September 3rd, Saturday …
Tengda's new game, Struggle, was officially released!
In Shanghai …
He An had just finished dealing with the company's affairs and returned home, ready to have a good rest.
He was supposed to go to Jingzhou to continue teaching Boss Ma last Friday, but there were some small problems with Mengguo Games that needed to be dealt with. He only finished yesterday.
Therefore, the lecture for Boss Ma was naturally postponed to next Friday.
Although it was caused by an unexpected incident, He An felt that the timing was not bad.
That was because Tengda's new game, Struggle, would be released today!
He An was full of anticipation for this game.
After all, the few standalone games that Boss Pei had made before could be seen as the benchmark of domestically-produced standalone games, especially in terms of thinking and depth. They had reached an extremely high level.
This time, He An was also full of anticipation for this game called Struggle, which was most likely a large-scale action-adventure theme, like all other gamers.
He An happened to be worried about what he should teach Boss Ma in the last lesson.
The content that he had taught before was basically a high-level summary of He An's decades of game production experience. It was full of dry goods.
From the concept of a game to the production, to the marketing and publicity, all the links had been covered.
However, it was precisely because the content was highly condensed and all dry goods that the last lesson would feel a little lacking if he did not bring out more dry goods.
It just so happened that Tengda had provided him with a new case!
He An pondered. There was still a week before he had to teach Boss Ma. This week should be enough to get through Tengda's new game.
Perhaps he could get some inspiration from this game or stimulate some of his dusty memories. Then, he could squeeze out some dry goods and use them as teaching content?
Since he had finished dealing with the company's affairs, He An was ready to play games and relax.
He turned on his computer and opened the official platform.
As expected, the most eye-catching recommendation position on the official platform's homepage was a large publicity page with the words "Tengda's new game, Struggle, on sale!"
However, there were only these artistic words on the publicity page. There were no publicity posters.
That was a little strange.
That was because most games' publicity pages would have posters that showed the beautiful scenes and characters in the game. It could improve the players' first impression and attract them to play.
"Boss Pei is really capricious, but he is Boss Pei after all."
He An didn't mind and clicked on it.
If it were any other game designer, they would still have to follow such a conventional publicity plan. However, Boss Pei did not need to. In any case, even if the words' Tengda's new games' were written on an inconspicuous page, gamers would definitely click on it crazily.
He An suddenly realized that something was wrong when he arrived at the details page of the game.
This was because on this page, there was a game introduction and pictures!
Introduction:
The so-called reality was that no matter how hard one fought, it was difficult to break free from the cycle of fate.
There were also many promotional images of the game below. These promotional images were very exquisite, and the art style was also very impressive. However, the only problem was … the scenes and characters in the images seemed to be worlds apart from what they were expecting!
In the modern city setting, many foreigners wore suits, T-shirts, sweaters, and other clothes that could be found everywhere in real life.
He Anren was a little confused.
Wasn't it supposed to be an action-adventure game?
Indeed, there were some action-adventure games with modern themes, but those often took place on mysterious islands or lost ruins. It was impossible for the setting to be in a modern city!
From the promotional image, it didn't look like an action-adventure game at all!
What was even more confusing was the slogan and the Chinese name of the game.
"The so-called reality is that no matter how hard one fought, it was difficult to break free from the cycle of fate?"
This sentence was too depressing!
Yes, in a sense, this sentence was right. Many times, reality made people feel helpless and could not be changed by human will.
However, this did not mean that they should promote such a fatalistic mentality!
There were indeed many times in life that people would not be happy, but they still had to work hard to live their own lives because there was no option to 'give up' or 'quit' in life. Fighting was not to live better than others, but to live better than yourself in the past.
Moreover, the meaning of the Chinese name 'Struggle' was instantly different from the original English name 'Struggle'!
The word 'Struggle' had many meanings. Previously, everyone thought that this was an action-adventure game so they subconsciously interpreted 'Struggle' as meaning to struggle and fight.
However, now that the Chinese name was' Struggle ', it was equivalent to directly dispelling all the previous players' imaginations and setting the game as a realistic theme!
He An was already dumbfounded by Boss Pei's tricks before even entering the game.
At this point, the smarter players had already realized that they seemed to have been deceived by the publicity.
"Boss Pei made a realistic theme, and then he was afraid that people would not play so he made a fake publicity?
"That can't be possible.
"This would not be able to deceive players. It would not help sales but have the opposite effect. It would only damage his reputation and cause greater losses."
He An was puzzled.
At this time, he suddenly realized something and flipped through Tengda's promotional materials for the game.
He looked at the publicity materials and then at the game's introduction.
He looked at it three times.
He An was confused.
"Boss Pei … there is no fake publicity. It's all true.
"This is at most a deliberate misdirection.
"Is this a new trick?"
