Surrounded by towering skyscrapers and blinkering neon signs, navigating a virtual world can seem like a dizzying puzzle. Tasks and missions beckon, but getting lost is all too easy, dampening engagement and draining players' patience. This is the problem addressed by Tencent Technology's new patent, US20230347243A1, filed with a mission to map a pathway through this virtual labyrinth.
When players, represented by digital avatars, lose their way, they can often feel disoriented. This can lead to symptoms that shadow those we experience in our physical world - frustration, aimlessness, and eventually disconnect. Unfortunately, in most virtual realities, when assistance is sought, the barrage of advice and information can be overwhelming rather than helpful. Such information deluge can cause players to lose focus on the mission and their gaming experience loses its charm.
Tencent's patent aims to alleviate this problem by introducing a clever guidance system. Instead of existing non-player characters who offer a slew of advice, the patent proposes a method to provide guidance that is tailored to the player's needs.
Imagine being lost in a massive virtual castle filled with historical artifacts in 'Honor of Kings'. You seek help, and instead of being bombarded with detailed descriptions of every artifact in every room, a non-person character gently guides you on the paramount task at hand, pointing out the artifact relevant to your mission.
This system doesn’t only specify the location of the task, but it also provides information about the virtual tools needed to accomplish the target task. This detailed yet streamlined guidance attempts to replicate real-world problem-solving scenarios and promises to enhance the overall user experience.
After such a system is in place, experts predict potential of a more engaged and growing virtual community. Players will no longer feel lost or overwhelmed; instead, they'll be efficiently guided towards their goals, allowing them to fully enjoy the engrossing storylines and rich environments.
Let’s take an example of a player involved in a gaming tournament of 'Honor of Kings'. With this system, they can now focus on their strategies and gameplay without worrying about getting lost or missing crucial elements. This brings a more immersive and satisfying gaming experience to casual players and adds a new depth of strategic planning for competitive gamers.
But it's important to temper our excitement. While the idea undoubtedly holds promise, it’s still in the patent phase. There's no guarantee that this solution will eventually make its way into the public market. So, for now, we continue to await the next groundbreaking innovation in our virtual odysseys.
P.S: This is a proposal for a patent and therefore, just an idea at this stage. There is no certainty if or when this technology will be made available in the market..