The critically acclaimed Nemesis system released in 2015 for the Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor by Monolith Productions and taken over for the sequel in 2017 Middle-earth: shadow of warcontinues to be talked about. In a video published on the Game Maker’s Toolkit YouTube channel, we learn that Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has filed an application with the US Trademark and Patent Office (USPTO).
This innovative system was introduced at E3 2014 during the presentation of the first game and allowed the player to experience an unprecedented experience. The principle: certain enemies crossed in the game have changed their future actions according to the result of this first or the following encounter. So an orc you were in a good mood would become the mockery of his clan and have a good chance of fleeing in fear when he sees you again, while conversely, if you died at the hands of an opponent, the one – ci received a promotion within the Army of Sauron and gained competence during a new battle. In other words, the creatures kept evolving as you moved, in a constant learning cycle between killing and killing. Here is an overview:
The patent application first filed in March 2016 was kicked by the USPTO in November 2019. But Warner Bros. never gave up on the idea, and a positive opinion would finally have been given in October 2020, a sign that the studio is on the verge of winning its case.
If the merits of such a request can be questioned, since video game mechanics are generally often reused as soon as they appear, the fact that any of them are submitted would not be a premiere. For example, Bioware patented the dialog level of Mass effectand Sega had done the same for the arrow-shaped floating compass from Crazy taxi, but this exclusivity ended in 2018.
Also, Warner Bros. could either reserve the use of the Nemesis system (or a newer version of it) for future titles such as the highly anticipated ones Hogwarts Legacy or a game from the DC Universe. To find out, we have to be patient and wait to learn more about the game from the Harry Potter universe or other future projects of the studio.
