NetEase filed 4 patents across 3 categories: Game Engines (1), UI/UX (2), and Graphics (1).
The Game Engines work covers an asymmetric gameplay mechanic that rewards stealth and prior interactions with enhanced attack damage in 1vMany modes. UI/UX filings address a thermal detection mechanic for locating hidden enemies through camera-like skills and a split-screen spectator view that lets eliminated players watch teammates via multi-viewport observation. The Graphics patent describes multi-layer 2D texture stacking technology that creates parallax backgrounds for character displays.
NetEase's single game engine patent tackles balance in asymmetric multiplayer by letting outnumbered players grow stronger through reconnaissance. Characters from the minority faction accumulate damage bonuses against specific opponents they've previously scouted or engaged, with those bonuses stacking on top of base attack values. The system turns information gathering into a concrete combat advantage, encouraging players in 1vMany scenarios to observe and track enemies before committing to direct confrontation.
The 2 UI and UX patents both address visibility problems in competitive games, though through different mechanisms. The thermal detection system treats enemy spotting as a camera skill, where players aim a viewfinder at hidden opponents to tag them with a persistent status effect that reveals their location. This differs from radar pings or direct line-of-sight by introducing a capture-and-mark interaction model. The split-screen spectator mode solves the waiting problem for eliminated players by automatically switching them into a unified view that shows live feeds of multiple surviving teammates alongside result cards, replacing the typical single-camera spectate or idle lobby screen.
NetEase's Graphics filing describes a method for rendering depth in character showcase screens without the performance cost of full 3D environments. The technique layers multiple 2D textures at different depths and dynamically resizes each one based on the camera's view frustum, so that each layer correctly fills its position in clip space. The result is parallax depth that mimics 3D scenery while relying on 2D assets and transformation math rather than geometry rendering.
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.