Rebirth of America, this is my time

If nothing else, in Ethan's previous life, anyone who has experienced the baptism of the computer age should have played the video game Minesweeper.

Because it can be played while fishing at work, tasted during computer classes, can kill boring time when the computer is disconnected, and can even train people's observation, judgment and reaction speed.

And its shipments are as hard to count as Snake. As a built-in game in Windows 3.1, even though Microsoft had permanently deleted it from the appendix of Windows before Ethan Crossing, its shipments The volume will still be framed and hung on the wall by Microsoft, because the achievements of Minesweeper are the history of Windows industry massacre, and it witnessed Microsoft conquering the world with its iron hoof.

To be honest, when he first came to this world and the producer copied the catalog, Ethan had considered the game “Minesweeper” because it was so famous and relied on Nokia to spread throughout the world. It's like Snake in the world, that is almost everyone knows about it.

But after thinking for a while, Ethan gave up. There were three reasons.

First of all, the game Minesweeper cannot be produced directly with circuit boards. The key to its birth is actually the civilian use and popularization of central processing units. When writing his life plan, Ethan had not yet obtained the 6502. When the hardware problems could not be overcome, making Minesweeper was simply a dream.

Secondly, there is a threshold to get started with the electronic game Mine Sweeper, and it is not low. This is actually contrary to the short, flat and fast gameplay of electronic arcades. Snake is popular because it is easy to get started, and even a veteran can understand the up, down, left, and right operations. Pac-Man is popular because the only control method is movement, which children can understand at a glance. Not to mention Star Wars, their operations even have one less key than the previous two. And what about Minesweeper? Just the number display in the game will make countless players dumbfounded without reading the instructions.

Finally, when he, Ethan Jones, had a bunch of games in his head...

Wouldn't it be nice if I copied Northland Cube?

Why copy Mine Sweeper?

Isn't this a brain disease?

Do you have to deal with money?

Because of this, Ethan directly threw the game Minesweeper into the trash can, and then wrote Snake, Pac-Man, Northland Cube and other words on his life plan.

If you want to do it, then be famous! The most profitable!

But unfortunately, the idea is beautiful, but the reality is very skinny. When Ethan made a lot of money on Snake, Pac-Man and Star Wars, Evelin's words on Northland Cube, The chip is not good, it can't be made were like a bucket of cold water. , it made his heart cool and his heart soared.

He already has the most powerful consumer-grade chip on the planet, but this thing doesn’t work?

This is so uncomfortable!

What made Ethan even more uncomfortable was that he didn't realize until this moment that he, who was not technical, didn't seem to know which games could be loaded with the 6502. When he himself was not sure which games could be copied, that annoying feeling made him feel uncomfortable. He almost scratched his head.

As for pulling out a bunch of games for Evelin to identify?

Ah--

If he really brings out a bunch of 'inspirations' like Doraemon, then Evelin will definitely pry open his brain to see if there is any dimensional pocket inside.

You know this guy has been curious about his creative ability for a long time!

And she is hands-on! I can dissect him!

Therefore, when his identity cannot be exposed, Ethan can only think on his own. While treating Contra as a escort masterpiece, he is looking for some games that will not steal the limelight of the game but can be produced with 6502? This became a tangled matter for Ethan.

But now, with the emergence of Minesweeper, everything is solved!

The game Mine Sweeper is actually very simple. It is divided into two modes. The simple mode is a 9×9 board with ten mines in it, and the advanced mode is a 16×16 board with forty mines. , as long as the player can find the location of the mine, it will be considered a success.

The surrounding grids where the mines are located will provide players with numerical prompts. For example, if I draw a 3×3 grid now, and the mine is in the middle, then the eight grids around will all have the number 1. This It means that there is a mine next to them. And if there are two mines in these nine grids, for example, one in the middle, and another in the middle of the first row, then the number 1 will be displayed except for the bottom row of grids. In addition, the other four grids will all display the number 2.

Of course, this kind of prompt will not be given at the beginning of the game. When the game starts, there will be no prompt on the interface. Players can only do so after performing the first step of demining and not stepping on any mines. Only the surrounding grids he chooses will show the background color and bring some numerical prompts to the players, and then the players can continue playing according to the prompts.”

“Can this game be completely random?”

If it can't be done, then we will do pseudo-randomization.

Just as you told me when we made Pac-Man before, the eight-bit processor can carry the maximum number of levels, we will make a hundred levels each for its simple mode and advanced mode, and then display them in a random call. For gamers.”

After holding his sister's hand and returning home, Ethan took the girl directly into the garage prepared for them by Thomas and Linda, and presented the game Minesweeper in front of Evelin in the form of a painting.

The reason why he said that MOS 6502 will definitely be able to host this game is because he did not even think about making this game into a game like Microsoft's that uses algorithms to generate mines and randomize game levels to the end, but in an artificial way. Create a hundred maps for each of the simple and advanced maps, and then use extraction methods to make players mistakenly think that they are playing an awesome completely random game.

Although players will definitely see through the design of this game after playing too much, but that is not important at all, right? Because the game Mine Sweeper does not provide information to the player at the beginning. When the starting interface is blank, even if the player memorizes the score, the first step must be determined by fate.

It can be done. Evelin, who was holding the table with both hands, looked at the expectant face with a smile and said, If you don't want to be completely random, then this game is very simple to make.

Okay! Then it's him! Ethan clapped his hands, excited.

After confirming Minesweeper, they have three launch games for their consoles. Although compared with Atari and Mirowa, their lineup is really shabby, but it doesn't matter, because the games of this era are selling inspiration. Contra's novel mode can defeat them all.

Yes! I finally don't have to listen to my brain cells wailing! Ethan waved his fist.

What? Evelin didn't understand.

Many of them died just to play games. Ethan pointed to his temple.

“Oh——” This metaphor made Evelin narrow her eyes with a smile. At the same time, she poured cold water on Ethan, But I think it's not as interesting as the cube game you brought out before.

Yes, I know. Ethan nodded: But that's enough.

The main game on our console is the shooting game. It shines like a red flower. All other games are green leaves. As long as they are interesting and playable, that's enough. They don't need players' praise. What they do is allow players to pass the time when they’re bored, and at the same time, make our game library look less shabby.”

Ethan could actually put big-selling games on consoles all at once, but that kind of behavior would do no good at all. In business operations, there can only be one flagship product in a promotion. Because once there are too many fists, consumers will be spoiled for choice, which is very detrimental to product promotion and maintenance.

Okay, since you think it's okay, then do it. Evelin asked, Or me?

Uh-huh. Ethan raised his eyebrows and spoke through his nose.

Then it's the same as before. You draw the two hundred chessboards by yourself and arrange the mines by yourself. I have a lot of work on my hands now and don't have time to do this, okay? Evelin poked the paper on the table.

Okay. Ethan nodded with a smile.

Unless Evelin is unwilling to make games by herself, it is impossible for Ethan to hand over the inspiration from his past life to others to make. Don't ask why, it means he doesn't trust her.

After Ethan took over Evelin's work arrangement, he started to sit in the office the next day designing chessboards and laying mines. At first, he thought this kind of thing was very simple, but after he drew more, he found that 1 He couldn't even shout the four Arabic numerals , 2, 3, and 4 in front of him.

The situation of knowing the meaning but being speechless is very similar to the same word appearing crazily in a chapter of a novel. If I had to describe it, it would actually make me vomit.

Ethan thought he could persevere, but when he finished drawing the fifteenth chessboard and took out the ruler to draw the grid for the sixteenth, the sudden smell of pencil made him cover his mouth.

vomit--

vomit--

vomit--

He retched several times.

What the hell——

It's so disgusting——

A flick of the ruler, a throw of the pencil, a break.

Although being nauseous while drawing will slow down the development progress of Minesweeper, when the console has just been completed and Contra has just been developed, the delay of Minesweeper is not harmful at all, and Ethan even has time to deal with other matters. affairs. For example, the Destiny Game factory was split off, renamed Michael Blanco Electronics Manufacturing Company, and announced a 15% collective incentive plan and a 15% follow-up employee incentive plan. .

In the process, he also heard a lot of good news.

First, Roger Corrin, the head of PepsiCo's division, was finally poached by Wenlock. He came to Cupertino at the end of March to report to Apple. After some conversation, Apple's two Steve, Ethan, Wenlock and Roger Corian reached a consensus and hired Roger Corian as the CEO of Apple Computer with an annual salary of $200,000. official.

At the same time, the company also established a stock option incentive plan for him. After Wenlock joined, Apple Computer's total share capital was expanded to 300 million shares. Based on this, after Roger Corrin joins the company, if Apple's total revenue exceeds 500 million in the next three years, the company will issue an additional 5 million shares to him at a price of one dollar per share to reward him for his investment. The company's contribution.

Under normal circumstances, when standard stock options are exercised, the incentive recipient usually raises his own funds to subscribe for shares. However, in order to allow him to better serve the company, Apple also decided to provide him with a certain exercise bonus. During his three years in office, if the weighted average return on equity after deducting extraordinary gains and losses is higher than 10%, then he can receive an exercise bonus of 10% of the annual net profit. Of course, If the final total amount of the exercise bonus paid is greater than the price of the subscribed shares, then the exercise bonus will be paid based on the total amount of the subscribed shares.

To put it more simply, if Apple's performance is super good, then he can buy 5 million shares of Apple stock with a purchase price of 5 million for free, and the money will be paid by the company.

While Roger Corian received the incentive, Ethan also forced Wenlock to make the two Steves re-sign their salary contracts with the company and obtain the corresponding incentive package.

After all, no matter how much you lose, you can’t lose to your own people, right?

Compared with Spielberg and Lucas, Wozniak and Jobs were not very good to him. The former had already helped him make several games with a basic salary, and also optimized Snake, the latter's lucky star attribute helped him solve many problems.

In addition to the incentive plan, a nine-person board of directors was also established. The two Steves each took three seats, with Jobs as chairman, Ethan as two, and the last one going to Wenlock.

After solving the problems on Apple's side, good news came from Hollywood, and the production team of Alien was finally pulled out. There was no one available in North America, and John Bull's well-known directors were a little afraid. After the check fraud case in Colombia hit the crew, Spielberg and Lucas, who went to the corrupt country to find a director, also fatefully chose Ridley Scott. Especially this young man.

Well, that’s right, it’s Xiaoyoun.

Although Ridley Scott was born in 37, making him older than both Spielberg and Lucas, his start in filmmaking is impossible to compare with that of Spiel, who has been playing with film since he was a child. Berg's, and he only won the Cannes Best Debut Award last year (1977).

In terms of seniority, Spielberg and Lucas are his seniors.

But these things are not important. After he signed the directing contract, Universal immediately started casting work in New York and London. At the same time, Industrial Light and Magic was also working quickly. According to Ridley Scott and Spielberg and Lucas' idea to polish the alien creature model.

The first phase of investment of two million US dollars was shared by Destiny Pictures and Universal. This speed also made Ethan a little speechless, because he really couldn't figure out what the two guys Spielberg and Lucas were. Is it really a top? Things that can be done quickly have been delayed for a long time!

However, he would complain about this kind of thing to Evelyn behind closed doors, and as time went by, April came, and the 50th Oscars were also held in Los Angeles.

This year's biggest winner is Woody Allen, who won three awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay for Annie Hall and made Diana Keaton the best actress.

Star Wars won all the technical awards because of its unparalleled contribution to the film industry, and the Oscar organizing committee also awarded them special achievement awards.

Also winning the same award was Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

No way, although Close Encounters of the Third Kind lost to Star Wars in technical awards, and it couldn't compare to Star Wars in terms of box office and influence, its shocking alien spacecraft can still compete with Star Wars 》's Millennium Falcon.

Before the Oscars, Spielberg and Lucas extended an invitation to Ethan.

But Ethan declined, citing the fact that he was working on a new game.

However, after the awards were presented, he also made congratulatory calls to the two of them.

The end of all internal and external affairs gave Ethan a quiet time, sitting in the office drawing the levels of Mine Sweeper. Just when he thought that April would be spent peacefully like this, and May would be so quiet. ’s arrival, I won’t be busy until the new product launch conference is held...

On the afternoon of April 18, 1978, the bald Steve Ballmer knocked on the door of his office again, Boss, there is news from Washington.

Huh? Ethan was confused by the lack of words.

Ballmer explained: The Senate passed the canal issue 68-32.