WO2022149237A1

WO2022149237A1 - Game image distribution system

Info

Publication number: WO2022149237A1
Application number: PCT/JP2021/000340
Authority: WO
Inventors: 友博大戸; 博之矢部; 是慶田村; 祐未植田; 一輝深山; 隆今村; 剛史浅野
Original assignee: 株式会社ソニー・インタラクティブエンタテインメント
Priority date: 2021-01-07
Filing date: 2021-01-07
Publication date: 2022-07-14
Also published as: JPWO2022149237A1

Abstract

This game image distribution system 1 comprises a first information processing device 10 operated by a player A of a game, a second information processing device 20 operated by a photographer B, and a third information processing device 30 operated by a viewer. The first information processing device 10 displays, on a first display device 12, a play image depicting a virtual space of a game operated in accordance with information about a game operation performed by the player A, as captured by a virtual camera for play images. The second information processing device 20 displays, on a second display device 22, a distribution image as captured by a virtual camera in accordance with information about a camera operation carried out by the photographer B in the virtual space of the game being played by the player A.

Description

Game image distribution system

The present invention relates to a technique for distributing game images.

Patent Document 1 discloses an image sharing system that distributes a distribution image including a game image being played by a distribution user to a viewing user via a sharing server. In the image sharing system disclosed in Patent Document 1, the viewing application acquires information on the lively distributed content from the management server and generates a list screen, and the viewing user selects the content to be viewed from the list screen. do.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2019-97889

In the conventional image sharing system, the viewing user can enjoy the game live by the player while viewing the same game image as the player, but viewing the image from the player's point of view may feel monotonous. Therefore, it is eagerly desired to build a mechanism to give variation to the game live.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a new technique for distributing a game image to a viewer.

In order to solve the above problems, the game image distribution system according to an aspect of the present invention is operated by a viewer, a first information processing device operated by a player of the game, a second information processing device operated by a photographer, and a viewer. It is equipped with a third information processing device. The first information processing device is a play in which a virtual camera for a play image captures a first operation information receiving unit that receives game operation information in which a player operates a game and a virtual space of a game operated according to the game operation information. It has a first output processing unit that displays an image on a first display device. The second information processing device has a second operation information receiving unit that receives camera operation information in which the photographer operates a virtual camera for distribution images in the virtual space of the game played by the player, and a second operation information receiving unit according to the camera operation information. It has a second output processing unit that displays a distribution image taken by a virtual camera for distribution images on a second display device, and a distribution unit that transmits distribution images. The third information processing device has an image acquisition unit for acquiring a distribution image and a third output processing unit for displaying the acquired distribution image on the third display device.

It should be noted that any combination of the above components and the conversion of the expression of the present invention between methods, devices, systems, recording media, computer programs, etc. are also effective as aspects of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows the game image distribution system which concerns on Example. It is a figure which shows the hardware configuration of an information processing apparatus. It is a figure which shows the functional block of the 1st information processing apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the game image displayed on the 1st display device. It is a figure which shows the functional block of the 2nd information processing apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the selection image of the game play displayed on the 2nd display device. It is a figure which shows an example of the delivery image displayed on the 2nd display device. It is a figure which shows the functional block of the 3rd information processing apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the photographer selection image displayed on the 3rd display apparatus. It is a figure which shows the edit screen for switching.

FIG. 1 shows a game image distribution system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The game image distribution system 1 includes a first information processing device 10 operated by the player A of the game, a second information processing device 20 operated by the photographer B, and a third information processing device 30 operated by the viewer C. It includes a server system 4, which is connected via a network 3 such as the Internet. The server system 4 has a management server 6 that manages information related to image distribution, and a sharing server 8 that provides a game image sharing service. The management server 6 and the shared server 8 may be managed by the same operating entity, but may be managed by separate operating entities. In the embodiment, the first information processing device 10 and the second information processing device 20 have the same function. The third information processing device 30 may be a device having the same function as the first information processing device 10 and the second information processing device 20, but may be a device having a different function.