He An found that the content written in the game's information indeed matched the content of the game itself!
The main reason why everyone misunderstood was mainly because of the 'full motion capture' point. Everyone subconsciously thought that since they had spent so much money on motion capture, it must be an action-adventure game!
In the end, it turned out to be a realistic theme.
This was crazy! Why would they use motion capture for a realistic theme? Did they have too much money to burn?
If it had been someone else, He An would definitely have cursed out loud in anger, thinking that this was fake publicity.
When He An was lecturing to Boss Ma previously, he had said that game marketing was an important part of the success of the game. If there was a mismatch between the game's publicity method and the game itself, it would be a devastating blow to standalone games.
In the end?
Boss Pei's new game's publicity was misaligned! What's more, it was ridiculously wrong!
He An was very confused and lost. Boss Pei had made what he thought was a very low-level mistake, but it made him feel even more incredulous.
What kind of person was Boss Pei?
He was a marketing genius!
He could find the best publicity method for every game and knew how to create topics among players.
Yes, this was definitely a special marketing model!
However, he would only know why it was special after playing the game.
He An was about to buy the game when he found a second confusing thing.
The dual protagonist mode was actually purchased separately?
After clicking on the purchase button, an introduction page popped up. On one side was the rich version, and on the other was the poor version.
The original drawing on the rich version was of a business elite in a suit. He was shaking a glass of red wine as he looked down at the entire city from the floor-to-ceiling window on the top floor of a skyscraper. He seemed to have the domineering aura of a king descending to the world and having everything under his control.
Text introduction: Born into a wealthy family, your struggle will be extremely smooth. However, the reason why fate is unpredictable is that everyone is equal in the face of death. If you are a rich person, it is not recommended that you buy it. You will find it boring.
Price: 19 (Original price: 29)
On the other hand, the original drawing of the poor version was of a poor man in shabby clothes. He was empty-handed, looking up at the towering skyscrapers on the street that were filled with endless traffic. There was a trace of envy in his back view.
Text introduction: Born into a poor family, your struggle will be filled with pain, struggle, and helplessness. You believe that hard work can change fate, but fate does not intend to be changed by you. Whether you are rich or poor, it is not recommended that you buy it because you will only gain some meaningless negative energy.
Price: 79 (Original price: 99)
The purchase buttons on both sides were separated. Obviously, one could buy the poor version or the rich version separately. Furthermore, there was no 'buy all' option.
He An was not bothered. Wasn't it just one more mouse click?
He bought the rich version first, and then the poor version.
However, when he clicked on the buy button for the poor version, a notification popped up on the page.
"There is no second chance in life. If you want to experience two different lives, you will not be able to enjoy the discount. All purchases will be made at the original price. The total price is 29 + 99 = 128. Are you sure? "
He An read the long string of words carefully. His mouth was slightly agape, and his face was filled with shock and question marks.
What did it mean?
Was it trying to stir up trouble?
Such a pricing method was unheard of even for a veteran producer like He An who had seen a lot of things!
The other dual protagonist modes were all done in-game, and one could choose who to play as after entering the game.
But here, it was split into two and sold!
Not only that, it was priced separately. One side was sold at 19 and the other at 79. The price difference was four times!
However, would the poor version really have four times more content than the rich version? It was obviously impossible!
The most ridiculous thing was that if one bought both versions, they would not be able to enjoy any discount. They would have to spend 128. Compared to the rich version that could be bought for only 20 yuan, the price was six times higher!
To He An, this pricing strategy was also very ridiculous. 19 yuan was obviously too cheap, and 128 yuan was on the expensive side. Wouldn't it be just right if they made a compromise and sold it at around 98 yuan each?
With the current pricing strategy, weren't they forcing players to only buy the rich version?
Moreover, the introduction was cruel enough.
The rich version seemed to be hinting at some bad endings, and it was not recommended for the rich to buy.
The poor version directly said that they could not change their fate, and it was also a bad ending. Moreover, it was not recommended for the poor and rich to buy?
Wasn't that telling everyone not to buy?
Ridiculous!
He An decisively pressed the payment button.
So what if it's expensive? Do I look like someone who needs 128 yuan?
I'll sell it at the original price. I'm willing!
I must see what good stuff you've hidden in the poor version!
He An guessed that since it was a dual protagonist, dual versions, there must be some connection between the two versions. Perhaps some Easter eggs and hidden endings had to be bought at the same time to be triggered?
The more He An thought about it, the more he felt that it was as he had guessed.
If there was really no connection between the two versions, then it would be a huge problem.
That was because not many players would buy a game brainlessly when they saw it. Most players would still be affected by online reviews.
If the first batch of players bought both versions and did not find any Easter eggs or hidden endings, they would definitely curse out loud. Players later on would not do such stupid things.
