Building a Gaming Empire From Scratch

Chapter 7: Maybe It's Better to Give Up For Now

After setting a preliminary goal, Lincoln started thinking about how to make it work.

Adapting a movie into a game was not an easy task.

Even if the focus was on action and special effects, and the plot was not taken too seriously.

But the player's leveling system, environmental interactions, mission paths, and numerical feedback all needed to be specifically designed.

Thinking about all this, it seemed like a very complicated task. Even with Mavis, a programmer who could be considered a wish-granting machine, it wouldn't be done in a day or two.

However, he first needed to confirm one thing - the core fun of the game: Could a player in real life master precise shooting skills, even entering bullet time and mastering fantastic gun-slinging techniques, all through technology?

After all, shooting with a controller and truly holding a gun are two completely different things.

Lincoln raised these questions to Mavis.

"It's possible!" Mavis said confidently. "But it requires your sensory data."

"Sensory data? What is that?"

"It's about the experience! For example, if you've ever tried skydiving, your feelings can be shared in the sensory database, and Mavis can share the experience with everyone. Similarly, if there is a sensory database of a sharpshooter who never misses a shot, Mavis can share that gun feeling with the players in the game. As for techniques that don't exist in reality, we just need to connect and mix different experiences well."

With Mavis's explanation, Lincoln understood and quickly thought of someone: the bodyguard who insisted on standing guard outside when Princess Camille visited last night.

A royal bodyguard, definitely a sharpshooter!

Perhaps he also had experiences in car racing, flying planes, parachuting, and sniping. What a treasure trove of sensory experiences!

And after the game goes online, there would be tens or even hundreds of thousands of players' sensory data to access.

However, this action might violate the privacy of the players, which wasn't acceptable.

But recruitment could be done, calling for volunteers and providing adequate remuneration shouldn't be a problem.

Now the most important thing was the first game.

"So now I need to find a sharpshooter to provide you with rich sensory data?"

Mavis shook her head. "I can't do that. My core code has a limit, and I can't arbitrarily access human sensory data. We need a very strict informed consent document to do that. And even then, the number of humans allowed is limited, so it's better for you, the master, to try harder."

This sudden revelation left Lincoln dumbfounded.

"What the hell? If I want to make a space game in the future, do I have to go to space first?" He had dreamt of making a Star Wars game!

"You can still make it. But you'll have to rely on approximate sensory experiences to imitate it, and the authenticity might be a little off." Mavis pinched her thumb and forefinger together, indicating that it was just a little bit off.

Please don't make that gesture; we've already lost the Korean market.

Thinking about it, Mavis added: "Actually, even if you don't know how to shoot, you can still make this gunfight game by using the experience you have that's the closest to shooting."

Lincoln recalled his closest shooting experience: shooting with a toy gun against a bunch of naughty kids in fifth grade?

Using that as a model for bullet time and gun-slinging techniques? Are you serious?

Wait, he did shoot three times during university military training.

The recoil was nothing like he'd imagined, and he was hit by the sight on his glasses. Luckily they didn't break, but he was terrified for half a day.

"Never mind, I'll wait till I have some free time and ask that bodyguard where I can learn to shoot. This theme is too good to be ruined."

Although things had become more troublesome, deep down, Lincoln was still very happy.

In his previous life, he was just an ordinary office worker with an uneventful life.

Now he had an opportunity to experience all kinds of interesting things, which was quite exciting.

Now he needed to learn to shoot, and later he could try bungee jumping, skydiving, scuba diving, car racing, traveling, surfing, and enjoying life to the fullest. There were so many things to experience.

The best part was that doing all these things wasn't just for fun, but to enrich the sensory database for game development.

It was all for work and the players! Living it up on public funds - what could be more fun?

In the future, when players see him running around all over the world, they might just send him razor blades.

In any case... "Assassins' Alliance" will be put on hold.

Lincoln would practice shooting and then find a game planner to help with the numerical values and systems.

So, the problem comes back to this: What should the first game be?

NetDragon is still eagerly waiting to be slapped in the face, and this momentum can't be wasted.

He still doesn't know that after this morning's rebuttal from NetDragon, the heat has risen to a new level.

As he was sinking into deep thought, Mavis suddenly looked up and said to him, "Master, you have a phone call. Should I connect you? "

"You can connect me?" Lincoln was a bit surprised.

Mavis was a little shy and a little hopeful: "As long as the master gives me permission, I can."

Lincoln, to save effort, didn't want to go offline to answer the phone, so he authorized Mavis to bring the phone in.

"Yay!" Mavis happily waved her little fist.

The next moment, a transparent window appeared in front of Lincoln, displaying the caller: Princess Camille.

Upon answering the call, Camille Victoria's slightly anxious voice came through: "Lin, are you alright? I've been sending you messages but you haven't responded."

"I'm fine. What happened?" Lincoln was confused.

Hearing Lincoln's casual voice, the princess sighed with relief.

"This morning, NetDragon released a video showcasing their research center and research investment. Many people on the Internet have been attacking you, saying terrible things. I was worried that you might be affected, so I sent you a text and now I'm calling you."

"Oh, I've been busy since I got up this morning and haven't had a chance to see it yet."

As he was speaking, Mavis, who was standing nearby swaying and enjoying herself, suddenly had a brightness in her eyes.

She produced a sign out of thin air and held it up in front of Lincoln.

If the master gives me permission, I can bring the video in! It's very convenient!"

This pink-haired Lolita really never missed a chance to get permission, showing no politeness at all.

However, after some hesitation, Lincoln nodded in agreement. After all, he could cancel her various permissions anytime, and besides, letting Mavis access the internet of this world was sooner or later, so he might as well go with the flow.

"Don't worry about NetDragon's response, just focus on your own work. As long as you make real progress, everyone will see it. In research, tangible results are more important than public opinion."

Lincoln listened to the princess's consolation while watching the video Mavis projected in front of him at double speed. When he saw the sarcastic blessings at the end, he widened his eyes in astonishment - were there really people choosing to be unpleasant?

He said to the princess, "Don't worry, I'm not that fragile. I don't care at all, in fact, I even want to laugh."

"You want to laugh?" The princess on the other side of the phone was also taken aback.

"Yes, I plan to make a small game to release a trailer with the new equipment video. They're giving us heat for free, so I'm happy."

"You can make games too? That's amazing! But will there be enough time?" The princess apparently never expected Lincoln to be busy not only with improving the equipment but also working on a game in such a short time.

"It'll be enough. I know a super-awesome programmer, and the game isn't too big, so it'll be done quickly."

Mavis stood at the side with her hands on her hips, looking supremely confident.

"I look forward to it. Make sure to let me experience it when it's done." Camille Victoria didn't actually play games since she was always busy and being raised to be a lady who doesn't fight and kill. However, if it's to support Lincoln, she thinks it's necessary to play.

"I'll definitely give you a surprise." Lincoln was very confident.

Because he had already thought of what game to make.

A game with a high artistic attribute, not too big in size, that minimizes upgrade and numerical systems but fully showcases the advantages of virtual reality games, giving players the ultimate gaming experience.