In the game image distribution system 1, a plurality of players A each operate the game using the input device 14. Each player A may be playing the game by one person in the single play mode, or may be playing the game by a plurality of people in the multiplayer mode. The photographer B operates a virtual camera for distribution images in the virtual space of the game played by player A to shoot a game image (distribution image) for distribution. By directly operating the virtual camera in the game virtual space, the photographer B can shoot a game image different from the game image seen by the player A.

In the game image distribution system 1, the photographer B becomes a distributor who plays the game play of the player A, photographs the game virtual space played by the player A, and shares the captured image (distribution image) with the sharing server 8. Stream to. The distributed image is streamed together with the game sound, but the description of the distribution of the game sound is omitted. Before the start of shooting, the photographer B selects which player A's gameplay is to be distributed.

It is also possible for a plurality of photographers B to shoot the gameplay of one player A with their own camera work, and each of them to play the game live. At this time, the viewer C can select one of the plurality of photographers B and watch the game commentary of the selected photographer B. In the game image distribution system 1, since the photographer B is selected by the viewer C, the photographer B can be given an evaluation regarding popularity, popularity, and the like. For example, if a system is constructed in which a reward is given to the photographer B according to the evaluation, the photographer B strives to increase the number of viewers by improving his / her skill in camera work and talk skills. Image distribution in the distribution system 1 is activated.

The first information processing device 10 is a game console that executes a game program, and the input device 14 is wirelessly or wiredly connected to the first information processing device 10. The player A inputs the game operation information to the input device 14, and the input device 14 outputs the game operation information by the player A to the first information processing device 10. When the first information processing device 10 receives the game operation information from the input device 14, the first information processing device 10 reflects the game operation information in the processing of the game program, and the game image (hereinafter, also referred to as "play image") being played from the first display device 12 and the game. Output sound. The first display device 12 may be a television, but may be a head-mounted display.

The second information processing device 20 is a game console that executes a game program, and the input device 24 is connected to the second information processing device 20 wirelessly or by wire. In the embodiment, the second information processing device 20 may be a game console having the same function as the first information processing device 10. The second information processing device 20 executes the same game program as the game played by the player A, acquires the game operation information by the player A, and reflects the game operation information by the player A in the processing of the game program. Let me. Therefore, the second information processing device 20 constructs the same game virtual space as the game virtual space constructed by the first information processing device 10 operated by the player A. When the player A is playing the game together with another player, the second information processing apparatus 20 acquires the game operation information by all the players including the player A and reflects it in the processing of the game program. Let me. In this way, the game virtual space built in the second information processing device 20 is the same as the game virtual space built in the first information processing device 10 operated by the player A.

The game program of the embodiment has a function of allowing the photographer B, who is not the player A, to participate. The number of people who can participate as photographer B may be set for each game. In this game program, when the user participates in the game as the photographer B, the operation right of the virtual camera for the distributed image in the game virtual space is given. Since the photographer B does not participate as a player, he / she cannot basically participate in the progress of the game, but there may be an option that he / she can participate in within a certain limit. The degree of involvement of the photographer B in the progress of the game may be determined for each game.

The photographer B inputs the operation information of the virtual camera to the input device 24, and the input device 24 outputs the camera operation information by the photographer B to the second information processing device 20. When the second information processing apparatus 20 receives the camera operation information from the input device 24, the second information processing apparatus 20 moves the virtual camera in the game virtual space, and produces a game image (delivery image) and a game sound based on the viewpoint position and the line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera. 2 Output from the display device 22. The second display device 22 may be a television, but may be a head-mounted display. The photographer B streams the distributed image and the game sound to the shared server 8 to live the game play of the player A.

The third information processing device 30 is a terminal device for reproducing the distributed image, and the input device 34 is wirelessly or wiredly connected to the third information processing device 30. The input device 34 may be integrally configured with the third information processing device 30. Unlike the first information processing device 10 and the second information processing device 20, the third information processing device 30 does not have to have a function of executing a game program, but the third information processing device 30 is the first information processing device. As long as the viewer C has the execution function of the game program as in the case of the 10 and the second information processing apparatus 20, the viewer C can also participate in the game as the player A or the photographer B.

