# 2015: the Year that Loading Screen Mini-Games (Hopefully) Return



## DemonDragonJ (Apr 12, 2015)

Long-time video gamers may recall that Namco patented the concept of playing an auxiliary game during the loading screen of the main video game back in 1995. At that time, loading screens were a relatively new concept for video games, since most video games used cartridges, which have virtually no loading times. However, as optical discs began to become more popular, video game developers knew that players would dislike loading screens, so they began to incorporate mini-games that could be played during the loading screens to relieve the tedium of waiting for the game to load.

However, what would have, could have, and should have been an amazing technological trend was stifled by a ridiculous patent that prevented any game developer other than Namco from featuring an auxiliary game in the load screen of a video game. While some developers were able to circumvent that restriction, most did not, and the result was two whole decades of mind-numbingly boring load screens (some, but not all) and many hours of time wasted while the games loaded. Some loading screen provided helpful hints or featured animated cutscenes, but no mini-games, which I imagine frustrated many players.

Now, however, the patent that Namco filed is set to expire this year (and, hopefully, they shall not renew it), which I believe is a very good thing. Finally, developers shall be free to once again include mini-games in the loading screen of their main games! Of course, I worry that the expiration of that patent may be arriving too little, too late, that the current video game industry is so different from when the patent was initially filed that its expiration may make little difference.

What does everyone else say about this? What are your feelings about the impending expiration of that patent, and do you believe that it shall have any profound effect upon the video game industry? What if that horrible patent had never been filed? Can you imagine how different the video game industry may have been if it had never existed?


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## Jeff (Apr 12, 2015)

Yeah, I can see it working I guess.  I'm probably not creative enough to really imagine how it can work, but I briefly recall me trying to bounce Haro on his landing marker in Dynasty Warriors Gundam III...and it did take some skill and concentration to do it rapidly.  It would be cool if they can somehow implement it directly into the game so that you gain something out of it, but I feel like there will be many who exploit this so I suppose it would be best to stick to mind-numbing shit like that Haro example.

Also, I feel like these days since we have a cell phone or whatever when we play video games, the loads are THAT ridiculous.  I'm not sure about the Xbox One but the PS4 doesn't give me any major load times where I am like "Ohhhhh fuck me" because:

1. I can just stare at my nearby laptop or phone for a few seconds to take my mind off the game (which is what I normally do, either to text/msg a friend on Skype or just skim sports scores)

2. I am so used to it that I don't get impatient knowing that it is a natural part of games.  And at least loading times haven't exponentially increased with the introducing of modern games that demand far more on the hardware than the PS1 did. I remember the longest I ever waited was on the Sims 3 for the community to load.  That was the longest I ever waited and if I recall they DID implement something in it (like a search game) so it wasn't too bad that way either.

So, it won't revolutionize anything.  But hey, it doesn't hurt to throw in something when a game has a long load time.


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## Gaawa-chan (Apr 12, 2015)

Eh.  Bayonetta's combo practicing load screen > mini-games.


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## Jeff (Apr 12, 2015)

^ Never played Bayonetta but that sounds useful.  And idea like that, or even those advice screens are alright.


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## Deathbringerpt (Apr 12, 2015)

About time Namco dropped that retarded fucking patent. Loading minigames should be standard.

And Angel Attack is...okay? I'd rather just do something more simple and intuitive.


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## 7777777 (Apr 13, 2015)

Seeing how almost all AAA developers strive for open world formula and/or seamless transitions to some extent now, in the near future loading screens would be basically non-existent, save for the installation on the hard drive. Or so few and spread so far apart from one another that a chore of making a mini-game for one would be considered a waste of time. Not a very rare commodity already now.
Especially considering the probability of the next generation being entirely digital.

So basically:


> the current video game industry is so different from when the patent was initially filed that its expiration makes little difference.


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## DemonDragonJ (Apr 13, 2015)

77777, are you saying that loading screens will soon be non-existent? If that is true, does that mean that Namco completely screwed over the entire video game industry with their selfish patent? Do they not realize that they deprived the industry and its players of many potentially very awesome (and likely many more potentially very terrible) loading screen mini-games? I would not at all be surprised if some high-ranking executive at Namco was currently in a dark corner, laughing, and saying "Ha ha, suckers! Our patent may soon be expiring, but it does not matter! We monopolized mini-games for two decades, and if we cannot have it, no one can!"


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## 7777777 (Apr 13, 2015)

I don't think anyone cared about that patent, either at Namco or at any other company. To begin with, there are many other ways to diversify loading screens outside straight up mini games. As are ways to circumvent that patent I'm sure. Yet for 20 years, with exceptions of course, everyone in the industry was perfectly content with standard loading screens - either empty, or with some art, text, video, etc. Not to mention not all games are suited for such a thing stylistically and wouldn't have used them anyway. So it's not like games would all suddenly have them if the patent never existed or was dropped earlier.

I think the idea of a load screen mini-game would most likely have become an artifact of the past either way, on it's own, like many other things.


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## DemonDragonJ (Apr 13, 2015)

7777777 said:


> I don't think anyone cared about that patent, either at Namco or at any other company. To begin with, there are many other ways to diversify loading screens outside straight up mini games. As are ways to circumvent that patent I'm sure. Yet for 20 years, with exceptions of course, everyone in the industry was perfectly content with standard loading screens - either empty, or with some art, text, video, etc. Not to mention not all games are suited for such a thing stylistically and wouldn't have used them anyway. So it's not like games would all suddenly have them if the patent never existed or was dropped earlier.
> 
> I think the he idea of a load screen mini-game would most likely have become an artifact of the past either way, on it's own, like many other things.



That is very unfortunate; such a missed opportunity.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Apr 13, 2015)

Bloodborne? Bloodborne


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## DemonDragonJ (Apr 13, 2015)

Unlosing Ranger said:


> Bloodborne? Bloodborne



Did that game have a mini-game in its loading screens?


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## Gaawa-chan (Apr 13, 2015)

Deathbringerpt said:


> And Angel Attack is...okay? I'd rather just do something more simple and intuitive.



Not Angel Attack.  The load screen where you can fire off combos.


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## kraufen (May 25, 2015)

That could be done really well if used right


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## Sauce (May 25, 2015)

The dragon ball z games I remember would do this and I would go eh.


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