Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Crafting a Legendary Idle Game
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Selig was making waves around the world, but at that very moment, a small game company in South Korea was swamped with work, barely able to catch a breath.
In the midst of it all, every developer involved had gathered in the conference room for a heated debate.
"To stand out from the competition, we need something uniquely ours."
"And what's that supposed to be?"
"Well, that's..."
Oh Kwang-soo, Kim Han-cheol, Director Han, and the others.
Even the employees dubbed elites within the company looked deeply troubled.
"Alright, everyone, let's calm down."
Sitting at the head of the table, I decided to tackle this issue first.
The game we were making this time was another idle game.
But we all agreed to add a fresh system unlike anything before.
The problem was, while we'd benchmarked various games to find that fresh twist, they all focused on monetization rather than gameplay.
In the end, none of them meshed with our vision.
"First off, graphics are the priority."
One key to a successful game: graphics.
Unlike the past, with today's advanced tech, it shouldn't be a huge hurdle if we used a solid engine and invested properly.
But.
Was this really an era where great graphics guaranteed success?
I was confident it wasn't.
Google rankings showed defense games boasting pixel art dominating the top spots.
"So, Mr. Kim Han-cheol and Director Han, you're saying we should amp up the graphics?"
Kim Han-cheol stood up to represent their side.
"Yes. Idle games have come a long way graphically compared to before. Not on par with MMORPGs, of course, but you can see the improvement in recent releases."
"Hmm, fair point."
On the other hand, there was opposition.
From Oh Kwang-soo.
"I see it differently. Idle games attract a lot of female players, who prefer cute, charming elements over flashy graphics. Plus, heat generation is a big issue for idle games, and we've already prioritized that in our prototype. Better graphics won't give us much edge."
"Why's that?"
Oh Kwang-soo was famous in the office.
While others napped during breaks or lunch, he'd pull out his smartphone and play competitors' games.
Noting down any standout ideas along the way.
"Idle games are a dime a dozen now. The successful ones had a unique flavor all their own—not secondary stuff like graphics. Some featured wildly creative monsters players never saw coming, others crafted their own OSTs to treat players' ears."
"OST, huh..."
A few iconic games from the 2000s gained fame through their soundtracks.
Storm, Ragnarok Online, TalesRunner, to name a few.
They had solid gameplay, but their music was unforgettable. Some YouTube uploads had racked up over 5 million views.
The cool touch of the fan under my fingertips felt familiar as it spun in my hand.
What to do?
It was solid advice.
Since we're investing anyway, why not create our own signature soundtrack?
For that, we'd need an orchestra.
My mind was leaning that way. Just as I thought leaving a nostalgic OST memory would be worthwhile.
But how elaborate should we go?
"How about something operatic?"
"...Pardon?"
"R-Representative? Opera? That's..."
What else? Just hire them.
Picture this.
Players launch Starlight's next title.
From the main screen, majestic music swells.
First impressions matter in relationships, right?
This grand soundtrack would add real fun.
"Let's hire a famous orchestra known for Japanese console OSTs. No major concerts on their schedule right now, from what I know."
"That'll cost a fortune."
Director Han objected, practically fainting.
Yeah, it wouldn't be cheap.
But this game, based on Kang So-yeon's novel, deserved to be legendary.
Personal ambition, probably.
"Don't worry about the budget. This launch isn't about profits. I want rave reviews for gameplay over monetization."
"..."
"We'll need composers too. I'll scout some promising talent here in Korea. Oh, and how's the damage calculation coming?"
Another crucial point.
If damage hits slower than players perceive, it'll ruin the experience. Dodge successfully, but still take damage? Total buzzkill.
"Real-time judgment system, as expected."
"Good. No recognition errors allowed."
"Noted, sir."
Boss monsters needing control would flash those infamous 'AoE zones.'
Red circles marking damage areas—step in, and your character eats it.
Dodge 'em to survive.
The grueling two-hour meeting wrapped up.
We ironed out several issues.
But deep down, I still felt 2% short. Why this nagging emptiness?
An ocean of void.
A colorless sky.
That captured my mood perfectly.
"Something's still missing."
To make our idle game truly unique, we needed fresh events.
Then it hit me.
"What if we embed mini-games inside the game?"
"Mini-games?"
Blank stares all around.
Games within games? Unheard of, apparently.
"You know simple ones—Tetris, Minesweeper... Score-based rankings."
"!"
Once the dam broke, ideas poured.
Game not out yet, so slap 'em on the homepage as events.
Keep it simple, test the waters.
