Building a Gaming Empire From Scratch

Chapter 326: 323: Rehabilitation Plan_2

However, in Cloud Dream, with Mirage’s support, funding is not an issue, Lincoln has no lack of creativity, and manpower can be expanded at any time. In the current scarcity of virtual reality games, the risk can be said to be minimal.

The only limits on Cloud Dream are technology and the energy of players.

Not only do developers need to be trained in the use and exploration of virtual reality development tools, each time a new game content and form emerges, it requires updated technology and corresponding tools, which virtual reality games are no exception to.

Moreover, the energy of the players is limited, and it is unwise to launch multiple blockbusters in a short period of time.

– Players will only maintain a short-lived surprise, but it will be difficult for them to focus on enjoying a game. The whole industry will become impetuous and inward-looking.

Inward-looking is bad civilization.

So, Lincoln is actually consciously limiting the expansion and output rate of Cloud Dream, hoping that every step can be as steady as possible, and facilitating healthy development.

In terms of specific development, he hopes to maintain a rhythm of developing one game, pre-developing one game, and reserving the technology for one game.

At present, it is to develop “Speed Chase,” pre-develop “Assassin’s Creed: Chang’an,” and reserve the technology for “Pacific Rim.”

– Of course, casual games are not on this list.

Casual games do not require large concentrated, immersive focus time, so the impact is smaller and can be interspersed.

During the process of thinking about these things, Lincoln also completed this open letter.

After checking it again and making sure it was correct, he published it.

This is an open letter, but not completely “open.”

Because this letter was only sent to a small number of handicap players of Cloud Dream.

Before the “Light Encounter” trailer was launched, in a small update for security reasons, Cloud Dream conducted a non-compulsory questionnaire survey on the health status of the players.

Whether they have a disability is also included in the questionnaire.

As expected, Camille Victoria in the live broadcast room also received the letter.

When she saw the letter, even though she was in the game and not in reality, she quickly apologized to the audience and blocked the broadcast signal.

She scrolled down to the end of the letter, and after making sure there were no words like “confidential” and “do not disclose,” she breathed a sigh of relief and resumed the broadcast signal.

Between the full-screen “?” and “hahaha” comments in the live broadcast room, she read the letter as if nothing had happened.

‘Dear Player Friends:

Hello.

This is a letter asking for help.

If you have also paid attention to the [Journey Prosthetics], you should have already found out: we have an [Eight Sides Headband] to assist the visually and hearing impaired, but this headband cannot help those with speech impairments to speak.

I need to be honest: this is because we have encountered some technical difficulties that have delayed progress.

Recently, I have thought of a solution, a not-so-smart solution, to solve this problem.

But because this solution is not very smart, I need your help.

Please allow me to explain in detail:

In the current mechanism of the Mirage console, we only collect very limited neural signal data from players. The overwhelming majority of the data is considered redundant and invalid and is filtered out by the headband.

Even for the valid data, over 90% of it is processed locally on the console and is not uploaded to the server side.

This is to protect the privacy of our player friends to the greatest extent possible.

But my request now is to cancel this screening process and upload over 90% of the information that would normally be processed locally on the console to the server.

We need to analyze and study this massive amount of data.

Through brute force, we will achieve results that would have required delicate and long-term research.

In short, I earnestly ask you to give up some privacy data to help those with speech impairments regain their ability to speak.

(Note: It only refers to neural signal fluctuation data and does not involve any identity, social or physiological information of the players)

I named this plan the – [Rehabilitation Plan].

This is an entirely voluntary activity, and it is normal to have doubts. It is reasonable to not want to accept it. You can completely refuse and should not feel any burden.

Friends who are willing to join the [Rehabilitation Plan] and selflessly contribute to others will receive a certain discount on the purchase of all products from the [Prosthetic Journey Company] now and in the future, to express our insignificant gratitude.

If you do not have relevant product needs or have already purchased related products, you can also convert the corresponding amount in full into your Cloud Dream account balance.

Finally, the results of this plan will also be used in the development of future games. At that time, all players participating in the plan will receive a certain proportion of discounts when purchasing games.

Once again, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all players who are willing to participate in this plan.

You are all heroes for those with speech impairments!

– Lincoln”

At the end of the letter, as always, there is a link.

Camille Victoria finished reading the letter and didn’t express any opinions.

She opened the link without saying a word, ignoring the suggestions from the audience in the live broadcast room to “think twice” and immediately started registering for the plan.

After registering successfully, her console soon received a firmware update.

After the update, the mechanism of the headband for collecting neural signals will change, and many neural signals that were previously considered invalid will also be collected.

Together with many other local signals, they will be sent to Cloud Dream’s server.

Not until this moment did Camille Victoria open her personal panel, find the third-party group chat software, point to one of the mutual aid groups, and tell the audience in the live broadcast room: “In this group, there are five friends with speech impairments.”

Then she scrolled down and pointed to another group she had joined during a volunteering activity, saying again to the audience: “In this school, there are eighty-six kids who can’t speak. The average age is less than 15 years old.”

“At first, I thought that with virtual reality technology, at least in the virtual world, all disabilities would be non-existent.”

“But that’s not the case. People who are congenitally deaf and mute because they can’t hear sounds can indeed learn to speak by hearing sounds and even speak normally in reality.”

“People who can no longer speak due to illness later in life can speak smoothly in the virtual world.”

“But people who have congenital language ability deficits cannot speak even in the virtual world. I have seen with my own eyes how heartbroken they cry.”

Unconsciously, Camille Victoria’s voice carried a sobbing tone.

She adjusted her emotions before continuing, “So don’t try to persuade me.”

“I really hope that one day they can speak, and I believe Lincoln can do it.”

Not only Camille Victoria, but also her former “Avengers Squad” members didn’t hesitate to join the plan.

Even Vivian, who could only play games for less than two hours a week, put on the headband and joined the plan.

Countless handicapped players who have benefited from virtual reality technology are now, without hesitation, clicking on the link and signing up for the [Rehabilitation Plan].

Lincoln, in the background, watched the accelerating number of registered players in just two minutes after sending the letter, feeling no sense of complacency in his heart.

He just felt: he was witnessing the most glorious part of human nature.

And he felt immensely honored for that.