Started as a comics editor

Chapter 309: Biting off more than one can chew

Inside the meeting room, the discussion about the two single-player games gradually heated up.

Both sides argued back and forth, and both had their points.

To Tang Yao's surprise, the two sides, who supported Spider-Man and who supported Rogue, did not end up arguing. Instead, they gradually became attracted to each other's games as they delved into the highlights of each other's games.

"The Age of Exploration setting that Shi Wanglin described, combined with the gameplay, is really exciting."

Kang Ming, who originally supported Spider-Man, stroked his chin and said with a slight gleam in his eyes, "Although it didn't have much of an impact at the time, the main stage of the story could be set in Sakura Prefecture, which is right on the front line. And I remember that an army did land there, although they were wiped out in less than two months. But we can still find some stories to tell. If all else fails, we can completely set it up in fiction and create a 'secret war,' with the protagonist protecting his homeland and seeking revenge on a war-torn land, accompanied by realistic cold weapon duels... Just thinking about the core of the story and the visual impact is exhilarating!"

"..."

Zhang Mingyuan thought for a moment and slowly nodded: "Swords and halberds? I also find it quite interesting that President Tang mentioned the wind guiding the protagonist."

"Yes, yes."

Si Jinliang couldn't help but interject, "The combat core of both games has so much potential to be explored! 'Rogue' pursues the tension of life and death moments and sword duels, while 'Spider-Man' emphasizes the high-speed and smooth combos and the exhilarating feeling of using space... Both are great! I feel that I can give them a try."

"really……"

The discussion became increasingly heated.

The core members chatted amongst themselves and gradually reached a consensus, their faces beaming with excitement.

They no longer simply supported their initial choice, but were drawn to the equally brilliant creative sparks in the projects supported by the other party.

After that, no one stood up to object.

The two groups ended up making excuses for each other.

Tang Yao: “…”

The wind direction seems off.
It turns out.

Tang Yao's prediction was correct.

Soon, a bold idea sprouted in everyone's minds and quickly spread.

"Tang Yao."

Kang Ming, acting as the representative, looked excitedly at Tang Yao, who had been deep in thought, and asked, "Could we... make both games?"

"Yup!"

Shi Wanglin immediately chimed in, his eyes gleaming: "The core concepts of the two games are completely different, and their experiences have different focuses, so they don't conflict! Spider-Man can satisfy the demand for exhilarating action-adventure in modern cities, while Rogue can fill the gap in realistic aesthetics of cold weapons and narratives with a specific historical background! We can absolutely develop them simultaneously! Make two amazing games!"

"Personally, I also think we can try both... The main problem right now is that the team size can't keep up."

Lee Chung-chi also spoke up, saying, "However, once the Left 4 Dead project is stable, a large portion of the core team can be drawn to form a new single-player project team. This, combined with some members from the previous Outlast and Undertale projects..."

"It still feels very difficult. We have no experience with open worlds. This is not like Outlast. There is too much content... We have to explore everything from scratch."

Chu Yuxin, one of only two women in the conference room besides Tang Yao, was the calmest: "Not to mention, both games have extremely high requirements in some respects, and there's also an online game project..."

"..."

"..."

Chu Yuxin immediately dampened everyone's enthusiasm.

But soon, they looked at Tang Yao with hopeful eyes.

Everyone felt that both games had great potential! Giving up on either one would be a huge loss!

Looking at the group of core members in front of her, their faces full of anticipation, Tang Yao was filled with mixed emotions.

The team has grown, and so has its ambition.

You actually dare to do that?

However, she had considered that possibility...

"Should we make both of them...?"

Tang Yao hesitated for a moment, not giving an immediate affirmative answer. After a moment of contemplation, she replied, "This suggestion... is indeed very bold. However, it involves a huge investment of resources and project management challenges. Chu Yuxin is right, the risk is too great."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked disappointed.

"However, we could adopt the previous model..."

Tang Yao suddenly changed the subject: "We can't do two projects in parallel, but we can allocate some people to work on the demo of another game. Simply put, the main development team will tackle one project, while a small number of people will be assigned to the other project for technical verification, framework building, etc. We already have an experimental project underway, so this is perfect."

After a game is released, other staff members seamlessly move on to another project team...

Of course, this is just an idea. I need a more detailed assessment, including project breakdown, staffing, timeline, and risk control. So, for the standalone part, let's initially agree on a 'dual-track, off-peak parallel' approach. As for the specific implementation details, Kang Ming and Si Jinliang, in conjunction with the project management and support departments, will work together to produce a feasibility report for me as soon as possible.

"understand!"

Upon hearing this, Kang Ming and Si Jinliang exchanged a glance and immediately responded, their faces full of enthusiasm.

The other members nodded in agreement, their excitement evident.

This is the best possible outcome.

Although the specific implementation details and risk assessment report still need to be followed up, at least we have a solution that everyone can accept and is looking forward to.

"Okay, that's the initial direction for single-player games for now... So, let's discuss online games next."

Tang Yao's pleasant voice rang out again, refocusing everyone's attention: "This is the cornerstone of our revenue and the key to maintaining the platform's popularity and community activity. What are your thoughts? FPS? Or MOBA?"

Speaking of online games.

The atmosphere, which had just eased slightly due to the consensus reached on the single-player project, was reignited.

However, the focus of this discussion was different from when everyone was quickly drawn to Tang Yao's creativity during the single-player project; this time, it seemed somewhat... clearly divided.

The problem mainly lies with MOBAs.

Their main discussion revolved around... whether the MOBA game proposed by Tang Yao was actually fun.

Because this is different from the single-player game we just talked about, where you can understand it just by hearing the concept.

Tang Yao explained MOBA games as follows: Players use a top-down perspective similar to RTS games to focus on controlling a carefully designed hero character on a structured map, cooperating with teammates to push towers, kill enemies, and ultimately destroy the enemy base.

The staff in the conference room all knew about the RTS game genre.

But whether controlling a hero individually is fun or not is not really a clear concept for most people.

After all, in Tang Yao's past life, MOBA games had undergone a long period of evolution.

There is no similar history here.

The developers in the meeting room were used to the macro-level control of RTS, and this greatly simplified gameplay was too unfamiliar to them.

The group chatted for a while and also shared their doubts with Tang Yao.

Upon hearing this, Tang Yao hesitated for a moment: "That is indeed a problem..."

"The main problem is that RTS games don't have a large audience right now... Many of us haven't played RTS games, so we're not really sure how they work. How about we make a demo? I don't think it's too difficult. Have you heard of 'Heroic Expedition', Mr. Tang?"

After hesitating for a moment, Yu Lili mustered her courage and suggested in front of a group of experts: "The source code of this RTS is open source, and there is also a module support package, which contains the source XML, schema, scripts, shaders and map files of the series of games. I think we can use this game to make a simple demo and let everyone play it first."

"Hero Expedition... I know, a classic RTS."

Tang Yao recalled briefly: "However, you are currently in charge of..."

"No problem! We'll help."

Tang Yao hadn't finished speaking.

The others immediately chimed in, "We can all help, Mr. Tang! Don't worry!"

"That's right! How come I didn't think of that! A heroic expedition!"

"You can try it!"

"..."

The staff were incredibly enthusiastic!
Perhaps it's because of the year-end bonus... they completely lack the self-awareness of working people. Seeing how proactive they were, and considering that there was indeed readily available material, Tang Yao thought for a moment and slowly nodded: "Alright, then Yu Lili will be in charge."

"it is good."

The matter was quickly settled.

Tang Yao thought for a moment, just about to start the next topic.

But Yu Lili whispered, "Wait, Mr. Tang, how about we discuss FPS as well? FPS genres are quite diverse. Do you have any specific ideas?"

As soon as these words came out.

