Bab 27: Oliver Surprise And New Game Development
To be fair there were now ahead of schedule by two weeks, and DOOM was to be released by the end of this year or the beginning of early February next year.
The original development of Doom was an approximately fifteen month process undertaken by id Software. Development beginning on September 18, 1992, with prior research projects spanning back to the prior month of May, and ending with the game's first release as shareware on December 10, 1993.
It was the most extensive development process undertaken by the company up to that point. Requiring use of—and even in-house development of—new technologies, methodologies, and utility software.
Utility software is a program specifically designed to help manage and tune system or application software. It is used to support the computer infrastructure - in contrast to application software, which is aimed at directly performing tasks that benefit ordinary users.
However, Alex plan to short the time frame for development, with his advice knowledge in programming, Alex didn't need to go through time and error to develop the various new technologies and so on for DOOM.
With him guiding the team to develop and learn all the methodologies and utility software he could cut the time needed.
After thinking about all of this, Alex realized that he had become more of a teacher than any thing else, in his own studio. Getting out of his thoughts, Alex looked at the two who were still standing in front of him with worried looks on their faces.
" Fine, I'll deal with their punishment, after they finish cleaning up downstairs. I still have to talk with Gray and Marvin." Said Alex sighing once again.
Even though they were clearly now ahead of schedule, Alex could tell that many of them hadn't been eating well and getting the recommended amount of sleep.
Their was even a possibility that they may have overlooked some key details while, developing DOOM and introducing unnecessary bugs into the game. Which they may have to find and fix afterwards.
Ring..Ring
Mark who was closest to the telephone picked up the call placing it near his ear. " Hello. No this isn't him, my I ask who's calling. Oh, Nathan it's you. It's Mark speaking. Just wait I'll give him the phone right now. " Said Mark as he turned to look at Alex who had stood up and walked beside him.
" It's Nathan," said Mark as he handed the telephone to, Alex who took it out of his hand and placed the phone near his ear.
" Hello, Alexander speaking, to what do I owe the pleasure of my favorite accountant. Ah, really now- - they want me to be there. No, that okey with me, thank you for the notice. Okey. Ok bye." Finally said Alex as he ended the call.
" Hey, Alex was it anything important concerning all of us?" Asked Michael seating at his computer desk as looked at Alex, eyes expectedly. " Sort off. I'll explain everything to the two of you later," answered Alex.
Alex had received a call from
Nathan an accountant that works for his father, accountanting firm and had been chosen by his father, to manage Blue Star Interactive accountanting books.
Concerning, Blue Star Interactive online payment system, which three had created to make the transfer of online payment easier.
He had just called to inform him that his father had just recently received a few calls by some interest investors. Who were currently interested in the online payment service system he had created.
His father was actually the one who was running the online payment service, the reason why Nathan connected him instead of his father doing s. Was their working relationship, Alex knew that his father is trying to give him a sense of how, it is like being in a working relationship with others.
Even though Alex understood his reasons for doing things like this, he still felt weird about it.
Since, Star Horizon would be reliant on the same online payment system even more than Blue Star Interactive. Running his hand through his hair Alex, began to think seriously about his next plan of action. Turning his attention back to Michael and Mark he walked back to his computer desk turning it on.
" Alright, let's get back to work," said Alex. As Alex began working once again at Blue Star Interactive. Ashley and Jennifer another were staring at their computer with bored expression on their beautiful faces.
" Got anything yet? " Asked Jennifer as she lean back in her chair while, staring up at the ceiling sighing as she did so.
" No." Answered Ashley with a light sigh. The two sister had been working since early in the morning, and had only gotten a couple of orders, between the two of them. With a few contacts them to explain more about, the whole process without making any orders.
" Ahh.. I'm so bored. Why don't we just go home for the day? " Suggested Jennifer as she spun herself in her chair.
"If you want to just ask dad, " replied Ashley. Hearing her sister words she stopped spinning in her chair and gave a side glance to Ashley. Feeling her sister glaringly at her Ashley looked at Jennifer direction, finding her elder twin sister looking at her.
" What is it?" Asked Ashley. However, before Jennifer could open her mouth to speak the door, opened suddenly and their father came in.
As Oliver walked into the room, Ashley and Jennifer quickly went back to the previous position. Seeing this Oliver flet like he had interpreted something, looking at his two daughters with an interested expression on his face.
" Did I perhaps intrepid the two of you? " Asked Oliver.
" No." Answered the two of them simultaneously, as they both looked at their father than back to themselves before staring back at him again.
Looking at the two sister suspiciously, Oliver decided to just leave things at that for the moment but, placed a mental note to keep a close eye on the two.
The two siblings would start arguing over the smallest issues, in Oliver eyes and they couldn't be left alone for two long. This had always been the case but, Oliver thought it was just their way of communicating with each other. Especially Jennifer who can be considered the most trembling one of the two.
" If the two of you say so, I'll need one of you to go and pick up your mother and your two younger brothers. " Said Oliver as he looked at the two.
" I can go and pick them up," said Jennifer wanting to go out for a bit. Standing up from her seat, Jennifer walking towards her father who than proceeded to hand her the keys he was holding.
Grabbing the car keys, Jennifer quickly left the room, seeing his eldest daughter leaving the room, Oliver closed the door behind him. After doing so, Oliver grabbed the chair Jennifer had been sitting on moving it next to Ashley computer desk.
Settling down on the chai, Oliver first adjusted the height of the chair. Watching her father actions, Ashley began to wonder what he wanted to speak to her about.
Her father and mother had always been very perceptive people and could easily tell when someone was lying or trying to hide something.
Finally adjusted the chair to his liking, Oliver leaned comfortable back against the chair rest and looked at his daughter. Ashley wasn't nervous about anything, but she was curious what her father wanted to talk about. She had a clear conscious so she knew that he might just want to know about how things had been going.
And just like she thoughts, that was exactly what Oliver wanted to talk about. " So how has everything been going lately? Had the two of you receive any orders for today?" asked Oliver while resting his chin on his right hand and his other hand on the chair rest.
Hearing her father question, Ashley didn't waste time moving the mouse and clicked on other page as spoke. " We did get a few orders today between the two of us. Let me just get the exact number here up." Replied Ashley.
Hearing this Oliver brows raised up slightly, which Ashley didn't notice, moving close to have a good look at her computer screen. Ashley spoke up once again after entering another pages on the online payment system, which showed the exact number of sales the two had made today.
" Here it is," said Ashley displayed to the number on the screen, looking at it Oliver was internally shocked at the number seventy-four. Seeing her father blank stare, Ashley could tell he was quite surprised, which also surprised her a lot.
Looking back at the number she couldn't see why it surprised her father, she didn't consider it that impressive of a number.
Meanwhile, Oliver thought began racing by his calculations it had only been fourteen hours, since the Star Horizon had been launched online. He had expected to not get any customers for at the next couple of days and at most expected to get maybe one or two a day.
Oliver had his reasons for this, firstly there wasn't any advertising done by them yet, which Daniel his younger brother played to help with.
Second was that most people would probably be hesitant to try out new things so quickly, without having a full understanding of it. Hence, why most start up company first goal when starting a new business concept, would spend a lot on advertising if they have the capital.
It hadn't even been a day yet, and they had already gotten nearly a hundred sales orders. This was highly unexpected by Oliver, who thought it would mostly be quite early on.
" Hey, Dad is everything okey?" Asked Ashley as she stard at her father, who hadn't said a word after seeing the number. Returning out of his thoughts, Oliver looked at Ashley for a few seconds before finally speaking.
" I'm going to need you and your sister to begin reporting, the sales number at the end of the each day from here on out. " Said Oliver as stard at the computer screen.
Oliver didn't realize this yet but, most people were also keen on trying out new things. And with the internet starting to become more popular and there not there being many new tech companies operating primarily on the internet yet.
Star Horizon would obviously stand out as many people began to explore the internet with curiosity.
Back with Alex at Blue Star Interactive headquarters, the three boys were busy with a few new projects.
" Okay how the frame rate? " Asked Alex as he typed a way on his computer. "It's pretty smooth and there's no lagging on my end" replied Michael as he set at his computer.
" Hey, Alex this game, Grand Theft Auto isn't it a little bit of a back step for the studio, I mean compared to Castle Wolfenstein and DOOM. "
"You really think so?" Asked Alex, upon hearing Mark's question.
" I'm just saying compared to the other two games it's a little bit inferior." Continued Mark turning his chair around facing, Alex direction. Which also prompted Michael to do the same as he also had been having similar doubts.
After hiring Gray's old team Rage to work on DOOM, the three of them where heavily involved in the early stages, helping in the development of DOOM. That was for the first couple of weeks before Alex decided to diminish their involvement in the development of DOOM.
At first Michael and Mark thought, Alex wanted them to start developing of Mortal Kombat, which they had previously discussed about. Alex had also shown them the story he wrote, description of the characters synopsis, combat styles of the each characters in game.
