Chapter 156: Can it still be played?
For Dark Souls players, this could be considered another holiday. Even hearing the news of the prequel excites many avid Dark Souls players more than a vacation.
In the Nebula Games office, Lisa, Jane, and Eric, sitting in the conference room, were confused. External players were extremely excited, and the major video game media outlets also reported on the Dark Souls sequel. Industry designers and manufacturers watched in silence.
But the people in the industry knew what they were doing. 'This supposed prequel didn't even have a folder created!'
Even the image Alex posted on the official blog was temporarily taken from last year's promotional image. And at today's meeting, everyone knew clearly that it was basically being held for the Dark Souls prequel.
"Alex, there's only a little over a month left until GameSpot. Trying to release a playable version is not realistic!" Eric whispered to Alex, sitting below him, before the meeting began.
"Yes, although the general structure is already ready, a month is too long," Jane interjected.
Everyone agreed: preparing a playable version for players to experience at GameSpot was an incredible challenge. Even working overtime every day, it would not be ready in time.
"Why are you in such a hurry? Didn't I tell you in interviews and on the official blog that we would bring new content to players during GameSpot? Doesn't a trailer count as content?" Alex sighed, looking at the crowd.
Jane, Lisa, and Eric have been learning and improving constantly for the last two years, and they are now fully capable of handling the tasks he assigned them. They were able to complete them, but they still lacked understanding.
'As game developers, they lacked even the most basic skills.' 'Can a game developer who doesn't even know how to paint a picture be considered a qualified developer?'.
Look at all the famous game companies and producers of the past: who wasn't a master of all kinds of clever tricks? Their official blogs are constantly posting photos with celebrities, which makes one suspect that they are using public funds to foster fandom. They occasionally share photos of trips and cooking, and when players ask about the game's progress, they undoubtedly respond that they are working on it.
There was even a company called "B" that was even more scandalous. They simply showed the game's title at the expo, followed by a majestic main theme song from the series accompanied by a zoom camera, and that was it.
'At least he was still preparing a promotional animation!'
After listening to Alex's words, everyone was speechless, but also relaxed. It seemed they had plenty of time.
Remember, this time last year, they were working on a promotional animation while developing Three Kingdoms Tactics and Fall Guys. This year, although the deadline was about a month shorter than last year's, they only had to focus on one project. Furthermore, the Dark Souls framework was already available, which allowed them to save a lot of time for later development.
After checking the time, Alex saw that all the staff from the different departments had arrived. He stood up to start the meeting.
"Well, I think you already know what the meeting is about," Alex said as he opened the laptop on the conference table.
A document appeared on the projector behind him with the title: "Dark Souls Prequel." There was also a subtitle: The Age of the First Flame.
No one at the meeting seemed too surprised, as Alex's official blog had already revealed to players that this prequel was set in ancient times, the age of the First Flame. Therefore, this subtitle was consistent with the game's plot.
The only thing that intrigued everyone was the difference between this prequel and the previous one.
"The combat system of this Dark Souls prequel will not undergo significant changes, except for some numerical adjustments," Alex declared, looking at the audience and confirming a cornerstone of the game.
Alex did not plan to change the main combat system. The combat styles of Dark Souls I and Dark Souls III were essentially the same, both designed by Hidetaka Miyazaki. Only due to technical limitations, some details became "difficult."
A good example was drinking talismans. In Dark Souls III, players could move in short steps while drinking, which greatly improved the fluidity of combat. Dark Souls I, on the other hand, required staying still while drinking, a sign of technological delay.
After all, when Miyazaki Hidetaka developed Dark Souls I, he practically had no funds. The artistic design of the maps was not a decision made from the beginning, but a compromise due to cost limitations. However, they unexpectedly became classics.
Of course, drinking potions in Dark Souls I was not the most annoying thing. Even more annoying was Dark Souls II, which many Dark Souls players had dismissed as a Dark Souls game. This added a quickness attribute to the game's setting, making the early stages of blood drinking incredibly painful.
This was especially true when starting with nothing, which led countless players to lament that they were drinking from a bottle of urea; otherwise, why would it be so hard to swallow?
Dark Souls II also has its merits. Beyond the map design, Dark Souls II's combat system is more realistic, but this represents a marked difference from the style of Dark Souls I. This creates a situation where some players who played Dark Souls I enjoy it as a step up, while others find it a completely disappointing experience, as it represents a fundamental change in the series' playstyle.
Therefore, Alex does not plan to make major changes to the combat system, only minor adjustments.
As for the boss and monster settings, Alex will omit them for now, as they are not a concern.
For now, Alex will focus on map design and gameplay mechanics to help everyone understand the differences.
"The biggest difference from the previous game is that we are making a major revision to the map. This seamless design feature will be even more materialized in the prequel, and it will even become an essential experience for the player. So, for players to experience its charm with greater subtlety, there will be some minor changes to the gameplay mechanics." Alex smiled as he looked at the crowd.
'Minor changes to the gameplay mechanics?'
Upon hearing Alex's words, Jane, Lisa, and the others felt curious. However, seeing Alex's faint smile, they intuited that this minor mechanical change might not be so minor.
Indeed, Alex's explanation stunned them instantly.
"For example, you cannot teleport directly to the game's bonfires." Seeing everyone's curious expressions, Alex seemed to suddenly understand something and smiled happily.
"Bonfires... bonfires you can't teleport to?!" Eric's eyes widened.
Everyone, including Lisa, Jane, and the other employees in the meeting room, was stunned.
'Had they heard right? You can't teleport to the bonfires on the game maps? Can it still be played?'
If I want to see the Fire Keeper again, I'm afraid I'll have to cross mountains and rivers, overcoming numerous obstacles.
'And if I'm carrying tens of thousands of souls and I want to level up, but I die twice on the way? Wouldn't that be devastating?'
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