8w ago - Today an online Sony patent has surfaced that outlines a method to award PS3 Trophies based on disc access, possibly to be used with the upcoming PlayStation 4 / PS4 console as well.

Below are the details, as follows: Called "Method and Apparatus for awarding trophies", the patent explains a way to award trophies, even for games that don't natively support them...

"A method and apparatus for adding trophy support games that do not have trophies without modifying the original game," the patent states.

"The method and apparatus are used to detect particular disk access, use the detected disk access as potential trophy triggers in games, and recognize the triggers while a game is played. Trophies are awarded based on the triggers, and the awarded trophies are stored."

The diagram below also gives an idea of how it works:

"A method for assigning one or more trophies to a user, comprising: accessing media content; defining one or more trophies; defining a trigger associated with the media content; detecting the trigger during media content access; and assigning the one or more trophies to a user account that is associated with the...

20w ago - Previously it was rumored that Sony was planning to combat PS3 piracy with Blu-ray disc serial keys, and today gofreak uncovered a patent (PDF File) which may suppress second-hand game sales on PS4 as well.

Below are the details, to quote: So I believe this is interesting in light of a prior rumor about Sony limiting second hand game sales on PS4. Sony has been working on new technology for limiting used game sales, and has applied for a patent. The patent was filed 09/12/2012 by SCEJ.

Perhaps this work is where the rumor came from. Or perhaps it independently corroborates the rumor. Anyway, here's some of the relevant detail:

"According to the present embodiment, realized is the electronic content processing system that reliably restricts the use of electronic content dealt in the second-hand markets. As a result, the dealing of electronic content in the second-hand markets is suppressed, which in turn supports the redistribution of part of proceeds from sales of the electronic content to the developers. Though in the following description a game application...

51w ago - Today onQ123 has uncovered details on an interactive content patent that Sony has filed for an in-game advertising scheme presumably for PlayStation Network.

To quote from GamePlox.com (linked above): "Like That Free PSN? Better Get Used to Advertisements - Recently discovered on Google Patents, a patent that Sony Computer Entertainment America filed on November 10, 2011 shows that they plan to interrupt game play to bring advertisements.

The premise is like this: you’ll be enjoying your game, and then it will start to gradually slow down, until an advertisement pops-up on your screen telling you about some great offers, and then your game will resume."

Is PlayStation Network Plus the wave of the future, or should PSN remain free but plagued with in-game advertisements? Feel free to share your opinions on this topic below!

167w ago - Similar to what was done with PSN titles including Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, a recent patent filing by Sony has been found for a new demo system that slowly degrades the game as it is played.

Essentially this means the more hours you put into a downloaded PSP or PS3 demo, the more the demo's gameplay diminishes.

For example, as you continue to play a video game demo, your weapons might decrease in value (size, quality, etc.). It's essentially a system that adds a time limit to a demo.

This new system is reportedly going to help people make the decision to buy the actual game instead of continuously playing the demo. Whether that will work or not is questionable.

To quote: "In one scenario your weapon is weakened or replaced with a less powerful one after so many hours playing the game. Think of it as a timed level down.

Another idea Sony has is to remove levels, race tracks in this example, after you reach a certain number of plays. When you finally buy the game (bottom right) you can use all of the tracks again."

203w ago - We saw Sony unveil an LED wand during their E3 press conference.

The device in conjunction with an EyeToy camera brought motion control to the PlayStation 3. In addition to that Sony developed another motion control system that uses everyday objects.

A recently published patent from Sony details a system where a camera can dynamically map an object -- any real world object -- for use in a video game.

To quote: The illustration has a U shape block, but the patent outlines other example objects "include items such as coffee mugs, drinking glasses, books, bottles, etc." While these are given as examples the object mapping system is not limited to those objects, it can identify any three dimensional object.

Before using an object like the U shaped block the camera captures has to capture it. Figure 2 explains the system where players show the object, rotate it, and save a profile for it in a file. The system then analyzes movements and translates them into in game actions.

Below are some examples of how Sony could use this technology. The "virtual world light sword" in figure 3B is particularly interesting. When a player holds the U-shaped block up the...