He An felt that Boss Pei would definitely not make such a low-level mistake. Therefore, he was even more certain that there must be a hidden ending if he bought both versions.
Until now, He An had not even entered the game, but he realized that two out of the four theories he had mentioned previously had already been overturned.
Choosing the appropriate marketing method based on the game's content? No.
Choosing a game genre with a high market share? No.
If it was another game designer, He An would not even need to enter the game to conclude that the game was finished. That was because the starting line was already off; how could it reach the finish line?
However, if it was Boss Pei, He An felt that he had to finish the game before making a conclusion.
Perhaps Boss Pei could overturn all traditional theories and give himself an unimaginable surprise?
He An entered the rich version first.
…
After a brief black screen, a male voice spoke in English calmly.
This did not seem to be a voice-over; it sounded more like the man was talking to himself.
"My father liked to seek wisdom from the distant Eastern culture.
"Not long after I learned how to read, he repeatedly taught me two sentences from the distant East: Poverty breeds stratagem, and wealth breeds conscience. Also, one knows etiquette when one has enough food and clothing when one has enough honor and disgrace.
"My father said that in the original language, these two sentences were very neat, concise, and full of philosophy.
"However, when translated into English, I could not feel it at all.
"He told me that this society is full of the law of the jungle. We are high and mighty people, but it is also because of this that countless people are watching us. They want to see us fall and die without a burial place.
"My father said not to trust those poor people; never.
"It seems like in my father's eyes, we and those poor people at the bottom have become two different species.
"I don't agree with this view.
"Of course, I won't argue with my father because I know that I almost did not come to this world because of a madman. Instead, I fell from the rooftop of a skyscraper with my mother.
"My father said that that was a poor person.
"However, I insist that it was just a madman."
After the black screen and the subtitles, the game appeared.
It was an over-the-shoulder view like a conventional AAA game. He could see that this seemed to be a Western police officer in uniform, and his rank was not low.
He was now in the interior of a shopping mall, but it was empty. It seemed like everyone had been evacuated.
A few police officers were anxiously waving at him from afar.
A few lines of words appeared on the wall as a guide: "As a hostage expert, 'negotiate' with hostage-takers."
He An did not see any criminals at all. He turned around and seemed to only be able to look at the open window where the police officers were.
The police officers anxiously waved and urged him.
Thus, He An controlled the police officer to walk over.
The police officers deftly helped the police officer tie the safety rope, helped him change into adhesive climbing gloves and climbing boots, and then moved away from the window.
"The pregnant woman is very dangerous, and the hostage-taker is emotional. Once our sniper shoots, the hostage-taker might fall with the pregnant woman. Chief Henry, please! "
He An controlled Henry to climb out of the window, and with the adhesive climbing gloves and climbing boots, he climbed all the way up the glass wall of the building.
As he continued to climb up, new mission instructions would appear on the glass wall every once in a while.
"The hostage expert has arrived."
"The hostage expert is ready."
"The hostage expert is ready to 'negotiate'."
The higher they climbed, the clearer they could hear the shouts coming from above.
"Don't come over, or I'll jump!"
"Help, help..."
"Please don't be nervous, we're here to negotiate, we can agree to your conditions..."
The crazy roars of the criminals, the sobbing pleas of the hostages, and the words of the police who were comforting the criminals through loudspeakers were all mixed together, making people feel inexplicably anxious.
Not long after the "hostage expert is ready to 'negotiate'" prompt appeared, Henry also reached the top floor and quietly came to the bottom of the criminals.
He saw the criminal holding a long table knife to the neck of a pregnant woman, standing at the edge of the building.
The criminal seemed to have realized that there was a sniper, but he held the knife in his right hand and strangled the pregnant woman's neck with his left hand. If he was shot, he would fall from the top of the building.
Henry quietly came to the bottom of the criminal, left the climbing gloves on his right hand on the wall, took out his gun, and aimed it at the back of the criminal's head.
"Bang!"
With a gunshot, the criminal's head burst into blood. Amidst the screams of the hostages, the two of them swayed!
"The hostage expert 'negotiation' is over."
Henry stretched out his thick right hand and held the pregnant woman firmly, while the corpse of the criminal fell toward the bottom of the building.
At the moment of falling, Henry saw his face.
The despair, fear, and madness before death still remained on his face. Many emotions mixed together, making him look hideous.
After a pause like a slow motion scene in a movie, the camera followed the corpse as it fell, fell, and fell...
Finally, the moment before the corpse landed, everything stopped, and the screen went black again.
"My mother was frightened, so I came to this world two weeks early."
"Some friends said that I was born with a golden spoon in my mouth."
"Some friends said that I was born at the finish line of their life."
"I've never denied this. Because for people like us, whether it's suffering or struggle, we can't be used to talk to others. "
"Very few people will recognize the struggle of being born at the finish line."
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