Game Director from Hell

Chapter 30: Interview

The initial reaction to Hellic 2's demo version was like this.

『(Game) Bangbaedong-Lord-of-Bloodshed: It's fun. Really fun.

At first, it felt a bit different from the previous game, just like the G-STAR review mentioned. But as soon as I got into the gameplay mechanics, it became familiar quickly.

What I liked the most is the increased freedom in character builds compared to the last game.

In the first playthrough, I used a sniper build, but I'm thinking of mixing it with a drug build next time.

In the second playthrough, I'll try a hybrid build.

<Comment>

Hellic2Waiting: It seems like they made build utilization more accessible. They provided both easy and challenging options, which I really appreciated.

┕TWithoutTurbidity: Gamer

┕FlowerJaeheeCherryLips: Homo

┕Hellic2Waiting: ?』

The most praised aspect was the game's systems.

Hellic 2 allows players to progress with simple builds without needing research. Additionally, it offers scalability for in-depth character builds, so even in the demo version, players could enjoy the game in various ways.

Other aspects were also noted.

『(Game) S2PobiS2: I really like the game design^^

The concept of "Hell for Heretics" was quite interesting. It challenged the stereotype that Hell should be a terrifying landscape.

Especially, the design of the God was impressive.

It seemed to use artistic techniques for conceptual expression...

·

·

·

... Apart from that, the sound effects, like the glass shattering effect, are excellent. The uniqueness of the sound blending with the background music is also commendable.

The art and sound teams are really creative.

I heard there are up to 4 chapters. I hope the main game is released soon^^

P.S. There's still a lot we don't know, but the story seems quite interesting. I'm curious about who the Butterfly really is. Is it some kind of Hell's caretaker like a guardian spirit?』

There were discussions about the game's artistic techniques and even the story. Users who cleared the first chapter and started sharing build strategies began to appear.

The average playtime for the demo version was around 30 minutes. As the resources available in Chapter 1 were limited, discussions in the comments section revolved around how to optimize builds within those constraints.

And then, it happened.

『(Game) TWithoutTurbidity: ?

(Screenshot of 3-meter Alice looking down at a deity)

???』

One of the players who had cleared the Easter egg in the previous game, "TWithoutTurbidity," discovered a bug. It was a physics engine bug, and it had quite a humorous appearance, resulting in an explosive response.

『<Comment>

Helic2Waiting: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Bangbaedong-Lord-of-Bloodshed: What is this?ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

S2PobiS2: Alice defying even the gods...!

FlowerJaeheeCherryLips: Is this an Easter egg?ㅋㅋㅋ』

The positive response was possible because it was a free demo version. Since the game wasn't completed, players were more forgiving of such bugs.

No, it could be said that the discovery of such bugs became part of the fun of the game.

Following this, a video was posted, overtly showcasing this theme.

『(Game) TWithoutTurbidity: Quoting gameplay video. Using the bug extends the attack range.

(Video of 3-meter Alice dominating a deity)

Alice is a real troublemaker, haha.』

At moments like this, the inherent tendencies of anonymous online communities surfaced.

There were elements of instigation and fabrication, where the weak could not survive.

This time, the target of the sniper was Yeonho.

『(Chat) FlowerJaeheeCherryLips: Hey guys, do you still not get it?

(Screenshot of 3-meter Alice looking down at a deity)

(Photo of Yeonho wearing a golden wig and performing as a charlatan)

This was intentional, right? They even dropped hints at G-STAR.

In fact, Alice was the girl our director wanted to become...

<Comment>

Bangbaedong-Lord-of-Bloodshed: Ah... Is that how it was...

┕ zChonHansu: He really was homo.

┕ Helic2Waiting: ?』

The situation regarding Yeonho's use of Alice's wig at G-STAR was coming back to haunt him.

As this situation unfolded, Seorim asked Yeonho, "What should we do now?"

She didn't show the same enthusiasm as before. Naturally, what Seorim was worried about was the negative public perception due to the bug discovery. But now, it seemed like the situation was swaying toward making a mistake less apparent.

Honestly, Seorim had no reason to worry about Yeonho, considering he was the one dealing with the consequences. However, she still asked him because she had a fair understanding of Yeonho's personality.

"He doesn't handle mistakes well," she thought.

Yeonho's expression was serious. He was staring at the community with deep-set eyes, and his forehead was slightly wrinkled, as if he were feeling uncomfortable.

Finally, Yeonho spoke up. His words were somewhat unexpected.

"...I guess it's for the best. Let's use it as a marketing tool."

"A marketing tool?" Seorim tilted her head.

It was an utterly confusing statement. Yeonho then added a few more words.

"Customer-engagement marketing. With this kind of response, it might be worth a try."

Seorim learned about Yeonho's intentions a few hours later. Yeonho posted on the community using the account "SeorimSeorim."

SeorimSeorim: Rewind Studio here.

First of all, we'd like to thank all the users for showing such enthusiastic interest in Hellic 2's demo version.

We'll do our best to meet your expectations.

Now, let's get to the topic of 3-meter Alice. This phenomenon is currently the most concerning bug for our studio.

Originally, it was designed as a higher-tier skill for the "Drug build" and was supposed to be activated randomly in response to specific triggers.

We are in the process of fixing it, but the cause remains elusive, and we're facing some difficulties.

Therefore, we would like to seek your assistance through an event.

Below are the event details.

Find the Fake Alice!

While playing the game, randomly encounter the fake Alice, take a screenshot, and send it to the email address below with a description of the situation when the bug occurred!

