Chapter 2 Registering Game Copyright
The next day was Monday. William got up early, washed, dressed, slung his bag over his shoulder, and grabbed a sandwich on his way out the door. He had classes to attend.
He was a sophomore in the Department of Computer Science at the University of London. Attending class was non-negotiable; his mother, Lina, would kill him otherwise.
Thinking back on how his mother had worked two jobs to put him through school, he couldn't blame her for having a temper.
And even with the memories of his past life in Greater China, William's core emotions remained his own. The fusion of memories hadn't diminished his feelings for Lina at all; instead, it had deepened them into sincere admiration and appreciation.
Besides, for the time being, his only option was to stay in school and sort through the knowledge in his system. He would wait until his magic was strong enough to protect him from firearms before considering anything else.
He wouldn't be foolish enough to expose his superpowers. But now that he had the means to transcend the mundane world, the idea of making money echoed relentlessly in his mind.
It was the year 2000. Even with his foreknowledge of which companies and technologies would become profitable, he had no starting capital, and learning the necessary skills would take time.
Besides, if he suddenly produced technology that was years ahead of its time, he would never be able to keep it for himself.
While corporate giants had mostly moved past the stage of direct robbery, their methods had only become more secretive. They would find a legal-looking pretext to suppress, threaten, and ultimately acquire the technology in his hands.
And there were still some in this world who wouldn't hesitate to rob him openly to get what they wanted.
As for magic, William considered it his ultimate trump card. If he ever had to use it, he would make sure there were no witnesses left.
After all, guns were still a formidable threat. If he wanted to become a rich man and enjoy his life out in the open, he couldn't make an enemy of society. It was better to keep a low profile and build his strength discreetly.
Besides, he wasn't learning magic to rule the world—not that he could, anyway. It was far better to focus on improving his and his mother's lives.
Taking things one step at a time was the safest approach.
At the University of London, January marked the start of the second term. William hurried to a lecture hall in the computer science building, backpack slung over his shoulder.
In the year 2000, there was no cloud computing or big data, and artificial intelligence was still in its infancy.
Consequently, the material Professor Roy covered on the podium was basic to William. Thanks to the knowledge from his Marvel system, he found the entire lecture effortless. When the professor finished, he actually felt a little unsatisfied.
He figured that acting the part of a top student was the best way to deflect suspicion.
After his classes ended for the day, William sat on a bench at the edge of a campus lawn, staring at the grass as he tried to figure out a way to make some money.
It would be best, he thought, if it was related to his major. That would avoid suspicion.
As he was thinking, the clicking of high heels sounded behind him.
He overheard a girl telling her friend how the vampire movie she'd watched the previous night was so scary she hadn't dared to sleep alone.
William turned his head and saw two stunning young women.
His eyes lit up, but he also shivered involuntarily. It was January—how could they stand to wear skirts in this cold? Still, he had to admit their figures were attractive.
After the women walked past, William turned back to the dry lawn.
A flash of inspiration sparked in his mind, but he couldn't quite grasp it. He thought again, his gaze drifting from the grass to the large trees in the distance, his mind replaying the words he'd just heard. Vampire movie...
William slapped his forehead. Vampires? Zombies?
Yes! Plants vs. Zombies! He could make that.
The Plants vs. Zombies game had been a big seller on PC for a long time in his previous world, but its global popularity exploded with the rise of smartphones around 2008.
Making a version of it in 2000 shouldn't be a problem. At worst, he'd have to lower the pixel resolution. If a game like Counter-Strike could run on a LAN, a small game like this would be no trouble at all.
The late 1990s were the golden age of stand-alone games. Europeans and Americans especially preferred them, unlike players in China who leaned more toward online games.
The market for stand-alone games in Europe and the United States was huge. The success of Plants vs. Zombies eight years from now was proof of the concept's appeal.
William was confident he could develop a stand-alone version of Plants vs. Zombies by himself. The technical level required was a bit difficult, but he was no ordinary person. He had a system. Any problem he encountered, he could learn the solution directly from the system, consult his professors, or check for information in the library.
The initial ideas filled him with such excitement that he waved his arms happily, startling several passersby into giving him a wide berth.
He paid their looks no mind, simply grabbing his bag from the bench and running back to his dormitory.
Once inside, he turned on his computer and began typing up a detailed plan.
The next day, he reviewed the plan he'd written, and seeing no errors, he began to program. For the next ten days, he worked relentlessly. His fingers would fly across the keyboard, pausing only to compare his work with the knowledge in his mind or to search the system for alternative solutions.
He spent long hours in the library and visited his professor more often than he had in his entire freshman year. With each passing day, his knowledge grew, and as he worked, he gained a deeper understanding of the theory.
Finally, after another week of intense effort, the game began to take shape in his hands.
He took a quick, cold shower to wake himself up, then sat proudly before his computer, looking at his creation as he began the process of testing and debugging.
But a new problem now presented itself: how was he going to promote Plants vs. Zombies?
He had no money and no channels for distribution. After thinking for a long time, he realized the most important thing was to register the copyright first.
Once the story, characters, and gameplay mechanics were copyrighted, he could promote the game without worry.
Having lived in England for so many years, he understood that powerful interests wouldn't bother with reason or fairness.
He found a phone booth on campus, looked up the number for the Copyright Administration in the phone book, and was about to make the call. He hesitated, recalling that customer service operators in England could often be unhelpful.
An idea struck him. He channeled a tiny bit of magic to his throat. Feeling no pain, he whispered a few words and was pleased to find his voice was significantly more pleasant.
Laughing to himself, he picked up the receiver and pressed the numbers. "Hello, is this the Copyright Department?"
The person on the other end must have appreciated his tone, because her own was immediately friendly. "Yes, sir. How may I help you?"
Hearing her gentle voice, William's lips curved into a smile. He matched her tone. "My name is William Devinhill. I have a game I'd like to register a copyright for. And may I have your name, miss?"
"Haha, you can call me Katie," the woman on the phone replied, her mood obviously improving. "The game you made, is it original, or is it an adaptation of another story or game?"
"It's completely original."
"That's much simpler. You can register the story copyright first, and then the game copyright. I'd also advise you to organize your original manuscripts and design drafts; that will help save time during the review process. If you like, I can make an appointment for you now. I have an opening the day after tomorrow."
Surprised he could get an appointment so soon, William said warmly, "Thank you, Ms. Katie. I appreciate your help. I hope you have a lovely afternoon."
"Thank you, sir. You too. Goodbye."
"Goodbye." William hung up the phone. Returning to his dorm, he turned on his computer and looked up the submission procedures and requirements on the Copyright Administration's official website.
Early on the morning of his appointment, he finished preparing all the necessary documents and took a bus to Number 11, Kofflin Street.