Agreeing to Create Bad Games, What the Hell Is ‘Titanfall’? Chapter 52
Let’s get started!
Once the project type was finalized, Gu Sheng got down to work.
First, he drafted a game proposal based on his own memory. After all, he did have game development experience, so the basic framework wasn't too challenging for him.
A few days later, once the system’s Emotion Points reached 50,000, Gu Sheng exchanged them for the detailed design and framework of Phasmophobia within the system.
With the proposal improved, he officially kicked off the project with Lu Bian and Da Jiang.
Of course, before they started, Gu Sheng thoroughly explained the game’s core mechanics to the two of them. After all, ever since the project was confirmed, both of them had been pretty down in the dumps. Gu Sheng couldn’t let that kind of negativity affect the project’s quality.
“Alright, take a look at the proposal.”
That afternoon, Gu Sheng finished the final version of the Phasmophobia proposal and handed out copies to Lu Bian and Da Jiang.
“What’s there to propose in this kind of game? Horror games are all the same.”
“Just slap together a main storyline, scatter a few key items around the map, pick up weapons, unlock doors, bump into ghosts, get spooked, kill the ghost, grab the item... repeat, repeat, repeat, then finish the game. Same old, same old.”
After all, that’s how everyone else does it.
Lu Bian really couldn’t muster any enthusiasm. Honestly, he felt horror games weren’t even as thrilling as their Vampire Survivors.
He flipped open Gu Sheng’s proposal, disinterested.
But then!
The very first line of the proposal instantly locked his eyes in place—
"Hello, Paranormal Investigator—or should I say... Ghost Intelligence Broker."
“Ghost Intelligence Broker?!”
Lu Bian raised his eyebrows in disbelief.
What the heck kind of profession was that?
In horror games, players usually take on the role of lone heroes, virtuous priests, or at the very least, demon hunters like Constantine. But this time?
They were actually going to make players act as a ghost intelligence broker—someone who provides detailed information to demon hunters!
“Keep reading.”
Seeing Lu Bian’s puzzled expression, Gu Sheng sipped his tea and motioned for him to continue.
"This time, players will take on the role of a paranormal investigator, leading their team into haunted houses.
Using various modern ghost-hunting tools, they’ll identify ghost types and sell information to professional exorcist teams.
Of course, ghosts aren’t exactly friendly.
While identifying the ghost types, don’t forget to watch your sanity—and keep an eye out for the ghosts’ hunting attempts."
“...Tsk.”
Lu Bian let out a sharp breath, thinking for a moment before looking up at Gu Sheng.
“And then?”
“And then what?” Gu Sheng looked puzzled.
“I mean—” Lu Bian pointed at the proposal. “Once the ghosts start hunting, what are the players supposed to do?”
The proposal ended with the introduction. Below it were detailed mechanics and frameworks. But in Lu Bian’s mind, the proposal shouldn’t just stop there. When the ghosts start hunting, what’s the player’s next move?
Like, where do they get weapons? How do they fight back? Or maybe grab a gourd and trap the ghost or something?
“Players have to do something when the ghosts appear, right?” Lu Bian asked, still confused.
“Oh, that? Easy.” Gu Sheng shrugged, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Die.”
Lu Bian: ……
A solid five seconds of silence!
Then Lu Bian slowly raised his thumb.
“...Dn, that’s actually f*ing reasonable.”
I can’t even argue with that.
But, aren’t all those other horror games not doing it this way?!
“So you’re saying in our game, players don’t even have a chance to fight back?!” Lu Bian was shocked.
“Oh, they do. Of course, they do.” Gu Sheng had clearly thought this through.
“If you think the mission is too dangerous, you can spend a ton of money on a talisman.”
“What does it do?”
“Delays your death.”
“Woooow—Unbelievable!”
Hearing this, Lu Bian slowly raised both hands and gave Gu Sheng a round of applause.
“Truly, what a useful item.”
“So the whole point of that is just to draw a circle on the ground while the ghost stares you down, and when the timer runs out, you still just stand there and watch the ghost kill you?”
Is this something a human being could come up with?
You’re worse than those bald guys selling fake beads at Guangyuan Temple!
“Or…” Gu Sheng shrugged. “Have you thought about, maybe using that time to run away?”
Hearing that, Lu Bian got even more agitated.
“So you’re telling me I spend a fortune on a talisman just to sneak around like a rat in a cat’s den for a thrill?”
“I leave without finishing the mission? That’s like a thief walking away empty-handed!”
Seeing Lu Bian so obsessed with profit, Gu Sheng paused for two seconds and looked at him with disdain.
“Gambler. You deserve to die.”
Pfft—hahahaha!
At that, Da Jiang finally couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing!
“This is genius! This game is hilarious!”
Da Jiang clapped his hands, laughing hard.
“It’s scary and twisted—this is gold.”
Hearing that, even Lu Bian couldn’t help but laugh.
Even though the game’s design was dripping with dark humor and Gu Sheng’s twisted sense of fun, they had to admit—the concept was solid!
Especially that borderline insane “no weapons” design!
It was a complete subversion of the typical horror game formula, where demons and ghosts are always treated as enemies to be fought.
What Gu Sheng wanted to create were true, unrelenting spirits of the dead.
You can’t repel them. You can’t exorcise them. You can’t kill them.
The thought of players being trapped in a room, desperately dodging ghosts while helplessly screaming in despair made Lu Bian and Da Jiang crack up.
Just imagining it was fun!
As the saying goes, it’s hard to learn good habits, but going off the rails is easy.
Once you start going down the twisted path, it’s hard to stop.
Especially when your team includes Gu Sheng, who had experience working on games like Dark Souls—a true industry veteran.
“Don’t just make the ghosts look like adults—kids are way creepier…”
“Wait, no—get rid of the white eyes. Make them pure black, like hollow pits.”
“Hey, I just thought of a great idea. What if the ghosts crawl along the ceiling?”
“That’s good! And lower the ceiling height on this map so when players look up, it’s a face-to-face encounter.”
“Wait, wouldn’t that just be another jumpscare?”
“No, no—this is different. Jumpscares are about sudden bursts. Our ghosts don’t ‘jump’—they just sit there on the ceiling, staring at you…”
“D**n, stop it bro. Why am I feeling chilly already…”
“Chilly? That’s it? When you shower at night, you have to close your eyes to rinse your hair, right? Can you be sure there’s nothing staring at you when your eyes are closed?”
“Fk!!! Lao Gu, you’re a f*ing devil!!! Why’d you have to use the word ‘thing’ like that!!!”
“Because you don’t know what it is either…”
“Stop, Sheng-ge, stop… I have to shower every night… sob sob sob…”
“Tch, so Lu Bian’s scaredy-cat fears are one thing, but Da Jiang, you’re a big guy—what’s your excuse?”
“Maybe it’s because you’re just too damn creepy…”
And just like that, their discussions kept sparking new ideas.
But man, Da Jiang really got the short end of the stick.
He was the most timid one of the three, yet he had to listen to all these ghost stories while drawing concept art every day.
It was pure torture…
Finally!
Three months later!
With Gu Sheng as the lead designer, Lu Bian and Da Jiang as the core team, and a nearly 100-person outsourced crew, their 2-million-yuan investment was complete—Phasmophobia was done!
It was Golden Wind’s first VR pod game.
It marked the return of horror games to the VR pod market after years of silence!
It was also the brainchild of Shen Miaomiao’s blood, sweat, and tears, her chaotic and wild directives—all aimed at a colossal loss!
Ding!
June, the summer solstice.
As the chime rang in Shen Miaomiao’s mind, the long-dormant system once again issued its cheerful notification:
[New Investment Round Open!]
[Project: Phasmophobia]
[Project Investment: 2 million yuan]
[Projected Return: 20 million yuan]
[Settlement Countdown: 6 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds]