081. game?

(A game?)

Jaeik asked again if he had heard something wrong.

(You heard that right. The game you know.)

Jaeik’s thinking game is StarCraft, a Korean folk game, and World of Warcraft, Karma Online, and Sudden Attack, which occupied his middle and high school days.

It’s this kind of game. It seemed unreasonable to associate Stephen King with games like that.

Besides, it didn’t take a day or two to make a game like this. In the case of Cyberpunk 2077, which is expected to be released at the end of this year, isn’t it a work that took nearly 8 years to develop?

(Ha ha ha! I can see what you’re thinking. But it’s not the kind of game you think.)

Stephen King laughed out loud and shook his head.

(then···?)

(It’s a text game. A text game.)

(A text game? Hmm. It’s a rare kind of game. I’ve never played it before.)

text game. It was literally a text-based game. It was also a kind of game that is not common in Korea.

At least I didn’t remember playing a familiar text game.

(It would be good for Natalia to share this. It was an offer from Mflix.)

Coming out of the kitchen, Natalia held out a plan to Jaeik as if she had been waiting.

(Since Mflix is preparing to expand its footing into the game industry as well. Of course, we are not preparing for a masterpiece that costs tens of billions of won from the beginning. We are starting with mobile and simple arcade games.)

If so, it was an understandable situation. There must be some original Mflix content that you would like to make into a game.

(As long as the story is organized, it seems that the game will be produced by forming an appropriate team. We have already secured about 7 types of simple mobile games using our own IP. When we fill in about 10, we will start official service.)

As Stephen King said, if a game is text-based, it is a game that requires significantly less development staff and at the same time puts more effort into the story compared to other games.

namely himself and Stephen King. Two of the best storytellers involved in the story? Even as Mflix, it should have been able to pull off the early aggro properly.

(It would be nice to use my existing work, but writing a new story seems okay too.)

(A story that fits a text game, right?)

(That’s right. A story always needs to be created and adapted to suit the intended use.)

It was an interesting proposition. At the same time, I was curious. A game is a curiosity about a new challenge genre.

(The author and I are creating a story for a text game, right?)

(Yes. That’s right. Production will be planned after planning according to the story. It’s creation and adaptation.)

(Hmm.)

(When is the meeting with the head office?)

(Hollywood in three days.)

(It’s tight.)

(yes?)

Natalia asked back as if she didn’t understand. Of course it was a collaboration, but I thought there was no way everything could be decided in these three days in Portland.

Isn’t it a natural step to decide on a collaboration and share opinions through e-mail or video while deciding on a story?

But what is the conversation between these two?

(Still, wouldn’t it be possible to make some base in 3 days?)

(Isn’t that right? Talking to you makes me feel like I’m bursting with ideas. I think I can come up with a first draft in three days.)

(Should I be diligent?)

Natalia felt like she was the only one who couldn’t get into the flow of the conversation.

(So let’s get started right away? It’s such an honor. Collaborating with Stephen King.)

(Uhaha. It’s an honor. I’m an honor. I’m about to become a leading role in the future generation.)

Jae-Ik Song, who was preparing the story for the Mflix text game, suddenly had such an idea.

But that text game production. Could I do it alone?

When I have time, I should try absorbing talent.

—

First of all, I digested my talent by quickly looking through videos related to game planning and planning books I purchased through E-books.

And a conversation with Stephen King about what kind of game story to write the rest of the time.

(The genre of the game is, of course, horror. It’s a representative genre that comes to mind when you think of the author.)

(That’s right. It’s also horror, right? It’s a text horror game.)

(I think it would be difficult to maximize the horror experienced entirely through text.)

When it comes to Stephen King, isn’t it the master of fear? In addition, the talents such as directing, planning, composing, and drama production that I had previously digested created synergies, and ideas were springing up in my head.

(So I think a text game mixed with images would be better than a complete text game, how about it? Adding visual images and sounds can maximize the sense of fear more than feeling fear with just text alone.)

Collaborating with Stephen King was incredibly fun.

Because it was a limited time, I was able to have a more dense conversation, and I could say with certainty that the time was really valuable.

(However, the essence of a text game must not be lost.)

(Yes, so how about something like this? It’s a horror game that gives you choices in a confined space. It moves the story forward while giving the player the feeling of leading them down the wrong path, and it gives them a visual scare effect. It keeps them uneasy.)

(Huh? Keep talking.)

Stephen King listened to Jaeik’s plan with his eyes shining. Obviously writing the story for the game was another matter. Unlike novels, many parts had to be revealed and replaced with effects other than text.

(The goal is to keep the players in suspense. Even if the play time isn’t that long, it literally ends the play time in less than an hour or an hour and a half, like in a movie.)

And watching that scene, Joo Soo-in spat out admiration. I wondered what the hell they were talking about so passionately.

