One major change between the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 that many overlook is the extensively altered interface. In particular, the PlayStation 5 interface is designed around providing information based around the player’s current position in a given game through panels known as Activity Cards. For select games, PlayStation Plus subscribers can obtain hints and walkthrough videos on-demand; Even apart from this, players can see how far they progressed in accomplishing story events, and see estimates for how long upcoming missions will take. It’s not hard to imagine extending this further into the way online games are played.
According to a newly-discovered patent, Sony Interactive Entertainment is investigating node-based mapping for online games. This would allow online games to analyze how many previous players approached certain challenges, and then share that information in the form of hints.
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The new patent describes a method of tracing paths between players and the objectives they are supposed to reach. In particular, if implemented, this system would determine what steps most players had taken to move between a player’s location and the objective. The game could then indicate the route, allowing players to choose their next steps accordingly. This would achieve an effect similar to (but more advanced than) the weekly statistics presented in games like Fire Emblem: Three Houses, where players can see how others used protagonist Byleth’s weekend activity time.
This would be a superb way for PlayStation to take its newfound focus on hints and Activity Cards to the next level. Rather than simply prescribing that players take certain actions, games can dynamically provide hints based on what others find useful. While players might be able to get a similar gauge of other players’ actions by visiting online forums, it would be nowhere as convenient as simply seeing pathfinding suggestions appear in-game. This could make even the hardest PlayStation games less intimidating, as players would always know what others had previously done. i
One potential criticism of this system is that it would stifle potential player creativity. Particularly in vast open-world games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a major source of excitement is discovering secrets and strategies for one’s self. If a substantial number of players navigated through a secret area, or did something that would normally be more difficult to deduce, it could cheapen the experience for newcomers. As long as this system is optional, however, this shouldn’t be an issue.
A feature like this would simply add to the incredible momentum the PlayStation 5 currently has. In addition to record-breaking sales and an upcoming collection of top-notch games, the PlayStation 5 could gain a reputation for being friendly to newcomers with the new node-based system. Time will tell if this idea comes to fruition, but if it does, players might be able to look forward to never getting lost again in supported titles, giving the PS5 a leg up over its competitors.
Source: USPTO
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