Part 4
"……How was it?"
In response to Squirrel Girl's question, I tried my best to choose my words,
"I thought it was a unique project..."
Yes, that was all I could answer.
"Hashiba-san is kind"
Squirrel Girl smiled sadly when she heard my words.
The project that she had created was just 'I don't understand what it is'.
The project was filled with the tone of a different dimension of what kind of thing would happen if you ever encountered such things as aliens encountered on the moon, somehow stacked on top of each other using the elements of a pile game to make them disappear, or managing your physical condition by judging the difference in animal sounds.
I didn't laugh or get bored, but the thought of "how did this happen?" came up every time I turned the page.
"This is the reason. I'm not good at making games."
Placing the file on her lap, fu~u, she breath out.
"I thought making games would be my goal in life."
"You were... so attached to it."
Squirrel Girl nodded, and then began to talk about herself.
When she was little, she was an apathetic child who was not interested in all things anyway.
"Because of my parents' work, I had to change schools a lot, and it was hard for me to make friends."
Apparently, spending time alone was an everyday occurrence.
"I think it was in elementary school. My parents bought me a portable game console."
The game, which could be played together with friends via the communication function, was explosively popular at the time. Even now, new versions of the game are constantly being released.
"It was really interesting, and I made some friends through it."
The game triggered the world around her to expand. When she drew illustrations for the game at school, she made even more friends with them.
"I was so happy that I played more and more new games, trying this one and that one. It was like opening one treasure box after another, and it was a really happy time."
Her joy eventually led her from playing games to a desire to "create" them. She studied hard, went to university, and joined Succeedsoft, the company that made the games she loved.
But then her dream was cut short and she was shown the reality.
"I liked it, though... But I was made to realize that just liking it is not enough."
Then she was kicked out of the development office. The outcome was that the project was useless and had a lot of failures, that was the result from every department.
"I wish I could have made a game"
She mumbled. Her eyes seemed to be moist, faintly.
I couldn't answer anything. I felt like anything I said would be hollow right now.
I had no idea that something I had casually asked her could turn into such an emotional story. She was serious. She smiled embarrassedly at all the mistakes she made, but deep down, she was always filled with both desire and regret.
I remembered the feelings.
In that isolated development room in a crowded building. On the night bus when everything was over and gone. In front of the screen reflecting the shining platinum generation.
I wanted to make a game. My dream, which had just barely come true, vanished in vain. The route was also cut off. A chance connection mercilessly placed the dream closest to me and farthest away from me.
This is fine, I wonder why I thought that.
Because I didn't have an income? Because I gave up on my dream? Was it because it was something that could be crushed to such an extent? Why did I try to make it easier by affirming this is the way 13th Development Department should be?
I looked in front of me. There was a girl biting her lip, closing and opening her eyes over and over again.
I wanted to do something about it.
The one in front of me is not a girl with a silly name like Squirrel Girl. I was just as wrong about her as the people who named the execution room.
It was the other side of me that could have been, the one who loved games and wanted to make them but couldn't.
―― Sakurai Ritsuko.
I spoke to her, feeling grateful to her for re-lighting something that had almost disappeared in the depths of my being.
"Sakurai... san"
"Yes?"
With puzzled face, she replied.
"Can't we talk about the ...... project a little more clearly."
I made a suggestion to her, clearly in a different tone than before.
"Ha, Haa"
Sakurai-san tilted her head and stood up from her seat with her writing materials.
With her proposal in hand, we moved to an empty desk that we were not using. On the desk, we laid out the proposals in a row.
Then I checked each of them again. I didn't just skim over them, but looked them over carefully.
"Uhm... Hashiba-san, you don't have to take it so seriously."
She seemed confused by the apparent change in my attitude.
But I wanted to grasp something. This pile of seemingly useless projects was supposed to be filled with her extraordinary thoughts.
So I wanted to find it. I wanted to find the core of what makes her who she is.
"Why did you decide to make this kind of project?"
First of all, I asked about these unique projects and her reason.
"Somehow, I wanted to create something that had never been done before."
In thinking about the project, I heard a very common phrase that came back to me.
"The games I played and was impressed by were all full of originality. That's why I was determined to make something like that when I made it myself."
Originality. It's a very sweet word. It's the ultimate triumph of placing a piece in an area that no one else can reach and winning hands down.
We all get drunk on that dream at one time or another, and then fall down when it is completely overwhelmed. Behind the beauty that could make you the only one, there is an extraordinary evil world waiting for you.
(But that's just self-indulgent, isn't it...)
At first glance, many of the works that seem to be full of originality are actually the accumulation of elements from the past, painstakingly combined together. Since the fundamental principle of what we find enjoyable is the same, it is not often that new emotions are created.
Whether it is VR or social games, the new media is an extension of something from the past. If we lose sight of this, or pretend not to see it, we end up with something that is merely new but does not move us emotionally.
(That's why it's so important to know about the past...)
Not only in games, but also in past hit titles and noteworthy works that are full of hints for the future. There are also works that may not have been possible at the time, but which can create a new sense of value with the advancement of technology.
If only she had that perspective in her planning...
A desk with a proposal spread out. A variety of letters are dancing there.
Vaguely, I remembered a story I had heard before.
When they are selecting new idols and talents, they say that sometimes there are things that seem to be the only thing that clearly shines through in the applications received.
Moreover, they said that the newcomers who were chosen at such times would be active later.
(Well, there are many occult elements, but)
In the entertainment industry, where there are so many uncertain factors, I thought it would not be surprising if fate was lurking somewhere in the background.
