Kapitel 3: Chapter 3 Is This Game Fun? (Please Favorite, Recommend, Thank You)_1
Indie games made by newcomers are typically at two extremes: the good ones are really impressive, even if the screen is filled with baffling mosaics, that's still considered good.
And the bad ones are truly terrible, like tossing paint into a pot to cook, you can't tell what the end product is supposed to be.
But "The Forest's Second Son" is totally different.
This could easily sell for a 98 on a major platform, a rating most official games don't even achieve.
From the time he entered the game, Wang Say Games was in a state of bewilderment.
His spawn point was in the middle of a snowy area, and as soon as he arrived, he could see the snowflakes, as big as fists, smacking right at him. Even through the screen, you could feel the bone-chilling cold.
The ground was already covered in snow, and as he walked, you could hear the shuffling sound of the character moving through the snow. Turning his head, he could even see the tracks slowly fading away in the snow behind him. The whole process was smooth and natural, without any lag.
Could a newcomer really pay attention to such details?
Are all newcomers monsters these days?
I remember back in my day, I was thrilled to pieces making a platformer like Super Mario, comparing to this newcomer, I'm nothing but hot air.
In the live streaming room of Wang Say Games, a rare moment of silence occurred. The five thousand viewers widened their eyes as they stared at the game's graphics on the screen, and it took quite a while before someone spoke up, "This newcomer… is really something!"
"Isn't it a game company pretending to be a rookie?"
"Look at the signature, it's certified by Mr. Shen from Tianxiong Training Center, the guy's a big name in the industry. He doesn't need to cheat in a rookie competition."
"That's true. But this might be the author using materials from the academy to cobble together, whether it's actually fun or not, we'll have to see the gameplay."
"Exactly, exactly, Wang, let's get started."
Wang Say Games also recovered from his shock and began to control his character to move through the snowy landscape.
Just by controlling it a bit, he could tell that the author was definitely a powerhouse.
The character control felt incredibly smooth, the responsiveness and delay in the actions were so precise, it was like actually controlling a person running in unknown snow fields.
And with the surrounding snowscape, even without any other features, just as a walking simulator, it was enough to look down on other newcomers.
"A newcomer, huh... Let's see what this newcomer is called... Fang Cheng, never heard of him, definitely a fresh face."
Approaching a large tree resembling a pine or cypress, Wang Say Games began to pull at the tree bare-handed, the solid sensation of his fists hitting the trunk was satisfying.
After a few breaths, a large tree was pulled down, but before Wang Say Games could start dealing with it, something pounced at him.
It was a giant wolf, roughly the size of a baby elephant, its sharp claws still stained with blood, its ferocious face closing in on Wang Say Games, you could even see its dinner through its throat.
Wang Say Games reacted quickly. Just as he was about to turn and run, the starving wolf slapped him over with its paw.
The next moment, the screen went black, and the sound of the wolf feasting filled his ears, making Wang yelp and jump up, continuously rubbing his arms.
The realism just then was so intense, it made him feel as though he was actually being eaten by the wolf, nearly turning into his nightmare for life.
Looking at the death notification on the screen, Wang Say Games smacked his lips, feeling like he drank a cup of fine wine, savoring the aftertaste.
"This game... is incredible! Remember this Fang Cheng, he's going to be big in the future."
"Wang, don't enjoy it all by yourself! Show us more!"
"Yeah, just watching it for a bit, my digital ED seems to be showing signs of recovery."
"And Wang, you suck, getting knocked down by wild wolves in less than three minutes, your sister-in-law would be heartbroken."
"Screw off!" Wang cursed with a laugh, then sent the link to the group, "Free game, and you can download it instantly. Remember to throw in a coin, give a thumbs up, and add it to your favorites before downloading. Such a good game shouldn't get buried."
"Alright."
The five thousand live stream viewers were instantly wide awake, they started downloading the game online and before long were immersed in the world of 'The Forest's Second Son'.
Afterward, even more details were unearthed by them, each one making them exclaim in surprise or shout in excitement.
"I saw Wang start in the snow, and I thought the game only had a snow scene! Turns out I was born on the plains this time! There are wild horses and sheep around, I'm going to try and tame them!"