We will reward the top three users who find the most bugs with a special prize and a closed beta access code!

The duration of the event is 6 months, and we kindly ask for your active participation.

Thank you.

Email: [email protected]

The appearance of the developer on the community led to an explosive response.

<Comments>

Helic2Waiting: Did they release closed beta access codes!!!

SweetBlueElNam38: The developer... They have quite a sense of humor...^^

zChonHansu: Wait, was the 3-meter Alice actually real? LOL

┕ FlowerJaeheeCherryLips: There were quite a few peculiar things with the drug build.

┕ Bangbaedong-Lord-of-Bloodshed: Yeah, there was a skill called "Miniaturization" among the drugs in the demo. Seems like the opposite skill?

TWithoutTurbidity: So, what's the special prize?

┕ SeorimSeorim: We're considering a limited edition Alice figurine.

┕ S2PobiS2: Wow!

┕ TWithoutTurbidity: Just wait for it, lol.

The confirmed rewards were two: a closed beta access code and a limited edition Alice figurine. Gamers, by nature, always wanted to be ahead of others, sought uniqueness, and had a strong desire to collect "limited edition" items. This is also why packages that include merchandise sold well.

Yeonho had accurately pinpointed this aspect.

In the midst of all this, Seorim had a question for Yeonho.

"But, senior."

"Yeah."

Seorim: "Was the 3-meter Alice skill actually real?"

No matter how she thought about it, it seemed so. Seorim was responsible for implementing skill motions during the development process, and she had never received instructions to create a giant version of Alice's skill.

Her question was met with a quick response, dispelling her doubts.

Yeonho: "No, it wasn't. Not yet."

Seorim: "Not yet?"

Yeonho: "It's planned for the future."

Seorim's body froze.

Their eyes met.

Yeonho, with his trademark poker face, shamelessly added, "Turning crisis into an opportunity."

From Seorim's perspective, it seemed that way.

"Did our workload just increase?"

"Stay strong."

"Wow..."

Seorim's words were cut short.

Among the in-game bugs, there were often types that were challenging to identify the triggers for. These bugs resulted from code conflicts, and what made them particularly troublesome was that you had to dissect the code one by one to understand the mechanism.

Therefore, resolving them required a large number of cases.

The event was conceived for this very reason.

"The effect is quite good."

It was a choice inspired by experiences from a previous life.

Bug reporting events were not uncommon among online game companies. Especially those that operated test servers and regularly released content for early testing often organized such events.

The company in Seorim's previous life did the same. Although he eventually stopped participating, in the early days, he remembered organizing bug reporting events on the test servers.

He knew this event had more impact than she initially thought.

"Seorim, can you help me sort the emails?"

"Well, I don't have any other work to do right now."

When they checked the reported bugs in the overflowing mailbox, it was indeed quite horrifying. Hidden bugs mainly occurred in unusual situations. Users were reporting a multitude of bizarre and unexpected scenarios related to 3-meter Alice.

One example stood out:

TWithoutTurbidity: 3-meter Alice bug case 4.

(Video showing Alice battling cultists while holding a dagger)

"Grows bigger after stabbing around ten times."

Seorim couldn't help but wonder, "Why on earth are they playing like this?"

But then she thought, "Let's not dwell on it." The way people played games was ultimately their choice. She needed to respect that.

In any case, the event was effectively producing results. As they gathered a certain number of cases, they slowly began to understand the mechanism behind the 3-meter Alice bug.

"Ah, it's a bug that occurs during collisions."

Most bugs occurred when objects and Alice collided. Alice's code had already been thoroughly checked multiple times, so they turned their attention to the code of the objects causing the bug and quickly found the issue.

The bug fix went smoothly.

As days passed, the year was coming to an end.

It was Christmas Eve, a day when carols celebrating the birth of Jesus echoed all around.

Rewind Studio gathered in the office, nervously staring at their monitors.

"Today's the day, right? The first sales figures will be calculated."

Seorim nodded.

Today was indeed the day when the sales figures for the demo version were calculated. Although it didn't directly translate to revenue due to the free distribution, it was an important metric.

"It's a gauge of Hellic 2's standing."

The question of "How much interest is directed toward this game?" was closely related to "How many people are looking forward to this game?".

They had promoted the game both domestically, starting with G-STAR, and internationally, thanks to James Han. Depending on the sales figures they achieved, it would determine the performance potential of Hellic 2 in the future.

As the tension built up, Yeonho said, "Let's check."

Click!

The sales figures appeared on the monitor, and upon seeing the numbers, Han Seorim couldn't help but exclaim, "This is incredible!"

I also couldn't help but feel delighted as the sales figures were much larger than expected, even for a free demo.

[210,302]

A total of 210,302 copies.

Even when considering the free distribution, it was an astonishing number.

At least 210,000 people were interested in Hellic 2, which was a significant achievement.

"Wow!"

The enthusiastic duo exclaimed.

Jo Ayoon was startled, her eyes widening.

Han Seorim grabbed me by the collar and shook me, asking, "Is this not a lie? Is it really 210,000 copies? Is it ours?!"

My head was buzzing.

Yet, there was a sense of fulfilment.

"It's a success."

The demo version had been a great success.

Though there was a long way to go, a promising beginning like this filled us with hope.

"GOTY."

My gaze remained fixed on the monitor.

My fists clenched for no reason.

The goal felt closer than ever.

"Great job, everyone. Let's take a break today."

And so, 2009 ended with significant achievements.

Then came 2010, and the world was shaken once again.

... The era of smartphones had arrived.