Rebirth 08: Can a mobile game company also build a tech empire?

Everyone left the meeting room one after another.

Jiang Chang patted Wu Zhixuan on the shoulder and whispered:

"Old Wu, keep it up!"

This is our first battle in America.

Wu Zhixuan shook his head with a wry smile.

"The pressure is immense."

Only Lu Chen and Wu Zhixuan remained in the conference room.

Lu Chen walked to the window and looked in the direction of Santa Monica Beach.

In the distance, the surface of the Pacific Ocean shimmered in the sunlight.

"Old Wu,"

He turned around and sat down opposite him.

"Just now in the meeting..."

I only mentioned the directional tasks.

But what truly determines whether Voyager can make a name for itself is...

It's not a website, nor is it a team.

Rather, it's a work that can shake the entire gaming industry.

Wu Zhixuan nodded.

"I see,

AAA game development has a long cycle and requires a large investment.

Without sufficiently excellent creativity and design,

It's difficult to stand out in a highly competitive market.

"So, I prepared this for you."

Lu Chen took it from his briefcase.

Take out two thick folders.

Place it on the conference table.

The folder cover is very simple, with only two titles.

The document on the left is titled "Metro 2033".

The one on the right is titled: Dark Souls.

Wu Zhixuan curiously picked up the first copy and opened the cover.

The opening is a brief introduction.

Metro 2033

Genre: First-person shooter/survival horror

Setting: The Moscow Metro system after a nuclear war, a post-apocalyptic wasteland where human civilization has collapsed.

Core gameplay elements: resource management, immersive atmosphere, moral choices, linear narrative.

He quickly glanced through a few pages, his eyes gradually widening.

The document describes the game's world view in detail.

In the game, a full-scale nuclear war breaks out in 2013.

The surface became a radioactive wasteland.

Survivors sought refuge in the Moscow Metro system.

Independent human settlements were established in the tunnels and stations.

Twenty years later, a new threat emerged in the subway system.

Mutated creatures, hostile human factions, and some kind of supernatural dark force.

Players take on the role of Artyom, a young man who grew up in the subway.

After accidentally discovering a secret that could threaten the entire subway system.

They embarked on a dangerous journey through the entire subway network.

"This setting,"

Wu Zhixuan muttered to himself,

"That's so impactful."

"Keep watching," Lu Chen said with a smile.

Wu Zhixuan flipped to the gameplay design section.

The document describes several core systems of the game in detail.

A unique resource management system.

Ammunition also serves as currency, requiring players to balance combat and trading.

Moral choice system.

Players will face multiple moral dilemmas in the game.

Choices can affect the plot, the characters' fates, and even the ending.

Utilize lighting, sound effects, and environmental details.

It creates a depressing and terrifying apocalyptic atmosphere.

The darkness of the subway tunnel, the radiation storm on the surface, and the roars of mutated creatures.

Everything was designed to make players feel the despair of survival.

Wu Zhixuan flipped to the art concept section.

I saw some concept art.

Dilapidated subway cars, human settlements built from scrap materials, design sketches of mutated creatures, schematic diagrams of surface ruins, and so on.

Each one is full of detail and a sense of story.

"This...this really is a complete game design!"

Wu Zhixuan looked up at Lu Chen in disbelief.

"The world-building, gameplay, art style, and even the plot outline are all there."

"Mr. Lu, did you write this all by yourself?"

Lu Chen did not answer directly.

Instead, she gestured for him to look at another document.

Wu Zhixuan put down "Metro 2033" and picked up "Dark Souls".

This document is much thicker, at least a hundred pages long.

Dark Souls

Genre: Action Role-Playing

Core design concept: This is a highly challenging action role-playing game.

The core experience lies in the harsh challenges, the subtle narrative, and the unparalleled sense of accomplishment after defeating powerful enemies.

After reading just a few pages, Wu Zhixuan gasped in shock.

Unlike Metro 2033, which emphasizes atmosphere and narrative.

Dark Souls has a more radical and unique design philosophy.

The game will not have a difficulty option.

There is only one level of difficulty.

Extreme difficulty!

Players will face meticulously designed enemies and bosses.

Each one requires observation, learning, and repeated attempts to defeat.

There are no mission logs, no map markers, and no clear instructions in the game.

Players need to rely on environmental cues, item descriptions, and snippets of conversation from NPCs.

To piece together the truth of the world and the direction forward.

The narrative is fragmented.

The plot is not told directly through cutscenes or lengthy dialogues.

Instead, it's hidden in item descriptions, environmental details, enemy configurations, and snippets of dialogue between characters.

Players need to act like archaeologists.

Uncover the story of this dark fantasy world bit by bit.

The game's map is not a series of independent levels.

It is a vast, three-dimensional, and integrated world.

Players can use shortcuts and hidden passages.

Traveling between different areas.

The whole world is like a three-dimensional maze.

"This design..."

Wu Zhixuan's voice trembled slightly.

"This is too risky! Will players be able to accept it?"

"Dark Souls was not designed for all players."

Lu Chen said calmly:

It's for those who crave a real challenge.

Designed for hardcore gamers who enjoy the immense sense of accomplishment that comes with overcoming challenges.

He walked up to Wu Zhixuan.

Players will complain, throw their keyboards, and die countless times.

However, once they defeated that seemingly impossible boss,

Or perhaps a hidden secret has been discovered.

That was an unparalleled sense of accomplishment!

Wu Zhixuan spent a full half hour.

I've only skimmed through the two documents.

When he finally raised his head.

His eyes were filled with complex emotions.

Shock, admiration, excitement, and a touch of unease.

"Boss Lu,"

He took a deep breath.

"I only knew before that,"

You have an amazing talent for mobile games.

But unexpectedly,

Your talent for AAA games is in no way inferior.

These two design documents,

Take any one of them out.

These are enough to make major game companies fight tooth and nail for them.

He paused, then continued:

"The apocalyptic atmosphere and resource management design of Metro 2033"

It reminds me of a combination of Resident Evil and Radiation.

However, it also has its own unique Moscow Metro design.

I can't even find a comparable work to Dark Souls.

Its design concept was so ahead of its time.

If it can really be made

This will definitely shake up the entire gaming industry!

"but,"

Wu Zhixuan calmed down a bit.

"Developing a project of this scale"

Requires top-tier game engine support.

We have a self-developed engine.

Or should we adopt an existing solution?

"Initially, Unreal Engine 3 was used for development."

Lu Chen was prepared.

"I've already had Susie contact Epic Games."

Discuss engine licensing.

Simultaneously,

We will simultaneously build our own engine team.

Starting from the actual needs of the game

We will gradually develop customized tools suitable for our projects.

Regarding funding,

Lu Chen continued,

Five million dollars is just the starting capital.

Journey Technology will continue to invest in the project based on its development progress.

Wu Zhixuan nodded emphatically.

"Don't worry,"

I will certainly live up to your expectations.

Make Voyager a world-class game development company!

I will personally oversee the development progress of these two games.

Make sure they are released in their most perfect form!