Nintendo Working On Making Racing Games Less Predictable

• Nintendo was recently awarded a patent for a system that aims to reduce predictability and increase excitement in racing games by altering available player paths based on their in-game performance.
• In traditional racing games, the course remains the same, leading to repetitive gameplay. This system introduces dynamic changes to the course, allowing players to take different paths on the same track.
• The system can modify the player’s available paths based on their performance, potentially changing which paths they can take and making visual changes on the track to indicate open or closed routes.
• The patent also discusses features like governing player interactions, segmenting the screen for multiplayer video games, introducing obstacles that can help or hinder players based on their progress, and shared in-game pathways that evolve with player actions to enhance the gaming experience.

Earlier today, we encountered a recently released Nintendo patent filed in March, which is titled “NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM HAVING STORED THEREIN GAME PROGRAM, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD.”

Published just last week, the patent outlines a system designed to enhance the excitement and reduce predictability in racing video games by altering the available player paths based on their in-game performance.

“An example of a game system executes a racing game where a plurality of movement objects are moved in a course in a virtual space. The course includes a branch portion branching into a plurality of branch destinations, and the plurality of movement objects pass through the branch portion multiple times in progressing through the course,” reads the abstract for the patent.

“In the branch portion, a branch destination that a movement object is allowed to enter or a branch destination that the movement object is restricted from entering is switched in accordance with a degree of progress of the movement object in the racing game.”

In traditional racing video games, the course is often the same, which can make the video game feel repetitive. The goal of this system is to make the video game more interesting by allowing the player to take different paths on the same course.

The track has parts where it splits into different paths, like a fork in the road. These paths lead to different destinations on the course. What’s special is that the video game can change which path a player is allowed to take based on how well they’re doing in the race. So, even though the track is the same, players can go in different directions depending on their performance.

The system can also make visual changes on the track to show which paths are open or closed to a player, like putting up barriers or signs. It can be used in video games where multiple players are racing, and each player can have their own racing object with its path choices.

According to the patent’s claims, the system has the capacity to govern interactions among players in the video game, determining whether collisions occur. Furthermore, the objects overseeing the racing paths can serve as guides, directing players toward specific routes while excluding others. Additionally, the system can restrict access to certain paths, but with a provision for players to maintain visibility of their surroundings.

The patent also discusses segmenting the screen into distinct sections, each displaying different elements, which is particularly advantageous for multiplayer video games. Additionally, the system can modify the player’s available paths based on the number of laps they’ve completed, potentially occurring immediately as they transition from one lap to the next.

Nintendo also presents the concept of obstacles that can assist or impede players in the video game, determined by their individual progress, irrespective of other players’ actions, with the same impact on all players. Furthermore, the patent addresses a shared in-game pathway where the direction of movement can alter based on the number of times players have traversed it.

Furthermore, these obstacles can influence both player movement and appearance, with these alterations being contingent upon the players’ advancements. Nintendo further discusses several gameplay elements aimed at enhancing the immersive and enjoyable nature of the gaming experience in the patent.

In the world of gaming, it’s not unusual for players to crave fresh challenges and new experiences. Nintendo’s patent aims to address this desire by enhancing the gameplay of racing video games, a genre that often struggles with repetitiveness.

While this patent showcases how Nintendo aims to inject innovation into racing games, it’s worth noting that patents don’t always result in a finalised product. However, if this technology is brought to life in future Nintendo titles, it could mark a significant leap forward in the racing video game genre.

Nintendo’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of gaming has resulted in some of the most beloved and innovative titles in the industry. With this patent, it seems the company is poised to continue that tradition by offering players a more dynamic and engaging racing video game experience.

What do you think about this? Do tell us your opinions in the comments below!

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