Judge POV with Some world explanation in MC narration:-
In Shanghai~
Unlike the previous life. Each entertainment industry in this parallel world isn't determined by a single head office. Instead, it's subdivided into various departments.
The Judges' work is under the game department, which is responsible for game content and game platforms.
Here, domestic agents and companies act as intermediaries for overseas games and review domestic titles under the department. They have a say in matters of whether an Overseas game should be introduced in the domestic market or not.
There are even games that pass the domestic review but are intended for export. This department also handles reviewing those. In contrast to the rigid system of my previous life, this world employs a detailed grading system for games.
Of course, that's mainly because some technologies in the world are more advanced. At least the real-name verification system for online games here is completely implemented. If you're a minor, don't even think about getting into certain games—you won't have access.
Because of this robust system, the auditing regulations are more relaxed than in my previous life. But if someone wants to push the boundaries of explicit content, they still won't get very far.
Take Chen Xu's first game, "Magic Mirror," for instance. It was developed but could only be exported for sale within the country. It's a gray area—neither encouraged nor outright banned.
Another unique aspect is that the game department offers a self-developed game engine to the public, unlike the Unreal Engine from my past life. The only difference is that this one is state-owned, not commercial, and the technology isn't on the same level.
At this moment, I'm sitting with the relevant Industry leaders and judges in charge of this sci-fi expedition competition. We're gathered in the game department of Shanghai, discussing the situation at hand.
Unlike regular players, we as reviewers have to play every game, which is a very sorry job for us. After all, we are not as youthful, as we used to be. But with so many entries, it's impossible to thoroughly review them all in such a short amount of time.
We rely heavily on summaries from other reviewers and form our judgments based on those reports and the game's content itself.
We use advanced data manipulation and artificial intelligence to check up on the reviews and gather sentiments and ratings. Due to the advanced Vision technologies, there is no way one can falsify their identity to flood the reviews and ratings.
In recent years, the game selection for various awards caused significant backlash from players. The game department's aim to guide the domestic game market, but that only works if the players agree with our choices. If they don't like what we select, how can we guide the market? We need them to be in sync with us.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Let's start by voting for the first prize. Everyone, explain your opinions one by one," I hear the chief Judge say, signaling the beginning of the heated discussion.
"The Galaxy Heroes, developed by designer Meng Zuo of NetDragon Games, has some flaws in the plot performance and numerical values, but the rhythm of the level design is excellent," I said, as I took my turn.
"Neon Games' To the Moon, developed by designer Chen Xu, although there isn't much worth mentioning in terms of gameplay, controls the rhythm perfectly with its flashback mode," another judge added.
"I agree," someone else chimed in.
"While To the Moon is different from Undertale, it may not have the same groundbreaking system, but its pure story is breathtaking." He continued with the praise.
"Galaxy Heroes is good, but To the Moon has its merits too. From a personal point of view, I think most ordinary game designers wouldn't have the resources to create something as complex as Galaxy Heroes, whereas To the Moon feels different. For this reason, I'm more inclined to choose To the Moon."
Another judge raised a point: "Even though it's excellent, can To the Moon really be called a sci-fi game? At its core, it seems more about love, right?"
"Strictly speaking, To the Moon isn't exactly science fiction," I replied,
"but if we go by that standard, over 40% of the entries in this competition wouldn't qualify as sci-fi either."
"Hmm, I'm still more optimistic about Galaxy Heroes," another voice said.
...
...
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
The debate raged on as we, the game review panel, discussed the final selections. Meanwhile, online discussions were just as heated, with countless players experiencing and trialing the games themselves.
Many of the games in this competition had already gained some buzz during the earlier stages, but none had garnered more attention than Chen Xu's To the Moon.
Chen Xu's name had been hot ever since the popularity of Undertale hadn't fully died down, and then his feud with Zhong only added to the excitement. As a result, many players jumped at the chance to try To the Moon the moment it dropped.
Online forums and player groups were exploding with praise and discussions about the game.
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"I can't recommend To the Moon enough," one player posted.
"I was moved to tears!" (-̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥᷄_-̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥᷅ )
"What happened, man?" another asked.
"You cried? Isn't this the game Chen Xu made in a month?"
