"Okay, I think I understand what you mean."
Lucas pondered, connecting the contents of the plan board one by one with Lin Lixin's thoughts.
A general "vehicle card" process was slowly taking shape in his mind.
This is like a standard CRPG, or more accurately, a tabletop TRPG game.
However, the process of getting the car and the person on board was spread out for a very long time.
Initially, players can only decide their own attribute preferences, setting a basic tone for the protagonist.
Is he more rational or more emotional?
That's roughly the line of thinking.
The actual creation process is hidden within the game itself.
A very clever way of handling it.
Even Lucas couldn't help but admire this.
His gaze fell on the few attribute branches that had just emerged on the planning board. "So you're hoping to make it easier for players to understand what different attributes represent by subdividing them like this?"
Upon closer examination, this approach might surprisingly be very effective.
Don't let Lucas's age difference fool you; he's a whole generation older than Lin, but he's a genuinely stylish middle-aged man.
Playing board games and video games is nothing new to Lucas.
Players familiar with TRPGs and CRPGs are no strangers to attributes and checkpoints.
dm. "You heard a loud noise coming from the valley. The sound seems vaguely familiar in your memory; perhaps you've heard it somewhere before..."
"Kalala"
The die landed on the lowest possible number; a crushing defeat.
dm. "You died suddenly from overworking your brain while recalling memories."
Okay, this example is a bit crude, but CRPG is pretty much the same thing.
Often, the attributes and meanings of a character become clearer gradually during the performance.
It could even be considered a conventional rule. However, this design is not appropriate for a game that is not a traditional CRPG.
"This 'Encyclopedia ' probably means having a large amount of knowledge, which might be a great help in solving cases."
"That's roughly the idea, but we'll be a bit more... aggressive."
Lin Lixin nodded.
Lucas's understanding isn't entirely wrong, but it's not complete.
The attribute and skill system is definitely one of the most appealing game systems in Disco Elysium.
"Now, gentlemen, I need you to do as I say."
Lin Lixin said.
Once everyone's attention was on him, he continued:
"Take a deep breath, and then... close your eyes."
Upon hearing his words, everyone closed their eyes.
I don't understand, but just do it. "Prick up your ears and listen carefully, can you hear anything?"
"I heard it..."
Lucas closed his eyes and spoke in a low voice.
"Very good, what did you hear?"
"You forgot to turn off your Corvette."
After turning off the car and parking it in the underground parking lot, Lin Lixin led the group through the process again before finally speaking with a sigh:
"Okay, I'll stop with the mystical stuff. Have you heard... the voice in your own head? The voice that speaks for you when you're not saying a word."
The explanation that they said they wouldn't engage in superstitious practices only made things more confusing.
Lucas slowly opened his eyes.
Although Lin Lixin's description went in a roundabout way, he probably still understood what Lin was trying to express.
"Inner speech—it spontaneously arises in my mind when I silently read the text." As you read this sentence, who exactly is that voice speaking in your head?
Many people have likely had this question while pondering, during sleepless nights, or while reading.
Upon closer reflection, it's a bit... creepy, but it also inevitably arouses curiosity about what the human inner world is like.
Compared to the physical body, this inner world at the level of the soul is even more mysterious.
"That's right, the Soviet Union psychologist Lev Vygotsky named it 'internal speech'."
The human brain is truly an ingenious and fascinating machine.
Although the player does not actually utter a sound during internal speech, it is not difficult to detect through electrode measurements that his vocal organs are still activated.
It's just that this tendency to speak has been forcibly cut off by the human brain.
Because it doesn't require actually speaking, it can be faster, more fragmented, and more concise than actual speech.
Essentially, it can be considered a form of human thought.
"What I want to do is to incorporate this interesting phenomenon into the game mechanics, of course, with some exaggerated and dramatic artistic treatment."
Lin Lixin patted the planning board again, signaling everyone to open their eyes.
Following the sound, everyone looked and saw Lin Lixin pointing to the six branches derived from the [ Intellect ] column.
