Chapter 202: What Should Be Done
On the other end of the line, Xu Xiaojun hung up the phone with a somewhat helpless expression.
In the meeting room, Lin Chaoxu asked, "He refused?"
Xu Xiaojun nodded. "Yes, and his attitude was quite firm."
Lin Chaoxu wasn’t very surprised. "Expected. A designer with that kind of ambition definitely wouldn’t hand over the game."
In the meeting room, Lin Chaoxu, Xu Xiaojun, and several designers from Imperial Dynasty Interactive were holding a meeting, with Yan Zhenyuan also present.
"I think Chen Mo places a lot of value on the world-building of *Diablo*. He’s probably considering making it a classic on the same level as *Warcraft*," Yan Zhenyuan said.
Lin Chaoxu leaned back in his chair. "In that case, the idea of collaborating with Chen Mo is off the table. Let’s think about Plan B."
Yan Zhenyuan chuckled. "What other Plan B is there? It has to be completely original."
Lin Chaoxu looked at him. "Are you confident?"
Yan Zhenyuan thought for a moment. "Seventy percent."
Lin Chaoxu nodded. "Alright, seventy percent is enough. Chen Mo doesn’t have the capability to turn a game like *Diablo* into VR yet. As for Zen Intent, even if they start at the same time as us, they won’t have any advantage."
Yan Zhenyuan said, "As long as Chen Mo doesn’t cause trouble, everything will be fine. Even though he’s only an A-grade designer now, he’s tricky. He always finds some bizarre angle to breathe life into game genres that seem dead and buried."
Lin Chaoxu smiled. "Old Yan, are you afraid of him too?"
Yan Zhenyuan shook his head. "It’s not fear. I’m not some reckless fool like Qin Xiao. For a genius designer like him, you have to show a little respect."
"Especially a designer who can create a new genre—they usually have their own understanding of it. If you rush to copy them, it’s easy to get slapped in the face."
Lin Chaoxu asked, "So, do you have a clear idea of how to make this game?"
Yan Zhenyuan thought it over. "Actually, what *Diablo* taught us is that domestic games severely lack a sense of satisfaction, especially in the RPG field. There are very few games like *Diablo* that give players that extreme thrill of slaughter. That’s a market gap."
"If we want to develop a similar game, there are only two paths."
"First, we could do a PC version. But limited by the format, it would have to be a third-person perspective. No matter how we approach it, the game would end up being a ‘copy’ of *Diablo*."
Lin Chaoxu nodded. "True, that path won’t work."
Yan Zhenyuan continued, "So our best option is to go with VR. Try to create a game with that kind of satisfying feel in the VR space."
"It should be pretty good. VR isn’t limited by field of view issues, and it’s better at building a terrifying atmosphere. If we can really capture the essence of *Diablo*, it should sell just as well."
Lin Chaoxu nodded. "Alright, what about the monetization model? Are you thinking single-player buy-to-play, or online?"
Yan Zhenyuan considered it. "Single-player buy-to-play carries high risk. *Diablo* has a unique system of stats and equipment mechanics. Its late-game gameplay is basically just grinding mobs repeatedly. Whether that would succeed when ported to VR is hard to say."
"An online model is relatively safer. But for a game where grinding is the main fun, the player party size shouldn’t exceed five. Otherwise, it turns into a brawl and ruins the atmosphere."
"So I’m thinking we keep the core essence of *Diablo*: allow single-player mode or parties of up to five. On top of that, let players socialize and trade freely in towns. The equipment system will be the long-term goal for players."
Lin Chaoxu nodded. "Yeah, that’s what I was thinking too. Alright, then I’ll leave this to you. Resources will be prioritized for this project. Go all out and don’t worry too much."
Yan Zhenyuan nodded. "Okay, I understand."
...
Currently, within Imperial Dynasty Interactive, Qiu Jiang was still handling *Oracle of the Moon*, and Qin Xiao was in charge of *Wolf Soul*. Both games were flagship products, so they couldn’t spare the time.
As for Yan Zhenyuan, the VR game he’d been developing was entering a stable period and would soon start declining. So Lin Chaoxu figured this was a good chance to pull Yan Zhenyuan out and have him develop a new VR game project.
*Diablo* had given them some inspiration.
Of course, turning the PC third-person perspective *Diablo* into a VR game was an extremely difficult task—almost like making a brand-new game from scratch.
That’s why Lin Chaoxu first considered whether Chen Mo and Yan Zhenyuan could collaborate. It would be a powerhouse partnership, minimizing risks. Although the chance of Chen Mo agreeing was slim, it was worth asking.
As expected, Chen Mo refused.
So Lin Chaoxu had no choice but to entrust the whole thing to Yan Zhenyuan.
Honestly, given Yan Zhenyuan’s abilities, Lin Chaoxu was completely at ease.
Among Lin Chaoxu’s most valued S-grade designers, Qin Xiao was somewhat autocratic but had strong execution; Qiu Jiang had the most flexible thinking and plenty of good ideas; and Yan Zhenyuan was well-rounded in every aspect. Even in the worst case, his games would still turn a small profit—he never suffered major failures.
So Lin Chaoxu felt this project was best suited for Yan Zhenyuan.
...
At the experience store.
Chen Mo was thinking about things when he received a message.
Qiu Jiang: "Old Yan seems to be working on a VR game similar to *Diablo* lately. Keep an eye out."
Chen Mo was a bit stunned. He read the message twice. Yep, it was definitely from Qiu Jiang.
What did this mean? Leaking information?
Chen Mo replied, "Whose side are you on, exactly?"
Qiu Jiang: "Neither side. Honestly, I’m just warning you so you can prepare. Don’t end up caught off guard and get beaten to a pulp by Old Yan. That would be boring."
Chen Mo: "So you just want to watch us fight? What’s wrong with you?"
Qiu Jiang: "It’s the nature of a bystander. Got a problem?"
Chen Mo’s mouth twitched slightly. "Actually, I already knew when Xu Xiaojun called me earlier. I figured your Imperial Dynasty would think this game is good and try to copy it. You didn’t need to tell me."
Qiu Jiang: "Fine, I’ve warned you anyway. Do whatever you want, just don’t let Old Yan take you down. His game will take at least a year to develop. Good luck, I’m rooting for you."
Chen Mo put away his phone, a bit speechless. This Qiu Jiang really knew how to stir up trouble!
Still, Qiu Jiang’s info wasn’t completely useless. At least it revealed that Yan Zhenyuan’s VR game would take at least a year, meaning it wouldn’t be open for testing until August next year.
What could Chen Mo do?
Make a VR game in one year and launch it at the same time as Yan Zhenyuan’s?
That was unrealistic. The timeframe was too short, and Chen Mo had zero experience developing VR games.
Plus, Chen Mo had already set his development plans for the future. He shouldn’t change them recklessly.
"Let me think... what should I do?"