Girls’ Frontline developers patent their method and device of rendering silk stockings. Read on to learn more about MICA Team/Sunborn’s move to protect their rendering technique.
Girls’ Frontline 2 Devs Patented Rendering Method and Device
Protected their Technology to Realistically Render Silk Stockings
MICA Team/Sunborn patents their device and method of rendering silk stockings in games. The patent application was filed in China on July 7, 2023, and approved on June 6, 2024, securing exclusive rights to their object rendering technology.
Sunborn patented their rendering technique and tool, currently used for Girls’ Frontline 2: Exilium. According to Google Patents, Sunborn patented their "silk stocking object rendering method and device," which bridges the gap between realistically rendered stockings and more cartoonish ones. Through this method, they also improved the animation physics to their silk stockings.
Sunborn’s rendering method achieves "the highlight feeling of the real silk stocking," avoiding the common issue of making them appear metallic or plastic-like. They listed multiple steps to achieve this, including using specific codes, adjusting light reflection parameters, and fine-tuning color transitions. In doing so, they created better-looking silk stockings for the Girls’ Frontline 2’s female characters.
Many Girls’ Frontline fans are happy with this revelation on a Twitter post made by Cleista on December 8. They praised Yuzhong, the CEO of Sunborn, and the company’s artists for their attention to detail and commitment to make realistically-looking stockings. However, another user mentioned, "I always felt patent stuff like this only hurt the game industry." Despite this, most fans are thrilled that the silk stockings in Girls’ Frontline 2 look better than in the previous game.
With that being said, Sunborn's patent will expire on July 7, 2043, preventing other companies from using this specific rendering method to create realistic silk stockings for nearly twenty years. However, they can request permission to use this rendering technique, with approval at Sunborn's discretion.
Additionally, you can check out the article below for more information about Girls’ Frontline 2: Exilium!
EA’s Patent Pledge
While Sunborn is protecting its silk stocking rendering technique, EA expanded the list of accessible patented technologies by adding 23 accessibility patents and open-source technologies on December 5, 2024. Electronic Arts pledged back in 2019 that its accessibility-centered technology will be free for all, ensuring that other developers can use EA's technology to make their games accessible to people with disabilities.
"We share our accessibility-centered technology with the wider industry so that together we can meet the needs of our diverse gaming community," according to EA’s website. "It covers some of our most innovative technologies designed to break down barriers for players with disabilities. This includes those with vision, hearing, speaking or cognitive conditions. Better yet, all this IP has been shared royalty-free, which means you won’t need to pay royalties or license fees to use it."
One of the patents available via EA’s pledge is Apex Legends’ Ping System, allowing players to communicate with one another without the use of voice or text communication. Another example is FIFA Mobile’s Virtual Joystick, which improves accessibility and comfortability by eliminating the use of a physical joystick.
EA’s pledge is also legally binding and irrevocable. However, the company’s patents can be revoked through "Defensive Termination," a strategy to avoid legal disputes by abandoning or selling a patent to another individual or company. If EA abandoned or sold a patent included in their Patent Pledge, other developers using that particular patent might be open for infringement claims by a third party.
Sources:
Google Patents: Silk stocking object rendering method and device
CN116883580 - A method and device for rendering stockings objects
EA: Our Patent Pledge for Increasing Accessibility
EA pledges 23 more accessibility patents and open sources more tech
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