This greatly inspired the designers, as it was an important experiment for them.
In fact, this kind of design, which blurs the lines between game content and reality to a certain extent, is called "meta element".
The origin of this word is currently unknown, but it has actually been around for quite some time.
Games that utilize meta elements are often called "meta games," "meta-games," or simply "games within games."
The simplest example is a game that looks like a dating sim, but as you play, the characters suddenly realize they are part of the game and start interacting directly with the player, detached from the main character... This is a type of "meta game".
Similarly, there are games that crash while you're playing, suddenly turning into another horror game;
Some games may also require players to make phone calls, look up information, or even go to a real-world location to solve puzzles.
These are all "meta games".
When fighting the NPC Odin, players can remove their neural rings and switch to a classic controller, which is also a "meta element".
Such examples often spark players' interest.
They suddenly went from "I'm controlling the protagonist to play the game" to "Wow! I'm participating in the game myself," and that's when the sense of immersion really came through.
Immersion is a crucial element for games that emphasize story-driven experiences or sensory stimulation.
So when Mingyan received the test feedback, he couldn't help but show a kind smile.
The designers were all very happy in the conference room.
"The players are accepting it very quickly! It looks very promising!"
"Hehe, I can't wait any longer. When can we officially launch that horror game project and incorporate meta elements?"
"I think you're just itching to see the players piss their pants, aren't you?"
...
What sinister meeting took place at Blue Star Studio remains unknown to the players.
All they knew was that after the two-day final test, Chris, as an esports player, became famous from another angle.
After returning home, Chris filmed a short video and posted it on all his social media accounts.
The video is titled "[Regarding the recent evaluation incident]".
In the video, Chris appears in person and calmly says to the camera, "...Regarding the video of me that has recently been circulating online, I'd like to explain something to everyone first. It was at a class reunion, I drank too much, and I was talking nonsense when I was dizzy and lightheaded..."
"Yes, that's nonsense, don't take it seriously."
“I must strongly condemn the person who filmed me without permission and then posted the video online. I will take legal action to protect my rights and make them pay the price.”
"At the same time, many people have asked me what Blue Star Studio's reaction to this matter is? Have they retaliated against me?"
At this point, Chris took out two pieces of paper.
"...No, they didn't. I'm still testing at Blue Star Studio today, and no one has brought it up in front of me. When I asked someone about it, he said, 'Don't worry about what others think. The game is going to be released soon anyway. Let your performance speak for itself.'"
"Therefore, with the permission of Blue Star Studio, I am also releasing my own test feedback report today. This report contains my true thoughts on Assassin's Way - it is the result of careful consideration after playing the game extensively, not just drunken nonsense."
There were actually quite a few test feedback forms from Blue Star, and Chris took out one of them.
Above, when faced with the option "Please rate this game experience", Chris quickly checked the 10/10 option.
Meanwhile, when faced with the option to "Rate the difficulty of this game, 5 points for moderate and 10 points for very difficult, just go with your gut feeling," Chris also checked 10/10...
Oh no, it seems he hesitated for a moment, but in the end he crossed it out with a pen and changed it to 5/10.
God knows what kind of internal struggle he went through while giving the scores!
Anyway, at the end of the video, Chris said the same thing:
"Trust me, never say 'too easy' to a game produced by Blue Star Studio, or you'll learn a painful lesson... Ahem, the game 'Way of the Assassin's Creed' has a great depth of difficulty in both PVP and PVE gameplay! It progresses from simple to complex, from easy to difficult, giving players a very intuitive experience!"
"Once upon a time, I was a proud and stubborn guy, until I participated in the game testing on Earth..."
"In short, don't presumptuously rate a game when you don't know it well enough—especially when it's made by Blue Star, or you'll regret it."
Almost, he just swallowed everything he said yesterday.
Just like Maynard back then.
There are naturally various opinions online regarding Christon's changes.
Most people agree and understand this, because they have also played the game on Earth.
Only a small number of haters are still making noise, and some have even started conspiracy theories, believing that Chris's return to Earth for testing is a big problem because Earth may have brainwashed him...
This is obviously nonsense, but such conspiracy theories are hard to refute.
The official approach of Blue Star in dealing with this matter is to handle it quietly.
In this world, only by speaking with strength can you make most people hear your words.
On September 10th, Assassin's Way was officially released!
The gaming industry came to a complete standstill once again that day. Whether they had holidays or not, almost no one continued to work at their posts.
Everyone just filled out a random excuse and asked for leave, then rushed off to play games...
This might be more obvious in other industries.