"Sound good?"
"..."
Thud!
Jaws dropped as I finished.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The president of Internet Broadcasting.
A former pro Starcraft player who loved games.
Streamer Jin-seong fired up his broadcast to tackle Starlight's hot mini-game.
"Hey everyone, good to see you. Gonna play that game everyone's buzzing about today—cool with that?"
💬 Live Chat — Viewer1 Oh! That one? — Viewer2 That one's tough... — Viewer3 The mini-game on Starlight's homepage? — Viewer4 Is it fun tho? — Viewer5 Yeah it's fun. Unique mechanics for a mini-game. Rules were simple.
A character climbs skyward, earning points the higher it goes.
Rack up enough for a ranking spot.
Easy rules, but escalating obstacles at height made it tricky.
"Let's dive in."
Already infamous in communities, Jin-seong had watched others and played smoothly.
— Viewer1 Oh, oh! — Viewer2 Pro is pro! — Viewer3 What's #1 score now? — Viewer4 1.7 mil? Something like that. — Viewer5 Insane. Did they play for 10 hours straight? — Viewer6 Yep. My 350k took 4 hours. — Viewer7 Wait, how's 1.7 mil only 10 hours? — Viewer8 Points per time skyrocket higher up. — Viewer9 Ah, so just climb high = honey? — Viewer10 LOL easy to say. Jin-seong micro'd around obstacles. The character was a diapered baby rocketing up, dodging household junk or massive dump-truck-like barriers.
"Uh, uh, uh?"
— Viewer1 Gasp! — Viewer2 What the hell? — Viewer3 An apartment falling?! — Viewer4 ROFLMAO x100 — Viewer5 50 games in and first time seeing that... Game over.
Jin-seong, smashed by the apartment, stared at the glaring red text in sage mode.
"This is brutal. How'd anyone hit 1.7 mil? Some superhuman?"
— Viewer1 Not easy. — Viewer2 Needs luck too. — Viewer3 Hacks? — Viewer4 No way, legit. — Viewer5 Saw a streamer hit 1.2 mil live. Skill + luck. — Viewer6 Apartment = GG? — Viewer7 Nah, tiny gap on the right. — Viewer8 Rebar gap fits the character. — Viewer9 Yeah, but speed leaves no time. Jin-seong got fired up.
Not just for fun.
Starlight dangled prizes for top 3 rankings.
1st – Mercedes E-Class (fully loaded)
2nd – European trip voucher
3rd – Massive screen TV
Lavish rewards.
Especially that Benz—over 100 million won market value.
Viewers had no choice but to grind.
Jin-seong's dad's birthday loomed; he'd agonized over a gift.
Starlight's event decided it.
Snag 1st, gift the Benz to Dad.
'Heh heh heh...'
All-nighters from today.
But.
— Viewer1 PFFFT! — Viewer2 LMAO he's trash at this. — Viewer3 First run luck? Dying at 5,517 pts is a first. — Viewer4 Tougher than it looks. Benz makes sense for #1. — Viewer5 Starlight's generous, but not that generous. — Viewer6 Wish I get #1. Dream's a foreign whip. — Viewer7 Start grinding. Event's a month long. — Viewer8 Sigh, who's that 1.7 mil beast? Jin-seong gritted his teeth, rolled his shoulders, relaxed.
"Viewers, entering no-sleep mode from today."
— Viewer1 ! — Viewer2 ! — Viewer3 ! 67,000 viewers online.
He declared his iron resolve before them.
"Won't go home till I claim #1. Can't! Gotta drive that Benz."
Unexpected long-form content, with a heartfelt hook.
"Boo-hoo, my dad's dream is riding in a Benz."
— Viewer1 Just buy it yourself lol. — Viewer2 Agreed, Bubble Gifts alone cover it. — Viewer3 Nah, earning via effort hits different... — Viewer4 Month of grind for prize vs. straight cash? Effort matters. Staring at the monitor, Jin-seong's eyes widened.
A week had flown by grinding the mini-game.
Energy drinks piled by the desk.
Half-eaten lunches, cup ramen husks.
In the messy room, he chanted like sutras.
Praying for a new record.
And miracle struck.
🏆 NEW RECORD! 🏆 [1,275,164 points] Unbelievable score broadcast live.
— Viewer1 Huh? — Viewer2 What? — Viewer3 WTF was that?! No one saw it coming.
Pounding heart.
Trembling eyes like aspen leaves.
Tears finally blurred his vision.
"Fi-finally... the top is in sight!!!"
#1 was just 430k points away.