Game Director from Hell

Chapter 38: Trailer (1)

Once the concept was finalized, it was time for implementation.

We can consider that we're entering a somewhat challenging phase.

To put it a bit dramatically, the gap between concept and implementation is like a young child's dream of becoming president and the actual possibility of achieving it.

From the modelling stage to the gimmicks of the antagonist, difficulty adjustment, and the progression of boss battles, there were many points to pay attention to.

Let's go through them one by one.

"We don't need to worry too much about the modelling."

After all, we've already completed the concept through the previous work.

The main points to be mindful of in modelling are two: eliminating the strangeness that comes with implementing a 3D version of a pixel character and reproducing the unique twitchy motions of the antagonist.

In reality, these are problems that the art team can handle, so I decided to focus on other aspects.

Balancing and gimmick implementation, to be precise.

"It's the protagonist from the previous game."

This was acting as quite a big obstacle.

For players who have played the previous game... in other words, for the core fans of Helllic, the antagonist Warden may be even more beloved than Alice, the protagonist of the second installment.

Character affection leads to analysis.

And players have already visualized one of the warden's settings by combining known information and information provided by the developers.

"He must be the strongest in hell, right? In fact, from a story perspective, he's an expert in torturing and killing all prisoners."

That's actually correct.

He was one of the strongest in all of Hell.

There are many reasons for this.

First, he was part of Hell from the beginning, and he didn't know death.

He was so insensitive that he couldn't even feel the vastness of eternity.

The warden had never been defeated in any situation he knew of.

"That's why he needs to be the enemy. He has to be overwhelming."

But what if he is cleared too easily? That would lead to the character's collapse.

On the other hand, if it's too difficult?

"That's a problem too."

This is a game.

You have to choose a difficulty level that the vast majority of players can clear as they strive towards the goal of clearing.

But if you raise the difficulty to the extreme just to adhere to the setting?

The game will fail.

Because you're putting up a wall in front of the goal of clearing.

"It's tricky."

In fact, bringing the protagonist from the previous game into this one is a hardcore task that doubles the development difficulty.

I did it knowing that.

It's the most important task in my development, which can lead to a more enjoyable direction.

Fortunately, balancing wasn't entirely impossible.

"Let's use Hellic's setting."

Provide the "coherence" necessary for Butterfly's victory that can be inferred from fragmentary information.

"His style and power change depending on the weapon he uses."

Previous Hellic were like that, and future ones will be the same.

Based on that, I set his weapon.

"Saw."

The basic weapon you get when starting Hellic 1.

What if he carries that with him?

Why would he use the final route weapon just to capture two women?

In that case, the coherence in balancing is established.

The possibility of the mere female prisoners facing Warden, the antagonist, emerges.

Of course, they are still prisoners and the Warden is the antagonist.

You can't reverse that dramatic hierarchy.

So, I'm suggesting a different direction for the battles.

"Time Attack."

Facing an opponent you can't defeat, you hang on for a certain amount of time.

The advantage is that it can represent the desperation of a mother protecting her child.

However, the disadvantage is that if you rely solely on enduring as a gimmick, the choice of "avoiding the Warden for the amount of time" will arise.

That's why the second option is necessary.

'Uncovering the Gimmick.'

One must uncover the patterns of the warden that occur at specific intervals.

Failure to do so results in instant death, retry, or passing it over.

"Is this okay?"

We'll have to establish a polygon model for the details, but this way, we can create a boss battle that satisfies both tension and narrative.

In other words, by introducing the element of the warden, a clean resolution with multiple endings becomes possible.

Let's imagine it.

A series of battles between the butterfly and the warden, with the warden steadfastly holding their ground while the butterfly's body becomes increasingly fractured as it uncovers the gimmick.

By the time the final pattern is uncovered, the butterfly's arms will already be in pieces.

At that moment, the golden door completely disappears.

Both of them confirm it.

Only then does the butterfly smile brightly and fall.

Because she has fulfilled their purpose of protecting their daughter.

She smile while looking at the spot where the door disappeared until they collapse and die.

And with that, one word.

"Goodbye."

Right after that, the butterfly will be swept away by the incoming waves and disappear into dust.

