Chapter 3 We Keep Getting Lost 


Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna

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Part 4

    And January 2nd.

    I was out early in the new year. I heard that Keiko-san, who came back from Comima, had programmed the first part of the story on her day off, so I went to pick up the ROM.

    Keiko-san was waiting for me at a coffee shop in Nihonbashi, and handed me a ROM wrapped in a non-woven cloth,

    "It's just the title screen and a few other extras. Now that we've confirmed that it works, we'll be able to test the full version after we replace the script."

    I was very grateful. Now I can give instructions to everyone while watching the actual text being displayed.

    "So... what do you think, how about it?"

    Keiko-san grinned and said,

    "Well, I think it's going to be good. I'll show it to everyone."

    "Yes, thank you very much."

    I happily complied and bowed my head.

    After exchanging schedules, we headed home immediately. I wanted to show everyone what we were working on as soon as possible.

    And as soon as I returned to Minamikawachi, I gathered all the members in the living room.

    "Okay, I'm going to boot up a working sample ROM."

    The three people who gathered in the living room also reacted all at once.

    "Oh, really! Show me, quickly!"

    "I wonder how the pictures I draw come out~"

    "Uu... I'm a little worried if the sounds match."

    With a mixture of anticipation and anxiety, I put the CD-R in my laptop and copied the files.

    Eventually, the copy was finished and I opened the exe file from the folder.

    "Ooh...!"

    Everyone cheered.

    The words "Hallucigenia Soft" appeared on the blank screen, and then the background CG of the entire school by Yamashina-san faded in.

    Then, three characters drawn by Shinoaki are shown on the screen, overlapping each other there.

    The BGM composed by Nanako for the first time plays, and the title logo appears on it.

    At the time, the industry was dominated by four-letter titles. I applied keywords from Tsurayuki's stories and ideas to the title and ordered it from a designer friend of Keiko-san.

    "Haru Sora". That was the title of the game we made.

    "It looks like a decent thing only here..."

    Tsurayuki nods many times while folding his arms.

    "It really becomes a game. It's like a lie."

    Shinoaki was also looking at the screen, blinking several times.

    "... Somehow, I'm a little impressed at this point."

    Nanako seemed to be quite surprised that the game was actually running, and was glued to the title screen. I understand that feeling very well.

    If we all just keep making materials, we sometimes lose sight of what we are making.

    So, seeing things in action like this is a good way to stay motivated. Maybe.

    "I'll just play the prologue then."

    "Eh, can we play this already?"

    Nanako shouts in further surprise.

    "Of course!"

    I answered and clicked on the word "START" from the title screen.

    The text of the prologue written by Tsurayuki appeared in the window.

    "It's still halfway through the first scene."

    The dialogues of the characters were not recorded, though, so the dialogues were also silent.

    Still, everyone seemed impressed that it was working as a game at least.

    "Tsurayuki, what do you think? It works like this..."

    I asked Tsurayuki, who had his arms folded all the way through, what he thought of the beginning.

    Tsurayuki does not lose his posture as it is,

    "... Hmm, Well, I can't make something bad... I'll do my best."

    He said curtly and went straight back to his room.

    "Oh, come on, you should be a little impressed ~"

    Nanako puffed out her cheeks in protest, but well, maybe he's embarrassed too.

    It's a strange and uncomfortable experience to have your writing become a game.

    "All right, let's get back to work then."

    I called out to them and they all went back to their respective posts.