Chapter 530: Thunderbolt Film Studio's Latest Production
In the end, the difficulty of *Dark Souls* was set as it was. Although Qian Kun expressed extreme concern about this difficulty level, Chen Mo cheerfully patted him on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, players are tougher than you think."
To this, Qian Kun could only silently pray for the players, hoping they would look out for themselves.
At the same time, as *Knight's Glory* revealed more and more details, its influence within the domestic gaming circle grew increasingly significant.
Although the struggle between these two AI systems was not brought into the open, everyone privately understood the situation as clearly as if looking into a mirror.
GA had already made its move and successfully attracted worldwide media attention. If domestic game developers didn't respond soon, all the spotlight would be stolen away—clearly running counter to the Game Committee's intentions.
Many designers were discussing it.
"What's going on? *Knight's Glory* seems to have a high level of completion. How did GA prepare so quickly and thoroughly? They've already released so much material!"
"Yeah, based on what's been disclosed, the completion rate might be sixty to seventy percent, or even higher. That's way too fast!"
"Sigh, I just came up with my game idea!"
"Upstairs, what good is an idea? It's not like you can get access to the Pangu System... That thing has only been given to a dozen or so people domestically."
"Ahem, don't burst my bubble! Let me finish showing off gracefully, okay?"
"I wonder how the domestic designers are doing. Probably not this fast, right?"
"The main issue is the time difference. Origin's development speed is a bit faster than Pangu's. GA likely got access early, so they have a time advantage. It's normal for their game to be more complete. Remember, GA's development work probably started before Origin's physics engine was even officially disclosed!"
"This competition is unfair to us!"
"Come on, when has this ever been fair? We'll just have to see which domestic project is progressing faster. Speaking of which, has Chen Mo made any moves? He's probably the fastest game designer around, right?"
"True. In terms of speed, Chen Mo seems faster than most designers, both domestically and internationally. If anyone is going to counter *Knight's Glory*, it's probably Chen Mo!"
Other designers who had obtained Pangu System access were still struggling. They had to study the system's features, plan new games from scratch, and then start development. In such a short time, they couldn't even produce exciting game materials, let alone a finished product.
As for foreign designers, although Origin's physics engine hadn't been disclosed for long, it was clear that major companies had been experimenting with it before the official reveal. No one knew exactly how long they had been developing.
But Chen Mo wasn't worried at all. *Dark Souls* was progressing quickly. When it came to speed, he had never feared anyone.
After all, in the martial world, speed is the ultimate weapon—and the same holds true in the gaming industry.
...
Almost simultaneously with the flood of *Knight's Glory* materials, Chen Mo's Weibo also updated with the opening CG for his new game, *Dark Souls*!
Aside from the video, the post contained no text, leaving plenty of room for players to speculate.
Upon seeing this post, domestic players were ecstatic!
"Holy crap, Chen Mo isn't just sitting around! He's dropping the opening CG right away. Is this a direct confrontation?"
"Nice, that fiery temper of his—I love it!"
"This also shows Chen Mo's development is moving fast, right? He wouldn't just release a CG to fool us, would he?"
"Probably not. Hasn't every new game from Chen Mo come out faster than expected? Let's watch the CG and see what kind of game this is!"
Designers and players alike clicked to watch the CG, hoping to glean more information about Chen Mo's new game.
...
The video opens with a vast, dense fog.
Everything is gray and hazy. Countless towering ancient trees stand tall, with massive, immortal ancient dragons beside them.
A low, aged female voice narrates solemnly, like an old witch foretelling an apocalyptic prophecy.
"In the Age of Ancients, the world was unformed, shrouded by fog."
The camera zooms in from a gap between trees toward the earth's core, as tiny sparks of fire flicker, brightening the entire scene.
"Then, one day, the First Flame appeared. Later generations would call it... the First Flame."
Beside the blazing inferno, countless dark silhouettes rise.
"People found the Lord Souls near the First Flame and, with the power of fire, defeated the ancient dragons that ruled the world."
The scene shifts. Gwyn, the Lord of Sunlight, hurls a lightning spear across the sky, piercing through the oncoming dragon army.
"Thus began the Age of Fire..."
Through layers of mist, a vast distant vista appears. A magnificent, colossal city comes into view!
It is an incredibly prosperous human city. Even from this fleeting glimpse in the distance, its grandeur and splendor are unmistakable.
Then the screen goes dark, with tiny sparks falling from above.
"But the fire will eventually fade, leaving only darkness."
"Light will fail to shine upon the world, and night will stretch on endlessly."
A hand reaches over the flame, igniting itself.
"Heroes of immense power used themselves as kindling to prolong the fire's continuation. They were honored as: Lords of Cinder."
A long black screen follows, suggesting the passage of countless ages.
Then, the ruins of a city appear.
In a hazy, gray background, collapsed buildings lie everywhere, lifeless and desolate.
"That city was called Lothric, the homeland of the Lords of Cinder who passed the flame, and the place where the drifting converge."
Many strange creatures, leaning on staffs and carrying turtle-like shells, trudge painfully across a gray wasteland.
"Thus, the pilgrims journey north, understanding the meaning of the prophecy."
"'The fire is fading, yet the throne remains empty.'"
A pilgrim finally collapses. He lifts his head, straining to look toward Lothric, then falls to the ground.
The camera pulls back. The pilgrim lies motionless, dead on the road to Lothric.
"When the flame of succession fades, the bells will toll, awakening the ancient Lords of Cinder from their tombs."
The scene shifts to the Firelink Shrine. The bell in the bell tower rings, and the camera pans down to a cemetery.
Coffin lids slide open, awakening the sleeping ancient Lords of Cinder.
"Saint of the Deep—Aldrich."
"Watchers of the Abyss—the Undead Legion of Farron."
"And the lonely king of the Profaned Capital—Giant Yhorm."
The scene shifts again, inside the Firelink Shrine. The Fire Keeper holds up an eye covering, through which dark matter slowly flows, and places it over her head.
"But the Lords will surely abandon their thrones, and the Unkindled will come forth."
"They are nameless, unfit to be kindling, and cursed Undead."
"But precisely because of this, the Ashen One will thirst for embers."
The scene cuts abruptly, and the game's title appears on screen.
*Dark Souls*!