Chapter 188: You Can Make Games Like This?
Fifth, regarding online mode and deep gameplay, the online mode from Diablo 3 will be carried over, but the Nephalem Rift and Ladder systems will not be opened for now.
In fact, the Nephalem Rift system in Diablo 3 was a relatively successful design, but it was a double-edged sword.
When players wanted to grind, they would naturally choose the story stages with the best loot drops. Given this, Blizzard in the previous world simply created the Rift system, allowing players to grind comfortably in rifts without having to replay the story stages repeatedly.
This was good news for players addicted to grinding because it saved time. However, the Rift system also somewhat harmed the game's longevity, making many people feel that Diablo 3 was a very monotonous game.
Chen Mo's plan was to consider opening the Rift system in the next version after the game's launch. By then, the players remaining in the game would be core players who had grown tired of the story stages and would naturally pursue the Rift mode.
Derivative systems like seasons, ladders, and hardcore difficulty would also be introduced in new version updates as a means to extend the game's lifespan.
...
With a rough plan in place, all research and development work progressed steadily.
Once the story framework was finalized, art resources could be developed simultaneously. For several key scenes, Chen Mo directly provided concept art to help Zhou Hanyu better grasp the game's art style.
Chen Mo explained the key elements of these scenes to Zhou Hanyu.
"Leoric's palace should feel eerie and terrifying overall, emphasizing its age. The ground can intentionally use materials that look worn or dirty, and you can add elements like cobwebs in the corners. Also, use cool tones to highlight the lingering presence of souls."
"Don't make it too flashy, and don't over-light it. That would easily break immersion and make players feel it's unrealistic."
"At the Bastion's Keep, the player's view should be very open. The city walls should feel battle-worn, with plenty of damage. Even add damage animations as players pass by. Monsters will appear from multiple angles, constantly making players feel surrounded..."
Chen Mo explained each scene in detail, ensuring Zhou Hanyu could accurately understand the meaning behind each one.
Zhou Hanyu nodded as he listened. "Alright, no problem, got it."
He was also surprised because, in his view, although he was the head of art, he didn't need to rack his brains over too many things. Chen Mo had already decided the art style for each scene himself and even drew the concept art!
And Chen Mo's concept art skills seemed even better than his!
At his previous company, Zhou Hanyu would first review the game's concept draft, then produce two to three versions of the art style. The designer would pick the most suitable one, and then they would slowly create the specific game scenes.
Here, none of that was needed. Chen Mo directly provided the art style, scenes, and monster concept art. Zhou Hanyu only needed to refine it, hand it over to an outsourcing company, and oversee the quality.
The same went for Fu Guangnan. For the game's music, Chen Mo also provided melodies for several BGM tracks with very distinct styles. He even noted which instruments to use in the music, which scenes each BGM would be used in, and the general style. Everything was written very clearly.
This way, there was no need for endless communication and deliberation time. They just buried their heads in development, saving a lot of time.
Even the other employees were all dumbfounded, having never found developing a game so simple.
No endless meetings.
No scrapping and redoing.
No debates or arguments.
They just rolled up their sleeves and went straight to "work"!
"You can make games like this?" Zhou Hanyu and Fu Guangnan felt they had learned something new. After seven or eight years in the industry, this was the first time they had seen a designer like this!
...
On the player forums after the New Year, many people were also feeling lost.
"Bored. Any new game recommendations?"
"None. Same boredom."
"It's after the New Year. Most companies probably just got back to work. Even games developed last year probably won't launch until March."
"Sigh, I'm tired of everything. The development cycles for good games are too long now."
"By the way, who has seen 'The Supreme Ring 3' from the holiday season?"
"You're asking the wrong question. You should ask who hasn't seen it. Who wouldn't watch such an awesome blockbuster?"
"Yeah, the movie's box office has already hit a billion dollars, and it'll probably go higher. Anyone into this genre has probably seen it by now, right?"
"But it's strange. Why can the movie be popular domestically, but the game can't? 'The Supreme Ring' game ambitiously entered the domestic market a couple of years ago, but it flopped quickly."
"It's a gameplay issue. Foreign gameplay doesn't suit domestic tastes."
"I really love this genre, but it's a shame there aren't any good games."
"Above, I recommend 'Warcraft'."
"That's an RTS game. I'm a noob; I can't play it."
"There are non-RTS maps in 'Warcraft' too. Search for 'Sacred Realm'."
"'Sacred Realm'? Isn't that another Western fantasy novel?"
"Yeah, there's an RPG map in 'Warcraft' that's basically a fan-made map. Give it a try. I think it's pretty fun."
"Alright, I'll give it a shot."
What many people didn't expect was that the foreign fantasy movie 'The Supreme Ring 3' from the holiday season sparked a trend, giving the 'Warcraft' RPG map 'Sacred Realm' a small surge in popularity.
On the official website, strategy posts for 'Sacred Realm' noticeably increased, with thousands of people playing the map simultaneously every day.
In fact, this was normal because, in the parallel world, Western fantasy themes were in an awkward position domestically.
There were many major Western works, but most didn't align with domestic players' gaming habits. There was no game like 'World of Warcraft' from the previous world, making it hard to break into the domestic game market.
Meanwhile, domestic game companies, though aware of local tastes, struggled to create authentic Western fantasy games. They often came off as cheap knock-offs, and players didn't buy into them.
As a result, domestic players found it hard to find Western fantasy games that suited their tastes. This was precisely why 'Warcraft' had become popular so quickly.
But after all, 'Warcraft' was an RTS game, not an RPG that could appeal to the majority of players.