AU768349B2 - Method of recording and replaying a game - Google Patents

Description

S&F Ref: 568730

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name and Address of Applicant Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha 30-2, Shimomaruko 3-chome, Ohta-ku Tokyo 146 Japan Michael Jan Lawther Spruson Ferguson St Martins Tower,Level 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 (CCN 3710000177) Method of Recording and Replaying a Game ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION DETAILS [33] Country [31] Applic. No(s) AU PQ9958 [32] Application Date 07 Sep 2000 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- IP Australia Documents received on: r SEP 7. Batch No: 5&1 -1- METHOD OF RECORDING AND REPLAYING A GAME Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to computer games and, in particular, to the intelligent recording of events occurring in such games, allowing those events to be replayed. The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for recording replay data, as well as a method and apparatus for replaying a game.

Background Art Various computer games are known and are played for fun and challenge. Part of the challenge is to develop the necessary skills to play and win the game. As with any S 10 activity that requires prowess, these skills can be developed and learnt by studying people skilled in the game, and/or learning from one's own mistakes. Players of such games also wish to review certain events occurring during the game play to learn from their mistakes or successes, or simply relive their moments of glory, and tell their friends of the amazing feats they accomplished. This can typically be done with the aid of a replay of the game play.

Most computer games have a "game save" facility, allowing the player to save a game state. The player is also able to return to the saved game state, and commence game play from that point.

Computer games are also known with the capability to record the game play for later replay. However, known replay systems, for the sake of simplicity, typically only record the final seconds of game play. An example of such a game is N64® "Grand Prix", which records a replay of the final lap.

568730.doc -2- Alternatively, the player is required to pause the game to instruct the game to record the game play. This is typically done at an exciting point in the game play.

Such arrangements have drawbacks. For example, some multi-player real-time strategy games may last for hours, and recording of the last few seconds of the game play is of very limited value to the player(s). In the example cited earlier, N64® "Grand Prix" records a replay of the final lap of a race. However, as can be recognised by watching news reports of real car races, often the very start of a race, as well as events occurring during the race are more exciting that the final lap, at which point the result may be a foregone conclusion. Thus, blindly recording the final lap of a race, while simple to implement, is often sub-optimal for the player.

An exciting point during the game play will often be full of action, requiring the concentration of the player, and the player is therefore unlikely to want to have to pause the game play, as this may increase the risk of losing the game. It is also necessary for oooo the player to pre-empt the exciting point, in order to start recording a couple of seconds before the exciting point, and not once it is over or already in progress.

During replay of the recorded game play, a player may also wish to be able to view the replay from a different perspective or viewpoint from that which they initially viewed the game play during the actual game. For example, in a soccer game, a player may wish to view a goal being scored from the viewpoint of the opponent's goalkeeper.

A player may also wish to view the scene in an enlarged or reduced scale, for closer inspection, or because it gives a better overview of the events that occurred during game play.

Disclosure of the Invention 568730.doc -3- It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome, or at least ameliorate, one or more disadvantages of existing arrangements.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of storing replay data of a game, said game comprising a sequence of game states, the method comprising the steps of: defining a plurality of predetermined conditions; defining a plurality of combinations of said conditions; determining whether a current game state satisfies at least one said combination of said conditions; and upon each occurrence where one of said combinations of said conditions is being satisfied, storing said current game state as replay data, wherein replay data corresponding to different combinations of conditions are stored as separate replay data, and said replay data allowing said game to resume from said stored game state.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of S 15 replaying a game, said game comprising a sequence of game states, the method comprising the steps of: while the game is in progress, storing a current game state as replay data, upon each occurrence where one of a plurality of combinations of conditions is being satisfied, wherein replay data corresponding to different combinations of conditions are stored as 20 separate replay data, and said replay data allowing said game to resume from said stored game state; reading said replay data in response to a replay request from an operator; processing said replay data into display data; and displaying said display data.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a game apparatus comprising: 568730.doc -4means for defining a plurality of predetermined conditions; means for defining a plurality of combinations of said conditions; processing means for controlling a game into a sequence of game states; means for determining whether a current game state satisfies at least one said combination of said conditions; and memory means for storing said current game state as replay data upon each occurrence where one of said combinations of said conditions is being satisfied, wherein replay data corresponding to different combinations of conditions are stored as separate replay data, and said replay data allowing said game to resume from said stored game state.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for replaying a game, said game comprising a sequence of game states, the apparatus comprising: memory means for storing, while the game is in progress, a current game state as 15 replay data, upon each occurrence where one of a plurality of combinations of conditions is being satisfied, wherein replay data corresponding to different combinations of conditions are stored as separate replay data, and said replay data allowing said game to resume from said stored game state; processing means for reading said replay data in response to a replay request from an operator and transforming said replay data into display data; and display means for displaying said display data.

Other aspect of the invention are also disclosed.

Brief Description of the Drawings A number of embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which: 568730.doc -4A- Fig. 1A shows a gaming system; Fig. 1B shows a general-purpose computer system upon which games and the like may be played; Fig. 1C is a schematic block diagram of a computer system, representing the gaming system shown in Fig. 1A and the general-purpose computer system shown in Fig.

SB more generally; *o 568730.doc Fig. 2A schematically represents a circular State Buffer; Fig. 2B schematically represents a linear Replay Buffer in an Open state; Fig. 2C schematically represents a linear Replay Buffer in a Closed state; Fig. 3 is a schematic flow diagram of a method of the automatic recording of interesting events occurring during game play of a computer game; and Fig. 4 is a schematic flow diagram of sub-steps of the game loop shown in Fig. 3.

Detailed Description including Best Mode Fig. 1A shows a gaming system 400 having a dedicated games console 405, connected to a general-purpose television 408 as an output device. The dedicated games console 405 generally comprises a processing/memory unit 410 and a controller 412 as input device. A user interacts with the gaming system 400 to play a game using the input device 412.

Fig. 1B shows an alternative gaming apparatus, in the form of a general-purpose 15 computer system 450, having a display device 455, a processor/memory unit 460 and input devices in the form of a keyboard 462 and mouse 464.

The gaming system 400 shown in Fig. 1A and the conventional general-purpose computer 450 are shown more generally in a schematic block diagram of a computer system 100 in Fig. 1C. The computer system 100 comprises a computer module 101, input device(s) 102, such as a keyboard 462 (Fig. 1B) and mouse 464 (Fig. 1B), or games controller 412 (Fig. 1A), and output devices including a printer 115 and a display device 114.

The computer module 101 typically includes at least one processor unit 105, a memory unit 106, for example formed from semiconductor random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM), input/output (11O) interfaces including a video 568730.doc -6interface 107, an 11O interface 113 for the input devices 102, and an 11O interface 108 for the printer 115.

A storage device 109 may be provided having the form of a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive or a magnetic tape drive. A CD-ROM drive 112 is typically provided as a non-volatile source of data. The components 105 to 113 of the computer module 101, typically communicate via an interconnected bus 104 and in a manner which results in a conventional mode of operation of the computer system 100 known to those skilled in the relevant art.

Methods of automated recording of events during game play described herein may be realised as one or more computer application programs stored or resident on the storage device 109, the memory 106 or a CD-ROM (not illustrated) inserted into the CD- ROM drive 112. The application program is read and controlled in its execution by the processor 105. Intermediate storage of the program and data may be accomplished using the semiconductor memory 106, possibly in concert with the storage device 109.

Fig. 3 shows a method 300 of the automatic recording of interesting events occurring during game play of a computer game on the computer system shown in Fig. 1C. The method 300 automates the selection of the interesting events and records those events for the purpose of replaying those events later. Additionally the method 300 allows the player to print or otherwise store representations of these events. By storing only interesting events, the system uses less storage space than a system that simply records the entire game.

Combinations of criteria defining an interesting event are pre-defined by the game designer. Typically, computer games provide a menu of option settings, either at the start of a game or as a menu option displayed when a special key, or combination of keys are depressed. Such option settings usually allow the game player the option of selecting configuration information relating to the game about to be executed (played).

568730.doc -7- The configuration information may include, for example, audio settings to increase or decrease the volume of sound effects produced during game play, game difficulty selection to tailor the game to the skill level of a beginner or novice to the accomplished expert player.