Viewer C can access the shared server 8 and select the game commentary he / she wants to watch from the game commentary selection screen being streamed. When a plurality of photographers B are playing live, the viewer C may select the most exciting game playing from the game playing by the plurality of photographers B. Therefore, it is preferable that the game commentary selection screen displays information that causes the viewer C to select the game commentary, such as the number of viewers for each game commentary and the evaluation of the photographer B.

As described above, in the game image distribution system 1, since the distributor is not the player A but the photographer B, the game play by one player A may be played by a plurality of photographers B. The photographer B may act to improve his / her own evaluation by specializing in a specific game or becoming a commentator dedicated to a specific player.

The management server 6 provides a network service to a user who operates the first information processing device 10, the second information processing device 20, and the third information processing device 30. The management server 6 manages a network account that identifies a user, and the user signs in to a network service using the network account. By signing in to the network service, the user can participate in the service related to game image distribution as player A, photographer B, or viewer C.

In the embodiment, the management server 6 manages the game play that can be distributed by the photographer B who is not the player A. The user registers information in the management server 6 that determines whether or not to allow a photographer who is a third party to distribute his / her game play. The user may conditionally allow the photographer to deliver, or unconditionally allow the photographer to deliver. The photographer B can access the management server 6 to browse the gameplay selection screen that can be distributed, and select the gameplay to be distributed from the selection screen.

The shared server 8 generates a game live selection screen distributed by a plurality of photographers B. When the viewer C selects the game commentary to be viewed from the selection screen, the shared server 8 transmits the distributed image to the third information processing device 30. When the third information processing device 30 has a game program execution function similar to the first information processing device 10 and the second information processing device 20, the viewer C participates in the game as the photographer B. May be good. If the viewer C does not participate in the game as the photographer B, the third information processing device 30 does not have to have a game program execution function, and installs a distribution image viewing application such as a smartphone or tablet. It may be a portable terminal device.

FIG. 2 shows the hardware configuration of the first information processing device 10 and the second information processing device 20. The first information processing device 10 and the second information processing device 20 include a main power button 40, a power ON LED 41, a standby LED 42, a system controller 44, a clock 46, a device controller 50, a media drive 52, a USB module 54, and a flash memory. It includes 56, a wireless communication module 58, a wired communication module 60, a subsystem 70, and a main system 80.

The main system 80 includes a main CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory and a memory controller as a main storage device, a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and the like. The GPU is mainly used for arithmetic processing of a game program. These functions may be configured as a system-on-chip and may be formed on one chip. The main CPU has a function of executing a game program recorded on the auxiliary storage device or the ROM medium 64.

The subsystem 70 includes a sub CPU, a memory as a main storage device, a memory controller, and the like, does not have a GPU, and does not have a function of executing a game program. The number of circuit gates of the sub CPU is smaller than the number of circuit gates of the main CPU, and the operating power consumption of the sub CPU is smaller than the operating power consumption of the main CPU. The sub CPU operates even while the main CPU is in the standby state, and its processing function is limited in order to keep the power consumption low.

The main power button 40 is an input unit for inputting operations from the user, is provided on the front surface of the housing, and is operated to turn on or off the power supply to the main system 80. The power ON LED 41 lights up when the main power button 40 is turned on, and the standby LED 42 lights up when the main power button 40 is turned off.

The system controller 44 detects that the user presses the main power button 40. When the main power button 40 is pressed while the main power is off, the system controller 44 acquires the pressing operation as an "on instruction", while the main power is on when the main power is on. When the button 40 is pressed, the system controller 44 acquires the pressing operation as an "off instruction".

The clock 46 is a real-time clock that generates current date and time information and supplies it to the system controller 44, the subsystem 70, and the main system 80. The device controller 50 is configured as an LSI (Large-Scale Integrated Circuit) that executes information transfer between devices like a south bridge. As shown in the figure, devices such as a system controller 44, a media drive 52, a USB module 54, a flash memory 56, a wireless communication module 58, a wired communication module 60, a subsystem 70, and a main system 80 are connected to the device controller 50. Ru. The device controller 50 absorbs the difference in electrical characteristics and the difference in data transfer speed of each device, and controls the timing of data transfer.

The media drive 52 is a drive device that mounts and drives application software such as games and a ROM medium 64 that records license information, and reads programs, data, and the like from the ROM medium 64. The ROM medium 64 may be a read-only recording medium such as an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a Blu-ray disc.

The USB module 54 is a module that connects to an external device with a USB cable. The USB module 54 may be connected to an auxiliary storage device, a microphone, and a camera, which are external devices, with a USB cable. The flash memory 56 is an auxiliary storage device that constitutes an internal storage. The wireless communication module 58 is a communication protocol such as a Bluetooth (registered trademark) protocol or an IEEE802.11 protocol, and wirelessly communicates with, for example,

input devices

14 and 24. The wired communication module 60 may perform wired communication with an external device and connect to the external network 3 via an access point.

FIG. 3 shows a functional block of the first information processing apparatus 10. The first information processing device 10 includes a processing unit 100 and a communication unit 102, and the processing unit 100 includes an operation information receiving unit 110, a game execution unit 112, a game image generation unit 114, an output processing unit 116, a connection unit 118, and an operation unit. The information transmission unit 120 is provided.

In FIG. 3, each element described as a functional block that performs various processes can be configured by a circuit block, a memory, or other LSI in terms of hardware, and system software or memory in terms of software. It is realized by the game program loaded in. Therefore, it is understood by those skilled in the art that these functional blocks can be realized in various forms by hardware only, software only, or a combination thereof, and the present invention is not limited to any of them.

The communication unit 102 connects to the input device 14 and receives the game operation information input by the player A to the input device 14. The functional block of the communication unit 102 may have a configuration having both the functions of the wireless communication module 58 and the wired communication module 60 shown in FIG. The operation information receiving unit 110 receives game operation information from the communication unit 102, in which the player A operates the game.

The game execution unit 112 executes the game program. Here, the functional block shown as the game execution unit 112 is realized by system software, software such as game software, hardware such as a CPU, and the like. In response to the execution result of the game program, the game image generation unit 114 generates game image data, and the game sound generation unit (not shown) generates game sound data.

During game play by player A, the game execution unit 112 executes a game program and performs arithmetic processing for moving the game character in the game virtual space based on the game operation information input by the player A to the input device 14. The game image generation unit 114 includes a GPU that executes rendering processing and the like, and a game in which a virtual space of a game operated according to game operation information is captured by a virtual camera for play images arranged in the game virtual space. Generate image data. The viewpoint position and line-of-sight direction of this virtual camera are automatically set by the game program. The game sound generation unit generates game sound data in the game virtual space.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a game image displayed on the first display device 12. During game play of player A, the game image generation unit 114 generates a play image taken by a virtual camera for the play image arranged in the game virtual space, and the output processing unit 116 displays the play image on the first display device. Display on 12. The game title played by the player A and the game play time are managed by the management server 6.

FIG. 5 shows a functional block of the second information processing apparatus 20. The second information processing apparatus 20 includes a processing unit 200 and a communication unit 202, and the processing unit 200 includes an operation information receiving unit 210, a game execution unit 212, a game image generation unit 214, an output processing unit 216, a connection unit 218, and a game. It includes a selection image acquisition unit 220, an operation information acquisition unit 222, a distribution unit 224, a viewer input reception unit 226, and an operation information transmission unit 228.

In FIG. 5, each element described as a functional block that performs various processes can be configured by a circuit block, a memory, or other LSI in terms of hardware, and system software or memory in terms of software. It is realized by the game program loaded in. Therefore, it is understood by those skilled in the art that these functional blocks can be realized in various forms by hardware only, software only, or a combination thereof, and the present invention is not limited to any of them.

