponding depth buffer values of the obtained sequences, obtain mapping points corresponding to a sampling distribution of points over the area of a respective video image and their associated depth values; wherein respective mapping points are obtained by projecting co-ordinated derived from the sample points from the video image and associated depth values back into a 3D game world co-ordinate system of the videogame title; thereby obtaining a point cloud dataset of mapping points corresponding to the first sequence of video images.

A method of mapping a virtual environment comprises obtaining a first sequence of video images output by a videogame title; obtaining a corresponding sequence of in-game virtual camera positions at which the video images were created; obtaining a corresponding sequence of depth buffer values for a depth buffer used by the videogame whilst creating the video images; and for each of a plurality of video images and corresponding depth buffer values of the obtained sequences, obtain mapping points corresponding to a sampling distribution of points over the area of a respective video image and their associated depth values; wherein respective mapping points are obtained by projecting co-ordinated derived from the sample points from the video image and associated depth values back into a 3D game world co-ordinate system of the videogame title; thereby obtaining a point cloud dataset of mapping points corresponding to the first sequence of video images.

An information processing device for drawing an object arranged in a three-dimensional virtual space, in an expression viewed from a virtual camera, the object including a field object associated with a two-dimensional plane defined by a first axis and a second axis, and a specific object arranged on the field object, the device including: a change processing unit changing a region of the field object falling within a viewing angle of the virtual camera; and a deformation processing unit deforming the field object, in which in a case where the region is changed by the change processing unit, the deformation processing unit makes a deformation mode of the field object different when it is determined that the specific object is positioned in the region after being changed and when it is determined that the specific object is not positioned in the region after being changed.

Reduction of a work burden relating to generation of a virtual viewpoint image is implemented. An image processing apparatus includes a virtual viewpoint image generation section that generates, on the basis of three-dimensional information that represents an imaged imaging object in a three-dimensional space, an observation image from a viewpoint in the three-dimensional space as a virtual viewpoint image, and the virtual viewpoint image generation section sets the viewpoint that follows movement of the imaging object. This makes it possible to reduce an operation burden relating to setting of a viewpoint.

Reduction of a work burden relating to generation of a virtual viewpoint image is implemented. An image processing apparatus includes a virtual viewpoint image generation section that generates, on the basis of three-dimensional information that represents an imaged imaging object in a three-dimensional space, an observation image from a viewpoint in the three-dimensional space as a virtual viewpoint image, and the virtual viewpoint image generation section sets the viewpoint that follows movement of the imaging object. This makes it possible to reduce an operation burden relating to setting of a viewpoint.

The present disclosure describes methods and systems directed towards providing scaled engagement and views of an e-sports event. Instead of providing the same distribution of live e-sport event data to all remote viewers of a live e-sports event, features associated with e-sports gaming network could be used to customize the distribution of live e-sport event data to promote immersive viewer experience. The enhanced immersion can also be carried out in a virtual reality or augmented reality setting. The features would be capable of providing additional information, different views, and a variety of different commentators for the e-sports event so that the viewer can be more engaged when viewing the particular e-sports event. With the increased engagement from remote viewers, the distribution of live e-sports event data can also be further modified for monetization by incorporating advertisements as well.

A state information storage (121) stores an observation position, an observation direction, and a base direction in a virtual space. Upon acceptance of an instruction input given to an external controller and indicating a moving direction, an observation position updater (112) updates the observation position so that the observation position moves in the moving direction indicated by the instruction input relative to the base direction. An observation direction updater (114) updates the observation direction in accordance with a change in orientation of a display apparatus (100) as detected by a detector (113). An obtainer (115) obtains a relative position between the controller and the display apparatus (100). A base direction updater (116) updates the base direction on the basis of the observation direction and of the obtained relative position.

A method and apparatus for controlling a virtual camera in a game are disclosed. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, a virtual camera is controlled to shift in response to a first touch operation for a visual field control area, the virtual camera is controlled, in response to the ending of the first touch operation, to return from a second position to a first position, a game operation instruction is received during the returning process, and a corresponding action is performed in response to the game operation instruction.