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[qualitydisc]

Hmmm... Fumito Ueda, barrels, a giant cat... it's NeoGAF's favorite perpetually-missing game, The Last Guardian!

Fumito Ueda is credited as the inventor for five different Sony patents between 2011 and 2013. Some of them (like the one pictured above) are obviously from The Last Guardian's development, though a few of them appear to be more general.

Here's a quick rundown (most recent first) and my best effort to translate from technical jargon to English.

1. OBJECT CONTROL DEVICE, COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM STORING OBJECT CONTROL PROGRAM, AND OBJECT CONTROL METHOD
   Text version
   PDF version with diagrams
   Appears to be an algorithm about controlling the catbird's attention depending on whether or not an object of interest is within its field of view. Stick figure cat appears on page 17.
   
2. IMAGE GENERATING DEVICE, IMAGE GENERATING METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY INFORMATION STORAGE MEDIUM
   Text version
   PDF with diagrams
   This one's about creature skeletons, and rendering its flexibility when in motion.
   
3. IMAGE GENERATING DEVICE, IMAGE GENERATING METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY INFORMATION STORAGE MEDIUM
   Text version
   PDF with diagrams
   This one is about creating a sag effect when a "person clings to or rides on any one of the left and right sides of an animal"
   
4. COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM HAVING OBJECT CONTROL PROGRAM STORED THEREON, OBJECT CONTROL DEVICE, AND OBJECT CONTROL METHOD
   Text version
   PDF with images (image screencapped at the top of this post comes from here)
   This one's about a main character (the boy) having control over a second character (the catbird) by using an intermediary object (barrels). I love that this is a highly technical document about controlling a fantastical giant griffin and yet curiously never makes specific reference to it.
   
5. Game Control Program, Game Device and Game Control Method, Management Server, and Data Managing Method
   Text version
   PDF with diagrams
   This one's interesting! This patent is about user-generated levels and how a user sets up obstacles (the patent refers to obstacles as "gimmicks") in a level. Are/were user-generated levels an idea that Ueda wanted to implement in The Last Guardian? This is the first time I've heard of that in connection with this title. Some of the diagrams look like Super Mario Bros....
   

Technical jargon gives me a headache (worse than legalese), so I'm hoping a few of you Gaffers can sort through these in more detail and maybe pick out some more interesting bits?

 

[Ninja Scooter]

looks like it's gonna be an iOS game.

 

[nbnt]

Isn't that like really old?

 

[Perun]

 

[Acquiescence]

Filed in 2012, when development most likely shifted to the PS4.

:3

 

[DrunkDan]

Still not getting my hopes up. I just can't.

 

[twobear]

I guess this is all that was worth saving when they canned it.

 

[JNA]

 

[Varth]

4. FIGURE 604

The player, awestruck from this still being a thing.

 

[Radec]

2012?

 

[Psycho_Mantis]

When will we see it though ;__;

 

[SaveTheQueen]

This is it. Finally we're gonna get Shadow of the Guardian

 

[Nibel]

Man, it's coming; let's not kid ourselves.

 

[Doctor_Thomas]

IT IS HAPPENING! ALL ABOARD. The train has arrived.

 

[panty]

It probably had some Move motion things integrated but I bet they scrapped everything and moved on to PS4.

#BELIEVE

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

ItsHappening.gif

 

[liquidtmd]

Twist: The images from the patent are gameplay shots

 

[UnluckyKate]

From 2012 ?

 

[Triggerhappytel]

I've only had a quick look, but considering the most recent is from 2012 is there really any reason to expect anything from these patents?

 

[KennyLinder]

That cat. Amazing.

 

[foxbeldin]

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

Funeral Reception eh?

TLGSG still lives!

BELIEVE!

 

[Xpliskin]

ItsHappening.gif


TGS 2014, believe

Spoiler

TGS 2016

 

[Zombine]

Oh, so that's why it was canceled.

 

[Donos]

Vita exclusive. Bäääm.

 

[Phamit]

Patents for Gameplay? Or what kind of patents are these

 

[Vidpixel]

My emotions for The Last Guardian will continue to be all over the place until it is either cancelled or it is a physical thing in my hands that is ready to be put into a video game machine.

 

[dark_inferno]

Vita exclusive. Bäääm.

They stole our Tearaway... we steal their Last Guardian.

Would like to see the outbreak of that.

 

[PJV3]

"Virtual space" it's a morpheus game now, cool.
£300 and you can finally play it.

 

[SargerusBR]

Its dead guys, accept it.

 

[rajanp22]

Looks like it most certainly won't be at TGS. A re-reveal megaton with the arrival of Morpheus looks like. VR seems perfect for what they're describing here. PS3 dev shifted to PS4 as soon as Morpheus became a thing I bet.

 

[Unstable]

Inevitable disappointment.

 

[Death Metalist]

 

[Mike Works]

 

[shink]

Anticipating the reveal to be like the re-reveal of Lily Bergamo.

 

[Replicant]

They stole our Tearaway... we steal their Last Guardian.

Would like to see the outbreak of that.

Meltdowns and bannings. Yours truly included.

 

[foxbeldin]

Its dead guys, accept it.

 

[BouncyFrag]

 

[Nestunt]

Please let it not be mandatory VR

 

[Chariot]

Never give up hope!

 

[paskowitz]

The Last Gaurdian | OT | Patent No. 11042015 Algorithm for jumping to disappointment

 

[Panda In Space]

 

[Nestunt]

Sarcasm aside, that would be an amazing boxart

 

[Moosichu]

:/ Why are gameplay mechanics allowed to be patented?

 

[FeiRR]

Tomorrow in some vague online store in Croatia, in two days making news on Dualshockers and Gamingbolt.

 

[FinalD]

http://i.imgur.com/pFAEofd.jpg

Would buy!

 

[Phlebas]

I'd buy it for that box art alone, no lie.

Edit:

Fantastic.　

Spoiler

But what's with the generic white guy on the cover?

Lol

 

[Fox_Mulder]

It's clearly a trap.

 

[AmethystEnd]

Fantastic.　

Spoiler

But what's with the generic white guy on the cover?

 

[Chariot]

If you don't think Last Guardian, this looks like a interesting game for itself. So cute, so clean