Chapter Summaries

Lin Lixin abandoned MEMS-based steering controls and used 3D printing to prototype a purely mechanical steering wheel attachment for the NX controller. Gerald recognized that the device converted the joystick’s side-to-side movement into rotation.

• Lin Lixin decided to make a purely mechanical controller attachment after MEMS microelectromechanics failed to solve the problem.
• Lin Lixin visited Charles Hull at 3D Systems and invested in the company’s SLA rapid-prototyping technology.
• Lin Lixin examined the SLA-250 and called Carmack to arrange work on NovaEngine’s support for STL files.
• Lin Lixin returned to GAMENOVA with a resin-printed attachment and clipped it onto the controller’s joystick.
• Gerald realized the attachment used a gear, toothed rack, and finger rings to turn joystick movement into rotation.

Lin Lixin resolved GAMENOVA’s racing-game controller problem with simple plastic steering-wheel attachments and arranged production in time for NOVA Kart’s Christmas release. Vincent secretly bought NOVA Kart and steering wheels to give his mother for her birthday, then wrote a wish to Santa.

• Lin Lixin showed Gerald how a toothed rack could turn a controller into a steering wheel and asked him to prepare small and large versions for production.
• GAMENOVA announced that NOVA Kart would release on Christmas Day, just as children’s Christmas wishes were being featured in the media.
• Vincent asked Hunter for advice on a birthday present for his mother, and Hunter suggested preordering NOVA Kart.
• On Christmas Day, Vincent received the game and two steering wheels, then hid them and wrapped them as gifts for his family.
• Vincent wrote, “Dear Santa, I wish-” at his desk.

Vincent celebrated Christmas with his family, receiving a NovaPocket and games from his parents before they played Nova Kart together. Emma and Vincent began racing while Kent left to visit Vincent’s uncle.

• Vincent opened Emma’s gift and discovered a NovaPocket, then opened Kent’s gift to find several game cartridges.
• Vincent gave Kent a medal calling him the best dad and gave Emma a Nova Kart disc and steering wheel kit.
• Kent and Emma realized they had bought a duplicate copy of Nova Kart that Kent had planned to put in Vincent’s stocking.
• Kent left under the pretense of visiting Vincent’s uncle so Emma and Vincent could play the two-player game.
• Emma explained the engine classes, and Vincent chose 50cc before picking Arcanine while Emma picked Guile.

Emma and Vincent played GAMENOVA’s new 3D racing game, Nova Kart, with Emma winning race after race while Vincent enjoyed the game despite losing. Vincent thanked his mother for the Christmas present, and his journal revealed that he planned to give Hunter the second copy of Nova Kart.

• Emma and Vincent raced in Nova Kart, using its steering wheel peripheral and competing against AI racers.
• Emma mastered the track and repeatedly beat Vincent, even as the game gave him stronger items when he fell behind.
• Vincent told Emma that Nova Kart was the best Christmas present he had ever received and said he wanted her to be happy.
• Emma hugged Vincent but refused his request to let him win a race.
• Vincent wrote that he was grateful to GAMENOVA for the game and planned to give Hunter his second copy of Nova Kart.

Lin Lixin reviewed Nova Kart’s strong sales and inspected the NovaSwift handheld prototype, then decided it needed a launch game. He summoned Christopher to headquarters and named Hill Climb Racing as the first project in a planned physics trilogy.

• Lin Lixin saw that Nova Kart had sold over eight million copies in its first week and told Sam there was no need to rush Ubisoft’s track data back.
• Lin Lixin examined the elite steering wheel designs and asked Gerald to look for ways to improve them.
• Lin Lixin inspected Gerald’s working NovaSwift prototype and learned that Vivian’s NAND production line had reached commercially viable yields.
• Lin Lixin decided NovaSwift needed a launch title and called Christopher to bring him three projects at headquarters.
• Lin Lixin named his planned series the Physics Trilogy and wrote Hill Climb Racing on the development department’s whiteboard.

