Chapter 88
There was a reason for changing the genre of Chronicle Connect, which was a turn-based Bonsai Game Before Regression, to Open World.
The reason was two disadvantages, known as Chronicle Connect's Inherent Limitations.
The first disadvantage was the Combat System.
It wasn't an issue with a part of the system, but with the Combat System itself.
As a game made to ride the trend of Bonsai Games, which were popular for their auto-play and Light Gameplay, Chronicle Connect also featured extremely simple Combat Content.
SD Characters would bicker with miniature monsters and occasionally use skills.
It was the extreme of a Bonsai Game, where you couldn't even select skill targets.
This Combat System worked in the Early Service Period, but as the Service Period lengthened, it combined with the second disadvantage to become a decisive factor in the game's downfall.
And what was the second disadvantage that combined with the Combat System to ruin the game?
It was the overall lack of content, especially clan wars.
To compensate for the poor Combat Content characteristic of Bonsai Games, there needed to be a variety of content beyond combat, but Chronicle Connect had none.
The End-Game Content, guild wars, performed reasonably well, but it was almost impossible to satisfy User Needs with just that.
Ultimately, it led to a mass exodus of users.
However, the main cause of the Users' mass exodus was the release of alternate characters that caused balance collapse.
Anyway, because of these significant flaws, I decided to pivot the genre to Open World instead of following the same path as Before Regression.
An Open World could resolve all the contradictions and limitations that Chronicle Connect currently has.
Present are the unique Vast Content of an Open World and the action-oriented nature characteristic of an ARPG.
If these two combined, all of Chronicle Connect's disadvantages could be compensated for.
Moreover, thanks to the collaboration with Huayang Games, the proficiency of our Company's 3D Developers has increased incredibly.
Ultimately, choosing the Open World genre could be seen as inevitable.
Since heaven has given me this opportunity, I have no choice but to try my best.
***
Recently, a rumor began to spread in the Reverse Arcadia Community.
The rumor was that EnsonGT was developing a new project.
[Nickname: Anonymous]
[Title: EnsonGT seems to be preparing a new game right now?]
[Screenshot of EnsonGT Official Website Recruitment Board]
They're hiring a ton of people right now lol
They're hiring System, Content, Level, and Balance Designers just for Planners.
Roles that wouldn't be needed for Reverse Arcadia are 3D Animators and Rigging Artists especially.
And given that they are recruiting so many for background art, it seems like they're touching on Open World...
Anyway, it looks like EnsonGT is going to make some noise again this time?
[Comment List][Sort by Latest]
-Open World on a Mobile Game? LOLOLOL
-Even for EnsonGT, an Open World on mobile is too much.
-Still, it looks like they're making a proper 3D Modeling game Whoa
-Any other info?
Right, EnsonGT usually releases info a bit late, so there's nothing out yet.
Waiting for Yui in front of the Company Dormitory, I was lurking on the community and couldn't help but click my tongue.
*These guys really have a nose for things...*
Well, to be honest, I wasn't trying to secretly recruit Experienced Personnel, so I expected it to be discovered eventually.
But it was still surprising that they figured it out within half a day of the Recruitment Announcement.
As I was lurking on the bustling community, stirred by the post I just saw, I heard a voice calling me from beside me.
Turning towards the voice, I saw Yui, ready and looking at me blankly.
“What were you looking at? You didn't even notice me approach.”
“Oh, I was just browsing our Game Community.”
“The Community? You Lurk on the Community too?”
“Of course. It's a perfect fit for a public sentiment check, isn't it? Don't they do that at Sign Games?”
At my question, Yui nodded with a casual expression.
“Community Opinion is held by just a handful, and some teams even prohibit it by regulation, saying it only negatively impacts Development.”
“Huh...”
Every time I learned something new about Sign Games' Company Culture, I felt like I understood why it was falling behind us.
*Should I say they're completely stuck in their ways?*
Anyway, the place I arrived at with Yui on my first day at work was not RA Studio, but the New Project Office created one floor above it.
I would have preferred to set it up on the same floor as RA Studio, but with the number of developers expected to exceed 150, there was no other choice.
As Yui and I opened the door to CC Studio and entered, I saw the Team Members who had already arrived.
The Sisters Yerin and Yena, Yumi, Taeseon, and finally, Senior Chaeyoung.
It looked like all but one of Reverse Arcadia's Core Members had been moved over.
Originally, Yunseol should have come over too, but since Yui, the Producer, was going to handle the planning for this project... there was no other choice.
Instead, I handed over the Director Position to Seol, so there shouldn't be any big problems.
