This month's Game Engines & Development category includes 2 granted patents from 2 companies: EA (1) and Tencent (1).
EA's patent addresses version compatibility in live games through a node-graph state system that maintains save file integrity across updates. Tencent's patent covers a dual approach to map development, combining dynamic refresh rate adjustments based on element change frequency with a framework that reduces development complexity through class encapsulation.
EA received 1 patent that tackles the persistent problem of save file corruption when games receive updates. The system stores game state as a network of dependent nodes rather than a single frozen snapshot, allowing the same save to work across different versions of the game. When the player loads a save, the system validates the dependencies between nodes to catch conflicts before they cause crashes or data loss.
Tencent received 1 patent that changes how game maps refresh their visual elements and how developers build those maps. Instead of updating every map element at the same fixed rate, the system monitors how often each element actually changes and adjusts its refresh interval accordingly. The patent also describes a framework that wraps map functionality into reusable classes, letting developers add new map elements through configuration files instead of writing custom code for each one.
All data sourced from USPTO patent filings. Google Patents may take several weeks to index recent publications. If a link is unavailable, search for the patent number at USPTO Patent Public Search.