Started as a comics editor

Chapter 255 The Mysterious Eastern Card Game

Zhang Mingyuan opened the window, letting the early summer breeze flow into the smoke-filled conference room.

The content on the whiteboard has been revised dozens of times.

Surprisingly, after removing redundant elements from the original EasyPlay engine, better cross-platform compatibility was unexpectedly achieved.

Zhang Mingyuan stubbed out his cigarette, tapped the center of the whiteboard, and said with a sigh of relief, "The basic framework is complete."

Sparse applause immediately filled the conference room.

The engineer in charge of the graphics module pulled up the test data, his face beaming with undisguised pride: "The effect is much better than expected, even better than on EasyPlay. The picture is smoother, and the hardware requirements have actually been reduced."

"really!"

"Destruction precedes construction."

"I knew EasyPlay was stupid!"

"Hahaha."

Zhang Mingyuan didn't tell the others to shut up, because he was also very unhappy with Yi You.

After letting them vent their frustrations, he coughed and looked at the young man in the corner: "Has that memory problem been resolved?"

"We just completed the stress test last week."

The young man looked up and adjusted his glasses: "After adopting the block allocation scheme, when there are 2000 dynamic objects on the screen at the same time, the memory fragmentation rate has dropped from 12% to below 2%."

Zhang Mingyuan nodded, then sat down, opened his laptop, and after looking at it for a while, murmured, "The physical system's memory pool modification is complete..."

Talk about it.

This truly shows that you can't build something new without destroying it.

If it were on EasyPlay, they'd probably still be debating whether to implement cross-platform support.

But now at Avalon, they are already discussing how to customize rendering pipelines for other platforms.

Zhang Mingyuan sighed to himself, then looked up and said, "Go and call Li Zhongzhi from the 'Survival Road' project team over."

……

Within Avalon, the collaboration between the engine team and the development project team has been deepening.

However, Tang Yao hasn't paid attention to it yet.

She is working on the overseas release of Hearthstone.

Mainly, she felt that there shouldn't be any problems.

She herself didn't know much about the technology, and could only offer some ideas at most, so she decided not to cause them any trouble and let them do their research for the time being.

There shouldn't be any problems... right?

"The multilingual versions have passed cultural vetting..."

Tang Yao sat down in her seat, checked the report, and breathed a sigh of relief as she looked at the dense annotations on it.

This is their third round of localization modifications.

Last time, the overseas distribution of "Yun" was relatively simple.

Because that was just a trial run, but this game is different.

The overseas release of Hearthstone is far more complicated than that of The Legend of Mir.

It's not just a matter of language translation; it also involves the rigor of the card text, cultural adaptability, and even differences in player habits across different regions.

For example, Western players prefer direct and clear skill descriptions.

Without the world view that Warcraft has cultivated for many years.

Many things are actually quite troublesome.

but.

Fortunately, money can solve many problems.

If you pay enough, the level of responsibility of the localized team will increase dramatically.

In addition, the localization team seems to be quite interested in the game. They have given full play to their initiative, drawing on various folk legends, D&D settings, and slang and colloquialisms, and have done a pretty good job of localization.

Tang Yao played around with the overseas version for a bit and nodded in satisfaction.

At least the English version is pretty good.

"Money really does make a difference."

Tang Yao closed the folder and looked back at the screen in front of her.

On her screen, the largest overseas video website was open, and she was on the homepage of a certain video creator.

The person who posted this video is called 'Real Player'.

Although this video creator only has a million subscribers.

But Tang Yao still decided to give this video creator the first sponsorship deal for the overseas version of Hearthstone.

This video creator provided Avalon with significant assistance when "Yun" was released.

This can be considered a return of kindness.

after all.

If he hadn't posted a video accusing the game review website he worked for of taking a lot of money and exposing all sorts of scandals, and then used "Yun" as a comparison...

"The Secret" wouldn't have been able to open up overseas markets and make a fortune.

That's right.

The video creator is none other than Damian, who played "Yun" so much that he quit his job.

"The last time, 'The Secret' had an element of luck involved. Whether Avalon can open up the market depends on how well 'Hearthstone' performs this time..."

Tang Yao looked at the video website on the screen and said softly.

With anticipation and a touch of hesitation.

To be honest, overseas distribution costs are quite high.

If expectations are not met.

If we really fail.

While it may not be a crippling blow, it officially marks Avalon's failure in its overseas expansion, forcing it to return to the domestic market and directly compete with other major players.

It's not a big deal.

But if possible.

Tang Yao still hoped for success, because that would allow Avalon to be more at ease.

……

at the same time.

night.

North America.

Damian Peterson hummed a little tune as he went to the refrigerator, opened a bottle of beer, and gulped down a large mouthful.

Then, he breathed a sigh of relief, happily went to his computer, and opened his video account—Real Player.

now.

It has been some time since he released that video titled "The Decline and Rebirth of Gaming Media".

He admits.

After playing "Yun", I resigned because I was really hooked.