As described above, in the embodiment, the first information processing device 10 and the second information processing device 20 are the same game console. Therefore, the processing unit 100 and the communication unit 102 in the first information processing device 10 correspond to the processing unit 200 and the communication unit 202 in the second information processing device 20, respectively, and the operation information receiving unit 110 and the game execution unit 112 in the processing unit 100. The game image generation unit 114, the output processing unit 116, and the connection unit 118 are the operation information reception unit 210, the game execution unit 212, the game image generation unit 214, the output processing unit 216, and the connection unit 218 in the second information processing device 20, respectively. It may have the same function as.

The communication unit 202 connects to the input device 24 and receives the operation information input by the photographer B to the input device 24. In the following description, the photographer B has not yet participated in the game as a photographer, and is therefore referred to as "user B" for convenience. The functional block of the communication unit 202 may have a configuration having both the functions of the wireless communication module 58 and the wired communication module 60 shown in FIG. When the operation information reception unit 210 receives the operation information instructing to access the management server 6 from the communication unit 202, the connection unit 218 accesses the management server 6, and the game selection image acquisition unit 220 is from the management server 6. , Get the game selection image for selecting the gameplay that can be distributed.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a gameplay selection image displayed on the second display device 22. The output processing unit 216 displays a game selection image for selecting a game play that can be distributed on the second display device 22. In this example, the output processing unit 216 displays a selectable image of the game play that can be distributed for the game title “Battlefield” on the second display device 22.

The management server 6 manages the game title and play time played by each player A. As described above, the player A registers the distribution permission / rejection information that determines whether or not the distribution by the photographer is permitted in the management server 6. The management server 6 identifies the player A who is permitted to distribute based on the distribution permission / rejection information, generates a selection image that enables selection of the game play of the player A, and provides the second information processing apparatus 20 with the selection image. ..

When the user B inputs a specific game title into the search area 230, the management server 6 generates a gameplay selection image that can be distributed for the game title and provides it to the second information processing device 20. When the user B changes the sort condition 232, the display order in the selected image is changed.

The output processing unit 216 displays the player name as information related to game play. By looking at the player name, the user B may determine whether the player is a famous player and select a live gameplay. User B can increase the number of viewers and raise his / her own evaluation by playing the game of a famous player. In the game selection image shown in FIG. 6, the "Live" mark is displayed on the game images of the player aaa and the player bbb, which means that the player aaa and the player bbb play the game by themselves. It means that it is. In the game image distribution system 1, each player A is not prevented from playing the game by himself / herself.

In this example, the sort condition 232 is set to "the number of viewers (in descending order)", and the management server 6 adds up the number of viewers delivered by the player A and the number of viewers delivered by the photographer. Then, the number of viewers of the game play of each player A is derived. The output processing unit 216 displays the number of viewers of the game image currently being distributed as information regarding the game play. The number of viewers to be displayed includes the number of viewers distributed by the player A itself and the number of viewers distributed by a photographer other than the player A, which is an index for accurately expressing the degree of attention.

The operation information receiving unit 210 receives the operation information for which the user B has selected the game play. The information for selecting the game play is transmitted from the communication unit 202 to the management server 6, and the management server 6 transfers the information for connecting to the first information processing device 10 of the selected player A to the second information processing device 20. offer. The connection unit 218 connects to the connection unit 118 of the selected first information processing device 10 of the player A by P2P communication using the information for connecting to the first information processing device 10.

After the first information processing device 10 and the second information processing device 20 are connected, the game execution unit 212 activates the same game program as the game played by the player A, and the user B is the photographer of the game. I will participate in. Hereinafter, the user B is referred to as a "photographer B". The second information processing device 20 forms the same virtual space as the game virtual space formed in the first information processing device 10 in the second information processing device 20. Therefore, the operation information acquisition unit 222 acquires game operation information for forming the same game virtual space from the first information processing device 10.

