Methods for hosting low-latency streaming interactive audio/video (A/V) include executing one or more video games or applications on a server communicatively coupled to a data network. Packet streams are received from a plurality of users and routed to the one or more video games. The packet streams include user control input that are used to compute A/V data in response. The A/V data are received from the video games or applications. Portions of the A/V data are compressed in parallel using processing units resulting in low-latency streaming compressed A/V data. The low-latency streaming compressed A/V data are routed to each of the users over a corresponding data network communication channel. The executing of video games, receiving of packet streams and A/V data, compressing portions of the A/V data and routing the compressed A/V data are performed with a latency such that at least one user has the perception that the controlled video game is responding instantly.

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.

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.

The present disclosure provides an information processing method, including: providing an attack control on a graphical user interface, and in response to a first touch operation acting on the attack control, controlling a first virtual character to execute an attack instruction in a game scene; providing a sub-control of a build control on the graphical user interface, providing the build control on the graphical user interface in response to a second touch operation acting on the sub-control of the build control, and controlling the first virtual character to execute a build instruction in a first building area of the game scene.

A game device for playing a game includes a first display, a computing device, and a storage medium containing program instructions stored therein, execution of which by the computing device causes the game device to provide the functions of: obtaining item information including a game character which is used by the user in the video game, from a user item, receiving an input of an operation for the video game from the user, displaying a notification image for notifying the user of a timing of a first operation on the first display, while displaying a first animation that includes a plurality of frames, and in response to the reception of a first operation by the operation input unit during the displaying of the first animation, stopping displaying the rest of frames of the first animation after a timing at which the first operation is received.

A game device for playing a game includes a first display, a computing device, and a storage medium containing program instructions stored therein, execution of which by the computing device causes the game device to provide the functions of: obtaining item information including a game character which is used by the user in the video game, from a user item, receiving an input of an operation for the video game from the user, displaying a notification image for notifying the user of a timing of a first operation on the first display, while displaying a first animation that includes a plurality of frames, and in response to the reception of a first operation by the operation input unit during the displaying of the first animation, stopping displaying the rest of frames of the first animation after a timing at which the first operation is received.

The present disclosure relates to techniques for transitioning between imagery and sounds of two different environments, such as a virtual environment and a real environment. A view of a first environment and audio associated with the first environment are provided. In response to detecting a transition event, a view of the first environment combined with a second environment is provided. The combined view includes imagery of the first environment at a first visibility value and imagery of the second environment at a second visibility value. In addition, in response to detecting a transition event, the first environment audio is mixed with audio associated with the second environment.

A dynamic keyboard able to change and adapt the functionality of the keyboard depending on the scenario in which it is being implemented. Each key can have one or more modes assigned to it that is able to change depending on the use. Groups of keys can have more than one mode assigned to it. Different groups of keys can have different modes assigned to them.

A video game is executed on a cloud gaming server for play by a user. User data for the user is stored in a cloud storage server. A data access request issued by the video game is received by a management server. The data access request identifies requested user data stored in the cloud storage server. The requested user data is copied from a lower performance data storage device within the cloud storage server into a high-speed data storage device within the management server. The high-speed data storage device operates at a higher data rate and a lower latency than the data storage device within the cloud storage server. The high-speed data storage device in the management server is used to fulfill the data access request by the video game instead of using the lower performance data storage device in the cloud storage server to fulfill the data access request.

A video game is executed on a cloud gaming server for play by a user. User data for the user is stored in a cloud storage server. A data access request issued by the video game is received by a management server. The data access request identifies requested user data stored in the cloud storage server. The requested user data is copied from a lower performance data storage device within the cloud storage server into a high-speed data storage device within the management server. The high-speed data storage device operates at a higher data rate and a lower latency than the data storage device within the cloud storage server. The high-speed data storage device in the management server is used to fulfill the data access request by the video game instead of using the lower performance data storage device in the cloud storage server to fulfill the data access request.