Information Processing System, Information Processing Apparatus, Computer-Readable Storage Medium Having Stored Therein Information Processing Program, and Information Processing Method

Abstract

A plurality of game apparatuses function as a master, a client, and an audience. The master and the client register each other by performing therebetween an authentication process. The authentication process is not performed between the master and the audience. The audience receives a beacon from the master and registers the master in an own apparatus while the audience is not registered in the master. The master and the client execute a predetermined program, exchanging data by communicating with each other. The audience receives the data exchanged between the master and the client, and executes the predetermined program using the received data, thereby watches a game which is progressed between the master and the client, as a spectator.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A game processing system comprising a first gaming device, a second gaming device, and a third gaming device,
 wherein the first gaming device comprises:
 a first network interface; and 
 at least one first processor configured to perform operations comprising:
 executing a communicative game based on communication, using the first network interface, with the second gaming device, 
 
   wherein the second gaming device comprises:
 a second network interface; and 
 at least one second processor configured to perform second operations comprising:
 executing the communicative game based on communication, using the second network interface, with the first gaming device, and 
 
   wherein the third gaming device comprises:
 a third network interface; and 
 at least one third processor configured to perform third operations comprising:
 receiving, using the third network interface, data associated with the communicative game from the at least one of the first gaming device or the second gaming device; 
 executing a spectating experience process based on the received data; and 
 in response to a user input during the executing the spectating experience process, transmitting, using the third network interface, indication data of a user reaction to at least one of the first gaming device or the second gaming device, 
 
 wherein the at least one first processor and/or the at least one second processor are each further configured to perform outputting a respective representation of the user reaction. 
   
     
     
         22 . The game processing system according to  claim 21 , wherein the outputting the respective representation of the user reaction comprises superimposing a respective visual and/or audio representation of the reaction via one or more output devices of the first gaming device and the second gaming device. 
     
     
         23 . The game processing system according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the at least one first processor is configured to perform further first operations comprising:   receiving the indication data of the user reaction transmitted by the third gaming device; and   in response to the receiving the indication data, performing the outputting the respective representation of the user reaction, and transmitting information of the user reaction to the second gaming device,   and wherein the at least one second processor is configured to perform further second operations comprising:   receiving the information of the user reaction; and   in response to the receiving the information of the user reaction, performing the outputting the respective representation of the user reaction.   
     
     
         24 . The game processing system according to  claim 23 , wherein the information of the user reaction comprises the indication data of the user reaction. 
     
     
         25 . The game processing system according to  claim 24 , wherein the respective representation output by the at least one first processor is same as the respective representation output by the at least one second processor. 
     
     
         26 . The game processing system according to  claim 22 , wherein the at least one first processor is further configured to generate the visual and/or audio representation of the user reaction in accordance with data stored on the first gaming device, and/or the at least one second processor is further configured to generate the visual and/or audio representation of the user reaction in accordance with data stored on the second gaming device. 
     
     
         27 . The game processing system according to  claim 21 , the user reaction includes a type of audience response. 
     
     
         28 . The game processing system according to  claim 27 , the output representation of the user reaction includes sound and/or visual representation of the type of audience response. 
     
     
         29 . The game processing system according to  claim 21 , wherein the at least one first processor is configured to execute the communicative game in a master role and the at least one second processor is configured to execute the communicative game in a client role. 
     
     
         30 . The game processing system according to  claim 29 , wherein
 the at least one first processor is configured to execute the communicative game in the master role comprises:
 receiving, via the first network interface and from the second gaming device, an indication of a user operation; 
 providing an input based on the user operation to said communicative game executing on the first game device; 
 generating a second image in response to the provided input; and 
 transmitting, via the first network interface, the second image to the second gaming device, 
   the at least one second processor is configured to execute the communicative game in the client role comprises:   receiving, via the second network interface, a first image from the first gaming device;   displaying the first image on a display of the second gaming device;   obtaining the user operation, wherein the user input is in response to the first image;   transmitting the indication of the user operation, using the second network interface, to the first gaming apparatus;   receiving the second image from the first gaming device; and   displaying the second image on the display of the second gaming device.   
     
     
         31 . The game processing system according to  claim 21 , further comprising at least one fourth gaming device each comprising at least one fourth processor configured to receive the indication of the use reaction and, in response, display the respective representation of the user reaction on a display of the at least one fourth gaming device. 
     
     
         32 . The game processing system according to  claim 21 , wherein the transmitting, using the third network interface, the indication of the user reaction to at least one of the first gaming device or the second gaming device comprises:
 determining whether a configuration mode of the spectating experience process or the third gaming device permits the transmitting of the indication of the user reaction; and   performing the transmitting, using the third network interface, the indication of the user reaction to at least one of the first gaming device or the second gaming device only when the configuration mode of the spectating experience process or the third gaming device permits the transmitting of the indication of the user reaction.   
     
     
         33 . The game processing system according to  claim 32 , wherein the at least one first processor or the at least one second processor is configured to perform further operations comprising transmitting, using the first network interface, a control message, and wherein the at least one third processor is further configured to set the configuration mode in accordance with the control message received from the first gaming device or the second gaming device. 
     
     
         34 . The game processing system according to  claim 32 , wherein the at least one third processor is further configured to set the configuration mode in accordance with a user input received by the third gaming device. 
     
     
         35 . The game processing system according to  claim 32 , wherein the at least one third processor is further configured to disable transmitting of messages from the spectating experience process. 
     
     
         36 . The game processing system according to  claim 21 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to register the second gaming device progressing in the communicative game, and performing the outputting the respective representation of the user reaction without registering the third gaming device. 
     
     
         37 . The game processing system according to  claim 21 , wherein the at least one first processor or the at least one second processor is configured to broadcast or multicast the data associated with the communicative game, and wherein the at least one third gaming device is configured to transmit the indication data of the reaction in a message header that includes a MAC address of the first gaming device or the second gaming device. 
     
     
         38 . The game processing system according to  claim 21 , wherein the third gaming device further comprises a display screen, and wherein executing the spectating experience process includes displaying, on the display screen, a current state of the communicative game being executed by the first gaming device and the second gaming device. 
     
     
         39 . The game processing system according to  claim 21 , wherein the first gaming device and the second gaming device exchange an authentication frame and an association frame between them and register each other, and wherein the third gaming device unilaterally registers, in a memory of the third gaming device, first identification information included in a management frame transmitted by the first gaming device, without exchanging an authentication frame or an association frame with the first gaming device. 
     
     
         40 . A method comprising:
 executing, by a first gaming device and a second gaming device, a communicative game based on communication between the first gaming device and the second gaming device;   executing, by a third gaming device, a spectating experience process based on data associated with the communicative game received from the at least one of the first gaming device or the second gaming device;   in response to a user input during the executing the spectating experience process, transmitting, by the third gaming device, indication data of a user reaction to at least one of the first gaming device or the second gaming device; and   outputting, by the first gaming device and/or the second gaming device, a respective representation of the user reaction.