Lin Lixin proposed Climbhillracing, a stripped-down casual racing game for NovaSwift built around vehicle customization rather than the demanding features of Rock N' Roll Racing. He explained the approach by composing a deliberately even, seamless piano loop, and Kojima recognized that it was designed to repeat without a noticeable beginning or end.

• Will questioned why NovaSwift's launch game was another racing title, and Lin Lixin said it would be unlike the company's previous racing games, though it shared a feature with Rock N' Roll Racing.
• Lin Lixin used the arcade cabinet's vehicle customization screen to explain that he wanted to build a casual game around that feature.
• Carmack worried that NovaSwift could not handle a port of Rock N' Roll Racing, but Lin Lixin clarified that he was not adding features and instead wanted to subtract unnecessary demands.
• Lin Lixin said the game needed neither 3D graphics nor high-resolution textures or elaborate music, then played a simple, soothing melody on the piano.
• Kojima recognized that Lin Lixin had composed the piece with an even rhythm and no obvious climax or ending so it could loop seamlessly.

Lin Lixin explained how minimalist controls, unobtrusive music, and clear feedback could help players enter a state of flow in Hill Climb Racing. Sam realized that Tetris had given him that same immersion from the beginning, and he reaffirmed that he would always choose to play it.

• Lin Lixin described flow theory and explained how Hill Climb Racing could use clear goals, immediate feedback, and simple controls to keep players immersed.
• Lin Lixin argued that casual games should strip away unnecessary elements so players could focus on the controls and forget everyday distractions.
• Sam recognized Tetris as the game that had first made him lose himself in play.
• Sam recalled playing Tetris at Lin Lixin's room and said he would make the same choice again, even after hundreds or thousands of restarts.

Lin Lixin assigned Christopher to build an accurate 2D physics engine for Hill Climb Racing while GAMENOVA prepared to release its new handheld, the NovaSwift. A massive advertising campaign introduced the $139 16-bit system and left players eager for its launch.

• Lin Lixin explained that Hill Climb Racing required precise collision detection and assigned Christopher to develop a custom 2D physics engine.
• In January 1988, GAMENOVA began a major advertising campaign for the NovaSwift ahead of its release.
• Emma watched a NovaSwift advertisement showcasing its four-inch screen, simple controls, and compatibility with NovaPocket cartridges.
• The advertisement taunted Nintendo with the slogan “SWIFT DOES WHAT Nintendont” and announced the handheld’s $139 price.
• GAMENOVA promoted a NovaSwift launch title personally crafted by Lin Lixin and spent $30 million on publicity.

Robert learned that the NovaSwift was difficult to buy, then purchased Sean’s spare for Yuli at a premium. After trying Hill Climb Racing, he was impressed by the console’s fast loading and simple controls.

• Robert worried whether Yuli would like Hill Climb Racing and asked Sean about the NovaSwift.
• Sean explained that the console was backordered and revealed he had a spare unit.
• Robert bought Sean’s NovaSwift for $200 and planned to give it to Yuli.
• Robert turned on the console, was impressed by its fast loading, and examined Hill Climb Racing’s simple controls.

Robert completed the tutorial and began playing the racing game, while Lin Lixin’s design subtly guided his attention and motivation. After upgrading his engine, Robert made his first run and decided to keep playing to earn more coins.

• Robert crashed his little red car off the tutorial cliff, then restarted and completed the tutorial after braking in time.
• Lin Lixin’s tutorial design used the failure to refocus Robert’s attention and draw him toward the game.
• Robert explored the menus, upgraded his engine to level 5, and saw that later upgrades and stages offered clear goals.
• Robert started a run, found that his upgraded engine made the car much more powerful, and nearly lost control without enough traction.
• Robert traveled almost 500 meters, checked his results, and prepared to start another run for more coins.

Robert became so absorbed in Hill Climb Racing that he lost an entire afternoon, then went to buy a Nintendo Switch and caught Sean placing an order. At GAMENOVA, Sam celebrated the NovaSwift’s success while Lin Lixin focused on promoting Zork Idle, expanding the Nintendo Switch lineup, and checking on Chief Qiao.

