Game video publishing methods, game video publishing programs, and game video publishing systems

Abstract

To solve a problem with a conventional game moving image disclosure method that the possibility of arbitrary rule setting by a player being executed cannot be denied, which constitutes a factor of impairing absorption of a viewing user.MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM: There is provided a game moving image disclosure method for transmitting / receiving information with terminals managed by a plurality of users including a user playing a game, which executes, on a computer, a moving image acquisition step for acquiring a play moving image output from the terminal of the playing user, and a determination step for determining winning or losing in the play moving image according to the acquired play moving image and a display form in the play moving image.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a game video publishing method for distributing the state of a battle game or the like among a plurality of players online and allowing many users to view it.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, due to the spread of online games, various ways of having fun, such as players competing with each other online or multiple players cooperating with each other online to clear a game, have become widely known according to each genre.

[0003] Along with their spread, by utilizing the characteristics of games provided online, expansions beyond conventional fun and many technical means to support such expansions have been developed.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a mechanism that allows many users to enjoy game play with a sense of unity by publishing a play video of an online game and providing support means such as granting items to the players of the game from viewers.

[0005] Also, Patent Document 2 discloses a mechanism in which an opponent can set victory and defeat criteria different from the rules of the game itself and perform victory and defeat determination according to those criteria. By combining these technologies with the technology for publishing online game videos, a sense of unity between players and viewers is fostered, and excitement is produced through the progress and victory or defeat of the game.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0007] However, with these conventional technologies, the outcome of a game had to be determined according to the game's original rules or predetermined criteria set by the players, and the possibility of arbitrary rule setting by players could not be ruled out. Therefore, there were concerns about the risk of "rigging," where players would manipulate rules to their advantage while simultaneously encouraging viewers to provide support items, and this was actually reducing viewers' immersion and enthusiasm for the gameplay videos. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the present invention proposes a game video publishing method for sending and receiving information between terminals managed by multiple users, including a user playing a game, and a method for publishing game videos that a computer executes, which includes a video acquisition step of acquiring a gameplay video output from the terminal of the user playing the game, and a determination step of determining the outcome of a gameplay video based on the acquired gameplay video and the display patterns in the gameplay video.

[0009] In addition, in connection with the above invention, we also propose a method for publishing game videos, which further includes a noise determination step for determining whether or not noise is included in the display manner in the gameplay video, and an accompanying information acquisition step for acquiring accompanying information which is related to the user's win / loss determination according to the result of the determination, and the determination step further includes an accompanying information utilization determination substep for determining the win or loss using the acquired accompanying information.

[0010] Furthermore, in relation to each of the above inventions, we also propose a method for publishing game videos, which further includes a peripheral information acquisition step for acquiring peripheral information, which is information regarding wins and losses from users other than the user playing the game, and a determination step which includes a peripheral information utilization determination substep for determining wins and losses using the acquired peripheral information.

[0011] Furthermore, in relation to the above inventions, we also propose a game video publishing method that includes an interest acquisition step for receiving input on the degree of interest in the outcome from users other than the source of the gameplay video, and a display control step for controlling the display mode of the display including the acquired gameplay video based on the acquired degree of interest.

[0012] In relation to the above invention, we also propose a game video publishing method that further includes an interest level-based information output step, which outputs predetermined information to the user who has received the interest level input, according to the determination result made in the determination step.

[0013] Furthermore, we also propose inventions related to programs and systems associated with each of the above methods. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The present invention, which primarily has the configuration described above, can deter players from "faking" their performances while simultaneously boosting the excitement of online game live streams. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram of the system of the present invention [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of a gameplay video output to a viewer through the system of the present invention. [Figure 3] A diagram showing an example of the functional block of the system in Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] A schematic diagram showing an example of how information regarding template images used for determining wins and losses in the system of Embodiment 1 is stored. [Figure 5A]A diagram showing an example of the display of the play video of one player among the two play videos shown in FIG. 2 [Figure 5B] A diagram showing an example of the display of the play video of another player among the two play videos shown in FIG. 2 [Figure 6] A schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration when each functional component of the system of Embodiment 1 is realized as one hardware [Figure 7] A diagram showing an example of the processing flow in the system of Embodiment 1 [Figure 8] A diagram showing an example of the functional blocks of the system of Embodiment 2 [Figure 9] A diagram showing an example of the processing flow in the system of Embodiment 2 [Figure 10] A diagram showing an example of the functional blocks of the system of Embodiment 3 [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example of the processing flow in the system of Embodiment 3 [Figure 12] A diagram showing an example of the functional blocks of the system of Embodiment 4 [Figure 13] A diagram showing an example of the processing flow in the system of Embodiment 4

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] First, FIG. 1 is shown. This figure is a diagram showing the outline of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the present invention can be realized through the transmission and reception of information via a network carried out among the user terminals 0101 and 0102, which are terminals for managing users who play the game via communication with the game server 0151, which is a server for distributing an online game, the distribution server 0111 for distributing the video of the game being played on the user terminal, and the viewer terminals 0121, 0122, and 0123, which are terminals for managing users who view the play being played on the user terminal via the distribution server.

[0017] The distribution server 0111 used in the present invention can be implemented by one or more servers. Specific examples of using multiple distribution servers include a server for arranging the viewing environment among users and smoothly distributing game videos, a judgment server for determining the win / loss of the distributed game, an interest level server for acquiring and utilizing the interest levels of viewer users, and a server for sending and receiving information with the distribution source of the game being distributed. In addition, database servers for storing the processing results of these servers may be connected to each other via a network. Each of the above functions will be described as appropriate in this embodiment and other embodiments.

