Chapter 5: I Didn't Expect You to Make This Kind of Game!
Mirror is a truly unique mini-game. It combines elements of a match-3 puzzle game with RPG elements, complemented by a galgame with different endings. This makes the gameplay quite impressive. As for the puzzle game, it's essentially an extension of the connect-the-dots game, and this world already has this type of game. Furthermore, it's quite popular, so Alex isn't worried about whether this match-3 style will be accepted by players.
Additionally, the appeal of Mirror isn't just the match-3 puzzle game. The rest are the story and the computer-generated illustrations. But Alex wasn't worried about this aspect, because the Jane he remembered possessed a similar talent. Alex himself did, too.
He simply completed a GDD-like setup: a match-3 style with different level paths. After completing this, Alex began to write the story. The first story features a dark elf thief who steals from a lord's vault to help the poor. Unexpectedly, the lord's hidden identity is a demon, and she falls into his hands. As for the later development, players can choose between two paths: True Love or Avenger. The second story follows a general who travels from ancient times to the present day and meets a modern otaku. Due to her time travel, she becomes powerless. The True Love story has two different endings: one naturally happy, and the other darker but moving. In modern times, the otaku commits a crime against the general, and they both travel to ancient times. After a period of companionship, the war is about to be lost, and the otaku, upon having the opportunity to return to the present, chooses to die with the general. Later on, there are also stories about the fate of zombies and dragon riders.
Initially, Alex planned to produce these four stories. The main reason was that he was running out of money. After all, the match-3 game, voice acting, and background music rights would require a considerable amount of money. As for where the money would come from, it was no big deal. A deposit of more than ten thousand dollars was obviously unreliable, but a short-term loan, an online bank loan, and a credit card were more than enough to cover the cost.
The next morning, at Alex's apartment, Jane, armed with her own drawing tablet and laptop, sat beside him, looking at a hand-drawn storyboard and several scripts. A bewildered expression crossed her face.
"I didn't expect you to make this kind of game, Alex!"
"Without a doubt, being a comic artist or game designer is not your true talent. Come draw a comic with me!"
"With your talent and mine, I'm sure we can do it. Many renowned masters have followed the same path, starting as comic artists, building a fanbase, and becoming recognized comic artists."
Jane looked at the materials Alex had hastily prepared overnight and began to explain her strategic plan.
'What a waste! How could so much talent be used to create video games?' After all, her biggest weakness was her lack of storytelling skill. That's why she decided to make a living by creating fanfiction, honing her skills little by little. And now, upon seeing these short stories Alex had created, they were simply incredible. They featured elements of pure love, revenge, and reincarnation.
Alex's lips twitched upon hearing Jane's exclamation. "Thank you for the compliment, but forget it," Alex said politely.
"Alright, now, Jane, you'll create an illustration according to the request. However, unlike the comic format, everything needs to be colored and with more details."
"Of course, the story doesn't need to be visual; it's mainly narrated through dialogue," Alex told Jane.
"I get it. Detailing the illustrations and highlighting the charm of the female characters is like turning each one into a fanfiction cover. Don't worry, I'm very professional at this!" Jane said cheerfully.
"Yes, that sounds good." Alex nodded and took a deep breath. "If that's okay with you, we start today!"
Jane smiled slightly, gave a thumbs-up, and opened the corresponding software.
The development of Mirror was much smoother than Alex had expected. Other less important artistic resources were largely outsourced. The four initial provisional characters are the dark elf, the dragon girl, the general, and the adorable zombie girl. As for the music, Alex could do it himself. But it would be a laborious task and he didn't have the money. Buying a license would be much simpler and more direct.
The rest was the voice acting. The background music could be used as is. But the two key areas that couldn't be skimped on were the standalone illustrations and the voice acting. These two aspects were Mirror's two most crucial core elements.
"Hmm, perfect! But it needs some revisions."
Alex couldn't help but be amazed by the illustrations Jane had just finished. In his previous life, he was also not a stranger to the video game industry. He had met and exchanged ideas with some of the most important figures in the industry at conferences. Naturally, he knew a thing or two about art. He had known some of the most notable concept designers from his previous life, such as Yang Qi, who worked on God of War, Naruki Soejima from the Persona series, and Tetsuya Nomura, the concept artist for Tifa in Final Fantasy VII. Alex had also thoroughly studied the designs of these renowned figures in his previous life.
But when it came to character design, Jane really impressed Alex. Her talent should not be underestimated! Of course, she also had her flaws. After all, art in video games was different from comics. Even the illustrations in games for girls were different from those in comics.
"Really? It's quite different from fan fiction." Upon hearing Alex's words, Jane seemed lost in thought.
"Well, even in a visual novel, the core illustrations are completely different from those in comics." Alex nodded slightly and told Jane.
Inside the rented house, Alex and Jane discussed some key points. Currently, the game is practically finished. Only the voice acting is missing. For this kind of beautiful girl game, voice acting is a relatively important part. As for the proportion of funds for this part, it is one of the highest in the entire game. Of course Alex doesn't plan to voice the entire process, as that would be a budget killer. Dubbing some of the most important lines is enough.
And the male protagonist of each story? Is voice acting appropriate? Of course not!
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