That's why I'm thinking.
I wondered if there might be something like that in here.
In this pile of seemingly useless projects that she has already kicked to the past.
"――Hmm?"
She mentioned something exactly like that, that there might be a treasure chest.
"What's ...... this"
That was the only part that strangely caught my eye.
The format of the proposal is identical, and there isn't anything in particular that stands out.
However, to me now, only this project... seemed to shine clearly.
Was it fate, or just my imagination?
I picked it up and followed the words on the cover with my eyes.
『An RPG that has everything, defies conventions, and turns all common sense upside down』
That's what it said in the beginning of the proposal.
There have been games in the past that were RPGs but didn't involve fighting. There have been gimmicks in the system to create meta-worldviews, such as enemy characters forcing the software to shut down. There have also been games that broke down the concept of good and evil by creating characters with their own quirks.
But combining them all and organically incorporating them as parts is... never done until now.
(Eh, this is ... interesting)
It's true that it's a rough project. There are many weak points that need to be examined. However, these are only trivial in front of the ideas that are backed by the fun. If we carefully examine, trim, and supplement the ideas, we can fight.
I finished reading the proposal and looked up.
"What's wrong, Hashiba-san? You were reading somewhat with a scary look on your face..."
She looked at me with a worried look on her face, as if the atmosphere was clearly different from when I was reading.
Face her head on,
"We can do, with this!"
Involuntarily, I shouted aloud.
"Wah! Eh, eh, what is it...?"
Not caring about Sakurai-san's surprise, I held the proposal in my hand and asked her.
"W-Why did this project...... get rejected?"
When I asked her about it, she tilted her head slightly and said,
"Eh, um... that, I was told that ‘would consumer do such a thing’."
"H-Ha?"
"They said, ‘There's no way we can check through the gimmick of forced termination or anything like that’. I thought, "Well, that's true," so I quickly pulled back."
......What a hell.
I wonder how they could have kept it at such a rudimentary level.
(Well, perhaps it's because of the low batting average...)
Looking at her previous projects, I'm sure she had no idea that there was a gem buried there. But such preconceptions cloud all ideas.
Even for myself, I didn't think there was any potential in this pile of projects. I had to look at everything carefully or I might commit that folly.
I calmed down as much as I could and said.
"This is a good project, really... so let's put it together properly."
Squirrel Girl's eyes widened and her mouth popped open.
"B-But like I said before, we can't make it for consumers, right? I don't have the power to make these things go through, and I don't know how to make them...?"
She looked up at me with eyes that said, "What are you talking about?".
"The medium for releasing games is not limited to the consumer electronics market. In fact, you can make a game just by writing it on a piece of paper and rolling the dice."
While I was trying to be cool about it, I was also wondering inwardly "what I should do".
According to what she wrote in her proposal, it would be wrong to make it a non-powered game. It is only in the category of computer games, and in RPGs, that the content becomes interesting.
On top of that, it is a platform that is not as regulated as consumer products and is relatively free to compete...
"If it's a PC... Maybe we can manage somehow"
"PC...?"
"Yeah. We're going to make it into a computer game. Then we can make good use of this project."
She told me that she had brought this up at a consumer planning meeting.
That's because if you bring up a system with a series of gimmicks and a strong meta element, it's going to be hard to take on the spot.
However, if you can follow through on these weak points and make use of only the interesting aspects of the medium, then you will be able to make the most of it...
This project will definitely come to life.
"With a PC, you can use the force-quit gimmick without restrictions, and if you want, you can even install multiple apps. As long as it doesn't contain sexual or grotesque depictions, there won't be severe restrictions on sales"
"I-I see..."
Sakurai-san's face came back to life.
Perhaps the project she thought of could come to life. She herself seemed to be excited that her impossible dream contained even a 1% possibility.
"But do you think it will sell... I have only heard about this, but computer games are not selling very well right now...?"
She was right. Some titles are still selling steadily, but looking at the overall market, PC games are in a steady decline.
But there are still markets that are surviving. Rather, by revitalizing this area in the future, the possibilities will expand greatly.
"How about using a download site?"
"Is it like DEL Site or BMM?"
The names of famous download sales services were mentioned.
"Yes. We're going to work on the Internet from the beginning. This kind of project will definitely be received on the Internet. If we focus on spreading the product by word of mouth, we can reduce sales promotion costs, and since we don't package the product, there is no fear of shortages"
"I-If that's the case, it might work."
This time, she seemed to recognize the possibility as a reality.
"But ... is it really something that can be done?"
Sakurai-san couldn't shake the anxious look on her face.
Well, I can't help but be doubtful when I'm told something like this without having experienced success. It's not like I have any kind of backing to say this.
Making a game on a PC or using a download site are all things that definitely need to be tried. If I were from the future, how would I know what was to come.
But.
"I'll do it. I'm going to do it. I have seen so much potential this far... Even if we have to bite the bullet, let's make this project a real and strong one!"
Kawasegawa's words come back to me. I hope that you will always love the game... Fortunately, I was confident in the strength of my commitment to it.
I didn't have time to be ruined by being immersed in a lukewarm situation. I had an opportunity to make a difference. If I didn't make something happen here, what was the point of being here?
I held the proposal in my hands and stared at the gray ceiling.
I hope that I will be able to see the faint hope through to the end.
"Let's do something, we'll figure it out..."
It was late and I didn't want to scream, but... My determination was stronger than my words.
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