In the first information processing device 10, the operation information transmission unit 120 transmits game operation information for reforming the game virtual space in the first information processing device 10 to the second information processing device 20. In the second information processing apparatus 20, the game execution unit 212 executes a game program and performs arithmetic processing for moving the game character in the game virtual space based on the game operation information by the player A. The game execution unit 212 builds the same game virtual space as the game virtual space played by the player A by moving the game character according to the game operation information by the player A. In the second information processing apparatus 20 of the embodiment, the photographer B can operate the virtual camera for the distributed image in the game virtual space, and the game image generation unit 214 is the virtual camera operated by the photographer B. The captured image is generated, and the output processing unit 216 displays the generated image on the second display device 22. Since the image generated by the game image generation unit 214 is an image to be distributed to the viewer C, this image may be referred to as a "delivery image" below.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a distribution image displayed on the second display device 22. The operation information reception unit 210 receives camera operation information in which the photographer B operates a virtual camera for distribution images in the virtual space of the game played by the player A, and provides the operation information reception unit 212 to the game execution unit 212. The game execution unit 212 executes a game program and performs a process of moving a virtual camera for distribution images in the game virtual space based on the camera operation information input by the photographer B to the input device 24. The game image generation unit 214 includes the GPU and generates game image data captured by a virtual camera that is moved according to camera operation information. The camera operation information by the photographer B sets the viewpoint position and the line-of-sight direction of the virtual camera. The output processing unit 216 displays the distribution image taken by the virtual camera on the second display device 22.

As a general rule, photographer B has only the authority to operate the virtual camera in the game virtual space and cannot participate in the progress of the game. The photographer B can freely move the virtual camera for the distributed image in the game virtual space to shoot the game virtual space from any viewpoint. Since the photographer B can shoot a scene that can never be seen from the player's point of view, the game can be played live, which has never been seen before. Photographer B may improve his shooting skills to differentiate himself from other photographers B and improve his own evaluation.

The distribution unit 224 transmits the distribution image and the game sound to the shared server 8. At this time, the photographer B inputs the spoken voice into the microphone and transmits the live voice together with the live voice to the shared server 8. The distribution unit 224 may transmit the distribution image, the game sound, and the live sound to the shared server 8 as one streaming data. Further, the distribution unit 224 may include the camera image of the photographer B in one streaming data and transmit it to the shared server 8.

FIG. 8 shows a functional block of the third information processing apparatus 30. The third information processing apparatus 30 includes a processing unit 300 and a communication unit 302, and the processing unit 300 includes an operation information receiving unit 310, a selected image acquisition unit 312, a distribution image acquisition unit 314, an output processing unit 316, and a connection unit 318. Be prepared.

In FIG. 8, each element described as a functional block that performs various processes can be configured by a circuit block, a memory, or other LSI in terms of hardware, and system software or memory in terms of software. It is realized by the game program loaded in. Therefore, it is understood by those skilled in the art that these functional blocks can be realized in various forms by hardware only, software only, or a combination thereof, and the present invention is not limited to any of them.

The communication unit 302 connects to the input device 34 and receives the operation information input by the viewer C to the input device 34. When the operation information receiving unit 310 receives the operation information instructing to access the shared server 8 from the communication unit 302, the connection unit 318 accesses the shared server 8, and the selected image acquisition unit 312 receives the operation information from the shared server 8. Acquire the photographer selection image for selecting the photographer B who is distributing the game image.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a photographer-selected image displayed on the third display device 32. The output processing unit 316 displays the photographer selection image for selecting the photographer on the third display device 32. The "Live" mark indicates that the photographer is live-streaming, and in this example, the output processing unit 316 displays the photographer ppp, the photographer qqq, the photographer rrr, and the photographer sss who are live-streaming the game image. An image for selection is displayed on the third display device 32.

The shared server 8 manages the shooting history such as the game title and shooting time that the photographer has shot so far, the number of followers, the number of "likes" received from viewer C, and the like. The shared server 8 may derive the photographer's evaluation from the shooting history, the number of followers, the number of likes, and the like. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the photographer ppp is given the title 330, which is the highest evaluation for the commentator, and the viewer C recognizes that the photographer ppp is an excellent commentator.

The output processing unit 316 may display the shooting time for each game title as information about the photographer, and display the evaluation according to the shooting time. In this example, the shared server 8 evaluates the shooting time for each game title, and if the shooting time exceeds a predetermined time, a camera trophy, which is a virtual award product, is given to the photographer. The camera trophy may be given to the photographer by the game program. For example, if the shooting time exceeds 40 hours, the bronze trophy 340b is given, if the shooting time exceeds 200 hours, the silver trophy 340c is given, and if the shooting time exceeds 800 hours, the gold trophy 340a is given. By assigning a camera trophy for each game title, the viewer C can easily recognize the game title in which the photographer is good at the actual situation.