Once the target sinner is dead, the warden retrieves her weapon and turns around.

There will be the sound of waves.

The deserted beach with nothing left will be visible on the screen, and the ending credits will roll.

Let's add background music. Request a lyrical piece of music from Jo Ayoon.

After contemplating the ending, we will go to the second run.

The second run will focus on uncovering the identity of the butterfly and watching the story unfold from a different perspective.

Of course, it can't end there.

"Now, let's think about the in-game fun."

Even if the narrative is completed like this, the game will continue forever as long as the player doesn't quit.

Let's introduce changes in each run's gameplay.

And...

"We need a easter egg for the hardcore gamers."

The hidden route for the final boss battle.

Just like the Cancer Giant in the previous installment, it's a good idea to create something similar this time.

After all, isn't an Easter egg another source of enjoyment in the game?

I immediately started brainstorming about it.

***

Before I knew it, it was November.

The busy autumn had passed without a moment to catch my breath, and now the college was in full swing with preparations for final exams.

If you look at the flow of the world from a broader perspective, you'll find a day in 2010 when you think, "Yeah, it was like this back then."

"The Italian craftsman is painstakingly... painstakingly..."

"Hahaha! Amazing! It's exactly the same!"

"Myungkyu Myungkyu, oppa, you're so cool!"

In a corner of the office, Myungkyu was dressed in a sparkling tracksuit, performing a clown act.

In the era when traditional media still stood tall, whenever a popular drama like that one came out, the world would buzz with excitement over the drama's story.

This era was no exception.

I remember enjoying the romance between the sparkling tracksuit-wearing third-generation chaebol and the dirt-poor female lead.

"Myungkyu Myungkyu, oppa! Do that! That!"

"Kwon Raim, when did you become so pretty...?"

"Hahaha!"

So many thoughts come to mind.

So many... too many thoughts.

"Oh! Myungkyu oppa..."

But I held back.

Myungkyu looked happy, after all.

I glanced at another corner of the office.

It was only now that Han Seorim, who had just started using a smartphone, was busy manipulating the smartphone from a well-known brand known for making durable appliances.

I looked at what she was doing, and it was another online community.

Isn't she getting tired of it?

"... "

Is our office really okay like this?

I suddenly thought, and that's when Jo Ayoon entered.

"Ah, hello!"

As she opened the door.

Suddenly—

Both Jo Ayoon and Myungkyu froze in place at the same time.

The same went for everyone else.

Because both her and him were wearing the same sparkling tracksuit.

"···."

"···."

The two of them looked at each other.

And then, they lowered their heads and looked at their clothes.

Soon, their eyes met again, and a whirlwind of indescribable emotions seemed to be surging between them.

What could be seen somewhat clearly was confusion, followed by shock, and eventually emerging feelings of resistance and despair... Could that be self-loathing?

But one thing can be said for sure, they are seeing themselves through each other.

It's like undergoing a mirror therapy.

"Huh? Wait, did they switch clothes?"

Han Seorim, who was lost in thought, made an oblivious remark.

Jo Ayoon slipped out of the office quietly.

About 10 minutes later, Jo Ayoon returned, wearing her usual frog-colored tracksuit.

Myungkyu also took off the flashy tracksuit.

Today, the T-shirt had a picture of a goat and a wolf tearing each other apart.

The meeting room had an atmosphere of hilarity, but the two were chuckling.

I said,

"Let's start the meeting."

That should be enough fun.

It's not a club (though it started as one), so we can't let fun interfere with work.

Fortunately, the team members quickly regained their composure.

Except for Myungkyu and Jo Ayoon.

Anyway,

"We should start soon."

"What?"

"What else?"

The development of the prototype is nearing completion.

The game only has programming and sound work left, including the somewhat troublesome final boss.

Now it's time to prepare for the release.

So, what should we do?

"We need to do marketing."

Promotion.

It's time to let the world know, "Our game is coming out. Please buy our game." That's what marketing is all about.

The most basic and effective marketing is showing the product itself.

In the context of the game...

"We need to make a trailer."

A promotional trailer.

When making Hellic 1, I didn't have much say, but now that we have grown in size, I finally have a substantial promotional tool.

"The art team is done with the first round of modelling, right? Let's try to make it in a month."

