Tencent

The 4 game engine patents address player engagement and mobile performance challenges. One application describes a time-stop mechanic where continuous attacks extend crowd-control duration, turning what would normally be a fixed-duration effect into something players can maintain through sustained combo execution. Another tackles the technical challenge of instant replays on mobile devices by reusing assets already loaded for the current battle rather than duplicating resources, making a feature previously limited to PC Hardware viable on phones. A third combines hidden identity deduction gameplay with real-time combat, creating a system where fighting actions simultaneously serve as tools for revealing player roles and factions. The fourth handles aim-assist complexity when multiple enemies appear on screen, using view ray analysis to identify and track a single primary target rather than splitting assistance across several objects.

Four AI and machine learning applications focus on automating game development tasks and expanding player options. One replaces manually programmed behavior trees with reinforcement learning that trains NPCs to make combat decisions by processing both current state data and historical patterns through LSTM networks. Another automates the testing of user-generated levels by running AI pathfinding checks across all routes simultaneously, categorizing problems like unreachable jumps or impossible landings and offering automatic geometry corrections. A third enables players to generate custom clothing designs through keyword input, using existing garment texture maps as templates to create new variations that remain compatible with game rendering systems. The fourth separates NPC control into individual character logic and group-level state management, allowing complex behaviors that respond to player actions while maintaining performance efficiency.

The 4 UI and UX patents redesign how players interact with mobile games and in-game information. Two applications address multitasking on phones by allowing gameplay to continue in reduced screen space, one creating dedicated sub-interfaces for zoomed game views and persistent controls, the other using floating windows with intelligent overlays that highlight critical events during idle moments. A third transforms how players share navigation information in open-world games by recording movements and location markers during normal play, then auto-generating paths others can follow with a single action rather than manually typing coordinates. The fourth makes pet-capture mechanics more transparent by displaying threshold markers on status bars that show exactly when capture attempts will succeed based on current health and energy levels, eliminating guesswork about readiness.

A single game mechanics patent connects character physical state to weapon handling by adjusting projectile trajectory visualization based on stamina levels. Players see how their character's fatigue will affect throwing performance before releasing grenades or other thrown weapons, creating a feedback system where stamina management influences combat effectiveness beyond just movement speed or ability cooldowns.

One Networking application dynamically adjusts server refresh rates throughout a match by analyzing battle intensity and game stage in real time. Rather than maintaining constant tick rates that consume resources even during quiet moments, the system scales frequency up during high-action combat and down during lulls, balancing performance requirements against infrastructure costs.