December 13, 1993.

There is still more than a week left before the Chinese New Year holiday.

Qing Zhiyuan received a call from Famitong.

"Hello, I'm Famitsu here, I'm the editor Koichi Hamamura, is it President Seichi Aochi?"

"Yes, I am. Is there anything you can do? ”

"That's right, we want to conduct a round of game selection in the year-end Famitong annual magazine, called the [Famitong Game Awards], and the best game of the award will be selected according to different awards, such as the best story award, the best picture award...... Wait, I hope to invite you to participate. ”

The most famous column of "Famitsu" is the "Cross Review", where four editors act as evaluators to rate new works, and each reviewer needs to give 1 to 10 points from the four dimensions of graphics, music, story, and gameplay, and then add the four scores to get a score of 40 points.

Games with a rating of 35 or more are called Platinum Palace, 32-34 points are called Gold Palace, and 30-31 points are called Silver Palace.

However, this rating system was ruined by pokeni.

P Society uses facts to tell players that works with weak gameplay may have a plot that can be a king.

And now, Famitong was forced out of a [Famitong Game Award] by Pokeni.

According to the time course of the previous life, the Famitsu Awards is a video game award founded by Famitsu in 2005, and is selected based on factors such as readers' votes, sales, and topicality.

Now it is equivalent to a direct advance of 12 years.

The scalability of this setting is obviously much stronger, and now the awards initially set by Famitong are:

【Game of the Year】

[MVC (Most Valuable Creator/Team)]

【Best Script Award】

[Best Game Picture Award]

【Best Game Score】

【Best Game Character】

…… Basically, they are some very basic and high-value awards, but in the future, with the development of time and the continuous changes of the industry, they can be expanded to be similar to [Best RPG Award], [Best Shooting Game Award], [Best Action Game Award], [Player's Favorite Award] and so on.

It's much more scientific than the 4-dimensional scoring mechanism, and it's very topical if it's evaluated once a year.

"Huh?" Qing Zhiyuan was stunned for a moment, and didn't seem to understand too much.

It's not that I don't understand what these awards are for, but I don't quite understand why I call myself.

"That's right, the galgame "Quilt Man" released by your company this year has been well received by players, and it is very hopeful to win the award, so we would like to invite Pokeni to use "Quilt Man" to participate in the year-end game award selection of Famitsu." Hamamura explained over there.

"If I'm interested, I'd like to visit you and explain to the president in person how this selection will work."

"Hmm...... That," Qing Zhiyuan hesitated for a moment and asked, "So after winning the award, is there a bonus?" ”

This kind of media award, which is also a gimmick, is about doing what you want, and the popularity of players.

If you really want to get it, according to Qing Zhiyuan's idea, you have to give some bonuses.

If you want authority, where is the reason for the white wolf who can't afford to pay for empty gloves.

But there was a long silence on the other end of the phone.

"That's, that's right." Koichi Hamamura explained on the other end of the phone, "This award will be voted on from January to February every year, and it will be for games released within the previous year. Voting is open to the public, and after the polls are over, they will be broadcast live on TV in March, and the winners of the various awards will be promoted on TV.

Winning awards will inevitably bring higher value and revenue to the game itself. ”

Huh?

After talking for a long time, there was no bonus?

What are you looking for me if you don't have the money?

I wanted to say no, but when the words came to my mouth, I swallowed them.

Qing Zhiyuan deliberately wanted to support Guoletong to fight with Famitong, but if he thought about it carefully, Famitong was above Kadokawa Bookstore, and he couldn't afford to offend.

"Understood, then let's use "The Man in the Bed" to run for election."

"Okay, thank you very much!"

Hiroichi Hamamura hung up the phone, and his whole back was wet.

"Terrible. How do you feel like you're on the verge of an enemy? ”

……

Approaching the end of the year, Qing Zhiyuan got busy instead.

Once he figured it out, he decided to work on the game himself, so he was busy writing scripts all the time.

I often write until the dead of night, and I even feel like I'm typing when I get up.

Every time I pass by the president's office at the end of work, the program director Ken Akanishi can't help but sigh:

"It's terrible, the president is trying to kill us."

