Another patent news for today is coming from Nintendo. Nintendo managed to get the patent for the Sanity system for video game and game system, which covers causing a game character to hallucinate (for example: see bleeding walls and hear maniacal laughter) as its sanity decreases in response to encountering a creature or gruesome situation.

Below is the abstract for the patent:

A video game and game system incorporating a game character’s sanity level that is affected by occurrences in the game such as encountering a game creature or gruesome situation. A character’s sanity level is modified by an amount determined based on a character reaction to the occurrence such as taking a rest or slowing game progress and/or an amount of character preparation. That is, if a character is prepared for the particular occurrence, the occurrence may have little or no affect on the character’s sanity level. As the character’s sanity level decreases, game play is effected such as by controlling game effects, audio effects, creating hallucinations and the like. In this context. the same game can be played differently each time it is played.

Nintendo filled the patent on December 14, 2000, under the name of Nintendo of America.

[ Via Slashdot ]