Chapter 916: Doggo, You’ve Changed
The triple whammy of *The Legend of Zelda*, *A Way Out*, and Labo made many Switch players feel like they’d arrived in paradise.
So thrilling!
With three consecutive blockbusters unleashed, even players who’d never considered getting a Switch before were tempted, eager to buy one and give it a try.
Because these three big hits each took a completely different approach.
*The Legend of Zelda* took the straight path—a flawless masterpiece in every aspect, a perfect score. For most players, it was a game that wouldn’t feel outdated for a year or two. As an open-world title, its content was incredibly rich, worth revisiting again and again.
*A Way Out* took the crooked path—an excellent cinematic game, with its gimmick being the two-player co-op experience. It was safe to say that no other co-op game on the market at the time matched its level of story, fun, and artistry.
Although the story lost its appeal after one playthrough, for many players, the joy it brought on the first run was irreplaceable. Plus, it had plenty of mini-games, and going for a second playthrough to unlock the hidden ending was a solid choice.
As for Labo, it took the heavenly path, leaving everyone stunned: “How the hell does this even work?”
Were those cardboard boxes really that fun? Were they truly better than VR games? Not necessarily, but they were unique, and in terms of sheer cool factor, they didn’t lose to any other game.
Especially as a physical product, when Labo was assembled and all the pieces clicked perfectly together, when it synced flawlessly with the Switch and controllers, when the piano actually played, the fishing rod actually caught fish, the motorcycle actually drove, and the wearable robot actually moved and attacked based on your actions—many players felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment.
These three blockbusters churned out one big headline after another, bombarding players’ nerves in every way possible.
“With a Switch this awesome, why not get one? It comes in all shapes and sizes!”
“If you’re buying, go all the way. How about a buttery-smooth Switch Pro?”
“This is the hottest tech product of the year. Perfect as a gift for your girlfriend, boyfriend, or kid!”
In short, after this combo of moves, most who were hesitant had already bought one, and those who weren’t interested had started to waver.
Still, many players felt something was missing.
Some players asked, “Hey, if Chen Mo had dropped *A Way Out* and Labo earlier, would Zhou Jiangping’s cross-dressing have actually happened?”
…
The buzz around *Hardcore Gamer* hadn’t faded yet when a new post caught players’ attention.
“The dog in my luxury villa seems different now!”
Ever since *Seaside Villa* was renamed *Oasis* and became the default login space for the entire Thunder Game Platform, players’ initial excitement had mostly worn off.
After all, the virtual villa only had so much to offer. At first, players would explore every nook and cranny with fresh curiosity, but by now, most only entered the villa in relaxation mode or when they had nothing else to do, maybe buying a few outfits for Nuan Nuan.
*Oasis* received weekly default updates, usually minor fixes with no special patch notes, so most players didn’t pay much attention.
But after this update, some sharp-eyed players noticed: “Why does my dog seem different?”
What exactly was different? It felt like the dog’s behavior had become somewhat unpredictable.
This dog had been around since *Seaside Villa* first launched, with assets directly taken from *Uncharted*, complete with a full range of animations. Over time, more interactive features were added, like shaving the dog, bathing it, and feeding it.
But after playing around with it, players felt the routine was too rigid.
Although the dog’s behavior was somewhat random, and its movements and expressions were rich, players could still tell it was just a program.
The same went for Nuan Nuan. She could talk to players, read books, and drink tea, but players could sense she wasn’t a real person—just a program with a decent range of behaviors.
Why could they tell? Players couldn’t quite put it into words, but they just knew.
But after this update, many players felt their dog had changed.
A very intuitive feeling was that the dog seemed to have let loose.
Before, if you waved at the dog, it would immediately run over, stick out its tongue, and roll around. When fed, it would eat happily. When ignored, it would lie quietly to the side, occasionally running off to play, but all its actions were predictable.
Now, though, the dog seemed to have things on its mind.
Wave at the dog, and it wouldn’t come. Feed it, and it might not eat.
Sometimes, when you pet it, it seemed uninterested. Other times, when you ignored it, it would come over and lick you on its own.
And sometimes, the dog would lie by the seaside, watching the sunset, or chase crabs on the beach. If a player approached, the dog would glance at them, then go back to watching the sunset.
Many players had a strange feeling: “Does that look in the dog’s eyes… mean it’s got something on its mind?”
It felt odd. Before, the dog was like a puppet on strings, going wherever you directed. Now, it seemed more like a real dog.
It was as if the dog had developed independent thoughts. It wouldn’t blindly grovel to its owner; instead, the owner had to constantly build a bond with the dog, just like raising a pet in real life.
The dog would disobey, do baffling things, and even act with a purpose.
At first, many players were thrown off. “My dog used to be such a good boy, so obedient. Why has it suddenly turned into a problem child?”
But after a while, players found that even though the dog wasn’t as obedient, they enjoyed spending time with it more!
Before, the dog was no different from an electronic pet—just a series of choices. Pick the right option, and you’d get the result you wanted.
Now, getting along with the dog required some effort.
A simple example: if the dog was feeling down and lying still, why was it down? Because the owner had yelled at it earlier? Because it was hungry? Because it was sick? Or because it had been home alone too long and was bored, wanting the owner to play with it?
Many players felt the dog’s intelligence had definitely been upgraded! This feeling—wasn’t it almost exactly like raising a real dog?
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Recommended novel by the great god of the city, Lao Shi’s new book: