Reborn Tokyo Golden Age

Akihabara, HAL Research Institute.

At this moment, there are six or seven handhelds in front of Bai Chuanfeng. These are all the handheld models that Baichuan Electric has released in the past half a year.

They are not very different in shape, but there are slight differences in color or surface printing.

And like Nintendo's handhelds, these models in front of them are also configured with one hard and one soft.

The two games attached to each handheld basically retain one original and one transplanted configuration.

Most of the transplanted games come from the arcade games of companies such as Namco and Taito, and Shirakawa Electric has also been actively contacting third-party game manufacturers for more than half a year.

They have a large number of game IPs in their hands, and of course Shirakawa Electric will not let go of some small games that are suitable for porting to handhelds.

The same is true for Nintendo, but they have their own arcade business, so the games that are temporarily ported come from within.

Except for the transplanted games, most of the remaining original games come from the hands of the young people currently sitting in HAL's office.

They are active and have a variety of ideas.

In addition, HAL encourages employees to brainstorm, even if it cannot be realized temporarily, it will be recorded and kept for later development.

There is no doubt that the representative of this is Iwata Satoru. The two things of game production and software programming have scratched his itch.

This is his hobby, as long as the school is on vacation, he will definitely spend time with HAL.

Needless to say, during the summer vacation, Satoru Iwata turned himself into a worker and went to work at HAL every day.

Even during the winter vacation, if his father hadn't called, he might have planned to stay in Tokyo for the New Year.

"Iwata-kun, don't forget, we haven't graduated yet."

After hearing about this, Bai Chuanfeng had to remind him that they were about to enter senior year, and there was still a long way to go before graduation.

"It's even better if you are a senior, you have enough time to stay here." Satoru Iwata is at the same level as Bai Chuanfeng, but he is half a year later than Bai Chuanfeng.

Bai Chuanfeng will graduate in April next year, and Iwata will graduate in September next year.

Entering the senior year is a good thing for Iwata Satoru, he even saves looking for an internship unit.

HAL directly and seamlessly connects here, providing one-stop service from internship to graduation.

"Are you still used to staying here?" Bai Chuanfeng, who arrived at HAL, did not talk about work first, but chatted with Iwata Satoshi while holding coffee.

"Get used to it, of course you get used to it." Speaking of this, Satoru Iwata regained his energy immediately.

"The best PC, an office with floor-to-ceiling windows, and plenty of snacks and drinks.

Bai Chuan-kun, don't say I'm not used to it, just let me live here. "

Bai Chuanfeng looked at Iwata Satoru dumbfounded, boy, you just used this place as a dormitory, right?

In fact, not only Iwata Satoshi, but the other young people around here at the moment nodded in approval.

HAL's office environment is really comfortable, it's a paradise.

Although some of these young people have just left school, it is their first time to join a club.

But they have also heard about the social animal life of the seniors.

However, the office environment here at HAL has subverted their previous imagination of work.

Needless to say, the hard conditions of the office, whether it is computer desks and chairs, or a whole wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, are all excellent configurations.

These scenes may only be seen in TV dramas.

In addition to the refreshing office scene, a separate leisure area has also been opened here.

Sofas, recliners, and coffee tables are all available, and several vending machines by the wall do not need coins.

Whatever you want to eat or drink, just press it, and someone will come to replenish it regularly.

There are even a few arcade machines in a small open area.

If you are tired from work and need to adjust, then this is the best place for you.

Look, what is this job? For young people like Satoru Iwata and the others, the hotel does not have such conditions.

Bai Chuanfeng can guarantee that there is no club in Tokyo that can match the environment of HAL here.

He built the HAL Research Institute according to the configuration of later Internet giants.

Game production is an emerging entertainment industry, and the products it produces are for the entertainment of the public.

As the producer of game content, Bai Chuanfeng hopes that they can work in their most relaxed state.

Compared with a tense and dull atmosphere, a relaxed and happy mood must allow producers to integrate their own happiness into the game.

Bai Chuanfeng doesn't want HAL to be like traditional Japanese clubs, which are hierarchical and depressing.

A brand-new industry naturally needs a brand-new atmosphere.

He believes that after this place grows stronger, it will definitely attract all kinds of talents to settle in HAL.

After chatting with them for a while, after getting a general understanding of the situation here, Bai Chuanfeng also started to call Tanimura and the others for a meeting.

"I have a general understanding of the situation here at HAL. Generally speaking, our progress in the past six months is quite obvious."

From the grassroots team at the very beginning, to now it gradually has the appearance of a professional game production company. Generally speaking, Bai Chuanfeng is quite satisfied.

After all, video games are a brand new field, and the game production companies all over the world are just getting started at the moment, and everyone is exploring.

Hearing Bai Chuanfeng's approval, all the young people present smiled happily.

To be honest, in the eyes of the elders, the so-called game production is a kind of unscrupulous and deviant work.

Just like the thoughts of the parents of the Celestial Dynasty, Neon also has this stage.

Parents would rather their kids have a real job than a video game.

So for them, recognition may be more important than income.

"Please don't doubt that you are doing a great job. Games are also an art, and art brings spiritual enjoyment to people.

It has the characteristics, the game all meet. "Bai Chuanfeng once shouted this slogan in the newspaper, and he still emphasizes it like this now.

Sure enough, the young people below followed suit, as expected of the leader of game art, Bai Chuan-san's views on games came to their hearts.

"Of course art work is inseparable from innovation, please feel free to speak out your ideas boldly, or record them on paper.

It may be difficult to achieve today, but one day it will be truly placed in front of you.

Of course." Bai Chuanfeng picked up a handheld device on the table, "During the game, if you have any questions, you may wish to ask them. Let's brainstorm to see if there is a solution. "

When it comes to handheld issues, of course there is.

It's just that after all, it's the big boss face to face, so everyone is still a little restrained.

Everyone, you look at me, I look at you, and finally Satoshi Iwata spoke.

"The biggest problem with the handheld is that it is limited by the screen, and the content that can be presented is too little."

"Iwata-kun, please explain in detail." Bai Chuanfeng signaled him to continue.

As in-depth developers of handheld devices, they must be most aware of their limitations and even shortcomings.

Therefore, Bai Chuanfeng also wanted to hear their opinions. If possible, it would be best to spend some investment to solve the problem.

“The screens we have now for handhelds can only do 7-segment displays, and the chips they use are 8-bit microprocessors from calculators.

A total of only 56 paragraphs of characters can be displayed, and except for the timing or scoring display in the upper right corner of the screen, there are only 30 paragraphs left for the real game content.

Under such limitations, the content that the handheld can present will be greatly limited.

In addition, due to the limitation of the microprocessor, sometimes there will be a slight delay between the picture and the control.

The feeling is especially noticeable when performing complex button operations. "

These are the problems Satoshi Iwata encountered in game production and programming, and most of them come from hardware problems.

Bai Chuanfeng nodded. Sure enough, it was technical limitations that affected their performance.

"I probably understand what Iwata-kun means. Most of our current handhelds use TN-LCD screens, which are inherently flawed.

Before the technology of the screen itself has been broken through, perhaps the only way to go is to increase the display screen. "

The so-called TN-LCD screen is a monochrome LCD screen.

The calculators we use in our daily life are such screens.

This kind of twisted nematic liquid crystal display has slow response time and low output brightness.

Moreover, the viewing angle is small, and the smearing phenomenon is very obvious.

With so many disadvantages, the reason why they can be widely used is because they are cheap.

Its price is as low as the plastic case of the fuselage, so the increase in the cost of increasing the screen is limited, which is still acceptable for handhelds.

Bai Chuanfeng pointed to the handheld screen and gestured to everyone, "If it is enlarged by 1.5 times, or even doubled.

So, can more game content be presented? "

Iwata squeezed his chin and pondered, "Theoretically, it is true.

However, the more segments displayed, the higher the demands on the microcontroller. "

"Wait for the chip problem first, let's start improving on the screen first."

If you really want to change the chip, it is better to wait for your own.

On the one hand, it saves procurement costs, and on the other hand, it increases the shipment of chips. You see, the production cost of this chip will come down.

"In addition to using widescreen, we can also try to customize the false color display."

"Pseudo-color display?" The people below looked at each other, this is the first time they heard this word.

"That's right." Bai Chuanfeng nodded, "I don't know if you have played the Arita home game console?"

Several people raised their hands in the conference room one after another. Not many people have played this kind of foreign game console.

Seeing such a situation, Bai Chuanfeng turned his head directly.

"Tanimura, after the meeting, put all the game consoles on the market.

Regardless of domestic or foreign, whether handheld or home game consoles, all are equipped with a set in the leisure area. "

"Hay" Tanimura nodded obediently.

As the president of the game production company, he is a little slow in terms of market sensitivity.

"Then" Bai Chuanfeng turned his head again, "Iwata-kun, please tell me what props are available in the Arita home game console?"

Iwata Satoru was one of the people who just raised his hand, having played countless games and consoles.

"In addition to the console, there are also game control handles, prop guns, steering wheels, and laser emitters, by the way,"

Iwata Satoru suddenly thought of something, "There is also a TV color film, Shirakawa-san, what do you mean?"

"Just as Iwata-kun imagined." Bai Chuanfeng smiled, "We also put a color film on the monochrome screen of the handheld."

In the early home game consoles of Yalita, a TV color film was attached.

At that time, the TVs were all black and white, and in order to increase the fun of the game.

As the name suggests, the color film is to make the screen display a certain color.

This kind of film is specially customized according to the game content, and it will feedback the visual color changes to the player in conjunction with the game screen.

Now Bai Chuanfeng wants to apply it to the handheld, and use a trick to emulate the old.

For example, the content of the game needs to show grass or the sun.

Then I can draw this part on the membrane in advance, of course they are in color.

If the current handheld only fixes one game, and most of the content is relatively simple, there will be no scene change.

Then with this layer of color film, it will bring a visual "deception" to the player, which is a color LCD screen.

"What a genius idea." Satoru Iwata felt that it was a pity that Bai Chuanfeng should not be a game designer.

To be the president of Sang is simply not doing a proper job.

As for Akagi who was in charge of the hardware design, he looked at Bai Chuanfeng with shame and admiration.

As expected of the boss, I never thought of such a good idea.

Obviously, I have also played the Yalida home game console, and I have seen the TV film, but I just can't think of such an idea.

Sure enough, we still need to work hard. Akagi has a kind of determination to realize his shame and then be brave.

"Everyone, although there are not many competitors in the handheld market, it's not like there are no competitors.

On the contrary, our opponent is very strong. When confronting it, if we are not careful, we will fall into a disadvantage. "

Hearing Bai Chuanfeng's advice, everyone nodded seriously.

Indeed, in the past six months, everyone has won and lost in the contest with Nintendo.

If you can't keep making progress, then maybe you will fall behind at some point.

To be honest, Bai Chuanfeng didn't think much of Nintendo's handheld design.

However, the opponent's game content design is very strong, relying on this alone can fight back and forth with Baichuan Electric.

Bai Chuanfeng hoped that his handheld could keep making great progress, instead of developing slowly in a comfortable environment.

He knew there would be other console makers joining the space in the near future, and the competition never went away.

In addition, he has other ideas about the game industry.