Game Director from Hell

Chapter 13: Staff Recruitment

A prompt response came immediately.

"Me? Modelling?"

"Yes, you."

"Why?"

Quite a question.

As I pondered, the words flowed out.

"I've looked into game art work myself. Isn't my position Art Director? Creating illustrations or designs and coordinating the final result. So, do I really need to do modelling too?"

It was a valid point.

The explanation she was giving accurately depicted the common art process that takes place in the industry.

However, Han Seorim had overlooked something.

"Seorim."

"Yes."

"How many people do we have in our studio?"

"Just you and me."

"And who's doing the art?"

"...Just me?"

"Right? We're small. We need more."

Han Seorim's research had focused on the design process carried out by corporate-level studios.

Naturally, there was no room for that kind of manpower distribution in our small indie production.

"Of course, we'll hire more people. The labour required for making a 3D game is incomparable to pixel Indies."

Especially considering that what we're making is not just a few lumps of clay thrown together. With a minimum playtime of 8 hours, and with plans to use different backgrounds for each chapter, the time spent on modelling will be multiplied by the number of chapters.

It's too much work for Han Seorim alone.

But there was one thing to exclude from that consideration.

"For now, you have to participate in modelling directly. It's the same when thinking about the future. Can you properly delegate tasks in an area you're not familiar with?"

Han Seorim fell silent.

Her forehead creased slightly.

The reason I asked this was not for nothing.

I knew future Han Seorim.

"Fundamentally, I've learned all aspects of art. I don't like to delegate tasks I can't do to others."

It was an answer that was in the Q&A section of the article.

Han Seorim, the mother of [Lost Kingdom], was a perfectionist and a control freak who needed to master all the skills necessary for game graphic design and implement them in the way she wanted to satisfy her sense of perfection.

Was that aspect of hers created later on?

"Could it be?"

It's more convincing to think that she herself hasn't fully recognized her own personality yet.

The response came back immediately.

"...Sunbae, you seem to know me quite well."

"We've been together for over six months."

"Gross."

"..."

Han Seorim let out a sigh.

"Right, now that I think about it, you're right. If I don't know something, I can't ask someone else to do it."

"That's right..."

"I have to take control. If I don't know where things went wrong, I won't be able to control them. I forgot about that."

Why does she have such a twisted personality?

"...Anyway, do you understand what I mean?"

"Yes, I'll give it a try."

I'm glad it worked out.

But that's one thing.

"Also, ask around your department to see if anyone needs a part-time job in graphic modelling. I'll pay well."

"Huh?"

"I told you. I'll be adding manpower to the Art team."

"And you want a college student to do that?"

"You're a college student too. And it's not like we're looking for someone to take on a long-term job."

Depending on how they perform as a part-timer, we might hire them full-time.

It's good to nurture talent.

In a small society, it's not easy to find someone who can move according to my working style.

"For now, got it."

"Okay, then we're done talking about this."

Clap!

I lightly clapped my hands to liven up the atmosphere.

"Anyway, we won't be diving straight into work. We have ten days until the sales calculation, and game production will start after that."

"So, my tasks are modelling and finding people?"

"That's right."

"Understood."

The conversation ended like that.

"Alright, then..."

I should start working on the planning bit by bit.

I immediately headed home.

A Week Later

Suddenly, my mother's voice echoed.

"Yeonho! Wake up and stop sleeping!"

I opened my eyes at my mother's voice.

My eyelids were heavy, and my whole body felt stiff.

As I looked at the scene in front of me, I realized that I had fallen asleep on my desk.

"Oh."

I had fallen asleep while working on the proposal.

The messy pile of papers on the desk was the source material I had arranged for the next step.

A dark beach, a girl, and a turquoise butterfly, all coming together to create a dreamlike and eerie atmosphere.

I had been thinking about these things for a while, and it seemed like scenes from them had entered my dreams.

"Snap out of it."

I woke myself up with a splash of cold water.

When I went out to the living room, my father was watching baseball.

