NOVEL NEXT Chapter 88
There was a reason why the genre of *Chronicle Connect*, originally a turn-based bushmaze game prior to the regression, was changed to an open-world direction.
That reason stemmed from two drawbacks often labeled as the game’s inherent limitations.
The first drawback lay squarely in the combat system.
It wasn’t just part of the system that was problematic; the combat system itself was the issue.
True to its roots as a game that piggybacked on the trend of auto-play-oriented and light-hearted bushmaze games, the combat content in *Chronicle Connect* was extremely basic.
SD characters would bicker with miniature monsters and occasionally use skills.
It was, in short, the epitome of bushmaze games, where players couldn’t even choose their skill targets.
This kind of combat system initially resonated with players during the early days of service, but as time went on, it became a critical factor that, in conjunction with the second drawback, led to the game’s downfall.
The second drawback was the inadequacy of content, especially clan battles.
To overcome the lack of depth in combat typical of bushmaze games, *Chronicle Connect* should have offered a variety of non-combat content. However, it had none of that.
While the guild battles at the game’s final stage performed decently, they were insufficient to satisfy player needs. In the end, this lack of variety led to a mass exodus of users.
While the start of the mass exodus could be attributed to the release of meta-breaking characters, nonetheless, given these significant flaws, the decision was made not to tread the same path and instead change the genre to an open-world game.
Open world would solve all the contradictions and limits currently faced by *Chronicle Connect*.
The expansive content inherent to open-world games combined with the action-oriented advantages of ARPGs could compensate for all the shortcomings of *Chronicle Connect*.
Moreover, thanks to the collaboration with Hwayang Games, the 3D developers within our company had become incredibly proficient.
Ultimately, choosing the open-world genre was inevitable.
As the heavens had granted us an opportunity, we had no choice but to try our best.
***
Recently, a rumor began to spread across the *Reverse Arcadia* community.
The rumor was that Enson GT was developing a new game.
[Nickname: Anonymous]
[Title: Is Enson GT Preparing a New Game Right Now?]
[Enson GT Official Website Recruitment Board Screenshot]
They’re really hiring a lot of people right now, wow.
Just for planning alone, they’re looking for system, content, level, and balance designers.
Most notably, positions like 3D animators and rigging artists don’t have much use in *Reverse Arcadia*;
Furthermore, the heavy recruitment for background artists hints at meddling with open-world stuff…
At any rate, is Enson GT going to deliver something interesting once again?
[Comment List][Registered Order]
– Open world in mobile games is just madness lol
– Even with Enson GT, open-world on mobile is a stretch
– Nonetheless, they seem to be aiming for a properly 3D modeled game. Wild.
– Any other info?
Anonymous: Enson GT has a tendency to release information a bit late, so there’s not much out yet.
As I was lurking on the community page waiting for Yui in front of the company dormitory, I couldn’t help but sigh.
“Really, these guys are ridiculous…”
Granted, I had anticipated they would eventually figure it out since we weren’t recruiting under wraps, but it still surprised me that within half a day of posting the job ads, they were already onto it.
While scanning through the bustling community page due to the recent post, I heard someone calling my name from beside me.
Turning around, I saw Yui standing there, ready, with a quiet gaze fixed on me.
“What were you looking at? You didn’t even notice me coming closer.”
“Oh, I was just browsing our game community.”
“Community? Do you also lurk on the community?”
“Of course. It’s perfect for gauging public sentiment. Doesn’t SAINGAMES?”
At her question, Yui nodded with her usual expression.
“Community opinion is considered so trivial that it only causes harm during development, and some teams outright ban looking through it.”
“Phew…”
Every time I learn something about SAINGAMES’ internal culture, I understand a bit more why they’ve been trailing us.
Completely rigid.
Anyway, after reaching a brand-new project office on the floor above the RA Studio with Yui for her first day, we realized that because the expected number of developers to be added was over one hundred fifty, we couldn’t place the new office within the same level as RA Studio.
After Yui and I entered the CC Studio, I could see the gathered team members.
There were Yerin and Yena, Yumi, Taeseon, and finally, Senior Chae-young.
The team looked identical to the key members of *Reverse Arcadia*, except for one person.
Ideally, Yoonseol would have been part of the transfer, but considering that Yui was set to handle both production and planning for this project, it couldn’t be helped.
Still, passing the directorship to Yoonseol should eliminate any major issues.
Anyhow, I gathered the team who were settling into their individual workstations and introduced Yui.
“Alright, this is Yui Ishikawa. She’ll be the main producer for the new project. Yui, would you like to introduce yourself?”
Nodding to my invitation, Yui took a step back to make room as she began her introduction.
“Hello. My name is Yui Ishikawa. Today is my first day here. I worked at SAINGAMES before transferring to Enson GT. Please take care of me.”
Despite her introduction being in well-pronounced Japanese, there was no disruption.
It’s impossible to work in a subculture mobile game company without knowing Japanese.
During my brief moment of thought, they were already exchanging questions and answers in Japanese among themselves.
I had been bracing worst-case scenarios – if Yui couldn’t adapt and returned to Japan, causing the project to get stuck – but, seeing her now, I felt that concern was unnecessary.
At any rate, the much-anticipated Chronicle Connect project, shortened to CC Project, began.
***
As the CC Project commenced, I was able to clearly gauge just how efficiently *Girls’ Memorial* and *Reverse Arcadia* had been developed.
The development team for the above-mentioned games rarely exceeded eighty people.
Especially comparing it to the GM Project that started with twenty people, the CC Project was like a true beast.
A massive project with over 200 developers and artists alone.
Fortunately, my previous experience leading such large-scale projects at NDSoft before the regression allowed for quick adaptation.
Without that regression memory, the amount of toil required would’ve been unimaginable.
But as the momentum of the project accelerated through the scheduling of over 200 members, the key benefits began to unfold.
That being the development speed.
Even with the full-3D open-world game, the speed of development was akin to that of *Reverse Arcadia*.
Every morning brought a flood of character and building models needing final confirmation.
Certainly, the models currently in progress were of lower importance, such as the mobs and general residential areas, but even accounting for that, their production speed was like a tsunami.
Seeing this speed surpass even my pre-project expectations, I made one decision:
To maximize the use of these models.
Although development was still at the initial stages, making a playable preview seemed impossible, but putting together a simple promotional video seemed plausible.
***
Three months after the rumor of Enson GT’s new game development emerged, an unexpected video was uploaded to the company’s YouTube channel.
Titled “Beginning,” when users clicked out of curiosity, a monochrome screen greeted them.
A monochrome screen without any explanations, or catchy BGMs for that matter.
This then transitioned into the view of a white room, into which a woman stepped.
It was Aina, the artificial intelligence character from *Chronicle Connect*, sporting neatly braided white hair cascading over her shoulder and clear blue eyes.
[Finally, we meet again, adventurer. I’ve been waiting for you.]
[Once more, your story begins. Leave buried the good and bad, the joy, and pain of the past.]
[Since I don’t have much time to elaborate, I only have one piece of advice: take whatever path you desire.]
[Because your life belongs to you.]
As her speech concluded, the screen transformed to reveal glimpses of the protagonist of *Chronicle Connect* immersed within the landscapes of the Arpeggio Continent.
The protagonist kneeling before a throne to report an adventure.
The protagonist completing a quest in the Sentinel Kingdom, inhabited solely by beastmen, and receiving a token of friendship.
Other scenes included the protagonist exploring swamps and snowy peaks, aiding a priest on a pilgrimage mission, and more.
The video concluded with the image of the protagonist’s guild house, one of the main stages of *Chronicle Connect*.
Enson GT’s video, declaring their intention to develop a full 3D open-world game, sent ripples through the gaming industry.
Only 40 seconds long, yet it caused enough of a stir in the gaming world.
Until then, open world games were considered exclusive to PC games.
This was still an era where the idea of developing a mobile game in the open world genre was unimaginable.
Thus, numerous industry insiders criticized it as reckless or deemed the video a scam, impossible to transplant to mobile.
However, as there are critical eyes, there are also appreciative ones.
Hiroki Otonase, the main director of Enzen and one of the legendary directors responsible for the open-world genre in *Reign*, watched the Enson GT video and marveled.
“This…is a powerhouse.”