In a particular implementation, the options include the criteria, with the criteria being parameterised, allowing the player, through a graphical user interface, to further modify the definitions of the interesting events to suit individual tastes. Typically, the parameters have default settings set by the games designer and the player has an option of selecting different parameters from a possible set of parameters appropriate for each defined criterion, simply by operating the input device 102. In the simplest form, the parameter may be customised by simply selecting or de-selecting the criteria.

.An example of a criterion in the context of a car racing game is: 'Player overtakes another car' A parameter to this criterion may be: no vetke arw e n 'The position that the overtaken car was in' Thus the player may modify this criterion so that only events where the player overtakes another car, and the other car is the lead car in the race, are recorded. This criterion may be combined with another criterion, such as: 'Stage of race' Parameters to this criterion may be: 'Number of laps into the race' 'Number of laps to the end of the race' Alternatively, the player may disable a criterion entirely, if the type of event that the criterion describes is not considered as 'interesting' by the particular player.

Examples of criteria in the context of an adventure game are: 'Player has entered the room where the main enemy lives'; 568730.doc -8- 'Player's health is critically low';and 'Player has performed an incredibly difficult move' Again, several criteria may be combined to define an interesting event in the game.

These criteria need not necessarily involve the player directly. Events may occur in the game that the player has no direct control over, or could not see whilst the player was playing the game, but yet still may wish to observe such events afterwards. An example of this, in the context of a car racing game, is when several opponent cars are involved in a crash. This may be interesting to the player, and the player therefore may wish to replay such events.

With the criteria combinations defined, the method 300 starts in step 302, which is also the start of the game play. Step 304 initialises the game by setting all variables to an initial state, e.g. player's position etc. A game state includes a number of variables, and is used by the processor 105 to generate an image to be rendered onto the display 15 device 114. A saved game state also allows the instance corresponding to when the game state was saved, to be recreated, and for game play to be resumed from that instance. Any required data is loaded, such as geometry information for the current arena of play.

Entering a game loop 322 follows the initialisation step 304. Each full cycle through the game loop 322 representing a frame of the game play.

Referring to Fig. 4, sub-step of the game loop 322 is shown in more detail. Input from the player through input device 102 is read in step 306. This input is then acted upon in step 308 by the processor 105, which calculates a new game state and updates a current game state. An image that reflects the current game state is rendered onto the display device 114 in step 310.

In step 312, the processor 105 writes the current game state into the memory 106. The method 300 is preferably applied to a game where the characters and any other 568730.doc -9objects exist in a 3D world. Thus the game state of any frame may be fully described by recording the positions of all the objects in the world, and additionally any necessary extra information, such as the colour of the objects. The world is viewed through a 'camera', which acts a viewport onto the world. Ideally the minimum necessary amount of data is stored, and thus the exact type of data stored will necessarily vary from game to game.

In a preferred implementation, the game state is recorded sequentially into a circular State Buffer, such as the circular State Buffer 210 shown in Fig. 2A. The circular state buffer 210 is of a finite size, in that it contains a predetermined number of 'slots' 220 to store elements of data in. The example buffer 210 has 16 slots 220. A pointer 230 points to the next slot 220 where data are to be stored, and moves one slot in a clockwise direction after data is stored in the circular buffer 210 so that it points to the next slot to be written into. Preferably, the predetermined number of slots 220 is set by the player before the game is played by selection of a preferred duration of replay before an interesting event.

The state buffer 210 is circular in that once all the slots 220 have been filled with data, the next element to be stored in the state buffer 210 is stored into the first slot 220, overwriting the data that was originally stored there. As the game state is stored sequentially, the newer game states overwrite the oldest game states.

Each frame of the game play is numbered sequentially, with the first frame starting at zero. Thus, if the circular state buffer 210 has a size of slots, numbered from zero to and the processor 105 wishes to store frame number into the state buffer 210, the slot number to be used may be calculated by: Slot x mod n 568730.doc Referring again to Fig. 4, after the current game state has been recorded in step 312, step 314 writes the current state at the end of all open relay buffers. Replay buffers and the opening of replay buffers are described below.

