Game having a Plurality of Engines

Abstract

A game having a plurality of engines is described. In one or more implementations, a computing device displays an output of a first engine of a game by a computing device. An input is received by the computing device to switch from the output of the first engine of the game to an output of a second engine of the game, the first and second engines being executed concurrently by the computing device. Responsive to the receipt of the input, the computing device switches from displaying of the output of the first engine of the game to displaying the output of the second engine of the game.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a first engine of a game configured for execution by a single computing device, the first game engine including a corresponding engine renderer;   a second engine of the game configured for execution with the first game engine by the single computing device, the second game engine including a corresponding engine renderer; and   a synchronization module configured to synchronize the execution of the first and second game engines such that corresponding portions of the game are executed concurrently by the single computing device.   
     
     
         2 . A system as described in  claim 1 , the synchronization module further configured to switch back and forth between respective outputs of the first and second game engines. 
     
     
         3 . A system as described in  claim 2 , wherein to switch back and forth between respective outputs of the first and second game engines includes replacing output of the first engine with output of the second engine of the game. 
     
     
         4 . A system as described in  claim 2 , wherein to switch back and forth between respective outputs of the first and second game engines includes replacing output of the second engine with output of the first engine of the game. 
     
     
         5 . A system as described in  claim 4 , wherein the output of the second engine includes video and audio outputs. 
     
     
         6 . A system as described in  claim 2 , wherein to switch back and forth between respective outputs of the first and second game engines is performed in real time due in part to the concurrent execution of the first and second engines. 
     
     
         7 . A system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the first engine is executed concurrently with the second engine during display of solely visual outputs provided by the first engine. 
     
     
         8 . A system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the first engine is executed concurrently with the second engine during display of solely visual outputs provided by the second engine. 
     
     
         9 . A method implemented by a single computing device that includes a processor, the method comprising:
 displaying output provided by a first engine of a game in a portion of a display device coupled to the single computing device;   receiving an input at the single computing device to switch from displaying the output provided by the first engine to displaying solely output provided by the second engine, the first and second engines being executed concurrently by the single computing device to enable switching between the outputs of the first and second game engines; and   responsive to the receiving, switching, at the single computing device, from the displaying of the output provided by the first engine to displaying solely the output provided by the second engine.   
     
     
         10 . A method as described in  claim 9 , wherein the output provided by the first engine includes first graphics and first audio and the output provided by the second engine includes second graphics and second audio. 
     
     
         11 . A method as described in  claim 9 , wherein the switching includes replacing visual output provided by the first engine with visual output provided by the second engine. 
     
     
         12 . A method as described in  claim 9 , wherein the first and second engines are configured to execute concurrently to enable the switching to be performed in real time responsive to the receiving. 
     
     
         13 . A method as described in  claim 9 , wherein the first and second game engines includes respective engine renderers. 
     
     
         14 . A method as described in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving at the single computing device another input to switch from displaying the output provided by the second engine to displaying solely the output provided by the first engine; and   responsive to the receiving the other input, switching, at the single computing device, from the displaying of the output provided by the second engine to displaying solely the output provided by the first engine.   
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 a first engine of a game configured for execution by a single computing device;   a second engine of the game configured for execution with the first game engine by the single computing device; and   a synchronization module configured to:
 synchronize the execution of the first and second game engines such that corresponding portions of the game are executed concurrently by the single computing device; and 
 switch back and forth between respective outputs of the first and second game engines. 
   
     
     
         16 . A system as described in  claim 15 , wherein to switch back and forth between respective outputs of the first and second game engines includes replacing output of the first engine with output of the second engine of the game. 
     
     
         17 . A system as described in  claim 15 , wherein to switch back and forth between respective outputs of the first and second game engines is performed in real time due in part to the concurrent execution of the first and second engines. 
     
     
         18 . A system as described in  claim 15 , wherein the first engine is executed concurrently with the second engine during display of solely visual outputs provided by the first engine. 
     
     
         19 . A system as described in  claim 15 , wherein first graphics provided by the first engine are output via an engine renderer included as part of the first engine and second graphics provided by the second engine are output via an additional engine renderer included as part of the second engine, the engine renderer and the additional engine renderer being configured to output different models and textures for display. 
     
     
         20 . A system as described in  claim 15 , wherein the first and second engines correspond to a single game and the output provided by the first and second engines correspond to different versions of the single game, respectively.