Hence the two of them thought that Alex wanted to get started on making Mortal Kombat. Since Alex had already planned well in advanced that they would be working on two separat games.
However, to their surprise they started working on a totally different game, instead of what the planned Mortal Kombat they expected to start working on.
" This is a short term project for just the three of us, since we can't be as heavily involved in the development of DOOM or Mortal Kombat. This can be something we can do to continue developing our skill sets. I'm sure the two of you are already well aware of my plans for the both of you. " Said Alex as he looked at the two who promptly nodded their heads in affirmation.
" Even though I want the two of you to take more of a managerial role in the future. It's also something I don't want to rush the two of you into at the moment. The two of you to have the right to decided weather it's the right choice for you guys."
Hearing Alex words, Michael and Mark both looked at each other and saw the joy in both their eyes at hearing those words.
Right now both enjoyed being personally involved in the development of projects like DOOM and Castle Wolfenstein 3D. And by Alex words they could tell, Alex didn't want to force them into any role they were not comfortable in.
Seeing his friends happy expression, Alex also smiled happily. He didn't want to enforce his own desires or will on to anyone else especially for those close to him.
Alex was also concerned about the future effects of his actions on others, if he forced things like what role certain people should or needed to play. The result of those types of action could be disastrous on the lives of others, depression and mental health was one of the biggest issues in the near future.
Alex generation right now would be less affected due to their difference in upbringing, compared to the next couple of generations.
That didn't mean they wouldn't be affected at all, by these types of issues either. Hence why Alex made a mental note to remember, his dreams and aspirations shouldn't be forced onto his family and friends.
What about others? He couldn't please everyone, but Alex wasn't a cruel person either. If he had power and means to help someone, he would, but not at the expense of his own happiness.
"Anyway the two of you might want to do something else instead of developing games going forward, or the both of you might be happier to continuing what we're doing now. You two have the right to decide what you want to do with your lives, so until then let's keep enjoying these moments."
Explain Alex, while nodding his head, this is what Alex learned from his parents and decided to continue to follow their teachings.
"Oh ,right the reason why we're making this game instead of Mortal Kombat is, because it's of our current lack of man power. I plan to train the two of you first to improve your knowledge and skills in game development further, as well as your leadership skills one on one." Suggested Alex as he pointed at the two of them.
" The plan is to split the three of us to lead future projects separately under my supervision. Think of DOOM as your training phase to aquire leadership skills for the two of you." Explained Alex before taking brief pause to see if the two understood his explanation.
Both of them had been paying, close attention to Alex every word. Alex than continued his explanation further after catching his breath. "Hopefully by the middle of the year if everything goes well the three of us will lead our on projects according to my plans. "
Both Mark and Michael bodies flinched a little upon hearing those words. Alex wasn't sure if the two would be ready by then however, it would be better to let them know of his intentions now. It all depended on weather they had enough people for the job and the two's ability to lead the projects were good enough.
Alex had already decided who would lead which project, DOOM would be lead by Mark with the help of Gray his older brother. Michael would lead Grand Thieft Auto with Marvin help, and he himself would begin working on Mortal Kombat.
He and Mark will be most likely to finish the projects first, DOOM is already well into its development and Mortal Kombat wasn't to complicated to develop.
Mortal Kombat was reportedly developed in 10 months from 1991 to 1992, with a test version seeing limited release halfway through the development cycle. However, Alex thought he could probably do it in five to six months unless he was over estimating his own ability to lead.
"Calm down. I said I'll be there to supervision and come to lend a helping hand when I can, I won't abandon the two of you. It also part of your training." Said Alex with a smile on his face. Alex didn't plan to throw the two into the deep end so early. Hearing Alex reassurance the two calmed down a little.
Twenty minutes pass before a knock on the door was heard by the three in the room. After allowing the person knocking on the door to enter the room, Gray and Marvin both came in together. Even though Alex, had only called for Gray previously, Marvin knew Alex would also call for him as well.
So the two decide to just come in together to lesson the pressure on themselves, than if they just want in alone. Both men waited together for Alex to speak.
"Alright which of you wants to explain to me how the two of you, allowed things get to this. " Alex didn't ask why the two came in together, when he only called for Gray. Both were a little relieved by this in their hearts.
After which Gray decide to be the one to explain what happened after Alex left. Listening to the entire explanation, Alex finally spoke up after getting a full grasp of the situation.
"The two of you do realize that I left the responsibilities of keeping the headquarters working environment in good condition. And that the two of you hold the highest authority even when I'm here. Do you know why? " Asked Alex still sitting in his chair with an unchanging expression.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone