Horror Game Designer Chapter 4: Nightlight Gaming Studio

The storm was still raging. Gao Ming didn’t feel scared. He just felt complicated. The sun was coming up. Gao Ming searched online and realized that roads were blocked due to flood and avalanche. There was no vehicle that would go to the tunnel that intersected between Han Jiang, Xin Lu and Han Hai.

“Hopefully, that tunnel is not blocked off by the avalanche.”

Unable to figure out why his game had become a reality, Gao Xing could only accept this absurdity for now. “I wonder if I still have time to delete those game designs. It looks like I have to rush to Nightlight Gaming Studio.” When he was a part-time game designer, he collaborated many times with Nightlight Gaming Studio. He wanted to delete all of his game designs to see if it’d save the situation.

After a simple breakfast, Gao Ming placed the two pictures into his backpack. He put the raincoat on and headed out. The storm washed the city. Dark clouds covered everything. Gao Ming took a taxi to the north of Han Hai City. Based on his original plan, after he quit his job, he would become a real designer at Nightlight Gaming Studio. The reason why he wanted to be in this career was simple. There was no horror game matching his taste on the market, so he wanted to make one himself.

At 9 am, Gao Ming found the office for the studio under the direction of the cleaning aunty. Nightlight Gaming Studio belonged to the nation’s largest gaming platform, Magic Map Tech. It was one of the many studios working under Magic Map Tech. The company focused mainly on horror games, but it was attempting a genre change.

“Have you people lost your mind?!” Through the glass door, Gao Ming could hear the roars from inside the office. He looked into the door. Several workers were seated in the office. A game was playing on the big screen before them. A normal-looking male character was silently looking at his death recording while he was playing a spirit’s game with his dead wife.

“The client requests a new dating game! And this is what you give me after two weeks?!” The manager of the studio, Manager Gou, stood beside the table with a darkened expression. His belly rose and fell due to anger. His toupee was about to fall off.

“Don’t you want something that’s different from the dating sim on the market?” The office was small. Wei Dayou sat next to the door, ready to escape. He was the studio’s programmer and a gym rat. A few years ago, he was forced by his superior to find new proposals for gaming ideas. And that was how he met Gao Ming. Originally, he just wanted to finish the mission, but the ideas provided by Gao Ming enabled him to win the most inventive newcomer’s prize. Wei Dayou was a fair person. He instantly cleared things up with the company. The prize was instantly moved to Gao Ming, and Gao Ming officially entered the gaming industry.

“I told you to make something new! I didn’t tell you to turn back to horror games!” Manager Gou grabbed his toupee and slammed it on the table. The few strands of hair on his head were drenched by sweat.

“Everyone has been working overtime for the past two weeks. Everyone has done their best.” Xia Yang pushed on the iPad and smiled. It was like every trouble in the world had nothing to do with him. Probably because of his positive attitude, he looked about 20 even though he was already 37. He was the studio’s main artist who had won many international prizes. His style was absurd and hard to understand.

“Tried your best?” Manager Gou slammed the stable. “We already have so few clients. Do you want us to die?”

“Innovative, interactive, sweet and immortal love. I designed it based on your requirement.” Wei Dayou read the message sent by Manager Gou.

“Jesus! Are you crazy?” Manager Gou scanned his people and pulled on his bare hair. “Our main company has 41 gaming studios, and we’re dead last. We can’t sink any lower! If we continue to do this, we’ll be fired and kicked out the Magic Map Tech!”

Different from the other studio members, Manager Gou was sent over by Magic Map Tech. Rumours said that he was sent over because he offended someone in the main company. Even though he was not the most attractive person, he was the most passionate. He also wanted to prove himself again.

“Three days. I’ll give you another three days. No matter what, you have to give me a normal dating sim!” Manager Gou picked up his wig and his mug of mulberry water. He was about to leave when he ran into Gao Ming at the door. Manager Gou’s eyes twitched. He had worked many times with Gao Ming and knew his design style. He remembered how shocked he was when he saw Gao Ming’s gaming idea proposal for the first time. In the document with three thousand words, there were seventeen scenes with gore.

“Gao Ming… Morning. You didn’t come for the interview two days ago, so we hired another person.” Manager Gou said nervously. “She’ll be here soon.”

When the studio worked on horror games, Manager Gou appreciated Gao Ming a lot, but as the studio aimed to shift direction, Gao Ming was placed in an awkward spot.

“I’m not here for the interview.” Gao Ming saw through Manager Gou’s concern. He was a good person, so he offered, “I’ve run into some troubles, so I might need to take away all the game designs I’ve given you and destroy them.”

“Destroy them? But if they’re made, they’ll be instant classics!” Wei Dayou jumped up and walked over. “What happened to you.”

“I might not work on horror games anymore.” Gao Ming patted Wei Dayou’s shoulders. “Plus, I have to give you some advice. Don’t go out at night recently.”

Hearing that, Manager Gou said kindly, “Xiao Ming, I heard that you quit the job at the prison. Why don’t you come to work here for now? We approve of your ability. You don’t even need to go through the interview process!”
“Thank you, but I don’t think so.”

Gao Ming explained himself and finally convinced Wei Dayou to open the shelf where the old designs were kept. He pulled out all the documents worked on by Gao Ming over the years.

Gaming design was a long process. It also required a lot of investment, so most games would not get into the programming state.

Gao Ming arranged his designs into five levels based on the danger rating: Crimes, rumours, omens, curses, and horrors.

Crimes were games adapted from real cases. The danger came from the culprits. The focus was on investigation and evidence.

Rumours were the same but with some eerie elements. The main danger also came from humans.

Omens were on a different level. Scary things started to appear. The danger came from anomalies.

The fourth level was Curses. Ghosts would appear.

The fifth level was horrors. It meant that nothing was safe. Rules were changed, and anything could be haunted. The horrors would keep on spreading and growing to influence more people.

There was a sixth level, uncontrollable horrors. Gao Ming had designed these games before. The main reason he came to the studio was to destroy these games.

“36 crimes, 25 rumours, 5 omens, 25 curses, 31 horrors and 4 uncontrollable horrors… I’ve been hardworking for the past few years.”