"Yes." Art director Taiji Sakata echoed, "If the president doesn't get off work, who dares to take the lead?" ”

"Forget it, leave him alone."

As he spoke, Ken Akanishi left the company with his briefcase.

Sometimes overly devoted, Qing Zhiyuan sat in front of the computer and cried tears, and the next moment he thought of the players' crying reactions after the game was put on the shelves, and he was happy again.

When the little HR saw the president like this, he muttered in his heart-

This man must be crazy, right?

……

A week later, it was done.

After Qing Zhiyuan printed out the first version of CL's script, the big stone in his heart finally fell to the ground.

was about to go to Ma Zhijun, but this guy took the initiative to come to the door.

He knocked on the door of the president's office, "That'...... President, I have rewritten a script, please advise. ”

Qing Zhiyuan was stunned for a moment and beckoned him in, "It's just right, I also have a script for you to see." ”

The two exchanged scripts with each other, and each other's eyes lit up.

Here, Ma Zhizhun is holding the script printed out by Qing Zhiyuan, and there are several English letters [CLANNAD] written on it.

I know every letter, but when I put it together, I don't know what to pronounce or what it means.

Turn the first page, and fortunately, there is an explanation on it:

[CLANNAD is an abbreviation of the Celtic word CLANN As Dango.]

CLANNAD – family, family, family, affection.

Of course, it can also be understood as a family in a broader sense, that is, the entire town where the characters live. 】

It's awesome.

Jun Maeda thought to himself, the president is really knowledgeable, and he even knows Celtic.

And this work is worth looking forward to at first glance.

……

Qing Zhiyuan raised his eyebrows, saying that I know a ghost, I know it all through you.

But he quickly focused his attention on the script in hand:

《LIFE-LINE》

Lifeline?

Lifeline?

In the past life, there was a text adventure game called Lifeline, which Apple designed specifically to promote its smartphones and watches.

But it's clear that this script written by Jun Ma is not the same thing as that.

【Quack ......】

[Loud sounds.] 】

[I thought to myself whose prank this was.] But the moment he pushed the door open, the whole person froze-

At the door of my room was a tiny baby. 】

Huh?

Did the male protagonist have a little daughter at the beginning?

Good guy, let you write about family affection, do you really write it?

You, a person who has just graduated from high school and have never even been in love, do you know how to raise children?

But complaining and complaining, Qing Zhiyuan looked at the beginning and was quickly attracted to it.

Ma Zhi is worthy of being a tearjerker, this writing, this skill, absolutely nothing to say, super delicate, and fascinating, reading like a trickle to nourish the soul.

And the character portrayal is quite good, each character has their own unique background information, and it is also a good plot line to take it out alone......

Warm and warm every day, poke your heart from time to time.

It's quite CL-like.

It's astounding.

……

Looking at it, Qing Zhiyuan couldn't help but have a sour nose, and tears fell uncontrollably.

When I looked up again, I noticed that Jun Maeda, who was sitting opposite, also had the same expression.

In order to hide himself [macho crying], Maeda quickly turned his head and wiped the corners of his eyes with a tissue.

"That...... My eyes got into something. ”

"Me ...... too"

Qing Zhiyuan grabbed a tissue and blew his nose fiercely, but he still couldn't suppress the urge to cry.

Two big men, sitting in the office, looking at each other with tears in their eyes.

There's no one left.

Little HR Akane Ayase was about to bring in a drink, and when she saw this scene as soon as she opened the door, she was stunned for half a second, and then retreated.

"Terrible...... It turned out that only the president was abnormal, but now there is already a phenomenon of human-to-human transmission. ”

……

After reading it, closing the document, Qing Zhiyuan fell into the sadness just now and couldn't extricate himself.

The two men sat facing each other, silent in each other's constructed world.

Very good.

Qing Zhiyuan wiped the corners of his eyes with a tissue.

This is what I think of Ma Zhizhun in my mind.

Sure enough, you have to take the pressure off him before you can write a good script.

