Chapter 547: Mr. Chen Really Is Experienced! (Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Passes)

How could the players know about Chen Xu's subsequent plans for Nebula Games?

Currently, they were all in high spirits, eagerly discussing everything related to Party Animals, and their comments were remarkably harmonious and amusing.

'233333, I have to say, we really misjudged Mr. Chen this time. This new game is just too joyful!'

'Haha, you're right. The animals are adorably cute. It's just a pity that I'm a bit clumsy; I often don't get knocked out by others, but rather kick myself off the map.'

'Plus one! I was stuck in the new player tutorial level for ages because of my clumsiness!'

'The final victory screen is also super hilarious! Others can even steal the spotlight!'

'Wuwuwu, speaking of that, it makes me sad. I finally got first place once, and the other few guys ganged up on me in a corner during the award ceremony, beating me up so much I didn't even appear on camera!'

'The items in the game are also quite rich. It's just that I often get kicked down by someone while trying to eat that can.'

'Haha, you're definitely not the only one. And I think this game is full of meme-worthy screenshots!'

'Also, that red rope dog head in the opening new player tutorial level, I feel like it's going to become a new meme!'

On various related communities and forums, players were joyfully discussing content related to Party Animals and Human: Fall Flat.

Many players even felt that numerous scenes in these two games could become iconic moments, recorded as popular gaming buzzwords of the year.

Just like previous games from Nebula Games had many iconic moments.

For example, the early 'Get out of my computer, play games with a smile' from Outlast and Getting Over It.

Or 'Will you Link the Fire?' from Dark Souls.

It even included Ethan, revered as the Hand Sanitizer Warrior in Resident Evil, which launched last year.

And Gwent in The Witcher: Wild Hunt, launched this year—all of these became popular memes due to their large player base and unique characteristics, indirectly boosting the games' popularity.

Now, with the joyful, silly, and adorable presentation of Party Animals and Human: Fall Flat, many players felt that these two games might just secure a spot among the year's top gaming memes.

Especially the red rope dog head in Party Animals' new player tutorial—it was simply too hilarious.

………………

Amidst the players' cheers and applause, Chen Xu and his team were busy arranging the upcoming news and content for the carnival.

For the players, this three-day carnival experience was definitely going to be maximized.

There would be various entertainment facilities to experience in the park, the Nebula Games tournament held in the evening, and a concert performance on the third day.

However, Chen Xu didn't need to personally handle these things, as they had little to do with him.

For Chen Xu, the most important thing was to focus on the final day's meeting regarding new announcements.

Among these, Resident Evil Village and the two DLCs for The Witcher: Wild Hunt, 'Blood and Wine' and 'Hearts of Stone', were still in the 'making grand promises' stage.

But a new title for the Switch would be released directly on the day of the press conference.

As for the name of this new game, it was simple: Super Mario Maker.

Its content and gameplay were all inherited from various Mario versions, with only a comprehensive balance applied to the 'feel' of the game. Apart from that, all elements appeared in different Mario games.

From the game itself, it didn't seem to have anything special; it was just a very ordinary side-scrolling platformer, except for a few more character choices.

For instance, the Mario and Luigi brothers, and Toadette and Toad, the siblings who are the Mushroom Kingdom Foreman and 'tool NPCs'.

However, the core of this game lay in its creation gameplay.

Similar to Minecraft, Super Mario Maker combined platforming with the essence of MODs, fully integrating them into the game itself.

Super Mario Maker itself had a very precise gameplay objective: to reach the goal flag in a side-scrolling level.

In Creative mode, players could become map designers, using the in-game tools to freely create all sorts of levels.

These could be simple maps, music maps that used in-game notes to compose familiar melodies, or even trap-filled maps designed to kill, much like Getting Over It.

These successfully created maps would then enter multiplayer mode, or challenge mode, or cooperative mode for other players to enjoy and rate.

Everyone could create their own maps and share them for others to play; this was one of the core joys of the game.

Moreover, the most interesting aspect was the game's multiplayer mode.

In its previous life, this game also had a rather alternative name: Grabbers manufacturing, and there was a reason for this.

Most platforming games were single-player.

But in Super Mario Maker, four players would compete on the same stage, scheming against each other just to be the first to reach the final goal.

There were four players, but only one winner.

And so, players began using all sorts of tactics to compete in the game.

Whatever 'Grabbers' tactics existed, they would use them. The experiences of the victims were truly heartbreaking to hear and tear-inducing to witness.

“Mr. Chen, the main framework for the new game is complete.”

In the project office, Meng Zuo reported the development progress to Chen Xu.

“Oh, by the way, Mr. Chen, would you like to give it a try?” Qin Yi said from the side.

Upon hearing Qin Yi's words, Meng Zuo, Ruan Ningxue, Yang Xin, and the others all grinned mischievously.

“Sure, let me see.” Chen Xu smiled, taking the controller from Qin Yi. Meng Zuo then opened the development prototype, and a side-scrolling level interface immediately appeared on the screen.

It was the 1-1 level map from the original Super Mario Bros. Chen Xu glanced at the expectant faces of Yang Xin and the others beside him. He then looked at the map in the game, noticing that many parts had been heavily modded. For example, the original grassy ground had now become a row of brick blocks.

In their newly developed game, there was a mechanism: when stepping on a blue P-Block, these specific brick blocks on the ground would turn into coins.

This was clearly a heavily modded map. Chen Xu took two steps forward.

Suddenly, the 'thump-thump-thump' background music sounded, all the brick blocks under his feet immediately turned into coins, and Mario, whom he was controlling, fell and died.

Yang Xin and the others beside him let out triumphant laughs.

Chen Xu also smiled; he knew this map wouldn't be so simple.

Clearly, the group had instinctively grasped the essence of the heavily modded Cat Mario from his previous life.

“Mr. Chen, how was it?”

“Haha, even someone as strong as Mr. Chen couldn't withstand this trap!”

Yang Xin and the others chuckled.

Chen Xu wasn't angry at all; he just smiled and waved the controller in his hand: “That's it? Is this the only map you've made?”

“If it's for videos and streaming, it's actually pretty good, but the maliciousness is too obvious. One could only say that this map was made for the author to play by himself,” Chen Xu added with a smile.

This was a very obvious 'mentality-shattering' map, just like Getting Over It, which they had developed earlier.

Based on the information he had just seen, there were clearly hidden blocks in this scene.

This was also a specific feature of the game: there was a type of block that players could hide. It would only trigger if you hit it from below; you couldn't see it otherwise.

So, only the creator knew about this kind of trap. In his previous life, such creators had a collective nickname: Hiders.

“So, Mr. Chen, do you think this level design is rather primitive?” Yang Xin asked with a touch of curiosity.

“There isn't really a distinction between primitive and advanced in game levels. One can only say that this level was made purely to mess with players' mentality, or for the author to play by themselves.”

“A level that truly makes players break down cannot be like this. It's like boiling a frog in warm water; you can't make players despair all at once. You have to give players a little taste of success, make them feel like they've seen through you, and then hit them with a trap,” Chen Xu said with a smile.

“To make players lose their minds, you don't need to rely on hidden blocks in jumping spots. It can be a genuine overt strategy that tests a player's skill, or it can be subtly insidious,” Chen Xu continued.

“I understand!” Ruan Ningxue suddenly realized.

“What do you understand?” Chen Xu glanced at her.

“Indeed, there are only names that are wrong, never nicknames that are wrong!” Ruan Ningxue said earnestly.

Yang Xin and the others beside her nodded in deep agreement.

When it comes to how to make players break down, Mr. Chen really is the experienced one!

(End of Chapter) <>