Nintendo Patents "Sanity System" for Video Game

[Kire]

Thanks to Raw Story:

A video game and game system incorporating a game character's sanity level that is affected by occurrences in the game such as encountering a game creature or gruesome situation. A character's sanity level is modified by an amount determined based on a character reaction to the occurrence such as taking a rest or slowing game progress and/or an amount of character preparation. That is, if a character is prepared for the particular occurrence, the occurrence may have little or no affect on the character's sanity level. As the character's sanity level decreases, game play is effected such as by controlling game effects, audio effects, creating hallucinations and the like. In this context. the same game can be played differently each time it is played.

View the Patent

[ghostsofgiants]

1. That sounds neat...

It'd be really cool in games like Silent Hill.

[Kire]

3. or Manhunt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhunt_%28video_game%29

[ghostsofgiants]

4. I forgot about that game...

Might download it later.

[Chovexani]

2. That comes from a GameCube survival horror title

It's called Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem and it's one of the best freaking games I've ever played. The storyline is VERY Lovecraftian, and the sanity effects alone were worth the price of the game...sometimes I walk around with an empty meter just to see what'll happen. It's hilarious. One time I tried to leave the room, and the guy took his head off his body and started reciting that speech from Macbeth (Hamlet? I'm brain farting). Then there was the time the game tried to make me think the GameCube crashed...oh that game is awesome.

On edit: the severity of the effect depends on how much sanity you've got left...the lower the meter is, the weirder the hallucinations get. When it's empty, the screen is almost at full tilt, you hear voices, blood drips down the walls...for a survival horror fan, it's awesome.

[ghostsofgiants]

7. That sounds awesome

Another game on my list of games to check out.

[Chovexani]

8. It's dirt cheap now

I got it for 15 at Gamestop and that was well over a year and a half ago.

[ghostsofgiants]

9. Cool

Unfortunately I don't have a GameCube...gonna have to find someone who does and mooch off of them, haha.

[LeftyMom]

5. That sounds like what's expected for

Call of Cthluhu: Dark Corners of the Earth (provided they ever ship the thing! :grr: )

Could you patent that for a video game when it's a well known part of some pen and paper RPGs?

[Chovexani]

6. Well, no one really has that mentality anymore

Not since TSR's sue-happy ass folded and was bought out by WotC.

Silicon Knights developed the game that first used the sanity system for Nintendo that I talked about in the above post, and no one's had a problem with it. :shrug: