FF14 is World Breaking and Just got a Patent

To all the critics out there, Square Enix was just issued a patent in May 2023.


Non-transitory computer-readable medium and video game processing system
Patent number: 11654360
Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable medium including a video game processing program for causing a server to perform functions to control progress of a video game using a virtual space corresponding to map information of a real space and positional information of a user terminal of a user is provided. The functions include: an arranging function configured to arrange objects in the virtual space, at least one attribute of a plurality of attributes being associated with each of the objects; a specifying function configured to specify an object that satisfies a predetermined positional condition with respect to the positional information of the user terminal; and an updating function configured to update information regarding the user based on an attribute of the specified object.
Type: Grant
Filed: November 22, 2021
Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
Assignee: SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.
Inventors: Takamasa Shiba, Hiroshi Kobayashi, Jun Waga, Yutaka Yoshida



https://patents.justia.com/inventor/hiroshi-shiba

https://patentsgazette.uspto.gov/wee...-20230523.html

Square Enix is literally a world power house of creativity. Not only has FF14 broken world records on unique music pieces, but also the most humble in the world on their world accomplishments in gaming.

With this patent, Square Enix will have exclusive rights to this gaming invention.

Your thoughts?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TempusFinis

With this patent, Square Enix will have exclusive rights to this gaming invention.

---

That's bad.

I don't see anywhere in that patent being specifically connected to FFXIV. Also, that description seems to involve augmented reality gaming which FFXIV is not.

To say nothing of gaming companies patenting technologies connected to their games all the time (and are always sueing each other accordingly) - a FF specific example is SE patented the old Active Time Battle system used in the pre FFX FF games, so this is hardly unusual anyway.

I see we're starting the day off with bait.

Extremely good patents are meant to be broad in coverage, and this one covers over 3 embodiments and some companies may be infringing upon it without knowing. I have picked some parts of the patent I think may be relevant to FF14.

This sounds relevant to FF14 Open Areas like Bozja & Eureka

Quote:

---

Further, the information regarding the user may be information that is related to an event that is generated in the virtual space or information that is not related to an event. In this regard, the event means any of various kinds of occurrences that can be generated in the video game. The content of the event is not limited particularly. However, it is preferable that it is the content according to a kind of the object. As examples of the content of the event, there are a battle against an enemy character, recovery of a friend character, and search of a dungeon.

---

We all understand character buffs in FF14

Quote:

---

As examples of the privilege, there are an in-game element, a right in the video game (for example, a right of a predetermined character to become a companion of a user), and occurrence of a temporary process in the video game (for example, a change in the character, or occurrence of a so-called buff). In this regard, the change in the character means a change in information regarding the character (for example, growth or transformation of a character).

---

This sounds like leveling in Eureka or Bozja and fighting new Monsters

Quote:

---

As examples of the action history of the user, there are the number of times of clear of a specific quest (for example, a mega monster subjugation guest) that the user has cleared in the video game, the number of times of normal battles against an enemy character, and a level of the user in the video game (that is, the total experience value obtained by the user).

---

This sounds like the Chocobo companion and/or minions

Quote:

---

For example, “flat land 3, waterside 1, nature 1” means that an attribute value of a flat land attribute associated with the pet character of three or more, an attribute value of a waterside attribute associated with the pet character of one or more, and an attribute value of a nature attribute of one or more become conditions. Further, “landmark property 4” means that an attribute value of a landmark property attribute associated with the pet character of four or more becomes a condition.

Further, the other means a condition or conditions different from the current type, the level, and the attribute among the conditions regarding the pet character currently possessed by the user. In the present embodiment, as a condition of the other, there are a condition of experience of possessing a pet character, a condition of the number of steps in the real space, and a condition of a rate of traversing landmarks as spots in the virtual space.

In this regard, in the present embodiment, a type “baby” is a pet character that the user can first possess. For that reason, all conditions that constitute a transformation condition thereof become “none”. Further, in the present embodiment, in the video game, the pet character is reset (or reincarnated) at predetermined intervals, and the user starts breeding again from a pet character with a type “baby”.

---

This patent is extremely broad in coverage and could easily be applied to FF14 with more than 3 embodiments.

Your thoughts?

This patent does include stationary PC and consoles with one-to-plural relationships

Quote:

---

However, the arranging unit 11 may be configured so that a coordinate in the real space and a coordinate in the virtual space are defined in a one-to-one relationship, or may be configured so that the coordinates are defined in a plural-to-one relationship or a one-to-plural relationship.

---

Quote:

---

As the other examples of the user terminal, there are one obtained by combining various kinds of communication terminals, a personal computer, and a stationary game apparatus.

---

Your thoughts?

FF14 is World Breaking and Just got stock price increase of 0.2%

To all the critics out there, Square Enix's stock price just increased by 0.2% on May 2023.


Stock price increase
Event number: 11654360
Abstract: A stock price increase of 1, equivalent to 0.2%.
Type: News
Filed: November 22, 2023
Date of Increase: May 23, 2023
Assignee: SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.
Stock Transactions: Takamasa Shiba, Hiroshi Kobayashi, Jun Waga, Yutaka Yoshida

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Saraide

That's bad.

---

Exactly this. Exclusive rights to new inventions in any field are a load of bs and all they do is slow down progress.

If FF14 or other games are covered by this patent or others, Square Enix could use a "Virtual Patent Marking".

Quote:

---

Virtual marking allows the patentee to immediately update patent status, which,
according to several comments, provides substantial benefits to patentees and the public.71 One
commentator explained, “It was simple for us to set up an easily accessible Web site […] that
can be updated in real time, and at little or no cost, as new patents are issued and new products
are released.”72 Another commentator explained that “virtual marking […] enhances [our]
ability to keep [patent] information current and in the public’s hands more quickly because of the
ease with which electronic information can be updated.”

---

https://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/...n/VMreport.pdf

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Enkidoh

I don't see anywhere in that patent being specifically connected to FFXIV. Also, that description seems to involve augmented reality gaming which FFXIV is not.

To say nothing of gaming companies patenting technologies connected to their games all the time (and are always sueing each other accordingly) - a FF specific example is SE patented the old Active Time Battle system used in the pre FFX FF games, so this is hardly unusual anyway.

---

^ This. Op is totally misunderstanding the terms of the patent. Has nothing to do with FFXIV. The key is here and everything has to be read within this context:

Quote:

---

A non-transitory computer-readable medium including a video game processing program for causing a server to perform functions to control progress of a video game using a virtual space corresponding to map information of a real space and positional information of a user terminal of a user is provided

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Toutatis

^ This. Op is totally misunderstanding the terms of the patent. Has nothing to do with FFXIV. The key is here and everything has to be read within this context:

---

It states the virtual information maybe tied to real world information (See Page 18, Column 5, Lines 50-54 in PDF below)

Quote:

---

However, the arranging unit 11 may be configured so that a coordinate in the real space and a coordinate in the virtual space are defined in a one-to-one relationship, or may be configured so that the coordinates are defined in a plural-to-one relationship or a one-to-plural relationship.

---

It clearly states in one of the embodiments being used on stationary game apparatus (See Page 19, Column 7, Lines 15-21 in PDF below)

Quote:

---

As the other examples of the user terminal, there are one obtained by combining various kinds of communication terminals, a personal computer, and a stationary game apparatus.

---

It's clear you could play this gaming invention at your house on PC and never move, and the server will still generate an environment for your character shown in Figures 14 and 15 on Pages 10 and 11.

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsea...adPdf/11654360

Again, I would highlight that this patent is very broad and very detailed on the different embodiments which it protects.

I think it could be applied to FF14, because we do have region locked content based on where our stationary game apparatus are located and one-to-plural relationship with the in-game environment, and in-game objects that are region locked.

In addition, I don't see anything in the patent or cited references about Augmented Reality. Everything is done in-game on the server, not on pictures, videos, or photos...

Ultimately, we would not know for sure until FF14 and Square Enix used a 'Virtual Patent Marking' to indicate so.

Your thoughts?

Square Enix has multiple patents related to video game technology. You just need to know the names of the subsidiary holdings companies they use for the patents to find them (Square Enix will usually be in the name but won't be the entirety of the name).

I don't get why you think this one is so amazing that it needs to be mentioned.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TempusFinis

It states the virtual information maybe tied to real world information (See Page 18, Column 5, Lines 50-54 in PDF below)

It clearly states in one of the embodiments being used on stationary game apparatus (See Page 19, Column 7, Lines 15-21 in PDF below)

It's clear you could play this gaming invention at your house on PC and never move, and the server will still generate an environment for your character shown in Figures 14 and 15 on Pages 10 and 11.

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsea...adPdf/11654360

Again, I would highlight that this patent is very broad and very detailed on the different embodiments which it protects.

I think it could be applied to FF14, because we do have region locked content based on where our stationary game apparatus are located and one-to-plural relationship with the in-game environment, and in-game objects that are region locked.

In addition, I don't see anything in the patent or cited references about Augmented Reality. Everything is done in-game on the server, not on pictures, videos, or photos...

Ultimately, we would not know for sure until FF14 and Square Enix used a 'Virtual Patent Marking' to indicate so.

---

Again, you are reading this wrong and you are misinterpreting a document you do not understand. It is definitely not about FFXIV nor about region locks and it revolves around “using a virtual space corresponding to map information of a real space”. As for stationary PC or devices, it explains how it can be done (players could chose a place). Please stop taking a few lines completely out of context to invent a fake story for the forums.

Also look at the cited references (Pokemo Go, Dragon Quest Walk)

I don't like patents in gaming. Want an example? The Nemesis system in Shadows of Mordor/War. It's an amazing system that is dead because nothing is being done with it.

Many companies make patents but other companies still compete with it without issue so unless someone just steals their exact version of it, they aren't likely to have any trouble.

Big companies such as facebook came along and made patents for lots of basic internet features that had been around for years (such as forum and blog features) that probably wouldn't even hold up in court if they tried. Big companies do this but if they went to court over it, they would probably lose, so it's just something they do for symbolism to act like a king and say these are my jewels or to try and push competitors away from their territory.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jeeqbit

Many companies make patents but other companies still compete with it without issue so unless someone just steals their exact version of it, they aren't likely to have any trouble.

Big companies such as facebook came along and made patents for lots of basic internet features that had been around for years (such as forum and blog features) that probably wouldn't even hold up in court if they tried. Big companies do this but if they went to court over it, they would probably lose, so it's just something they do for symbolism to act like a king and say these are my jewels or to try and push competitors away from their territory.

---

If the case isnt actually open and shut only someone extremely foolish would attempt to fight one of the tech giants in court. That stuff is expensive. The result is an overcentralization that is just one brain dead manchild from an apartheid emerald mine owner away from driving it all headfirst into a wall with no competition in place.