This is followed by step 316, which determines whether at least one of the criteria combinations that defines interesting events is satisfied. For certain criteria, this may be determined by analysing the current state, whereas other criteria may also require the analyses of the proceeding states. If step 316 determines that none of the criteria combinations is satisfied, the game loop 322 proceeds to step 320.

It is expected for certain criteria combinations to be satisfied over a number of frames, as the interesting event they define occurs over several frames. For example, if the criteria combination defines the event: 'Player is fighting the main enemy character',AND 'Player's health is lower than half' this criteria combination would typically be satisfied over many frames of the o game. Therefore, if step 316 determines that at least one of the criteria combinations is satisfied, then step 317 determines whether each of those satisfied criteria combinations has been satisfied in the previous frame. Each criteria combination has a unique identification associated with it, enabling events relating to a particular criteria combination to be identified. In a preferred implementation the identification is a number, but it may be a string or character.

If step 317 determines that any one of the presently satisfied criteria combinations has not been satisfied in the previous frame, then a replay buffer is opened in step 318 for each of the newly satisfied criteria combinations. Each replay buffer holds the game states defining a sequence of states associated with a time where one of the criteria combinations has been satisfied. The replay buffer is also marked with the unique identification associated with the particular criteria combination with which the states in 568730.doc -11the replay buffer are associated. The newly opened replay buffer is assigned a state 'Open'.

When a replay buffer is opened in step 318, the contents of the circular state buffer 210 is copied into that replay buffer. This is done by copying the contents of the slot pointed to by the pointer 230 of the state buffer 210 into the first element of the replay buffer. The first element therefore contains the oldest game state from the circular state buffer 210. Thus if frame contained an interesting event, then the first element to be copied into the replay buffer would be from slot mod n in the state buffer 210.

In the event that the state buffer 210 is not yet full, ie an interesting event occurred at game frame and y n, then the first element of the replay buffer will be copied from slot zero of the state buffer 210. The contents of the state buffer are then copied sequentially from this initial oldest element, until the replay buffer contains elements representing the game states up to and including the current game state. After step 318, 9 the method 300 continues to step 320.

15 If step 317 determines that all of the presently satisfied criteria combinations were also satisfied in the previous frame, then the method 300 continues to step 320 without opening any new replay buffers.

S: Referring again to step 314, on subsequent frames, the current game state is added to the end of all replay buffers with an 'Open' state. The size of such replay buffers can be dynamically expanded to store these states. So as to also record the aftermath of an interesting event, the method 300 continues to copy game states into replay buffers in the Open state, even if the associated criteria combination is no longer satisfied.

Step 320 determines whether a predetermined number of game frames have elapsed without the criteria combination associated with one of the 'Open' replay buffers becoming satisfied again. Such replay buffers are changed to a 'Closed' state in step 322.

568730.doc -12- This prevents any further game state data being copied into that replay buffer. Once a replay buffer is closed, if the associated criteria combination becomes satisfied again later in the game, a new replay buffer is created.

An example of a replay buffer 350 in the 'Open' state is shown at Fig. 2B, where the shaded slots 355 are those that contain game state data. An example of a replay buffer 360 in the 'Closed' state is shown at Fig 2C. It is noted that the sizes of the two buffers need not be the same, as the size of each replay buffer will depend on the number of game states stored therein.

From step 320 or step 322 the method continues to step 323, where it is determined whether the game end has been reached. If the game end has not been reached, then the game loop 322 returns to step 306.

However, if step 323 determines that the game end has been reached, then the game loop 322 is exited.

Referring again to Fig. 3, the player is presented in step 324 with representations of all the replays that have been recorded during game play. Each replay is associated with one replay buffer. In a preferred implementation, a number of replays are visible at the same time, each playing in a sub-area (not illustrated) on the screen of the display S•device 114.

The player may select one of these replays for closer examination. Step 326 determines whether the player has selected one of the replays for review. If no replays are selected, then the method 300 continues to step 332 where the game ends.

