Game System Emulator State Synchronization via Image Metadata
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing game systems fail to enable seamless sharing of game experiences between players separated temporally or spatially, lacking efficient methods for synchronizing game states and scenes across different game apparatuses.
Innovation Solution
A game system comprising a first game apparatus, a second game apparatus, and a server, where the first apparatus produces and transmits image files with reproduction information and status data, allowing the second apparatus to acquire and use this information to replicate the game scene and state, enabling players to share experiences regardless of temporal or spatial separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If game systems use traditional local-only gameplay, then gameplay simplicity is maintained, but players cannot share game experiences when separated temporally or spatially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary component that receives image files containing reproduction information from one game apparatus and transmits them to another game apparatus. This mediator enables players separated temporally or spatially to share game experiences without requiring direct peer-to-peer connections or complex distributed system architecture, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the game scene by generating an image file that contains reproduction information (metadata) capturing the game state at a specific moment. This copy can be transmitted and reproduced on another device, allowing players to experience the same game scene without needing to be present at the same time or location, thereby enabling experience sharing while keeping the system relatively simple.
2Manufacturing precision
If game systems transmit detailed game state data, then scene reproduction accuracy is improved, but data transmission volume and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential reproduction information needed to recreate a game scene into an image file's metadata, rather than transmitting the entire game state data. By taking out only the necessary elements (position, status, and other critical parameters of game objects), the system achieves accurate scene reproduction while significantly reducing data transmission volume and time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by focusing transmission resources on capturing only the specific scene elements that are important for reproduction, rather than transmitting all game data uniformly. The image file contains metadata specifically tailored to reproduce the visual and state information of the captured scene, optimizing both accuracy and efficiency.
3Reliability
If game systems store complete game data locally, then game can be played without network connection, but storage space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying by storing image files containing reproduction information rather than complete game data. These image files serve as lightweight copies that can be transmitted and reproduced on other devices, enabling offline gameplay capability while occupying minimal storage space compared to storing full game data locally.
Solution Approach 2:
The image file format serves multiple functions: it acts as a snapshot for scene reproduction, a transmission vehicle for sharing game experiences, and a storage-efficient representation of game state. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain offline gameplay capability while avoiding the need for large local storage of complete game data.
Data Source
AI summary
A non-limiting example game system comprises a server and a plurality of game apparatuses, each game apparatus emulating a game program. If applying a predetermined instruction during a game, a game screen is captured and an image file is produced. Furthermore, at this time, emulator status information is uploaded to the server from a game apparatus. Then, the server transmits a URL indicative of a storing location of the emulator status information to the game apparatus. The game apparatus writes the URL as metadata of the image file, and uploads the image file to the server. Furthermore, the game apparatus downloads a desired image file from the server, and downloads the emulator status information according to the URL that is acquired from the downloaded image file. An emulator status of another game apparatus can be reproduced by reading this emulator state information.