When the viewer C operates the input device 34 to select the photographer included in the photographer selection image, the operation information receiving unit 310 receives the operation information in which the viewer C has selected the photographer. The information selected by the photographer is transmitted from the communication unit 302 to the shared server 8, and the shared server 8 transmits the distributed image being live-streamed by the selected photographer to the third information processing device 30 of the viewer C. do. The distribution image acquisition unit 314 acquires the distribution image from the shared server 8, and the output processing unit 316 displays the distribution image on the third display device 32. As a result, the viewer C can view the delivered image taken by the selected photographer B. The viewer C may send feedback such as "like" to the shared server 8 as an evaluation of the distributed image.

When the shared server 8 receives the information of the photographer selected by the viewer C from the third information processing device 30, the shared server 8 transfers the list of the distributed images taken by the photographer now and in the past to the third information processing device 30. You may send it. By doing so, the viewer C can view the delivered image delivered in the past in addition to the delivered image being delivered live.

The present invention has been described above based on the examples. This embodiment is an example, and it is understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible for each of these components and combinations of each processing process, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention. ..

In the embodiment, one photographer B is the distributor, but a plurality of photographers B may form one distribution team, and the distribution team may distribute the streaming data. In this case, a team member called a switcher temporally switches and distributes the distribution images captured by the plurality of photographers B.

FIG. 10 shows a switching editing screen displayed on the second display device 22 of the switcher. Game images taken by four photographers are transmitted to the second information processing device 20 of the switcher. In this example, the first game image is taken by Alan, the second game image is taken by Brown, the third game image is taken by Charles, and the fourth game image is taken by Dean. The switcher operates the input device 24 to switch the distribution images in time, and includes one distribution image in the streaming data. The switcher can perform a more attractive game commentary by selecting and distributing the distribution image that the viewer C seems to be most excited about. The switcher may include two or more distributed images in the streaming data at the same time and distribute a new live image that has never existed before.

In the embodiment, it was explained that the photographer B cannot be involved in the progress of the game in principle. In the variant, the photographer B may only be involved in part of the game progression. Therefore, the viewer input receiving unit 226 receives the input by the viewer C for the distributed image from the third information processing device 30. This input may be a "like" input or may be another form of feedback. The viewer input reception unit 226 may accept input by the viewer C via the server system 4. Photographer B has the right to intervene in the game on condition that the received input amount exceeds a predetermined value, for example, to give a weapon to the character of player A or to enemies for the purpose of enlivening the game live. Intervene in gameplay, such as by disturbing the character. For example, the photographer B may acquire the right to intervene in the gameplay, provided that the viewer C has received 1000 likes. When the operation information receiving unit 210 receives the operation information for the game play being distributed from the photographer B, the operation information transmitting unit 228 transmits the operation information to the first information processing device 10 of the player A. By being able to intervene in the game on condition that the amount of input received from the viewer C exceeds a predetermined value, the popular photographer B can intervene in the game with high frequency, and the attractiveness of the game live can be enhanced.

In the embodiment, it has been described that the second information processing device 20 has the game execution unit 212 and executes the same game program as the player A. However, in the modified example, the second information processing device 20 is the game execution unit. You do not have to have 212. In this case, the game execution unit 112 in the first information processing apparatus 10 moves the virtual camera for the distributed image in the game virtual space based on the camera operation information by the photographer B, and the image taken by the virtual camera for the distributed image. May be supplied to the second information processing apparatus 20.

Further, in the embodiment, the first information processing apparatus 10 has the game execution unit 112 and the second information processing apparatus 20 has the game execution unit 212, and the game program is executed by each of them. The information processing device 10 does not have the game execution unit 112, and the second information processing device 20 does not have to have the game execution unit 212. In this case, the game execution unit may be provided in a cloud server (not shown), and the first information processing device 10 and the second information processing device 20 may be supplied with game images from the cloud server.

