Chapter 220: 151 – A Big Business Opportunity Arrives (Second Update)_2
The boss is up to something!
Anytime Fang Cheng furrowed his brow, good things were bound to happen.
Sooner or later, a game that was both well-received and a hit at the box office would emerge, plunging players into a new frenzy of excitement.
But after waiting all morning, the planners didn’t see Fang Cheng toss out a new game.
Instead, during lunchtime, Xu Qingling received a phone call, had a whispered conversation with Fang Cheng, and both left the studio for a meal.
Realizing there wasn’t a new game this time, the four of them were greatly disappointed, idly eating their food while debating whether there was a new game in the making or if the boss was preparing to pull off a big move with an existing one.
If it was the latter, which one would it be?
Meanwhile, Fang Cheng and Xu Qingling exited the building and saw their old acquaintance, Gao Tianyun, on the first floor.
With a worried frown, Gao Tianyun directed them, “This way, both of you.”
They went to a relatively secluded Chinese restaurant where, after inquiring about any dietary restrictions, Gao Tianyun chose a famously good set meal.
During the break before the meal, he briefly explained where the investment he received from Fang Cheng Studio had gone.
Not long after receiving the investment, Gao Tianyun’s research institute made a small breakthrough in the VR field.
This minor breakthrough involved combinations of screen colors and the center of gravity, which could effectively reduce players’ 3D motion sickness and other discomfort, significantly lessening the discomfort from VR driving experiences like cars and planes, and thus enhancing immersion and realism.
Excited by this, Gao Tianyun invested in setting up a production line, only then to discover a rather sad issue.
He had the equipment, but not the games.
While there were some minor games on the market that could adapt, using them on the VR flight simulator was like using a cannon to kill a mosquito, totally unnecessary.
Some flight simulation games could be used, but these games were known for their realistic simulation, where making the plane take off involved repeatedly pressing keys on the keyboard, then hitting the caps lock, followed by keys with shift, and one more round with ctrl.
If he wanted his VR flight simulator to run these games, he’d need the developers to adapt them again, which they clearly didn’t want to do.
After three days of searching with no success, Gao Tianyun had no other choice but to turn to Fang Cheng.
“Brother Fang Cheng, you’re my only hope,” Gao Tianyun said with eyes brimming with tears. “Considering you’re a shareholder, please lend a brother a hand. Money isn’t a problem, a guaranteed share plus bonus, I definitely won’t let you down.”
“Hmm…”
Noticing Fang Cheng’s hesitation, Gao Tianyun immediately sensed that Fang Cheng had a powerful tool at hand and excitedly asked, “Mr. Fang…?”
“I’m not sure if this game is any fun, but we could give it a try,” Fang Cheng responded.
“Could your games possibly be not fun?” Gao Tianyun exclaimed.
Deciding to use Fang Cheng’s new game as an escort for the launch brought up another issue—how to release it.
This VR flight simulator would require special peripherals, which increased its cost and made its market position awkward.
Those who already owned VR all-in-one units wouldn’t consider buying this device, and those without one wouldn’t particularly want a VR flight simulator that could only play one game.
Just when Gao Tianyun was once again at a loss, Xu Qingling, seated next to Fang Cheng, pondered for a moment before asking, “May I take a look at the finished product model?”
“Sure.”
Pulling out his phone, Gao Tianyun showed the finished product model to Fang Cheng and Xu Qingling.
The VR flight simulator looked a bit unfashionable, with players needing to sit in a cockpit-like device, appearing somewhat silly wearing gloves and a helmet.
The gaming process included turbulence and various sounds, which made the machine seem noisy, and that was likely to impact its sales.
After a look, Xu Qingling frowned and said, “Boss Gao, this won’t do.”
“What’s wrong with it?” Gao Tianyun asked, puzzled.
“You haven’t taken care of privacy. Nowadays, young people like to do things on their own, such as watching movies, singing karaoke, or bowling alone. If you make them play like this, it’s like a public execution.”
“They can buy one for home use.”
“This isn’t like your VR all-in-one unit. It’s too big and not cost-effective. This device is best suited for the small plazas in shopping malls. It doesn’t take up much space, it’s not far from home, and they can play a round when they have some free time. If it’s good, it can even drive traffic to the mall, and the mall managers won’t hate it.”
Opening up the photo’s drawing function, Xu Qingling sketched a few strokes on the image and continued, “You’ve got to ensure privacy. Ideally set up separate little areas to block everything off, have good sound insulation, don’t let players outside feel embarrassed. Also, the sterilization process must be thorough, no one wants to sit on a warm seat…”
Xu Qingling might not be sure about whether a game was enjoyable, but she understood people’s psychology.
They love to play, and they care about their image. Give them a space full of privacy, and they will have a blast.
After hearing Xu Qingling’s explanation, Gao Tianyun found it enlightening, yet he was still somewhat uncertain, “Will this really work?”
“Give it a try, start with one unit in a nearby mall to test the waters. You just need one to gauge the market’s reception, have someone keep an eye on it, and keep track of the data,” Xu Qingling suggested.