Restart life

Chapter 304 0301 [What will it be like forty years from now?]

The blog of "Big Brother 777" can easily get over 50 views a single day just by posting a stock trading article.

He created many QQ groups, and you had to pay a membership fee to join.

Membership fees range from a minimum of 3000 yuan per year to a maximum of 37000 yuan per year, and there are also customer tiers such as gold, platinum, and diamond.

This guy was already in a bind. After being bombarded by the Five Mountains Hermit, he conveniently announced his retirement. He claimed that he was being harassed by jealous people and could no longer live a normal life.

The last stock he recommended hit its daily limit up the next day.

Because of his immense influence, not only many individual investors listened to him, but even some institutional investors infiltrated his QQ groups. He would say which stock would rise, and everyone would rush to buy it.

It would be strange if it didn't go up!

This guy can't escape; he's already being watched by the relevant authorities.

If he were just recommending stocks, that wouldn't be a problem, but if he takes the opportunity to collect membership fees, he'll definitely go to jail.

Wuyue Sanren successfully diverted netizens' attention. Because of the retirement of the leader, 777, all the stock market investors and fans rushed to hurl insults, believing that Wuyue Sanren had cut off their source of income.

This is exactly the effect Wuyue Sanren wanted: he argued with those stock market investors every day, and finally no one was paying attention to his academic background anymore.

He knew he was sure to win because he had already reported it.

Chen Guiliang escaped unscathed from this ordeal; in fact, it brought attention to "My Own Swordsman".

Even Director Kou from the State Administration of Press and Publication personally called: "For this year's list of national online games, the Game Science and Technology Department only submitted 'Future Era'. Do you want to submit 'Wulin Gaiden' as well?"

Chen Guiliang said, "The Legend of Wulin has not started production yet; we are currently only in the early stages of preparation."

“As long as the project is approved, that’s fine,” Director Kou said. “I’ve seen the preparatory work you’ve done, from holding classes at Tsinghua and Peking Universities to conducting on-site investigations. This spirit is commendable, and it contains historical and cultural elements that can change the public’s perception of online games.”

Director Kou has a different perspective; he doesn't even really care whether a game makes money.

For example, the game "Age of Sail," which he once supported, was chosen because it told a patriotic story. It depicted a group of Chinese people who had been wandering abroad in the early 16th century, enduring various hardships to return eastward with fervor. At the same time, it showcased the clash between Eastern and Western civilizations and promoted China's 5,000-year-old history.

The above content is pure nonsense; to put it bluntly, it's just an online version of "Uncharted Waters".

But Director Kou likes to hear these kinds of stories!
Director Kou also really liked things like "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" and tried to use them to promote "Chinese martial arts culture overseas".

"Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" was just starting development, and we didn't even know what it would look like, when it was included in the list of national online games by the State Administration of Press and Publication.

Director Kou said, "I won't rush you on 'My Own Swordsman.' Just do your job well. You can apply for a publishing license from the State Administration of Press and Publication when the time comes."

"Thank you for your consideration, leader," Chen Guiliang said happily.

Game licenses already exist; they can be traced back to 2004.

However, the regulations are not strict.

The State Administration of Press and Publication, the Ministry of Culture, and the State Administration of Information Industry all have the authority to approve game licenses.

In theory, approval from all three departments is required, but in practice, only one of them needs to give their nod.

Many small and medium-sized game developers dare to launch their games without even a game license. And surprisingly, no one seems to care, because all three departments could potentially regulate them, so often none of them bother to intervene.

Director Kou instructed "Wulin Gaiden" to submit its application to the State Administration of Press and Publication, in order to determine in advance which region the best games belonged to. He was worried that the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology would try to steal the credit!
The license for World of Warcraft will be reviewed this year because the new expansion contains a lot of red and gold (especially the Broken Sun logo).

Other issues like gore and superstition are secondary; the main problem is those two colors, which must be changed before the Olympics.

It's a small matter; it can be fixed.

However, The9's attitude was extremely arrogant, or rather, it had become inflated to an extreme. Not only did it drag its feet and refuse to make changes, but it also claimed that the State Administration of Press and Publication's review process was inefficient and incited players to create public opinion to threaten the State Administration of Press and Publication.

The more uncooperative NineCity is, the more revisions the Press and Publication Administration (PPA) demands. And they only make new requests after you've finished making the changes.

So how did NetEase obtain the publishing license for "World of Warcraft"? They bypassed the State Administration of Press and Publication and had the Ministry of Culture handle the approval process!

The State Administration of Press and Publication was instantly enraged. This was a game I had approved years ago, and one I had also ordered to rectify. What did it mean that you bypassed me and issued a license directly?
They still want to switch sides?
Therefore, the State Administration of Press and Publication unilaterally declared the publication number invalid.

The State Administration of Press and Publication and the Ministry of Culture were locked in a direct conflict. Realizing this situation was unsustainable, the government regulated the powers and responsibilities of each department. From this point onward, the regulation of game licenses became much stricter.

Chen Guiliang's earlier statement, "Thank you for your consideration, leaders," wasn't primarily about its literal meaning, but rather expressed his intention to always follow the State Administration of Press and Publication and to resolutely avoid joining any factions within the cultural or information technology sectors.

"Is it possible for 'My Own Swordsman' to be selected this year, along with 'Future Era'?" Chen Guiliang inquired.

Director Kou replied, "It's not possible this year. I can't have two games selected from your company at the same time. But there will be an opportunity next year, so I'm letting you submit your application in advance."

Chen Guiliang expressed his understanding.

Director Kou continued, "You sent me the beta test invitation code a few days ago, and I've personally played 'Future Era.' It's excellent. Although it only has two chapters and the highest level is only 25, the game's storyline is exceptionally well-done. Its core message is positive and uplifting, showing humanity's unity and willingness to sacrifice when facing crises. This doesn't promote violence, but rather encourages fighting spirit."

Chen Guiliang almost laughed: "The leader is truly insightful, with a profound understanding of the issues."

Director Kou continued, "The fatigue value system is also very good. It's an anti-addiction design; if teenagers play games, their fatigue value will be depleted, making them stop. If Future Era can be updated with more maps, I will recommend this game to foreign developers at this year's ChinaJoy exhibition."

"We started working on Chapter Two last December, and it was almost finished before the Spring Festival. Currently, we've completed two instances of Chapter Three. By the summer vacation, we'll definitely be able to update to Chapter Four and reach character level 45," Chen Guiliang said.

After chatting for a few more minutes, the call ended.

Chen Guiliang sat in front of his computer and went to 17173 to look at the rankings.

The game "Future Era" currently has only 3000 people in its closed beta, and the highest character level is 25.

This unfinished product soared to 18th place on the weekly online game chart and 2nd place on the new online game chart (the 1st place is "Tian Long Ba Bu").

Several editors gave it a five-star review, unanimously agreeing that the time spent was well worth it. One editor even said, "The level design of 'Future Era' has the quality of a high-quality single-player game. It tells a complete story with a well-developed world view and plot. This is extremely rare in online games."

The rating is very high.

Back in the dormitory, Tong Zhihong was playing "Future Era," while Li Heng was giving a speech in front of a mirror.

"What are you doing?" Chen Guiliang asked.

李恒解释道：“我在准备演讲比赛。今年的比赛主题是‘畅想2048’。2048年是北大建校150周年、新中国成立99周年、京城奥运40周年。到时候，中国和北大会变成什么样子？”

Chen Guiliang laughed and said, "It's a very interesting topic."

“I only participated because I found the topic of the speech interesting,” Li Heng said, envisioning the future. “By 2048, cars, computers, and mobile phones will be commonplace in China. The Western Development Strategy will be completed, and people in both the east and west will be wealthy. Beijing will no longer experience sandstorms, and grassland management will be extremely successful. By then, China’s GDP will be the second largest in the world, second only to the United States…”

"Furthermore, due to the tremendous advancements in science and technology, poverty has been eradicated in all countries and regions around the world. Humanity no longer wages wars over resources, the United Nations' status has become increasingly authoritative, and even the United States no longer dares to openly violate UN documents..."

This guy said a lot, all of it optimistic and positive.