But the result was undoubtedly good.

He not only got rid of the company, but also got a rare opportunity to escape that damn review website and become a freelance reviewer, and he even earned more money!

All of this was too dreamlike, and it made him extremely happy.

Think of this.

Damian grinned, his fingers tapping lightly on the keyboard, bringing up the background data.

The video that exposed the dark side of the gaming media has been viewed over 800 million times, becoming the most popular episode in the history of his channel.

Ironically, the review website he criticized saw its traffic plummet by 40% within three months, ultimately forcing it to issue a public apology and reorganize its review team.

"Justice will prevail!"

Damian looked at the impressive backend data and couldn't help but raise his beer can to the screen: "And thank God that 'Yun' appeared before my eyes..."

He just finished speaking.

Ding dong.

A new message notification suddenly popped up in my email.

Damian, who was joking around, paused, looked down, and was stunned when he saw the sender of an email.

From: Avalon Global Publishing
Subject: Heartthstone

"Wait???"

Damian saw the familiar name, hurriedly dropped his beer, and immediately opened the email he had received.

Avalon?

That game company that developed and published "Yun"? They contacted me!?
I had just thought of them when they sent me an email!?

And... an exclusive preview of a new game?

Heartthstone?
For an instant.

Damian became excited.

It's not that I'm superstitious that Avalon will bring him fame and fortune again.

That's the main reason.

His channel has recently encountered some problems.

The problem is—there are no new game reviews to be found...

Free critics are free, but that also means they have no resources. This is compounded by the fact that he initially gained fame by exposing scandals and adopted an attitude of being irreconcilable with advertorials.

This makes it impossible for other manufacturers to give him early access to their games for review.

Therefore, he can only do what ordinary players do: wait until the game is released before conducting a review.

But this also makes him lose his unique characteristics... after all, there are just too many reviews after the game's release.

He wasn't particularly outstanding among them.

The other thing is.

The reason he initially gained attention was not only because of the exposure of his scandals, but also because of his work "Yun".

And this is a mobile game... so many viewers who were attracted to it at the time also liked mobile games like "Yun".

But the problem is.

The game "Yun" is so special.

Where on the market can you find so many mobile games as excellent as "Yun"?
For some time now, he has been trying to find a game like "Yun," a hidden gem... but he hasn't found one yet.

The mobile games on the market are terrible.

Everything was terrible.

He can only go back and review AAA games.

But this thing doesn't really fit his channel.

Many players simply don't want to watch this content.

He was quite troubled by this.

He also wanted to find some mysterious Eastern games... but the problem was that he didn't understand Chinese very well, and even if he could find them, how could the channel's viewers play them when they were separated by the Pacific Ocean?
but.

just now.

Got it!

Avalon's email was like a pillow delivered just when you're about to fall asleep.

A mysterious Eastern game!
This is a game that the audience here has never experienced before!
Here it comes!
Damian opened the email with trembling hands:

"Dear Damian:
Thank you for your honest review of "Hearthstone". We are about to launch our brand new card game "Hearthstone" and would like to invite you to be the first independent reviewer in the world to experience the game.

The attachment includes:

1. Closed Beta Invitation Code X30
2...."

"...Wait?"

Damian's face lit up with disbelief after reading the email. A card game?

its not right!
Isn't it a game like "Yun"?
why!
Card game! What's so fun about that? And it seems to be for PC?
This is not what I wanted at all! A mysterious Eastern game!!!

Damian's fingers hovered above the keyboard, his entire being seemingly frozen in time.

Card game? The image of that mysterious Eastern card game called 'Dou Dizhu' immediately popped into his mind.

Damn it.

What's so fun about this?

"What are you doing?"

Damian's shoulders slumped, and he muttered to himself, utterly dejected.

I thought my lucky star, my angel, had descended... but it turned out to be a white dove.

hateful.

Damian's fingers hovered over the keyboard for a few seconds before he finally sighed and opened the attachment.

Out of courtesy, I'll take a look anyway, since Avalon is the developer and publisher of "The Secret".

Perhaps we could offer them some advice or something, and then build a good relationship with them... so they can continue to develop games like "Yun".

As he pondered this, he opened the official website that the email had directed him to.

Tang Yao certainly wouldn't put all her eggs in one basket with this unknown streamer.

In fact.

He was just one of the players who got to experience it early.

Promotion efforts in other areas are progressing steadily.

The official website has been online for a while now.

So very quickly.

Damian then saw the promotional page on the official website.

"Huh? There's a mobile version too?"

Damian watched the promotional video on the official website and felt that it was somewhat different from the mysterious Eastern card game he had in mind.

This way of playing... seems pretty unique?
and.

Can this download also be used on mobile devices?
interesting……

Damian clicked to download the game while thinking about it.

Because he had never been exposed to TCGs, he didn't know much about card games.

He just felt that the demo on the official website was somewhat different from the card game he was used to.

Damian drank two cans of beer, went to the bathroom, and killed some time.

