There is a Problem with This Online Game Planning

For the next arrangement of the PC department.

Lin Yao was in a tangle.

In fact, managing a company is really not easy. Even with the help of Mu Wanqing and her team in specific matters, just formulating strategies would give Lin Yao a headache...

Because with the expansion of the company's scale, she felt that the stage of making whichever game makes money has passed...

For example, online games can be done now, and Lin Yao actually has ideas.

But now the online game Lin Yao wants to make is too big... Once the project starts, it means that a large number of staff in the PC department will be completely locked in one project.

And now the PC department has a lot of staff locked up, two MOBA game projects, "Fantasy Online", "Breakout", "Battle Royale"... The personnel of these departments have been transferred twice, but they are still very large , almost occupying more than half of the entire PC department.

After all, online games are long-term operations. Maybe this version has just been updated, and the next version will be on the agenda within a few days of rest.

Then the cycle repeats.

The staff of these project teams can't do other things at all. Even if Lin Yao transfers these skilled staff, she must immediately add the corresponding number of people to the project team.

Otherwise, the online game will collapse.

If Linmu Studio insists on making online game projects now, it is not impossible, but the stand-alone and Vaporwave game platforms are bound to be greatly affected.

After all, half of the PC staff who were finally squeezed out will be locked again...

The era of mobile internet is approaching, Switch has been released for less than a year, and the Vaporwave game platform still needs to prevent the backstabbing of big players such as Geber Company and Dreamland.

In this case, it is really not a good choice to make online games and reduce the available project team of the PC department of Linmu Studio.

If it's just an online game company, then Lin Yao doesn't have to think so much, just do online games, and it's not that they don't make money.

But now she has to consider the Vaporwave game platform, the influence of the mobile Internet era, and even switch. After all, the host product department is completely dependent on the first-party masterpiece, and the pressure is too great. She also needs to consider the PC department to supplement the console. First party masterpiece...

It was quite distressing.

"...the headquarters."

Lin Yao looked around at the current location of Lin Mu's studio, lightly picked up a pen and tapped on the table.

She actually wanted to change this situation on purpose.

But the venue is too restricted...

However, the construction of the headquarters has been in preparation for so long, and it is estimated that it will be put into use by the end of the year or early next year. At that time, she will probably be able to integrate departments more easily, and it will become possible for single-player online games or even multi-line mobile games to blossom.

Of course, the premise is.

The staff needs to be adequate.

Otherwise, the venue problem is solved, and the personnel will have to be trained again in the end, which may still be very painful.

Where is that man from? Enrollment expansion?

Then how to train after the expansion?

The people in the host product department must not move.

At present, there are only usable project teams left in the PC department, leaving aside the staff who are locked in online game projects, the staff who maintain the Vaporwave game platform, and various miscellaneous personnel such as plug-ins, Greenlight, and third-party game approval departments.

At most three games can be started at the same time. If it is a large-scale 3A, it is estimated that there are at most two games.

This is the current team of Linmu Studio.

Therefore, in addition to expanding enrollment, ready-made foreign aid is also very important.

For example, the two studios of Conglong and Xihan acquired last year...

But these two studios have a problem.

That is, they can't play the leading role yet.

After they joined Linmu Studio last year, although they were said to be in charge of game production independently, in fact, 80% of the core personnel of the two game projects they were in charge of came from within Linmu Studio.

Moreover, such as art settings and visual effects, Lin Yao intervened.

The two studios of "Dark Soul" also participated, but the main force was still inside Linmu Studio, and they were only responsible for some modeling and map production.

Not to mention the first party, it is just a handyman at the moment.

Now is the time to give them some exercise...

Lin Yao lowered her head slightly, her thoughts began to diverge.

From what the PC division should do, to the two acquired studios.

After all, these two studios have always mentioned that they want to take charge of the project, and Linmu Studio does need more manpower.

certainly.

Since it is necessary to train them, like last time, it is necessary to avoid the situation where 80% of the core staff are from within Linmu Studio when they are in charge of making games like last time...

That won't train them, and it's unrealistic for them to make a masterpiece independently at the beginning. Although there is a plan for the completion mechanism, the development process of the masterpiece, the grasp of the project progress, and the various choices in the game development process all need to be tempered.

Although Linmu Studio seems to have taken a big step, Linmu Studio has made a fortune step by step from online games... The game development experience has been accumulated step by step, and Lin Yao is watching the whole process, which is completely two situations.

Um……

Lin Yao stopped tapping the pen, and after a pause, her eyes lit up slightly, and suddenly she had a good idea!

