Video Game Watermarking via Virtual Object Parameter Modification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for watermarking videogames struggle to effectively identify and trace unauthorized copies, especially in environments where gameplay-generated imagery makes traditional watermarking techniques difficult, such as in social media and video capture scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A method of visibly integrating identification data into videogames by modifying physical properties of virtual environment objects, such as tree height, placement, type, and color, to encode binary sequences, which are then used to uniquely identify specific game instances, even in captured video footage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional watermarking techniques are used in videogames, then identification data can be embedded, but the watermarking becomes difficult when gameplay-generated imagery is entirely dependent on user gameplay
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the watermark elements (virtual objects) changeable and adaptive to gameplay conditions. The system dynamically selects and modifies virtual objects based on game state, ensuring watermarks remain reliable across varying user-generated content while maintaining ease of implementation through automated selection algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters of virtual objects (position, scale, rotation, color, transparency) to embed identification data. By modifying these parameters of dynamically selected objects rather than using fixed watermark patterns, the system achieves reliable identification in gameplay-generated imagery while keeping the embedding process integrated into the game rendering pipeline.
2Reliability
If watermarks are concealed within video image using steganography, then identification data can be hidden, but pirates can undermine such watermarking by various techniques aimed at scrambling identification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the watermark into multiple virtual objects distributed throughout the game environment. Each object carries a portion of the identification data, and the system uses redundancy to ensure that even if some objects are modified or removed by pirate countermeasures, the identification data can still be recovered from remaining objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing multiple redundant watermark instances in the virtual environment before piracy attempts occur. The system proactively distributes identification data across many virtual objects with varying parameters, making it difficult for pirates to scramble or remove all watermark instances through post-processing techniques.
3Measurement precision
If identification data is part of program code validated by secure online service, then unauthorized copies can be identified, but visible watermarking is needed to identify source instance in social media and video capture scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the virtual objects serve dual functions: they are both game elements that contribute to the gameplay experience and carriers of identification data for watermarking. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve precise pirate copy identification through visible watermarks without adding separate dedicated watermarking systems, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating multiple instances of virtual objects that are visually similar but have different parameter values encoding identification data. These copied objects are distributed throughout the game environment, allowing the system to achieve high identification accuracy across different capture scenarios while using standard game rendering pipelines rather than complex dedicated watermarking hardware.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of watermarking video images of a particular instance of a virtual environment comprises the steps of selecting a plurality of virtual objects for inclusion within the virtual environment, respectively altering a physical property of the selected virtual objects from a reference value to a respective different value (wherein the respective different value is selected responsive to respective identification values of identification data associated with that particular instance of the virtual environment, and wherein the physical property has a visible effect on the appearance of the virtual objects), and rendering for display the virtual environment comprising the altered virtual objects.