[0018] Next, there are no particular limitations on the type of user terminal or viewer terminal; for example, smartphones 0121, personal computers 0122, tablets 0123, and other devices such as smart glasses and smartwatches are possible. For user terminals, as long as they are capable of playing online games, and for viewer terminals, as long as they have the functionality to watch the same gameplay, there are no particular limitations on their type.

[0019] Figure 2 is shown here. This figure is a display diagram showing an example of a gameplay video output to viewers through the game video publishing system of the present invention. Specifically, it shows two players, with player IDs "A001" and "B010," playing the game "RUNNING GAME," in which they compete in running speed, and their gameplay is being simultaneously published. As the gameplay video is published, comments from other viewer users are also accepted, and these comments are displayed in a timeline format in the lower left corner of the screen. In addition, the number of viewer users watching the gameplay video (current viewers and the total number of viewers for the entire gameplay video) is displayed in the lower right corner of the screen, as well as "like" information indicating that the gameplay video has been evaluated, and information indicating the popularity of the gameplay video for each individual player is displayed.

[0020] It should be noted that the images and other information shown in Figure 2 are merely examples for explaining the present invention, and the images and information displayed are not limited to those shown in the figure, nor are they essential elements.

[0021] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, the relationship between the embodiments and the claims is as follows. Embodiment 1 mainly corresponds to claims 1, 6, and 7. Embodiment 2 mainly corresponds to claim 2. Embodiment 3 mainly corresponds to claim 3. Embodiment 4 mainly corresponds to claims 4 and 5.

[0022] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited in any way to these embodiments, and can be implemented in various ways in accordance with common technical knowledge, having the technical idea described in each claim, without departing from the spirit thereof.

[0023] <<Embodiment 1>> <Overview> Figure 3 shows an example of a functional block of a game video publishing system when the game video publishing method of this embodiment is implemented by a system. As shown in the figure, the "game video publishing system" 0300 of this embodiment has a "video acquisition unit" 0301 and a "determination unit" 0302.

[0024] Furthermore, the game video publishing system described in detail below can be configured to implement one or more of its functions using multiple devices, and each of its functional blocks can be implemented as hardware or software. Taking a computer as an example, hardware components such as a CPU, main memory, GPU, TPU, image memory, bus, secondary storage (hard disk or non-volatile memory), various input devices such as keyboards, microphones, touch panels, and electronic pens for touching the touch panel, speakers, displays and other various output devices, and other external peripherals can be included, as well as interfaces for those external peripherals, communication interfaces, driver programs and other application programs for controlling that hardware.

[0025] Then, through arithmetic processing according to the program deployed in main memory, data input from input devices and other interfaces and held in memory and hardware is processed and stored, and instructions for controlling the aforementioned hardware and software are created. Here, the above program may be implemented as multiple modularized programs, or two or more programs may be combined into a single program by cloud computing or other methods.

[0026] <Functional configuration> The "video acquisition unit" 0301 is configured to acquire gameplay videos output from the user terminal, which is the terminal of the user playing the game. Specifically, it acquires gameplay videos by receiving input of gameplay videos from the user terminal, linked to user identification information, which is information that identifies the user. The user identification information referred to here may be an ID uniquely used in this invention, or it may be an account from an SNS or other external service. In the case of the latter, when receiving input of user identification information, information is sent and received with the server operating the external service in order to verify the authenticity of the account.

[0027] Furthermore, the user identification information referred to here may be linked to incidental information, such as the user's profile, battle history in a particular game, and ratings from other viewers, which are information associated with gameplay. Depending on its nature, incidental information may be recorded and edited by the user themselves, obtained from other viewers, or obtained based on game win / loss results through the use of this technology, and all or part of it may be publicly maintained in conjunction with the user. By adopting this configuration, viewers can be provided with a video viewing environment in which they can understand not only the gameplay of the user who publishes the gameplay video, but also the character of the user, thereby allowing for greater player immersion.

[0028] Furthermore, while the process for receiving input of gameplay videos may acquire the video during gameplay, it is desirable to accept an application from the user beforehand indicating their desire to publish the gameplay video, and to acquire the gameplay video according to the content of that application. This invention is a technology for publishing gameplay videos to foster a sense of unity and excitement with viewer users, and the effectiveness of this technology is enhanced when the fact and content of such publication are known to viewer users in advance.

[0029] Specifically, applications could be accepted along with information about the game, such as the date and time of play, the name of the game to be played, the stage, the opponent, and other game-related details. By adopting this configuration, it would be possible to inform or publish an overview of the gameplay video to viewers before its release, thereby increasing viewer interest.

[0030] The gameplay videos acquired by the video acquisition unit refer to videos of players playing a specified online game. However, it is desirable to acquire videos of players playing the game in real time, rather than videos of players playing the online game in the past. By adopting this configuration, it becomes possible to avoid giving viewers a sense of déjà vu and to allow them to become even more immersed in the gameplay videos.

[0031] Furthermore, a configuration may be adopted that includes a real-time determination mechanism to determine whether the acquired gameplay video is of a real-time game being played. Specifically, this could involve prompting the user to input the start time when starting gameplay, or displaying a predetermined question and prompting the user to answer. By adopting this configuration, not only can the excitement of the viewers be created as described above, but it is also possible to avoid situations where users falsely present past gameplay videos as real-time, thereby undermining the trust of the viewers.

[0032] The gameplay videos acquired here are likely to be from competitive games where multiple users cooperate or compete against each other. For example, the gameplay of multiple users competing against each other is broadcast in real time to multiple viewers. This could include gameplay videos of one-on-one matches, or games where multiple users form teams and compete against other teams composed of multiple users.

