Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 262

“Hyung, am I not cute?” 262

“Are you okay?”

An Hyun-tae, who was next to me, looked at me.

I raised my hand slightly to signal that I was fine.

Who would have known they would introduce themselves as the Kyung Trio?

‘Surely they’re not actually calling the development team the Kyung Trio, are they?’ I wondered.

The team leaders looked at the documents and chuckled.

It seemed they noticed that the three names all contained ‘Kyung’.

‘Does this even qualify as humor?’

“To chuckle at this… It’s a bit insulting to my pride,” An Hyun-tae muttered, seemingly embarrassed by his own amusement.

‘Isn’t the name kind of fun, though?’

With that, the trio’s presentation began.

The PPT [PowerPoint] presentation was also neatly done.

The shortcomings of the previous teams were nowhere to be seen.

That’s because the game they originally created had a clear target audience.

“We created this PC game. The initial version is already somewhat complete. Let’s watch the gameplay video.”

A short gameplay video played.

While the previous teams focused on app games, the trio’s game was a solo play game.

It’s true that this is a rare type of game in Korea these days.

“That’s all. Thank you.”

Silence followed.

I listened without interrupting once.

Everyone was subtly contemplating.

That’s because it was a slightly different form from the typical Korean revenue model, and they couldn’t guarantee that it would be successful.

But they couldn’t help but admit that it was a well-made game.

Story, controls, gameplay – they clearly understood the basics and executed them well. It was quite intriguing.

“Hmm.”

Team leader Gu Hyun-jo, who initially disliked me, opened his mouth.

“I’ll speak first.”

The other team leaders nodded as if they understood.

“I saw the passion of the three of you. It’s a very well-made game. Certainly, the story is important in this kind of game, and the storytelling is well-woven. Honestly, I don’t know about Korea, but I think it’s worth releasing overseas.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“The artwork is also good. But are you only thinking of selling it in Korea? Did it have to be a PC game? It wouldn’t be bad to add elements that users can enjoy together, like multiplayer features.”

“Are you saying you’re not interested in app games?”

“In a word, yes.”

“We just made the game we wanted to make. The three of us formed a team and made the game we loved.”

“You know it’s not the trend these days, right?”

“Trends are spread by someone leading them anyway. We believe our game is definitely competitive. We didn’t make it with our own arrogance, but we definitely made it with the user in mind and compromised.”

“Are you sure you compromised?”

“Yes! Because we are the number one players.”

He nodded slightly and picked up his pen.

It seemed he liked their stubbornness.

An Hyun-tae raised his hand.

“It’s truly precious that there are young people in Korea making games like this. It definitely has its own unique color. I want to give some advice, but there’s nothing particularly obvious. However, if……”

He paused slightly.

“If this becomes popular and you want to make it into an app game, I think I could be a good mentor……”

Team leader Gu Hyun-jo’s eyes shone with interest.

‘Ah, this. It feels like a competition is about to start because they met a pretty outstanding team.’

Earlier, there was competition for the team to receive support, but now it seems like they’ve sparked a competition to get that team under their wing.

Gu Hyun-jo said, “Haha. I also have expertise in PC games. But when I think about the high costs, there are definitely problems, but I think that can be solved gradually. A lot of effort has really gone into it.”

“Thank you.”

The other team leaders also started praising them from here and there, subtly appealing to them.

An invisible shootout was beginning.

Then they couldn’t help but move on to the story part.

“But who wrote this story? It was very interestingly composed.”

“Ah, that……”

An Kyung-ho glanced at me.

“Ahem. Interpreter Lee Si-hyuk, who is here, wrote the story.”

Team leader Gu Hyun-jo looked at me with wide eyes and frowned.

The other team leaders also looked surprised, as if asking what my identity was.

An Hyun-tae, who was next to me, was smiling brightly as if he had hit the jackpot.

‘Huh? Why is the focus suddenly on me?’

This is troublesome.

The trio gave the presentation, but it feels like I’ve become the last scene stealer.

I laughed awkwardly and turned my head without saying anything.

What more can I say here? Let’s just quietly move on.

‘The atmosphere is too strange to just move on…’

***

The trio naturally passed.

It was well suited to the purpose of the support project, and there were hardly any teams who had prepared as thoroughly as they had.

The fact that a considerable amount of the game had already been made also played a part.

If support is provided as it is, they will be able to create not only the front end but also the back end well.

The problem was the mentor selection part.

“NM [Naver Messenger, a popular Korean messaging app] where you are, Si-hyuk, is the best, right?” An Kyung-ho asked, nudging me with a smile.

“Go to the place you want to go. The place that gives better advice and suits you.”

“It’s already being made anyway, so do you really need that much advice? I told you before. I think this will work overseas. Then translation is important, right.”

“It’s all translated, so what.”

“That’s true. But there may be points to be supplemented.”

“Hmm. Do whatever you want.”

He seems to have already made up his mind, so what’s the point of saying anything?

Still, I’m definitely looking forward to it.

The day this game is completed and launched.

“Then I’ll submit as a mentor?”

“You know they have to accept the mentor too, right?”

“They appealed to us so much, so they wouldn’t not accept it, would they?”

“That’s true.”

An Hyun-tae also seems to like this trio.

But how are they going to sell it?

Most developers were focused on app games.

That’s because app games are definitely easier and less expensive to develop for individuals.

However, this trio has the skills, but in some ways, they are going down a path that can be called non-mainstream.

Then……

“Wow, but it feels good to be caught up in this kind of support project,” I said.

“Even though the desired form is different?” An Kyung-ho asked.

“Well, what does it matter? It’s an experience. If we make money like this, we can invest in making other games again.”

“That’s true.”

It’s good to make money, but if you think about investing it in making a new game, it seems like a pretty rough process.

It’s not easy for such a small number of developers.

I expect them to eventually move to apps. It won’t be an easy barrier to overcome.

After a while, An Kyung-ho came in with a bright face.

“Ta-da!”

“Hello. I’m mentor An Hyun-tae.”

“Waaah!”

‘It’s already decided? That was fast!’ I thought.

“You have received benefits from the business support, and this office is also provided. You all have computers, right?”

“Yes!”

“Then let’s talk a little more about the business revenue model. For example, it feels like a video game format……”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“Can’t you fix that a little?”

“How?”

“It’s good to sell the game, but I want you to put a revenue model inside the play as well. Buying difficulty control with money.”

“Difficulty control?”

“Yes.”

Everyone had a bewildered expression.

“Don’t you understand?”

“That’s… I understand the words, but…”

“Ah! There’s something I didn’t say. How about releasing this game on Estem Games after it’s completed?”

“Huh?”

Estem Games.

It is a PC game platform where many people buy games and sales are considerable.

If Google Play is the place to download app games, Estem Games is for PC games.

“You know that Estem Games is a gateway for small and medium-sized companies, right?”

Everyone nods.

“There is a Star Tester system in that project.”

Star Tester.

Users play and give star ratings.

Reviews are also included, and if it becomes popular, the system provides full support for official release and promotion.

An Hyun-tae is aiming for that.

An Kyung-ho said, “Certainly, it won’t be difficult to enter overseas. You only need to support subtitles.”

“That’s right. You’ve probably thought about it.”

“Hmm. That’s right.”

“The problem is that they buy a lot when it’s on sale. You can’t raise sales with that alone. If it is officially released, there must be something that can lower the difficulty.”

“Well. Everyone’s control skills will be different. You’re saying to add more paid payments for that, right?”

An Hyun-tae smiled.

“You’re sharp.”

Users who don’t upgrade their equipment with cash can clear it with skill, and users who don’t have good control can upgrade their equipment to clear it.

Certainly, you had to have a good balance like this.

“I’m going to catch that balance. I know the appropriateness of such numerical balance well.”

From the beginning, An Hyun-tae’s presence is definitely felt.

He seemed like a great mentor.

“The translation is basically English, Chinese, and…. It would be nice if Japanese was also available. Si-hyuk.”

“Yes?”

“Is it possible?”

“Hmm. I can do English, Chinese, German, and Vietnamese, but I don’t know Japanese well.”

“Ah, is that so? It’s okay. Japanese translation will be easy anyway.”

“Ah, I’ll try it once. I know some.”

“Hmm. I’ll leave it to you for now.”

An Kyung-ho raised his thumb.

“Si-hyuk will be good at Japanese too.”

I let out an absurd laugh.

‘Is that easy?’ I thought. I only have a vague memory of learning a little Japanese in high school.

“Well. I have to try.”

First of all, it is basically translated into Korean and English, so I think I can somehow do it in an analog way by converting it to Japanese and comparing it to that.

An Kyung-ho asked, “But is there a reason to translate it into Japanese?”

“Of course there is. Japanese games have been released on Estem Games since the end of 2014. It has been gradually increasing since 2015.”

“Aha.”

“Reverse exports to Japan are also possible, and Japanese gamers are also very attracted. It is right to release the translation. I can’t give up this income either.”

“Wow. That’s right.”

I also agreed with that.

In the case of app games, they export a lot to Japan.

Then translation becomes more important when you look at the gameplay.

If you do well, it’s a break-even, and if you don’t, you get cursed.

I want to find out about this part because I’m curious.

I took out the phone in my pocket.

“Then I’ll prepare like that too…. Ah!”

Sting.

Everyone looks at me as if asking what’s wrong.

I shook my head as if it was nothing.

But what appears in front of me is the world of Japanese.

Words floated up and were attached here and there before faintly disappearing.

「Ah, dizzy.」

Slightly pressing the corners of my eyes.

「Anyway, congratulations on passing. Let’s properly develop a game… Huh?」

I blinked.

Because what came out of my mouth was Japanese.

Now, with a familiar feeling, I let out a laugh.

An Kyung-ho looks at me and says, “What? Isn’t it Japanese?”

Park Kyung-joon took the words, “That’s it! There are people like that. There are people who are actually really good while saying they only know a little.”

Shin Kyung-hwan shakes his head. “Stop being humble. What’s so great about knowing how to do it? You’re actually good, right? Right?”

An Hyun-tae gives a hollow laugh. “Is there still something to be surprised about?”

I closed my mouth tightly as I looked at those people.

Everyone makes a face that they can’t stop me, thinking that silence is affirmation.

‘Ah, it’s not that, but if I open my mouth now, only Japanese will come out.’

I’m really upset.