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Nintendo patents sanity

S

shantyman

WHO DEY!?
This is pretty similar to what they used in Eternal Darkness? U sure this is new? also how can u patent somethign games have beeen doing for years.
 
This isnt one of those horribly old patents that people find years later and think they're new, is it?

EDIT: Apparently so.
 
AniHawk said:
This isnt one of those horribly old patents that people find years later and think they're new, is it?
Click to expand...

No, it said it was approved recently. It oftentimes takes many years to go from the initial filing of a patent to that patent's approval. The patent was probably filed around the time ED came out and went through several revisions before it was approved earlier today.

Second instance today demonstrating how broken our patent system is, by the way.
 
AniHawk said:
This isnt one of those horribly old patents that people find years later and think they're new, is it?

EDIT: Apparently so.
Click to expand...

it is. I think this happens every time.
 
AniHawk said:
Almost as goofy as posting something filed 5 years ago.
Click to expand...

Again, you are doing an amazing job of missing the point. Don't let your Nintendo goggles fog the larger issue here. This has nothing to do with Nintendo.

Patenting gameplay mechanics is a pretty dumb thing to do IMHO. What will be patented next? How about Bungie patenting a "quick reload system for an FPS" for Halo 3? Or Konami patenting a "sneaking control scheme" for MGS4?
 
shantyman said:
Again, you are doing an amazing job of missing the point. Don't let your Nintendo goggles fog the larger issue here. This has nothing to do with Nintendo.

Patenting gameplay mechanics is a pretty dumb thing to do IMHO. What will be patented next? How about Bungie patenting a "quick reload system for an FPS" for Halo 3? Or Konami patenting a "sneaking control scheme" for MGS4?
Click to expand...

Calm down.
 
shantyman said:
Again, you are doing an amazing job of missing the point. Don't let your Nintendo goggles fog the larger issue here. This has nothing to do with Nintendo.

Patenting gameplay mechanics is a pretty dumb thing to do IMHO. What will be patented next? How about Bungie patenting a "quick reload system for an FPS" for Halo 3? Or Konami patenting a "sneaking control scheme" for MGS4?
Click to expand...

This "insanity" patent actually went through? I agree, these patents are asinine.
 
shantyman said:
Again, you are doing an amazing job of missing the point. Don't let your Nintendo goggles fog the larger issue here. This has nothing to do with Nintendo.

Patenting gameplay mechanics is a pretty dumb thing to do IMHO. What will be patented next? How about Bungie patenting a "quick reload system for an FPS" for Halo 3? Or Konami patenting a "sneaking control scheme" for MGS4?
Click to expand...
It's definetly not a new practice in the game making industry.
 
Anybody remember other game patents?

I remember recalling something stupid like not allowing certain button presses to show up in training modes for fighters or something like that since Sega patented it. Then there is the lack of minigames during loading because I think Namco owns the rights to that.
 
HomerSimpson-Man said:
Anybody remember other game patents?

I remember recalling something stupid like not allowing certain button presses to show up in training modes for fighters or something like that since Sega patented it.
Click to expand...

The dual vibrating controller patent.
 
shantyman said:
I'm fine, actually.
Click to expand...

I know, I've just been messing with you since my second post

In all seriousness, the topic could really be worded better. It's more of a statement (Nintendo patented a gameplay feature) than a question (Should developers be allowed to patent a gameplay feature?).
 
RE4 vs. SH4 said:
The dual vibrating controller patent.
Click to expand...

Man, don't remind me. Ugh, that patent seemed so damn vague, now because of it we have completely lost the DS2 controller and now have to hope and wonder how the PS3 dildo controller handles.
 
HomerSimpson-Man said:
Man, don't remind me. Ugh, that patent seemed so damn vague, now because of it we have completely lost the DS2 controller and now have to hope and wonder how the PS3 dildo controller handles.
Click to expand...

I completely forgot about that. That's the reason for the boomerang?
 
HomerSimpson-Man said:
Man, don't remind me. Ugh, that patent seemed so damn vague, now because of it we have completely lost the DS2 controller and now have to hope and wonder how the PS3 dildo controller handles.
Click to expand...

I'm not Paranoid :)

I odn't care if a Mod renames it to something better.
 
Its crap like this which show how doom the gaming industry is.

First we have SEGA patenting CT gameplay system; Microsoft patenting PGR gameplay; and Nintendo fallowing in thier footstep. All I have to say, thank you SEGA, Microsoft and Nintendo for killing off innovation.
 
Andrew2 said:
Its crap like this which show how doom the gaming industry is.

First we have SEGA patenting CT gameplay system; Microsoft patenting PGR gameplay; and Nintendo fallowing in thier footstep. All I have to say, thank you SEGA, Microsoft and Nintendo for killing off innovation.
Click to expand...


How is patenting pre-existing ideas killing innovation? If anything, that FORCES innovation, since other ideas would need to be used.


The patenting is still retarded though.
 
Nikashi said:
How is patenting pre-existing ideas killing innovation? If anything, that FORCES innovation, since other ideas would need to be used.


The patenting is still retarded though.
Click to expand...

Its not too different from EA having exclusive NFL license. We would get no where fast if people couldnt take an existing game idea and create something different from that. If only one company could make fighting games, racing games, rpgs, shooters....where would we be?
 
I believe Sega actually has a patent on "videogame character that runs through loops" or something. I dunno if it would stand up in court, but seems like nobody is challenging it. Not many games where the main character runs through loops.

If this means that nobody makes games like Eternal Darkness anymore, then it's good news for all.
Cold-Steel said:
WHY ARE WE STILL TALKING ABOUT AN OLD PATENT FOR ETERNAL DARKNESS!?!?!?!
Click to expand...
BECAUSE THE PATENT WAS ONLY RECENTLY APPROVED THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE THREAD
 
I hate gameplay patents. Wanna know why you have to suffer loading times when they could've easily given you a mini-game to play during the wait? Answer? Namco got the patent first. BOO!
 
Software patents as they stand now are absurd. The system needs to be overhauled, pronto. I think entertainment software needs to be treated more like movies or novels--you can copyright a work in its entirety, but you can't patent specific plot twists or a particular style of camerawork and refuse to let others use them.

Nikashi said:
How is patenting pre-existing ideas killing innovation? If anything, that FORCES innovation, since other ideas would need to be used.
Click to expand...

Sometimes there are no other ideas that would be appropriate. For example, Sega has a patent on training modes in fighting games that display the player's button presses (AFAIR). So if you want to incorporate a similar feature in your own game, either you pay Sega for the use of their patent (provided they're willing to license it) or you're forced to omit it. There's really no adequate substitute for having the buttons the player presses displayed onscreen in a practice mode, and it's highly doubtful that someone could come up with a feature that serves the same purpose without infringing on that patent. Enough of these little restrictions on play mechanics and you're going to be hard-pressed to make a game at all, or at the very least, you'll have to license the use of a dozen software patents to do so.
 
If anyone has played the F.E.A.R. pc demo that contains not only creepy laughter but bleeding ceilings and doors that are clearly figments of the characters mind, so I don't know if this patent means crap. Because that game hasn't even come out yet.
 
ShowDog said:
If anyone has played the F.E.A.R. pc demo that contains not only creepy laughter but bleeding ceilings and doors that are clearly figments of the characters mind, so I don't know if this patent means crap. Because that game hasn't even come out yet.
Click to expand...

that demo kicked ass, I hope the rest of the game is that good.
 
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