[0033] Incidentally, when acquiring gameplay videos of multiple users playing, these acquired videos are all made available to the viewer at the same time. In this case, it is conceivable to display the videos side-by-side on a single screen. By adopting this configuration, viewers can experience the players' matches with a sense of realism, enhancing immersion and ensuring the real-time nature mentioned above.

[0034] Furthermore, it is conceivable to implement a simultaneous publication detection mechanism to determine whether multiple users are publishing gameplay videos at the same time, and to adopt a configuration that only publishes gameplay videos that are published simultaneously to viewers. Specifically, one or more images from the start screen, profile screen, status screens before the game starts, or screens during gameplay can be acquired, and the identity of these images can be identified. If it is determined that they are identical with a predetermined probability or higher, it can be determined that the gameplay video was played by multiple users. In addition to these methods, it is also conceivable to implement a detection method that, if a warning message is received from a viewer user more than a predetermined number of times regarding a particular gameplay video, determines that the gameplay video associated with that message is not being played by multiple users.

[0035] Regardless of the method used, the determination can be made not only before the gameplay video is released, but also during its release, and it is possible to make determinations at multiple timings. Not only can users be provided with footage of matches between multiple users, but by employing a mechanism to guarantee that the match is actually taking place, it is possible to build trust with viewers and further enhance their immersion in the gameplay video.

[0036] However, if only gameplay videos output at exactly the same time are to be made public, then delays due to external factors such as communication environment would also be deemed non-public, and such processing could actually dampen the excitement of players and viewers. Therefore, the simultaneous publication determination means may be configured to determine that each gameplay video can be published simultaneously if the timing of acquiring gameplay videos from multiple users falls within a predetermined time. Furthermore, if such a determination is made, a configuration can be considered that further includes an adjustment means to adjust the output timing of each gameplay video so that they are published simultaneously. By adopting this configuration, gameplay videos output at non-simultaneous timings that should be acceptable due to external factors can also be output to viewers simultaneously, thus avoiding hindering the viewer's immersion.

[0037] Furthermore, the types of games whose gameplay videos are acquired are not limited to competitive games between users. For example, games where you play against the computer or even non-competitive games are acceptable. Even in these genres of games, there are many points of focus that can give viewers a sense of immersion and connection, depending on the challenge, such as how to clear a difficult stage or how to clear it in the shortest possible time.

[0038] The "determination unit" 0302 is configured to determine the outcome of a play video based on the acquired play video and the display mode within the play video. One specific example of determining the outcome based on the display mode is to have a function such as a template matching determination means that stores a predetermined frame image for determining the outcome of a play video or a template image for detecting a predetermined partial image within the frame image, and uses the template image to determine the outcome of a play video. Multiple types of template images exist depending on the type of online game and the play environment such as the stage that the play video is playing, and these multiple types of template images are acquired and stored in advance or according to the user's application to publish the play video as described above.

[0039] Figure 4 is shown here. This figure is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of how information regarding template images used for determining wins and losses in the game video publishing system of this embodiment is stored. As shown in the figure, each template image is stored in a way that allows it to be distinguished from other template images by being assigned an "image ID," and is also linked to a tag containing one or more pieces of information as "identification information." By using the template image data and the identification information linked to that data to determine wins and losses, it is possible to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the determination.

[0040] While there are no particular limitations on the content and types of tags that can be linked to template images, it is desirable that tags such as those indicating the game title (linked as "XYG0101," "TKG4413," and "BBG2020" in the diagram), the battle format (linked as "1 vs 1" and "Multiple Simultaneous Battle Mode" in the diagram), the stage (linked as "Area 42" and "Southern Island" in the diagram), and whether it is a winner's screen or a loser's screen (linked as "Winner Image" in the diagram) be linked as tags. By linking these pieces of information, the burden of preparatory processing required to select a suitable template image for use in judgment when gameplay videos are acquired can be reduced.

[0041] Furthermore, the figure shows tags associated with information such as "obj=i[155:205,140:190]", which are coordinate information indicating the image area to be used for judgment within the gameplay video and template image. As indicated in the coordinate information above, images within a range of 155 to 205 pixels vertically and 140 to 190 pixels horizontally should be used for judgment. By specifying or limiting the image area to be used for judgment within the gameplay video, as in this configuration, the computational cost for judgment processing can be reduced by using techniques such as ROI extraction.

[0042] Here, we will show Figures 5A and 5B to specifically explain an example of win / loss determination using the template image described above. Both figures are similar to the gameplay videos exemplified in Figure 2, with Figure 5A being an example of the gameplay video of player "A001" from the two screens shown in Figure 2, and Figure 5B being an example of the gameplay video of player "B010" from the two screens shown in Figure 2. As shown in the figures, when the outcome of the match is determined during gameplay, the screen of the winner, player A001, displays the words "WINNER!", and the screen of the loser, player B010, displays the words "YOU LOSE…".

[0043] In this case, the template image previously explained using Figure 4 is used to determine the winner and loser of the "RUNNING GAME". Specifically, it is determined at a predetermined time that "RUNNING GAME" has been selected as the target of the play video, and one or more image IDs and template image data that have been assigned the tag "BBG2020" associated with the game are selected. Then, as the play video is played, if the word "WINNER!" is displayed within a predetermined screen area (the area enclosed by 0501 in Figure 5A) that satisfies the condition "obj=i[155:205,45:175]" among the tags associated with the selected one or more template images, the player associated with the play video screen that is determined to contain the word "WINNER!" is determined to be the winner.

[0044] Furthermore, if a template image is stored that indicates that a template displaying the text "YOU LOSE…" within another screen area should be judged as a loser (not shown in Figure 4, etc.), and the text "YOU LOSE…" is displayed within another screen area that satisfies this condition (the area enclosed by 0502 in Figure 5B), then it is also conceivable that the player associated with the play video screen that was determined to contain the text should be judged as a loser.

