AEEIS 'talent show' instantly shocked everyone and became the focus of the entire live-stream once it was released.
The main point was that it was unexpected!
Most audiences' impression of smart speakers was that they were 'artificial retards'. They could only answer a few fixed questions. If the questions were slightly more complicated, they would not know how to answer.
However, AEEIS was completely different. It displayed a level of intelligence that was completely higher than other smart speakers!
Actually, this was just a feeling. They were using the artificial intelligence technology of Xunke Technologies. They had only optimized the core functions of AEEIS through special techniques.
The principle of the Bickering Mode had been introduced previously. It mainly relied on the counter-attack and pre-emptive strike to make the other party enter the rhythm of the Bickering Mode and gradually lose their rationality. This would result in a "Bickering Mode IQ Suppression" effect.
On the other hand, the poetry function was to make use of a poetry library based on Useful application. It could successfully obtain more accurate information than Qiandu. There would not be any slip-ups when answering basic questions, and it was very simple. On the other hand, the automatic action poetry function developed based on the poetry library would also give people a bright look.
These poems and couplets were automatically generated by AEEIS, but they also had certain rules. A key word could only produce one or two more suitable poems. It was impossible to create poems and couplets without restrictions.
What's more, some poems might seem to be legit, but the meaning might be hollow or lacking, making people feel like they were clueless.
Even so, this poem function was already amazing enough.
That was because these poems were far better than what ordinary people could come up with in terms of culture, be it in terms of rhythm, meaning, or specific words. Therefore, the audience's eyes lit up.
As a result, the live-stream was in an uproar. Those who had already bought the Fully-Automated Intelligent Bickering Machine immediately tried it out. They found that the updated version of AEEIS indeed had the ability to compose poems. What's more, every poem was done pretty well!
They suddenly felt like they had profited.
However, the live-stream was obviously not over yet.
Ma Yang continued to follow the script and entered the next stage: exchanging lines.
"AEEIS also has a function to exchange lines. I'll only show one or two simple demonstrations since there is a lot of content. If everyone is interested, I will post a few lines on Weibo. Everyone, try it out with your bickering machine."
"AEEIS, return to the initial image."
AEEIS: "Captain Qin Yi, you might be very angry now, but humans need you to continue fulfilling your mission as a soldier..."
Ma Yang and AEEIS simply matched a few lines. Ma Yang did not have any foundation in reading lines, but he acted with AEEIS in a serious manner, it was quite interesting.
At first, the viewers in the live-stream did not pay much attention to it. After all, they already knew that AEEIS had the ability to do that. Many people had already tried Ocean Stronghold's downloadable content.
However, they realized that something was amiss upon closer inspection.
Boss Ma was not using the lines from Ocean Stronghold's downloadable content, they were actually new lines!
This seemed to be the plot after Ocean Stronghold's downloadable content from the first line. Qin Yi was angry for some unknown reason, but AEEIS wanted him to continue fulfilling the mission of a soldier...
As a well-trained soldier, Qin Yi was someone who did not show his emotions. Why was he so angry?
How was AEEIS supposed to continue fulfilling the mission of a soldier? Was there another dangerous mission waiting for him?
They had casually imagined a huge plot!
Someone in the live-stream quickly reacted. All sorts of speculations about the plot floated past the bullet screen comments.
"I feel that Ocean Stronghold's downloadable content should be a tragic ending. Obviously, the war has not ended. Captain Qin Yi's team members are all dead. That's why Captain Qin Yi is so angry!"
"Actually, there was foreshadowing in the game previously. There was a fragment of the Skylark II Combat Uniforms, which means that the decapitation operation has been carried out many times without success."
"That's right, that makes sense!"
"D*mn, that means this is another prelude to the new game? That's too sneaky!"
"Will AEEIS have scenes in the new game?"
"This publicity method is so novel! Wouldn't everyone be able to play the role of Captain Qin Yi? It's so interesting. I've decided to buy one!"
"That's right, spending a few hundred more yuan to buy so many practical functions is too worth it!"
The live-stream was filled with 'buy buy buy buy buy' comments.
To the viewers, the entire live-stream was a process of suppressing one's desires.
Boss Ma openly announced all the parameters of the smart bickering machine the moment he came up. He told everyone frankly that the bickering machine's parameters could not be compared to the high-end sound systems that cost a few thousand yuan. It was only about the standard of similar sound systems of two thousand yuan. Moreover, the price-quality ratio of the sound system alone was not high.
Many viewers thought that Boss Ma was going to boast about his products awkwardly. However, when they heard Boss Ma point out the problem with the bickering machine, they removed their previous discrimination.
The next step was to dismantle the machine and display its internal details in detail. The Bickering Machine made an impression based on its exquisite workmanship, unique appearance, and the exquisite mechanical structure of the Bickering Machine. It gave people the impression that it was of "high quality".
During the next segment, AEEIS might not be able to compete with the seven or eight thousand sound systems, but the audience had already expected it to be a 2000-yuan sound system. Naturally, they would evaluate it based on this standard and felt that it was not bad.
After that, it was time to focus on showing AEEIS' specialty. The unique functions of bickering, poetry, and lines immediately attracted the attention of the audience. The other sound products in the live-stream immediately became boring and unappealing.
The most important thing was that Ma Yang's entire proposal was objective and neutral. Not only was there no boasting about the bickering machine, but the reviews were even stricter.
What's more, he displayed all the details of the Bickering Machine just like what Pei Qian had instructed him to do.
The beginning of the script was according to Pei Qian's plan. However, Pei Qian had not expected the development in the middle!
The live-stream ended. Old Ma watched the screen full of 'buy buy buy buy buy buy buy' and exited his live-stream contentedly.
He completed all of Brother Qian's requests and posted his final work before Chinese New Year. Perfect!
Brother Qian should be very satisfied and proud of me, right?
...
At the same time, Pei Qian fell into a daze as he watched all sorts of 'buy buy buy buy buy' comments fly past the black screen.
What's going on?!
What happened to blacklisting the bickering machine? Why did everyone want to buy it?
Was it really not a development arranged by Old Ma?
Pei Qian wanted to throw the blame to Old Ma, but on further thought, Old Ma did not seem to be in the wrong.
He had criticized it and displayed the details. He even directly told the audience that 'this is the standard of a domestic product with an echo wall of 2000 yuan. The price-quality ratio is not good'.
The downfall was the last few functions!
In fact, many of the advantages of the Bickering Machine were just icing on the cake. It had no practical use and was not attractive if singled out.
Take ordinary sound systems for example. A unique shape or a program that could produce poems would probably not be enough to influence consumers' willingness to buy.
However, all of these factors combined together with AEEIS' special persona seemed to have made a qualitative change to it!
Pei Qian suddenly had a bad feeling. He quickly went online to search for topics related to AEEIS and the Smart Bickering Machine.
Related discussion threads did increase rapidly after this live-stream!
