NetEase received 5 granted patents this quarter across 3 categories: Game Mechanics (1), UI/UX (3), and Platforms (1).
The UI/UX patents cover player communication tools, including a customizable map marker system for team coordination, an in-game screenshot capture feature for social deduction games, and a streamlined cosmetics marketplace interface. The Game Mechanics patent describes a dynamic map marking system that reveals opponent locations based on suspicion values in stealth adversarial games. The Platforms patent details a real-time translation system that converts foreign games, particularly Unity-based titles, into Chinese by injecting translation logic at runtime.
The single game mechanics patent tackles a common challenge in stealth adversarial games, where one team tries to remain hidden while another searches for them. Instead of forcing players to choose between total fog of war or full map visibility, the system generates suspicion values as defending players collect clues and observe suspicious behaviors. These values then drive a dynamic map marking system that gradually reveals opponent positions, creating a middle ground where information advantage must be earned through gameplay rather than granted automatically.
Three UI and UX patents address different aspects of the in-game player experience. The customizable map marker system lets players individually adjust how they see teammate-placed markers, changing properties like size, opacity, and color to reduce visual clutter without losing tactical information. A phase-specific screenshot capture system designed for social deduction and reasoning games allows players to save evidence during action phases, then review those captured images later during voting phases, with the system organizing screenshots by match phase and controlling when they become accessible. The cosmetics marketplace patent consolidates the browsing and purchasing flow into a single pop-up interface, eliminating the need to navigate between separate screens when previewing and buying character customization items.
NetEase's Platforms patent describes a runtime translation system that converts foreign games into Chinese without requiring official localization. The system works by running games, particularly those built with Unity, inside a simulator environment where it intercepts UI text calls and injects translation logic directly into the execution flow. This approach differs from traditional localization methods that modify game files before release or require developer cooperation, instead translating content dynamically as the game runs.