The others also looked curiously at Tang Yao, who was standing there gracefully.

"FPS, huh?"

Tang Yao thought for a moment, and since she was already there, she decided to tell them: "I do have some ideas. The FPS market is huge and players are very receptive to it, so there are many paths to choose from. These are the main directions."

"The first direction is hardcore esports, which emphasizes fairness and tactical cooperation, such as item throwing, map control, and bomb site attack and defense. This type of FPS is highly competitive, has a high core user loyalty, and is easy to build an esports ecosystem, but the downside is that it has a high barrier to entry, is difficult for beginners to get started, and user growth may be relatively slow."

"The second direction is to build on the former by speeding up the pace, strengthening the commercial attributes, and even selling weapons. The focus is on fast-paced shooting, low barriers to entry, rich PVP modes, and... well, a powerful monetization system. The advantage is that it is easy to build a large user base, strong revenue generation, and diverse modes to meet the needs of different players. However, the disadvantage is that it will be criticized by core competitive players for not being hardcore enough and for making players pay more. The game environment may be relatively volatile, and in the long run, the Avalon brand value may be damaged. I don't really recommend it."

"The last direction is to move towards tactical competition and innovation. Imagine a huge, dynamically changing open map where dozens or even hundreds of players are deployed at once. Players parachute in empty-handed and need to quickly collect weapons, equipment, medicine, and vehicles in a complex environment after landing."

High-level resource points will also randomly spawn on the map at regular intervals. At the same time, a constantly shrinking safe zone will force players to move towards the safe zone. Encounters are inevitable. Players can choose to fight alone or cooperate in teams. The ultimate goal is only one - to become the last person or team to survive!

The fun part about this game is...

Tang Yao shared her thoughts.

These are actually the three most lucrative FPS online game types in Tang Yao's memory.

These are CSGO, CF, and various battle royale games.

"..."

The other staff members stared at Tang Yao, dumbfounded.

In particular, the last game that Tang Yao proposed was described in a very vivid and attractive way. After a brief moment of surprise, many people in the conference room had their eyes light up.

This game combines survival, exploration, resource management, strategic choices, thrilling encounters, and a strong sense of randomness—it sounds incredibly dramatic and unpredictable!

So very quickly.

Li Zhongzhi couldn't sit still any longer: "President Tang..."

"stop."

Tang Yao immediately raised her fair hand to stop him from continuing: "There are too many projects at the moment, and Avalon really can't handle any more."

Li Zhongzhi's mouth was shut up by Tang Yao's gesture, and the rest of his words got stuck in his throat. His anxious expression froze instantly, making him look somewhat embarrassed.

Like the other members whose eyes had been shining, he felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, and the excitement ignited by the concept of battle royale visibly wilted.

The atmosphere in the meeting room, which had been gradually building up, cooled down considerably.

The group looked at each other, all seeing the same unbearable longing and helplessness in each other's eyes.

Because Tang Yao was right. Just the two behemoths on the single-player side, plus a demo that needed to be tested... the team was already stretched to its limit, or even overloaded.

Should we add another brand new FPS project that sounds equally large?

That's absolutely wishful thinking; the risk of the project collapsing would increase exponentially.

"I know, that last option sounds very tempting."

Tang Yao looked around, taking in everyone's resentment and regret, and said with some helplessness, "A huge dynamic map, a hundred people fighting, survival and scavenging, shrinking circle pressure... the drama and randomness are indeed at the top of the list, and the potential is huge, but you have to take things one step at a time."

What we value most right now is the hard-won team morale and a clear development direction. The adage "don't bite off more than you can chew" is self-evident. Running two parallel single-player games simultaneously is already a tightrope walk; we can't afford to further disperse resources on the online game side.

Upon hearing this, Li Zhongzhi calmed down and nodded in agreement: "I understand... It's not feasible for now, but once our current projects are producing steadily and the team has accumulated stronger capabilities and technical reserves, FPS... could very well become our trump card in the future."

