Video Access Anchors for In-Game Video Playback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of multiplayer online video games face challenges in accessing in-game information and tutorials while playing, as existing systems do not allow seamless integration of video content within the game environment, requiring players to leave the game to research or watch videos.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of video access anchors within a computer-generated environment, where content creators can associate videos with virtual objects, allowing users to access and view relevant videos directly within the game through a server that links video identifiers with virtual object identifiers, enabling in-game video playback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If video content is integrated within the game environment, then user engagement and knowledge application during gameplay are improved, but system complexity and data management requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces video access anchors as intermediary elements that link virtual objects in the game environment to video content. These anchors serve as mediators between the game client and video streaming service, enabling seamless video access without direct integration complexity. The anchor system abstracts the complex video management behind a simple virtual object interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides video content access into discrete segments associated with specific virtual objects. Each video access anchor is independently configured and managed, allowing granular control over video content delivery. This segmentation enables the complex video system to be broken down into manageable, object-specific units that can be independently handled by the game client.
2Loss of information
If video access anchors are configured for virtual objects, then users can access tutorials and information directly in-game, but the configuration process and data management become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables content creators to self-configure video access anchors through user interfaces provided by the game client. Creators can independently associate videos with virtual objects without requiring system administrator intervention. This self-service approach simplifies the configuration process while maintaining comprehensive video information availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The video access anchor system serves multiple functions: it provides tutorials, informational content, and promotional material through a single unified mechanism. The same anchor infrastructure supports various types of video content associated with different virtual objects, reducing the need for separate configuration systems for each content type.
3Ease of operation
If the system sends video data from game server to client, then in-game video playback is enabled, but network bandwidth and data transmission requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Video content is pre-streamed from the video streaming service to the game client before being triggered by in-game events. The game client maintains a local cache of video data, reducing the need for real-time data transmission during gameplay. This preliminary action minimizes network bandwidth consumption during critical gaming moments.
Solution Approach 2:
The game client acts as an intermediary that receives video data from the video streaming service and delivers it to the game server for playback. This intermediary architecture allows efficient video data management, where the client handles large data transmissions with the streaming service while the server only needs to trigger and display pre-loaded content.
Data Source
AI summary
Technology is described for creating a video access anchor for an application interface. A server may send application data for the application interface to a first client. The server may receive a virtual object identifier from the first client, and the virtual object identifier may be associated with a virtual object in the application interface. The server may receive a video identifier from the first client, and the video identifier may be associated with the virtual object. The server may create the video access anchor for the application interface based on the virtual object identifier and the video identifier, as received from the first client. The video access anchor may enable a second client to access a video having the video identifier when the second client initiates an event that corresponds to the virtual object.