[0045] In addition, the determination unit may determine the winner or loser using only the image of the winning player, as in the template matching process in area 0501 of Figure 5A above. However, it is desirable to provide a winner / loser determination means that performs template matching on the image of the losing player in addition to the image of the winning player, as in the template matching process in area 0502 of Figure 5B above, and determines the winner or loser when the determination results for both the winner and the loser are available. By adopting this configuration, even if only the winner or only the loser manipulates their image, the determination result of the winner or loser will not be overturned by such manipulation, thus preventing arbitrary "rigging" by players.

[0046] Incidentally, it is desirable to restrict the use of this system for users who are found to be engaging in fraudulent activities such as the aforementioned "staged" gameplay. Therefore, it is conceivable to include a warning output unit that issues a warning to a user if fraudulent activity is suspected of the user who is the source of the gameplay video output, based on the gameplay video acquisition process in the video acquisition unit and the judgment process in the judgment unit, and a usage restriction control unit that controls the gameplay video acquisition unit to restrict future use of this system in accordance with the fact of the warning output. By adopting this configuration, the integrity of the use of this system will be maintained, and viewers will be able to immerse themselves in the game with confidence.

[0047] By adopting a method that uses template matching to determine the outcome of gameplay, even when gameplay videos are published on a system not operated by the game's operator, the outcome can be determined without needing confirmation from the operator. Furthermore, elements such as players arbitrarily manipulating the outcome through image editing can be eliminated, allowing viewers who do not use the game operator's services to widely share the excitement associated with victory or defeat.

[0048] Up to this point, we have mainly described a function that determines the outcome of a game using only template images. However, in the game video publishing system of this embodiment, the determination of the outcome is not limited to only predetermined images in the gameplay video. Specifically, an audio-based determination means may be provided that also uses the audio of the gameplay video to determine the outcome. For example, the system could store the music that plays when a player wins, and determine the outcome when that music plays. In this case, the music data could be linked to the template images mentioned above and stored as a tag, similar to other information. By adopting this configuration, the accuracy of the determination can be improved compared to determining the outcome using only images.

[0049] Incidentally, the results of the judgment process described above are likely to be stored in conjunction with various information related to the gameplay video, such as the judgment content, the player, and the publication date. The stored judgment results will then be assigned a judgment ID to distinguish them from other judgment results, making them searchable by players and viewers. Through these searches, players and viewers can watch past gameplay videos and relive the excitement and thrill they felt when they first watched them. On the other hand, because this information is stored as an archive, it can also be used for verification in cases where suspicions arise later that the gameplay video may have been manipulated.

[0050] In this embodiment of the game video publishing system, various processes can be performed through the use of various external servers. For example, as explained earlier, tags are used to link various information to template images. Data such as game titles and predetermined music associated with these tags may be stored on servers separate from the template images, and the results of the judgment process described above may also be stored on separate servers. Some of the processing in the judgment unit, such as obtaining template images, may be performed on external servers. These multiple external servers are connected online or offline to servers capable of executing other functions, including the judgment unit, enabling the transmission and reception of information via a network. In some cases, API integration may also be used.

[0051] <Specific Structure> Figure 6 is shown here. This figure is a schematic diagram showing an example of a configuration when the functional components of the game video publishing system of this embodiment are combined and implemented as a single hardware component. Each device is equipped with a "CPU" 0601 for performing various calculation processes, a "storage device (storage medium)" 0602, a "main memory" 0603, an "input / output interface (I / F)" 0604, and a "network interface (I / F)" 0607, and transmits and receives information with external peripheral devices such as a "display" 0605 and a "touch panel" 0606 via the input / output interface.

[0052] Furthermore, the game video publishing system of this embodiment can send and receive information with multiple "user terminals" 0608 and external devices such as "external servers" 0609 equipped with the various functions described above, via a network interface. The specific form of this network interface can be wired or wireless, and the method of communication can be direct or indirect between the two terminals. Therefore, it is also possible to adopt a so-called cloud computing format in which information is sent and received with a specific external device or a server managed by a third party linked to the user of that device.

[0053] The memory device stores various programs as described below, and the CPU reads these programs into the work area of ​​main memory, expands them, and executes them. These components are interconnected by data communication paths such as the "system bus" 0699, and information is sent, received, and processed (the basic configuration of the above is the same for all other devices described below).

[0054] (Specific configuration of the video acquisition unit) The video acquisition unit consists of a computer program and computer hardware. Specifically, the CPU reads the "video acquisition program" 0610 from the storage device into the main memory and executes it, acquiring the gameplay video output from the user's terminal and storing it at a predetermined address in the main memory.

[0055] (Specific configuration of the determination unit) The determination unit consists of a computer program and computer hardware. Specifically, the CPU reads the "determination program" 0620 from the storage device into the main memory and executes it. The CPU reads the gameplay video acquired by the execution of the video acquisition program, determines the win or loss in the gameplay video according to the display patterns in the gameplay video, and stores the result at a predetermined address in the main memory.

[0056] <Processing flow> Figure 7 shows an example of the processing flow in the game video publishing system of this embodiment. The processing flow in the figure consists of the following steps. First, in step S0701, the system acquires gameplay videos output from terminals managed by multiple users, including the user playing the game (video acquisition step). Then, in step S0702, the system determines the win or loss in the gameplay video based on the acquired gameplay video and the display patterns in the gameplay video (determination step). If determination is possible, the determination result is output as step S07031; if determination is impossible or difficult, information indicating that determination is impossible is output as step S07032, and the process ends.

