Implementing a remote gaming server on a desktop computer

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processing unit, cause the processing unit to provide rendered image data to multiple client devices, by performing the steps of:

• receiving a request from a first client device and a second client device to launch an application program for execution on a server device, wherein the application program is configured to operate in a full-screen display mode;
• and
• in response, creating an execution environment for the application program that includes a first shim layer and a second shim layer residing between the application program and a runtime component, wherein the first shim layer is associated with the first client device and the second shim layer is associated with the second client device, and each of the first shim layer and the second shim layer is configured to:
• disable the full-screen display mode;
• intercept function calls related to displaying rendered images and execute the function calls to store the rendered image data in a buffer of the server device;
• pass non-display oriented function calls to the runtime component to allow the application program to generate the rendered image data for display on the associated client device;
• and
• prevent user inputs received at input devices associated with the server device from controlling operation of the application program.

A server computer system, comprising:

• a processing unit;
• and
• a server process configured to execute on the processing unit and further configured to:
• receive a request from a first client device and a second client device to launch an application program for execution on a server device, wherein the application program is configured to operate in a full-screen display mode;
• and
• in response, create an execution environment for the application program that includes a first shim layer and a second shim layer residing between the application program and a runtime component, wherein the first shim layer is associated with the first client device and the second shim layer is associated with the second client device, and each of the first shim layer and the second shim layer is configured to:
• disable the full-screen display mode;
• intercept function calls related to displaying rendered images and execute the function calls to store the rendered image data in a buffer of the server device;
• pass non-display oriented function calls to the runtime component to allow the application program to generate the rendered image data for display on the associated client device;
• and
• prevent user inputs received at input devices associated with the server device from controlling operation of the application program.