Game Development: Starting with Recreating the Anime Game Style

Chapter 361 The Value of the Name Chu Chen
It was on this "multi-functional" forum, which combined the Starry Sky game engine, industry news, job postings, and more, that Bai Ruilin posted his copy.

then
That was the moment of miracle.

Chu Chen actually replied to his post with a sentence.

"That's interesting. If done well, this game could make money."

It's unclear what Chu Chen's mindset was when he wrote that sentence, or if it was just a casual remark, but it directly changed Bai Ruilin's life.

Almost in the blink of an eye.

Bai Ruilin's forum email address was completely flooded with red unread markers.

Refresh the page and the number jumps up.

The emails contained all sorts of strange and varied messages, and the senders came from all walks of life. Some were from large companies, some from small workshops, some wanted to invest, and some wanted to collaborate.

There were even headhunters from Tencent asking him if he wanted to interview at Tencent.
The most ridiculous thing is that on the third day, he received a call from Wanmei asking him if he wanted to go back to work.

When Bai Ruilin hung up the phone, his first thought was that he should never contact Mei again, regardless of the terms offered. It took him three days to realize that he was being far too slow.

He knew that Chu Chen had a certain reputation and influence as a game developer in China, but when that influence was bestowed upon him...

Only then did Bai Ruilin truly grasp the "value" of the name Chu Chen.

In short, Bai Ruilin was propelled by the "tide of the times" in a state of extreme disorientation and dizziness, and soon established his own studio.

To be honest, Bai Ruilin was still a little confused even after the company was established.

Because this game didn't even have a demo, only a basic outline, it truly deserves the title of "making a game from scratch."

If an ordinary person got carried away at this point, the project would most likely fail.

Fortunately, Bai Ruilin had experienced hardship, and while he was "suddenly successful," he remained remarkably clear-headed.

He knew that the first group of people willing to join him in setting up a studio did not value him, Bai Ruilin, but rather the prestigious "Chu Chen" brand.

Therefore, after the company was actually established, the first thing Bai Ruilin did was to try every means to contact Xingchen Games and submit his business plan and investment intentions.

~~~
Actually, Chu Chen was also confused when Bai Ruilin submitted the plan.

The reason he said that on the forum.

It's because Bai Ruilin wrote a screenplay titled "Lost in the End of the Road".

This game had a very mixed reputation in the anime and manga gaming community in its previous life. On the one hand, the main storyline of "The Endless Path" in its early stages was arguably one of the most compelling in the entire second game series.

Chu Chen's storyline in the second game follows a classic formula of "problem girl" + "problem-solving boy," a formula that is not only found in the game but also in the animation and many romance novels.

This formula exists in both cases.

The term "problematic woman" refers to a female protagonist who has some inherent "flaws." For example, in "Final Front," StarCraft often uses the "non-human" flaws of the dolls when creating characters.

For example, in WA2000's main storyline, there is a classic scene where WA2000 is shopping and one second she is happily showing off her dress to the commander.

But the next second, he was like a wilted eggplant, changed back into his own clothes, and was about to return to the base.

The player, acting as the commander, learns during a lull in WA2000's tantrum that the girl's change in behavior stemmed from a customer's earlier mocking remark in the shop: "Just a humanoid."

The phrase "just a human form" was like a thorn, instantly piercing WA2000's heart, which was disguised by gorgeous clothes and arrogant attitude, and yearning for recognition.

The player, as the commander, needs to keenly capture these fleeting emotional changes and, through subsequent communication and actions, untangle the knot in her heart.

In this "problem-solving" formula, the plot is easy to understand, and it forms the core of the emotional bond between the player and the character.

This formula is effective and makes players feel comfortable.

It's because love itself is very ethereal, so it needs an anchor point, a simple and easy-to-understand anchor point, to provide a clear emotional goal and positive feedback.

The description of "Lost in the End of Time" also fits this formula.

The background setting of "Lost in the End of Time" is roughly about an unknown celestial body colliding with Earth, forming a ring-shaped mutation zone called the "Black Ring". All humans who approach the Black Ring will be contaminated by "Madness", and will experience symptoms such as mania and auditory hallucinations.

Among the many people affected by the calamity.

A very small number of individuals, known as the "Imprisoners," gained dangerous and powerful abilities due to their madness, but did not completely lose themselves and become monsters.

Of course, in the story, these people in confinement are seen as heretics by ordinary people, and are suspected, ostracized, or even exploited.

This is a typical "problem woman".

In the storyline, MBCC (Minos Crisis Management Bureau) was established to address the issue of the Lockdown Victims.

The player appears as the new director with the ability of "shackles," essentially a "problem solver."

On one hand, the player has the "golden finger" of shackles, which can not only suppress this mania but also control the confined. On the other hand, the player's status is also relatively high, starting as the director of MBCC.

Each locked-up character is a complex, rusty lock, and the player's fun lies in finding that unique key step by step through the storyline and interactions, unlocking their hearts.

However, after gaining some popularity as a game, the previous game, "The Lost Path of No End," fell into a "growth dilemma" and began to heavily emphasize female and high-end aesthetics.
Attempting to capture more female users in such a game ultimately resulted in negative public opinion. The initial upward momentum, which had shown signs of expansion, came to an abrupt halt, and the game faded into obscurity.

But then again.

The leaks about "The Endless Path" have little to do with the game's description, at least not with the description in the early stages of the game.

Therefore, when Chu Chen saw this post, he immediately realized that this person must be the main synopsis writer of "The Endless Journey," which is why he casually gave a reply.

Chu Chen's original plan was to reply and have HR call him the next day to ask him to come to work.

The outcome was unexpected.

The very next day, they set up a studio!

It can only be said that Chu Chen himself completely underestimated his own worth.

Since the other person had become their own "boss," Chu Chen could only go along with it, providing a sum of money and investing 40% of his "Shackles Studio."

Although in Chu Chen's memory, the producer and boss of "The Endless Path" in his previous life were not the copywriters, considering the final state of "The Endless Path" in his previous life...
It seems like it wouldn't matter if a different copywriter became the producer.

(End of this chapter)