Reasoning games, or rather, action-adventure games.

Also, 2D games.

The former can mainly exercise the 3D game production ability of the acquired studio. As for why Lin Yao chose reasoning games, because Lin Yao has ready-made stories, and this type is the least prone to mistakes. The two studios of Long and Xihan are free to play.

As long as the story is interpreted according to what she gave, it will be fine.

In this way, no matter how the gameplay is, at least the story level should satisfy the players.

Because the most important thing about reasoning games is the story! As long as the story satisfies the players, the gameplay can be used as a training point for the two studios of Conglong and Xihan.

This kind of experience of making a finished 3D game in-house without support is very precious. It can not only be fully familiar with the engine from the beginning, but also learn to think independently, and the pressure will not be so great.

In addition, this kind of reasoning game, the picture does not need to be too good, and it can help the host to supplement the first-party masterpiece...

And most importantly, it can also support IP.

As for the latter 2D games, it serves as a supplementary option.

For such a small game, the PC department of Linmu Studio can do it, but it feels a bit inappropriate, and it feels like killing a chicken with a sledgehammer.

Like those great indie games... Overcooked, Dead Cells, Hades and after Dark Souls came out, Hollow Knight could be a genre extension.

These can all be considered for the acquired studio.

As for the project team of the headquarters of Linmu Studio, if there is a case of acquiring a studio to make games...you can loosen the shackles a little bit, and make some masterpieces that don't consider Switch at all.

Um.

That's probably it!

Lin Yao sorted out her thoughts, the more she thought about it, the more feasible she felt!

...

In the afternoon, Lin Yao found Mu Wanqing and told her about her thoughts.

"A reasoning game?"

Mu Wanqing was holding the materials she was going to take to the financial department in her arms, and she was a little surprised after hearing Lin Yao's words.

"Yes." Lin Yao nodded.

"This type of game...doesn't seem to exist on the market yet. What kind of game do you want to make?"

Man Wanqing pondered for a moment, then asked.

"I only have one idea, what to do specifically, I plan to only give the story, and let the two acquired studios play the rest first, and then intervene if it doesn't work."

Lin Yao was taken aback when she heard Mu Wanqing's words, and then remembered that there really didn't seem to be such reasoning games on the market.

In other words, there is no game dedicated to this type of game. Many games have reasoning content, but there is indeed no game dedicated to this type of game.

"ah?"

Hearing Lin Yao's words, Mu Wanqing was even more surprised.

"In order to train them, of course our headquarters will check the quality of the final game and provide relevant support, but I hope that the game can be completed independently by them."

Lin Yao explained: "Because at most two years, we will be even more short of people. At that time, it will be too slow to train developers. We have to make preparations in advance to avoid the development of developers."

Lin Yao did have such worries.

With the efforts of the engine team, the Bluestar engine is constantly being updated.

But no matter how powerful the engine is, it is useless without skilled developers. No one will use it. In the end, no matter how good the concept is, the game will become "Battlefield 2042"...

"I see...then what do you need me to do?"

As the chief steward of the entire Linmu studio, Mu Wanqing knew what Lin Yao was worried about, so she quickly nodded and asked.

Lin Yao thought for a while, and said, "Help me ask the heads of two studios to come over, and then look for some mature studios. I plan to make a growth line for this reasoning series, and then there will be supplementary 2D games, so There are a lot of people needed... On the one hand, Linmu Studio will expand its own recruitment, but on the other hand, I hope you can find some studios who are willing to join us, as the first party, this is a little faster than recruiting people."

"I see……"

Mu Wanqing nodded slightly again, and then asked curiously, "But I also have a question."

"Huh? What?"

"What kind of reasoning story do you plan to tell in the reasoning game?"

Man Wanqing looked really curious.

After all, the girl in front of me doesn't match the word reasoning at all...

"I'm thinking."

Lin Yao flicked her ponytail lightly, but did not give a clear answer.

She does.

When it comes to mystery novels, there are really many factions, such as the authentic school, the social school, the tough guy school, the court school...

Among them, Bengepai also has a bunch of subpai.

Lin Yao actually didn't understand very well, she was most familiar with the most classic style, namely Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series, Agatha Christie's Poirot series and so on.

The court sent her to barely understand, a reversal of referee.

Oh, there is another social reasoning film that impressed her very much, that is Detective Di Renjie.

No joke.

Although you can argue about the faction of detective Di Renjie's reasoning, as long as you discuss it, you have to admit that in the first part of this TV series, the cracking of the case is completely evolved according to the structure similar to Sherlock Holmes, focusing on reasoning. Then there are some martial arts elements and conspiracy theories mixed in as gimmicks.

The suspense setting is very successful and fascinating.

Hmm...it seems to work!

Lin Yao thought of Di Renjie, and for some reason, suddenly felt that it was quite interesting to restore the most special dynasty Wu Zhou in the game...

And this can also export a wave of culture...

Sherlock Holmes, Di Renjie.

One uses the Wu Zhou era, which is known as the legacy of Zhenguan in Eastern history, as the story background, and the other uses the Victorian era, which is known as the golden age in the West, as the story background. As long as the game is not made into a text AVG, it feels really interesting.

It's just that the gameplay doesn't know how...

But forget it!

Practice for the acquired studio, give it a try!

Maybe it will have a miraculous effect, and it may even become a new game series of Linmu Studio.

Lin Yao thought about it, and the lady in black silk glasses couldn't care less, she turned around, opened the file on the computer, and typed the words directly.

Mu Wanqing froze for a moment, then looked at the girl's back, smiled gently, turned her head and left.

...

June 18th.

Lin Yao met with the directors of Conglong and Xihan studios as scheduled, and told them what she said.

"Huh? Reasoning game? How to do reasoning game?"

After hearing Lin Yao's words, the two persons in charge were ecstatic at first, because Lin Yao was finally willing to give them a chance...but then, they were a little confused.

According to Lin Yao, the two games will be developed by their studio completely freely this time, and they will be positioned as reasoning games.

And the time span between the two games is quite large.

One story is set in the Wu Zhou period, and the other is in the Victorian period... just, it feels very inconsistent.

"..."

Lin Yao was silent for a moment after listening to the words of the two persons in charge. Although it was said that they were allowed to play freely, there were no types of games, so it was really difficult for them to let them play freely...

She thought for a while, and then said: "I will give you the script of the game first, and then after you read it, think about the type of game adaptation for yourself. Don't worry, try to think about it yourself. I have three requirements. .

First, focus on characterization.

Second, in the game, action gameplay and even shooting gameplay can be added, but the game must focus on solving puzzles, not putting the cart before the horse.

Third, the performance and story of the game should be put first. Don’t make things difficult for the players. The player experience is the most important. "

Lin Yao explained her request, and then said: "As for the direction, I can also give one, but if you have different opinions, you can also raise it——I think the direction is like this. The main line of the script is the main line of the game, and the main line of the case is As a lead, the entire game is connected together, and the troubles of the players can be set on the way to obtain the clues, increasing some difficulty at this level.”

"On the way to get clues?"

Hearing Lin Yao's words, the heads of the two studios were thoughtful.

Lin Yao added: "Well, in these two games, there will be the concept of criminal groups, do you understand?"

"..." The two persons in charge looked at each other and reluctantly nodded.

"That's good. Let's read the script and think about it. Don't put too much pressure on this game. While ensuring the storyline, let go of it. The most important thing is to be familiar with a 3D game. The production process of a masterpiece."

"..."

After hearing this, the two persons in charge had strange expressions on their expressions.

It seems a little disappointed.

Because from Lin Yao's point of view, these two games seem to be for them to practice their hands, and they belong to the group that was sacrificed...

And the storyline comes first, it really has nothing to do with the concept of the game.

It just... feels like it won't be very popular with players.

Lin Yao also saw what they were thinking, but she didn't say much. After they read the story, they would understand why she put the story first.

This practice is indeed the main purpose, but it is really not a sacrifice. The reasoning game does not rely on the story, does it rely on the gameplay?

"Is it possible to make it as difficult as "Dark Soul"?" Suddenly, Wang Mang, the person in charge of Conglong Studio, asked.

"Can't!"

Lin Yao immediately replied: "Are you letting the player solve the case or let the player die... The point is the story! The player experience!"

"I see, I'm sorry, playing "Dark Soul" is a bit of a brain, it's really fun..."

Wang Mang said a little embarrassingly.

"Okay, I've finished talking, now there is one question left, which one do you want to be responsible for?"

Lin Yao picked up the script from the table in front of her, "The Victorian period? Or the Wu Zhou period?"

The heads of the two studios looked at each other.

Each of them mentioned the era they were interested in.

Just missed it.

fine.

Lin Yao handed the scripts to each other, and said: "Okay, you guys go back and have a look, and then write a plan."

"OK."

