Chapter 427: Choosing the New Game (Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Passes)
Chapter 427: Choosing the New Game (Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Passes)
Hearing Yang Chen's words, Chen Xu felt somewhat puzzled.
The loading and reading process was indeed a significant breakthrough.
But what intrigued Chen Xu even more was what exactly this so-called 'Awakening Mode' wasāwhat kind of black technology was it?
"Compared to other platforms, the biggest advantage of the VR platform lies in immersion. Yet, this same strength isn't always beneficial for certain specific types of games," Yang Chen explained to Chen Xu.
Chen Xu didn't understand the technical details behind this mode or how it was implemented.
But he grasped the idea clearly.
As previously mentioned, the greatest strength of the gaming pod was its immersive experience.
However, for certain special games, excessive immersion could actually be detrimental.
The most straightforward example would be horror games.
It's almost impossible for someone to literally die from fright aloneāthough it might trigger other medical conditions, such as heart disease.
Moreover, few players actively seek out extreme fear for thrills.
Not seeking it, however, doesn't mean they won't experience it.
For example, in the 'Warzone' mode of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare previously developed by Chen Xu, while most players enjoyed the parachuting mechanic, it could be extremely uncomfortable for those with a fear of heights.
That's why an auto-parachuting feature had been specifically added.
Similarly, when porting Dark Souls to the VR platform, optimizations were made for particularly grim scenes like the underground dungeon, ensuring players wouldn't be overwhelmed by fear.
This new technology ensured that during regular gameplay, players could enjoy a better experience without suffering emotional overstimulation or physical and mental strain due to excessive immersion.
"With this, we can really let loose during many stages of game development," Chen Xu said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"By the end of the month, Mr. Chen, you can try it out for yourself," Yang Chen said with a smile.
The two continued chatting, mainly discussing the future trends of the Gaming Industry and some potentially achievable technologies in game development.
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
By the end of the month, both the Game Department and Zeus overseas simultaneously announced a major patch update for the gaming pod, sparking widespread discussions among the industry and player communities.
Inside Nebula Games, Chen Xu, who had already received prior notice, remained unfazed.
Instead, he personally tested it out. The sensation was quite uniqueāwhile the sense of immersion wasn't significantly reduced, there was a clearly noticeable difference when encountering disturbing scenes while the Awakening Mode was activated.
"This new technology is incredibly useful for expanding the range of game types and themes we can explore!" Meng Zuo remarked, stepping out of the gaming pod in the project office.
"Indeed. More importantly, it can save us considerable time and effort in late-stage testing," Qin Yi added.
Previously, extensive testing was required before releasing a game.
This included not only gameplay content but also player experience.
For instance, scenes likely to cause psychological discomfort, such as the high-altitude fall in 'Warzone,' needed careful evaluation.
Now, with this new mode, even players with acrophobia could experience such moments more as observers. Though still thrilling and intense, they no longer felt fear induced by the height.
Because with Awakening Mode enabled, they clearly understood they were merely playing a game.
Similarly, in Rainbow Six Siege, when players suddenly turned a corner and got ambushed with a barrage of gunfire ('Bang Bang Bang'), many would jolt in fright.
But with Awakening Mode, the experience was far more manageable.
"Besides this, the optimization in loading progress is also extremely important," Ruan Ningxue chimed in.
"We should further optimize Red Dead Redemption. Also, regarding the Awakening Mode, let's use the ported Dark Souls and test player reactions through Rainbow Six Siege and 'Warzone,'" Chen Xu addressed the team.
Upon hearing Chen Xu's words, the others nodded in agreement.
This became their first mission direction for the year.
Judging from current feedback, the new technology was indeed impressive.
But its long-term effectiveness remained unclear.
Updating existing games with this technology was a relatively safe and prudent approach.
In fact, not just Nebula Games, but also domestic developers like NetDragon and TengHua, as well as overseas developers like Atrai, had made the same decision.
Development teams across the board were applying the new technology to update their older titles.
Online, numerous players were actively discussing these developments.
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
Back in the office, Qin Yi and Meng Zuo returned to the project office to resume work on their respective projects.
Meanwhile, Chen Xu indulged in a long-overdue gacha pull.
[Directing Professionalism *14]
[Archaeology Professionalism *21]
[Action Performance Professionalism *5]
[Rock Climbing Professionalism *12]
[Ancient Architecture Professionalism *5]
It had to be saidāSuper Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild were truly game-changers.
As soon as they were released, points surged visibly. So far, Chen Xu had saved up nearly two hundred pulls.
This time, he went all out and pulled to his heart's content.
Currently, the most useful drops for Chen Xu were various professional skill books and Memory Capsules.
Unfortunately, as an Unlucky King, he didn't pull any black technology items this time.
But Chen Xu wasn't particularly dejected.
After all, Nebula Games had long since stabilized and matured in its development.
Moreover, Nebula Games had consistently invested in cutting-edge tech research.
The foremost area was AI performanceāmassive funds had been poured in, and currently, Nebula Games stood at the global forefront in AI performance.
Next was physical engine performance, another area Nebula Games had continuously researched.
In terms of technology, Nebula Games had firmly established itself among the industry leaders.
"This gacha pullā¦ is it trying to tell me something?" Chen Xu stroked his chin, staring at the pile of skill books he'd obtained.
Originally, he'd been somewhat conflicted about the project for the first half of the year.
After his conversation with Yang Chen, he'd planned to develop a game for Huanyu VR, aiming to launch it as the first major title of the year.
However, he was still undecided on what type of game to make.
Especially with the emergence of new technology, Chen Xu now had many more options.
He'd initially considered developing a souls-like game, since the Awakening Mode fit well with the game theme he had in mind.
While it was a good fit, sales performance was still a concern for Chen Xu.
The Huanyu VR launch was critically important, and while souls-like games maintained decent popularity,
their actual sales figures were relatively low. Compared to Chen Xu's other blockbusters, the two-part Dark Souls series had the lowest sales.
But now, this gacha result made him feel the decision had already been made.
Besides, players had long grumbled about his tendency to include knivesālike the hidden knife in the Switch version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
So now, he'd give them a genuine wholesome gameāa heartwarming, family-friendly story.
(End of Chapter) <