Chapter 208: The Game Is in Beta, and So Are the Houses!
Alex and Eric were the only people in the office. Alex closed the initial Minecraft demo and opened the previous design concept document.
This section was about Minecraft's crafting and technology systems. Thanks to the technology of the parallel world, things that were difficult to achieve in the previous life can now be solved. They are integrated directly into the game, instead of resorting to complex mods.
As with redstone technology, various materials and tools are used to assemble pieces and control units, which are then combined with the corresponding model casing to allow movement in the game. The most intuitive manifestation of this in the game is the ability to build a car, instead of simply making a minecart with redstone.
"But, Alex, isn't this too complicated? Can players handle it?".
"In addition, these simple parts and control units are quite limited. Isn't this redstone technology too complicated?", Eric asked, scratching his head. Just by looking at it, he felt a tingling in his head.
"Don't underestimate the players. They are more powerful than you think." Hearing Eric's words, Alex couldn't help but smile.
"And I don't plan to throw everything at them at once. We are working on it during development. The first version for players will not be released yet," Alex explained.
While the content is rich, it cannot be downloaded all at once, so that they realize its richness. It's like playing a game and at the beginning wanting to complete a side quest, but then opening the map reveals how difficult it is to complete because it is full of objects, so many that it is impossible to count them. This creates a different deterrent effect: trying to convince players of the game's richness only to drive them away.
In addition, in the case of Minecraft, the game depends not only on the official release of new content, but also on the countless passionate players who, together, make up the game's community, creating its unique magic and glory.
Therefore, for Alex, the subsequent promotion, including the dissemination of content, focuses more on inspiring players, letting them know that this is possible and, therefore, putting it into practice.
Prepare the raw materials, such as sand, cement, and reinforcing bars. As for what type of buildings can be created, that depends on the players themselves. Whether it's the mod system that expands these features or the core content of the game, creation is the essence of Minecraft.
The development of Minecraft is progressing perfectly. The content of the game does not present challenges. After all, in his previous life, the game was developed independently, which made it very easy. The main challenge for Alex is to make modding more convenient and accessible to players. This aspect is being gradually overcome through continuous testing.
At the end of November, the content of Minecraft was practically complete, although it still lacks something to be a final product. Alex is also discussing with John's operations team what model to use for the promotion of Minecraft. After all, unlike its predecessor, Don't Starve, the strategic position of Minecraft is on par with that of Dark Souls. However, it is still in the debate phase and there is still time for it to be finalized and released.
In the office, Alex looked at the time, turned off the computer, and left. He went to the living room, where he saw a group of people gathered testing the Minecraft game. It was in development and the company's employees were working as testers.
"Haha, Lisa! Is this your house? Haha!".
Jane burst into laughter among the crowd. Eric, Lynn, and the others followed suit, filling the crowd with a cheerful atmosphere.
"Haha, Lisa, it's amazing!".
"Not even the walls respect you, Lisa!".
Hearing the noise, Alex took a look. On the computer screen in front of Lisa was a wooden house. From a distance, it looked like a large cube. And most importantly, it was airtight. There was only a wooden door at the entrance, with torches on both sides to illuminate.
Upon entering, you could appreciate the log-style decoration of the house, in perfect harmony with nature. The interior was clearly minimalist. There was a craft table, storage boxes, and a bed in the corner; nothing else.
No, there were four torches placed on each wall, in perfect harmony with the call for energy saving and emission reduction.
When Lisa built the house, she had a very good image of herself. After hearing what everyone was saying, she left the house, carefully walked around it twice, and suddenly felt that it didn't make sense. The more she looked at it, the more it looked like a matchbox. Combined with the candles, it gave the feeling of a small dark room in a prison.
That shape was, without a doubt, a little embarrassing. Of course, although she thought it in her heart, she still acted with a lot of calm in appearance.
"How can a house under construction be pretty? It's like when we make video games. The game I'm playing now is still in the testing phase, so, naturally, my house is also a test version!". Looking into the eyes of the crowd, Lisa forced herself to argue with logic.
Perhaps feeling a little insecure, she continued: "And, honestly, my house is not that bad. It doesn't leak with rain or in winter. It may look a little dilapidated, but it is robust and durable."
While Lisa was still defending herself, Alex, who had remained silent, finally interrupted: "Honestly, there's no need to blame the beta version of the game! After all, it's too much of a scapegoat."
"Originally, my plan was for everyone to contribute to the construction of some buildings for later use, to help players understand the game's strengths. But I don't think you're up to it."
Alex's original plan was for the team to work together to build some classic buildings and character sculptures. For example, he would recreate classic Dark Souls structures like the Firelink Shrine, giving them a unique touch. While Alex could create a specific construction tool for most of the work, there would still be a lot of manual labor. This would be perfect for promoting the game.
But now, upon seeing Lisa's structure, which looked like a prison, Alex considered that the employees involved in this project should be demoted.
"Ahem, then, Alex, when are we going to release the game?".
Upon hearing Alex's words, Lisa took a look at the small dark room on her computer and quickly closed the game on her desktop. She also clicked on "Don't save" and changed the subject.
"There is still content to add, but it's almost ready. But unlike before, we will probably do a small test after the holidays to see the players' opinions and see if there are any flaws in the user experience that need to be corrected," Alex said after reflecting for a moment.
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