Ma Yang's live-stream already had quite a number of fans, and the effect of the live-stream this time was quite good, so many people were discussing it; and AEEIS had just updated its poetry function today. Many people who had previously bought the Bickering Machine also discovered this new function and started discussing it online.
Pei Qian suddenly realized that #AEEIS# had become a hot topic on Weibo!
There were many related videos that showed the entire process of the owner arguing with AEEIS. There was also AEEIS' "A Poem in a Second" video. AEEIS' poems were completely different based on the keywords given by its owner. However, every single one of them rhymed. It sounded very cultured.
Netizens expressed their shock.
"Has artificial intelligence developed to this extent?"
"AEEIS is the smartest artificial intelligence I've seen recently. It's completely different from other artificial retards!"
"It's fine if you can't out-talk it, but you can't even compare to its culture..."
"I suddenly feel that AEEIS' setting is too attractive! This is a super genius with a high IQ but low EQ. It reminds me of the highly intelligent characters in many television dramas!"
"Indeed, while it does make you speechless, who can deny that it is very smart? Usually, its answers are very concise, and its words are as precious as gold. However, it still answers every single question and fulfills every request of yours honestly. It is very intelligent. Not only can it completely suppress you in terms of logic, but it can also create poems according to your requirements!"
"A cold, slightly venomous-tongued, impeccable logical thinking, and talented artificial intelligence? Wow, I love this feeling of dualism!"
"It's a pity that it does not have a concrete image. It would be perfect if it was a cute girl!"
"No, I think that this image is the most suitable! If the gender is confirmed and the speech is similar to a human's voice, then there would be no personality. Is there a lack of similar artificial intelligence? It's precisely because of it's gender-neutral voice that it can better reflect the characteristics of artificial intelligence. What's more, it's very pleasing to both boys and girls!"
"I'm not listening. I want to create an image of AEEIS! Feminism is the way to go!"
"Then I want a male character which would suit a poisonous tongue better."
"I don't think it has to have a gender. Isn't it nice to have a pure artificial intelligence and mechanical image?"
...
What shocked Pei Qian was that apart from those who were shouting 'buy buy buy buy buy buy', everyone else was discussing AEEIS' character design!
This had never happened before.
That was because many companies had produced similar artificial intelligence products since the breakthrough in the artificial intelligence technology of Xunke Technologies. However, it was not very popular. No one discussed the so-called 'character design'.
That was because everyone knew that these were artificial retards. There was not much difference between them. They just had different names and slightly different images. There was nothing to discuss.
However, AEEIS was immediately unique when compared to these artificial intelligence. For some reason, it gained the love and creativity of the audience!
Pei Qian leaned back in his chair, feeling dizzy.
This is bad!
Not only did this live-stream not extinguish everyone's passion to buy it, it also added fuel to the fire! Previously, many people who did not know about the smart bickering machine became interested in it and began to buy it!
Chapter 840: New Annual Meeting Arrangement
January 20th, Friday...
Today was Tengda's annual meeting and also the last day of work before the new year.
At 10 AM, Pei Qian got out of bed and yawned. He was still a little confused.
Old Ma's live-stream yesterday had been a moderate blow to him. He had sold yet another batch from the stockpile of the Fully-Automated Intelligent Bickering Machine. Pei Qian was so angry that was unable to sleep as he tossed and turned at night.
That was why he woke up late today.
However, after a nap, Pei Qian finally accepted reality. Since the Smart Bickering Machine was selling like crazy, it was probably impossible to dissuade passionate consumers. He had to look elsewhere.
Fortunately, he had already come up with a plan to spend as much money as he could in advance. This little accident was still bearable.
"I don't know what to do about today's annual meeting. Forget it, we'll know when we get there."
Indeed, Pei Qian had completely forgotten about the annual meeting plan that Assistant Xin had given him yesterday. He had been thinking about Old Ma's live-stream all along. In the end, he had left the plan in his office and had not had the time to see what the plan for the annual meeting was.
However, it shouldn't be a big problem.
That was because the annual meeting last year had been quite successful. Pei Qian had already said that he would continue to implement the usual aim of last year's annual meeting before the annual meeting was organized. He would boldly try to organize a new event without changing the core. The most important thing was to increase the budget again.
He had prepared more than four million yuan for the prizes at the annual meeting last year. That was not even including the venue fees, the fees for catching the dolls in the game, and so on.
Of course, the budget for this year's annual meeting had to be higher. That was because as Tengda's scale continued to expand, the number of employees also increased rapidly. Less than 1,000 employees attended the annual meeting last year. This year, they had already reached about 1,700 or 1,800.
Of course, the composition of the employees here was very complicated. For example, Upwind Logistics' express delivery guys, Deposit Fitness' fitness trainer, Fish-Catching Take-Out's delivery guys and chef, Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's manager, and so on.
Apart from these people, only a small portion of the core employees were present from Tengda Games, Shang Yang Games, Fei Huang Workspace, and Otto Technologies.
Pei Qian had always treated his own employees equally. Whether it was brain labor or physical labor, they had to attend the annual meeting together and enjoy the same benefits.
Of course, some employees who were not in Jingzhou could not participate.
For example, the incubation base, the Cold-Faced Lady, Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, and Fish-Catching Take-Out in other cities'. They had all been given budgets and got the person-in-charge to make his own arrangements. It did not matter if it was a meal or bonus for the annual meeting. All they had to do was spend all the money on the employees.
Pei Qian really did not know where he could hold the annual meeting with such a huge team of 1,800 people.
They had booked 100 tables from an entire hotel for last year's annual meeting. It had not been easy to fit so many people in.
However, the number of people this year had almost doubled. no hotel could probably accommodate so many people.
However, it would be strange if he were to separate these people into several halls or private rooms. The annual meeting had to be held for the lucky draw. He could not separate the few halls for the lucky draw, right? Something was amiss.
Thus, Pei Qian did not know how Assistant Xin had arranged it. He had also left Assistant Xin's proposal in the office previously. He could only wait until the annual meeting was held.
...
Little Sun arrived downstairs at 11 PM sharp. He picked Pei Qian up and headed straight to the annual meeting.
Pei Qian sat in the car and played with his cell phone for a while. When he looked up again, he suddenly felt that this route was very familiar.
Pei Qian naturally did not remember routes since he did not drive. He might have lived in Jingzhou for more than two years but he was still not familiar with the city.
However, the route today was very familiar because he seemed to have walked it many times.
On a closer look, wasn't that the Great World?
Great World was the second largest shopping mall in Jingzhou. At the same time, it was also the venue for the GOG World Invitational Tournament and the GPL Spring Competition.
Pei Qian was just about to ask if he had gone to the wrong place, but on second thought, he could not. Little Sun had always been reliable, and he would not make such a low-level mistake.
In other words, could the annual meeting be held in the Great World?
"It's really possible. The GPL's Spring Competition is on temporary pause. They will only start again after the Spring Festival. The GPL's venue will be empty, and there will be enough seats. It's quite suitable to use the place for lucky draws during the annual meeting."
"However... how are we to dine?"
Pei Qian was a little confused, but he could not ask too much. After all, as a boss, it did not seem right for him to not know the specific arrangements for the annual meeting until the day itself.
He could only pretend that everything was under control.
Little Sun parked the car in the underground parking lot. The two of them took the elevator directly to the eighth floor of the shopping mall.
The top floor would be the venue of the GPL competition on the top floor. Pei Qian guessed that there should be a unified reception area on the eighth floor.
The mall was still operating normally today. However, there were not many people because it was Friday morning. The entire mall's traffic was maintained in a lukewarm state, neither empty nor crowded.
They soon reached the eighth floor.
Pei Qian and Little Sun walked out of the elevator and were immediately welcomed warmly.
There were employees from the administrative department and HR department in charge of receiving the elevator and elevator on the eighth floor of the shopping mall. It was the same as the annual meeting last year. There were people in charge of distributing the tokens.
The tokens were game coins. At the annual meeting last year, every employee had been given a small bag. There were fifty to sixty of such tokens in them. They used the tokens to experience the game freely on a ten-yuan per try capsule machine.
This year, not only was there a small bag of tokens, but there was also a stack of consumer vouchers. These consumer vouchers were printed with the words Tengda and Great World Shopping Mall, a lunch voucher, a dinner voucher, and five 200 yuan shopping vouchers.
There was also the door gift. It was still a thick red packet. Last year, it was 1,000 yuan per person. It must not be less than last year and was increased to 1888 yuan.
Apart from that, there was a small foldable page that detailed the venue and procedures for the annual meeting. It served as a guide.
Pei Qian heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the small card. Alright, this arrangement was very considerate. He could finally understand the entire annual meeting.
Pei Qian sent Little Sun away and asked him to play with the others. Then, he strolled around and read the entire annual meeting's schedule.
...
The number of people participating in this year's annual meeting was almost double that of last year's. Therefore, ordinary hotels would definitely not be able to accommodate all of them in one hall.
After asking for everyone's opinions, Assistant Xin realized that most people did not really care about the food segment. Thus, she arranged for the annual meeting to be held in a shopping mall far away.
The GPL spring competition venue on the top floor had been booked by Tengda. Of course, they could use it as they pleased. Apart from that, they had also spent money to book the entire eighth floor for special activities with the employees. For example, they could use the claw machines and rings for entertainment activities like the previous annual meeting.
The process of the entire annual meeting would be something like this:
First, they would have to go to the eighth floor to collect the tokens, consumer vouchers, and the red packet door gift. After which, they would have three hours of free time from 11 PM to 2 PM.
All employees could walk around the shopping mall as they pleased. They could go with their colleagues in the department or with their friends.
They could dine at any restaurant in the shopping mall with the lunch and dinner food vouchers. They could order food in buffet style. All expenses would be reimbursed by the company as long as there was no wastage of food.
On the other hand, the 1,000 yuan consumer vouchers could be used for any purchase in the shopping mall. The only limitation was that they could not be exchanged for money directly. They had to spend everything in the shopping mall.
After 2 PM, everyone could return to level 8 to continue playing games.
All eight floors of the shopping mall had been redecorated. They were filled with claw machines, rings, and various other mini games that could be played at will.
It was similar to last year's annual meeting but on a much larger scale.
In addition, the GPL's venue would be officially opened after 12 noon. Internal staff who formed teams in advance could go on stage to play friendly competitions to satisfy the addiction of professional players.
At four o'clock, after everyone had their fun, all employees would gather at the competition venue on the top floor and sit down according to the department's area for the final lucky draw.
The prizes for this annual meeting were even richer than last year. There were earphones, keyboards, game consoles, cameras, cell phones, computers, and various other digital products. At the same time, there were cash red packets and other more practical products like vacuum cleaners and sweeping robots.
The lucky draw would last for an hour and end at 5PM.
After that, everyone would disperse and head into the shopping mall for a free meal. Everyone would be on official holiday after dinner.
...
Pei Qian could not help but feel gratified after reading the entire annual meeting's schedule.
Assistant Xin had indeed arranged the entire process of the annual meeting well. It was very satisfactory.
Who said that they had to eat together during the annual meeting?
In fact, the food at the annual meeting might not suit everyone's taste. After all, there were so many people present. Some loved traditional Chinese food, some loved Western food, and some loved Japanese food... It was impossible to satisfy all of these flavors. They could only choose a menu that most people found acceptable.
What's more, even though the annual meeting was cto have a meal together, only people at the same table could communicate with each other. It was rare for people from different departments to sit at the same table. It was even very unnecessary with Tengda's way of operations.
Since that was the case, why did they have to squeeze into the same hall for a meal?
Everyone could eat what they liked. There were all sorts of restaurants in such a huge shopping mall. They could even eat as much as they wanted. How comfortable was that?
After the lucky draw segment, everyone would return to the GPL competition venue and watch the big screen used for eSports competition. Wouldn't it be perfect if they could draw for an hour at a time?
All in all, this year's annual meeting was still in the same style as last year. There was no formality, no stimulants, and no one was allowed to act stupid on stage. Everyone was here to eat, drink, and play.
They were to eat to their fill and play to their hearts' content!
Chapter 841: Tengda Annual Meeting? Tengda Recruitment Advertisements!
Wu Bin was also at the venue of the annual meeting. He helped distribute coins and consumer vouchers, introducing the process to his colleagues together with the other employees of the HR department.
Wu Bin had no complaints even though he had to work on the day of the annual meeting. He was, instead,very happy.
That was because of participation and pride!
Wu Bin could not help but think about last year's annual meeting. At that time, he had just joined Tengd and had failed the first Tengda Spirit compatibility test.
As an intern, Wu Bin did not even have the right to participate in normal work, much less overtime. He could only try his best to figure out the Tengda spirit every day. He felt a little disappointed when he saw that his colleagues were busy but he could not interfere.
Even though Wu Bin attended the annual meeting as an intern last year, he did not miss out on any of the prizes that he should have won. This made him feel the warmth of home.
After a year of hard work, Wu Bin had become an indispensable member of Tengda's HR department!
Not only had he personally participated in two recruitment drives for new employees, but he had also summarized the Tengda spirit and provided spiritual guidance to all new employees who joined Tengda.
Now, Wu Bin felt that he had become an indispensable member of Tengda. It was also a blessing to be able to take charge of the preparations for the annual meeting and play a role in his own position!
Soon, Wu Bin saw many familiar faces, including the person-in-charge and core members of the various departments. There were also some new faces. They should be new employees that he had hired in the previous recruitment drive.
This recruitment process had eliminated a small number of people. The passing rate was no longer 100% including the Tengda Spirit compatibility test.
However, Wu Bin felt that this was a good thing. These new employees who had passed the test were the ones who were truly compatible with the Tengda spirit. They would definitely play a greater role in their own jobs!
That was because Wu Bin was from the HR department. He could access these personnel files. Thus, he had an impression of both new and old employees.
