Game Development Giant

At the VGX awards conference ten days later, Jester once again won the honor of Game of the Year. It was also the first game in history to win the Game of the Year award from GDC and VGX, two game selection organizations with completely different selection directions. It can be said that the game, although Gallant was released less than three months ago, became the biggest winner of the game released last year.

However, this incident is not the biggest news in the industry.

During this period, the biggest news in the industry was Carmack's resignation from Mars Entertainment.

However, since the last time Jester was interviewed, he expressed his attitude, hoping that Carmack could change his mind, and that even if the other party left Mars Entertainment, he would not restrict the other party's future work, and there was nothing related to it. news came out.

However, many game media learned from the inside that Jester did not agree to Carmack's resignation application, and after attending the VGX awards party, Jester immediately flew to Switzerland to find Carmack who was on vacation in Switzerland. I want to persuade him again, hoping that the other party will give up the idea of ​​resigning. After all, Carmack is a crucial figure for Mars Entertainment.

In fact, Jester’s analysis of FPS games is very insightful, whether at the GDC awards night or at the Mars Entertainment player community forum. Many companies that develop FPS games feel enlightened after reading it. , however, the main reason why these game companies still hope to get Carmack, who fell out with Jester because of the old-school FPS.

Not familiar with them, they feel that traditional FPS still has a bright future.

And it is entirely due to Carmack's transcendent status in the field of 3D engines. Why does Mars Entertainment's 3D games completely crush other game companies?

It was because of the engine Carmack developed for them. However, the invitations from these game companies to Carmack were like falling into the sea. Even if Jester said that Carmack would not be prohibited from developing games at other game companies after leaving his job, the invitations from these game companies , and did not receive a response from Carmack.

At this time, Carmack, who was on a skiing vacation in Switzerland, looked leisurely and was drinking coffee with Jester, who had just flown to Switzerland and was still jet-lagged. Moreover, the two of them were chatting and laughing, and it didn't look like there was anything wrong at all. contradiction.

When did you approve your resignation application?

Take a sip of coffee. Carmack asked Jester, who was sitting next to him, somewhat boredly.

Jester shook his head: Don't worry, I still want to persuade you. I hope you will lead the team to develop an engine again, you know. The last engine you developed was more than a year ago, although This engine is still the best at present, but other companies are not idle either, and our lead over them will become less and less, so...

But before Jester could finish speaking. Carmack interrupted.

Stop talking.

His tone became a little firm: As I told you before, I have really lost interest in engine development. It may not be appropriate to say that. To be precise, I have never I have never been interested in developing 3D engines. The only thing I am interested in is the technology itself. Because the development of 3D engines can reflect my technology, I am obsessed with the development of 3D engines.

After a brief pause, Carmack continued.

The most important reason why I develop games is that I personally like video games. Doing this can make the engine I make look more awesome.

Hearing this, Jester could only sigh. In fact, even if Carmack didn't tell him this, he could still know what the other person was thinking. After all, he was the one who had read the other person's future autobiography, and even Jester knew the other person better than Carmack himself did.

Carmack continued: The reason why I don't want to continue to develop the engine now is precisely because of this. My technology cannot play an absolutely important role in the entire engine development. The efficiency of the team model now has completely surpassed that of my previous one. This development model. In this development model, I couldn't find any fun, so I decided to quit the development of the new engine - in fact, the current engine development team. Without me, the strength will not decline much. My role in it is more of a leader than a core one.”

Although Carmack said this firmly, Jester still hesitated for a moment and continued: I still hope that you can finish developing this engine before leaving. After all, I have been relatively slow these days. New projects will not be implemented so quickly...

Hearing Jester's advice, Carmack also fell into deep thought, but only after a moment, he still shook his head.

Although the development of the new engine is going very smoothly, I estimate it will be completed early next year, but I don't like such boring work. If the work can't bring you pleasure and passion, then don't do it. This is what you were doing at that time What he taught me... There is no need to rush our new projects. In the past few years, I have been developing new engines and new games. After developing the new engine, I will develop new games immediately. After that, during my vacation, I still participated in some amateur sports car gatherings. I am indeed a little tired, so I plan to rest for a while first.”

Since Carmack said so, Jester could only express his understanding.

However, John, I still want to ask for your opinion. Although I have talked to you several times before and you are very interested in this plan, you must know that VR or AR technology is still in an exploratory stage. This can be a very boring industry that takes ten years to accumulate. Do you really want to work on this project?”

hehe.

After hearing what Jester said, John Carmack smiled again.

“BOSS, you still don’t know me well enough. What I like is work that brings me passion, not what this work can bring me. Regarding the future prospects of VR or AR devices as you described, I'm very optimistic - in fact, if I hadn't known that you were secretly developing home motion-sensing gaming devices too late, I would have given up on the development of the 3D engine. This time, this time-breaking device came out. , I don’t want to miss it…”

As he spoke, Carmack waved his hands, indicating that Jester did not need to think about his problem.

Jester could only smile bitterly at this.

The development of somatosensory equipment is still in progress. No one can say whether it can be used on the next generation of consoles. After all, the difficulty of miniaturization is not only in technology, but also in cost. As for the future of VR equipment you mentioned ...I can only say that I am still 80% sure about somatosensory, but I am really not too sure about the prospects of VR equipment. I can only say that this is a development direction in the future, but to what extent can this be developed? No one can say anything bad.

Jester shook his head and explained to Carmack.

However, Carmack didn't care much. He just smiled: I just said it casually. In fact, I still said the same thing, I will only do things that interest me. Now I am very interested in VR equipment. I'm very interested in the development of VR equipment, and that's enough. Moreover, if you hadn't told me about VR equipment, I might have planned to quit my job and work on rocketry. This is a career that is even less likely to achieve anything. But I still want to try it.”

Oh well.

To this. Jester could only nod his head, I will announce to the public that you have resigned after I go back, and I will prepare our new company as soon as possible. The scale does not need to be too big at the beginning, just do some For experimental research and development, we will probably wait until the next generation of somatosensory consoles are launched before our VR equipment research and development can get on track...

fair enough.

Carmack nodded and had no objection to Jester's plan.

But do you have no plans to continue playing shooting games? Although the style change of FPS games is inevitable, the audience of this type of game will never disappear. There will always be people who like the old-school FPS, but it will not be the same in the future. There will be so many people willing to accept this kind of game, such as the experimental Team Fortress we are making, and I think this game can absorb a large part of old-school FPS game enthusiasts.

The most important thing is. You do have more free time.

Jester stood up and stretched. He came to see Carmack as soon as he got off the plane. Even though it was his own private plane, he was already exhausted after flying for more than ten hours, and he still needed to adjust to jet lag.

After chatting with Carmack for so long, he was a little tired. When he was about to take a break, he said this to Carmack. In fact, Jester also knew that this was not helpful, but he still hoped that Carmack would not give up game development so quickly and focus on shooting game development. , Carmack is still very popular, and in terms of the use of the engine, no one in the entire game company can match it.

I do have a few more interesting ideas, but my mind is no longer on them. Carmack still declined, Actually, the most fun I have had in shooting games during this period is Carnival's Thor Hammer World Championship, it's much more fun to watch other people play the game than it is to play it myself, or to make the game.

Why.

Sighing, Jester could only say: Then I will go and rest first, and I will discuss the VR equipment with you in detail tomorrow. This matter still needs to be discussed in the long term.

I understand. Carmack also expressed understanding.

Three days later, Jester flew back to Los Angeles from Switzerland and was immediately spotted by reporters waiting near the airport. Of course, it was impossible for them to get close to interview the heavily guarded Jester without Jester’s permission. special.

And Jester didn't mean to stop being interviewed. It could be seen that Jester looked in a hurry and his complexion was not very good. I don't know if it was because of the unsatisfactory negotiation with Carmack in Switzerland or because of the long flight. Within Mars Entertainment, there are many people who are concerned about this matter, especially those in the FPS development team.

Carmack is almost a believer in the minds of these people.

They couldn't accept Carmack leaving, or even going to other game companies to engage in game development.

There are even many people who will leave Mars Entertainment and follow Jester once it is confirmed that Carmack will leave Mars Entertainment and join other game companies to develop FPS games.

When Jester returned to the company headquarters the next day after returning to Los Angeles, many people in the FPS development department united to ask about the final result of Carmack's resignation. After hesitating for a while, Jester still agreed. They told a little truth that could be revealed: I verbally agreed to Carmack's resignation application in Switzerland.

As soon as Jester's words came out, it immediately caused an uproar.

Many people had very disappointed looks on their faces.

but……

Soon, Jester continued: ...John will not go to other game companies to develop games, and the reason for his resignation is not only because of the contradiction in the concept of FPS game development, but because he is a little tired. After leaving this life of game development, he wants to change his job. This time, my words are just an opportunity. He will come back in a few days, and I will also hold a farewell party for him in the company.

Although Jester's words relieved many people, some people still asked: Can you tell me what John is going to do next? Is it related to the game?

I'm not too sure about this.

Jester shook his head: John didn't talk to me in too much detail. He said he would talk to me in detail after he comes back. Moreover, this is also related to John's secrets. I can't say too much. Anyway, , According to my understanding, what John is going to do this time is very exciting.

This statement in the company headquarters spread like wildfire in a very short period of time.

It quickly spread throughout the industry.

Although Jester said a lot, the most critical news for other game companies is that he has agreed to Carmack's resignation, and all that is left is to follow the procedures.

This is really good news for these game companies.

Although they still haven't received a reply from Carmack, now that Carmack has left Mars Entertainment, the chance of poaching the other party has greatly increased. The most important thing is to poach the other party, and maybe they can get a powerful FPS. Game development team! . (~^~)