Systems and methods for enabling audience participation in multi-player video game play sessions
First Claim
1. A method for incorporating non-player inputs into a gameplay session, wherein the gameplay session is at least partially generated by a computer system and at least partially transmitted to a plurality of end user devices and wherein the computer system includes one or more processors executing a video game streaming application for generating and streaming the gameplay session, the method comprising:
- determining if a threshold number of non-players exists to trigger a generation of a plurality of game event options for potential inclusion in the gameplay session;
based on said determination, generating the plurality of game event options;
transmitting data indicative of a user interface to at least some of the end user devices, wherein, when executed by at least some of the end user devices, the user interface presents the generated plurality of game event options and receives non-player inputs indicative of a desire to include at least one of the plurality of game event options into the gameplay session;
determining a function of the non-player inputs;
selecting at least one of the plurality of game event options based on the function of the non-player inputs;
incorporating the selected at least one of the plurality of game event options into a data stream representative of the gameplay session; and
iteratively generating a new plurality of game event options depending on events occurring within the gameplay session and the selected at least one of the plurality of game event options previously incorporated into the data stream representative of the gameplay session.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present specification describes systems and methods that enable non-players to participate as spectators in online video games and, through a collective voting mechanism, determine the occurrence of certain events or contents of the gameplay in real time. Game event options are generated and presented to non-players. A specific one of the game event options is then selected based on a collective vote of the non-players. Once selected, the specific one or more of the game event options are then generated as actual gaming events and incorporated into a video game stream that is transmitted to the players as part of the gameplay session. In this manner, non-players may be able to directly affect the course of gameplay.
305 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for incorporating non-player inputs into a gameplay session, wherein the gameplay session is at least partially generated by a computer system and at least partially transmitted to a plurality of end user devices and wherein the computer system includes one or more processors executing a video game streaming application for generating and streaming the gameplay session, the method comprising:
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determining if a threshold number of non-players exists to trigger a generation of a plurality of game event options for potential inclusion in the gameplay session; based on said determination, generating the plurality of game event options; transmitting data indicative of a user interface to at least some of the end user devices, wherein, when executed by at least some of the end user devices, the user interface presents the generated plurality of game event options and receives non-player inputs indicative of a desire to include at least one of the plurality of game event options into the gameplay session; determining a function of the non-player inputs; selecting at least one of the plurality of game event options based on the function of the non-player inputs; incorporating the selected at least one of the plurality of game event options into a data stream representative of the gameplay session; and iteratively generating a new plurality of game event options depending on events occurring within the gameplay session and the selected at least one of the plurality of game event options previously incorporated into the data stream representative of the gameplay session. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for incorporating non-player inputs into a gameplay session, wherein system comprises a computer system for at least partially generating the gameplay session and transmitting it to a plurality of end user devices and wherein the computer system includes one or more processors executing a video game streaming application for generating and streaming the gameplay session and executing a non-player input application, wherein, when executed, the non-player input application:
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determines if a threshold number of non-players exists to trigger a generation of a plurality of game event options for potential inclusion in the gameplay session; based on said determination, generates the plurality of game event options; transmits data indicative of a user interface to at least some of the end user devices, wherein, when executed by at least some of the end user devices, the user interface presents the generated plurality of game event options and receives non-player inputs indicative of a desire to include at least one of the plurality of game event options into the gameplay session; determines a function of the non-player inputs; selects at least one of the plurality of game event options based on the function of the non-player inputs; causes the selected at least one of the plurality of game event options to be incorporated into a data stream representative of the gameplay session; and iteratively generates a new plurality of game event options depending on events occurring within the gameplay session and the selected at least one of the plurality of game event options previously incorporated into the data stream representative of the gameplay session. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification