Chapter 451 - Boss Pei’s True Intentions (1/2)

Chapter 451 Boss Pei’s True Intentions

In the evening…

Qiao Liang exited Be Quiet and stretched.

People had been heatedly discussing this game online over the past few days, but Qiao Liang had not taken part in the discussion. Instead, he quietly experienced the game. He knew very well that there was no point in debating with everyone else. Qiao Liang was always going to stand on Boss Pei’s side.

It was not just because Qiao Liang was a friend of Boss Pei’s, but also because he was a hardcore gamer to begin with.

Hardcore gamers sought complicated and exquisite experiences. Everything from the pre-game riddle to acquiring the rights to purchase the game to the eye-tracking game suited Qiao Liang to the tee.

It all boiled down to how one looked at the situation.

If one saw it as a barrier to turn gamers away, they would definitely feel uncomfortable. Yet, what if one took it as a free introductory game? Wouldn’t it be different?

The Lonely Desert Road, Game Designer, and the eye-tracking game had all been free of charge. To Qiao Liang, this was already very commendable.

Qiao Liang knew that games were products of culture. Not everyone would like every game. It would be unreasonable for gamers to view manufacturers as good-hearted when they produced games to their liking but incorrigible when they produced games that they did not find enjoyable.

This was applicable to Be Quiet, too. Gamers had to fulfill prerequisites before obtaining the right to purchase the game. Objectively speaking, that could have turned many gamers away. However, there was nothing wrong with it in itself.

Tengda had never promised to allow all gamers to purchase their games under any circumstances and no matter what. Of course, there was no need for them to do so as well.

Game manufacturers and gamers had the right to choose one another. Players would choose not to play certain games developed by certain manufacturers. At the same time, manufacturers could choose to give up earning revenue from a portion of the public.

Both parties had to be willing to enter the transaction. Neither could be forced to buy or sell, and both had to be given equal power. Then, neither could blame the other for being unfair.

What’s more, Boss Pei had always been a unique designer. He was not one to bend backward to fit the gamers’ taste.

Thus, Qiao Liang always found himself supporting Boss Pei’s decisions.

He was a game manufacturer, providing gamers with a top-quality game at an affordable price. He had even waived all costs for the previous two games. Yet, he was being scolded for setting prerequisites for gamers to fulfill before they could purchase the game?

That didn’t make sense.

Still, even with that said, Qiao Liang was finding it difficult to explain certain aspects of the situation. Although it was the manufacturer’s right to set pre-requisites for their customers, was it really necessary?

What benefit would this bring to the manufacturer?

That was the main question that Qiao Liang had. At that moment, he frowned. He was trying to figure out the answer to that question based on what he understood about Boss Pei.

“I feel like Boss Pei did not mean to tell customers ‘I won’t let you play this game’. Instead, it was more like ‘if you can’t even solve this simple riddle, you probably won’t be able to enjoy this game, and so you shouldn’t bother buying it at all’.

“That thought seems very familiar. Where have I seen it before?

“I know! It was in Repent and be Saved!”

All of a sudden, Qiao Liang realized that Repent and be Saved had been exactly the same!

The only difference was this: players were encouraged to refund Repent and be Saved, but they were tortured and altogether discouraged from even purchasing Be Quiet.

Boss Pei was simply persuading gamers to turn away earlier than in Repent and be Saved. He was doing it before gamers even purchased Be Quiet!

A realization dawned on Qiao Liang.

“That’s right! Everything is coming together now!

“Boss Pei is doing something similar to what he did with Repent and be Saved! He’s just using a slightly different method.

“A game is an interactive form of art. Simply put, game designers set the questions while gamers try to answer them. “There’s one thing that hardcore gamers agree on: we have to lose some to gain some. We have to let go of the superficial and shallow desires of the mind, to learn deeper and more meaningful lessons!

“Take Repent and be Saved for example. We were made to endure torture and face setbacks in the beginning. We had to give up our desires for mindless violence and humble ourselves to hone our own skills.

“Only then were we able to grow through the game and experience a joy that no other game could bring to us. “That is what it means to lose some to gain some. It was delayed gratification. If the game had not been so difficult, we would not have experienced the true joy that came with growth.

“It’s the same with Be Quiet. It’s also a game where gamers have to lose some to gain some. First, we had to give up time and suppress our own desires to play the game, to think carefully about the riddle. Only then would we be able to experience the fun of the game itself.

“As for why different methods were used for both games…

“It’s obvious. Repent and be Saved is a standalone game. Others’ gaming experience would not be affected by one’s own gameplay. Be Quiet, on the other hand, is an online game.

“If a gamer—who has never played such games-entered this game, they would completely ruin the game for everyone else.

“Boss Pei had to ensure that everyone had the right attitude and the same level of intellect and that most people would enjoy the game without having their experience ruined by teammates who could not adapt to the gameplay. That meant he had to ‘train’ the gamers…”

Qiao Liang became increasingly sure that he had understood Boss Pei’s true intentions! The logic was simple. However, he still needed to find the right material in the game to persuade everyone else.