Another silly patent ('tutorial' system)

[Kane Knight]

Nintendo planning friendlier approach to game difficulty

New tech promises on-tap assistance for stuck gamers.

By Mike Smith (http://videogames.yahoo.com/masthead)
<!-- s --> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://adserver.yahoo.com/a?f=567002103&p=games_new&l=LREC&c=sr"></script><table class="ad_slug_table" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="center">ADVERTISEMENT
<script>var lrec_target="_blank";var lrec_URL=new Array(); lrec_URL[1]="http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=15318gvff/M=711938.13114271.13382445.2125265/D=gamesnew/S=567002103:LREC/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1231891334/L=hNXoJUwNBq6HNRFXRwz4PiCRR.koukltD2YADr1k/B=.YDg4EwNBkc-/J=1231884134972088/A=5605709/R=0/id=flash/SIG=11934usb8/*http://pepsi.yahoo.com/pepsismashrocks/"; var lrec_fv="clickTAG="+escape(lrec_URL[1]); var lrec_swf="http://ads.yimg.com/a/a/pe/pepsi_smash09/300x250_yahoo.swf"; var lrec_altURL="http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=15318gvff/M=711938.13114271.13382445.2125265/D=gamesnew/S=567002103:LREC/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1231891334/L=hNXoJUwNBq6HNRFXRwz4PiCRR.koukltD2YADr1k/B=.YDg4EwNBkc-/J=1231884134972088/A=5605709/R=1/id=altimg/SIG=11934usb8/*http://pepsi.yahoo.com/pepsismashrocks/"; var lrec_altimg="http://ads.yimg.com/a/a/pe/pepsi_smash09/300x250_yahoo.jpg"; var lrec_w=300;var lrec_h=250;</script><script style="display: none;" src="http://ads.yimg.com/a/a/1-/jscodes/flash8/lrec_20081114.js"></script><noscript>http://tpww.net/forums/<img title=" width="300" height="250" border="0"> (http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=15318gvff/M=711938.13114271.13382445.2125265/D=gamesnew/S=567002103:LREC/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1231891334/L=hNXoJUwNBq6HNRFXRwz4PiCRR.koukltD2YADr1k/B=.YDg4EwNBkc-/J=1231884134972088/A=5605709/R=2/id=noscript/SIG=11934usb8/*http://pepsi.yahoo.com/pepsismashrocks/)</noscript> </td></tr></tbody></table>http://us.bc.yahoo.com/b?P=hNXoJUwNBq6HNRFXRwz4PiCRR.koukltD2YADr1k&T=143v7jchu%2fX%3d1231884134%2fE%3d567002103%2fR%3dgamesnew%2fK%3d5%2fV%3d8.1%2fW%3d0%2fY%3dYAHOO%2f F%3d1242567793%2fQ%3d-1%2fS%3d1%2fJ%3d68060D4C&U=13fuh2cmk%2fN%3d.YDg4EwNBkc-%2fC%3d711938.13114271.13382445.2125265%2fD%3dLREC%2fB%3d5605709%2fV%3d1 <noscript> <iframe src="http://adserver.yahoo.com/a?f=567002103&p=games_new&l=LREC&c=sh&bg=" width="300" height="250" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> </noscript> <!-- e -->
The days of getting stuck in games could be gone altogether, if a patent filed recently by Nintendo comes to fruition.



Nintendo's idea, made public in a patent application this week, hinges on making demonstration videos available to players while they're playing the game, either as a thumbnail view or a full-screen animation. Players could interrupt the demonstration at any point, taking control back to continue playing without assistance. Think of it as a tutorial guide that lasts throughout the entire game.



It also proposes to let players start playing at any point during a game -- a feature that's in many games already, but typically only unlocked once a player has already completed those levels. Just like skimming a newspaper article for the juicy bits, this would allow players to tackle games, in their entirety, at their own whim.



Although the patent application (http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=Nintendo.AS.&OS=AN/Nintendo&RS=AN/Nintendo) is chock full of grade-A lawyerspeak, it summarizes the technology as "allowing a player to freely play and enjoy the game to the end...a [system] for preventing a player who desires to clear a game by him/herself from losing his/her interest in the game."
Even experienced players resort to looking up cheats, online guides, or gamer messageboards for help when they're stuck, but Nintendo's system could remove the need to even step away from the console -- and enable less committed console owners to enjoy epics like Nintendo's own Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (http://videogames.yahoo.com/wii/the-legend-of-zelda-twilight-princess/) without becoming bored or discouraged. Sounds like a winner to us.



http://videogames.yahoo.com/feature/nintendo-planning-friendlier-approach-to-game-difficulty/1278610



Probably nothing will really come of this. I first noticed it on GameFAQs, where a bunch of people were complaining, but all I see is the humour in the potential.


Actually, there are a lot of tedious parts I don't want to play in games, so maybe this is a good thing. After playing the parts of Spider-Man where you ride Rhino and that stupid-ass shit at Fisk Tower, I'd just as soon let the game play for me. ;)

[Xero]

I'm going to patent a button, motion censor, physical sensor or internal means of turning a device on.

I'll make billions.

[G]

I will patent the internet.

[Xero]

I will patent life.

[Kalyx triaD]

So not only is Nintendo going gaga for the casual crowd, they're gonna make their core games super easy as well. *sigh* Doesn't affect me in any way I guess, so whatever.

[Kane Knight]

I think the fact that it won't affect me (After the Wii, I'm pretty sure I'm done with Nintendo anyway) is why I think it's so damn funny. I mean, If Nintendo thinks marketing to people who need a tutorial to turn on a damn console is such a good idea, more power to them.

I'll be sitting over here, feeling insulted when the third game in the series assumes I've not only never played the series before, but assumes I am some strange breed of subterranean humanoid who has never before dealt with an electronic device.

[Kalyx triaD]

This is Link. Look, he moves when you tilt the analog stick! Refer to your packaged game manual for more actions, then return to your Nintendo Wii for reminders of actions found in said manual. Look, a villager! The large (A) icon means you should press the (A) button. The large one on your Wii remote. Great!

[Dorkchop]

Something like this can be a good idea for stupid people, but not for non stupid people. I have a feeling that if they were going to use this idea in the next Zelda game, they won't even bother trying to make the game NEW and INNOVATIVE. I have a feeling it will pretty much be the same thing all over again. Look what they did for Animal Crossing. They made it the exact same game as the DS version.

[Xero]

Something like this can be a good idea for stupid people, but not for non stupid people.

This already exists. This is just a way for Nintendo to restrict it to their consoles.

[Kane Knight]

I prefer Microsoft's system, where you payt for tutorial videos. But I'm okay with fools and their money being parted. :D

[Kalyx triaD]

To be honest, aside from a series of Water Temples, the Zelda series wasn't known for its challenge or learning curve. I don't think difficulty will affect the Zelda's next game in terms of offering something innovative.

[Xero]

I prefer Microsoft's system, where you payt for tutorial videos. But I'm okay with fools and their money being parted. :D

Halo 4 Tutorial - 900 Microsoft Points

[Kane Knight]

To be honest, aside from a series of Water Temples, the Zelda series wasn't known for its challenge or learning curve. I don't think difficulty will affect the Zelda's next game in terms of offering something innovative.

Espcially since they don't offer anything innovative.