NetEase

The 3 game mechanics patents center on progression and efficiency in competitive multiplayer contexts. One filing introduces a skill-based looting system where players can upgrade their interaction range with containers during a match, turning proximity into a dynamic progression layer rather than a fixed constant. Another addresses attachment management in shooters by automating the pickup and swap process based on the specific weapon a player currently holds, filtering available attachments to match the active loadout. The third applies resource optimization to strategy games by propagating attribute bonuses across connected land parcels whenever a building is upgraded, making territorial connectivity a direct factor in resource generation rather than a purely spatial consideration.

Four UI and UX patents tackle the constraints of mobile touch controls. A radial weapon-switching interface places the active weapon in a central display surrounded by satellite slots showing available alternatives, enabling both status awareness and instant swapping through a single on-screen element. A context-aware joystick system detects when a character enters cover and automatically displays a second joystick dedicated to crouched movement, separating bunker navigation from open-world controls to avoid input ambiguity. Another joystick design allows players to set a movement path that persists after lifting their finger, then adjust it with a second touch, overcoming the traditional limitation where releasing the stick stops all motion. A fourth filing integrates roguelite-style randomized item selection into multiplayer level-up moments, replacing static skill trees with per-match dynamic choices to add build variety within each session.

The single Audio patent links sound playback parameters to real-time skill state data derived from gameplay context. Rather than relying solely on fixed Audio rules or manual player settings, the system computes Audio behavior dynamically based on active skill conditions, layering contextual modulation on top of user preferences.

Two game engine patents address scene management and AI navigation. One introduces a dual-scene item recovery mechanic for eliminated players, holding their dropped gear in a protected state inaccessible to opponents while the eliminated player enters a secondary scene to attempt retrieval within a time window. The other focuses on procedural terrain assembly, co-processing pathfinding graphs during scene stitching so that AI characters can navigate seamlessly across tile boundaries, aligning navigable areas at seams rather than splicing only visual resources.