However, if step 326 determines that a replay has been selected, then the method 300 continues to step 328 where the player is given the opportunity to closely examine and manipulate a replay in 'Camera Mode'. In Camera Mode, the player may control the speed and direction of the replay. For example, the replay may be watched in slow motion, in reverse motion or paused. This is accomplished by reading the game states out 568730.doc -13of the chosen replay buffer in the desired order, and rendering those frames onto the display device 114.

In the Camera Mode, the player may also modify parameters relating to the camera. This may be done by moving the viewport around in the 3D world, and/or changing the zoom factors of the 'camera'. This allows the player to gain a different view of the game play than the viewpoint used while the game was actually being played. The views of the game world are rendered to the display device 114 in real time as the player adjusts the camera parameters. This allows the player to construct images that are desirable to them, for example containing all the elements in a scene that they consider important, such as a player character and a vanquished enemy.

After the Camera Mode of step 328, the player is provided in step 330 with the option of permanently saving a copy of the displayed image. This may be performed by ee e storing the image on the storage device 109. Alternatively, a hardcopy of the image may be produced by a printer. In this manner, the player can create their own tangible trophy 15 of an achievement in the game, which is independent of the game software or the apparatus 100. The method 300 then returns to step 324.

*9* An advantage that the method 300 offers by recording sufficient data to entirely recreate a game scene is that this representation is not bound by the notion of resolution 9*9 defined by the pixel dimensions of the image. A scene may be rendered in a much higher resolution before being sent to the printer, and the resulting print will be of a very high quality.

Different games may have different notions of 'achievement'. For example, a martial arts game may have several enemies that must be defeated before the player wins the game. Thus, in an alternative implementation, the player is provided with a means to composite multiple images from a game, into a single image. In such an example, an image from each victory may be composited into a single image.

568730.doc -14- Many games are characterised by their action and the speed at which decisions must be made. Often, a 'freeze-frame' representation of the game play may not accurately convey the action occurring in a situation. Thus, in a preferred implementation, the player is provided with an option whereby several frames of a replay are composited together to form a single image, allowing any objects in motion to appear blurred. This is similar to a photographer using a slower shutter speed to capture motion, producing a blurred effect from any moving objects.

The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the present invention, and modifications and/or changes can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, the embodiments being illustrative and not restrictive.

In the context of this specification, the word "comprising" means "including f 0 principally but not necessarily solely" or "having" or "including" and not "consisting only oo of'. Variations of the word comprising, such as "comprise" and "comprises" have

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Claims (3)