The old employees were expectant but a little surprised while the new employees were completely shocked at the process of the annual meeting this year.
It was completely different from what they had imagined!
In fact, when they found out that the annual meeting would be held in a faraway place, the new employees had already guessed that it would be a completely different annual meeting from other companies. However, they did not expect it to be so blissful.
There was nothing annoying about this annual meeting. It was a celebration for the employees themselves.
The old employees who had attended the annual meeting in the past might have been mentally prepared, but the standards and procedures of this year's annual meeting had far exceeded their expectations.
Most of the employees did not even dare to imagine that there would be such a perfect annual meeting!
Everyone's faces were brimming with happiness. They could not wait to go to the shopping mall to spend after receiving the tokens, consumer vouchers, and red packets.
During weekends and legal holidays, there would be hundreds of thousands of customers every day. The capacity of the shopping mall itself was very terrifying.
It was a work day so there were very few people to begin with. Tengda Corporation's two thousand people would not make much of a splash even if they were thrown in. The total flow of people in the shopping mall was moderate and was between deserted and crowded.
Only when nearly two thousand people returned to the top level for the lottery at the same time would there be more traffic. However, it would be similar to the GPL's regular competition day.
One by one, the employees returned to the shopping mall to eat and shop after reaching the eighth floor. Everyone's faces were filled with happiness.
When the check-in process was almost done, the HR department would also go ahead to enjoy themselves, leaving only a few people to take turns on duty.
Wu Bin looked at the tablet computer in front of him. All the departments were rather punctual. Almost all of them had arrived.
"Eh, Bao Xu isn't here?"
"Could it be that he was afraid that he would win another prize and go on a holiday, so he didn't even attend the annual meeting?"
"That ruthless?"
"Oh, that's not right. He seems to still be in Los Angeles and won't be able to come…"
Bao Xu was an employee of Tengda Games, and he was very experienced. That was why he was near the top of the list. Wu Bin was able to see at a glance that he had yet to sign in.
Many people from the other departments might not have seen Bao Xu before, but they have definitely heard of his legend.
GOG had produced a hero for him, and The Lonely Desert Road's downloadable content had also produced an Easter egg for him after all. Everyone would think that the award was incomplete if the award was to travel overseas and it was not won by Bao Xu.
Wu Bin had thought that Bao Xu had deliberately not come because he was afraid that he would be selected to travel again. However, when he saw Min Jingchao, Ye Zhizhou, and the others' names, he immediately realized that they could not come because they were still in Los Angeles and had not returned.
The IOI International Finals in Los Angeles would only hold their finals this weekend. Victory or defeat would depend on this. The entire FV team and the data analysis team should still be in intense preparation. As a member of the data analysis team, Bao Xu must also be busy with this matter.
Wu Bin felt that it was a pity, but he did not pay much attention to it. He took his consumer voucher and went to the shopping mall with his colleagues to find a place to eat seeing that it was about time.
...
At the same time, in the independent game incubation base in Beijing…
"Alright, it's done!"
"I can finally rest in peace and go home for the new year."
"You'll be on holiday after you've finished all the work. You can continue developing it after the new year."
Qiu Hong played the demo and watched the promotional video of Black Ink and Clouds one last time. He was very satisfied with them.
It could be said that the success of the Survival Guide for Working Adults previously had given Qiu Hong and the entire Destitution Plan a boost.
Qiu Hong decided to strike while the iron was hot. He wanted to make use of the current popularity of the Survival Guide for Working Adults to release a promotional video and demo of Black Ink and Clouds to let more people know about the Destitution Plan.
In addition, he could also start the pre-sales of Black Ink and Clouds in advance to test the waters and see how the gamers would react.
The only limitation that Boss Pei had for the Destitution Plan was that he could not reveal the relationship between Tengda Corporation and the Destitution Plan to the outside world. He did not forbid Qiu Hong from promoting the Destitution Plan.
That was because Pei Qian felt that publicity would not affect the success or failure of this matter. After all, there were many competitions and activities in the country that supported independent games. They were all heavily promoted, but the results were minimal.
Qiu Hong himself did not think that the publicity this time would have much of an effect. He would be able to let domestic gamers who liked independent games know that there was a 'destitution plan' at the very most.
On one hand, it was because there were very few standalone games on the computer compared to online games and mobile games in China. Most of them liked mainstream game modes and 3A games. Very few players liked to play independent games on the internet. On the other hand, the development of the game was a commercial activity after all. It was not moral abduction, but even if it was, it would not be effective.
It would be a very stupid act if a game developer kept emphasizing how difficult it was for them, hoping to gain players' sympathy so that they could sell more games. It would, instead, cause players to feel disgusted.
Players would only care if you could produce a good game. If you could, they would pay for it. If you could not, you could only blame yourself for failing to make money.
That was why Qiu Hong had chosen the time where Survival Guide for Working Adults was still popular to publicize his Destitution Plan.
However, no matter what, this was a good start.
At the incubation base, Xi Hao, Wu Zhicheng, and the others were each in charge of different tasks. After the videos and DEMO checks were done correctly, they connected with ESRO's official platform staff and uploaded the Black Ink and Clouds demo. Moreover, they had also added publicity of the Destitution Plan on related promotional pictures videos from the Survival Guide for Working Adults and Black Ink and Clouds.
Everyone finally heaved a sigh of relief when they were done.
Fortunately, he managed to produce some results before the Chinese New Year. He did not let Boss Qiu down!
They might not know who the boss behind Boss Qiu was but it did not affect their respect for him.
That was because the boss was very generous.
They had already learned from Qiu Hong that the employees of the incubation base had a considerable amount of year-end bonuses. There were also various gifts, red packets, and consumer vouchers. Every independent game designer also had special gifts.
The boss behind Boss Qiu not only invested money to support independent games as a good deed, he was also so generous to everyone. How bad would they feel if they could not produce results!
It was a good thing that they had achieved some results. Everyone could finally go home and celebrate the new year with a peace of mind.
The independent game makers represented by Wu Zhi were secretly determined to wait until the end of the Chinese New Year to return to work harder and earnestly to make their games well!
This was not only for themselves, but also for the incubation staff that had been helping him out and the mysterious boss!
...
In Jingzhou, Tengda's employees were happily shopping in the shopping mall. They would be watched with envy no matter where they went.
Normal customers would settle their bills in cash, swipe their cards, or scan their QR code after eating. However, Tengda's employees could eat as if everything were free. They would take out a lunch voucher and hand it to the front desk when they had to foot the bill. Then, they would leave.
It was the same for shopping. One thousand yuan worth of consumer vouchers could be spent at will. Most people would choose to buy clothes. After all, there were digital products and appliances in the prizes for the annual meeting. The chances of winning them were very high. It would not be to their advantage if they won them again after buying.
Many people who did not know the truth watched as Tengda's employees took out a few pieces of paper and handed them to the employees before leaving. Their faces were filled with shock and confusion.
It was only after asking the staff that he found out that Tengda was holding an annual meeting in the shopping mall today. Both the lunch vouchers and consumer vouchers were distributed by the company and were fully reimbursed.
Some people walked to the eighth floor and realized that the place had changed drastically from the past. There were claw machines and various small game venues everywhere. They only knew that Tengda had booked the entire place after asking around. Employees could play as they pleased, but outsiders could not enter.
They felt nothing but envy, jealousy, and hatred!
What were their companies when compared to Tengda!
They had long heard that Tengda's benefits were good, but they had no idea how good the benefits really were.
However, now, they had seen Tengda's employees shopping, eating, playing games, and using the GPL venue as a lucky draw…
All sorts of photos were posted online, causing a heated discussion.
Many people were stimulated and began to prepare for the Tengda recruitment exam in the future.
Such a company was worthy to fight for. They had to get in no matter what!
Everyone on the internet was moved. This was definitely not Tengda's annual meeting but their recruitment advertisement!
Chapter 842: The Award Comes From The Sky Even Though He Was Physically In Los Angeles
4 PM, at Tengda's annual meeting.
The employees who were full and tired of shopping came to the GPL competition venue on the top floor and took their seats according to their departments and seats.
The eight teams organized by the various departments within the company had played seven competitions in a total of four hours from 12 PM to now. The average time for the competitions ranged from 20 minutes to 35 minutes. It was just enough to determine the champion.
On one hand, GOG's tempo was faster. Its average length was shorter than games like Gods Rising and IOI, so it could be played faster. On the other hand, it was also because the difference in strength between the teams in the various departments was too big. It was very easy to play a crushing game. Competitions that ended in less than twenty minutes were everywhere.
What's more, there was no need to discuss tactics since there was no need to take breaks during the live competition. It also saved a lot of time.
Tengda Games' representative team, which they had high hopes for, was eliminated. They did not even make it to the finals. That made everyone's jaws drop.
Obviously, strong players Bao Xu and Min Jingchao were far away in Los Angeles. They could not participate in the competition, which greatly reduced the strength of Tengda Games' team.
The two teams that made it to the finals were the team led by Lu Mingliang, the team representing Upwind Logistics, and the team represented by He Desheng, Dream Realization Ventures.
Boss Ma had given Dream Realization Ventures a solid foundation. Most of the employees, including He Desheng, had been high score passers-by since the era of Gods Rising. Many of GOG's design ideas had been suggested by them. They often played games with Boss Ma and their tacit understanding was impeccable.
The main reason why Upwind Logistics was so strong was because they had so many people.
Upwind Logistics had so many stores and delivery men. It was easy to pick out five people who were better at GOG.
However, in the end, the representative team of Upwind Logistics lost to Dream Realization Ventures because of their lack of cooperation and tactics.
The express delivery men expressed their pity one after another. They expressed that they would train their skills well and try to torture them next year.
All the teams participating in the competition this time had small gifts and awards, including various peripheral figurines of the GPL league, the autographs of each team's players, their team uniforms, and so on.
Of course, these small gifts would also be given to other employees who liked to watch GPL.
On the other hand, the champion team had obtained a custom-made internal competition trophy. It was still valuable even though it could not be compared to the GPL league trophy. It would be an eternal honor in Dream Realization Ventures' office.
Some of the people were watching the internal competitions, some went shopping, some went to catch dolls and play with rings.
They bought milk tea or drinks and sat in the stadium to rest, waiting for the lucky draw now that everyone was tired from playing.
Other companies' lucky draw had to be done while eating.
The reason was very simple. There were few prizes and the winning rate was low. The employees might not get prizes even if they waited for a long time so they had nothing to do other than eat.
However, Tengda's lottery was different. There were many prizes and high chances of winning. Almost everyone would get one.
What's more, the rules of the lucky draw were the same as last year's annual meeting. It was not a completely random probability but a false probability. Everyone could only win two prizes at most. What's more, those who did not win the prizes would have a higher chance of winning later on.
Everyone was nervous, excited and full of anticipation with so many prizes drawn out in just an hour. They would not feel bored at all.
Almost everyone had arrived at the venue. There wasn't even a host on stage speaking rubbish. The program on the big screen started rolling as they started their lucky draw!
A simple promotional video would be played to introduce the prize before the lucky draw. Then, it would be selected from the list of people.
That was because the number of people participating this year was almost double that of last year. Thus, the lucky draw program had been slightly modified. Previously, they had drawn for one person at a time, and each time they showed a person's photo, they had now changed it to five at a time.
The photos of the five people would be displayed on the big screen. They would shrink and fly to the top left of the screen. Then, they would continue to draw other people.
All the photos were arranged on the big screen, and the prizes were quickly selected.
Everyone was staring at the big screen, afraid that they would miss the winning message. However, this worry was obviously unnecessary. Not only would other people in the same department remind them, but their cell phones would also automatically receive the winning notification.
That was because the system would automatically generate orders for Upwind Logistics to be sent to the employees' address and send a message to remind them the moment the lucky draw was completed.
Cheers could be heard in the huge stadium that could accommodate nearly two thousand people.
As they progressed, the value of the prizes increased. High-value laptops, cell phones, digital cameras, television, and so on were being distributed as though they were free. The atmosphere at the venue became more and more lively!
Finally, after the 18,888 yuan cash gift, the final prize appeared on the screen.
Six slots for a five-day tour in any city in the world for two!
This was a retention program that was available at the annual meeting last year. It was a two-person five-day holiday in any city. You could choose where you wanted to go. What's more, the company would cover all the first-class tickets and accommodation fees for five-star hotels. There would also be additional expenses reimbursement.
It was well-deserved to be known as the biggest prize of the annual meeting.
Many people might think that it was not as practical as high-end televisions and high-end games that cost more than ten thousand yuan. Televisions and computers could be used for many years after all, while tourism could only last five days.
On the other hand, they would be able to buy a high-end computer that cost more than ten thousand yuan if they were to save up a little more. However, who would be willing to pay for a first-class cabin and stay in a five-star hotel when traveling?!
What's more, the cost of a first-class cabin and a five-star hotel was far more than ten thousand yuan for a high-end laptop.
Thus, this was the most attention-grabbing award.
What's more, there were only three slots last year due to the increase in the number of people. This year, there were six slots. The probability of winning increased.
Many people were looking at the big screen excitedly, hoping to be one of the six lucky ones.
Soon, the headsets on the big screen started rolling and six of them appeared.
The fourth avatar on the left was Bao Xu!
The other five avatars were all unfamiliar faces. They should be some basic- level staff.
There were nearly two thousand people in the venue after all. Pei Qian only knew those who were in charge, which was a few dozen people at most. The chances of winning the lottery were very low.
However, Bao Xu...
What was going on with Bao Xu?
Do you really have to travel every time?
Everyone burst into laughter when they saw Bao Xu's profile picture on the big screen.
"Hahaha, Brother Bao again!"
