An avatar or avatar environment to visualize data may be provided within a social networking system or service, for example as part of the Internet, and/or within a desktop widget, panel, gadget, or the like. The avatar may further evolve or alter its appearance, animation, or other visual or audio characteristics in response to the data or other input such as athletic activity performed by a corresponding user. In particular, the avatar of an embodiment may respond to and provide visualization of athletic or sport performance data.

Systems and methods are disclosed for operating, calibrating, and dynamically optimizing a system for a virtual reality environment where colored marker lights are attached to objects, the objects including players, controllers, and devices related to the game. One or more color cameras are used to view one or more spaces, and track positions and orientations of players and other objects according to the attached marker lights. A hierarchical system of servers may be used to process positions and orientations of objects and provide controls as necessary for the system. A method for color assignment is described as well as a calibration process, and a dynamic optimization process. A synchronization process is also described that ensures that a plurality of cameras and attached servers are properly coordinated. Head-mounted devices may also be used in conjunction with marker lights to provide information regarding players.

Systems and methods are disclosed for operating, calibrating, and dynamically optimizing a system for a virtual reality environment where colored marker lights are attached to objects, the objects including players, controllers, and devices related to the game. One or more color cameras are used to view one or more spaces, and track positions and orientations of players and other objects according to the attached marker lights. A hierarchical system of servers may be used to process positions and orientations of objects and provide controls as necessary for the system. A method for color assignment is described as well as a calibration process, and a dynamic optimization process. A synchronization process is also described that ensures that a plurality of cameras and attached servers are properly coordinated. Head-mounted devices may also be used in conjunction with marker lights to provide information regarding players.

A server performs a parameter calculation process that changes an event parameter of a game event based on event identification information that is linked to a help destination regardless of whether or not a user of a second terminal is a member of a game application when the server has received help request data from a first terminal and also received an access request for the help destination (help URL) about the first terminal from the second terminal.

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 system and method for replaying the activity on request to individuals and to the group at large within a virtual reality (VR) arena for training and efficiency improvement purposes from within the VR system or outside is disclosed. The virtual reality (VR) system does real time tracking and response feedback to the players, using light markers and cameras connected to multiple slave-server systems that are controlled by a master-server. The hierarchical data collection system collects all the activity and tracking data from the arena. The master-server combines and correlates all the data collected from the VR arena and sends that to the game-server to be saved in a dedicated storage memory coupled to the game server. This data is then played back as VR play back on request to individuals or to all players and supervisory staff within or outside the VR arena for training and efficiency improvement purposes.

A system and method for replaying the activity on request to individuals and to the group at large within a virtual reality (VR) arena for training and efficiency improvement purposes from within the VR system or outside is disclosed. The virtual reality (VR) system does real time tracking and response feedback to the players, using light markers and cameras connected to multiple slave-server systems that are controlled by a master-server. The hierarchical data collection system collects all the activity and tracking data from the arena. The master-server combines and correlates all the data collected from the VR arena and sends that to the game-server to be saved in a dedicated storage memory coupled to the game server. This data is then played back as VR play back on request to individuals or to all players and supervisory staff within or outside the VR arena for training and efficiency improvement purposes.

A head mountable display (HMD) is provided that has an upward facing camera associated with a wide angle (such as a fisheye) lens arranged to capture images of the environment of the HMD. The HMD also includes an image comparator arranged to derive an indication of yaw of the HMD from images captured by the upward facing camera at different points in time. The image comparator may be configured to perform two or more detection techniques to detect HMD yaw, and to combine the results of the two or more detection techniques. The HMD may also include a tilt detector. Here, the image comparator may be configured to ignore one or more portions of a captured image in dependence upon a current tilt of the HMD as detected by the tilt detector.

A head mountable display (HMD) is provided that has an upward facing camera associated with a wide angle (such as a fisheye) lens arranged to capture images of the environment of the HMD. The HMD also includes an image comparator arranged to derive an indication of yaw of the HMD from images captured by the upward facing camera at different points in time. The image comparator may be configured to perform two or more detection techniques to detect HMD yaw, and to combine the results of the two or more detection techniques. The HMD may also include a tilt detector. Here, the image comparator may be configured to ignore one or more portions of a captured image in dependence upon a current tilt of the HMD as detected by the tilt detector.

In one example, a system includes a movable object, a detection region including a playing surface for supporting the movable object, and a plurality of cameras spaced apart from one another about the detection region, each of the plurality of cameras configured to capture a field of view of the detection region. The system may further include a controller configured to determine the position of the movable object on the playing surface. The cameras may be configured to track the movement of the movable object on the playing surface. The output from the camera may be selected based upon the movement of the movable object on the playing surface. Sensors may be provided to gather telemetry data of the system so as to provide analysis of the system. The system may be part of or be used with various table sports or table games.