The game is finally downloaded.

Ding-dong-

Damian snapped out of his daze and sat back down in front of the computer.

then.

He looked at the Hearthstone login screen, followed the instructions to register an account, logged into the game, and then entered a test code.

Come on in! Welcome to my tavern! Haha, forget your troubles and find a seat!

soon.

Accompanied by the hotel owner's enthusiastic voice.

The game starts.

Damian chugged down another mouthful of beer, looked at the box-like game screen in front of him, and clicked "Play Now".

The tutorial begins.

then……

"..."

Damian put down his beer without realizing it.

With guidance and progress.

He vaguely sensed something special about this game.

Although it's just a simple card battle, Hearthstone's sound effects, animations, and interactive details are exceptionally well done, especially the special effects and lines when cards are summoned, each card is full of personality.

Just in terms of sensory stimulation, it's much more engaging than physical cards!
And these rules are really interesting...

Mana Crystals, Minion Interaction, Battleground Combos, Spell Card Quality, Minion Types, Spell Factions, Card Keywords, Deck Building...

The rules themselves are not complicated.

But overall it looks extremely interesting!!

The system is deep, but not complicated!
This……

"interesting."

Although Damian wasn't a big TCG player, he had played quite a few games, and this was a game he found interesting as soon as he started playing...

He went through the guidance again, and then thought about it.

He directly opened his social media account.

I posted an update.

[New game review needed, one volunteer required!]

After all.

This is a multiplayer game... the fun in the tutorial isn't very obvious yet.

He plans to find a player to play against and experience it.

The email specifically mentioned that during the testing phase, matchmaking might be slow due to the limited number of players, and players could ask friends to participate in the test.

So Damian posted this tweet, looking for a volunteer.

Damian is, after all, a video creator with millions of subscribers.

soon.

Quite a few people signed up.

Damian filtered the options and found someone who was available right now, and contacted them.

"Damian!! What game is he reviewing this time? Is it another one that's already been released?"

soon.

The two got in touch and started talking through voice software.

Damian replied, "No... it's an Eastern card game."

"Like the 'Yun'?!"

"It's not..."

"That's such a pity."

"But it looks interesting. Download the game first, and we'll give it a try."

"Ok."

Damian then directed the other person to the Hearthstone website and sent them the invitation code that Avalon had given him.

soon.

The players on the other side also began receiving guidance.

"Hmm... Is this a TCG? Wait, no, this is interesting..."

Damian overheard the murmurs on the other end and confirmed that he wasn't the only one who found it amusing.

This game doesn't seem as bad as I imagined.

The guidance over there is finished.

Damian immediately had him start fighting.

The players on the other side were also very interested.

After fiddling around for a bit, the two finally figured out how to invite someone to a match.

then.

The two also saw the recommended deck.

I don't know if it's because of the attractive character art.

Damian also chose the famous Freeze Mage deck. He glanced at the deck composition and then clicked to start the match.

quickly!

The battle begins!
then……

The cawing of blue jays came through the window.

Damian snapped back to reality, then looked at the window and then at the computer screen.

Slowly widen your eyes!

WTF?

It's morning!?

what happened! ?
Didn't I just play for a little while?

In the headphones.

The player on the other side also heard the birdsong and exclaimed excitedly, "Wow! It's already morning! This game is so much fun!! All the card decks are so interesting!!! Damian! When will this game be released for public beta? Do you have any inside information?"

Damian didn't speak, still staring blankly at the screen.

At first, neither of them knew how to play.

They really don't know how to play; they're just messing around.

But as they played, the two gradually learned the mechanics, the decks, and how to play.

And then! I became completely captivated!!!
This hit.

It was just one night.

The two of them didn't think there was anything wrong with it at all! They weren't tired of each other at all!
They got more and more into it, and tried out all sorts of decks.

Even now.

It was bright daylight outside.

Damian wanted to play another round...

“Jesus…”

Damian muttered something to himself, his mind racing.

And this time.

The player on the other side, still wanting more, said, "Damian, want to play one more round?"

"No! I need to start writing the review now, goodbye!"

Damian snapped out of his daze, left a comment, and hung up the call.

then.

He stared at the game before him, his eyes gradually burning with fervor!
This is so interesting!

Misunderstood!
There's been a misunderstanding!

This isn't an angel! Nor is it a white dove! This is practically God!!!
Even he's become obsessed with it!
What about the other players?

A mysterious Eastern game that no one has played before! Exclusive review on our own channel!

Here it is!
Damian felt a fire begin to burn fiercely in his heart!
The benefits of promoting "Yun" are still fresh in our minds!

This game is so interesting, and it's still only in the testing phase.

If I were to do a proper review, I could introduce this exceptionally fun Touhou game to all players!!!

that--

Think of this.

Damian didn't sleep either; he immediately opened his document and began preparing to write a proper review for this game!

He's going to be the first reviewer of this game in North America!!
At the same time, let all your viewers know that there is such a great game!!
(End of this chapter)