Video Game Peripheral Weight Shifting for Tactile Directional Hints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing video game systems provide intrusive and disruptive directional hints, which can distract players and increase the risk of collisions with objects in their immediate surroundings due to immersion in gameplay.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using positional data to generate directional hints that actuate a moveable weight in peripheral devices, such as controllers or headsets, to bias weight distribution without visible or audible cues, guiding players safely through their environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If visual or audible directional hints are provided to guide players, then directional guidance is improved, but player immersion and safety are worsened due to intrusiveness and distraction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces visual and audible hint systems with a tactile feedback mechanism. A movable weight within the peripheral device creates physical directional cues through weight distribution changes, allowing players to receive directional guidance through touch rather than sight or sound, thus maintaining immersion while providing necessary guidance
Solution Approach 2:
The movable weight acts as an intermediary between the game system and the player's sense of direction. Instead of directly presenting visual or auditory information that competes for the player's attention, the system uses tactile feedback as an intermediate channel that provides directional information subconsciously through physical sensation
2Productivity
If players are deeply immersed in the video game experience, then gameplay engagement is improved, but awareness of physical surroundings deteriorates leading to safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces attention-grabbing visual and audible cues with subtle tactile feedback that does not compete for the player's conscious attention. The movable weight provides directional information through physical sensation that the player perceives subconsciously, allowing deep immersion to be maintained while safety guidance is still provided
Solution Approach 2:
The tactile feedback system serves the dual function of maintaining player immersion while simultaneously providing safety guidance. The same peripheral device that enables gameplay also provides directional hints through weight distribution, making the system self-sufficient rather than requiring separate safety mechanisms
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides non-intrusive directional hints that enhance gameplay immersion while improving player safety by avoiding collisions with objects, allowing players to interact safely with their surroundings.
Implementation Method 1
actuating a moveable weight of the peripheral device in the direction of the directional hint, thereby biasing the weight distribution of the peripheral device in the direction of the directional hint
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a computer-implemented method for signalling a directional hint to a video game player of a video game system, comprising: obtaining (102), by the video game system, positional data; generating (104), based on the positional data, by a processor of the video game system, a directional hint to be signalled to the video game player; receiving (106), at a peripheral device of the video game system, the directional hint; and actuating (108) a moveable weight of the peripheral device in the direction of the directional hint, thereby biasing the weight distribution of the peripheral device in the direction of the directional hint.