http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=141250&skip=yes Friday 9-Jun-2006 9:59 AM US patent hints at messaging service for Nintendo consoles with text and voice chat It's no real stretch to argue that Microsoft has been the pioneer of online console gaming with its Xbox Live service. Now, with Sony already making noises about its own PS3 alternative, it seems Nintendo may be ready to step up to the challenge - or at least that's what a recently granted US patent filed by the company would seem to suggest. Nintendo's patent refers to an online messaging system for its consoles, which appears to offer similar messaging and chat functions to Xbox Live. The whole thing is designed around a "buddy list", which enables gamers to see which of their friends are currently online, what they're playing, as well as offering facilities to send messages, text chat and voice chat - even when playing different games. It's all tied around a profile system which, alongside personal details, can also display a player's highscores and accomplishments within various games for others to see. There's also mention of a avatar-creation tool, enabling users to design their own online persona by selecting from set noses, moustaches and so on. Interestingly, this sounds strikingly similar to previous reports that you'll be able to create your own characters on Wii which will appear within multiple games - with Wii Sports being the most obvious example. Could it be that once you've designed your messenger avatar, it will automatically appear in-game? Although no specific console is mentioned (the patent was originally filed back in 2000, around the time of the N64, although only granted this year), it makes reference to home systems, handhelds and devices emulating other consoles - all of which sounds suspiciously like the functionality Nintendo has already promised for the Wii. It's the handheld stuff that's really got out interest piqued though - it appears that Nintendo envisages a cross-console style buddy list, which suggests it has plans to enable DS and Wii users to chat and voice chat across both of its major systems, whether at home or out on the road. Pretty cool stuff, eh? Of course, we'll have no way of knowing what Nintendo's got in store until it makes some fresh announcements later this year. Still, the possibilities are more than a little bit exciting so we're waiting for more on this with baited breath. Link to the patent as well http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=nintendo.ASNM.&OS=AN/nintendo&RS=AN/nintendo Sure I posted something on this patent some time ago
