Systems and methods that enable a spectator's experience for online active games

Abstract

The field of the invention relates to multi-user online gaming systems, and more particularly to systems and methods that enable a spectator's experience for online active games. In a preferred embodiment, an online multiuser game system includes an online game session server system communicatively coupled to a public network for access by a plurality of users to establish a plurality of real-time interactive games sessions. The online multiuser game system further includes a spectator server communicatively coupled to the online game session server system and configured to enable a user to view and time shift an active game session.

1 . An online multiuser game system, comprising:
 an online game session server system communicatively coupled to a public network for access by a plurality of users to establish a plurality of real-time interactive games sessions;   a spectator server communicatively coupled to the online game session server and configured to enable a user to view and time shift an active game session.   
     
     
         2 . The online multiuser game system of  claim 1 , wherein the spectator server is further configured to buffer game data of the active game session and delay the user's view by a certain period of time. 
     
     
         3 . The online multiuser game system of  claim 2 , wherein the spectator server is further configured to monitor the buffer for certain activities and to focus the user's view to said activities as they occur in the user's computing device. 
     
     
         4 . The online multiuser game system of  claim 1 , wherein the spectator server is further configured to enable a directed view. 
     
     
         5 . The online multiuser game system of  claim 1 , wherein an interactive game session includes a plurality of electronic avatars, and the spectator server is further configured to enable a user to select an avatar for the user's view to follow. 
     
     
         6 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The online multiuser game system of  claim 1 , wherein time-shift includes a plurality of controls available to the user, including playback, pause, playback speed control, and jump to latest. 
     
     
         9 . The online multiuser game system of  claim 1 , wherein the spectator server is further configured to present to the user active games most requested by other users and active games having most requested players. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A computer program product that includes a computer-usable medium having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes said one or more processors to execute a process for enabling a spectator's view for a multi-user online game system over a public network, said process comprising:
 enabling access over the public network by a plurality of players to establish a plurality of real-time active interactive games sessions with the multi-user online game system; and   enabling a spectator to select, view, and time shift at least one of the plurality of real-time active interactive games sessions.   
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , the process further comprising buffering game data of a selected real-time active interactive game session and delaying the spectator's view by a certain period of time. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , the process further comprising monitoring the buffer for certain activities and focusing the spectator's view on said activities as they occur on the spectator's computing device. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , the process further comprising enabling a directed view of the selected real-time active interactive game session. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein an interactive game session includes a plurality of electronic avatars, and the process further comprises enabling the spectator to select an avatar for the spectator's view to follow. 
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the process further includes calculating an interest value for each avatar and directing the spectator's view to the avatar having the highest interest value. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the process further includes monitoring data affecting the interest values and shifting the view to another avatar if it gains the highest interest value. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein time-shift includes a plurality of controls available to the spectator, including playback, pause, and playback speed control, and jump to latest. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the process further comprises presenting to the spectator active games most requested by other spectators and active games having most requested players. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer implemented method for matching players of an online multiuser game system, comprising:
 enabling the players to establish a plurality of real-time interactive game sessions with the online multiuser game system over a public network; and   enabling at least one spectator to select, view, and time shift at least one of the plurality of real-time interactive game sessions, wherein the spectator's view is graphically rendered from game data provided by the game system.