[0057] <Effects> By using a game video publishing system that employs the above configuration, it is possible to deter players from faking their performances while simultaneously boosting the popularity of online game streaming.

[0058] <<Embodiment 2>> <Overview> The game video publishing system of this embodiment is basically the same as the game video publishing system described in Embodiment 1 in terms of technical features, but it further has the feature of determining whether or not noise is included in the display of the play video, acquiring supplementary information which is information related to the user's win / loss judgment according to the result of the determination, and using the acquired supplementary information to determine the win / loss.

[0059] <Functional configuration> Figure 8 shows an example of the functional blocks of the game video publishing system of this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the "game video publishing system" 0800 of this embodiment has a "video acquisition unit" 0801, a "determination unit" 0802, a "noise determination unit" 0803, and an "accompanying information acquisition unit" 0804, and the determination unit further has an "accompanying information utilization determination means" 0812. The basic configuration is the same as the video publishing system described using Figure 3 of Embodiment 1, so the differences, namely the functions of the "noise determination unit" 0803, the "accompanying information acquisition unit" 0804, and the "accompanying information utilization determination means" 0812, will be described below.

[0060] The "noise detection unit" 0803 is configured to determine whether or not noise is present in the display patterns of the play video. Noise, as used here, refers to any abnormal display patterns in the play video, such as when one or more images in a group of publicly available play videos freeze for a predetermined time, when the play video is interrupted and replaced with another video, or when another video is superimposed on the play video.

[0061] Specifically, determining whether or not noise is present can be done using the template matching method described in Embodiment 1. Specifically, images that can be identified as noise (for example, images that immediately indicate that the gameplay video has been interrupted, such as what is commonly called "static") can be stored in advance, and if a match is found with the template image at a predetermined timing or based on a request from a viewer, it can be determined that noise is present. Alternatively, a template matching process can be performed at a predetermined timing or based on a request from a viewer, and if it is determined that an image that should be displayed in a predetermined area is not displayed, it can be determined that noise is present. By adopting this configuration, it becomes possible to grasp the occurrence of situations such as any image appearing in the gameplay video or the gameplay video itself being taken down in near real time.

[0062] The "ancillary information acquisition unit" 0804 is configured to acquire ancillary information, which is information related to the win / loss determination from the user, according to the result of the aforementioned determination. The result of the aforementioned determination is not limited to the presence or absence of noise itself, but includes various related information such as whether or not noise is present in the play video, the type of noise, and the duration of the noise. This various information is acquired as ancillary information, linked to the user who is the source of the play video output.

[0063] Here, the supplementary information is obtained as information regarding wins and losses from the user. In other words, the result of the noise detection will influence the win or loss of the gameplay, and the win or loss in the game video publishing system of this embodiment may differ from the win or loss in the actual gameplay being played by one or more users. This is because the present invention aims to improve immersion by involving not only players but also viewers, and it is desirable to evaluate situations in the win / loss determination that prevent or discourage viewer participation.

[0064] The "means for utilizing supplementary information" 0812 are configured in the determination unit to determine the outcome of the game using the supplementary information acquired. Specifically, if the supplementary information contains noise, it is possible to determine whether the outcome of the gameplay by one or more users who are the source of the play video is determined to be undeterminable, or to determine that the user who caused the noise is forfeited. On the other hand, if the cause of the noise is simply a technical factor, or if the duration of the noise is very short and has little effect on the gameplay, it is possible to control the system so that the presence of the noise is not considered in determining the outcome of the gameplay. In any case, by adopting this configuration, it is possible to avoid situations where viewers of the play video have doubts about the gameplay or become disillusioned when they see a situation where the outcome is reversed due to "rigging".

[0065] <Specific Structure> The hardware configuration of each device constituting the game video publishing system of this embodiment is basically the same as the hardware configuration of the game video publishing system of Embodiment 1 described with reference to Figure 6. Therefore, the following will describe the specific processing of the "noise detection unit," "accompanying information acquisition unit," and "accompanying information utilization determination means," which have not been described so far.

[0066] (Specific configuration of the noise detection unit) The noise detection unit is specifically composed of a computer program and computer hardware. In parallel with the processing of publishing the gameplay video, the CPU reads the "noise detection program" from the storage device into the main memory and executes it. The CPU determines whether or not noise is present in the display of the gameplay video and stores the result at a predetermined address in the main memory.

[0067] (Specific configuration of the supplementary information acquisition unit) The ancillary information acquisition unit is specifically composed of a computer program and computer hardware. The CPU reads the "ancillary information acquisition program" from the storage device into the main memory and executes it. The CPU reads the judgment result obtained from the execution of the noise judgment program, and according to the judgment result, acquires ancillary information, which is information related to the win / loss judgment from the user, and stores it at a predetermined address in the main memory.

[0068] (Specific configuration of the means for determining the use of supplementary information) The means for utilizing supplementary information specifically consists of a computer program and computer hardware. When the judgment program is executed, the CPU reads the "supplementary information utilization subprogram" from the storage device into the main memory and executes it. The CPU reads the supplementary information obtained by the execution of the supplementary information acquisition program, uses this information to determine the win or loss in the gameplay video, and stores the processing result at a predetermined address in the main memory.

[0069] <Processing flow> Figure 9 shows an example of the processing flow in the game video publishing system of this embodiment. The processing flow in the figure consists of the following steps. First, in step S0901, the system acquires gameplay videos output from terminals managed by multiple users, including the user playing the game (video acquisition step). Then, in step S0902, it is determined whether or not noise is present in the display of the gameplay video (noise determination step). If the determination result here indicates that there is noise, the system proceeds to step S0903. If the result indicates that there is no noise, the system proceeds to step S0904.

