Patented Game Inventions That Might Amaze You: Part 2

In Part 1 we discussed such video game related patents as Crossings on Gamepad, Directional Arrows, Dialog Wheels, Running in Spiral, and the Gaming Console of EA. We are back with a few more Patented Game Inventions That Might Amaze You!

Passage Quests with Friends

Invention of: Zynga
Excerpt from the patent: “A team of friends is sent a request to join a team and participate in the performance of tasks. Each team member who answered the query derives his task.”
Significance: The patent of sometime a successful company Zynga describes the sinister social mechanism: “Invite your friends, so they gave you two boards and watered the beds, then you can pass the quest”. Despite the fact that the sent automatically requests from playing friends at least once enraged any Facebook user, Zynga today is suffering terrible losses. As they say, – ‘karma is a bitch’.

Protection from Second-Hand Games

Invention of: Sony
Excerpt from the patent: “The patent application provides that when a game is purchased, the medium itself (game disk) would contain a unique identification tag which would be read by the reproduction device of the gaming system (Playstation 3 for example). The first time the disk is inserted into the gaming system; the reproduction device would record the disk ID and player ID, and use an authentication process to confirm that the combination satisfies Sony’s terms of use. If the combination of IDs does not meet the terms of use on any subsequent use of the game, the game will not start. The effect of the technology would be similar to having a single license for the game and will not require internet access to work. This process nullifies any resale value of the game. ”
Significance: Among the gamers the Sony Corporation fixed a reputation of goodwill because it produces good games, supports independent developers, regularly lowers prices and releases the consoles without regional security. Notwithstanding, this fact does not stop Sony to invent technologies that will hit the players like a method of protection from second-hand console games. Obviously, that in the case of a mismatch of the disc identity and the player a mysterious handle rights usage will not allow you to run the game.

Episodic Content Delivery

Invention of: Electronic Arts
Excerpt from the patent: “The application module contains an initial episode of the game and a technology shell to allow future episodes to be downloaded over the Internet and executed. As new technology is developed, the new technology can be incorporated into the technology shell, independent of the content development. While the patent describes a lot of these features, the (single) claim is a little elusive. It’s interesting, though, that with Xbox Live we are seeing more games providing episodic content delivery after the game’s initial launch.”
Significance: The title of the patent speaks for itself. In 2001 Electronic Arts has already come up with that what in the age of Xbox 360 would be called downloadable content (DLC). However, in the 2000s company thought that the new episodes will include different technical innovations, but in fact it was much more boring as the current games only get new versions of the endings, characters and levels. Despite the presence of the patent, EA did not sue other companies that produce their games downloadable add-on.

Balls of Junk

Invention of: Namco
Excerpt from the patent: “A game performing method for executing a game by arranging a plurality of objects comprising a plurality of objects to be stuck and an operation object, in a virtual space, controlling rolling and movement of the operation object according to a player’s input, and rolling and moving the operation object while sticking the objects which the operation object comes in contact with, comprises: setting a plurality of first displacement points capable of displacing only in predetermined radial directions different from each other, from a reference point respectively; displacing the first displacement point adjacent to a contact position, in the predetermined radial direction when the operation object comes in contact with the object to be stuck; setting a second displacement point in a position which meets a predetermined distance condition; and controlling the rolling of the operation object based on rolling surface reference points comprising the first and second displacement points.. ”
Significance: Another incredible formulation, behind which hides one of the most successful game mechanism of the last decade. The text of the patent describes how the ball out of Katamari Damacy sticks to all kinds of things, growing in volume, but always remaining relatively round . The truth is, for a seemingly simple system there is a huge number of calculations. That is why Namco has decided that this invention will be for it.

It is dollars to doughnuts, that it is not a complete list of interesting patents that gaming companies own. Sometimes lawyers of publishers patent any small invention for simply “just in case” and then do not even remember it. The matter is that the progress cannot be stopped by patents. The most likely they spur other publishers and developers to come up with alternative solutions that are even more successful than patented ones by competitors.