"Where's Brother Bao? I want to see his expression!"
"He's in Los Angeles. It should be midnight over there. Brother Bao will only know about this nightmare in a few hours."
"It's perfect, it's perfect. I'm even happier to see Brother Bao win!"
Pei Qian could not help but feel emotional. Life was all about fate.
People in Los Angeles did not escape the fate of being selected.
What's more, Bao Xu was the fourth person to win. In other words, if three people were selected for this year's grand prize, he would not be on the winning list.
Look at how things had turned out...
There were many employees of Tengda Corporation in the Los Angeles team, but since it was a lucky draw for the annual meeting, it would not be appropriate to not include them. Thus, even though these people were not present, they were still on the lucky draw list.
Bao Xu won the prize just like that, he still could not avoid his fate.
In two or three days, Bao Xu and the others would be back after the IOI global finals in Los Angeles were over. They would be able to make it in time for the new year.
However... After the new year, Bao Xu had to pack his luggage and consider his next destination.
Pei Qian could not help but feel sorry for Bao Xu.
...
Finally, the entire annual meeting was over.
All the employees returned with a full load and were having a good time.
Pei Qian felt much better after giving away so many gifts. The burden on his shoulders was much lighter.
Fortunately, this settlement cycle was just in time for the new year. He could spend millions of yuan in one shot using the annual meeting method. This allowed Pei Qian to think of a few ways to spend less money and save a lot of brain cells.
All in all, it was the holidays!
During the Chinese New Year period, the advertisements that had been arranged in advance would be sent to Jingzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, and other cities. Based on the current rate of spending money, he should be able to incur a huge loss when he officially started work after the Chinese New Year.
It was impossible to incur huge losses, but it shouldn't be a problem to incur losses around eight to nine hundred thousand yuan, right?
Everyone left one after another. Pei Qian was in no hurry to leave. He stayed in his seat and took out his cell phone to browse.
However, he nearly cursed out loud when he saw a piece of news about the Destitution Plan.
The promotional videos of Black Ink and Clouds and the Destitution Plan had somehow become popular on Aili Island!
Not only that, but Black Ink and Clouds had already released a ten-minute demo on the official platform. It had also started its pre-sales. In just one afternoon, sales had reached 50,000 copies!
This was already an incredible result for an unknown independent game!
In the next week or even a month, as its popularity increased and spread, the pre-sales sales of this game would obviously continue to increase.
Pei Qian's expression slowly turned blank.
"What just happened?"
"The game hasn't even been completed and you're already selling it?"
"Is there still law?"
"Is there still order?"
"Isn't Qiu Hong causing trouble for me? Does he have any professional integrity at all!"
"Is there anyone else who wants to interfere?!"
Chapter 843: Publicity Video For Destitution Plan
Pei Qian clicked on the promotional CG for Black Ink and Clouds after calming down.
The entire CG was traditional Chinese ink style.
A little ink stain spread on the pale yellow Xuan paper and turned into black clouds. As they gathered and dispersed, a ferocious-looking mutated beast was born. It circled in the sky, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws. Balls of dark clouds shrouded the ancient city in the distance...
At the same time, an old and low voice-over sounded.
"Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a kind of evil beast formed by resentment in China. It was called Nightmare. There were rumors that Nightmare Beasts could weave dreams. They fed on human fear, hatred, despair, resentment, and other negative emotions. They grew stronger day by day..."
The CG images in the game began to change continuously accompanied by the voice-over. Nightmare beasts were hidden behind dark clouds in the sky. Countless strange monsters were born, bringing disaster to the world.
A scholar realized that he was trapped in a dream. He held a painting in his left hand and a brush in his right. He began to use the power of his painting to defeat the monster in the dream. He wanted to find the nightmare beast hidden in the dream. The nightmare beast was also constantly producing evil demons to stop the scholar.
Countless sinister devils rushed towards the scholar. The scholar used his brush to paint a huge rock on the painting. Then, with a light wave of his brush, the huge rock immediately appeared above the monsters and smashed them into black smoke.
The monsters also raised the fallen rocks and huge trees on the cliff and threw them at the scholar. However, the scholar waved his brush and wiped the foreign objects out of thin air.
The brush and ink flew everywhere, and the black fog dispersed. The scholar and the monster began to fight intensely. The voice-over also narrated the background story of the entire game...
This publicity CG was actually not complicated. It was not a CG where every hair and pore could be seen clearly. It could not even be compared to the publicity video of the GPL's Spring Competition.
However, the brilliance of this video was that it perfectly matched the game itself.
"Black Ink and Clouds" was a horizontal 2D game. It was not a hugely invested 3A game. What's more, it was a Chinese-style game. It was related to calligraphy and painting elements. Thus, it could be said that using the CG of Black Ink and Clouds was just right.
Not only could it highlight the characteristics of the game itself, but it could also reduce the difficulty of making it.
On the other hand, even though there were only two small stages in the game and the game only lasted about ten minutes in the updated DEMO, the core gameplay was displayed.
Using the traditional 2D horizontal version of the game's operating model as the foundation, there were movements, jumps, dual jumps, attack, defense, and other operations. There were also calligraphy and painting skills.
After clicking on the drawing skill, the game's image entered a stagnant state. Time passed at an extremely slow speed. Gamers could choose to erase the scene elements in the game or create props by drawing a specific shape. For example, they could draw circles to create large rocks, and draw lines to create lightning.
However, this also meant that the game could not be played with a controller. It could only be played with a mouse or a touch screen.
The official platform obviously intended to use the computers and cell phones as the main battlefield. They promised that players would first be on the computer version and then the cell phone version.
Logically speaking, it would be more comfortable to operate the cell phone version. However, there were more independent gamers in the computer version after all, and it would be easier to develop it. Thus, they had to go to the computer version first.
...
After watching the promotional video and the game's contents, Pei Qian's expression turned serious as though he was facing a formidable enemy.
No wonder so many people were pre-ordering it. It looked very reliable!
The domestic independent gamers were one of the most supportive groups of domestically-produced games. Ink and Clouds was a Chinese-style game. It was obviously more likable to combine traditional cultural elements like calligraphy and games.
However... could this game's DEMO achieve such a good publicity effect?
That didn't make sense, right?
Pei Qian clicked on the promotional video on the game's details page with some confusion.
...
The video started in a dark room.
A child in shorts and a white vest was hiding under the blanket, reading a game magazine under the dim light of the flashlight.
Suddenly, footsteps came from outside the door. The child quickly switched off his flashlight and lay down. He hid the magazine under his pillow and pretended to be asleep.
The camera changed to day time.
His parents were not at home. The child carefully switched on his computer. On the screen was a domestically-produced standalone game with a strong mosaic style.
The child placed the game magazine aside and began to play seriously with the guide.
All of a sudden, the clock on the wall started to chime. The child quickly switched off his phone, took a wet towel, and covered the big head of the computer monitor. Then, he quickly returned to his room, opened his bag, took out his homework, and finally put away the wet towel.
