12 replies to this topic

[xengk]

http://www.google.co...tents/US8636589

Did Riot Games just patented Spectator Mode?!

[Deathz Jester]

http://www.gamebreak...spectator-mode/

[Sparks Murphey]

It looks like its a patent on a particular implementation of spectator mode that adds value to the experience, not on spectator modes in general.

Edit: to clarify, they mention:

Quote

However, the current spectator experience is somewhat limited. Accordingly, systems and methods to enable an improved spectator experience would be desirable.

It's the improved bit that's important. Further, the bits they actually claim patent on focus on these bits:

Quote

1. [...]wherein the spectator server is further configured to calculate an interest value associated with each avatar and direct the user's view to the avatar having the highest interest value.
2. The online multiuser game system of claim 1, wherein the spectator server is further configured to monitor data affecting the interest values and shift the view to another avatar if it gains the highest interest value.

The key there is that spectator's camera is driven by a algorithmically derived "interest" value to ensure that spectators see the good bits. That's what they're patenting.

Edited by Sparks Murphey, 06 February 2014 - 12:20 AM.

[Adridos]

Riot Games, once again confirming they are the cancer of video game industry.

There's a line of douchbaggery and antimarket practices no one should ever cross... they crossed it long ago, took a dump on it and thrown money at it until it said Riot property while giving US governemnt a finger while smoking a Cuban cigar and a fully functional meth factory videos running on some plasma TV they have sewn into their shirt.

Edited by Adridos, 06 February 2014 - 04:52 AM.

[DEN_Ninja]

Actually they basically patented a feature that is strikingly similar to a feature from DotA 2.

They are apparently patenting the algorithm for their own directed cameras. Could they use this harmfully against a competitor? Could happen. Will they? And get all the horrible press and get a good portion of their players to drop league like a rock. They already showed a good portion of their players that they don't care much for their streamers and management of LCS teams.

No this just some silly unnecessary patent because of recent attacks by patent trolls.

p.s. if they did try to use it harmfully DotA 2 could fight it because they have had the directed spectator camera since 2011(?)

Edited by Tichorius Davion, 06 February 2014 - 05:30 AM.

[Adridos]

Tichorius Davion, on 06 February 2014 - 05:29 AM, said:

Could they use this harmfully against a competitor? Could happen. Will they? And get all the horrible press and get a good portion of their players to drop league like a rock.

The list of things that are immoral and harmful towards the competition that group of people has done is so long already I don't believe there's anything they could do to get horrible press from LoL fanbase.

And even if an outrage happened, a simple letter of "We're sorry, friends again?" would get them out of it faster than a get out of jail card in Monopoly. If we were talking like super serious butthurt the proportions of a global internet crash, a single free skin's worth in the paid currency to every player would silence it sooner than you could say: "Illegal."

Tichorius Davion, on 06 February 2014 - 05:29 AM, said:

p.s. if they did try to use it harmfully DotA 2 could fight it because they have had the directed spectator camera since 2011(?)

Are we talking about the same company here?

The one that paid WCG to drop DotA, WC3 AND SC 2 in favor of more coverage?
The one that pays every tournament organizing institution to repress any non-LoL coverage?
The one that paid their own streamers while chaning them with contracts specifically designed to kill competition?
The one that got US government to recognize e-sports players as "athletes"?

This company has actually risen above the holy Microsoft itself with getting officials to turn a blind eye to complete disregard of basic consumerist rights in the free market and you think something like the tiny Valve could literally stand a chance against them in a court?


It's sad to see how much they've sunk since the release of the game.

[DEN_Ninja]

Adridos, on 06 February 2014 - 08:08 AM, said:

The list of things that are immoral and harmful towards the competition that group of people has done is so long already I don't believe there's anything they could do to get horrible press from LoL fanbase.

And even if an outrage happened, a simple letter of "We're sorry, friends again?" would get them out of it faster than a get out of jail card in Monopoly. If we were talking like super serious butthurt the proportions of a global internet crash, a single free skin's worth in the paid currency to every player would silence it sooner than you could say: "Illegal."



Are we talking about the same company here?

The one that paid WCG to drop DotA, WC3 AND SC 2 in favor of more coverage?
The one that pays every tournament organizing institution to repress any non-LoL coverage?
The one that paid their own streamers while chaning them with contracts specifically designed to kill competition?
The one that got US government to recognize e-sports players as "athletes"?

This company has actually risen above the holy Microsoft itself with getting officials to turn a blind eye to complete disregard of basic consumerist rights in the free market and you think something like the tiny Valve could literally stand a chance against them in a court?


It's sad to see how much they've sunk since the release of the game.

I am not defending riot. I hate pretty much most of their work. It is painfully obvous they do shady things especially in the name of Esports.

They haven't progressed Esports at ALL. Bringing progress to Esports and not their interest game would have been bringing Halo back into the fold of MLG and support other 'competition' like DotA 2.

Not to mention the shitty systems in place that only progresses the toxic community. Who the hell rewards people for voting and expelling other players!?

I digress, back to the original point. I would love to see Riot go and butt heads with Valve. This is already front page stuff for reddit. The debacle with the LCS contracts already has a bunch of league fans skeptical.

Valve is far from tiny and powerless.

Edited by Tichorius Davion, 06 February 2014 - 09:02 AM.

[Adridos]

Tichorius Davion, on 06 February 2014 - 09:01 AM, said:

I digress, back to the original point. I would love to see Riot go and butt heads with Valve. This is already front page stuff for reddit. The debacle with the LCS contracts already has a bunch of league fans skeptical.

Valve is far from tiny and powerless.

I'd much more like a Microsoft monopoly 2.0.

The thing is, if Valve goes against them, it's infighting and simply drags both companies down, with obvious favorite being the Riot. And if Valve won, they could go up against it again.

On the other hand, a Riot vs government case would not only stay within the Riot's wallet only (no harm to any developer outside of it) and assuming a similar result would also force Riot to share the money among the parties involved, giving better ground for the ASSFAGGOTS genre as a whole. Lastly, they'd be forced to comply and maybe even rethink their business strategy (although that's just wishful thinking).

Edited by Adridos, 06 February 2014 - 09:25 AM.

[cSand]

Adridos, on 06 February 2014 - 09:23 AM, said:

ASSFAGGOTS genre as a whole.

I know I shouldn't have LOL'd at this, but also I gotta wonder how that got through the filter.

[Adridos]

cSand, on 06 February 2014 - 12:21 PM, said:

I know I shouldn't have LOL'd at this, but also I gotta wonder how that got through the filter.

Well, it is a legitimate name of the genre, after all...

Aeon of Strife Style Fortress Assault Game Going On Two Sides.

[cSand]

I keep laughing at this, and I'm trying to work here man

obviously, not that hard, but you know



On a more serious note, patent trolling is big business in the software/technology industry these days, and the entire system needs a total overhaul to deal with the 21st century so shit like this stops happening.

Edited by cSand, 06 February 2014 - 12:40 PM.

[S3dition]

Adridos, on 06 February 2014 - 08:08 AM, said:

The list of things that are immoral and harmful towards the competition that group of people has done is so long already I don't believe there's anything they could do to get horrible press from LoL fanbase.

And even if an outrage happened, a simple letter of "We're sorry, friends again?" would get them out of it faster than a get out of jail card in Monopoly. If we were talking like super serious butthurt the proportions of a global internet crash, a single free skin's worth in the paid currency to every player would silence it sooner than you could say: "Illegal."



Are we talking about the same company here?

The one that paid WCG to drop DotA, WC3 AND SC 2 in favor of more coverage?
The one that pays every tournament organizing institution to repress any non-LoL coverage?
The one that paid their own streamers while chaning them with contracts specifically designed to kill competition?
The one that got US government to recognize e-sports players as "athletes"?

This company has actually risen above the holy Microsoft itself with getting officials to turn a blind eye to complete disregard of basic consumerist rights in the free market and you think something like the tiny Valve could literally stand a chance against them in a court?


It's sad to see how much they've sunk since the release of the game.

Tell us how you really feel...

Honestly, I couldn't care less about LoL. I never liked MOBA style games really, except for Last Stand in DoW2. But that wasn't really a MOBA per se.

Still, who's more at fault, the person doing the bribe, or the organization greedy enough to take it? It takes 2 for a deal to work. Those same streams could exclude LoL coverage and push other games as well. They don't because they follow the money trail.

Valve could end Riot if they wanted to. Also, legit sports monoliths like the NFL could decide that Riot doesn't deserve to have a patent on spectating algorithms and completely end the esports industry. Seriously, the NFL could probably buy Russia and run an endless line of tanks over Riot's office if they wanted to. They don't just have money, they have an insane amount of power within the US government. Not to mention Comcast deciding it wants in on that action and getting the government to write a law that blocks any esport streams that don't run on Comcast.

As an example of their power, no company is allowed to lay new fiber in King County without the express approval of Comcast. That means you can buy the land, but it's illegal to put fiber in it. It's actually a law on the books.

So yeah, Riot is a noisy cricket.

[Adridos]

S3dition, on 06 February 2014 - 01:53 PM, said:

Still, who's more at fault, the person doing the bribe, or the organization greedy enough to take it? It takes 2 for a deal to work. Those same streams could exclude LoL coverage and push other games as well. They don't because they follow the money trail.

The thing is, yeah, they are just a small fish in all that stuff, but unlike the rest of it (which, as a non-USA citizen, I don't need to care about in the slightest), they are actually influencing stuff directly associated with me, Valve and Dota 2.