Thinking about it carefully, Qing Zhiyuan felt that the name LIFE-LINE was really good, and he connected all the contents at once. It's not just a lifeline.

There is also the meaning of continuity, inheritance, and bonding.

It's life, and it's life.

Even, a strange feeling came out of his brain-

LIFE-LINE, which can be made into a sister game with CL.

Qing Zhiyuan exchanged his ideas with Ma Zhizhun for a while, and the other party agreed very much.

"President, you're so good at writing a script as strong as CL. I was completely moved. There was a hint of choking in Maeda's voice.

So, from now on, although these two games are different from each other, they are emotionally common, and when the time comes, CL will be released first, and then LL will be pushed, so players may be able to find the regrets that each other is missing from the two games.

This is also a unique addition. ”

"Uh-huh." Jun Maeda agreed.

"So, what is the central hub to string these games together?" Qing Zhiyuan pondered.

There was a very hazy image in his brain.

Key's tearjerker trilogy doesn't actually have any connection or continuity with each other, which limits their brand value to some extent.

Final Fantasy, on the other hand, is much smarter, although the plots of each generation have nothing to do with each other, they are all independent games with complete plots, and even the world view is different, not to mention the relationship between those characters.

But they share the same name.

Chocobos, cacti, and mogulis are also universal.

"If we have some bond to connect several of Pokeni's galgames, then we will definitely get a stronger chemistry."

"Ah~" At this moment, Junichi Maeda slapped his thigh and remembered an insignificant detail, "Didn't you mention that there is something called [Mermaid's Tears] in "The Man of Reverse Degree"? Obtaining the tears of the mermaid can fulfill a wish of a person, but it will also bring an unforgettable love. ”

"Huh?" Qing Zhiyuan's eyes lit up, "Maeda-san, your idea is very good. And I think it's actually good that we don't use the setting of [Mermaid's Tears] and let each other's characters make cameos as passers-by in other games. ”

It's equivalent to an easter egg, and the character cameo is equivalent to connecting the world.

Luckily, these games are set in modern cities, so it makes sense.

"Uh-huh, that's good."

Jun Maeda was extremely excited, "The quilt man and the hedgehog woman can make cameos in CL, and the Tomoya family in CL can also appear in life-line." There is no such thing as chronological order, and players can interpret different things from this game. ”

"That's right. Players can understand that the quilt and the hedgehog are indeed together, and it can also be understood that they met friends by chance during a small period of time before......"

This kind of cameo is used a lot in future Marvel movies, some are pure easter eggs, and some are gimmicks used to guide the next movie, in short, as long as players like them, they will notice, and they can also form heat and cause topics.

The two of them discussed for more than an hour, basically finalizing the main line.

The new script on Asaeda Jun's side is not very problematic, but there are some details that must be paid attention to, this young man obviously has no experience in giving birth to and raising children, it is necessary for him to study and experience it carefully.

The rest is nothing.

……

The script was basically finalized, and without further ado, the next day Aojiwon called Mika Ishino into the office.

"Woo woo woo ......"

After reading CL's script, Mika Ishino cried profusely.

Why do you want to show me this for the Chinese New Year?

What am I doing wrong?

"It's too abusive, President."

Or else?

Qing Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow.

CL is the king of tear-jerking games.

"So ......?" Mika Ishino asked with tears in her eyes, sobbing.

"Isn't "The Man in the Bed" already finished? It's time to develop a new game. Qing Zhiyuan said, "Don't worry, if you set up the project after the year, the producer is still you." ”

"Huh?"

Mika Ishino was stunned for a moment.

Qing Zhiyuan said, "Since there is already a "Quilt Man", it is better to take advantage of the situation to push it again and give out the name of the tear-jerking queen Mika Ishino." ”

"That ......" Mika Ishino cried with a sad face, looked at Qing Zhiyuan, and then looked down at the script in front of him, "I don't dare to take it...... I'm afraid of being sent blades. ”

Qing Zhiyuan's brow furrowed fiercely.

"Pick it up!"

"Must be answered!"

……

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There is no update tonight

Thank you

See you tomorrow (end of chapter)