Come to think of it, the season was starting today.

Seeing his serious expression, I felt the urge to ask.

"Didn't you say you wouldn't watch baseball anymore?"

"It's different this year. We have a new coach."

"Hmm."

It probably won't be different.

On TV, I recognized the game.

The third inning, the Lions were leading 1-0, but they eventually got hit by a comeback and lost.

I remember this game for one reason.

On that day, my father was in distress, drunk, and hugging my mother, crying.

Maybe I should make him stop watching for the sake of his dignity.

"No..."

There's no point in saying that when there's no one to hear it.

If I had told him to stop watching, he wouldn't have that embarrassing history in his past.

In the midst of my thoughts, my mother spoke.

"Yeonho, come and eat. Geez, how can you sleep during the day and stay awake at night?"

"I'm busy studying."

"Studying like that will ruin your body. You didn't do this even during your exams, so what's come over you now?"

Of course, isn't it a given that working adults are busier than students preparing for exams?

I swallowed my words and sat down at the table to eat.

"Are you going out again today?"

"Yes, I have a club activity."

"You work so hard every night."

"I have to work hard to live."

My daily routine is messed up.

It's a pretty miserable state, to the point where I'm reminded of the time I was developing alone at the end of my previous life. Still, my young body can endure this much. If it couldn't, I would have collapsed at least once by now.

"But I'm going to stay out tonight."

My father immediately asked.

"Huh? Are you staying out?"

"Yes, I have plans."

"Is it a girl?"

It's a girl, but... I could see the anticipation on his face as he looked away from the baseball game.

It would be a hassle if he finds out.

"I am going to meet a junior. Where do I have time to meet girls?"

"Ugh, you're no fun."

"Students should study."

Suddenly, memories from when I was approaching 40 and living single flashed through my mind.

At some point, my parents gave up on the idea of me getting married and started using the money they had saved to travel abroad.

"The resentment in their eyes was intense. Those were the days."

My parents' feelings, which sighed every time they saw their son, are no longer understandable to me now.

I just feel that way.

"Should I consider getting married this life, in order to fulfill my filial duty?"

Of course, only after getting the basics settled.

Right now, I need to focus on the present.

I quickly finished my meal and got up.

"Well, I'll be on my way."

"Are you leaving right away?"

"I'm busy."

It's around 6 PM now.

Today at 11 PM is James Han's first broadcast, and also the day when the Easter egg will be revealed.

As I entered the club room, I saw Han Seorim, who had arrived first, waving her hand and greeting me.

"You're here?"

"Yeah, what are you up to? Studying?"

"Trying to, at least."

Even as she answered, Han Seorim's gaze was fixed on a book.

The monitor had a 3D modelling program running on it.

It felt strangely fascinating.

"Why are you staring at it like that? It's making my skin crawl."

"You're working harder than I expected."

"It's because I have a personality that wants to finish whatever I start."

I had a vague sense of that.

Han Seorim is particularly competitive, even more so than others.

It's not just that she hates losing; it seems she even fears showing any signs of weakness.

While I appreciated her perfectionist nature, I had to closely observe her mental state.

"I should find out why she created Lost Kingdom and then disappeared."

Considering the position she held in the industry at that time, leaving the industry suddenly wasn't due to any friction with the industry or the company.

She was someone who could choose where to go even after leaving that production company.

So, isn't it more likely that the problem lies within herself?

I need to find out.

After all, Han Seorim must continue as the art director for my game in the future.

As I was thinking about this, Han Seorim spoke up.

"Oh, I found someone who's willing to work."

"Really?"

"It's one of my former classmates and a senior. Their skills are solid. Would you like them to do a test or something?"

"You're experienced enough to decide for yourself. Just let me know when you've set an interview schedule."

"Sure."

Are these people always this sincere?

As long as they do their job well, it's fine.

"Oh, by the way, isn't the broadcast at 11 PM today? So, that's 3 PM our time?"

"Yeah, everything is set up, so we just need to do a preliminary test."