“Wow, really. How can the boss be so passionate?”

“So. Even my friend sometimes surprises me.”

“It’s not awkward at all, and you’re not just listening, you’re leading the place right now.”

From Stephen King and Amplix to Natalia, who has a pretty high rank. The three of them are talking, but it is Song Jae-ik who is clearly leading the conversation.

(I don’t think that’s enough range.)

(Then, the range of possibilities has been set, and it must be important which story to write.)

(I’ve thought about it once. Mental hospital or hypnotic treatment. I think it would be nice to give a background like this. Because there will be anxiety from the background itself. Rather, it’s better to follow a simple cliché in a work like this.)

(I agree. No need to complicate things.)

(I am the creator. You are the adaptation. Are you okay?)

(Good.)

(A collaboration between Stephen King and Song Jae-ik. I’m really looking forward to it.)

Before moving on to Hollywood. When the overall structure was laid out, Stephen King put on a satisfied expression and went straight to the idea of writing.

There was already enough content. From materials to storylines to characters. What is left is to write at what volume. And at what level of difficulty will it be written?

‘I don’t have to worry about anything.’

But soon, Stephen King decided to stop worrying about the adaptation. Even if you don’t worry about it yourself, how can a writer with the best writing skills take care of it?

(Then I’ll send it as soon as the manuscript is complete.)

(Yes. I see. I’m really looking forward to it.)

Jaeik replied with the heart of a child receiving a Christmas present.

—

(As expected. My eyes weren’t wrong.)

The next day, in the car heading to Hollywood Amplex. Natalia hummed as she remembered her days in Portland.

It was only about 5 days, but it was an amazing schedule. What is the conversation between a writer who stands at the pinnacle and a writer who will stand at the pinnacle? I wonder if it was a great experience just listening to it.

(What?)

(Well, just a lot of this and that?)

At Natalia’s dubious answer, Song Jae-ik put on a puzzled expression, but Natalia’s priority was to write an email to President Reed.

Mflix had to unconditionally capture an artist named Song Jae-ik. It’s a natural story even when simply considering the value as a writer.

Because Song Jae-ik’s value doesn’t end with writing works. His endless versatility was his true value.

Even if you look at what you know right now, writing, painting, drama directing, racing, and even composing. Isn’t it a level of talent that makes one wonder if it’s possible for one person to do this well?

(Are you going straight to the president’s office?)

(Yes. It’s better to end the meeting quickly. That’s why I deliberately arrived there on time.)

And the moment you step into the conference room of Hollywood Mflix.

(You’re finally here!)

Reed Hastings, with a flushed expression, jumped to his feet and greeted Jaejoong.

(Long time no see! Long time no see! Euhhaha!!)

It seemed to be in a very good mood, too, while bursting into high-pitched laughter.

(Hey, did you hear the news?)

(News?)

(I haven’t said it yet. I think it would be better for the president to speak directly.)

At Natalia’s words, Reed Hastings nodded up and down with a proud expression on his face.

(Your drama. You decided to become a villain, but as a result of your own tally, you ranked second in the overall drama rankings on Mflix.)

(2nd place?)

(Yes, number two. Played over 950 million hours in 100 million households in 28 days.)

Considering that Strange Things, which ranked first, has about 1 billion hours, it was a really small gap.

(Thanks to that, the number of subscribers to Mflix also skyrocketed to over 5 million.)

In a word, isn’t it the sound of being extremely angry thanks to my work?

(That means that the contract for the next work is worth looking forward to, right?)

Reed Hastings laughed loudly at Song Jae-ik’s coy words and shook his head.

(That said. And I heard that the collaboration with author King was also quite significant. Author King called as soon as you left and talked about you for nearly an hour. What an amazing writer.)

Then he handed over the prepared contract.

(I hope you continue to work with Mflix. It is a contract that contains that feeling.)

It wasn’t a single contract. Season 2 drama script revision contract. The video contract for the other side of the world that will be used in the future, the collaboration work contract with King, and finally the blank paper contract.

(No matter what kind of work you write or what you want to do. It’s a blank contract that contains the desire for you to sign with us. And if there’s something you want, it’s okay to talk.)

I would have to talk to a lawyer about the details, but the conditions were at a level that was said to be very unconventional.

However, once a work is a work.

(It’s not a work contract. Can I ask you a favor?)

(Anything? If that’s possible.)

(I’m thinking of making a game personally, rather than a text game with Stephen King. Are you willing to buy it from Amflix?)

(Huh? What did you say? A game? Did you know you could make a game too?)

Probably, no, I was pretty sure I could. Of course, I’m doing it alone, so it will take a little time, right?

(Hmm. What if it’s a text game?)

(Which story…?)

(Hmm. I need to plan specifically, but if I do, it will probably be a work that uses my existing IP, right?)

Is it a game with another story of deciding to become a villain?