The two stood up, glanced at the script in their hands, and left the meeting room with a little disappointment.

Lin Yao watched the two leave, raised her hands and stretched vigorously, smiled, and then left the meeting room.

alright.

The arrangement of the two studios is done, and then it is the turn of the most important production work of the main department-well, the game planning book of Kirby Star.

Lin Yao returned to her seat, opened a new file as soon as she sat down, and typed the words Kirby of the Stars.

Kirby was a very famous image in her previous life.

After all, she has old qualifications, and her image is really cute. It's the kind of cuteness that can be felt even in pixels.

Kirby has many games, but she only had one 3D work in her previous life, and that was "Kirby: Discovery".

Tell the truth.

Lin Yao has played many games.

But the game "Kirby: Exploration and Discovery" is still the most special experience among the games she has played.

Many people like to compare this game with "Super Mario Odyssey", but in fact the two are not comparable at all.

The most conspicuous label of the Super Mario IP is platform jumping, which means that the difficulty of the game will not be low... Perhaps in the eyes of many players, Odyssey is not very difficult, but for ordinary players, it is really difficult.

Moreover, in the Odyssey, after Mario dies, he will usually be resurrected at the last resurrection point. In the early stage, Mario only has three blood bars, so it is easy to go through a long level after death. If you are an impatient player, It can be really uncomfortable.

But "Kirby Star", the previous games are hard to say, but "Kirby Star: Discovery", there is really no difficulty...

First of all, this game has difficulty options, namely Spring Breeze Mode and Wild Mode, but even the Wild Mode is not wild, as long as players who have played a little bit of the game can easily pass the level.

And in the wild mode, as long as the player dies three times, the game will immediately pop up a reminder, asking the player to switch to the spring mode, looking very worried about the player's frustration.

In addition, in the game, Kirby's health bar is not like Mario's three bars of blood, but a large bar of blood... and on the map, there are really a lot of resources for replenishing blood.

On top of that, Kirby can breathe in and float, which in turn avoids fall damage almost entirely.

These settings that are afraid of players’ frustration, all added together, combined with Kirby’s game of devouring and copying enemies, make the player’s gaming experience very wonderful.

Lin Yao played the Spring Breeze mode at the beginning, and she really didn't encounter any difficulties at all!

She received the game that day, and cleared the level in one night. The whole process only took ten hours...

But in these ten hours, she has gained a lot of happiness, because Kirby is very cute, because the level design is very good, because it feels very interesting, because the game is... very fun.

It can be said that the design concept of this game is completely opposite to that of "Dark Soul".

Relaxed, enjoyable, and pure fun!

This is why Lin Yao chose to use this game to replace "Dark Soul".

Think of it as... comforting a wave of players.

While thinking, Lin Yao lightly tapped the keyboard and typed out the first word of the new game planning book.

...

June 19th.

The weather is getting hotter and hotter.

no way.

Summer has arrived.

The hot weather is bound to make players feel irritable. At this time, "Dark Soul" is used to cool down... It couldn't be more suitable.

After all, being so angry that your hands and feet are cold can be regarded as a cool experience.

And today.

The sales of "Dark Soul" also officially exceeded three million...

As more and more players clear the level, there are more and more discussions about gameplay and plot.

Especially the plot.

Although in "Dark Soul", most of the stories about the story only have some fragmentary information, and even the game does not even have a clear main story.

But as long as players play the game, they will inevitably come into contact with those fragmented information, such as seeing the name of a certain boss, seeing the description of a certain item, seeing a flooded city, seeing a scattered battlefield...

Players may not care about it most of the time, and choose to ignore the story countless times, but there will always be one time when the player finally pushes through the map, sits on the campfire, and when checking the equipment, he will suddenly think-'Why? '

Why was Little Lund flooded? Who is that festering creature? Why did the giant wolf Schiff fight with himself?

Once these questions come out, it is basically impossible to disappear, because the player's curiosity has been aroused.

After all, the same things, those obtained through painstaking efforts, will make people feel that they have higher value subjectively... In "Dark Soul", it is also not easy to collect fragments of the whole story.

These factors, plus the world view of the game itself is very large and dark...

The more curious the player is, what happened in this world?

Then.

This is where the soul scientist was born...

They tirelessly collected various props in the game, and then tried their best to figure out the complete story line of the game.

And more and more players, after clearing the game, saw related discussions and joined in.

In the end, relying on brain supplements and certain associations, the players restored the stories of most of the popular characters in the game.

but.

Regarding the complete story line of the game, many players are still a little puzzled.

