Companion Gaming Experience Supporting Near-Real-Time Gameplay Data

Abstract

A companion gaming experience is associated with a particular game title, but a user interface for the companion gaming experience is generated by a separate program from the associated game title and is presented on a device separate from the device on which the game user interface itself is presented. When an associated game of the video game title is not running, the companion gaming experience presents guide information and/or statistics data for the game title. However, when an associated game of the game title is running, the companion gaming experience presents gameplay data for the game in near-real-time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of providing a companion gaming experience, the method comprising:
 presenting via a first program of a first of two devices, a companion gaming experience user interface for a game currently being played via a gaming user interface of a second of the two devices, the companion gaming experience user interface being generated by the first program separate from and communicatively coupled with a second program that generates the gaming user interface;   receiving, by the first program, a user input; and   providing to the second program, responsive to receiving the user input, data that affects the game.   
     
     
         2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , the user input comprising an input to pause the game currently being played at the second device. 
     
     
         3 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , the user input comprising changing equipment available to a player during gameplay. 
     
     
         4 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , the user input comprising changing a level of the game. 
     
     
         5 . A method as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising changing an amount or type of information displayed via the companion gaming experience user interface responsive to the level being changed. 
     
     
         6 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , the user input comprising a selection of a rallying point on a map displayed on the companion gaming user interface, and the data that affects the game comprises a command to indicate the rallying point in the game. 
     
     
         7 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , the user input comprising selecting a challenge to accomplish in the game, and the data that affects the game indicating the challenge. 
     
     
         8 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , the user input identifying a path, and the data that affects the game comprises an indication of the identified path. 
     
     
         9 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , the first device comprising a tablet device. 
     
     
         10 . A first device comprising:
 one or more processors;   one or more computer-readable storage media having stored thereon multiple instructions of a first program that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 present at the first device, a first user interface for displaying a companion gaming experience for a game that is currently being played by running a second program on a second device separate from the first device; 
 receive one or more user inputs at the first device to affect the game that is currently being played on the second device; and 
 communicate, in response to the one or more user inputs, data to the second device to affect the game. 
   
     
     
         11 . A first device as recited in  claim 10 , the data comprising an indication to pause the game. 
     
     
         12 . A first device as recited in  claim 10 , the data comprising an indication to change a location of one or more in-game objects. 
     
     
         13 . A first device as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the multiple instructions further cause the one or more processors to change the companion gaming experience from a gameplay mode to a guide mode responsive to the one or more inputs. 
     
     
         14 . A first device as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the multiple instructions further cause the one or more processors to change data displayed via the companion gaming experience responsive to the one or more user inputs. 
     
     
         15 . A first device as recited in  claim 10 , the first device further comprising a touchscreen, and wherein to receive the one or more user inputs is to receive the one or more user inputs via the touchscreen. 
     
     
         16 . A method of providing a companion gaming experience at a first device, the method comprising:
 presenting a companion gaming experience user interface for a game, the companion gaming experience user interface implemented at the first device by a first program and the game implemented at a second device by a second program, the companion gaming experience user interface being displayed via a touchscreen of the first device;   receiving, by the first program, a user input via the touchscreen to affect the game; and   providing to the second program, an indication of the user input.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , the user input comprising an input to pause the game. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , the user input comprising identifying a path via a line traced through a map displayed on the touchscreen, and the providing comprising providing an indication of the path to the second program. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , the user input identifying one or more users and launching a game. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first device is a tablet device.