[0070] In step S0903, the system obtains supplementary information, which is information regarding the win / loss determination from the user, according to the judgment result (supplementary information acquisition step). In step S0904, the system determines the win / loss in the play video according to the obtained play video, the display manner in the play video, and the supplementary information (determination step). If determination is possible, the system outputs the determination result in step S09051. If determination is impossible or difficult, the system outputs information indicating that determination is impossible in step S09052, and the process ends.

[0071] <Effects> By using the video publishing system of this embodiment, it becomes possible to publish game videos that are more free from staged scenes and other such elements, giving viewers a greater sense of security, compared to using the game video publishing system of Embodiment 1.

[0072] <<Embodiment 3>> <Overview> The game video publishing system of this embodiment is basically the same as the game video publishing system described in Embodiments 1 and 2 in terms of technical features, but it is further characterized by acquiring peripheral information, which is information regarding wins and losses from users other than the user playing the game, and using the acquired peripheral information to determine the win or loss.

[0073] <Functional configuration> Figure 10 shows an example of the functional blocks of the game video publishing system of this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the "game video publishing system" 1000 of this embodiment has a "video acquisition unit" 1001, a "determination unit" 1002, and a "peripheral information acquisition unit" 1003, and the determination unit further has a "peripheral information utilization determination means" 1012. The basic configuration is the same as the video publishing system described using Figure 3 of Embodiment 1, so the functions of the "peripheral information acquisition unit" 1003 and the "peripheral information utilization determination means" 1012, which are the differences, will be described below.

[0074] The "peripheral information acquisition unit" 1003 is configured to acquire peripheral information, which is information regarding wins and losses, from users other than the user playing the game. Users other than the user playing the game are basically viewers who watch the gameplay video. For example, in the example explained earlier using Figure 2, symbols such as "ABC0121", "44TU26", and "GX2493" are attached to the comment section in the lower left of the screen along with the comments, and these symbols are viewer IDs that identify the viewer users.

[0075] In this invention, the outcome of a game is determined primarily by the display of the gameplay video. However, it is conceivable to supplement this determination with various factors, including external factors. The peripheral information acquisition unit acquires information regarding the outcome of the gameplay video from the user watching the video and uses it in the determination process. This not only improves the accuracy of the determination but also encourages viewers to participate in the determination process, thereby increasing their motivation to become more immersed in the gameplay video through this invention.

[0076] The peripheral information acquired here includes not only information that directly indicates the winner or loser, such as "The winner of this gameplay video is A (or B)," but also information that could influence the winner / loser determination, such as "A's gameplay video contains noise" or "Only B's gameplay video has no sound." This peripheral information is acquired in conjunction with the viewer ID of the user who transmitted the information. By adopting this configuration, it becomes possible to deter the transmission of false peripheral information that favors a particular player user and unfairly causes the opposing player user to lose. In addition, by providing usage restriction means that restrict the use of the system of the present invention by the user of the viewer ID that acquired the peripheral information if any questionable content is obtained, it becomes possible to communicate only information that can truly be used to determine the winner / loser, thereby ensuring sound operation.

[0077] The "peripheral information utilization determination means" 1012 is configured in the determination unit to determine the win or loss using the acquired peripheral information as well. The phrase "using peripheral information as well" here does not necessarily mean that if peripheral information is included, the win or loss determination will be made according to the content of that information. As mentioned above, peripheral information may contain inaccurate or false information, and it is also important to avoid making incorrect win or loss determinations based on peripheral information that is merely a viewer's misunderstanding. For this reason, for example, if peripheral information of the same content is obtained from a predetermined number (percentage) or more viewer users, the content of that peripheral information may be treated as true, and the win or loss determination may be made according to the display method in the play video. Furthermore, even if peripheral information is obtained from a number of viewer users less than the predetermined number (percentage), if the credibility of that viewer user is above a predetermined percentage, there may be a mechanism to treat the content of that peripheral information as true. Credibility here refers to the percentage of high ratings that the viewer user receives on various occasions from the system operator, other viewer users, and player users in the process of continuously using the system of this embodiment. While other aspects of trustworthiness can be designed as needed, assuming the use of such information allows for reliable determination of wins and losses in gameplay videos, as well as fostering trustworthy users and enabling them to enjoy healthy video viewing.

[0078] <Specific Structure> The hardware configuration of each device constituting the game video publishing system of this embodiment is basically the same as the hardware configuration of the game video publishing system of Embodiment 1 described with reference to Figure 6. Therefore, the following will describe the specific processing of the "peripheral information acquisition unit" and the "peripheral information utilization determination means" which have not been described so far.

[0079] (Specific configuration of the peripheral information acquisition unit) The peripheral information acquisition unit is specifically composed of a computer program and computer hardware. The CPU reads the "peripheral information acquisition program" from the storage device into the main memory and executes it. It acquires peripheral information, which is information regarding wins and losses, from terminals associated with viewer IDs that can identify users other than the user playing the game, and stores it together with the viewer ID at a predetermined address in the main memory.

[0080] (Specific configuration of the means for determining the use of surrounding information) The peripheral information utilization determination means specifically consists of a computer program and computer hardware. When the determination program is executed, the CPU reads a "peripheral information utilization determination subprogram" from the storage device into the main memory and executes it. The CPU reads the peripheral information obtained by the execution of the peripheral information acquisition program, and using this information as well, determines the win or loss in the play video according to the display pattern in the play video, and stores the result at a predetermined address in the main memory.