Because I feel, whether it is the ending of passing the fire or the ending of extinguishing the fire, it seems... a bit unfinished.

It always feels like a story.

So after sorting out this conclusion, many players are discussing whether Lin Yao is ready for a sequel...

"Dah! Don't make a sequel!! Although I want to say this...but I still want to play."

"Me too, I seem to have been spoiled by Lin Yao..."

"Look at the overseas forums. Overseas players have started to petition for a sequel. It's not just us who want to play."

"Lin Yao seems to have hidden something, let's continue the sequel, can't I buy it..."

"It's over, everyone on the forum is broken, and they are looking forward to the sequel of Dark Souls, what? Are you taking it lightly?"

"A lot of people suffer less... Hey, forget it, it doesn't make sense to those of you who don't play games, you will know if you have played."

"It is estimated that the next game of Linmu Studio will be a sequel... Lin Yao has already become dark, and there is no going back."

"..."

on the forum.

Not long after the game was released, players began to discuss the sequel...

When Lin Yao saw it, she really couldn't laugh or cry.

continue the fart...

"This is the proposal for "Kirby the Star". Take a look and tell me if you have any questions." Lin Yao handed the plan for "Kirby the Star" to Zhu Nianqiao.

I have to say, the completion mechanism is really easy to use... faster than writing a script.

When Zhu Nianqiao heard Lin Yao's words, she took it over immediately, then quickly flipped through the planning book, and sighed while flipping through it: "It's so cute!!!"

"En." Lin Yao was absent-minded.

"I can't tell that this is something drawn by a senior who drew a creature like a gluttonous dragon!"

"Um."

"I really want to see the player's reaction!"

"Um."

"Sister, marry me!"

"Hmm... um? Get lost!"

Halfway through Lin Yao's speech, she suddenly came to her senses, her voice raised suddenly, and then she gave Zhu Nianqiao a chestnut, flicked her ponytail, turned her head and left.

Zhu Nianqiao looked at Lin Yao's back and smiled lightly, senior sister is so cute!

...

Although Lin Yao is also looking forward to the player's reaction.

But game making takes time...

It's meaningless to think too much before that. With this time, why don't you think about what the PC department of Linmu Studio headquarters will do.

Yes.

After going around in a circle, Lin Yao went back again...

Although the idea of ​​a reasoning game was finalized, it was the work of two studios, Conglong and Xihan.

The next development plan of the project team of the headquarters of Linmu Studio has not yet been determined.

Lin Yao has some ideas, but she still needs to think about it.

In the second half of the year, she plans to start working on two games at the same time.

A "Civilization" that focuses on turn-based strategy.

A "Left 4 Dead" that focuses on multiplayer cooperation.

As for why these two games were chosen, it is very simple.

This kind of game... basically doesn't exist on the market, and even if there is, it's very old, and there are almost no substitutes.

Lin Yao wants to build a game moat for the Vaporwave game platform to prepare for possible backstabs in the future.

These two games, together with the unique reasoning game in this world, are estimated to attract many players.

certainly.

After this set of combined punches, it is estimated that Lin Mu Studio will be busy.

By the way...

How do you see the script from the heads of the two studios of Long and Xihan? Why haven't you replied yet?

Lin Yao stepped out of the elevator, suddenly thought of this matter, and was slightly puzzled.

...

at the same time.

Just when Lin Yao was thinking about the heads of the two first-party studios, Conglong and Xihan...

From Dragon Studios.

The person in charge, Wang Mang, slowly closed the script in his hand, and then heaved a sigh of relief.

then……

A loud roar rang out.

"Fuck!!? Boss, why don't you write a novel!!?"

at the same time.

Xihan studio.

The person in charge, Zhang Tian, ​​was also holding the script and was so engrossed that he couldn't even hear his subordinates knocking on the door.

until.

The employee encountered an urgent matter and couldn't wait, so he opened the door and walked in.

Zhang Tiancai came back to his senses suddenly, like waking up from a dream.

"Boss, you just..."

Seeing Zhang Tian looking up, the employee looked at him blankly and was about to speak.

"Lin Yao, the boss of our headquarters! He is a genius!"

Zhang Tian spoke suddenly and interrupted her roughly.

"Huh?" The employee was stunned.

"No wonder the story is the main thing! That's it! It really works!!!" Zhang Tian looked at the script in his hand with astonishment on his face, raised his volume slightly, and ignored the staff at all.

Do you think such a large chapter is acceptable? Or is it better to develop separately?