Chapter 225: The Controversy Over the Concept Draft
In the studio, everyone was eagerly awaiting Chen Mo’s new game concept draft.
Although they had quite a bit of fun with the building blocks earlier, most people still didn’t understand why Chen Mo had them play with Leggo blocks, let alone how the blocks related to the new game.
Moreover, Chen Mo had hinted more or less before that this time he was making a VR game. Many assumed he would use the world of Azeroth or the world of *Diablo* to create an RPG for the VR platform. But after playing with the blocks, they were all confused again.
How exactly were the blocks and the new game connected?
On the projector screen, a document title appeared: *Minecraft* Design Concept Draft.
This time, the content was even simpler than *Diablo*, and it was finished in ten minutes.
There were essentially three key points: first, the game’s internal rules; second, the external packaging; and third, derivative gameplay.
The internal rules included the world generation rules, the player’s gathering and building rules, the day-night cycle, survival mode monster spawning, item crafting rules, and so on.
The external packaging mainly focused on how to make each block look better, allowing players to connect them with real-world objects.
Derivative gameplay referred to some special late-game mechanics, such as survival mode, creative mode, multiplayer, and so on.
“That’s roughly it. Any questions?” Chen Mo looked at everyone’s reactions.
Everyone exchanged glances, all wearing the same expression: “That’s it? Are you kidding me?”
Zhou Hanyu coughed twice and said, “Well, I think there’s nothing wrong with this concept draft; it’s very clear. But the main issue is, as a VR game, isn’t *Minecraft* a bit… too simple?”
Zheng Hongxi nodded. “I agree. This game has absolutely no story, and the numerical design is extremely basic. Its complexity can’t compare to *Diablo*, and it’s even far behind *Warcraft*.”
Zhou Hanyu added, “Right, and aren’t the art requirements too low? Current VR games strive to recreate reality, even down to individual strands of hair. With our current design, I’m afraid it might even struggle to properly depict five fingers.”
Qian Kun said, “I think the core fun of this game might not be enough to support its sales. Playing with blocks is indeed fun, but first you need a blueprint. If we just give players a pile of parts and let them freely assemble, how many people could reach the level of the store manager? Ming what?”
“This shows that a sandbox game doesn’t need a story, deep numerical systems, or too much tutorial guidance. What a sandbox game needs is freedom. For the sake of freedom, everything else can be sacrificed.”
“The pixel art style is sacrificing everything for freedom.”
Chen Mo paused and looked at everyone’s reactions.
Everyone was pondering the meaning of Chen Mo’s words.
Chen Mo continued, “What’s the smallest particle size of a Leggo block? 7.8 millimeters on the side, 9.6 millimeters in height, with a volume controlled within one cubic centimeter.”
“Why this size? Because if it were smaller, assembly would be difficult; if larger, it wouldn’t be able to show enough detail. So, the size of Leggo blocks balances operability and expressiveness—it’s the optimal solution calculated by designers.”
“Similarly, if we want to allow players to freely create in *Minecraft*, we also need to balance operability and expressiveness.”
“And this leads to an inevitable result: the pixel art style. Remember the dog I built with Leggo blocks? That was a product of the pixel style. So, our game can only be done this way.”
By this point, most people had understood Chen Mo’s intent.
Chen Mo’s design logic was this: first, this is a sandbox game similar to building blocks, so it can only be pixel art. And Chen Mo believed that as long as the creative gameplay was guaranteed, everything else—art, numbers, story, mechanics—was unimportant.
Guided by this design philosophy, this concept draft was born.
The meeting room was quiet for a while as everyone thought about what Chen Mo had just said.
Su Jinyu nodded. “Hmm, I understand, store manager. Since you’ve thought it through, I support this plan.”
Qian Kun also said, “Okay, let’s give it a try! I think as long as we can capture the fun of building blocks, it’ll still be a lot of fun!”
Zhou Hanyu said, “I’m still a bit uneasy, but I’ll seriously consider how to present the pixel art style. Even if this game is pixel art, it will definitely be the best-looking pixel art in the world.”
Chen Mo smiled. “Don’t worry, everyone. This game will not disappoint you.”
Genius remembers this site’s address in one second: