nucmednet Chapter 2: Highly Acclaimed – Three Kingdoms Kill!
Chapter 2: Highly Acclaimed – Three Kingdoms Kill!
These comments after the game's beta version went live weren't just seen by Lin Lang; every employee in the company saw them and had lost their fighting spirit in the face of this result.
The atmosphere in the company has become extremely lax, with some employees even resigning in the morning and starting to think about the future.
Some employees gathered together to chat, play games, and slack off.
"Chen Nan, can't you do something about them? The company isn't even bankrupt yet, and they're already giving up?"
In the lobby, a woman in a dark blue business suit frowned deeply as she looked at the employees' condition and spoke to the fat man next to her.
Chen Nan glanced at Shen Qi and said indifferently, "Why aren't you going?"
Shen Qi gave a soft "humph" and turned her back. Her fair skin and cool voice made her seem like a flower on a high mountain.
"If Lin Lang weren't still at the company, I would have gone up and yelled at them already. Why would I need you?"
Chen Nan pursed his lips. After all these years, Shen Qi still acts like a well-behaved girl in front of Lin Lang, but reverts to her true nature in front of him, becoming quite feisty.
"With the company in this state, there's no point in talking. Let's just give up and let it go."
"Chen Nan, what do you mean! This company doesn't just belong to Lin Lang; you have a stake in it too. If you don't want to work here, then get out!"
Faced with Shen Qi's anger, Chen Nan remained silent and only sighed.
These two are Lin Lang's childhood friends and also partners in this studio.
Chen Nan didn't want to see the company decline, but given the current situation, and with Lin Lang still locked in his office, what could he do?
In just one morning, the workstations that were originally full now only had seven people left.
But Shen Qi was different. She always believed that Lin Lang would lead them out of their predicament and had an inexplicable confidence in him.
Just then, the office door finally opened, and Lin Lang walked out.
"Lin Lang, you're finally out! Don't be discouraged, we all believe in you!"
Shen Qi's attitude immediately changed, and the corners of her mouth turned up, revealing a smile.
"How many employees have resigned already..." Chen Nan couldn't help but think to himself.
But immediately after saying that, he changed his tone, "But those who remain are all elites, and I'll get them ready now!"
Chen Nan was relieved when he saw Shen Qi's fierce glare disappear.
He also knew that he shouldn't provoke Lin Lang at this time.
Given the current state of the company, I'd better be more tactful.
Lin Lang didn't speak, but glanced at the employees in front of him who were playing games with smiles, and froze on the spot for a moment.
It wasn't because I saw them neglecting their duties, but because a panel suddenly appeared in front of me.
[Ding! Game Black Technology System Activated!]
[The company currently has only 10 employees. Congratulations, host, you have obtained the entry "Desperate Measures"!]
【burn one's boats】
[Effect 1: When the host is creating a game, all company employees enter a do-or-die state, with work efficiency reaching 200%! The host's memory, physical fitness, and work efficiency reach 300%]
[Effect 2: Automatically receive a 200% marketing buzz boost after the product is launched on the market!]
Daebu!
This system came just in time!
Lin Lang's pupils dilated instantly. If there hadn't been other people around, he would have burst into laughter by now!
These two effects are incredibly helpful right now, and each one is invaluable!
Now I have even more confidence to develop games!
[Once the host company's personnel reach 100, the next entry will be available!]
The system's explanation was clear and concise.
Lin Lang easily understood the benefits it would bring him.
The employees noticed Lin Lang and the others and, thinking they were about to get angry, quickly put away the games on the table.
"No need to put it away. It's normal to relax when you don't have work." Lin Lang walked over and stopped everyone, picking up the game on the table to examine it.
This is a board game called "Eagle Heart Disease," and the gameplay is very simple.
Players take turns flipping over cards, each with a fruit image on it. When the total number of a certain fruit on the table reaches exactly 5, everyone slams a bell.
The first player to ring the bell wins all the revealed cards, and the player with the most cards at the end wins.
"Is this game fun?" Lin Lang smiled, seeing the nervous look on his employee's face. "Don't be nervous, I'm just curious and want to chat."
Employee Xiao Wang hesitated for a moment, unsure of his boss's meaning. He glanced at Shen Qi and Chen Nan but couldn't glean anything, so he decided to ignore it and speak directly:
"Mr. Lin, the game is alright. It's quite fun when you first start playing, but it gets boring after a few rounds."
"Tell me more about the other shortcomings." Lin Lang nodded upon hearing this.
