Agreeing to Create Bad Games, What the Hell Is ‘Titanfall’? Chapter 259: Have I Become a Cannon Fodder?!

The motion-sensing pod in this world was basically an upgraded version of an internet café.

During university days, whenever you heard your roommate or buddies call you to the internet café, especially when facing an all-nighter,

“Go” or “Not go” would fall into a quantum entanglent state.

If a friend said “split the bill,” then the entanglent would collapse into “My life matters more, I’m going to sleep, not going.”

But if the friend said “I’ll treat you,” then it would collapse into “Let’s go.”

We called this Schrodinger’s Internet Café.

Right now, Zhao Yi had obviously collapsed into the “If you say go, we go” state.

Rustle rustle—

Passing through the gap in the school’s back gate wall, Zhao Yi took a deep breath of the early winter’s slightly cold fresh air.

The motion-sensing pod wasn’t far from the school, just a block away.

The two joked and laughed, quickly arriving at the pod café.

Wang Yong paid for the internet fees, so Zhao Yi took care of the drinks.

Soon, the two entered the motion-sensing pods.

“I’m going to play so PUBG first. Call when you get to Chained Ogre,” Wang Yong said over voice chat.

“Then you better hurry. My buddy here probably needs about twenty minutes; the story up to that point is basically done. If he gets fired up, killing Chained Ogre will be a breeze.”

“Heh,” Wang Yong replied with two words, then rolled his eyes:

“Here’s the deal. I’m going to jungle and won’t drop into P City to fight at the start. If you can reach Chained Ogre within three rounds, breakfast tomorrow is on .”

“You said it! Don’t back out. I want spicy beef soup with noodles for breakfast.”

Zhao Yi was full of confidence as he entered the ga screen.

“You’re lying, you little bastard,” Wang Yong imitated Zhao Yi’s Yu Province accent.

Once said, the gentleman’s agreent was sealed.

Wang Yong entered PUBG, hired a female companion, and began his joyful PUBG journey.

Under Golden Wind’s operation, PUBG was thriving, having tead up with APEX to dominate about half of the battle royale ga market.

Recently, the new airdrop weapons, new map, and new mode announced at the Higashitsu Gaming Festival all went live one after another. Along with Yiyou and Little Yellow’s joint discount event,

PUBG’s online player count hit a new high.

Wang Yong quickly matched a ga.

With the female companion’s help, it was like divine aid.

Picking up guns, dueling, sniping, roaming…

Wang Yong’s hands were on fire today, and with the sweet-voiced companion providing support, it was a sharp and thrilling experience.

The two fought side by side, clearing rounds, smoothly entering the penultimate circle in the first ga.

“…Hey, Yi Zi, I’m about to enter the final circle. How’s it going on your end?”

Wang Yong asked in the voice channel.

Then he unmuted Zhao Yi’s mic.

Previously, to avoid missing footsteps, Wang Yong had muted Zhao Yi in the channel.

But now, once unmuted, Zhao Yi’s sowhat frustrated voice rang out imdiately:

“Eh—I f***ing swear to your mom’s balls!”

Pfft—

Wang Yong nearly spat out his mouthful of saliva:

“You ungrateful brat! I kindly invited you online, and you curse ?!”

“No, no, no!”

Zhao Yi hurriedly explained:

“I’m not cursing you, I’m just stuck on a level and venting my frustration!”

Stuck?

Wang Yong was shocked.

Could it be that Zhao Yi had broken through multiple barriers, defeated the Samurai General and Chained Ogre, and entered a whole new unknown realm?

“Holy sh*t! That’s aweso! You’re already stuck? Want to check guides or live streams?”

Wang Yong exclaid repeatedly, asking:

“Where exactly are you stuck?”

“Um…”

Zhao Yi hesitated a mont:

“Yamauchi Shigezane.”

Wang Yong: …

“Damn! Bro, I’m almost winning the chicken dinner, and you’re just now at Yamauchi Shigezane?!”

Isn’t that the very first elite monster you et at the start?

I even recalled it carefully!

So according to the progress, Zhao Yi had been playing this long and still hadn’t t Genichiro Ashina!

“What? You haven’t even passed the beginner level yet?!”

Wang Yong was stunned.

“I…”

Zhao Yi imdiately felt awkward, stamring for a long ti:

“I’m just getting used to the ga’s chanics. Don’t rush . Let adapt—I haven’t even played the demo version before!”

“Oh—okay then—”

Wang Yong nodded, thinking Zhao Yi had a point.

For ordinary players like them, their skill level was naturally lower than ga strears.

Because, first, aside from so purely codic strears, most strears had generally high skill.

Second, for ordinary players, gas were entertainnt, sothing to play casually whenever they rembered, or skip otherwise.

But for strears, it was a job, their livelihood.

They played for hours or even tens of hours daily, aiming to present the best streaming experience for viewers.

So it was understandable that Zhao Yi wasn’t as skilled as those strears.

“Keep it up then. I’m starting the second ga.”

Due to a poor refresh position of the final circle, Wang Yong quickly lost this pri ga and sighed, “Fate is against .” He closed the death screen and restarted a ga.

One match, two, three…

Wang Yong’s combat tonight was as if he had divine assistance.

Whether reactions or shooting, plus the companion’s help, it was like nothing could stop him.

But Zhao Yi, on the other side, was having a terrible ti!

Only after really getting hands-on did Zhao Yi finally understand why those strears’ performances looked so spectacular.

Because those effects were too real, too natural.

After all,

That damn thing was not the show effect he thought it was!

This damn ga just tornted players like this!

The unprecedented difficulty hit Zhao Yi with a shock right from the start!

Ordinary mobs that were trash mobs in other gas, easy to kill with a flick, had now beco terrifying threats that required serious caution or they’d gang up and kill you!

Elite monsters that normally had special attributes but could be taken down by targeting them when alone were now deadly chasms that could slash you down effortlessly, tough and fierce!

Even the common chickens and beasts that in other gas could be killed in a single pass were now horrifying presences that could end Zhao Yi’s life!

To be honest,

Zhao Yi had been playing gas since he was six or seven.

Now he was twenty-one—more than a decade.

He’d never been treated like this before!

Passing through dark ravines, he fought repeatedly with Yamauchi Shigezane, sparks flying—

Clang! Clang! Bang!

The Yamauchi launched a fierce attack, quickly filling Zhao Yi’s posture bar!

Then, seizing his exhaustion, raised a blade for a finishing strike!

“Yeah—damn your sister! Can’t even block that?!”

Crossing many checkpoints, he dueled the Samurai General, dodging nimbly—

Clang! Bang! Clash!

After a flurry of attacks, the general raised his great sword high!

Zhao Yi instinctively raised his blade to parry, but unexpectedly, the general’s blade ca down only after Zhao Yi’s swing had passed!

“Ah—damn your big balls! Why’s the attack delayed? You lagging?!”

Even the random mobs in Ashina Castle killed him with ease—

Trapped between three attackers, each slashing once, Zhao Yi was casually stabbed to death by three to five hits.

In the combo of two n and a dog, they pressed, retreated, and struck relentlessly, giving Zhao Yi no chance to react as he died bitterly.

A fat guy wielding a big hamr smashed Zhao Yi’s posture bar in two hits, smashing him into the ground.

A musketeer fired iron bullets with precise, deadly long-range shots, even sniping Zhao Yi mid-jump.

Besides that, there were occasional spear-wielding soldiers, bandits hiding in blind spots stabbing suddenly, and torch-carrying sentries shaking their flags as soon as you poked your head out...

Here, what you think is never what you actually think.

Because no one understood players’ assumptions better than Old Thief.

And he was using what you thought to create conspiracies and traps beyond your imagination.

Once, twice, thrice.

Five tis, ten tis, twenty tis.

Dead, alive, alive, dead.

After countless attempts, when Zhao Yi finally reached Chained Ogre, just about to call Wang Yong to watch his performance, he was instantly killed by a punch from the suddenly freed Chained Ogre.

Zhao Yi finally lost it, his miserable roar echoing through the motion-sensing pod:

“F***! Your mother!”

“Ahhhhh—!!!”

No justice!

What kind of ga was this?!

Wasn’t I supposed to be the protagonist?