1. 2. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of: for subsequent game states wherein said determining step determines that said satisfied combination of conditions is still satisfied, adding said subsequent game states to said replay data.
2. 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the further step of: o eoo*ostoring a first predetermined number of game states as replay data before the game state where said combination of conditions is first satisfied. -*o 0oo.:4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising the further step of: storing a second predetermined number of game states as replay data after the game state where said combination of conditions is no longer satisfied.
3. 568730.doc A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said predetermined conditions are defined using user editable parameters. 6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said game state is stored in a resolution independent format. 7. A method of replaying a game, said game comprising a sequence of game states, the method comprising the steps of: while the game is in progress, storing a current game state as replay data, upon each occurrence where one of a plurality of combinations of conditions is being satisfied, wherein replay data corresponding to different combinations of conditions are stored as separate replay data, and said replay data allowing said game to resume from said stored game state; 15 reading said replay data in response to a replay request from an operator; processing said replay data into display data; and displaying said display data. 8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said game state is stored in a resolution independent format, said method comprising the further step of: receiving replay instructions from said operator, wherein said display data is indicative of said replay instructions. 9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said replay instructions include viewport information. 568730.doc -17- A method according to 7 or 9, comprising the further steps of: adding subsequent game states still satisfying said satisfied combination of conditions to said replay data. 11. A method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, comprising the further steps of: storing a first predetermined number of game states before the game state where said combination of conditions is first satisfied. 12. A method according to any one of claims 7 to 11, comprising the further steps of: storing a second predetermined number of game states after the game state where said combination of conditions is no longer satisfied. 13. A method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein said replay instructions include temporal replay direction information. 14. A method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein display data of **multiple game states are combined to form display data that is indicative of movement. A method according to any one of claims 7 to 14 comprising the further step of: storing said display data to memory or a printer. 16. A game apparatus comprising: means for defining a plurality of predetermined conditions; means for defining a plurality of combinations of said conditions; processing means for controlling a game into a sequence of game states; 568730.doc -18- means for determining whether a current game state satisfies at least one said combination of said conditions; and memory means for storing said current game state as replay data upon each occurrence where one of said combinations of said conditions is being satisfied, wherein replay data corresponding to different combinations of conditions are stored as separate replay data, and said replay data allowing said game to resume from said stored game state. 17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein subsequent game states still satisfying said satisfied combination of conditions, are added to said replay data. 18. An apparatus according to claim 16 or 17, wherein a first predetermined number of game states from chronologically before the game state where said combination of conditions is first satisfied, are added to said replay data. o. 19. An apparatus according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein a second predetermined number of game states from chronologically after the game state where said combination of conditions is no longer satisfied, are added to said replay data. 20. An apparatus according to any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein said combination of conditions comprises conditions having user editable parameters, and said apparatus oooo 0000 further comprising an input means for editing said parameters. ooo# S21. An apparatus according to any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein said game state is stored in a resolution independent format. 568730.doc -19- 22. Apparatus for replaying a game, said game comprising a sequence of game states, the apparatus comprising: memory means for storing, while the game is in progress, a current game state as replay data, upon each occurrence where one of a plurality of combinations of conditions is being satisfied, wherein replay data corresponding to different combinations of conditions are stored as separate replay data, and said replay data allowing said game to resume from said stored game state; processing means for reading said replay data in response to a replay request from an operator and transforming said replay data into display data; and display means for displaying said display data. 23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said game state is stored in a resolution independent format, said apparatus further comprising: input means for receiving replay instructions from said operator, wherein said 15 display data is indicative of said replay instructions. *999 24. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said replay instructions include .9 viewport information. 25. An apparatus method according to 22 or 24, wherein said memory means adds .9 9e subsequent game states still satisfying said satisfied combination of conditions to said S. •replay data. •26. An apparatus according to any one of claims 22 to 25, wherein said memory means adds a first predetermined number of game states before the game state where said combination of conditions is first satisfied to said replay data. 568730.doc 27. An apparatus according to any one of claims 22 to 26, wherein said memory means adds a second predetermined number of game states after the game state where said combination of conditions is no longer satisfied to said replay data. 28. An apparatus according to any one of claims 25 to 27, wherein said replay instructions include replay direction information. 29. An apparatus according to any one of claims 25 to 27, wherein display data of multiple game states are combined to form display data that is indicative of movement. An apparatus according to any one of claims 22 to 29 further comprising: output means for storing said display data to memory or a printer. °0 15 31. A computer readable medium, having a program recorded thereon, where the program is configured to make an apparatus operable to store replay data of a game, said game comprising a sequence of game states, said program comprising: code for defining a plurality of predetermined conditions; code for defining a plurality of combinations of said conditions; code for controlling a game into a sequence of game states; °code for determining whether a current game state satisfies at least one said oo o combination of said conditions; and •go• *code for storing said current game state as replay data upon each occurrence where one of said combinations of said conditions is being satisfied, wherein replay data corresponding to different combinations of conditions are stored as separate replay data, and said replay data allowing said game to resume from said stored game state. 568730.doc 32. A computer readable medium, having a program recorded thereon, where the program is configured to make an apparatus operable to replaying a game, said game comprising a sequence of game states, said program comprising: code for storing, while the game is in progress, a current game state as replay data, upon each occurrence where one of a plurality of combinations of conditions is being satisfied, wherein replay data corresponding to different combinations of conditions are stored as separate replay data, and said replay data allowing said game to resume from said stored game state; code for reading said replay data in response to a replay request from an operator and transforming said replay data into display data; and code for displaying said display data. 33. A method substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying S 15 drawings. S. 34. Apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying go• drawings. 2o 35. A computer readable medium substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this Seventeenth Day of September 2003 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha •s Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON 35 AcopuerrDAlE mdiumSsustnti aly as escribedrei wt2rfeecet °5 Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON 568730.doc