Top game producer

After the team members finished their introductions, Wang Jian stood in front of the whiteboard and wrote "To the Moon," then drew a circle to represent the moon.

He looked at his drawing of the moon, quite round indeed.

Next, he began to explain to the others: "The next game we are going to make is a story-driven RPG called 'To the Moon.' The game's graphics are pixel-style, so the production difficulty isn't too high. The general plot is like this…"

In the future, there is a scientific institution that possesses the technology to modify memories. Because modified memories will replace real memories, which could lead to serious consequences, this technology is only allowed to be used on people who are dying. Through this means, doctors can create a wish-fulfilling illusion to help those on the verge of death realize their long-cherished dreams and die without regrets.

Rosalene and Watts, a pair of partners in the institution, have received an unusual task this time. Their target is an old man named Johnny, whose dream is to go to the moon, but he doesn't even know why he wants to go to the moon, which adds considerable difficulty to this mission.

The process of modifying memories usually involves jumping to the target's childhood memories, strengthening the goal of the wish, and triggering the butterfly effect, so that the target's final memory changes. Therefore, the two doctors decided to implant the dream of going to the moon as an astronaut into Johnny's memory and find the reason why he wants to go to the moon, so that his wish can be fulfilled.

As the doctors continuously jump through the old man's memories, the love story of Johnny and his wife, River, is gradually pieced together. In the initial memory fragments, River is portrayed as a woman suffering from a terminal illness, with a strange and eccentric personality. She is seriously ill but refuses treatment, hoping that Johnny will use the money for her treatment to build a house and protect the lighthouse next to the house. Johnny, on the other hand, is portrayed as a good man who never abandons his seriously ill wife, silently accompanies her, and steadfastly fulfills his responsibilities despite the inner pain.

It wasn't until the doctors jumped to Johnny's childhood memories that they discovered an unusual blank space here, unable to trace back further. From here, the plot takes a turn. It turns out that Johnny had a twin brother when he was a child, who ran behind his mother's car while playing… Witnessing his brother's death had a great impact on Johnny's mental state. Although he took a large dose of β-blockers to block this painful memory, he also forgot important memories shared with River.

Johnny and River's first encounter was on the night of the carnival that year. They watched the stars together, chatted, and made a promise to come again next year. Before leaving, River asked, "What if you forget, or get lost?" Johnny replied, "Then we will definitely meet on the moon!" This is the reason why the old man wanted to go to the moon, but couldn't remember why.

River guarded this memory. Those strange behaviors that others couldn't understand, and her obsession with inexplicable things, were all to make Johnny remember the forgotten memory. After this memory was revealed, everything became clear. In fact, River was the one who left with regrets.

Although Johnny's childhood memory was blocked, in his dying moments, because of his deep longing for River, his subconscious constantly reminded him of the promise to meet River on the moon—the promise he couldn't remember. In the end, Johnny finally realized his wish with the help of the doctors, boarded a spaceship to the moon, and held River's hand in the cockpit, leaving happily…

This is the basic plot of 'To the Moon.' The game's process is about three to four hours, short but very touching.

However, 'To the Moon' is, after all, a game from a parallel world, and it has some subtle differences from the world Wang Jian lives in. Therefore, Wang Jian modified some content when telling the plot.

For example, Wang Jian didn't understand what "NASA" meant in the game. But according to the game's plot, he could roughly guess that it was an organization responsible for launching spaceships, so he changed it to "Space Exploration Alliance," abbreviated as "SSEA."

Of course, telling the plot is just to give the team members an overall impression of the story of 'To the Moon' and help them find the "feeling" for the game. When it comes to the game's development and production, detailed game script explanations are still needed so that everyone knows what specific work they are responsible for.

Wang Jian has been busy these days, but he has managed to write out the main character settings, art requirements, and the game's opening script.

This time, his explanation of the plot was much more detailed than when he told Huang Xing the story outline of 'To the Moon' last time. He also mentioned some important details in the game, and it took him almost an hour to finish.

His throat was a little dry from talking, so Wang Jian picked up his water glass and took a big gulp, scanning the few people on both sides of the small square table.

In fact, the reactions of the others clearly showed their feelings. Tong Ke herself is easily moved, and as an artist, she has a strong ability to imagine. She cried like a little cat, her eyes red, and she used a stack of tissues just to wipe away tears and snot.

Although Ye Meng wasn't as exaggerated, her eyes were also sparkling with tears when she heard Johnny and River's childhood promise.

Luo Shuai's reaction was very bland. Seeing Tong Ke crying so hard and Ye Meng's sparkling tears, he had a head full of question marks, wondering, "Are you guys too easily moved, or is my tear threshold too high?"

He thought about it and held back.

Forget it, I dare not say, nor dare I ask.

Although the reactions of the others were very different, Wang Jian could understand.

The game plot of 'To the Moon' is very touching, but just listening to him babble on like this gives people a much more vague feeling than directly playing the game.

Ye Meng's teary-eyed reaction was the most normal. Huang Xing was the same that day; Luo Shuai may have felt the touching parts of the story, but the feeling wasn't that strong. Tong Ke's crying… it can only be said that she is indeed sensitive in this regard.

Wang Jian had experienced the complete 'To the Moon' in his mind, and he knew very well how much impact it would have on players when they explored the secrets in the old man's memory step by step, until the most critical mystery was revealed, and a series of scenes flashed through their minds like an electric shock, and they found that all the previous foreshadowing had been reasonably explained.

Combined with the game's simple and sincere graphics and beautiful and affectionate music, the impact on the soul is not the same level as just looking at the plot.

He can guarantee that even players who are seasoned and have a very high tear threshold will not be able to help but shed tears after playing this game.

After the others—mainly Tong Ke—calmed down, Wang Jian clapped his hands with a smile and asked, "After listening to the game's plot, do you have any thoughts or questions?"