In the embodiment, when the third information processing device 30 of the viewer C accesses the shared server 8, the selected image acquisition unit 312 selects the photographer B who is distributing the game image from the shared server 8. Explained to get an image. In the modified example, the selected image acquisition unit 312 may acquire the selected image for selecting the game image being distributed from the shared server 8. For example, in this selected image, by designating a game title, a list of distributed images of the game title may be displayed. Even in this case, it is preferable that the information about the photographer B who is shooting the distributed image is displayed and the viewer C can select the distributed image.

The present invention can be used in the technical field of distributing game images.

1 ... Game image distribution system, 4 ... Server system, 6 ... Management server, 8 ... Shared server, 10 ... First information processing device, 12 ... First display device, 14 ... Input device, 20 ... Second information processing device, 22 ... Second display device, 24 ... Input device, 30 ... Third information processing device, 32 ... Third display device , 34 ... Input device, 100 ... Processing unit, 102 ... Communication unit, 110 ... Operation information reception unit, 112 ... Game execution unit, 114 ... Game image generation unit, 116.・・ Output processing unit, 118 ・・・ Connection unit, 120 ・・・ Operation information transmission unit, 200 ・・・ Processing unit, 202 ・・・ Communication unit, 210 ・・・ Operation information reception unit, 212 ・・・ Game Execution unit, 214 ... Game image generation unit, 216 ... Output processing unit, 218 ... Connection unit, 220 ... Game selection image acquisition unit, 222 ... Operation information acquisition unit, 224 ... Distribution unit, 226 ... Viewer input reception unit, 228 ... Operation information transmission unit, 300 ... Processing unit, 302 ... Communication unit, 310 ... Operation information reception unit, 312 ... Selection Image acquisition unit, 314 ... Distribution image acquisition unit, 316 ... Output processing unit, 318 ... Connection unit.

Claims

A game image distribution system including a first information processing device operated by a game player, a second information processing device operated by a photographer, and a third information processing device operated by a viewer.
The first information processing device is
The first operation information reception unit that receives game operation information for the player to operate the game,
It has a first output processing unit that displays a play image taken by a virtual camera for a play image on a first display device in a virtual space of a game operated according to game operation information.
The second information processing device is
In the virtual space of the game played by the player, the second operation information receiving unit that receives the camera operation information that the photographer operates the virtual camera for the distributed image, and
A second output processing unit that displays the distribution image taken by the virtual camera for distribution image on the second display device according to the camera operation information.
It has a distribution unit that transmits distribution images, and
The third information processing device is
The image acquisition unit that acquires the delivered image and
It has a third output processing unit that displays the acquired distribution image on the third display device.
Game image distribution system.
The second information processing device is
It also has a selection image acquisition unit that acquires game selection images from the server for selecting gameplay that can be distributed.
The second output processing unit displays the game selection image on the second display device, and displays the game selection image on the second display device.
The second operation information receiving unit receives the operation information for which game play is selected.
The game image distribution system according to claim 1.
The second output processing unit displays the player name as information regarding game play.
The game image distribution system according to claim 2, wherein the game image distribution system is characterized in that.
The second output processing unit displays the number of viewers of the game image currently being distributed as information regarding game play.
The game image distribution system according to claim 2 or 3.
The third information processing device is
The selection image acquisition unit that acquires the photographer selection image for selecting the photographer who is delivering the game image from the server, and
It is further equipped with a third operation information reception unit that receives operation information by the viewer.
The third output processing unit displays the image selected by the photographer on the third display device, and displays the image selected by the photographer on the third display device.
The third operation information receiving unit receives the operation information in which the viewer selects the photographer.
The game image distribution system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
The third output processing unit displays the evaluation for each game as information about the photographer.
The game image distribution system according to claim 5.
The second information processing device is
A reception unit that receives input to the distributed image from the third information processing device, and
It has an operation information transmission unit that transmits operation information for the game being distributed, provided that the received input amount exceeds a predetermined value.
The game image distribution system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.