[0081] <Processing flow> Figure 11 shows an example of the processing flow in the game video publishing system of this embodiment. The processing flow in the figure consists of the following steps. First, in step S1101, gameplay videos output from terminals managed by multiple users, including the user playing the game, are acquired (video acquisition step). Then, in step S1102, it is determined whether or not peripheral information, which is information regarding win / loss, has been transmitted from a user other than the user playing the game. If the determination here is that peripheral information has been transmitted, the process proceeds to step S1103. If the determination is that no transmission has been made, the process proceeds to step S1104.

[0082] In step S1103, the system obtains surrounding information transmitted in association with the viewer ID of the sender (surrounding information acquisition step). In step S1104, the system determines the outcome of the gameplay video based on the acquired gameplay video, the display format in the gameplay video, and the surrounding information (determination step). If determination is possible, the system outputs the determination result in step S11051. If determination is impossible or difficult, the system outputs information indicating that determination is impossible in step S11052, and the process ends.

[0083] <Effects> By using the game video publishing system of this embodiment, it becomes possible to not only determine wins and losses with greater accuracy compared to using the game video publishing systems of Embodiments 1 and 2, but also to provide a healthy environment for video viewing.

[0084] <<Embodiment 4>> <Overview> The game video publishing system of this embodiment is basically the same as the technical features of the game video publishing systems described in Embodiments 1 to 3, but it is further characterized by accepting input of interest levels regarding wins and losses from users other than the source of the play video, and controlling the display mode of the display including the acquired play video based on the acquired interest levels.

[0085] <Functional configuration> Figure 12 shows an example of the functional blocks of the game video publishing system of this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the "game video publishing system" 1200 of this embodiment further includes a "video acquisition unit" 1201, a "determination unit" 1202, a "interest acquisition unit" 1203, and a "display control unit" 1204. The basic configuration is the same as the video publishing system described using Figure 3 of Embodiment 1, so the functions of the "interest acquisition unit" 1203 and the "display control unit" 1204, which are the differences, will be described below.

[0086] The "interest acquisition unit" 1203 is configured to accept input of interest levels regarding wins and losses from users other than the source of the gameplay video. Users other than the source of the gameplay video are basically viewers, but unlike the description in Embodiment 3, they may also include users who have not watched the gameplay video. Specifically, this could include users who are unable to watch the video at the time of the announcement, such as when the release of the gameplay video is announced before it is made public. Even such users may want to support the users who are playing the game, and it is possible to accept input of their interest levels regarding wins and losses from such users as well. In other words, input of interest levels can be made not only during the release of the gameplay video, but also before the release of the gameplay video.

[0087] There can be various methods for receiving input regarding the level of interest, but one possibility is to have users input their expectations and the degree of those expectations towards a particular player using a certain number or item, and then accept that input as the level of interest. The more numbers or items a user inputs, the higher their interest in that particular player.

[0088] The "display control unit" 1204 is configured to control the display mode of the display, including the acquired gameplay video, based on the acquired level of interest. As a method of controlling the display mode based on the level of interest, it is conceivable to control the display mode of the display area displayed together with the gameplay video, rather than the gameplay video itself. Even when controlling the display mode of the gameplay video itself, this could involve flashing the display of areas in the gameplay video that do not interfere with gameplay, or displaying characters or symbols that indicate the level of interest.

[0089] Next, we will explain an example of controlling the display manner of the display area shown along with the gameplay video, again using Figure 2. Looking at the display content in the lower right area of ​​the same figure, we can see displays such as "Viewers: 305 people / (Total) 2908 people" from top to bottom, "Likes: 192" and "Level of Interest: A001...1.8 times, B010...4.5 times". All of these displays are information displayed according to the acquired level of interest. The top display indicates that 305 viewer users were interested in the outcome of the gameplay video, and including non-viewer users, interest inputs were received from 2908 users. The next display indicates that interest inputs were received from 192 viewer users who judged that the gameplay video was being managed properly and that the win / loss determination was being made appropriately. The last display shows that the system has received pre-game predictions from users regarding the victory of players A001 and B010, respectively, as level of interest inputs, and is displaying the odds of victory based on these pre-game predictions.

[0090] As described above, the acquired level of interest may be displayed as is, depending on its content, or it may be used to perform a predetermined calculation and then the result of that calculation is displayed. Display control may be based on input received by a predetermined time, or it may be controlled to change the displayed content as needed based on the level of interest acquired in real time. In any case, by adopting a configuration in which the displayed content is controlled in relation to the level of interest of the viewing user, it becomes possible to make the viewing user feel a sense of unity as if they were participating in the publication of the gameplay video themselves, and for the player user, it becomes possible to play while being aware of how many users are supporting them, which can improve their motivation to play the game.

[0091] Furthermore, in the game video publishing system of this embodiment, the level of interest can be used for purposes other than just display control. Specifically, it is conceivable to provide an interest level-based information output unit that outputs predetermined information to the user who has received the interest level input, according to the win / loss judgment result made by the judgment unit. For example, among the various methods for inputting the level of interest described above, if the expectation and degree of expectation towards a particular player is input using a certain numerical value or item, it is conceivable to output support appreciation information corresponding to the quantity and nature of that numerical value or item as interest level-based information, according to the judgment result.

[0092] To give another example from Figure 2, it is conceivable that the odds displayed in the bottom right corner could be used to adjust the amount of support appreciation information and output it as information categorized by level of interest. By adopting this configuration, it becomes possible to provide rewards to users who have expectations for a particular player's gameplay and who have communicated those expectations to the player in the form of an level of interest beforehand or during gameplay. This makes it easier to encourage many of these users to watch or participate in gameplay videos, and to ask for their cooperation in maintaining a healthy and fair environment for the publication of such gameplay videos, ultimately making it possible to provide an attractive environment for publishing gameplay videos for participating users.

[0093] <Specific Structure> The hardware configuration of each device constituting the game video publishing system of this embodiment is basically the same as the hardware configuration of the game video publishing system of Embodiment 1 described with reference to Figure 6. Therefore, the following will describe the specific processing of the "interest acquisition unit" and "display control unit" which have not been described so far.

[0094] (Specific structure of the interest acquisition section) The interest acquisition unit specifically consists of a computer program and computer hardware. The CPU reads the "interest acquisition program" from storage into main memory and executes it. It also receives input from a terminal associated with a user ID that identifies a user other than the source of the gameplay video, indicating the user's level of interest in the win / loss outcome, and stores this input at a predetermined address in main memory.

[0095] (Specific configuration of the display control unit) The display control unit is specifically composed of a computer program and computer hardware. The CPU reads the "display control program" from the storage device into the main memory and executes it. It then reads the level of interest obtained through the execution of the level of interest acquisition program and performs processing to control the display mode of the acquired play video based on that level of interest.

[0096] Furthermore, the CPU reads the "Interest Level Information Output Program" from the storage device into the main memory and executes it. Using the judgment result obtained from the execution of the judgment program, the interest level obtained from the execution of the interest acquisition program, and the user ID that received the input of the interest level, the CPU outputs interest level information and other predetermined information to the terminal of the user identified by the user ID.

[0097] <Processing flow> Figure 13 shows an example of the processing flow in the game video publishing system of this embodiment. The processing flow in the figure consists of the following steps. First, in step S1301, input of interest level regarding the win / loss is received from users other than the source of the gameplay video (interest acquisition step). The processing of the interest acquisition step may be performed in S1301, or it may be performed as appropriate in steps S1302 and later.

[0098] Next, in step S1302, gameplay videos output from terminals managed by multiple users, including the user playing the game, are acquired (video acquisition step). Then, in step S1303, the display mode of the acquired gameplay videos is controlled based on the acquired interest levels (display control step). The processing in the display control step may be repeated as appropriate if new processing occurs in the interest acquisition step.

[0099] Subsequently, in step S1304, the outcome of the game in the acquired gameplay video is determined based on the acquired gameplay video and the display mode in the gameplay video (determination step). If determination is possible, the determination result is output as step S13051; if determination is impossible or difficult, information indicating that determination is impossible is output as step S13052, and the process ends.

[0100] Furthermore, in step S1306 (not shown), depending on the determination result made in the determination step, a process may be performed to output predetermined information to the user who received the input of the level of interest (level of interest information output step).

[0101] <Effects> By using the game video publishing system of this embodiment, it is possible to further enhance user participation and provide a healthy and fair environment for publishing gameplay videos, compared to using the game video publishing systems of Embodiments 1 to 3. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0102] 0200...Game video publishing system, 0201...Video acquisition unit, 0202...Judgment unit

Claims

1. A method for publishing game videos, which involves sending and receiving information between terminals managed by multiple users, including the user playing the game, to distribute footage of the game being played and allow many users to view it, The video acquisition step involves acquiring the gameplay video output from the user's device, A determination step in which the win or loss in the play video is determined based on the result of determining whether the frame image in the play video contains the template image, using information on template images that are pre-stored on the server and linked to information on whether it is the winner screen or loser screen for at least a specific game title, An interest acquisition step that receives input on the level of interest in the outcome from users other than the source of the gameplay video who are watching the streamed gameplay video, A display control step that controls the display mode of the display including the acquired play video based on the acquired level of interest, How to publish game videos run on a computer.

2. A noise determination step to determine whether or not noise is included in the display mode of the acquired gameplay video, The system further includes an accompanying information acquisition step, which acquires accompanying information, which is related to the win / loss determination from the user, in accordance with the result of the aforementioned determination. The judgment step is, The method for publishing a game video according to claim 1, further comprising a sub-step for determining the outcome of a game using the acquired supplementary information.

3. The system further includes a peripheral information acquisition step, which involves acquiring peripheral information, which is information regarding win / loss outcomes from users other than the user playing the game. The judgment step is, A method for publishing a game video according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a sub-step for determining the outcome of a game using the acquired peripheral information.

4. The method for publishing a game video according to claim 1, further comprising an interest level information output step, which outputs predetermined information to the user who has received the interest level input, in accordance with the determination result made in the determination step.

5. A game video publishing program that distributes footage of the game being played and allows many users to view it by sending and receiving information between terminals managed by multiple users, including the user playing the game, The video acquisition step involves acquiring the gameplay video output from the user's device, A determination step in which the win or loss in the play video is determined based on the result of determining whether the frame image in the play video contains the template image, using information on template images that are pre-stored on the server and linked to information on whether it is the winner screen or loser screen for at least a specific game title, An interest acquisition step that receives input on the level of interest in the outcome from users other than the source of the gameplay video who are watching the streamed gameplay video, A display control step that controls the display mode of the display including the acquired play video based on the acquired level of interest, A program for publishing game videos to be run on a computer.

6. A game video publishing system that distributes footage of gameplay to many users by sending and receiving information between terminals managed by multiple users, including the user playing the game, A video acquisition unit that acquires gameplay video output from the user's device, A determination unit that determines the outcome of a play video based on whether a template image is included in a frame image in the play video, using information about a template image that is pre-stored on the server and linked to information about whether it is a winner screen or a loser screen for at least a specific game title, An interest acquisition unit that accepts input on the level of interest in the outcome from users other than the source of the gameplay video, who are watching the streamed gameplay video, A display control unit controls the display mode of the display, including the acquired play video, based on the acquired level of interest, A game video publishing system that includes [a specific feature / feature].

Images