"So what if it was made in a month? It's incredible! The plot is so touching. You'll understand what I mean once you play it." (;﹏;)
"Man, just reading this thread is making me tear up again!" someone else added.
"Is it really that emotional?"
"Why don't you play it and see for yourself? This game made me realize how easily I cry." ╰(ɵ̥̥ ˑ̫ ɵ̥̥ ╰)
"Wow, sounds intense! I'm going to buy it and check it out."
"So, who are you voting for?" another player asked.
"I've already decided to vote for To the Moon, hands down!"
"Same here! To the Moon gets my vote too!"
"Although I am also very moved, I don't think To the Moon is a sci-fi game, right?"
"I don't care if it's a sci-fi game! I'm going to vote for it anyway!" (༎ຶ⌑༎ຶ)
==================
Cat empire POV~
When I played To the Moon for the first time, I voted for it without hesitation.
As for whether it can be regarded as a sci-fi game in the strict sense, after experiencing the touching plot, I didn't care at all.
Does it really matter if it's a sci-fi game? What do I care about?
If I think the game is great, if it leaves a deep impression on me, then that's all that matters when voting.
As for its eligibility, that's for the officials to confirm.
POV Change:-
Soon, the three-day sales for the participating games were announced.
Among them, To the Moon led with 193,000 sales, followed by Galaxy Heroes with 97,000.
We submitted the game on 20th October.
These numbers were already quite impressive.
However, there are two main reasons why To the Moon is leading by such a wide margin.
First, To the Moon is a cross-platform game, available on both mobile and PC, which widens its player base.
Second, the price~ To the Moon is only 15 yuan, while Galaxy Heroes is 65 yuan.
Although To the Moon is priced so low, it's related to the game's length.
After all, the entire game, from start to finish, takes just over four hours.
However the lower price has had a big impact on sales.
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As time passed, the sales of To The Moon gradually increased, hitting new peaks each day.
At the same time, many domestic media outlets that followed this event began publishing articles one after another.
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"Unforgettable Love, To the Moon: A Game That Will Make You Cry!" Lalan Top news
"Game Review: A Game That Hits Your Heart!" Lao Bai Reports
"Meng you Win the Championship: Can To the Moon even be considered a Sci-fi Game?" Space-time media
"A Game That Makes Countless Men Sob" Xiong Da reviews
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From the week since the tournament began, it became evident which games could compete for awards and which could not.
Some people seemed to be here purely for marketing and advertising their game, which didn't cause much of a stir. Since it's a normal occurrence.
As for those who were interested in contesting for winning awards, Many have a clear idea of the award.
The top prize was split between To the Moon by Neon Game and Galaxy Heroes by NetDragon's Thunder Studio.
Among, the player voting section, To The Moon had far more support than Galaxy Heroes from Thunder Studio.
But we knew this wasn't just about the player votes. The official review from the game department was equally important. Some old timers can make things hard for aspiring young upstarts, as they rigidly stick to the norms.
Although To The Moon had some advantages, it hadn't yet reached a point of sheer dominance.
So, everything still came down to the official score.
For these two games, players argued passionately for quite some time online.
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"The final winner must be the Galaxy Hero. To The Moon's plot is great, I admit, but it doesn't have any gameplay. Can it even be considered a sci-fi game?"
"One vote from me for Galaxy Hero — it deserves the award!"
Pull it down, what is gameplay? Why do you translate it for me? Isn't the plot a kind of gameplay? Isn't music a type of gameplay? Do you have to fight monsters and solve puzzles to consider its gameplay?
Yes, if To the Moon isn't a science fiction game, then a lot of tickets in the competition wouldn't count, so the game department should remove them all.
"Don't listen, don't listen, **** chanting, anyway, I'm voting for To The Moon."
"Hehe, victory will surely belong to Heroes of the Galaxy!" Iron Man replied
"Yes, Heroes of the Galaxy will always win in the end!" Bruce banner added
"Hmph, what even is Galaxy Heroes? Look at the game designer's name, 'Meng Zuo'—doesn't that mean 'dreaming'? If you think it's going to win first prize, you'll only get it in your dreams!" Jiang Ping mocked.
"Damn, bro, your interpretation and analysis are on point!" Cat empire forwarded
"Speaking of which, are you sure To The Moon and Galaxy Heroes are going to win? You're just ignoring Black Beast made by my Big Devil studious."
