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Square Enix awarded US patent for single-button action RPG battle system

Q

qualitydisc

Member
Yesterday (April 17) the US patent office awarded a patent to Square Enix for an action RPG battle system that chooses attacks based on a character's distance from allies/enemies rather than having the having the player select from menus.

The system was invented by Hajime Tabata (co-director Final Fantasy XV; director Final Fantasy Type-0; producer, Final Fantasy Agito) and Kenichiro Yuji (director, FF:CC: My Life as a King. SE applied for the patent in October 2012 and it was just approved.

Square Enix stated in the documents that complex menus are intimidating to novice players:

[0003] In a conventional RPG, it is common that when a player character attacks an enemy character, a player selects his/her desired command from a plurality of commands to specify what kind of attack is made on the enemy character (see, for example, JP 2010-142346 A). In addition, in an action game and an action RPG, specification of what kind of attack is made on an enemy character is performed by pressing any of a plurality of operating buttons. As such, in order to enhance the interest of a game, the types of attacks that can be taken when a player character attacks an enemy character have been diversified.

[0004] However, in the case of an RPG, as the number of types of attacks that can be taken upon an attack increases, the player needs to search and select his/her desired command from a larger number of commands. Thus, the player needs to press operating buttons a number of times, and as a result, it takes time to select a command. In addition, in the case of an action game and an action RPG, a complex operation is required, such as pressing a plurality of different operating buttons simultaneously or continuously. Hence, the game is difficult for a beginner of the game to get accustomed to, e.g., he/she cannot fully enjoy the game until mastering the game.
Click to expand...

And that they created a one-button solution so that even novice players can enjoy an action RPG

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

[0005] The present invention is made to solve such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus capable of casting various attacks only by pressing the same operating button without performing any complex operation.
Click to expand...

Text version with a long description is here:
http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...re+enix&FIELD1=&co1=AND&TERM2=&FIELD2=&d=PG01
Find patent number 20140106879

PDF version is here, including diagrams that resemble a PSP:
http://pdfaiw.uspto.gov/.aiw?Docid=...ageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=8B16A4229D34

I'm not familiar with the gameplay in Type-0. Is this the kind of system they have in it? Or is it for one of Tabata's future titles?

Square Enix have been awarded several new patents this year but most of them appear to be MMO/FFXIV related:
http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...re+enix&FIELD1=&co1=AND&TERM2=&FIELD2=&d=PG01
This one caught my eye because of Tabata's name attached to it.
 
O

Otakumegane

Member
Its implementations unfortunately
NGWlpBS.gif
 
N

Nev

Banned
Ew.

Didn't FFXIII also have some similar bs that was basically press X to win? Disgusting. And they wanted to appeal to the traditional players they said recently? xd
 
A

Arksy

Member
No, because SE aren't the first to do it, and since they're not the first, anyone else can show that the patent isn't valid.

Unless I'm reading it wrong and they've actually come up with something new.
 
G

Goli

Member
From what's shown in Figure 3 this reminds me a bit of FFXII's gambits except applied to a button rather than a character. If you have multiple buttons with this system then you'd be able to do a lot of different attacks depending on the situation you're in, and I think it's really clever.
 
Myths

Myths

Member
Streamlining command-menus for tablets/touch-screen devices? Maybe one-button touch to pop open a 4-way circular menu or something?

Edit: Oh, this is more contextual similar to gambits, but with a focus on streamlining the interface. Paradigm Tune+?
 
M

Mr. RPG

Member
Otakumegane said:
Its implementations unfortunately
NGWlpBS.gif
Click to expand...

Final Fantasy XV gameplay video.

As if the series wasn't easy or casual enough.

"Hence, the game is difficult for a beginner of the game to get accustomed to, e.g., he/she cannot fully enjoy the game until mastering the game."

I played and beat the older Final Fantasy games with ease when I barely even knew how to read.
 
H

Hero of Legend

Member
Kirby Air Ride is technically a single-button racer, I think A or an alternative can do all actions, you just use the stick to steer.

So hey, why not try that for other genres?
 
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