"This genre..."
Lu Bian grimaced.
If Little Nezha had named even a remotely reasonable game genre—say, real-time strategy, which was rare on the market nowadays—he could have accepted it!
But she had opened her mouth and said "bullet hell shooter"?!
What kind of bullshit genre was that?!
Had she even played one?!
"Here's the thing, CEO Shen,"
Lu Bian forced down his emotions and spoke:
"This type of game is extremely niche, even within the game design industry,"
"As far as I know, no one has been willing to try making this... strange kind of game in recent years."
Lu Bian had wanted to say "stupid-ass game," but ultimately held it in.
However!
Little Nezha seemed determined. She waved her tiny hand.
"I think the more niche a game genre is, the more likely it is to become a huge hit in the competition!"
As she spoke, Little Nezha looked at Gu Sheng. "What do you think, Director Gu?"
After hearing Little Nezha's words, Gu Sheng pondered for a moment.
In truth, Little Nezha had a point.
A niche genre did not mean the finished game would be unfun.
Games like Touhou and the Touhou series from his previous life had been hailed as classics by players, with enormous reputations and influence.
Besides, under normal circumstances, bullet hell shooters did not have very demanding development requirements. They were entirely within the range his system could unlock.
"I think CEO Shen makes sense!"
Gu Sheng nodded.
"Challenging the impossible is the source that keeps our company alive."
Good!
Shen Miaomiao secretly gave him a thumbs-up!
What a big idiot!
"Then it's settled?"
Very pleased by how readily Gu Sheng had gone along with her, Shen Miaomiao continued:
"Next comes the game's style,"
"My personal suggestion is that we change things up a little this time and make it somewhat more serious."
Or, rather, mentally stable.
Shen Miaomiao had truly had enough of those absurd designs.
A smug, taunting cheap cat, pipes that launched people into the air, clipping diapers, and babies flying all over the sky while spraying diarrhea.
Gu Sheng seemed especially skilled at designing these kinds of ridiculous games.
As if he had the broad-minded thinking of a lunatic.
The key was that the players absolutely loved it!
They even openly said, "For wild nonsense, look to Golden Wind!"
So this time, Shen Miaomiao decided to break that pattern.
Wasn't Old Gu good at making ridiculous games? Then they would change the style this time!
She could not let him make another ridiculous game!
Make it more serious!
Gu Sheng did not particularly object to this.
He had also recently felt that the game's style should change. Since Little Nezha had brought it up herself, that could not have been better.
"Sure." Gu Sheng nodded, his expression unchanged.
Tch!
Shen Miaomiao secretly glanced at Gu Sheng. Keep pretending! You must be panicking inside, right? It's okay, darling. No matter how awful you make it, this CEO won't blame you!
Seeing Gu Sheng's "resigned and obedient" appearance!
Shen Miaomiao became even more fired up!
Over the course of the following meeting, bizarre ideas kept coming—
"As for the perspective, I think we can try something retro and make it top-down!"
"As for the art style, anything too exquisite or gorgeous definitely won't work. Make it pixel art!"
"As for the goal of the game, don't make it too restrictive. The players just need to survive for a set amount of time!"
"Oh, right, it can't be too easy either. It's best to give players only one life. If they die, they have to start over. That's how it becomes challenging!"
"..."
Four or five suggestions in a row!
By the end, the faces of the other three people besides Gu Sheng had all gone green!
Yes!
Even Chu Qingzhou, who had always doted on Shen Miaomiao, felt that the young lady had gone too far this time!
This was simply nonsense!
Her "proposal" had practically thrown in every unpopular and off-putting setting currently on the market!
She had even added the extremely disliked mechanic of "enemy spam" to the plan just to disgust players!
But!
Chu Qingzhou could not understand why Gu Sheng, as the game director, had remained so calm from beginning to end!
He had even diligently written down every one of Shen Miaomiao's outrageous demands in his meeting notebook!
"Ahem!"
Chu Qingzhou truly could not stand it any longer. She gave a light cough and interrupted Shen Miaomiao, who was still speaking passionately:
"CEO Shen, I think that's enough."
Please take a break already.
If it really comes to it, why not just sell the company?
Why ruin your own company's work like this?
"Ah, but I..."
Interrupted by Chu Qingzhou, Shen Miaomiao seemed somewhat reluctant to stop.
She wanted to keep talking, but then noticed that everyone around her looked terrible, their expressions distinctly unfriendly.
She could not help shrinking her neck.
Damn, I think I may have gone a little too far...
And right at that moment!
Gu Sheng actually stepped in to save the situation!
"It's fine, Secretary Chu. I actually think CEO Shen has a very unique understanding of games."
As he spoke, Gu Sheng spun his pen and looked up at Shen Miaomiao.
"CEO Shen, apart from these, do you have any other ideas or settings?"
???
Upon hearing that, Lu Bian, sitting nearby, wanted to grab his own hair!
Holy shit, brother, have you lost your mind?!
Did you come here to challenge the impossible or something?!
Little Nezha's rambling had already been absurd enough!
It was like absurdity opening the door for absurdity—absurdity had come home!
If they made a game the way she described, it would be a miracle if that piece of trash sold even a single copy!
And yet he still wanted more?!
No... were... was he an M?
Who the hell would play something like that?!
The players probably would not even spare it a glance!
Lu Bian's face was nearly purple as he stared at Gu Sheng as if he were incomprehensible.
Across from him, Shen Miaomiao also seemed rather surprised.
She had not expected that, in the face of so many unreasonable demands from her, Gu Sheng would neither panic nor get angry. Instead, he had continued recording them, as though he were listening very seriously!
His calm attitude even made Shen Miaomiao feel a little guilty!
"Can... can I really keep going...?"
Shen Miaomiao gave Gu Sheng an inquiring look, cautiously.
Gu Sheng snorted with laughter.
"Of course. We agreed that you would determine the game's overall tone, so naturally we need to hear your opinions from every angle."
Gu Sheng said it as if it were only natural, but Shen Miaomiao began to wonder inwardly.
Why is he so calm, like he has everything under control?
After thinking it over for a moment, Shen Miaomiao understood.
Oh, I get it. He must have given up.
That made sense.
With so many inhumane demands, any designer would surely throw up their hands and quit.
Gu Sheng could not be an exception.
For all she knew, that meeting notebook where he appeared to be taking careful notes might currently have a cute Little Turtle drawn in it.
With that thought, Shen Miaomiao no longer felt any psychological burden.
"Then I'll just mention one last idea,"
Although Gu Sheng had not shown any reaction, the two people beside him looked as though they were about to bite someone. Shen Miaomiao did not dare push things too far:
"For the equipment acquisition in this game, could we avoid making it fixed?"
Before you continue