It's almost December.

December 25th is Christmas.

In other words, it's time to become Santa Claus for the users who have been waiting for Hellic 2.

***

December 24th, Christmas Eve.

Carols filled the air all around the world.

No matter where you went, the streets were adorned with LED lights on trees, and people's faces were adorned with smiles.

If you were to watch it from the warmth of your cozy corner, your heart would surely feel warm.

In reality, there were those who felt that warmth from the comfort of their own spaces.

『(Chatter) SweetBelNam38: Christmas... I'll be 29 soon too... ^^

(Game) S2PobiS2: Recommend a warm game for Christmas!

(Game) Evil'sPawnKimGapsoo: Recruiting guild members for Aiwon!

(Chatter) ClearWithoutT: What are you all doing on the previous game's community? Get lost to your homepage -_-

(Chatter) WaitingForHellic2: Waiting for 381 days, the weather is cold.

(Chatter) ZZoneHanSu: Ah! I'm lonely!』

What can I say, these were the veterans of the gaming community.

Even on a day like this, they were pioneers of the internet, living in the digital world.

It seemed like a waste of time to go out.

More accurately, there was nowhere to go.

Why? Because there were no plans!

Everyone said, "I'm fine," but there were surely some who were not.

On this day, the voices searching for a few users who didn't post today were like that.

『(Chatter) ZZoneHanSu: Where's KkotJaehui and Bangbaedong...』

... Anyway, it was one of those days.

Even today, in the midst of a peaceful community, numerous small talk posts and a few informative game news posts were being regenerated.

And then, it happened.

It was exactly 6 o'clock in the evening.

『(Promotion) SeorimSeorim: Hellic 2 trailer!』

It was a game trailer that they had been eagerly waiting for.

『<Comments>

WaitingForHellic2: Kyaaaaaah!!!

ClearWithoutT: Oh

S2PobiS2: Wow! I'll enjoy it!』

The post had a link.

It was a video streaming site with a red icon that was not yet famous.

But it wasn't just that community.

A similar post had also appeared on the North American server's community, and numerous users followed the link to a trailer video that was about five minutes long.

And so, the video began.

[Kyaaaaah!]

The signature scream of a woman that had become iconic.

At the same time, the name [Rewind Studio] came to mind.

Shooosh—

Starting with the sound of waves, the video illuminated a beach.

A girl and a butterfly flying towards her were depicted.

In a dreamlike encounter, when the butterfly landed on the girl's fingertip, the sound of string instruments was added as background music.

Thump, thump, the sound of drums added rhythm.

The girl left.

The scenery changed.

First, a utopia, heretics, and a garden where a giant god existed.

Ssshaaang!

With sound, the landscape changed to purple, a distorted world filled with illusions, a mass of twisted human forms.

Poohwaaak!

Next was a black land, withered humans, and even though their bones were visible due to their thinness, their stomachs were swollen giants.

Jjeojjeojuk!

A tranquil plain where ash had settled, countless spears resembling thorns on the ground, and at the top of were humans with goat heads pierced into their bodies.

Ppaggak!

With a crack, the music that had built up faded away.

Shooosh—

Once again, the screen showed a beach.

Clouds covered the moonlight, and there was only one golden door.

Sapak—

The sound of footsteps on the sand could be heard.

Sapak—Sapak—

Neither fast nor slow, the noise gradually increased.

Seemingly relaxed, the sound of waves and footsteps alone disrupted the silence.

The viewpoint turned towards the sky.

The clouds obscuring the moonlight cleared.

That was the moment.

Srrrung—

A jarring metallic sound.

The screen once again illuminated the ground.

A pale, lifeless foot buried in the sand.

As the angle rose, a black robe with a hood, then a neck, and a shadow shaped like a cloud appeared slowly, revealing a face.

And thus, the stitched eyes and mouth, the severed nose, the nailed ears, and the pale, paralyzed blue skin.

Kkiguk—

For a moment, the figure of the warden with a saw emerged.

Koong!

The screen went dark.

[Hellic 2: Hell of Alice]

With the title displayed in red, the video ended.

The first comment was posted.

『Fuck?』

The comment marking the momentous occasion was a curse.