As a protagonist, I don’t ask for a hundred thousand miles of flips, seventy-two transformations, or a golden staff that kills gods and buddhas.

At least I should be a little stronger, right?

How co in this ga, everyone—

Yes! Everyone!

They kill as easily as I killed monsters in other ARPGs!

Have I beco cannon fodder?!

Zhao Yi was truly stunned, even once wanting to give up and refund on the spot.

But for so reason,

This ga seed magical.

Even if it tortured him thousands of tis, it only broke his defenses without making him lose faith.

Or rather…

The furious rage this damn ga provoked was enough to mask Zhao Yi’s discouragent!

You bastard!

You designed the ga like this, huh?

Fine!

If I don’t beat you today, I’ve wasted over a decade playing gas!!!

...

“This ga’s ingenuity is sothing other gas could learn from for a long ti…”

It was overti review ti at Daily Gaming News again.

But unlike before, only Xu Xiaolin, Hao Xianming, and Lin Xiaong remained in the online conference room.

Yes.

After rounds of evaluations and selections,

The assistant editor position was successfully claid by the outstanding and highly perceptive Lin Xiaong.

At the sa ti, Xu Xiaolin had also recognized Hao Xianming’s seriousness and fairness, taking him as a student.

At this mont, Xu Xiaolin was watching Lin Xiaong’s live gaplay while explaining it to Hao Xianming.

“You’ve played a bit before, right? Do you know why I say this?”

Xu Xiaolin asked.

“Because…”

Hao Xianming thought for a mont:

“Because the ga’s difficulty is jaw-dropping? No one dares to make a ga like this except Golden Wind?”

“Hm…”

Xu Xiaolin murmured:

“Half right.”

“The reason it’s worth learning from and hard to imitate is precisely because of its exquisitely designed difficulty.”

“But first, you have to know what’s so exquisite about it. Can you say?”

Hao Xianming thought, then shook his head: “Please enlighten , teacher.”

Hearing this, Xu Xiaolin chuckled and said:

“Ga feedback.”

At those words!

Hao Xianming gasped in realization.

Enlightening!

Is Sekiro difficult?

Without a doubt, very difficult—even arguably the hardest ga since ARPGs existed.

And under such high difficulty, what’s the consequence?

Strong negative feedback in player experience, frustration upon frustration.

Why have so many ga companies worldwide made especially simple gas aid at casual players, but never a single one like Sekiro that tortures players and teaches the aning of ‘death’ globally?

The reason is simple.

Excessive difficulty causes strong negative feedback, driving players away, making them hate the ga!

But!

Sekiro is different.

Though its difficulty is high and it tortures players to the brink of despair with almost no obvious positive feedback,

Since its release, whether it’s Hao Xianming and Lin Xiaong playing personally, or other strears broadcasting, or players discussing in forums,

No one has said, “This ga is too hard; I want a refund!”

Why is that?

Hao Xianming slightly opened his mouth, thoughtful, seeming to understand Sekiro’s subtlety.

He recalled his feelings after first playing—

From being instantly killed by the general upon first encounter,

To the first successful parry, seeing the general’s posture bar surge,

To adding skill points and successfully reading the “danger” mark,

He clearly felt his skills steadily improving through repeated trials.

The first successful death blow was exhilarating.

The first ti defeating an enemy seemingly insurmountable was thrilling and addictive.

In every duel, he felt his strength growing.

This feeling of improvent was intangible but crystal clear.

Thinking this, Hao Xianming suddenly realized—

Sekiro didn’t lack positive feedback!

Instead, it embedded all positive feedback into every battle!

Every fight was intelligence gathering, self-improvent!

Players’ positive feedback accumulated through constant refinent until finally defeating the enemy, witnessing the once insurmountable foe fall at their hands!

That sense of achievent was unmatched by other gas!

And this!

Is what the teacher just called “exquisite”!

“Very good, but that’s just one point,”

After hearing Hao Xianming’s analysis, Xu Xiaolin nodded appreciatively and continued:

“In fact, if players carefully play this ga, they’ll find that those terrifying elites and bosses also have their tricks. Like Lin Xiaong now—”

As he spoke, Xu Xiaolin gestured for Hao Xianming to watch Lin Xiaong’s live gaplay.