Chapter 750: People Must Not Forget Their Roots, Or At Least, They Shouldn’t

Returning to the office from the lounge area, Chen Xu stretched and sat down in front of his computer.

The traditional horror activities of Nebula Games, along with the science program he had discussed with Yang Xin and the others, had sparked some thoughts in Chen Xu.

On the surface, this program segment looked like a mystery, but after the truth was revealed, it left people somewhat dumbfounded, unable to resist saying, “Is that all there is to it?”

However, Chen Xu understood clearly that this program was not entertainment; it was a serious popular science program.

Its purpose was for those with backward and feudal ideologies.

It aimed to make them understand that the so-called 'bizarre' events they witnessed were, in fact, quite ordinary, with no supernatural involvement. The essence and goal of the program were to dispel feudal superstition.

If one only watched the program content, it would seem rather comical, especially seeing citizens and villagers solemnly recounting what seemed like true events.

But then, it would also make one feel truly pathetic.

Feudal superstition and traditional customs are two completely different concepts, and has feudal superstition truly been eradicated throughout history?

Not to mention rural villages with underdeveloped economies and technology, even in big cities, many people are deceived by so-called pseudoscience, and new superstitions like computer fortune-telling emerge endlessly, with people still falling victim.

Influenced by these points, and combined with Nebula Games' consistent tradition, Chen Xu also prepared to develop a game as a gift to players.

Of course, theme is theme, and Nebula Games' consistent tradition couldn't be abandoned either. As for the genre, Chen Xu had a rather suitable candidate.

A Chinese-style horror game with a funeral background: Firework (Game).

In terms of game mechanics and content, this game actually had many shortcomings.

The most direct point was the repetitive use of scene assets within the game.

However, the game's script and story could be said to be exceptionally good.

It possessed a profound meaning that was truly worth pondering.

Chen Xu sat in front of his computer, working on refining some basic content settings.

As for horror games, Chen Xu had certainly made them before, for many players.

The asylum in Outlast, the Infinite Corridor in PT, and Jack Baker's farm in Resident Evil were all unforgettable experiences for them.

But these games actually leaned more towards Western horror, meaning they used grotesque visuals, gore, and dark scenes to instill fear in players.

The manifestation of these horror games was through visual impact, making players feel fear, and simultaneously bringing more of a physical discomfort.

If one were to truly say one leaned towards an Eastern style, that would be PT.

Firework (Game), however, was different. It was a very pure Eastern horror style, or rather, Chinese-style horror.

It didn't rely on visual effects to physically impact players, but rather on a cognitive mode to make players feel horror.

Because in the game, players faced traditional elements like Gold Paper Ingots, Paper Effigies—things related to Funeral Culture—which created a psychological oppression.

But if one wasn't aware of these cultural elements, the sense of fear would be greatly diminished.

The true horror of this Chinese-style horror was not in its appearance, but in the ideological core it presented—the horror within human hearts.

The frightening thing was not ghosts and deities, but the human heart.

The entire game content was not long; a normal playthrough would take about three to five hours.

However, Chen Xu didn't plan to make it a 2D-style game like in his previous life.

After all, Nebula Games certainly wasn't short on money now. Moreover, unlike horror games like Resident Evil and Outlast which constantly had monsters chasing you, Firework (Game) focused more on an atmosphere, yet it didn't create the same life-or-death urgency as PT.

If he had to describe it, in the early stages, players would feel the fear emanating from within themselves, while in the middle stages, they would experience the horror of human nature.

“Mr. Chen, this story…” Yang Xin looked at the detailed script in her hand with a pained expression.

The scale of Firework (Game) was not very large, and the number of team members involved in this game was also not many.

Of course, despite this, everyone internally was very eager to be transferred to this project team, as Chen Xu was leading it, and everyone was genuinely curious about this new game.

“People must not forget their roots, or at least, they shouldn’t forget them. Players haven't felt heartwarming love for a long time; it’s time to let them relive it,” Chen Xu said solemnly.

“This is clearly your wicked sense of humor, Mr. Chen!” Ruan Ningxue couldn't help but complain from the side.

What the heck with not forgetting their roots!

However, no one said much more, after all, when one has many debts, one stops worrying.

Anyway, given Mr. Chen's current image in the players' minds, the probability of him clearing his name was practically zero.

………………

In early November, Chen Xu’s official Weibo account and Nebula Games’ official website simultaneously updated with the latest event announcement.

Many players had long been eagerly anticipating this.

After all these years, Nebula Games’ discount event schedule had basically become fixed.

Every time a big sale came around, players would prepare their wallets early, ready to embark on their “It’s so good!” spending spree.

Various games offering different discounts were a given.

This was essentially a staple of every big sale.

But what truly made many players curious was the surprise Chen Xu had prepared for them this year.

Compared to the previously announced blockbuster, Resident Evil Village, what appeared on the Nebula Games Platform for pre-load this year was a game called Firework (Game).

Since it wasn't Nebula Games' first time doing this, many players clearly understood that this game was one of their 'shenanigans' horror games.

Otherwise, Nebula Games wouldn't have offered a limited-time 90% discount on the price. For a VR game of its scale, this was clearly a bargain-basement price.

It was almost overtly telling players: we're giving you a high-quality game at a dirt-cheap price, but whether you dare to play it is your business.

At the same time, the game's background also surprised many players because it was a Chinese-style horror-themed game.

This sparked a strong curiosity in many players about what kind of game Firework (Game) actually was.

After all, the name sounded quite artistic!

Due to these reasons, even though many players knew that Mr. Chen was trying to mess with them this time, a strong sense of curiosity led quite a few players to prepare to buy and play it. After all, at a dirt-cheap price, adding one more to their collection was no loss.

Of course, there were also some players with very firm attitudes: horror games?

Playing them themselves was impossible, but wouldn't it be wonderful to watch a video or livestream of someone else completing it?

After all, for a VR horror game, with the livestream screen showing it and countless bullet comments accompanying them, how could they possibly get scared?

However, these players soon realized just how incredibly wrong they were. (End of Chapter) <>