The scent of food in the office had not yet completely faded, still mingling with the smell of paper and electronic equipment.
Shinji had already stood up, and the faint sounds of chatting and tidying up tableware ceased immediately.
Everyone's attention refocused on him, leaving behind the brief relaxation of a meal and regaining focus on work.
"Now that everyone is full and clear-headed, I have a new idea. It concerns the first step for our new game."
Shinji's voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.
"You all have a rough understanding of the prologue's content: Kiana's entrance, the Honkai outbreak, the meeting with Mei, and Bronya's intervention (Project Bunny). Major Himeko's rescue, the evacuation of the Hyperion... The plotline is complete, the emotional impact strong, and the characters vivid."
He paused, scanning everyone with his gaze. "However, turning this entire prologue into a playable game demo with basic completion… given our current manpower and technology, it's nearly impossible to finish in the short term."
Kiana was the first to speak. "Eh? Then what should we do? Aren't we making a game? How will we know if it's fun if we don't make it?"
"That's right, Captain. Even if you're just sketching a blueprint, you still need a pot to cook in, right?" March 7th said softly.
Dan Heng pushed up his glasses, silent, though his eyes conveyed the same question.
Bronya stopped washing the tableware, dried her hands, and looked at Shinji.
Mei packed away the dried lunch boxes and waited quietly.
Star scratched her head. "Then… what are we doing now?"
Shinji shook his head at the "plot summary" section. "No. I mean, we don't need to rush into turning the prologue into a game immediately. We can try a different format to 'tell' it first."
"Tell it?" Kiana asked, confused.
"Yes. Using a manga or a visual novel-style serialization."
Shinji's tone became rapid and clear. "Take the prologue story. Express it with storyboards, visuals, and concise text, then release it on some creative platforms as the debut of the Honkai Impact 3rd world."
He looked at Kiana and Mei. "Kiana, Mei, your task this afternoon, aside from finishing rough sketches of the character portraits, is to create the content for the first installment based on the prologue document I've organized—focusing on key scenes and character interactions. It doesn't need to be overly polished, but it must capture the core plot and emotions, and it needs to be engaging."
He turned to Dan Heng and Bronya. "Dan Heng, Bronya, your technical focus remains the same: continue preliminary research on the engine foundation and core combat logic. But at the same time, find time to build an extremely simple webpage framework to showcase our 'concept.' It doesn't need complex features—just enough to display images and simple text, so it looks like a proper 'project website.'"
Finally, Shinji looked at Star and March 7th. "Star, March 7th, your tasks have been adjusted. First, assist Kiana and Mei by doing simple post-processing and layout for the content they create, preparing it for release. Second—and this is most important—research all potential release platforms, communities, and operating models of independent games, as well as light novels and manga with some market popularity, and compile a report for me. I need to know where to post our story, in what format, and what will best attract the first batch of 'readers'—or rather, future players."
A series of task assignments were issued. The objectives were clear, yet the path was very different from the expected "direct game development."
Kiana blinked, trying to digest it. "So… we draw a manga first? Let others read the story? This… will it work? Will people still be interested in our game after reading the manga?"
"It's more than just interest," Shinji explained. "This is the lowest-cost 'market test.' Through reader feedback, we'll know if our characters are likable, if the story is engaging, and if the world-building sparks curiosity. At the same time, this is the earliest stage of IP building and fan accumulation. Even if only a hundred people like our manga, those are a hundred potential supporters for our future game. Moreover, releasing content provides a clear 'deadline' and a showcase of results, which boosts morale."
Shinji glanced at the half-dead pothos plant in the corner, his tone dropping slightly. "More importantly, if we can't even tell a story that people remember, why would anyone believe we can make a fun game?"
Dan Heng nodded thoughtfully. "Low-cost verification, accumulating initial users, clarifying development direction… logically feasible. The webpage framework and simple display page won't be much work; I can handle it."
Bronya added softly, "I can assist. The visual style needs a unified reference document."
Mei nodded gently. "I understand. Using visuals to tell the story first is better than just describing the settings; it lets people experience the world's charm. I'll cooperate fully with Kiana."
Although Kiana still found the plan a bit roundabout, seeing Mei agree made her eager. Thinking about drawing the plot of 'the most dazzling' world-saving scenes with her own hands, she said, "Fine, fine, we'll draw the manga! But Captain, if nobody reads it after we draw it, don't blame me!"
Star and March 7th promised to research every website thoroughly.
March 7th patted her chest. "We can also see how others promote their work!"
"Very good." Shinji felt relieved that everyone had accepted this direction. This decision was based on his current situation and the lessons from his past life. Forcing direct game development was a dead end. Using content-first might be the only glimmer of hope in a desperate situation.
"Then the division of labor is clear." Shinji clapped his hands. "Kiana, Mei, this is the text script and storyboard suggestions for the first installment of the prologue. Take a look."
"Dan Heng, these are my initial thoughts for the 'concept showcase page.' The simpler and more textured, the better."
"Bronya, these are the keywords for visual style and scene composition references."
"Star, March 7th, this is the list of platform types and key dimensions I need you to research."
One by one, detailed or brief task documents were handed out like small stones thrown into calm water, stirring ripples. The office atmosphere shifted instantly from post-meal chatter to high-speed work mode.
"If you want to read advance Chapter.
Please Visit: https://www.patreon.com/c/Dinos2_0"