After a period of time, the anti-theft door opened. The child's father came back and touched the computer monitor. Then, he looked at the child who was studying seriously and turned to busy himself.
The scene changed again. The primary school student became a high school student. They might have changed to a different actor, but they could still recognize him as the same person through his clothing.
In the smoke-filled internet cafe, some of his peers were playing various online games. He was the only one still playing domestically-produced standalone games. However, it was the same game that he played in elementary school. There were no changes.
Some people mocked him for playing such an old game. He just smiled and did not say anything.
The camera changed again, and the high school student became an adult. It was already late at night. In the dilapidated and messy rental apartment, he faced the computer screen and seriously used the game editor to create the game.
The messy room and the piles of miscellaneous items were all hinting at his poverty-stricken state. However, he continued to work enthusiastically in front of his computer.
However, during the day, a loud knock woke him up.
He was silent for a long time after he returned to his room with the receipt for rent and utilities.
In the end, he reluctantly glanced at the computer screen, closed the unfinished game project in the game editor, and opened his resume.
He habitually moved his mouse to the game editor after sending his resume to several companies. However, he could not click on it after much hesitation.
The camera panned around. He opened the closet and flipped through to the suit he hadn't worn in a while. Then he stood in front of the dressing mirror and studied himself.
In front of the camera, he was dressed in a neat suit and had a proper hairstyle. However, his eyes looked listless as he stared blankly at the image in the mirror.
In the mirror, he was still wearing a white vest, shorts, and flip-flops. His hair was messy, but his face was full of smiles and his eyes were filled with hope.
The two images formed a sharp contrast, hinting that he still wanted to be an independent game designer.
Finally, he sighed softly, picked up the printed resume on the table, and prepared to leave for work.
However, at that moment, he realized that there was a golden invitation letter in the mailbox at the door. On it were the words "Destitution Plan".
A hopeful smile finally appeared on his face.
...
The promotional video ended there. There was no detailed introduction of the Destitution Plan but it had already pointed out it's meaning.
As for the plot at the end of the video, most people could imagine it: this independent game designer had obtained the money and could continue to persevere in his dreams, complete the unfinished game project, and add to the development of domestically-produced independent games.
The video was filmed and edited in a very short time.
There were many old buildings in Beijing that were filled with the style of the previous century. Many arcade games shops also had game consoles and big-headed computers. It directly evoked many childhood memories when coupled with the vintage filter.
The content of the video was filled with details.
Domestic standalone games were also developing rapidly in the era when home computers were first popularized.
The newsstand next to the school would sell many game magazines. At that time, many students who did not have much time to play games would buy a game magazine and read it repeatedly. Even if they had not played it before or could not buy the game inside, they would still enjoy it.
He secretly turned on his computer to play games while his parents were not home from work. However, he had to remember to use a wet towel to cool down in advance. Otherwise, his parents would be exposed the moment he touched them. He would then have to welcome a storm.
With the rise of internet cafes, online games also developed rapidly. However, domestic standalone games were going downhill.
The protagonist in the video loved domestically-produced standalone games. However, there was a gap between domestically-produced standalone games. When other students played online games, he still stubbornly played domestically-produced standalone games from a few years ago.
In the end, he became an independent game designer who wanted to fulfill his dreams. However, he had no choice but to make difficult choices in his dreams and reality due to his tight living conditions...
All of this content resonated strongly with those who watched the video!
After searching the internet for a while, Pei Qian immediately understood why Black Ink and Clouds had garnered so much attention in such a short time.
Its DEMO was very fun and likable was only one of the reasons. The more important reason was that the promotional videos of Black Ink and Clouds and the Destitution Plan had already been uploaded to Aili Island's website, causing a warm response!
On Aili Island's website and several other video platforms, the promotional video for the Destitution Plan had been pushed to the forefront of the gaming area. Moreover, its popularity was still rising.
In the bullet screen comments and comments section, many independent gamers who had been under the radar were being bombarded.
"This video is making me tear up! Isn't this child me? It's just that I've already given up on creating games..."
"Dad and Mom touched their computers the moment they got home from work. This is too realistic! They're actually unified in the entire country?"
"Sigh, the scene at the internet cafe is really sad. People like us who like standalone games have become anomalies. When we were young, domestically-produced standalone games were still in full bloom. In the end, only online games were left on the market. Sigh."
"Actually, it's alright. It has now recovered a little, there are more independent games now."
"It's still far from being comparable to overseas!"
"Is this 'Destitution Plan' specially meant to sponsor domestically-produced independent games? That's really a lot of merit! I have to support it well on account of this!"
Chapter 844: Apologize To The Players!
Pei Qian finally understood why there were so many pre-orders after flipping through discussions related to Black Ink and Clouds and Destitution Plan online.
That was because Qiu Hong had tied Black Ink and Clouds, the Destitution Plan, and the Survival Guide for Working Adults together for publicity!
The promotional video of the 'Destitution Plan' could cause such a huge reaction. On one hand, it reignited the common memories of many gamers and resonated widely. On the other hand,there were also high-quality domestically-produced independent games as the catalyst.
It would not have caused such a huge reaction if there was no game accompanying this promotional video.
Black Ink and Clouds was just a demo. It was obviously not enough just for this demo.
That was also the reason why Qiu Hong did not come up with a publicity plan in the beginning. He naturally could not achieve the best publicity effect without an opportunity.
However, the Survival Guide for Working Adults had unexpectedly exploded in popularity, providing an opportunity for the promotion of the Destitution Plan!
It was before Chinese New Year. It was the time for various companies to hold annual meetings and distribute year-end bonuses.
Most of the working adults were not satisfied with the treatment given by their own companies. Many of them were planning to change jobs after receiving their year-end bonuses and taking leave.
The release of the Survival Guide for Working Adults resonated well with the office workers. Not only did it become popular among independent gaming enthusiasts, but it also successfully became mainstream. Many office workers who did not play games also knew about this game.
Qiu Hong had used the success of the Survival Guide for Working Adults and tied the Black Ink and Clouds and 'Destitution Plan' to it. He had let gamers know that the reason why the Survival Guide for Working Adults could be successfully produced was because of the sponsorship of the 'Destitution Plan'. The 'Destitution Plan' had also sponsored many outstanding independent game projects, such as Black Ink and Clouds.
Thus, the popularity of the Survival Guide for Working Adults had broken out of their own circle. The sentiments of the local independent game enthusiasts, and gamers' expectations for domestically-produced and independent games had all been integrated together. That was the good publicity effect!
It would not be able to achieve its current effect if any one of the publicity videos of the Survival Guide for Working Adults, Black Ink and Clouds' demo, and the Destitution Plan was lacking!
What a coincidence.
Pei Qian felt a little dizzy as he looked at the increasing number of pre-orders.
In just one afternoon, the pre-sales sales of this game had already broken 50,000 copies. Moreover, judging from the current popularity, it was very likely that it would increase by ten times in the next week!
