Game Development: Starting with Recreating the Anime Game Style

Chapter 26 Specialized Traffic Entry Points

In addition to balancing functionality, the computer version and the mobile version also need to be differentiated.

Since computers have high performance, gamers are less concerned about power consumption and data usage, so the functions and effects can be made more complex.

Let's take the wallpaper draft that Chu Chen has already completed as an example.

This is an interactive wallpaper featuring the command room from the game "Final Front." The wallpaper uses the command room material that is currently under development.

Unlike many current anime-style games that use chibi characters.

The command room in "Final Front" uses a two-dimensional perspective, which can be simply understood as the perspective of looking inside from the doorway of the command room.

From front to back.

The scene details are laid out in sequence, with a carpeted floor at the front, a huge desk and chair in the middle, and a huge window behind them.

Although from the perspective of visual effect, this is a 2D image.

However, this is actually a scene that uses some 2.5D modeling, so the whole room is quite layered. Of course, there are also some details added to the scene.

However, this is roughly the general area.

In this live wallpaper, the commander who should be in the command room is not there; only the mascot character set by the player is in the command room.

There was a wildly popular video in my past life, which was frequently used as wallpaper by various live wallpaper software. It showed Hatsune Miku looking around in a room, jumping on the sofa, and occasionally playing with the user's computer.

It's like there really is a Hatsune Miku in the room with the wallpaper.

Ultimately, this is the effect Chu Chen wanted to achieve.

For example, the android will help the commander wipe the table, tidy up the bookshelf for the player, or browse through the books in front of the bookshelf.

It feels like the player is watching something happen in a game world that they are not in.

And the feeling of the character always being by the player's side.

For example, the mascot in the wallpaper will remind players to take a break based on how long they've been using their computers.

"Commander, we've been working for two hours straight. Shall we do some exercise and take a break?"

Or

"Are you still working so late? Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to remind you to get some rest."

If this system is done well, it could even partially share data between interactive wallpapers and games, bringing game content information to the forefront, before the player even enters the game.

For example, players can directly click on the human figure in the live wallpaper to engage in dialogue and obtain some lightweight game information.

Similar to expedition scenarios, see the in-game event descriptions.

For example, after some major version updates.

Chu Chen can also pull special animations from the backend to players who are using the wallpaper but haven't logged into the game for a long time.

"commander!?"

"Oh, not here today either?"

"Commander, look, look! There's an event outside! Huh? Where's the commander?"

"Good morning, Commander... The weather is fine today, perfect for outdoor training."

"Commander, are you awake? I made an extra breakfast today, it's your favorite. (Pause) Ah, I forgot you weren't at the base. (Disappointed voice)"

"The candlelight in the command room is always on for you (he looks down and fiddles with his fingers). The Type 95 will always be waiting for you to come back."

Creating the desired effect for this kind of performance requires costs.

But Chu Chen is willing to pay this cost.

Because, often, players return to the game on a whim.

These animations are essentially an alarm clock, reminding players that there's still story content waiting for them in the game, and that there are avatars who like them waiting for them. As long as players don't uninstall the wallpaper, these animations will definitely have the desired effect.

Moreover, the wallpaper traffic entry point can not only serve "Final Front" but also future StarCraft games.

In addition, the entire wallpaper software can also serve as a unified traffic entry point.

For example, when a new game is launched on StarCraft, the characters can talk about the new game's content, or the interactive wallpapers of the new game can be pushed to all users.

Of course, this kind of "forced" advertising will definitely annoy some players.

But Chu Chen's purpose in creating this traffic entry point is precisely this, so he naturally won't throw the baby out with the bathwater. In fact, if users are lost because of this...

That just means this user isn't Chu Chen's target user.

Moreover, such large-scale advertising can be effective if it is done in moderation and not too frequently.

Relying on the free wallpaper model, coupled with the exquisite quality of the wallpapers pushed, and the convenience and emotional value they bring to players, it is unlikely that many users will be lost.

For example, I would turn on my computer and see that my wallpaper has changed to a message that says "If you're a brother, fight alongside me."

I could curse this stupid software to death.

But what if you turn on your computer and see that your wallpaper has changed to a beautiful girl wearing black stockings and stepping on a doll?

Then I have to ask! What's my wife's name?! Answer me quickly!!

As for whether players can be retained after being attracted in this way, that's Chu Chen's problem.

The "interactive wallpaper" aims to connect players with the stars, forming a "specialized traffic portal."

This entry point may only be suitable for attracting new players and recalling existing players, and cannot support anything more.

But all Chu Chen wanted was this.

Of course, as a "desktop wallpaper" software, Chu Chen was also well aware that many details needed to be polished before the software could be promoted.

To reach a larger user base, a degree of personalization is also needed.

Therefore, Chu Chen will also add a "Wallpaper Workshop" to this foundation.

Within this "Wallpaper Workshop," the software allows players to upload and share live wallpapers independently, and Starry Sky will even launch an interactive wallpaper editor in the future.

For players who don't care about performance and prefer something more complex, or for players who are already fans of Final Frontline, they can use more feature-rich interactive wallpapers.

For gamers who care about power consumption, they can also use "live wallpapers" with lower power consumption.

The above outlines the concept behind interactive computer wallpaper software.

Building upon this foundation, there are actually many more sources that can be referenced for interactive wallpapers on mobile phones.

Because interactive wallpapers on mobile phones basically consist of character portraits that fill the entire screen of the phone.

Therefore, the dialogue can be expanded upon further.

Chu Chen called Su Qing because he needed to add more interactive content to the interactive wallpaper on his phone.

These interactive elements will primarily consist of speech bubbles appearing above the characters' heads. Considering the limitations of standby power consumption and installation package size, this dialogue system will not be too complex.

The general presentation will be in text form.

It is precisely because this system's performance is not too complicated that, conversely, it is necessary to do a good job with the copywriting.

"Huh? This is basically like having a one-on-one direct conversation, right? I don't know if I can do it well."

As mentioned before, the requirements for game scripts vary from place to place. Here, Chu Chen's requirement is to create the feeling of having a little girlfriend.

You also need to have that feeling of waiting for your husband to come home.

(End of this chapter)