• Robert struggled through repeated Hill Climb Racing runs until the accountant’s visit revealed that he had spent the whole afternoon playing.
• Robert went to the game store to buy a Nintendo Switch and found Sean there with a completed order form; the next day, Sean received a promotion.
• Sam celebrated the NovaSwift’s sales of over ten million units in its first month and praised Lin Lixin for Hill Climb Racing’s success.
• Lin Lixin told Sam to prepare publicity for the upcoming Zork Idle port, noting that the NovaSwift could help reach players who had never heard of the game.
• Lin Lixin said Activision should begin porting NB games to the Nintendo Switch, with Blizzard Studio helping, and planned to check on Chief Qiao.

Lin Lixin examined Steve Jobs's powerful but expensive NeXT Computer and challenged Jobs to explain why customers would buy it. Jobs left the meeting disappointed, but Lin suggested that NEXUS might create the demand the machine needed.

• Jobs showed Lin Lixin the NeXT Computer, equipped with powerful Motorola processors, custom graphics and audio hardware, and a magneto-optical drive.
• Lin Lixin asked how much the workstation would cost and how many Jobs expected to sell; Jobs estimated at least $6,500 and aimed for 20,000 sales.
• Lin Lixin questioned the NeXT Computer's market advantage, noting that customers could choose cheaper machines or add Windows to an IBM-compatible PC.
• Jobs said NeXT had the world's best graphical operating system, but Lin Lixin argued that its features did not justify the high price.
• Lin Lixin reassured Jobs that he wanted to make the computer more necessary by creating demand, and suggested that NEXUS might be able to help.

Lin Lixin explained the World Wide Web to Jobs and showed him Carmack’s working browser demo, built to display webpages using HTML and HTTP. By mid-March, NeXT computers and Neus Browser had gone on sale, and Lin had launched the world’s first website at info.neus.com.

• Lin Lixin explained the World Wide Web, webpages, and websites to Jobs.
• Carmack demonstrated a NeXT workstation program that displayed an HTML page, and Lin identified it as a browser.
• Jobs realized that browsers could make websites accessible across different platforms and saw NeXT as a system suited to creating and deploying them.
• In mid-March, NeXT computers went on sale with Neus Browser, alongside browser versions for floppy disks, NB, and NX.
• Lin Lixin built the world’s first website, which could be accessed on any platform at info.neus.com.

Sean used his new IT position to build Good123, a web directory that helped newcomers find websites, and its traffic quickly drew Lin Lixin’s attention. Lin Lixin arranged for NEXUS to link to Good123, giving the directory a prominent boost.

• Sean persuaded Robert to buy a NeXT computer and software so he could experiment with the World Wide Web.
• After learning HTML, Sean built Good123, a web directory that linked to NEXUS and promoted Robert Medical.
• Sean expanded Good123 with links to websites and placed a prominent Robert Medical sponsorship link on its homepage.
• A week later, Lin Lixin noticed Good123’s rapidly growing traffic and visited the site.
• Lin Lixin told NEXUS to add a Good123 link to its homepage, bringing the directory more exposure.

Lin Lixin prepared to establish the World Wide Web Consortium’s first headquarters at Stanford University and explain the need for open web standards. As he began his speech, Jobs, John Sculley, and Bill Gates sat together in the audience, where Jobs and Sculley argued over Apple’s fortunes.

• Lin Lixin recognized that the World Wide Web had made the internet accessible to ordinary people, but said HTML and HTTP still needed open, standardized documents.
• The W3C gathered at Stanford University for the opening of its first headquarters, and Lin Lixin took the podium without a prepared manuscript.
• Lin Lixin gestured for Jobs to leave backstage and take his reserved seat in the front row.
• Jobs asked John Sculley how Gassée was doing, then challenged Sculley’s claim that Apple’s approach was succeeding.
• Jobs contrasted Apple’s shrinking influence with Microsoft’s growth, while Bill Gates sat beside him and Sculley accused Microsoft of copying the Mac’s design.
• Lin Lixin began speaking after a burst of electrical noise, joking that his game-making career had somehow led him to the podium.