"Rather than skills, they are more like labels, or components. People are not black and white, nor can they be summarized by a single label or a few labels."
His hand slowly moved upwards, pointing back to the business card with the number [?] written on it.
It is the combination of all these thoughts that constitutes a complex individual.
"Nevertheless, we can use some tricks, such as... personifying these labels."
People are complex, but labels can be extremely simplistic.
"Imagine all these abilities becoming anthropomorphic entities, mixed in with your mind, constantly whispering and expressing their own thoughts as you ponder..."
An anthropomorphic product of logical thinking is destined to be a pure Rationalism.
The ideas expressed must be purely rational considerations that have been discarded after all emotions have been abandoned.
vice versa.
Every thought, every inclination, becomes an entity that whispers in the player's ear... [ Electrochemistry ] will utter devilish whispers when the player holds a bottle of wine, trying to tempt him to drink heavily and return to the revelry.
[ Volition ] will comfort the player when they experience emotional fluctuations, encouraging them to remain calm and always be full of fighting spirit.
[ Authority ] draws out the player's inner strength and desire for authority, attempting to let the player enjoy the pleasure that authority brings.
[ Esprit de Corps ] We always strive for teamwork and unity...
Every idea reveals a person's way of thinking in an extremely extreme way.
But humans are such complex creatures.
Every thought will eventually trigger a switch deep within the player's heart.
They're just different in strength.
Should we accept the insufficient evidence identified through logical thinking and continue the investigation discreetly? Or should we embrace our intuition and try to understand the other party's emotions?
Under such frequent and intense whispers, so rambling it sounds like someone suffering from mental illness or schizophrenia, one's thoughts might actually be something that cannot be changed...
"This... is far too difficult to control."
Lucas swallowed hard, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. If Lin Lixin's idea could truly be fully realized...
I can't even imagine what a masterpiece it will be.
However, if the details are not handled well, it is easy to make things worse and turn into a rambling, pretentious, and self-indulgent display of adolescent delusions.
"That's right, these things can't be rushed, so I'll be following up on this project from start to finish."
Lin Lixin nodded.
Even he, to be honest, couldn't be sure if he could really replicate the unique texture of Disco Elysium.
Disco Elysium is undoubtedly one of the most precious gems in the ninth art.
Especially given the timing of the collapse of the Soviet Union, the many literary and political metaphors in the game have become even more profound.
The fact that a capitalist giant, a proponent of consumerist revelry, was allowed to develop it already added fuel to the fire of Disco Elysium's absurd satire.
But one thing is certain.
"Ladies and gentlemen, no matter how lofty its core message or how brilliant its artistry, never, ever forget that it is ultimately a video game."
Profoundness is a means to create a sense of quality, but it shouldn't overshadow the gameplay itself. Admittedly, Disco Elysium's lingering artistry and massive amount of text infinitely raise the bar for this game.
But all of this is built on its already solid foundation.
Even setting all that aside, it is still a top-tier, revolutionary detective RPG game.
"Fun and entertaining, that's the top priority."
"Of course."
"Very good, now let's determine the underlying mechanics of the game."
Lin Lixin said, then suddenly turned to look at Lucas.
"By the way, since I'm currently unable to move around easily, I need you to help me find some helpers."
"Who?"
"Painters, I mean... oil painters! Of course, we also need writers, playwrights, historians, psychologists, architects, and a whole bunch of voice actors."
The fact that the complete core spirit of the game doesn't mean they can be lazy during development.
On the contrary, the more this is the case, the more meticulously they need to refine their work.
Gamenova boasts the most experienced art team in the industry.
Whether it's a technical artist, concept artist/illustrator, or UI designer, these positions are open to all.
Gamenova has been continuously expanding and improving its team through its ongoing projects.
Outstanding graduates from top film schools like University of Southern California, along with experts and talents from all walks of life, gathered together for this grand event.
But this time...
This team, however, is difficult to put to good use.
Because the visual style of Disco Elysium is very, very unique.
It would be difficult to find another similar work in the entire gaming industry.