Sony Could Soon Automatically Play Portions Of Games For You

[SpartaNNNN]

From Source:

Sony often introduces convenient gameplay features into its games. While many of them tend to be quite innovative, a patent published by the company now wants to add an option already utilized in many titles. The publisher wants to secure an auto-play feature to play portions of gameplay in your place. It can auto-play grindy game sequences until you take back control.

The patent dubbed "METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTO-PLAYING PORTIONS OF A VIDEO GAME" wants to add an option to handle the "anticipated grinding content (AGC)." Sony mentions that it would simulate the gameplay style of users to grind through tedious portions of a game. This is already used in many MMORPG mobile and PC titles, where you can leave it up to the game to do the combat and walking to quests part for you.

The auto-play mode uses data from the user play model to automatically play the AGC for the user using a gameplay style that simulates a gameplay style of the user. [...] When gameplay of the AGC in auto-play mode is complete, a resume notification is presented to the display screen of the user device used by the user during the gameplay," reads the patent.

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I swear some of these patents are just way over the top lol. In what scenario would I want my game not to be played by me?

 

[pappacone]

From Source:


I swear some of these patents are just way over the top lol. In what scenario would I want my game not to be played by me?

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FF7 Rebirth, chapter 11

 

[Prototype]

I see they are preparing for their upcoming live service titles

 

[Doctor_Thomas]

From Source:


I swear some of these patents are just way over the top lol. In what scenario would I want my game not to be played by me?

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It's not necessarily for you. Other people may need this

 

[nsilvias]

ff 12 was ahead of its time

 

[MegaSackman]

If I ever replay The Witcher 3, I would let them play the Dandelion quest for me while I take a nap.

 

[Macaco5]

This on pc would be a game changer for shader compilation. Just let an AI play the whole game which will build the shaders. Then you play it yourself.

 

[beebop]

This feels like the tail wagging the dog. If your game includes bits that are shit to play, then fix the game.

 

[Dan Thunder]

From Source:


I swear some of these patents are just way over the top lol. In what scenario would I want my game not to be played by me?

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I imagine it'd be very handy for people with disabilities when you have sections in games that require certain button presses/combinations that they can't do or quick reaction times that they can't keep up with.

 

[MonsterJail]

Enter puzzle room:
5 secs later - NPC: "Maybe you should see what that crank does"
10 secs later: "Try aligning the beams of light to the center!"
20 secs later: "I AM ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL"

 

[Rodelero]

I swear some of these patents are just way over the top lol. In what scenario would I want my game not to be played by me?

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There's an industry that offers this service already, selling ready made high level accounts in MMOs for example. Lots of games incorporate some kind of grinding that people would rather automate or at least accelerate.

 

[Max|Payne]

Maybe I can finally beat the first Elden Ring boss. 🤣

 

[Red Liquorice]

Like watching a playthrough on YT but you paid for the game.

 

[beebop]

I imagine it'd be very handy for people with disabilities when you have sections in games that require certain button presses/combinations that they can't do or quick reaction times that they can't keep up with.

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Which can be achieved with good accessibility implementation, rather than a convoluted cloud-based auto-play system.

 

[tatwo]

I imagine it'd be very handy for people with disabilities when you have sections in games that require certain button presses/combinations that they can't do or quick reaction times that they can't keep up with.

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It "simulates a gameplay style of the user". So it will have bad reaction times etc?

 

[Wrexis]

In what scenario would I want my game not to be played by me?

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Trust me, you get to a certain point in life where a boss or a quest requires you to grind for 10 hours and you'll be like: hell no.

 

[AstralSphere]

Let's strive to make our games fun to play at all times.

Nah... let's instead patent a function where players can watch the game play the boring stuff itself instead of making the gameplay fun.

 

[show me your skeleton]

This on pc would be a game changer for shader compilation. Just let an AI play the whole game which will build the shaders. Then you play it yourself.

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so shader precompilation would take like 20-30 hours* instead of a few minutes?


*obviously depending on the game length

 

[Ara63]

This seems a bit silly for grinding, if nobody's actually playing the game and getting enjoyment out of it you may as well just cut out the grind completely and save on the electricity costs.

 

[beebop]

It "simulates a gameplay style of the user". So it will have bad reaction times etc?

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It's just Drivatars again.

 

[tiebreaker]

That's very interesting, but I won't be using such feature if it exists.

 

[RockyROB]

I would definitely have used this for the Atreus sections in GoW Ragnarok while I did something more entertaining for a few hours.