"Hehe, don't get too caught up in the hype of To the Moon and Galaxy Heroes—just because they have more player votes doesn't mean anything. I've got a feeling the real winner is going to be Widow maker's Ashaji."
"Come on, the two of you upstairs—it's not even evening yet! Stop daydreaming and chill, okay?" Cat Empire mocked again
"+1, both of you need to leave, like, quietly!"
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Everyone has their own favorites, and the real conclusion hasn't been made yet.
Naturally, in all the major online communities, people are trying to sway opinions and gain an advantage for their favorite game.
While some of them are real people, most of them look like the work of navies who excel in advertising and swaying public opinion over the internet.
But it's just the same: the public defending what they like, everyone insisting on their reasoning.
Amidst all the heated online debates, Chen Xu is just staying calm.
**************************
Neon Gaming's office.
I sat at my desk. Then I took out my Ifruit 36XD and dialed to inform the candidate of their interview results with the Neon Game. We need a proper HR department for this thing. But I can still manage it. So why spend money on useless departments for now? Neon game is still growing.
I've found the right people for the art and music roles.
But for the level-design candidates? None of the interviewees impressed me.
"Chen Xu, why aren't you anxious at all?" Yang Xin, sitting next to me, asked after I finished the phone call and started pacing the office at a comfortable pace.
"Yeah, isn't the winner of the game competition being announced today?" Ruan Ningxue asked, clearly excited.
This would be the third game we had worked on together, and she is excited because she expects that, their game is one of the candidates for the winner. Her expectations aren't confounded. The reviews, ratings, and buzz surrounding the game are enormous.
At first, she doesn't even grasp the game industry. As for her plan to become a top fanfic creator and then transition toward a comic artist... Well, she forgot about that.
On the one hand, it's because she felt the joy her new creation brought. On the other hand, Neon Games is developing so well that she is still immersed in this world, rather than focusing on comics.
"It's useless to be in a hurry! I can't control, how they review our game! Secondly, I can't control the final result," Chen Xu said, feeling a bit exasperated when Yang Xin and Ruan Ningxue brought it up. Of course, he wants to win the award, but ultimately, it's not something that's within his control, right?
"By the way, the mobile version of 'Undertale' will be released today after the winners are announced," Chen Xu added, suddenly remembering. "Judging by the current trend, we're looking good for the top two. Whether we win the first prize or not, there will be some buzz, and then we'll have our momentum."
During the game department competition, the main focus inside Neon Games was twofold.
One, we were porting Undertale to mobile. It didn't require much effort. We just held back till now to release it, to ride the wave of excitement.
Second, we focused on forming the Neon Games team. Beyond the R&D team, Chen Xu has been preparing to expand. Over the past few months, we've also built out operations and finance departments. Everything is set up now.
On top of that, we've got a platform development team. Although right now Neon Games seems like a small workshop in the eyes of most players and the game industry as a whole, from "Magic Mirror" to "Undertale" to "To the Moon," we haven't produced any massive blockbusters yet—just small-scale indie games.
We are like a flicker of flame, we are gathering the winds behind us and it will soon be our time to become a blaze. We don't want the rain and chains interrupting our advances. So we have started working on our platform. I know with my advantages, soon an ambition will be born and it was born quite early.
My ambitions don't stop there. Neon Games will extend its hand into a bigger world in the future. This independent platform we're building now is laying our foundation.
As for whether this will attract attention in the industry? Honestly, right now Neon Games is still a moth in this blazing industry. Even if "To the Moon" wins first place in this event, it'll create a bit of buzz in the indie game scene and help us get some recognition in the broader gaming world. But as for being seen as a threat by the industry giants? That's thinking too far ahead.
Self-operated platforms like ours are pretty common these days, after all. It's not like we're getting into full distribution yet. One needs a solid user base, networks, big pockets, and strong recognition for that.
For smaller companies like us, or those indie game developers with loyal fan bases—especially those with popular series—having our platform even if it is small is a good move. On third-party platforms, we'd have to pay others, but with our own platform, aside from taxes, it's all pure profit.
Meanwhile, as players kept discussing things online, the official notice from the game department confirmed the details of the expedition event.
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