"Put on your headphones and do it. I need to focus."

As she said this, Han Seorim quickly clicked her mouse and started working on her tablet.

Her project for class was a Warden of Helic.

Just a couple of days ago, it was like a lump of clay, but now, after two days, it has improved this much.

She seems to be doing well on her own, so I'll just let her be.

I turned on the computer right away.

There was a message from James Han.

[Hey, i’m ready.]

He's quite impatient.

[Ok.]

After typing that, I explained a few precautions.

Then, the preliminary test.

Since I was in Korea, the reception wasn't the best, but fortunately, testing the broadcast went smoothly.

By the time the rehearsal was over, it was already 10 PM.

"Seorim, let's call it a day. We should watch the broadcast."

"Huh? What? It's already 10?"

Surprised, her expression showed that she hadn't realized how fast the time had flown by.

I can give her credit for her concentration skills.

A Californian home.

James felt his heart racing with excitement.

"Today is my debut day!"

Just thinking about it made him burst into giggles.

His meeting with Yeonho was a miracle to James.

Meeting him, talking to him, and realizing the vastness of the world—it was all thanks to that.

James calmed his excited heart and reviewed the last-minute instructions.

"No swearing, only use exclamation marks or exclamatory words as feedback in the chat, select chat messages with the most engaging content, set all user nicknames to private, ignore any profanity or insults, and don't react to them."

It was about his broadcasting demeanour.

Yeonho had particularly emphasized the last point: ignoring profanity and insults.

"Remember, the internet is filled with all sorts of characters. Among them, there will be people who throw insults and criticism just because they want to see you upset. Don't give them an opening."

"I understand."

James operated the mouse and opened the broadcasting program.

He had prepared the necessary equipment with the money Yeonho had sent.

By now, he was quite familiar with how to operate them.

It didn't take a long time to get the broadcast started.

Beep—

The chat window appeared.

『XX : Hey!nove(l)bi(n.)com

XX : Are you James? Are you Asian?

XX : Whatever, just show us the Easter egg!』

The incoming chat messages indicated that the promotion he had done on various communities had been effective.

James felt thrilled that all these people were paying attention to him.

His heart raced even faster.

His mind seemed to be turning slightly blank.

It was like a drug-induced feeling.

"Oh, I need to calm down."

Yeonho had given him advice on this.

"Remember, stars and clowns are fundamentally the same. The only difference is whether you've taken control of the audience or not. It all comes down to your choice."

James thought.

Should he give up control to please these people first?

Or should he hold onto it and receive their envious looks?

"Do I really need to think about this?"

The answer was already decided.

『XX : Hey! Start already!』

As soon as the urging message came in, James tapped his microphone.

The chat window started filling up.

In that moment, a long, triumphant smile spread across James' lips.

"Just wait a moment. Shouldn't we start once more viewers arrive?"

James Han. In a few years, he would rise to the pinnacle of the game broadcasting industry—a gamer born of the era.

He was a born star.

No one could possibly take away that light.

***

"Alright, slowpokes! It's time for the long-awaited Easter egg reveal!"

Behind the monitor, James said playfully.

"About 1,200 viewers, more than I expected."

The ten-day marketing campaign had served its purpose.

Considering that only one person had cleared the Easter egg so far, the anticipation for the broadcast was quite reasonable.

"Wow, the chat is pretty intense."

As Han Seorim said, the level of chatter from the viewers was quite intense.

The chatroom quickly filled with messages urging him to reveal the Easter egg, personal attacks towards him, and even racial slurs reflected in the camera.

But fortunately, James wasn't shaken by such things.

"Was it because I prepared them beforehand? Well, even without my help, he would have found his place easily."

James Han was that kind of person.

Everyone who remembered his early broadcasts praised him as having a "natural talent since birth," possessing an innate star quality and an overwhelming presence that even snatched the lead from veteran MCs who had been in the industry for a lifetime on mainstream talk shows.

"Well then, let's start the countdown! 10! 9!"

With just a few words from him, the atmosphere in the chatroom quickly shifted.

Numbers flowed down the screen at an unimaginable speed.

"3! 2!"

And then,

"1! Now, the Easter egg is here! And its identity is...!"

The Easter egg was revealed.

"Cancer Bat! A baseball bat made from the bones and flesh of a Giant!"

The weapon's options appeared on the game screen.

At that moment, numerous question marks appeared in the chat.

"XX : ?

XX : What?

XX : What the hell is this?

XX : This is insane!"

Everyone was puzzled.

It was only natural.

"Surprised? I thought it was funny when I first saw this option too!"

"Cancer Bat

Attack: 30

Nature: Random"

The nature of the Easter egg, the Cancer Bat, was none other than "random."

It was a weapon created to praise hardcore players who succeeded in a tremendously challenging task.

It completely sacrificed all efficiency, boosting only the difficulty of the gameplay to an insane level. You could say it was an entertainment weapon.

"The effect of the random option is this! When you equip the bat, its nature changes randomly every 15 seconds! The nature is indicated by the colour of the weapon! How is it? Isn't it amazing? With just this one weapon, you won't need any other weapons until you clear the game!"

James spoke with excitement.

However, the users' reactions were divided.

The extreme ends of the spectrum were formed by the regular users who desired cheat items and the hardcore users who were intrigued by the weapon's unique mechanics.

"Isn't this a bad thing?"

Han Seorim asked in a concerned voice that clearly expressed her worry.

Yes, now that the Easter egg had been revealed, if the item turned out to be unusable, it could disappoint the majority of regular users who were hoping for something beneficial.

But it was alright.

"Don't focus on the weapon itself."

"What do you mean?"

"What's our goal here? It's promotion, right?"

"Well, yeah?"

"So, let's focus on the promotion that's going to happen from now on."

In fact, the varying reactions to the weapon had been considered since its creation.

That's why the Easter egg had been hidden for years, and it was revealed in the form of a "live broadcast" in this situation.

"Pay attention. We're going to create a star. And that star is going to create the game they'll play."

James spoke up.

"Now, enough with the commentary, let's get into the real content!"

He reset the mood.

"Today's content is none other than... Helic speed run using only this weapon!"

A timer started running on the screen.

Before anyone could object, James immediately started playing.

Around ten minutes later...

"Insane, what is that?"

『XX : What the······』

Both the chat window and Han Seorim were amazed.

It was because James had relentlessly progressed, uncovering all enemy patterns with the weapon that changed its nature every 15 seconds.

That was something that should never have been possible.

Helic was a game that required players to correctly guess the "nature," and its balance was meticulously designed to the point where progress would be impossible without aligning with that nature.

In other words, if you were wielding a weapon whose nature changed every 15 seconds, you would have to evade enemies and run away until you got the desired nature.

"How is he doing that...?"

In reality, when James encountered an enemy that didn't match the nature he wanted, he would run away.

However, the only thing he did when the desired nature appeared was to defeat all enemies before the 15 seconds were up.

The reason he could do that was simple.

"Breaking the game down into frame units."

His overwhelmingly skilled gameplay turned the mechanic into something futile.

That was the weapon of James Han, known as the "enemy of all developers."

"That's it for this."

"What do you mean?"

"Promotion."

I pointed to the chat window.

Han Seorim quickly read the atmosphere, filled with shock and excitement.

"This is..."

I nodded.

"Yeah."

This marketing strategy was about "Idolization."

It presented the limitations of the game's potential and focused the spotlight on James, the inventor, making people look up to him.

Thus,

—I want to become like that too!

That thought would be instilled in their minds.

After three days of James' broadcast, a video that stitched together his gameplay spread like wildfire through the North American community and even made its way back to the Korean community.

There were claims that the video spread to a few other countries, but it was still unconfirmed.

One crucial fact remained.

Today was the day for sales calculations.

[34, Hellic]

The marketing had been successful.

The sales numbers were astounding.

[143,179]