Chapter 490: Chapter 298: Wildly Imaginative Testing Session_2
Damn, Soraka Plus?
Players think this way mainly because Saraphine is so similar to Soraka in terms of skills and team role.
In fact, this isn’t wrong. From a coding perspective, Saraphine’s skill module probably calls on Soraka’s code.
If a designer wants to create a hero with a unique mechanism, they’ll find it exceptionally difficult, with a high chance of game-breaking bugs.
Just like Foyego and Seras.
But if you align the mechanics with older heroes and create a "Frankenstein," it’s much simpler. Just call the old hero’s code and tweak the model and values.
The difference in workload is like night and day; the former takes much more time than the latter.
The same logic applies to game development; launching a new title based on many excellent games saves more time than starting from scratch with nothing.
The funniest part is, thanks to the Tianba Game Engine, even "art resources" can be directly called from old games without needing a new set.
This is one reason why "Abab’s True Story" was developed so quickly and had such a brief testing phase.
How could it not be fast?
The maps were patched up from "Speeding Frenzy," the art design and functional modules borrowed from "Global Evolution," and some gameplay and interactions were referenced from "Living Under Someone’s Roof Simulator"...
Calling it a "Frankenstein" game isn’t an exaggeration; it’s pretty accurate.
Chen Ba also admits there is very little original content in "Abab’s True Story." Most of it is piecing together and patching up old games.
But that’s not a big problem.
The gaming scene is full of such games; he’s not the only one doing this, so what’s there to be nervous or shy about?
Besides...
Whether a game is fun has nothing to do with it being a Frankenstein.
What’s wrong with being a Frankenstein?
Games that are well-patched can still attract a large number of players. Which of the recent hit games hasn’t been a Frankenstein?
"As long as the game is fun, even if it’s a Frankenstein, you’ll like it" serialized loud and clear!!
"Abab’s True Story" has both online and single-player modes, with different testing procedures.
The focus is on online mode.
After all, based on the information Chen Ba already has, if this game is going to have issues, there’s a high chance it’s because of the online mode.
Conversely, the single-player mode is unlikely to have major issues or game-breaking bugs.
"That’s a stereotype!"
"Ah, yes, yes, I’m stereotypical, so what? Why don’t you tell me, which of our studio’s recent games didn’t have bugs from the online mode?"
Chen Ba said righteously: "Can’t think of any? Let me tell you, any game with online features, the bugs all come from the online mode, without exception!"
This is well-earned experience.
During his short game development career, Chen Ba hasn’t experienced much else, but he has a deep impression of online mode.
There’s no choice, because games under Tianba Studio, as long as they have online features, always encounter issues in online mode.
As the saying goes, prolonged sickness makes for a good doctor.
Having gone through so much, he has gained a deeper understanding of the Iron Fool System. Based on his experience, "Abab’s True Story’s" vicious game bugs are 100% from the online mode!
He is confident in his judgment, so this time, he is concentrating his forces, vigorously focusing on "fried rice at the bar" extreme testing for the online mode.
He doesn’t believe it.
Having suffered so many times, he’s caught the pattern this time. Can’t he identify potential bug hazards before the game is officially released?
"Expand your thinking!"
Chen Ba earnestly instructed: "During testing, open your mind as wide as possible. Don’t treat yourself as a serious player; get as weird as you can..."
Serious testing won’t find anything; Chen Ba was well-prepared for this.
From previous experience, it’s known that vicious game bugs must be triggered by an extremely bizarre and unexpected playstyle.
So, unleash your imagination!
Under his leadership, the testing of "Abab’s True Story" took a very extreme, very bizarre direction that left people shaking their heads.
Lu was controlling his "lame" character made online, trying to catch up to a train going 300km/h...
Li Qizhen, in online mode, planned to pursue another colleague testing with him. He went from soft to hard, behaving extremely strangely...
Liu Jinfu tried to be an "outlaw" in the game, refusing to do any tasks, just creating mayhem...
Luo Ji took a unique path, with his open mind treating "Abab’s True Story" as a travel simulator, attempting to climb Everest in a wheelchair...
Everyone had their own ideas and imagination, and they all tested in the game, trying to find the "hazards" Ba was talking about.
However, it was all in vain.
The powerful physics engine and simulation system prevented Lu’s lame character from catching the train; instead, he took a nasty fall and ended up in the hospital.
The content not allowed by law couldn’t be realized in "Abab’s True Story," so Li Qizhen couldn’t reveal the side of "Bro, you’re quite charming."
The difference was, thanks to the game’s high level of freedom, Liu Jinfu’s outlaw dream could be realized.
But unfortunately...
The mute Liu Jinfu, who vowed to make "Abab’s True Story" into "The Great Thief Aba," was caught right after robbing a convenience store.
Wheelchair Hero Luo Ji’s fate was slightly better. Although in the game, characters’ physical and energy values have limits, the wheelchair is a perpetual motion machine using no energy...
Thus, he developed a new playstyle: wheelchair autopilot, where the character sits on it sleeping to recover energy and physical strength, allowing them to travel the world!
Unfortunately, before he could roll his wheelchair all the way to Everest, he drove into a creek while sleeping and drowned...
"Good, keep it up!"
Although the first round of testing didn’t pinpoint the problem, Chen Ba believed this was the right direction; game testing must go down strange paths.
Besides, it’s only the first day.
As long as this mindset is maintained, it’s only a matter of time before they find the "hazard" by continuing to explore strange playstyles in online mode over the coming days.
Thinking of this, he felt at ease.
With Luo Ji and Lu overseeing the testing, he could take some time to discuss with Yang Dong the issue of promoting "Abab’s True Story."
If a game is to sell well, quality is one aspect, but promotion is also crucial!
It’s undeniable that there have always been games in the industry that, relying on word-of-mouth fermentation, gradually soar in sales; there are many such cases.
But honestly, if everything could be done in one go, who would want to wait slowly for word-of-mouth to ferment, relying on players to spread the word and naturally boost sales?
Isn’t time a cost?
Given the unique theme of "Abab’s True Story," its promotion needs to be handled with care, at least to minimize misunderstanding or misinterpretation by others.
"It’s best not to promote at all..."
Yang Dong shared his view: "If promoted on a large scale, it might seem like profiting off other people’s misfortune, which players might resent."
"Small-scale promotion doesn’t make much sense. Once we’re at this scale, is there a difference between small-scale promotion and none?"
"So I recommend no promotion at all, quietly releasing it, relying entirely on players to spread the word and naturally help promote the game..."
This could work!
Chen Ba thought it over and realized Yang Dong made a good point. "Abab’s True Story" at this scale, small-scale promotion is no better than no promotion.
If promoted on a large scale, it could be critiqued and criticized due to its "special" theme.
So, no promotion, just like how Penguin launched "See" – those who know will know, and those who don’t, it’s fine.
Meanwhile, they could add an additional note that all related revenues from the game would be fully allocated to a "foundation" to specifically support people with disabilities.
In this way, it becomes a charitable game, and players helping promote it wouldn’t attract any backlash from the public...
