Chapter 861: Game Production During Saturday Storms I
April 17th, Saturday.
The chime of the Elffire City meteorological station clock struck six. Elara, her face pale in the pre-dawn gloom, slammed her fist on the worn mahogany desk. "Gods," she breathed, eyes glued to the barometer’s plummeting needle. Outside, the city, usually a tapestry of rosy sunrise hues, was swallowed whole by a bruised, slate-grey sky. Thick, heavy clouds, low and menacing, pressed down like a suffocating blanket, blotting out even the faintest hint of light. Raindrops, fat and cold, began to drum a frantic rhythm against the windowpanes, a relentless tattoo mirroring the frantic beat of Elara’s heart. "The low-pressure system is gaining speed, faster than predicted," she muttered, her voice barely audible above the growing tempest. "Prepare the warnings. This isn’t just a storm; it’s a Level 2 Thunderstorm."
As a modern city of the Sakura Abode Country, Elffire City had the structure necessary to take a storm of this caliber without affecting the lives of its citizens. For example, the city didn’t even need to worry about street floods due to a poor drainage system. That was because Sakura Abode Country had a drainage system that was decades ahead of the rest of the world. So, no matter what level of thunderstorm came, the drainage system could handle it. Only if a Maelstrom or Tornado hit would the drainage system fail, as no one could fight Nature’s Forces of this level.
At precisely 7:30 AM, the sky opened up, unleashing a torrent of rain. It wasn’t a gentle shower; this was a deluge, a relentless downpour of icy water driven by a ferocious wind that howled like a banshee. Visibility plummeted, the world shrinking to a blurry grey expanse less than 500 meters across. The air itself seemed to crackle with the storm’s raw power.
The tempest raged throughout the morning, transforming streets into white expanses that cars could barely see ahead. Low-lying areas, usually quiet and peaceful, became inundated, their sidewalks swallowed by rushing water. In Elffire City, the storm’s impact was felt acutely. Mrs. Elara Thistlewick, her meticulously planned garden now a soggy mess, fought back a rising tide of frustration. Her carefully arranged tulips lay prostrate under the deluge. With a sigh that could be heard over the wind’s roar, she began the grim task of moving potted plants to higher ground, her usually cheerful demeanor replaced by a determined frown.
Across the street, Mr. Silas Oakwood, a man known for his impassivity, watched the storm from his sun-drenched living room, a mug of steaming tea warming his hands. He appeared serenely detached, his gaze fixed on the rain-lashed trees outside. But behind the mask of calm, a subtle unease stirred; the sheer ferocity of the storm, its unnatural intensity, prickled at the edges of his composure.
The storm showed no sign of abating as the day wore on. Although the city’s drainage system was almighty, floods weren’t the only type of emergency that could happen during a Thunderstorm. Emergency services were overwhelmed with calls: cars hydroplaning on slick roads, basements flooding, roofs leaking, roofs being blown away by the wind, people falling on the slippery streets, and many others.
But even with a storm raging in Elffire City, some workplaces still opened for business that Saturday. The majority of them opened because the bosses didn’t want to miss a day of work.
But there was one company that opened because the employees were so focused on their jobs that they couldn’t let a ’simple rain’ stop their important work.
Genesis Games Studio, Elffire City.
It has been two weeks since they started working on the first game of the studio. As a new studio with new employees, everyone wanted to show service with good work. Thus, they worked tirelessly on the game production.
But for us to understand how these people worked, we have to understand how games are created.
First of all, the [Nier: Automata] game that Theo wanted to create was a AAA Game.
AAA video games are produced by major publishers and sprawling studios, and stand in stark contrast to their humbler counterparts. Indie and AA titles, with their comparatively modest financial resources and leaner development crews, occupy a different sphere entirely. AAA games, however, boast lavish production values; breathtaking visuals, captivating sound design, and exceptional voice performances elevate them to cinematic experiences. Their colossal marketing pushes and extensive teams further solidify their dominance within the gaming landscape.
But with Theo’s conditions, he could push his game to be an AAA game, even if it was the first game of the studio.
But how to create a game of this magnitude?
Creating a AAA game is a complex and intricate process, and Theo was well aware of the challenges that lay ahead. The first step was to assemble a talented and diverse team with a range of skills, from programming and art to writing and design. The studio scoured the industry for the best talent, bringing together a group of passionate individuals who shared Theo’s vision.
When Theo had Sam hire the employees for the studio, he gave her a few qualities and skills that they should have, so the first phase of gathering the team wasn’t hard for Theo.
Phase one transcended mere team assembly; its primary objective was the meticulous crafting of the game’s concept. This foundational stage entailed several crucial steps. Firstly, a comprehensive high-level vision was established, pinpointing the game’s genre, ideal player base, and key differentiators – the elements that would set it apart from the competition. Simultaneously, the narrative architecture took shape, encompassing story, lore, and a richly detailed game world. Next, the core gameplay mechanics were defined, identifying the central loop that would drive player engagement – whether exploration, combat, or crafting, or a compelling blend thereof. Finally, a rigorous feasibility analysis was conducted, scrutinizing technical hurdles, market dynamics, and budgetary constraints. This process culminated in the creation of a comprehensive design document, a veritable "game bible," serving as the unshakeable cornerstone for all subsequent development choices.
Second Phase, Pre-production, the pivotal second phase, commenced after concept approval. This crucial groundwork involved meticulous prototyping—crafting miniature, playable iterations to rigorously assess both enjoyment and feasibility. Simultaneously, technical architects selected the optimal game engine, development tools, and target platforms. The artistic vision materialized through the creation of evocative concept art, comprehensive style guides, and mood boards, establishing a compelling visual identity. In tandem, comprehensive game design and technical design documents were meticulously crafted, providing blueprints for development. Finally, a robust schedule and detailed budget were established, setting clear milestones and allocating resources strategically. The ultimate objective: to mitigate substantial risks before full-scale development commenced.
Third Phase, The production phase—the most extensive and demanding stage—followed. Here, the game truly came to life. Game designers diligently implemented levels, quests, and core gameplay systems. The artistic team meticulously brought the world to life, generating detailed 3D models, textures, environments, and compelling character animations, supplemented by stunning visual effects. Programmers diligently translated design into code, building the intricate systems driving gameplay mechanics, AI, networking, and the user interface. Audio professionals breathed life into the experience through professional voice recordings, an original score, and immersive sound effects. Throughout, continuous iterative testing and refinement, fueled by internal feedback, ensured a polished product. Large-scale productions, particularly AAA titles, demanded a symphony of coordinated efforts across multiple specialized teams, requiring exceptional project management to maintain flawless synchronization.
Phase four, the crucial testing period, rigorously scrutinized the game’s readiness. A multifaceted process, it involved exhaustive bug eradication—eliminating crashes, anomalies, and performance bottlenecks. Meticulous balancing ensured a challenging yet fair gameplay experience, finely tuning difficulty and pacing. Extensive compatibility assessments verified seamless operation across the intended hardware platforms. Finally, comprehensive playtesting, incorporating feedback from dedicated testers, pinpointed areas demanding further refinement. The inherent complexity of AAA titles often extended this phase for several months, sometimes concurrently with the final stages of development.
Phase five, the launch, marked the culmination of immense effort. Upon achieving stringent quality benchmarks, the game commenced its journey to market. A synchronized marketing blitz, encompassing captivating trailers, engaging demos, targeted press outreach, strategic influencer collaborations, and a pervasive social media presence, generated considerable anticipation. Distribution channels included both physical copies for consoles and PCs, and digital distribution across major online platforms. Even then, a final day-one patch addressed any unforeseen glitches detected immediately prior to release. The success of this launch hinged upon the seamless orchestration of development, marketing, and publishing teams, a testament to their coordinated expertise.
With all of this explained, we can understand the long road that Theo and his Game Studio had to walk to produce an excellent AAA game.
Knowing that, in which step was our protagonist after two weeks of production?