Anyway, I gathered the members who were organizing their personal belongings and introduced Yui first.
“Alright, this is Ms. Ishikawa Yui, who will be taking on the role of Main Producer for the New Project. So... Ms. Yui? Would you like to do a Self-introduction?”
Yui nodded at my question.
I stepped back to allow Yui to introduce herself.
“Hello. I'm Ishikawa Yui, and today is my first day at work. I used to work at Sign Games and have now transferred to EnsonGT. Please take care of me.”
Yui's Self-introduction was in well-pronounced Japanese, but there were no particular issues.
It would be impossible to work at a Subculture Mobile Game Company and not know Japanese.
As I was thinking that for a moment, they had already broken the ice among themselves and were exchanging questions in Japanese.
In the worst-case scenario, I was prepared for her not adapting and returning to Japan, causing the Project to face difficulties...
But as I saw Yui, it seemed I could put those worries aside.
Anyway, that's how the Chronicle Connect Project, or CC Project for short, began.
***
Once the CC Project actually began, I truly felt how efficiently Girls Memorial and Reverse Arcadia had been developed.
For those two games I mentioned earlier, the Development Personnel were around 80 people at most.
Especially when compared to the GM Project, which started with 20 people, the CC Project was truly a dinosaur.
It was a large-scale project with over 200 Development and Art Personnel alone.
Fortunately, I quickly adapted before Regression thanks to my experience managing several such large-scale projects at ND Soft.
If I hadn't had my Pre-regression Memory, I don't even want to imagine the hardships I would have faced.
Still, as I adjusted the schedules of over 200 Development Personnel and the Project gained momentum, its advantages slowly began to emerge.
That advantage was Development Speed.
Despite the game being an Open World full 3D game, its development speed was comparable to Reverse Arcadia's.
Buildings and Character Modeling poured in every morning for Final Confirmation.
Of course, the Modeling currently being worked on was for mobs and General Residential Areas, which were relatively less important.
But even considering that, the current speed at which Modeling was being produced could truly be called a tsunami.
Seeing the Modeling accumulate at a faster speed than I had anticipated before the project began, I made a decision.
It is important to utilize these models as much as possible.
Although the development progress is just taking its first steps, making a Play Preview video might not be possible, but a simple PV should be fine.
***
One day, about three months after the rumor spread that EnsonGT was developing a new project,
A video was uploaded to EnsonGT's WeTube account at a time no one expected.
The video's title was "Start."
As users clicked the video out of curiosity, a monochrome screen greeted them.
A Monochrome Screen with no explanation, no BGM to pique the Users' interest.
The screen soon changed to a pure white room, and then a woman walked out of the scene.
It was Arina, Chronicle Connect's AI Character, with white hair that was neatly braided over her shoulder in a Short-lived Hairstyle, and blue eyes.
We finally meet again, Adventurer. I've been waiting.
Once again, your story is about to begin, leaving behind all the good, bad, sad, and joyful things of the past.
The time allotted to me is not long, so I cannot say more, but I offer one piece of advice: follow the path you desire.
For your life is your own.
As the Goddess finished speaking, the screen transitioned, beginning to show the Protagonist's various appearances blended into the landscape of the Arpeggio Continent, the background of Chronicle Connect.
The Protagonist is kneeling before a king on his throne, reporting on an adventure.
The Protagonist undertakes a quest in the Sentinel Kingdom, composed solely of beastfolk, and receives a Token of Friendship.
In addition, the Protagonist is adventuring through the Swampland and Snowy Mountain, and helping a Priest performing ascetic practices.
The video, which showed the Protagonist making various choices, concluded by showing the Guild House, which would be Chronicle Connect's Main Stage.
EnsonGT's video seemed to declare its intention to develop an Open World genre game with Full 3D Graphics.
The Game Industry began to stir at that video, just over 40 seconds long.
Until now, the prevailing thought was that Open World was literally the exclusive domain of PC Games.
It was a time when the very idea of choosing Open World as a Mobile Game genre was unthinkable.
Therefore, countless Industry Personnel clicked their tongues behind the scenes, calling it a Reckless Challenge or a scam-level video that could never be ported to mobile.
But where there are gazes of concern and criticism, there are also gazes of admiration.
Otonase Hiroki, the Main Director of Enjendo, is a great figure in the Japanese Game Industry.
He, the Director of Legend of Rain, which forms a pillar of the Open World game genre, watched EnsonGT's entire video and let out an exclamation of awe.
“This... this is a *huge deal*, isn't it?”