Game Director from Hell

Chapter 6: Easter Egg

Seorim's question was a problem that had been answered from the moment the production was decided.

What I'm making is a horror game.

The setting is in the heart of a living hell where screams never cease, and there is no escape.

If the player character becomes a prisoner, we become the victims of misfortune.

Following the conventions of classic horror, we'd have to flee from enemies we can't defeat, and that would induce fear in such situations.

However, the stress from horror is by no means an experience the mainstream audience would enjoy.

Ultimately, it would be highly vulnerable in terms of popularity, and that would not bode well for the future of game development.

So, let's take a different approach.

Think about it. How would the game change if the player's perspective shifted?

"...The protagonist is the warden?"

"Yes."

"The monster is the protagonist?"

"You understood that well."

"Is that possible?"

"It is."

It couldn't be otherwise.

This concept had already been proven.

Basically, humans are designed to take pleasure in others' misfortunes.

To put it simply, your unhappiness equates to my happiness.

Despite the many voices crying out that this is morally wrong, well, if we look beyond the mask of morality, it's a fact that humans are inherently ready to take pleasure in others' miseries.

There's a very simple example, isn't there?

We laugh when celebrities undergo punishments and suffer.

In a drama, when the villain meets a miserable end, we feel a sense of satisfaction.

Thinking along those lines, this wasn't all that different.

For the sake of easy understanding, I asked Seorim a question.

"Let's say, for example, you have to choose between being the one hitting someone and being the one getting hit. Which would you pick?"

"...I'd probably be the one hitting. I wouldn't want to be hit."

"Let's say you have to choose between scaring someone and being scared. Which would you choose?"

"...Ah."

Seorim sighed.

It seemed she had grasped the idea.

I nodded and said, "This game is about hunting prisoners. The protagonist is a rookie warden who recently entered this hell. Players will learn the job of a warden and grow through that experience. They'll become strong enough to punish prisoners and find enjoyment in that process."

Rather than focusing on character attribute growth... yes, it would be better to acquire new torture tools and use them in innovative ways to subdue prisoners.

That would resonate more intuitively with the character of a warden.

Amid this, Seorim asked a question.

"Still, is it okay? Is there anyone who would openly admit to enjoying tormenting someone? Even if they try to enjoy it, they might feel repulsed."

That's a good question.

No one would openly admit to enjoying causing harm to others and becoming a villain.

Society operates under the rule of ethics, and humans willingly deceive themselves for that purpose.

However, Seorim missed something.

"I told you."

"Yes?"

"The warden hunts prisoners."

As mentioned earlier, we are designed to experience catharsis at the downfall of villains in media.

"Well, here the protagonist represents justice."

You could even insert a message.

Refrain from Self Harm.

Messages are like earrings for ears and nose rings for noses.

Seorim began to drift off into thought.

I asked, "So, do you think this approach works?"

After about three seconds of silence, her response came.

"...I'll try sketching out a draft based on what I can think of."

Seorim immediately turned on her computer and connected a tablet.

There was a sense of anticipation in the air.

It didn't take long for Seorim's rough draft to be completed.

"How is it?"

Her confident voice tickled my ears.

There was one thing I couldn't answer.

I was captivated by the result displayed on the screen in front of me.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to me.

'Ah, it looked like this.'

With her explanation alone, Seorim had skilfully recreated my memories.

Of course, it wasn't an exact match.

However, there were enough details in the illustration that I could recall that place.

The playable character, the warden, had blue skin, a lean body, and elongated limbs. The distinctive features included blood-stained black clothes that wouldn't show stains no matter how much blood was on them, sewn eyes and mouth, and nails stuck in the ears.

The prisoners each had their own unique appearance.

Some looked emaciated as if suffering from hunger, while others were covered in flesh that dripped off their bodies. There were also people with deformed arms and legs, those with holes in their bodies, and those who vomited black blood. Many others displayed various characteristics.

Each had their individuality clearly displayed.

The background image also followed the requirements.

It felt exhilarating.

The words naturally left my mouth.

"You did well."

Seorim had executed her role brilliantly.

No, it was beyond excellence; she had given her best effort.

In game development, forming an image is a crucial process that even affects the identity of the game.

Only when the image is complete can the appropriate background settings, progression methods, character changes according to branching paths, and the abilities of enemies be detailed.

Looking at the very satisfying result multiple times, Seorim started to blush.

"I have worked on character design before, so it was easy."

There was no need to feign modesty.

Yes, it's much better than being down about having bad drawing skills.

Individuality comes from within.

Without self-confidence, the result would only be mediocre.

"So, what's next?"

"There's no need to rush into anything big. Just keep refining this draft. I'm the one who'll be struggling next."

"What are you planning to do?"

"System design."

"System design?"

"Exactly. Designing the systems based on the content outlined in the proposal. It's about establishing detailed rules for the game, deciding how the gameplay will work, setting character attributes, balancing them against enemy abilities, and so on."

"...Hold on, I have a headache."

"Yeah, this process can be mentally taxing."

A single mistake in this process could be the poison that brings down the entire game.

It requires precision and certainty.

If you mess up here, it could waste time in future development and even lead to a complete overhaul of the game.

"But still..."

Yet, it's undeniably one of the most enjoyable phases.

It's literally creating a world and shaping it according to your own desires.

If creating something new and attempting it wasn't enjoyable, I wouldn't have dreamed of being a game director.

Suddenly, a smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

That moment arrived.

"Sunbae." [Note: Sunbae means a senior college student]

"Why."

"You look kind of perverted with that expression."

"..."

Her straightforward words left me momentarily speechless.

The following week was dedicated entirely to design.

The direction of the game was "The Hellish Warden hunting prisoners trying to escape using various torture devices."

The genre was top-down view, survival horror action.

The player wakes up somewhere in the depths of hell, unarmed. They obtain their first torture device, or weapon, and use it to defeat the immediate enemies.

Beyond that, they progress through rooms, acquiring new weapons as they go and hunting down chapter bosses. This was the fundamental progression system.

Thus, I had to collect data on various torture devices, interpret them in a game context, and translate them into quantifiable designs.

After structuring these ideas into documents, I contemplated the finer points.

The intended game was not a simple action game; it aimed to be a survival horror experience.

The enemies needed to be eerie, the mechanics terrifying, and the tension relentless.

This required various tricks and techniques to achieve. And that's where the challenge arose.

"I need to acquire sound sources."

In portraying horror, sound was just as crucial as graphics.

Could we really emphasize enough how much auditory perception contributes to the sense of fear?

"Initially, we'll use open-source sounds, but..."

Something distinctive was needed.

The game required its own unique sound.

Amid these contemplations, a thought crossed my mind.

"Sunbae, I've finished colouring."

I nodded and cleared my mind of the thoughts I had been engaged in.

An illustration that had been coloured appeared on the monitor.

Approaching it, I couldn't spot any noticeable flaws.

"I'll have to think more about the sound."

In any case, inserting sound could wait until much later in the process.

For now, I needed to focus on design, item settings, and balancing.

But before that, there was something else that needed to be done.

"Are you busy today?"

"Me?"

"No one else is here besides you."

"Well, there's nothing particularly special going on."

A sense of unease seeped into Seorim's voice.

It was already 5 PM, and I could somewhat tell what she was thinking.

"It's not a date proposal. It's not about going out to eat together."

"Then what is it?"

"If you're not busy, let's play a game for a bit and then go."

"Out of the blue?"

"It's quite amusing that someone developing a game hasn't even played one."

"You're not wrong, but it's still so sudden."

"It's because a suitable game just got released."

A look of confusion formed on Han Seorim's face.

"A game just got released? What strange thing are you saying?"

"You'll see."

Now it was my turn to begin dot graphics work.

In any profession, understanding the flow of the game is crucial for smoother design and production. However, in game graphics work, it's especially vital. You need to experience how the game flows first-hand to ensure a seamless integration of design.

Although I'd love to have her play renowned masterpieces at this stage, time was limited. Moreover, giving Seorim input beyond what she could handle as a beginner was something to avoid.

After all, her mind might be too overwhelmed with ideas if she already had extensive experience, potentially leading to a scattered result.

So, it's best to have her play a game within a similar genre to what we're developing.

Coincidentally, a survival horror action game of that kind was released four days ago.

"We're playing this."

I showed her the package.

Seorim squinted her eyes and read the title.

"Dark Space?"

Dark Space.

A survival horror masterpiece from almost 20 years in the future, still remembered and revered.

That was the game Seorim was going to play.

"Set aside about a day. I brought a game console, so we can play it here. No other tasks until you finish the ending."

Seorim let out a hollow laugh.

"My first game in life is this eerie one."

"Don't like scary stuff?"

"Of course not."

Swiftly, Seorim grabbed the package.

A mischievous smile played on her lips.

"I've never been scared by a horror movie in my life. Honestly, I'm not very understanding of people like that."

I was relieved by her confident attitude. I had been worried she might refuse due to fear.

"Alright, let's get started. Did you bring something to eat?"

"I have instant noodles."

"Good enough."

We stopped by a convenience store to buy something to eat.

Finally, we started the game. After Seorim quickly familiarized herself with the controls, she began playing.

And it took her just five minutes.

"Aaaahhh!!!"

The time it took for Seorim to let out a scream.

As expected, the level of horror varies with the medium.

It's because of the differing amounts of sensory information that can be conveyed.

Comics are scarier than novels, and movies are scarier than comics.

And games, without a doubt, are the most realistic medium to experience fear.

"Aaaahhh!!!"

When you play a game, you become the one experiencing the fear.

You're not just watching scary situations; you're directly controlling and resolving them.

For someone like Seorim, who had never experienced fear in her life, her intense reaction was quite understandable from that perspective.

However, that wasn't the important part.

"Why does it suddenly pop out from there? Ah! Go! Go away!"

Seorim continued screaming while never letting go of the joystick.

With gritted teeth and wide-eyed concentration, she continued to play while immersed in the game.

In the midst of all this, there was something particularly striking.

"Aaaahhh!!!"

Her scream was piercingly clear.

Inspiration struck.

"I found it."

Sound source.

"Aaaahhh!!!"

Wouldn't remixing this scream and using it in the opening be interesting?

What about inserting it for each monster encounter?

And sound effects? Yes, differentiating monster screams based on the weapon used against them could be effective.

My gaze turned toward Seorim, whose excitement was palpable.

More screams needed to be collected.

"What were the famous horror games of this era?"

Thankfully, a few came to mind.

TL Note: Bruh our protagonist is a sadist. He is going to torture the pure girl. We need to start a petition for justice for her.

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