Crafting "The Demo" [1]

Now with a clear direction, Nexus stands resolutely before the shimmering golden grid. Every fiber of his being radiated determination, and his gaze was unwavering. The vast realm awaited his touch, ready to shape itself according to his vision. The blueprint of his ambitious plans formed in his mind, and he was primed to set them in motion.

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With his eyes closed, Nexus's thoughts flowed seamlessly. "Having settled on the genre, the next question is how to proceed. Should I delve into character mechanics, or should I take the path of level design first? I've heard that level design can be quite a challenge, especially without a seasoned hand guiding the way. But according to Lumos, perhaps I won't face such hurdles. It seems all I'll need is a vivid imagination and a dash of fine-tuning to achieve that professional touch."

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A contemplative hum escaped his lips, "Hmm..."

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Moments later, a spark of resolution gleamed in his eyes. "I've made up my mind. Level design it is, to begin with!"

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His voice trailed off with an anticipatory, "But before that..."

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With a grand sweep of his hand, the monotonous white expanse transformed. The expansive golden grid vanished, replaced by a serene night sky with a blue moon overhead and a tranquil ocean below, altering the entire essence of the dimension.

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With the transition complete, Nexus took a moment to admire his handiwork. "That's more like it. Such a serene atmosphere." He mused aloud, letting the calmness of the scene seep into him.

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His thoughts began to whirl once more. "Should I incorporate a Day-Night cycle?" He pondered the idea, envisioning the sun's rise and set, the moon taking its place, the stars twinkling.

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But after a brief contemplation, he decided against it. "Nah," he voiced out, "I will just go for another cycle instead of the traditional day-night cycle. I'll maintain this serene atmosphere."

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With a thoughtful tilt of his head, he continued, "But for an indication of the passing of time, perhaps the moon's hues could change, subtly marking different cycles. After all, games are crafted for fun, not strict adherence to reality. A touch of game logic is all it requires, not the rigid logic of the real world."

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Suddenly, Lumos interjected, "A quick reminder, Master Nexus. Your recent modifications to the Game Realm have expended 14 Origin EC. Remember, each change you implement in this realm has an associated cost in Origin EC, and it varies based on the nature of the action."

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Nexus pondered, "14 Origin EC, you say? I was aware that actions would cost EC, thanks to the information you provided earlier. However, I hadn't grasped the specific costs associated with each action. From the data you just gave me, I might be able to estimate the potential cost of my decisions, even if my estimations aren't always spot-on. I appreciate the reminder, Lumos."

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Lumos responded with a hint of pride, "It's my duty, Master Nexus."

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Once again, Nexus's thoughts returned to the intricate tapestry of his game. He pondered over the myriad actions he could undertake, and how best to bring them to completion.

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After a period of reflection, he turned to Lumos with a request, "Lumos, could you display some concept art of ancient arena ruins for me? It should be low-poly, cartoonish style, not something too realistic."

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Without delay, Lumos acknowledged, "Right away, Master."

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Immediately, a series of panels materialized before Nexus, each showcasing diverse interpretations of ancient arena ruins. They each possessed their own unique flair and ambiance. While some captivated him with their aesthetic appeal, others didn't quite meet his expectations.

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Among them, some arenas floated amidst the clouds, others were anchored in the vast expanse of the ocean, and a few stood firm on solid ground.

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Drawing inspiration from these designs, Nexus felt a surge of creativity. With his vivid imagination acting as the brush, he began painting his vision, bringing the platform for his game vibrantly to life.

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The platform, as visualized by Nexus, was a segmented structure, spanning five distinct sections. Starting from the top, each segment was designated as a 'part', from the first all the way down to the fifth.

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The uppermost section, or the 1st part, spanned a surface area of 650 square meters, with an underside measuring 570 square meters, and standing tall at 18 meters in height.

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Directly below, the 2nd part stretched over 500 square meters on its surface, tapered to an underside of 280 square meters, and was 16.5 meters in height.

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The 3rd part, further down, had a 250 square meters surface, narrowing to a 125 square meters underside, with a height of 14 meters.

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The penultimate 4th part was more compact, with a 100 square meters surface, an underside of 65 square meters, and a height of 12 meters.

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Finally, the base, or the 5th part, had a 50 square meters surface, a minuscule 2.5 square meters underside, and stood 8 meters tall. This last section hovered precisely 3 meters above the ocean.

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Despite the segmentation, the divisions between these sections were almost imperceptible, giving it a fluid and cohesive appearance.

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Nexus gazed at the pristine white arena that had materialized before him. "This is a start," he mused, "but... it needs to have that ancient feeling. Perhaps some cracks and indications of wear would give it that ancient feel."

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A moment of reflection followed. "However, I'll keep the last section intact in contrast to the rest."

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With a decisive wave of his hand, minute cracks and subtle signs of damage began to appear across the platform. These imperfections, though small, didn't mar the arena. Instead, they enhanced its appearance, lending it an air of antiquity.

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Satisfied, Nexus remarked, "That's more like it. Now, onto the texturing."