Publisher Warner Bros. Interactive managed to patent the Nemesis system from the games in the series Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of war… About it reported IGN portal with reference to the decision of the US Patent and Trademark Office. The patent will come into force on February 23 with the possibility of its extension until 2035.
Thus, no one but Warner Bros. Interactive will not be able to create a system that procedurally generates unique NPCs and storyline events due to which they advance in the hierarchy… The publisher has been trying to get this patent since 2015.
One way or another, this decision has already been criticized by some developers, including the creator Thomas Was Alone and John Wick Hex Mike Bitell and Narrative Designer at Riot Games Kat Manning…
“This is really disgusting, especially for a franchise that built its brilliant Nemesis system out of a lot of mechanics copied from other games. The rest of the games do the same thing. Because that’s how culture and creativity work. Be the best neighbors. WB “, – wrote Bitell.
Manning, in turn, is worried that Warner’s patent could be used to undermine innovation in other games.
“I looked at the patent and it is so extensive that it seems absurd! Many of the other emerging narrative systems that I have seen and worked on can be described in their language! Perhaps he [патент] is not legally binding, but I and other indie developers have no money for the proceedings! “, – wrote Manning.
“I have absolutely no desire to copy the whole essence of the Nemesis system! Personally, it seems to me that I would have done a number of other things a little differently. But the patent is so extensive that I am still worried about the fact that this is a kind of license to prohibit the development of ANY similar work! “- she continued.
Historically, many developers have patented the gameplay systems presented in their projects, but were calm about similar solutions in other people’s games.
For example, Bandai Namco’s patent for “multiple object layout” in Katamari Damacy did not stop other authors from doing something similar. Likewise, EA’s patent for BioWare’s Dialogue Wheel did not affect similar implementations in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided or Fallout 4.
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