Chen Guiliang didn't discourage him; maintaining this optimistic attitude was good.

But Li Heng took the initiative to ask, "What do you imagine 2048 to be like?"

Chen Guiliang said, "The three battles may be over."

"what?"

Even Tong Zhihong, who was playing a game, suddenly turned around.

Chen Guiliang laughed and said, "It's just a wild guess, don't be surprised."

Tong Zhihong said, "If we fight World War III, and those things are thrown around indiscriminately, they'll blow the Earth into a 'Future Era'. There won't be any spiritual revival then."

Chen Guiliang changed the subject: "Why have you been playing 'Future Era' all the time these past few days? Have you completely given up on 'World of Warcraft'?"

Tong Zhihong said, "I've already reached the maximum level in World of Warcraft, and I've seen all the maps and dungeons. Now I run dungeons twice a week, slowly waiting for my gear to be fully upgraded. Occasionally I log in to chat with my friends, and the rest of the time I play 'Future Era'."

Chen Guiliang opened his suitcase, pulled out a bunch of local specialties, and said, "I haven't been to the dorm since returning to school after the New Year, so I brought these local specialties with me today. You guys in the next dorm can share them too."

When the two guys heard there was food, they immediately ran over to divide it up.

Chen Guiliang hadn't been back to the dormitory for a long time and missed it quite a bit. He lay on Jiang Junlai's bunk, reminiscing about when he first entered university.

It's already the second semester of my junior year, and I'll be graduating next year in the blink of an eye.

Okay, normal people can graduate, but the problem is that Chen Guiliang hasn't chosen a major yet.

After much thought, I've decided to choose philosophy next semester. I publicly stated in my senior year of high school that I wanted to major in philosophy. I'll just keep my word.

The phone rang again, the contact name was "Breaking Boundaries Animation King Chenyu".

Breakthrough Animation is the company that created the opening and transition animations for "Future Era". Its full name is "Breakthrough Digital Animation Design Co., Ltd."

Established in a very short time, in 2004, when the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television supported animation, a group of recent graduates from universities in Beijing took the opportunity to start a company.

The team members are all graduates of prestigious universities, have high aspirations, and have policy support, so the company's startup project is actually aimed at animated films.

That movie has a style somewhat similar to Hayao Miyazaki.

It's heavily influenced by imitation, but it also has its own unique elements. To be honest, the quality is decent, especially the visuals, but the storytelling is slightly lacking.

It only won a few minor awards, and couldn't be released in theaters. It flopped so badly that even my own mother wouldn't recognize it.

At their lowest point, they even relied on the help of their senior classmates to do outsourcing work for CCTV's children's animation "Stories of Chinese Virtues".

For the past two years, I've been struggling to survive by doing outsourcing work.

When Chen Guiliang wanted to create game animation for "Future Era," a member of the project team recommended them. Their initial draft was acceptable, but Chen Guiliang remained dissatisfied with the final product.

After a while, Chen Guiliang simply invested in the acquisition and assigned the art team from "Future Era" to oversee the work every day.

"Mr. Chen, are you off work?" Wang Chenyu asked.

Chen Guiliang said, "I'm off work."

Wang Chenyu said, "Once we finish all the animation tasks for 'Future World,' we want to restart the animated film project."

Chen Guiliang acquired 70% of the shares in this animation company.

Sigh, those guys have dreams too. With a little extra money, they want to make animated films.

Chen Guiliang said, "Since you have connections, you can outsource CCTV's 'Stories of Chinese Virtues.' Why not just produce children's animation and find a TV station to broadcast it?"

Wang Chenyu remained silent for a long time: "Doing outsourcing is for survival, making animated films is a dream."

Chen Guiliang said, "If you can produce a best-selling children's animation, I will agree to your reboot of animated films."

"Then I'll discuss it with my colleagues and give President Chen a children's animation proposal as soon as possible." Wang Chenyu couldn't win against the powerful.

Chen Guiliang said directly, "I'll give you an idea that can produce the quality of an animated film, be broadcast on children's programs, and be enjoyed by adults as well."

Wang Chenyu was skeptical: "How many aspects can it take into account?"

(End of this chapter)