Even though domestic independent gamers were a minority compared to mainstream gamers, there were still millions of active gamers in terms of size.
What's more, the smaller the circle, the more attention it would have on domestically-produced and outstanding independent games. Black Ink and Clouds would probably become a hot topic among independent gamers like the Survival Guide for Working Adults!
Pei Qian did some calculation and felt that something was amiss.
The official pricing of Black Ink and Clouds was 45 yuan. It was considered above average in domestically-produced independent games. The pre-sales this time was not a full-term pre-sales, but a third of it, which was 15 yuan.
Based on current trends, if 500,000 copies were sold in the next week, the official platform would be able to settle the bill before settlement.
The only good news was that the game was not distributed in the name of Tengda. Therefore, it did not enjoy the privilege of Tengda's high share of the profits. It could only get sixty percent even if it included the special preferential policies of independent games.
On this basis, Tengda would get thirty percent.
In other words, the pre-sales of Ink and Clouds before settlement would be more than 1.3 million yuan!
On top of that, there was also the money earned from the Survival Guide for Working Adults.
It might not seem like a lot of money, but Pei Qian felt like a camel with straw on its back. When it came to settlement, this one million yuan could be the difference between heaven and hell.
What if he earned more than a million yuan? Who could he reason with then?
Pei Qian was furious.
Why was this Qiu Hong finding trouble for me at such a crucial time!
Couldn't he just go home and celebrate the new year? Why did he have to create a publicity video a day before the holidays? He had even posted a DEMO to earn some pre-sales money?
It was too much!
Pei Qian immediately called Qiu Hong at that thought.
...
At that moment, Qiu Hong had just treated everyone in the incubation base to a feast. He returned to the house he rented in Beijing to pack his things and prepare to fly home early the next morning.
Qiu Hong could not help but feel surprised when he received Boss Pei's call.
"Could it be that Boss Pei saw the popularity of the Destitution Plan video and specially called to affirm the results of my work because he was very happy?"
Before this, the entire incubation base had only completed two games. What's more, they were not selling well. Even so, Boss Pei still praised Qiu Hong, saying that the effects were obvious and that he was improving rapidly. He wanted him to work harder.
Qiu Hong pondered for a while. According to such standards, the videos of Survival Guide for Working Adults, Black Ink and Clouds video and the Destitution Plan had been quite well received. Wouldn't Boss Pei be overjoyed?
He quickly picked up the phone and waited for Boss Pei to praise him.
However, Boss Pei's first question stumped him.
"Who asked you to put a semi-finished game on the official platform for pre-order?!"
Pei Qian's tone was stern because he was indeed very angry.
The game had not been completed yet. You should sell it in the next cycle. Don't affect my settlement!
However, Qiu Hong's pre-order caught Pei Qian off guard.
Qiu Hong was stunned for a moment. He looked a little confused as he said, "Boss Pei, isn't pre-sales very common in independent gaming circles..."
Pei Qian could not help but fall silent. "Er..."
He thought about it. Qiu Hong was right.
ESRO's official platform was actually encouraging independent games to be presold. The reason was very simple. It was just like crowdfunding.
Independent game designers often lacked money and resources. There would definitely be all sorts of compromises during the production process. In order to achieve a high completion rate for the game, various conditions were actually not allowed.
On the other hand, the pre-sales would allow those quality and popular independent games to earn some money in advance. On one hand, it would help out with the development fees, and on the other hand, it would increase the producer's confidence.
Of course, there might be some lousy producers who would be suspected of scamming money. For example, they could update a very fun DEMO and slowly develop the game after receiving a huge amount of pre-sales money. They could turn the game into a 'to-be-completed-sometime-in-this-lifetime" series and not be released.
However, the official platform also had corresponding punishments for such producers. What's more, such people were in the minority after all. They could not cancel this rule that was beneficial to all independent game designers just because of some black sheep.
Thus, Qiu Hong taking the DEMO of "Black Ink and Clouds" for pre-sales was indeed in line with the usual routine of independent games. It was an action advocated by the official platform.
Thus, Pei Qian's question seemed unreasonable.
After a moment of silence, Pei Qian said righteously, "Why do the other independent games like pre-sales? It's because the producers lack money. They can only use pre-sales to refund and obtain development funds!"
"Are the producers of the Poor Plan lacking in development funds?"
Qiu Hong was stumped. "Er, this..."
Pei Qian did not give him much time to react. He continued, "If we are not lacking in funds, why do we want to do pre-sales?"
"Pre-sales is actually using the players' sympathy to transfer the risk of failure from the developer to the players."
"The official platform supports this behavior mainly because the conditions of most independent game designers are too poor. They need players to contribute and support them."
"Such action might be a punishment skillfully given by one that is gladly accepted by another, it still hurts the interests of the players. The best way should be to hand over money and goods at the same time. Once the game is done and released, players can buy it if they like it."
"Since the independent game creator of the Destitution Plan does not lack money, shouldn't we not start pre-sales and wait for the game to be developed before selling it?"
Qiu Hong was speechless. "This..."
He suddenly felt that what Boss Pei said made sense!
In fact, Qiu Hong had only set up a pre-sales based on the usual routine of independent games. He had not thought too much about it. However, now that he thought about it carefully, this behavior was indeed inappropriate.
Qiu Hong quickly asked, "Boss Pei, what should we do now?"
Pei Qian pondered for a moment and asked, "Can you change it to 0 yuan? Then, you can refund the players who have already paid."
Qiu Hong hesitated for a moment. "Er... Boss Pei, we can't change it to 0. At the very most, we can change it to one-third of what it is now, which is five yuan. The refund process would be more troublesome. We don't have enough authority, ESRO might not approve it."
"It might be possible if Tengda were to intervene. However, that would be equivalent to announcing the relationship between Tengda and Destitution Plan..."
Pei Qian immediately said, "Of course not. Since that's the case, we'll change the pre-order price to five yuan. We'll compensate the players who have already spent 15 yuan pre-order."
Qiu Hong added, "Also, Boss Pei, the officials have never been very supportive of such price changing behavior. It would affect the players' interests no matter whether it is raising or lowering prices."
Pei Qian nodded. "Yes, that's understandable."
"Our actions must have affected the interests of the players. We have to apologize and compensate them!"
"How about this? As I said before, we'll change the pre-order money to five yuan. For those who have already paid, we'll give the game a twenty percent discount, which is 36 yuan. Then, we'll make an announcement to apologize. We'll say that we didn't expect gamers to be so passionate. We think that the pre-order price was set high. We'll lower it now and hope gamers can understand."
To Pei Qian, cutting the pre-order money from fifteen yuan to five yuan meant that the money earned by DEMO this week would be reduced by hundreds of thousands.
It was good to be able to take a small handful of straw off the camel's back.
As for the players who had already spent 15 yuan on pre-order purchases, Pei Qian could use this opportunity to give them a discount and earn less.
Qiu Hong quickly said, "Alright, Boss Pei. I'll talk to the official platform now."