Virtual Lobby Image Generation for Multi-User Game Streaming
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing game systems struggle to efficiently manage and display streaming game images and user representations in virtual lobbies with multiple participants, particularly when the number of users exceeds the system's capacity, leading to inefficiencies and suboptimal user experience.
Innovation Solution
A game device and system that dynamically generates display images based on the streaming and participation status of users, adjusting the number and type of user representations, and managing streaming quality and captured images to accommodate varying user counts and participation levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the system displays representation images for all users in the virtual lobby, then the user experience is improved by showing all participants, but the display complexity and resource consumption increase when the number of users is large
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments user representations into different categories: representation images for users whose game devices are streaming game images, and placeholder images for other users. This segmentation allows the system to manage display complexity by treating different user types differently, reducing the cognitive and computational load while maintaining complete user representation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different visual qualities to different parts of the display based on local conditions. Users actively streaming game images receive prominent representation images, while other users receive standard placeholder images. This local differentiation optimizes the display by concentrating resources on active participants while maintaining awareness of all users.
2Manufacturing precision
If the system streams high-quality game images from all game devices, then the visual quality is improved, but the network bandwidth and processing requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements partial streaming by selectively transmitting game images only from game devices that have users actively playing games, rather than streaming from all devices in the virtual lobby. This partial action approach reduces network resource consumption significantly while maintaining high visual quality for active gameplay sessions.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of streaming actual game images from all devices, the system uses placeholder images that copy or represent the presence of users whose devices are not actively streaming. This substitution reduces bandwidth consumption while maintaining the illusion of complete user participation.
3Productivity
If the system accommodates a large number of users in the virtual lobby, then the system capacity is improved, but the difficulty of managing and displaying user representations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and separates the management of active users from inactive users. By identifying users whose game devices are streaming game images and treating them differently from other users, the system simplifies the complexity of managing large user groups. Active users receive special handling with representation images, while inactive users are managed as a separate category with placeholder images.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic user representation management where the type of image displayed for each user changes based on their current activity state. When a user's game device starts or stops streaming, their representation automatically updates from placeholder to representation image or vice versa. This dynamic adaptation simplifies tracking user status across large groups.
Data Source
AI summary
A game device communicating with another game device includes a stream transmitter, a receiver, and an image generator. The image generator generates a first image and a plurality of second images, the first image being based on an image of a game application running in a game device with which a first account is associated. While a game device with which an account associated with one of the second images is streaming a streaming game image, when the account is the first account, the one of the second images includes an image based on the image of the running game application, and when it is another account, the one of the second images includes the received streaming game image. While the game device with which the account is not streaming the streaming game image, the one of the second images includes an image that shows the account.