"Yes."

"Let's leave it at that for now! Let's focus on finishing the current game first!"

"Oh!!!"

Tang Yao didn't even need to say anything more, like offering encouragement... the developers had already shifted their attention to the project that had just been finalized.

Several core members, such as Kang Ming, Si Jinliang, Shi Wanglin, and even Chu Yuxin who had just poured cold water on the idea, now revealed in their eyes an agreement with that possible future.

This sense of unity, this desire for innovation... can be said to be the company's most valuable asset.

can only say.

After Tang Yao's intentional or unintentional guidance over a long period of time, the atmosphere in Avalon became truly wonderful.

"All right."

Tang Yao was lost in thought, but quickly clapped her hands to bring the meeting back on track: "The initial discussion on the online game direction ends here. The conclusion is to postpone the establishment of specific FPS projects and fully support Yu Lili's team in using the resources of 'Heroic Expedition' to prioritize the completion of the DEMO verification of the core experience of MOBA gameplay. The FPS direction will be explored when conditions permit in the future."

She glanced at the key points recorded on the whiteboard, and after confirming that nothing had been missed, she continued: "So, today's core agenda is basically clear. For single-player games, Spider-Man and Vagabond will run in parallel with different storylines. Kang Ming and Si Jinliang will take the lead and provide a detailed feasibility report and preliminary development plan."

Regarding online games, Yu Lili will be responsible for MOBA demo verification, and it should be launched as soon as possible.

"Understood!" the people whose names were called responded in unison.

"Then let's adjourn the meeting."

Tang Yao breathed a sigh of relief.

Although there were many unexpected situations during the meeting, the final direction she reached gave her a profound sense of security.

Everyone stood up, their faces showing some fatigue from sitting for a long time, but even more so excitement and enthusiasm after having a clear goal.

The meeting room door was pushed open, and the sounds of discussion, along with footsteps, gradually faded away.

"Damn, I feel like I'm going to be busy from now on."

"Yeah...biubiubiu, I feel like the shots with the spider webs swaying will be really troublesome, it's giving me a headache."

"I also feel quite stressed about losing hair, but it'll be fine once it's resolved."

"Don't just think about that. Let the copywriting team find a suitable background story for 'Vagabond'."

"Mingyuan, how about we meet up later? I think we need to plan the technical solutions in advance for the physics of the web-swinging action in Spider-Man..."

"Let's go grab a coffee to perk ourselves up..."

Listening to the lively discussions coming from the corridor, and looking out the window at the gradually darkening sky and the city lights coming on, Tang Yao let out another soft breath.

Now that the blueprint has been laid out... it's time to lead this ambitious and talented team, step by step, to turn the concept into a real game.

Tang Yao snapped out of her thoughts and headed towards the door.

Then she noticed that Li Xue was standing at the door with documents in her hands, seemingly having been listening in since the beginning.

"Thanks for your hard work."

Seeing Tang Yao approaching, Li Xue immediately changed her posture, holding the documents in one hand and raising the other to gently massage Tang Yao's eyebrows: "The initial draft of Project Dawn has been discussed almost completely, but there are some details that require your final decision."

"Ah."

Tang Yao slightly raised her fair and delicate chin. Although there was still a trace of fatigue from the intense meeting between her brows and eyes, her bright and beautiful eyes were still clear and bright, reflecting the light of the corridor: "Let's talk in the office."

Li Xue didn't rush to agree. Instead, she looked at her slightly tired, beautiful profile and couldn't help but gently scold her, "Are you tired? You've added so much to your life... running two single-player games, verifying gameplay in online games, and worrying about Project Dawn..."

Her words were full of worry.

Tang Yao blinked her beautiful eyes, feeling the gentle caress between her brows, and a slight smile curved her lips: "It is a little... but we still have you, don't we? Let's go, let's finalize the Dawn Project first."

Say it.

She took Li Xue's hand and walked briskly towards her office.

(End of this chapter)