Seeing this, Xiao Wang stopped worrying and shared his thoughts: "These kinds of board games are only fun when played in a specific place with a certain number of people. It's boring with fewer people."
"What if there was a board game that could be moved online, retaining the fun of the game without being affected by the number of players or location? What do you think of that?"
Lin Lang put down the card and looked at Xiao Wang very seriously.
Xiao Wang sensed that this wasn't just a casual chat, and after thinking it over carefully, he replied, "Yes, Mr. Lin, if it really solves so many problems, I'll give it a try!"
Lin Lang stroked his chin. He had just gotten the answer he wanted from the employee. Although it might be one-sided, it made him even more certain of his thoughts.
"I have an announcement to make: we're remaking a game based on the Three Kingdoms period!"
"Make another one?!"
The employees all looked surprised, even Chen Nan's eyes widened, but Shen Qi was different. Seeing Lin Lang's confident look, she only felt support!
"Mr. Lin, there are only three weeks left until the competition. Time and funding are both issues. How can we possibly create another design?"
Chen Nan thought Lin Lang was going to make a game similar to his previous ones, and couldn't help but try to persuade him.
"Who said I'm going to make the same game as before? I'm going to make a board game that combines card games with the history of the Three Kingdoms!" Lin Lang pointed to the card game on the table.
Chen Nan looked puzzled, not understanding Lin Lang's thinking: "Lin Lang, take my advice, if you're going to make a new game, why not use this time to modify 'Three Kingdoms Dress-up Simulator'!"
"We already have user feedback, so we can just make some changes based on that feedback!"
In his view, although the game did not perform well, it still had user feedback and reviews. He could simply add some gameplay elements and retain the features that users liked.
It's better than making a whole new card game!
Lin Lang strongly rejected this idea.
"A 'Three Kingdoms Dress-Up Simulator'? Tell me what's so fun about it! Who wants to see what Lu Bu would look like in a maid outfit?!"
"Wasn't that designed by you yourself...?"
Lin Lang: "..."
"Ahem..." Lin Lang cleared his throat. "In short, we need to start from scratch and not go further down the wrong path!"
"Making card games not only doesn't require complex designs, but also allows for more time, and the remaining funds can be used for creation. Plus, existing character models can be reused!"
Chen Nan was still somewhat persistent. As one of the shareholders, he didn't want Lin Lang to choose such a risky approach.
"You want to use a deck of cards to promote the history of the Three Kingdoms? Other games are role-playing games or simulator games, how can you compare to them!"
Lin Lang didn't say anything, but directly took out his phone and showed Chen Nan the other people's games.
"You mean these games that imitate the US and are just wrapped in a Three Kingdoms theme?"
"Did Cao Cao arrive in the cyber world and get a mechanical brain? Did Liu Bei go to the west and become a bounty hunter? Or did he turn Da Qiao into a romance simulator's target?"
"This is hardly promoting the traditional culture of the Great Xia Dynasty!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Nan was speechless for a moment. Indeed, as Lin Lang said, it was just an empty shell.
However, that's how the market environment is now. They imitate whatever games are popular in other federations. It's not just them; even the big companies do the same.
Is it wrong to go with the flow...?
Lin Lang put down his phone and scanned everyone present.
"The purpose of this competition is to promote history, and our focus should be on the various stories and anecdotes of the Three Kingdoms period, to present their charm to all players."
"We want to truly integrate the game with the history of the Three Kingdoms, creating a game that belongs to our Great Xia Dynasty, allowing players to better understand and develop an interest in Three Kingdoms culture!"
"That's the key point!"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone present fell silent. The employees were very interested in the game; who wouldn't want to create their own game instead of imitating others?
Shen Qi offered her unconditional support.
Chen Nan was also tempted and deeply convinced, but he still had some concerns.
"Won't it be like before... where we can't even recoup our costs?"
"Don't worry, I guarantee it will be a hit!" Lin Lang looked at everyone with a confident expression, his voice heavy.
He wasn't too worried about that. With the system's support, he wasn't afraid of the game not having players.
Most importantly, the game "Three Kingdoms Kill" had over 400 million users at the time, and its market size once reached tens of billions.
Are you still worried about not being able to recoup your costs?
"Alright, let's do it!" Chen Nan gritted his teeth. "Then I'll go crazy with you!"
Shen Qi then took Lin Lang's arm: "I'll always support you!"
The employees were also infected by this atmosphere, and they all chimed in, "Me too!"