Microsoft patent for multiuser editing

[Vectrex]

erm, isn't this EXACTLY like second life? Or any of the many multiuser editing enabled apps? If this gets passed then that has to prove that no-one even does a google search for prior art..

http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Par ... 0090275412

[justinandrews]

The devils in the details.
This looks like its a patent for Consoles, and mentions a few key differences over something, say, like Second Life.

Are these details enough? Meh. I'm not a lawyer.
But I would strongly expect that the Microsoft legal team (who are really quite good on average) have checked out Second Life, and believe that their patent is different enough to warent filing.


Not that I'm at all a fan of software patents.

[stoneCold]

I've only read the abstract, since I'm no fan of software patents at all, but...

An arrangement is provided for multiplayer collaborative content editing which allows players to edit content and enjoy a social collaborative process. The arrangement provides a gameplay environment for custom or "honor rule" gametypes, and allows multiple users to participate in a full-featured game environment. The multiple user editing scenarios may be employed on, e.g., a single game console in a splitscreen version, over a LAN with multiple game consoles, or over the internet. Users may toggle between a "Player Mode", with a similar appearance and capabilities as a player in a traditional multiplayer game, and an "Edit Mode", which may have different appearance and capabilities. The Edit Mode presents the user with editing functionality and a suitable user interface, as well as a number of additional abilities beyond that of a user in Player Mode.

... ever heard of Little Big Planet ?

(Maybe I've beeing using this too often recently, but it's just so fitting)

[justinandrews]

I did wonder about little big planet myself, but not being a PS3 owner, and not having played it, I did'nt feel very qualified to mention it.

(I have played, and got very bored, by Second Life however)

[Kojack]

Sounds like Cube and Sauerbraten.
http://sauerbraten.org
Both are first person shooters with in game multiuser level editing. They sound exactly like the abstract above, except for the word "console".

[Vectrex]

Sounds like Cube and Sauerbraten.
http://sauerbraten.org
Both are first person shooters with in game multiuser level editing. They sound exactly like the abstract above, except for the word "console".

slightly ot but does anyone know of any pc games that do this? I only know of cube based games and the racing sim LFS

[mkultra333]

The beautiful part is that once the patent is granted Microsoft knows almost no one will challenge them on it, even if there's prior art in abundance, because of the huge legal cost of point out that the patent is ridiculous.

Plus, how is shuffling an idea from PC to console non-obvious? Ugh...