Chapter 9: Is This the Reason You Scored So High?

Simon Dominic's speech was more diplomatic, clearly trying to avoid offending anyone. In fact, he didn't have an unequivocal stance.

The audience began whispering.

Steven Harris's words had some impact. A veteran designer's strong opposition to a game, supported by logical arguments, made many audience members waver, questioning whether this game was really worth recommending.

Simon Dominic's speech, though seemingly fair, was forgettable. While the audience would remember Steven Harris's words, Simon Dominic's comments would be quickly forgotten.

Alex Parker breathed a sigh of relief.

If Simon Dominic had also opposed "Flappy Bird," his situation would have been awkward. The opinions of two judges could influence many audience members. Simon Dominic's neutral stance was neither good nor bad.

However, he couldn't relax just yet.

Now, it was the youngest judge, Daniel Cooper's turn. With one judge firmly against and one neutral, his opinion could decide the game's fate.

Daniel Cooper turned on the microphone, thought for a moment, and then spoke, "Regarding this game, I have a different view from Mr. Steven Harris."

Alex Parker was surprised. Was this guy going to support him? Did he have a more discerning eye than the other two judges and see something special in the game?

Steven Harris was also incredulous, staring at Daniel Cooper to see what he would say.

Daniel Cooper said, "Before knowing the on-site data, I intended to give this game eight points, but after seeing the data, I think it deserves nine. Of course, this score is relative to the other nineteen games."

"In other words, this first place is well deserved."

The audience was in an uproar!

What? Nine points? On a ten-point scale?

From Daniel Cooper's tone and demeanour, it was clear he meant nine out of ten.

Many in the audience loved playing "Flappy Bird," but they also knew it was crude and simple. Giving it seven points would be generous; nine seemed too much.

Daniel Cooper ignored the audience's surprise and continued, "Don't be surprised; this is the difference between a professional game designer's perspective and that of an ordinary player."

"What you see is a simple, crude pixel art game, but what I see is a cleverly designed, forward-thinking work of sincerity!"

"Why do I say this? Let me explain."

The audience was captivated by Daniel Cooper and curious how he would justify praising the game so highly.

This competition was being broadcast live and recorded. If Daniel Cooper talked nonsense, his reputation in the gaming community would be damaged.

Daniel Cooper said, "Next, I will ask a few questions. You don't need to answer; think about them silently."

"First question: You all say the game's graphics are crude. But do you really think this bird is ugly? Or do you find it a bit silly and cute, with its funny flight and crash animations?"

"Second question: Has anyone roughly calculated the bird's natural fall speed? How high does it fly with each tap?"

"Third question: Why does the game restart immediately with a single tap after the game is over? Why does this simple game have online and ranking features?"

"Fourth question: Did you notice the ad bar on the game over screen?"

"Think about these questions carefully."

Daniel Cooper turned off the microphone, giving the audience a few minutes to think.

The audience began discussing.

These were gaming enthusiasts, naturally curious about game mechanics and design. Many were addicted to "Flappy Bird," so Daniel Cooper's questions made them think.

Alex Parker was surprised. Daniel Cooper's questions hit all the critical points of the game, which was remarkable given the backward and prejudiced game design concepts in this world.

Clearly, Daniel Cooper was exceptional. He could set aside biases and seriously analyze the success factors of a game rather than attributing it to "luck," a crucial quality for a game designer.

Alex Parker had no doubt that Daniel Cooper would still be an outstanding game designer in his previous world.

Seeing the audience had thought enough, Daniel Cooper continued, "You should have some vague ideas now. Congratulations, you've taken the first step into the thinking realm of a designer."

"First question: Is this game's art really bad?"

"Look at the bird. What's your first impression? Silly? Cute? Dumb? Goofy? Note that this is a pixel art game. The lines and colours are simple, but the big eyes, sausage mouth, and little wings instantly create a silly bird image. That's not easy."

"Moreover, this bird's image fits perfectly with the game's content. The bird's silliness effectively mitigates the frustration of failure, even making you think the bird is dumb, not you. Right?"

Daniel Cooper's words were met with laughter.

He continued, "Second question: Why did I ask about the bird's fall speed and flight height? Simple, these are key numerical elements that directly affect the game's difficulty."

"If the fall speed is too fast and the flight height too high, the game becomes tough. Most scores would stay in single digits, leading to high frustration and short playtimes."

"Conversely, if the game is too easy, most people would score high, quickly realizing the game is boring and quitting."

"So, I believe the game's numerical design is brilliant. It balances difficulty, making it hard and frustrating but giving you hope, tempting you to keep trying."

"Third question: The designer made the game over screen simple, allowing a quick restart with one tap to minimize unnecessary steps, making you numb to gameovers and oblivious to time passing."

"As for online and ranking features, they are the game's highlights. Without them, its data would be a third of what it is now, if not less."

"Why? Because this game only has meaning through competition. Without a leaderboard, scoring 100 or 1000 points would be meaningless without others to compare to."

"I mean showing off, not just showing your phone to others, but displaying your score on a leaderboard for all players to see. How many of you have done that?"

Many in the audience raised their hands.

Daniel Cooper nodded, "That's why I say online and ranking features are the highlights of this game!"

A front-row audience member shouted, "Mr. Cooper, is that why you scored 39 and put your name on it?"

The audience burst into laughter.