Losing Money to Be a Tycoon c1-883

by Inebriation-seeking Blue Shirt, 青衫取醉

  He had to make a trip to Dream Realization Ventures for the notes and also to see how Old Ma was now.

  He heard someone shouting the moment he reached Dream Realization Ventures.

  “Boss Ma, ulti now!”

  “No problem, Boss Ma, I’ll back you up!”

  “Boss Ma, leave me behind; withdraw yourself!”

  It sounded like the battle was rather fierce and impassioned.

  Pei Qian could not help but nod slightly.

  Yes, this is exactly my ideal company!

  Old Ma is my good brother indeed; he never fails me!

  Uh… except the previous incident.

  Pei Qian felt that it wasn’t entirely Old Ma’s fault the other time. It was also a coincidence. Old Ma did not do it intentionally. It was an accident. Moreover, the success of the investment was inconclusive. He should not just banish his good brother.

  He should wait until after the exam week before banishing him at least.

  Pei Qian crept in quietly and stood behind Ma Yang. He was not playing Gods Rising, but GOG!

  Eh???

  Three question marks appeared above Pei Qian’s head immediately.

  Chapter 370 - Coin-Scattering Hedgehog

  Pei Qian stood behind Ma Yang silently, looking at him being driven away by the enemy’s heroes.

  Eh? Was it not a rigged match?

  Pei Qian was a little puzzled, seeing how the other side attacked so ruthlessly. It didn’t seem like it was someone friendly.

  Both sides fought extremely violently in a wave of team battles. The three teammates on their side and the five from the enemy team were indistinguishable. They managed to hit them down to three with superb coordination and tacit cooperation.

  Another team member was frantically taking the lead. He successfully demolished two towers during this wave of team battle, threatening the opponent’s high ground.

  And Ma Yang…

  Ran away in the midst of bloody cries for ‘Boss Ma run away’. Pei Qian took a closer look. Ma Yang was playing as a strange beast hero. It looked like a wolf but had a sturdy body and a dragon tail. It had a huge head, two unicorn-shaped horns on top of its head. It had a huge basin as its mouth and looked rather uncoordinated. However, there was a strange sense of cuteness to it.

  Pei Qian had a slight impression of this hero. It was a Taotie; its IP belonged to an old domestic animation. Of course, the figure in the animation was inspired by an exotic gluttonous animal in traditional culture.

  The Taotie had many images. Everyone had different opinions, and there was no absolute right answer.

  The Taotie in domestic animation was rather influential and had a high degree of recognition. That was why they bought the IP in this game.

  This was a hero with both defense and team-building capabilities in the design of GOG. It could swallow both their teammate and enemy heroes. It could also control the enemy within a limited range and also activate skills to improve one’s own damage reduction ability. In theory, this should be a rather good support hero to novices. One could just rush to the enemy’s defense or use its swallowing skills to project your key teammates even if one was a novice.

  It had a very high lower limit. Its upper limit wasn’t too shabby as well.

  However, in Old Ma’s hands, this hero did not do anything of that sort. He slipped off, covered in blood, and sold his three teammates decisively.

  Pei Qian couldn’t help but sigh. He had seen many rigged games, but it was the first time he saw four tanks and one assist!

  Pei Qian confirmed it after taking a closer look. The other party was really not a friendly opponent. It should be an enemy randomly matched online.

  In previous 5v5 rigged games, the party on the opponent side acted realistically, but Pei Qian could see traces of the game being rigged. After all, allowing Old Ma to kill nine people in the game by himself could only be achieved with some rather inferior acting.

  Now, the opponents seemed to be hitting Ma Yang rather cruelly. They did not seem like current employees but employees that left. Luckily, Old Ma escaped pretty fast; otherwise, he would have died miserably.

  The other employees had spotted Pei Qian standing behind Ma Yang by now. However, none of them spoke, seeing the ‘hush’ gesture by Boss Pei.

  Ma Yang wore the earphones and stared at the screen intently, unaware a person was standing behind him.

  Nar

  Of course, even if he did see Pei Qian, he would probably just greet him and go back to his game.

  Old Ma might be muddled, but he never gave up on his teammates. He was still rather reliable from this point of view—if one did not consider his performance in the game.

  Old Ma’s current actions were no different from abandoning his teammates now.

  Pei Qian watched on happily. If he was in the game and was Old Ma’s teammate, he would probably have cursed him.

  However, Pei Qian only had one thought in mind as a bystander.

  Was there any food? Bring me some; I’m so hungry!

  However, he could not help but sympathize with Boss Ma’s four teammates. They were obviously better than the opponents, but they were hit so badly.

  However, Pei Qian’s smile gradually faded from his face as he watched on.

  Extreme pleasure would end in sorrow!

  Wait, this version of GOG… doesn’t look right?

  Ma Yang’s last hit was executed so badly. Why did his equipment not fall too far behind? Also, wasn’t his hero a support hero?

  Ma Yang killed the enemy with the help of his teammates and was awarded an 800-yuan bounty?

  Such a setting was relatively familiar to Pei Qian so he did not immediately realize that something was wrong.

  However, he noticed something wrong immediately after thinking for a while!

  The original GOG design wasn’t like this because this game was copied from Gods Rising!

  He took a closer look. Not only were there changes in the last hit and the rules to bounty, but even the map seemed smaller than what it was previously. The elements on the map seemed to be changed as well!

  Pei Qian’s heart sank and turned cold.

  What’s going on?!

  Who modified the game? Why were there so many problems the more he looked into the details?

  He wanted to inspect even closer, but the game was already over. It was a 405 most of the time, but Ma Yang’s team still won because his teammates were really strong

  Ma Yang took off his earphones and contentedly. “Winning streak!

  “The special training some time ago really helped me gain improvement. We can now win randomly matched players continuously!” The employees around applauded, bootlicking all around.

  “Boss Ma improved leaps and bounds!”

  “Actually, Boss Ma’s skills were rather good in the first place. You just did not meet good teammates until now.”

  “Even though Boss Ma did not win the MVP for this round, you played the biggest role in our victory!” Pei Qian remained silent.

  Old Ma, this year’s tree planting day has been over for quite some time now. Why hasn’t a B-tree taken root in your heart?

  Moreover, what a bunch of bootlickers you’ve hired… I can’t continue listening anymore! Forget it, the bootlickers weren’t important.

  Let’s clarify the problem with GOG first!

  Pei Qian was a little speechless. Didn’t Li Yada and Bao Xu travel to the United States for a tour?

  How could you all still give me trouble being so far away? Or perhaps you buried this minefield for me before you left?

  Luckily, I came to borrow notes from Old Ma today. If not, I don’t know how long I would be kept in the dark!

  Pei Qian subconsciously wanted to ask about the game but changed his mind. What would these investment individuals in Dream Realization Ventures know about GOG?

  Forget it, he’d search for the answer himself!

  Someone had pulled over a chair beside Ma Yang for Boss
Pei to sit. Pei Qian gave a slight cough. “Did you bring it?”

  Ma Yang nodded hurriedly. “Yes, Brother Qian, please keep it well.”

  He pulled out an ordinary-looking hardcover notebook from the drawer as he spoke.

  Pei Qian reached for it and passed it to his chauffeur, Little Sun. Little Sun put this hardcover book hurriedly into his business bag for Boss Pei. No one else took another look.

  What was in that book?

  Probably some confidential information!

  Why would Boss Pei personally make a trip down to take it from Boss Ma otherwise?

  Pei Qian planned to find a copy shop to make a copy and take some time to memorize the notes for the only closed-book exam during the exam week.

  However, the most important problem at hand was GOG.

  “We haven’t played together for some time. Up for one game?” Pei Qian suggested.

  Ma Yang was elated. “Sure, Brother Qian! I’ll also show you the results of my special training!”

  Pei Qian remained silent. He was in total doubt about the results of Ma Yang’s special training!

  The sun would rise from the west if a slacker like Ma Yang could really improve with four professional players who would not outplay him no matter what.

  However, Pei Qian’s objective was to observe the current situation of GOG.

  They entered the ten-person selection interface in no time.

  Pei Qian was a little lost when faced with the dazzling array of heroes. Of course, there were only a dozen, which was not too many. The game was in the development phase after all.

  However, Pei Qian had never played any of the heroes here so he naturally felt at a loss as to who to choose.

  Pei Qian clicked on the heroes one by one to view their skills and introduction.

  Pei Qian noticed a line of words under Modest, the Guardian of Justice: ‘I would like to use this hero to pay tribute to Boss Pei, the Chief Designer of Tengda Games!’

  Huh?

  Pei Qian couldn’t help but feel great.

  Such inadvertent bootlicking was always irresistible!

  Let’s use it since it’s my exclusive hero!

  Pei Qian did not hesitate to use Modest, the Guardian of Justice.

  He only noticed the many weapons behind the hero’s back after he chose him. Why did he have so many weapons? Putting aside the knife, gun, and sword; why was there hayfork and broom?

  What did this mean?

  The Gate of Babylon(a) of the others was hidden in the void and could be summoned at any time. Why was my Gate of Babylon on my back?

  The Iron Thrones[b] of the others were usually beneath their butts. Why is mine on my shoulders?

  Was this part not thought through carefully?

  Ma Yang turned towards Pei Qian just as he wanted to ask his question.

  “Eh? Brother Qian, you’re going to play as the Coin-Scattering Hedgehog?”

  Pei Qian remained silent.

  Why are you swearing at me? Pei Qian’s face turned black. “What Coin-Scattering Hedgehog? Am I not the Guardian of Justice?”

  Ma Yang replied. “Yes, yes, yes. He is the Guardian of Justice.

  “But it’s designed like a hedgehog. Moreover, he would scatter coins when stabbed in the back. It’s a really fun character!”

  Pei Qian remained silent.

  He really wanted to know who designed this hero now. He had no other intentions but to give the designer a paid travel package to the Sahara Desert, Antarctica, and the tropical rainforests of East Africa to broaden their horizons.

  [a]Please put a TL note for this. What does it mean?

  [b]Same for this one.

  Chapter 371 - I’m Still the One at Fault?

  Pei Qian wanted to switch his hero, but things had already been fixed, and the game was about to begin. He had no other choice but to play along.

  Before entering the game, Pei Qian already saw a bad sign. As if filled with chemistry, everyone had already chosen their respective lanes!

  There was a label next to each person’s icon. The other three people quickly adjusted their own labels to say ‘mid-laner’, ‘wanderer’, and ‘bottom laner’ respectively.

  Ma Yang also earnestly changed his own label to say ‘commander’.

  Pei Qian clicked on his own label and discovered that there was only one option left: ‘top laner’.

  He could not help but feel surprised. Wasn’t this the classic way of splitting roles based on his own memory?

  Something was amiss.

  All of a sudden, Pei Qian felt like he had just traveled through time. The three lanes were still named in the same way: top, middle, and bottom. However, the ‘jungler’ and ‘support’ roles were now called ‘wanderer’ and ‘commander’. Based on Pei Qian’s memory, this method of splitting roles had already been employed in season one of IOI.

  The game had not been completed in season one, and the method of splitting roles had still been left up to the teams to deal with in any way they wanted. However, during the world competition, Europe’s elite team had figured out that splitting the roles in this way could guarantee that the team’s resources would be maximized.

  After that, this way of splitting roles was termed the ‘EU Way’. It became more and popular until Riot Games made it the standard way of splitting roles in the game.

  The facts had proven that splitting roles in this way was way more advantageous than cheating.

  IS V

  IO

  The biggest benefit was that it made the game much easier for newbies to pick the skills up.

  Every lane had a clear goal, appropriate heroes, and strategies. Even if new players did not understand the game, they could still focus on doing their duties in their respective lanes. That meant a team of five newbies could still do very well.

  Team members did not have to fight for resources among themselves and cause bitterness before the game even began.

  However, such a strategy should only have arisen about a year later.

  Why was it coming up in GOG? Although the names of the roles were different, the overall effect was still the same.

  Further, Pei Qian wondered who had been so despicable as to call the ‘supporter’ a ‘commander’. It was no wonder that someone like Ma Yang, who loved recognition, would willingly take up a role like that.

  Pei Qian had a bad feeling about this. However, after some thought, he decided not to panic or become anxious. He had just entered the game, and he had to wait until he had fully experienced it before he made a decision.

  Pei Qian first tried out ‘Coin-Scattering Hedgehog’s moves.

  Its passive skill was spending money.

  Hitting Q caused it to scatter coins after being stabbed in the back.

  Hitting W caused it to chase its employees away, forbidding them from working overtime.

  Hitting E caused it to send employees on holiday.

  Hitting R made it stab itself in the back continuously.

  Pei Qian’s face turned green.

  Who had designed this? There was a huge problem! It was a subtle jab at him-it definitely was! If this had occurred in the evil past, Pei Qian would have officially persecuted them!

  However, they were now in the bright, new age. As a boss, he had to be more magnanimous.

  Alright, he would live and let live. He could always send the person on a surprise paid holiday to the Great East African rift valley or the haunted house.

  As the game progressed, Pei Qian discovered more problems. Compared to Gods Rising, this game was far easier!

  No matter how horrible one’s last hit was, they could obtain bounty rewards. Even if one died, they did not lose money. There was an extra award for ending people’s streaks, and the map was so small that teammates could offer assistance quickly. Pei Qian had a bad feeling about this.

  It would be much easier for newbies to become good at this game!

  However, as he played the game, Pei Qian noticed some positive things
as well.

  Firstly, the game was quite imbalanced.

  Pei Qian had noticed that Modest was too powerful! Not only could it tank damage, but it could also deal considerable basic damage after developing normally. As long as one picked the right time to pentakill when everyone gathered together, the hero could trash everyone in team battles. One could also hit W to stop enemies from retreating, before charging at them and throwing coins at them rapidly.

  Even while running away, the hero could deal damage to surrounding enemies. Hitting E would also toss Old Ma into the group of people. It was extremely fun to watch.

  Of course, Old Ma’s Taotie[1] would quickly swallow Pei Qian’s hero and spit him out into the group of enemies as revenge.

  However, the two would have vastly different endings.

  As a solo top-laner that could tank damage, Pei Qian could deal damage to the others as they did the same to him. By throwing him into the group of enemies, Old Ma would be giving him the perfect opportunity to engage enemies.

  On the other hand, Old Ma’s Taotie was nothing but a supporter that could tank more damage. After being summoned into the group by Pei Qian, Ma Yang would suffer huge damage from the surrounding enemies.

  Of course, the opponents would not go so far as to kill him off. They would only attack him symbolically before allowing Old Ma to escape. After all, it was not worth losing their jobs over.

  Having played the game for some time, Pei Qian realized that GOG had not seemed to consider the problem of imbalance.

  Either that, or they had not considered it hard enough.

  The stronger heroes were so much more powerful than the weaker heroes that the latter would find it impossible to play the game. On top of that, although the game was playable, bugs still surfaced every now and then. Although they did not affect the game’s operations, they still caused Pei Qian to feel irritated.