 

[Lampa]

I would definitely have used this for the Atreus sections in GoW Ragnarok while I did something more entertaining for a few hours.

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I approve of this shitpost.

 

[TechnicPuppet]

Or games could utilise varied difficulty and accessibility settings and not have parts that people just wouldn't want to play instead.

 

[Roytheone]

Ngl, i would have used this while grinding upgrade materials in forbidden west. That got insanely tedious, much more then in the first game.

 

[alekth]

Damn, I wasn't aware some MMOs and mobile games now did that. Last I played an MMO, that's where bots came in but they were very much banned, well, on a best effort basis.

Personally I'm for it. I was going to say just for single-player perhaps, but if the notion is now with MMOs as well...

In any case, grinding is annoying and if that would make someone enjoy their game, all the better.

 

[Joe White]

This feels like the tail wagging the dog. If your game includes bits that are shit to play, then fix the game.

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Yep, there is a clear root cause to be fixed instead of symptoms; "anticipated grinding content (AGC)". Feels like means to increase MAU numbers, and enabling ppl to buy more battle passes with automated daily activity grinds.

e. having less grind and better accessibility options would feel better than automation in most cases, like: good difficulty options, various levels of cheats; invulnerability, unlimited ammo, no carry limits, free upgrades, etc. meaning options where we retaining player agency and control. Automated grind would be then for games where there aren't better options available.

 

[Cali32]

I would love this feature for something like Diablo 4. :)

 

[EvilBoris]

I love how you would get a notification telling you the game is tedious and Sony is offering to take that burden from you - presumably for a price.

 

[Vic20]

Don't assume software features based on patents.

 

[Max|Payne]

I remember when this feature required you to have an older sibling.

 

[Shin Kojima]

Trust me, you get to a certain point in life where a boss or a quest requires you to grind for 10 hours and you'll be like: hell no.

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When is this?

 

[HaywireTomato]

Is it time for us to get comfortable not playing our games?

 

[gitrektali]

The fact that this is even needed is so depressing

 

[ReplacementPelican]

Wouldn't mind this for walking sections where games limit your walk speed and make you just push down on an analogue stick to receive an exposition dump.

I mean, I'd rather devs just cut that shit out in general but still.

 

[julia crawford]

this is to get an LLM to play the game for you? i guess they're aching for that sweet sweet user data

 

[Cheat Code]

 

[cursed beef]

FF7 Rebirth, chapter 11

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sony's servers would have a conniption trying to calculate the arcs those boxes need to thrown

 

[Sir Lucan]

Enter puzzle room:
5 secs later - NPC: "Maybe you should see what that crank does"
10 secs later: "Try aligning the beams of light to the center!"
20 secs later: "I AM ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL"

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You're joking, but seeing how impatient devs are when you're solving a puzzle I can definitely see this happening.

Ubisoft would love to sell this as DLC.

 

[Alexandros]

This feels like the tail wagging the dog. If your game includes bits that are shit to play, then fix the game.

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This was the first thing that came to my mind. If your game has grindy parts that aren't fun, shouldn't you, like, remove those parts?

 

[y0shizawa]

I wonder if it'd be a monetised option for certain games (e.g. live service ones), or what utility it might have in single player.

I would definitely have used this for the Atreus sections in GoW Ragnarok while I did something more entertaining for a few hours.

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Hah! Painfully agree with this

 

[Nero3000]

finishing battle passes....

 

[BRVR]

I think it could work better if you only have limited slots per game, so for example it will only play up to 3 times so that way you can't cheese your way through.

 

[GiantEnemyCrab]

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this never gets old

 

[redlentil]

Ngl, i would have used this while grinding upgrade materials in forbidden west. That got insanely tedious, much more then in the first game.

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I've had "easy loot" on from the very beginning (by recommendation) and it's still tedious and overwrought. What were they thinking?

 

[Tired Repairman]

Remember when Nintendo implemented the Super Guide and everyone was foaming? Cause i effin' do.

 

[Menchi]

I enjoy grinding, so I'm unlikely to make use of it, but it could be useful for those who don't.

 

[Bear and bird]

Finally a way for me to play games while I play games and watch TV at the same time. I'm gonna consume so much content

 

[Maxime]

Can it take care of my backlog?

 

[St. Elmo's Fire]

From Source:


I swear some of these patents are just way over the top lol. In what scenario would I want my game not to be played by me?

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Did you miss all these posts on Era where people say they hate a certain part of a game and stopped playing it because they couldn't finish it? Or because it was too difficult for them? Or because they can't finish a certain part because of a disability?
Happens. It's a good patent.