Lin Lixin announced that W3C would make the World Wide Web’s HTML and HTTP standards freely available, then rushed back to GAMENOVA to begin NovaSwift’s next physics game. He chose Cut the Rope and explained to Sam why intuitive physics could make such games appealing, leaving them ready to develop the project.

• Lin Lixin told the conference that W3C would provide complete documentation for HTML and HTTP without fees or barriers, then said he had to return to making games.
• Lin Lixin left Dr. Jim and Jobs at Stanford to handle conference matters and took Carmack back to GAMENOVA headquarters.
• Lin Lixin selected Cut the Rope as NovaSwift’s second game, describing its rope-cutting puzzles, candy, and collectible stars.
• Lin Lixin brought Sam onto the project, and Sam questioned why the game needed physics.
• Lin Lixin agreed that physical phenomena were complex but argued that physics felt natural to people, making physics games appealing.

Lin Lixin built a homemade coin-and-cord game from discarded materials, and he and Sam spent the afternoon playing it. Lin Lixin proposed adding video-game-only mechanics, leaving Sam excited by the possibilities.

• Lin Lixin gathered cardboard, cotton thread, thumbtacks, and tape to build a game while Sam helped.
• Sam reminisced about the years he and Lin Lixin spent tinkering together at their rented place near the University of Southern California.
• Lin Lixin showed Sam how to release cords so a suspended coin would fall into a paper cup, and Sam solved the first level.
• Lin Lixin adjusted the cords and cup to create new levels, and he and Sam spent the afternoon designing and solving them.
• Lin Lixin suggested adding bubbles, air blowers, conveyor belts, and themed worlds to a video-game version, and Sam grew excited about the idea.

Sam arrived at the office eager to show Lin Lixin a cardboard-box level, and Lin proposed building a visual map editor for the Nintendo Switch. They realized players could share custom levels through the console’s communication cable, leaving Lin considering how the feature could drive the game’s popularity.

• Sam spent a restless night thinking about his cardboard-box game and arrived early to show Lin Lixin the level he had made.
• Lin Lixin demonstrated how to arrange the box’s springs and guides, then persuaded Sam to help with development by pointing out his talent for designing levels.
• Lin proposed creating a drag-and-drop visual map editor that would let players design their own levels.
• Sam noted that the Nintendo Switch lacked networking, but Lin pointed out that its communication cable could let players transfer levels between consoles.

Lin Lixin planned a nine-world, 225-level game built around progressive tutorials and open-ended puzzles, then set out to use Om Nom as the basis for its visual style. He decided he needed a very young child as a reference and identified Katherine Schwarzenegger as a possible model.

• Lin Lixin gave Sam the level plan, explaining that the Cardboard Box world would teach players through progressively harder challenges.
• Lin Lixin demonstrated how a single puzzle could have multiple solutions, and Sam recognized the approach as emergent design.
• Lin Lixin left Sam to experiment with the editor while he focused on drawing Om Nom and the game's visual style.
• Vivian arrived with NAND chip research reports and heard Lin Lixin say he wanted a child one or two years old as a reference.
• Lin Lixin spotted a Contra poster behind Vivian, remembered that Arnold Schwarzenegger had a young child, and decided to recruit Katherine Schwarzenegger for her debut.

Lin Lixin designed Om Nom based on Katherine’s babyish features and arranged for Game Freak to develop the character’s animations. He then commissioned Nickelodeon to produce Om Nom Stories and planned to approach candy and fast-food companies to promote the character.

• Lin Lixin sketched Om Nom after observing Katherine, then asked Schwarzenegger to bring her in for voice work.
• Lin Lixin completed Om Nom’s concept art and 3D white model in two days, then assigned the remaining animation work to Game Freak.
• Lin Lixin met Nickelodeon president Laybourne and proposed a live-action and animation hybrid series called Om Nom Stories.
• Laybourne agreed to produce a version of the series for Nickelodeon’s attempt at original programming.
• Lin Lixin left to meet with Jelly Belly and Burger King about candy and kids’ meal partnerships.