"Don't tell me I'm the last one to find out there's actually a crafting system. It's a shame the game's creator was too lazy to publish the crafting formulas."
"That's not laziness, that's a sense of mystery! A game shouldn't reveal everything, exploring bit by bit is what makes it fun."
"Comrades, this game actually has a main storyline! I found a huge relic, and although I got taken out by the Relic Guardian right away, this shows there are definitely secrets here unknown to man!"
"What secret is that? I found out this game is actually online! I've encountered other players!"
A small game, but it brought boundless joy.
With Wang's live stream as a hub, a large number of players began to spread this game around, attracting even more players to join in.
Over at the Newcomer Cup's website, the game's likes and votes skyrocketed as if on steroids, exceeding the second place by tenfold in just one night and dominating the top spot with an overwhelming lead.
The crazy rate of growth made the organizers almost think the game was manipulating votes, but after playing it themselves, they had to admit, this time the netizens were not up to par.
Only half the people liked and voted, do the rest have no hands?!
In the comment section below the game, tens of thousands of people were frantically leaving messages, sharing experiences, looking for strategy posts and crafting formulas, turning the modest Newcomer Cup into a carnival for game enthusiasts.
"Author, start charging for this, I'd feel ashamed to play it without paying at least 298."
"I suspect I saw a digital Succubus."
"Me and a few buddies have formed a big family in the game, named Binary, hope everyone can join."
"Don't believe the above, Binary is just 1 and 0, understand the nature of the family, right?"
"Joined."
"Joined."
"...Are all the players in this broken game male?"
In the morning, Fang Cheng was woken up by a call from Mr. Shen.
Mr. Shen, who had been up all night playing the game, was extremely excited, and the first thing he said after the call connected was, "Quick, tell me the formula for the Seven-Star Sword!"
"Oh, just meteorite plus Thunderstruck Wood, but you need to refine the meteorite in lava."
"Ah, thanks. Also, your game is on fire."
Logging onto the website in confusion, Fang Cheng saw the exaggerated amount of likes and downloads for 'The Forest's Second Son' and was baffled for a moment.
And after reading the comments, Fang Cheng was even more puzzled.
Is this game... fun?
Kapitel 4: Chapter 4 I Want to Make a Horror Game_1
With this doubt in mind, Fang Cheng's thoughts shifted, and the next moment he appeared above the planet.
This planet had been officially named "Star of the Forest," a reference to its corresponding game "The Forest's Second Son."
At this time, there were already a million players active on this planet, and because the players had discovered that everyone was in the same "server," they began to constantly search for other people, either forming alliances or making enemies.
They had already started to build large bases, and the relics of the planet's former civilization had been marked, but the guards were too strong. They still needed to continue collecting materials and synthesizing items to deal with the relics and the civilization here.
After that, they would be able to utilize the technology within the relics, as well as their own provided Refinement system, to repair the relics before embarking on the journey to the Starry Sea.
Of course, the whole process might take decades, enough to turn this game into a family heirloom, passed down to grandchildren to continue playing.
Hiding his presence and floating above the planet, Fang Cheng looked down at the excited players collecting resources below, still not understanding what was fun about this game.
Recalling a previous top-rated comment, Fang Cheng felt there might be some truth to it.
"This game is full of mystery and various unknowns. Its exquisite setup fills the game with infinite possibilities, making every entrance into the game full of anticipation."
Originally, he thought realism was the greatest standard of fun, but now it seemed that mystery, unknowns, and a sense of anticipation were also measures of a game's enjoyment.
Nodding slightly, Fang Cheng felt as if he had realized something.
For the next game, he would try to incorporate this element of unknowns.
After confirming his thoughts, Fang Cheng stopped paying attention to this place and returned directly to his dormitory to study what exactly this "unknown" was.
While others were busy making games, he had already graduated early.
Seven days later.
The graduation ceremony ended, and the principal of Tianxiong Training Academy delivered a heartfelt speech. The completed trainees bade each other farewell, and Fang Cheng, who had been dragged into taking photos all day, saw his portrait collection produced and sold for the high price of five hundred yuan on the same day.
Under Mr. Shen's arrangement, Fang Cheng brought "The Forest's Second Son" to Tianyi, and Tianyi also expressed a desire to cooperate, hoping Fang Cheng would hand over the adaptation rights of "The Forest's Second Son" to Tianyi for further development and maintenance.
The person in charge of the liaison was a producer from a working group under Tianyi, named KongKong.
The other party was a short and chubby little fellow with a kindly smile, but his beady eyes were always darting around, and his tone of voice had a sharp edge when he spoke.
After asking Fang Cheng to sit down in the office, he got straight to the point and said, "I think 'The Forest's Second Son' is no good."
Fang Cheng excitedly lifted his head, feeling he had found a kindred spirit.
After all, this thing wasn't really a game; it was just a haphazardly packaged entrance to a planet, and heaven knows why those players thought it was enjoyable.
And KongKong, unremarkable in appearance, somewhat sleazy in character, dishonest, and even suffering from hemorrhoids, seemed to have quite a good eye.
Therefore, Fang Cheng eagerly asked, "So, what's not good about it?"
"Paying, you intend for this game to be a one-time purchase, right?"
"I don't want to charge a fee, after all, it's just a few hours..."
"Stop right there."
KongKong rudely interrupted Fang Cheng: "I've seen too many young people. Your way of thinking is too dangerous. Many people only have a momentary spark of genius, creating something that surpasses the times, but then they can't produce anything afterwards. What you need to do now is to cash in on this game until you reach financial freedom, forget about everything else."
"But is that fun?"
"Making games isn't fun, but making money is. Who wouldn't be happy with an income of several hundred thousand a month? Listen to me, this game needs to change. The payment system has to keep up, initially use paid posters to hype it up, split the servers into hundreds, and open a new one periodically to continuously attract rich players."
"There have to be opening events, a first charge bonus, monthly cards, and even a leaderboard for the wealthy. First, get a few large guilds involved, then invite the rich to become deputy leaders of the guilds, send in a few shills to stir up animosity, and use AI to create trouble when necessary."
A series of combination punches left Fang Cheng reeling in confusion.
After mentally calculating KongKong's plan, Fang Cheng instantly envisioned what the changed game would look like, with two words hidden in every corner: "Spend money."
"Hurry up and spend money!"
Not only was the changed game no fun to play, but it also gave off an impression of being mercenary and scheming, which made Fang Cheng feel that the game was not only unenjoyable but also somewhat disgusting.
So, he nodded slightly, "I don't think it's necessary. This isn't fun at all."
"Huh, think it over. Tianyi is very powerful, and partnering with Tianyi is the best choice. You need money first to promote the game and let more people see it."
"No need, goodbye."
He left Tianyi without ever looking back.
His Taoist Heart should be focused on "fun," and for things that weren't enjoyable, he didn't want to give them even a backward glance.
Watching Fang Cheng's departing figure, KongKong sneered coldly.
Very idealistic.
But in the end, it will still be him crying.
Right after leaving Tianyi, Fang Cheng received a call from Mr. Shen.
Upon answering, Fang Cheng heard Mr. Shen's voice, "You rejected KongKong, why?"
"Too many payments required, it feels a bit disgusting," Fang Cheng said bluntly, "Our paths don't align, so we cannot plot together."
"... You," a wry laugh came from the other end of the phone, "I figured as much, someone as straightforward as you couldn't possibly agree."
Straightforwardness is almost everyone's appraisal of Fang Cheng.
He seems not to know how to compromise, always resolute in action, appearing as if he could never be persuaded.
Knowing Fang Cheng's reason for refusal, Mr. Shen asked, "What's next then?"
"Don't know. But I've got a new idea, I want to create a new game."
"Hiss..."
Mr. Shen inhaled sharply, thinking this kid might be a bit of a genius!
If it were him, he would be considering monetizing "The Forest's Second Son," not already thinking about the next game.
It must be said, this is what genius is, a constant stream of inspiration in their mind, as if there will never be a day it dries up.
At first, Mr. Shen wanted to ease the relationship between Tianyi and Fang Cheng. But now, he couldn't care less about mediating.
Don't anyone stop me from playing the new game!
Therefore, his tone became more relaxed, kindly saying, "Alright, do you have enough funding?"
"Enough, it's a small-scale game, could be done in a few days."
"That's good then, what's the theme?"
"A horror game," Fang Cheng said confidently.
Geschenke
-- Geschenk
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