HIGH QUALITY VIDEO GAME REPLAY

1 . A method for producing video replay output of a gameplay sequence occurring during execution of a video game, the method being carried out through execution by a processor of instructions stored in a data-holding subsystem and comprising:

recording the gameplay sequence during gameplay, so as to yield a relatively lower quality recording;

associating a tag with an event occurring during the gameplay sequence;

receiving a user selection of the gameplay sequence, such user selection being performed using the tag; and

producing, subsequent to gameplay, a viewable representation of the gameplay sequence via processing of the relatively lower quality recording, the viewable representation of the gameplay sequence being of relatively higher quality.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising outputting the viewable representation as a standard-format video file.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is carried out via execution of instructions that are incorporated with software of the video game.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is carried out via execution of instructions stored on and executed by a video game console, such instructions being operable to produce viewable representations of relatively higher quality for multiple different video games.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein associating the tag with an event is carried out automatically.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a user specification of video output characteristics to be used in producing the viewable representation.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the user specification of video output characteristics includes specification of one or more of the following for the viewable representation: vantage point, quality level, length, a time-scaling effect, and a video effect.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein producing the viewable representation includes a multi-pass processing procedure including a video processing pass and an audio processing pass.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the multi-pass processing procedure includes combining and synchronizing output of the video processing pass and the audio processing pass.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising associating one or more post-production tags with the viewable representation.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein associating one or more post-production tags with the viewable representation is carried out automatically.

12 . A system for producing video replay output of a gameplay sequence occurring during execution of a video game, the system comprising:

a processing subsystem;

a data-holding subsystem containing instructions executable by the processing subsystem to:

record the gameplay sequence during gameplay, so as to yield a relatively lower quality recording;

associate a tag with an event occurring during the gameplay sequence;

receive a user selection of the gameplay sequence, the user selection being performed using the tag;

produce, subsequent to gameplay, a viewable representation of the gameplay sequence via processing of the relatively lower quality recording, the viewable representation of the gameplay sequence being of relatively higher quality; and

output the viewable representation as a standard-format video file.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions are incorporated as part of the video game.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions are stored on and executable by a video game console, the instructions being executable to produce viewable representations of relatively higher quality for multiple different video games.

15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions are executable to receive user specification of video output characteristics to be used in producing the viewable representation.

16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein producing the viewable representation is performed using a multi-pass processing procedure, including a video processing pass, an audio processing pass, and a pass to combine and synchronize output of the video processing pass and the audio processing pass.

17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions are executable to associate one or more post-production tags with the viewable representation.

18 . A method for producing a video replay output of a gameplay sequence occurring during execution of a video game, the method being carried out through execution by a processor of instructions stored in a data-holding subsystem and comprising:

recording the gameplay sequence during gameplay, so as to yield a relatively lower quality recording;

automatically associating a tag with an event occurring during the gameplay sequence;

receiving user selection of the gameplay sequence, such user selection being performed using the tag;

receiving a user specification of video output characteristics for the video replay output;

producing, subsequent to gameplay and using the user specified video output characteristics, a viewable representation of the gameplay sequence via processing of the relatively lower quality recording, the viewable representation of the gameplay sequence being of relatively higher quality;

associating one or more post-production tags with the viewable representation; and

outputting the viewable representation as a standard-format video file.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein producing the viewable representation includes a multi-pass processing procedure including a video processing pass, an audio processing pass, and a pass to combine and synchronize output of the video processing pass and audio processing pass.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein producing the viewable representation and outputting it as a standard-format video file is performed locally on a video game console.