Chapter 729: The Players Are Getting Impatient
Fighting with prisoners, discovered the cross by Vargas.
Betrayed and killed Vargas.
Escaped from prison.
Sam had already left but jumped back down to help Nathan take out the guards.
Sam was shot and died in the prison.
Nathan and Rafe successfully escaped.
…
A series of tense and thrilling scenes kept Lin Xue completely focused the entire time, leaving her no chance to glance at the bullet comments or chat with her fans.
"What?! Big brother got shot? You guys took so many bullets without a scratch, and now he gets hit? Damn it!"
"Can I go save big brother?"
Lin Xue kept running, still immersed in this heartbreaking scripted death.
Leaping from the cliff into the sea, Lin Xue's vision went black, with only the gurgling sound of water in her ears.
Then, a soothing background music began to play.
Characters and items appeared in the form of dynamic ink sketches, introducing the game's developers and staff. These sketches were some of Chen Mo's original concept art line drawings, deliberately made into motion graphics to elevate the game's style.
"So… the game is just starting? This is the opening cinematic?"
Lin Xue was shocked because she had already been playing for nearly an hour and a half. In a movie, that amount of time would be enough to reach the climax.
Moreover, despite playing for a full hour and a half, Lin Xue felt no fatigue or boredom. This lengthy opening buildup only made her more eager for the story and content to come.
Thinking back, it seemed the game used different color tones to alleviate player fatigue.
The sea battle, orphanage, prison, and climbing scenes each used distinct color palettes, and the pacing was well-balanced. After a tense and thrilling level came a relatively relaxed climbing section. Following the most intense prison break, Nathan's leap from the cliff brought the player's emotions to a peak, perfectly concluding the opening.
Lin Xue couldn't wait to see how the story would unfold next.
…
While players in the experience store were deeply engrossed in the subsequent plot of "Uncharted," those who had tried the demo online were practically in revolt.
On major forums, discussion boards, and gaming sites, #ChenMoTheCliffhangerDog# was trending as a hot topic among furious players.
"Seriously, I was having so much fun, and then it just cuts off! Nothing after that!"
"Oh my god, the plot was at a critical moment, and I wanted to see the brotherly bond!"
"Those who watched Lin Xue's stream at the experience store know that this should seamlessly transition into adult Nathan's prison scene, but Chen Mo just cuts it off right here… This isn't even half of the opening sequence…"
"What? Not even half of the opening? That's too much! Chen Mo is really forcing this cliffhanger!"
"Unscrupulous designer! Strongly condemned!"
"I'm so frustrated! Is there any streamer broadcasting the later parts from the experience store? I want to see!"
"Lin Xue is streaming. But! Watching on a screen is totally different from playing in the game pod. The difference is huge, it's just not satisfying!"
"Yeah, I recommend not watching the stream first. The graphics and experience are worlds apart from the game pod, and you'll get spoiled!"
"Ahhhhhhh, just release it already, ahhhhhhh!!!"
The players were getting impatient. Serent, just release it already! We can't take it anymore!
If they hadn't tried the demo, it might have been bearable. But after playing it, players were blown away by the incredibly detailed graphics of "Uncharted." It was indeed superior to any VR game currently on the market, even the latest blockbusters from major Western studios!
Moreover, while playing, players were fully immersed. The surrounding environment, lighting, smooth and natural dialogue between characters, first-person perspective, and the nearly invisible game UI—all these factors made players feel like they were watching a movie, or more accurately, even more captivating than a movie.
Because when watching a movie, players are always observers. But in "Uncharted," players "possess" the protagonist and participate entirely from a first-person perspective.
Additionally, the game wasn't always in first-person. During key moments, the camera would switch perfectly, like in a movie, using well-timed shots, lighting, and dialogue to fully showcase character personalities, relationships, and traits.
These camera transitions were smooth and natural, allowing players to unconsciously switch between first-person and third-person perspectives.
Furthermore, many viewers watching Lin Xue's stream asked the same question: "Where's the loading bar in this game?"
Many had only played the first half of the opening, with just the sea and orphanage scenes, assuming the demo had less content and didn't need loading. But those who watched Lin Xue's stream knew that not only was there no loading at the beginning, but there was none later either!
All scene transitions were completely seamless. The most memorable was the shift from the orphanage to the prison, with young Nathan's face transforming into adult Nathan's without any interruption.
In other games, levels are often disconnected. Players save and continue at each new scene after a loading screen. But "Uncharted" was different. Many players at the experience store were puzzled: "It's been three hours, and I still haven't found a save point?!"
The narrative continuity of "Uncharted" was so excellent that many players completely lost track of time. As soon as one scene ended, the next began.
"Oh my god, what kind of black magic did Chen Mo use? No loading at all?"
"Isn't that just the seamless open-world transition many games use?"
"No, it's different. What's the graphic quality of those open-world games? And what's the graphic quality of 'Uncharted'? Can they compare?"
"Exactly. Those seamless open-world games often sacrifice graphics, but 'Uncharted' is a whole tier above the current VR games in visual quality!"
Many designers who had previously claimed that "Uncharted" would likely be "Loading: The Game" now felt a sting of embarrassment.
That slap was too harsh!
According to their original assumptions, to improve graphics, "Uncharted" would have to concentrate the game pod's performance on handling small levels. This would require multiple resource loads, and a loading bar was inevitable—the only question was how to make it more acceptable to players.
But when the game came out, there wasn't a single loading bar!
Genius remembers this site's address in one second: