An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes: a display panel, a display controller, and a host. The display controller is configured to control displaying of the display panel. The host is electrically connected to the display controller. The host executes an application to render a display image, and transmits the display image to the display controller through an image-transmission channel between the host and the display controller. The display controller detects whether pixels in a specific area of the display image satisfy a predetermined condition. In response to the pixels in the specific area satisfying the predetermined condition, the display controller triggers a virtual input signal, and transmits the virtual input signal to the host through a data-transmission channel between the host and the display controller, so that the host executes a specific operation corresponding to the virtual input signal.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a position-independent user interface that can realize a large variety of commands and high responsiveness as perceived by a user. A control unit 30 functions when a game involving a plurality of kinds of actions corresponding to predetermined commands represented by predetermined sequences of input events is executed. An input detecting unit 31 detects an input event based on an operation of bringing something into contact with or in proximity to a touchscreen 40. An estimating unit 32 decides, as an estimated command, a command that is estimated as being an input command among the plurality of kinds of commands on the basis of a history of detection results in the input detecting unit 31. A display control unit 33 executes control for displaying an image related to the estimated command on the touchscreen 40. A command determining unit 34 determines the estimated command as being the input command in a case where the estimated command satisfies a predetermined condition. An action executing unit 35 executes the action corresponding to the determined input command.

A game program causes a computer apparatus to function as: a specifier that specifies an object placed in a field according to a player's operation instruction; an event generator that generates, in a case where a predetermined object corresponding to a predetermined event is specified, the predetermined event; a displayer that changes a display mode of a specified object or a field corresponding to the specified object according to a positional relationship between a position of the specified object and a position of the predetermined object for display; an effect generation enabler that makes a predetermined effect in a game generable according to a history of a game until the predetermined object is specified or a progressing situation of the game; and an effect generator that generates a generable effect.

In a communication system including a server (1) and a plurality of communication terminals (2) capable of communication with the server (1), based on a variety of parameters indicating the status of a space formed within a game playable by the user of each communication terminal (2) over the communication system, the server (1) transmits advisory information (132), which suggests the next action for the space, to the communication terminal (2). The communication terminal (2) displays a screen including the received. advisory information (132).

A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system having a processor that performs operations including receiving from a computer accessory a control signal for controlling a software application, determining a result that would arise if the control signal is supplied to the software application, and generating an updated control signal to produce a desired result responsive to detecting that the result is undesirable. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

This game system (1) includes multiple game machines (2A, 2B) connected to a network (5), allows a player of a game machine to select one of selective items on a game prepared in advance, and allows the player to play a game having content reflecting the selected item. This game system is provided with a device (32) for storing relation data for determining whether or not a predetermined connection exists between players, a device (11) for determining the selection state pertaining to the items selected by the players on the game machines, a device (11, 12) for determining, based on the relation data, other players that have the predetermined connection with the player, and a device (21) which, when the player is making the selection from the selective items, presents the player making the selection with the selection state of other players having the predetermined connection with that player.

A method for providing a single user multiple presence implementation may include providing access for a user identified by a user account to a virtual environment hosted by a computer. The method may further include generating multiple avatars for the user account to concurrently coexist and be operative within the virtual environment. The method may further include controlling the multiple avatars at least partly in response to input from the user. The method may further include communicating virtual environment data regarding more than one of the multiple avatars to at least one client operated by the user. An apparatus for performing the method may include a processor coupled to a memory holding encoded instructions for performing operations of the method on a computer configured as a network entity.

A method for providing a single user multiple presence implementation may include providing access for a user identified by a user account to a virtual environment hosted by a computer. The method may further include generating multiple avatars for the user account to concurrently coexist and be operative within the virtual environment. The method may further include controlling the multiple avatars at least partly in response to input from the user. The method may further include communicating virtual environment data regarding more than one of the multiple avatars to at least one client operated by the user. An apparatus for performing the method may include a processor coupled to a memory holding encoded instructions for performing operations of the method on a computer configured as a network entity.

In a communication system including a server and a plurality of communication terminals capable of communication with the server, based on a variety of parameters indicating the status of a space formed within a game playable by the user of each communication terminal over the communication system, the server transmits advisory information, which suggests the next action for the space, to the communication terminal. The communication terminal displays a screen including the received advisory information.

A game includes player characters in a virtual space. The game is progressed in accordance with game progress information, which is useable for generating a game screen. The game screen is configured to be displayed on a display device. An instruction for registering a player character, which is manipulated in the game by a first player, is received, and the player character of the first player is registered as a copy non-player character. The copy non-player character is configured to be manipulated in the game by a second player. The game progress information is updated, and data of the player character of the first player is updated in accordance with a manipulation of the copy non-player character by the second player during a period in which the first player is in an off-line state.