Reborn not to be a simp, the school beauty's whole family goes crazy

Computer technology at that time was already quite advanced, with powerful hardware and rich software functions.

However, in this day and age, computer hardware is still relatively limited.

Making this game into a cartridge version definitely requires careful planning.

Fortunately, the game itself is not large, with a total size of only a few tens of megabytes.

Chen Dong thought to himself that although he needed to make it into a version suitable for cartridge storage, there was no need to worry too much.

We can cut some non-core features when the time comes, and focus on developing the main gameplay and systems first, and then add them to the cartridge.

After all, this is "I Run an Inn in Chang'an 1". As the first installment in the series, it's not a big deal if it's a bit rough around the edges.

Like many classic game series, the first installment is often a relatively simple and basic version, which is then continuously improved and expanded upon in subsequent installments.

Chen Dong was thinking further ahead; he had already made plans for the future of this game in his mind.

In another year or two, computer hardware technology will have further developed.

When the hardware performance is more powerful and the storage capacity is larger, we can start developing "I Run an Inn in Chang'an 2".

At that time, we can add back the features that were previously cut due to hardware limitations.

It can also add more new gameplay, more exquisite graphics, and richer storylines, allowing this game series to continue to grow and expand.

Chen Dong carefully analyzed the characteristics of the game and felt that its biggest challenge and highlight lay in the programming aspect.

Because the game needs to be packed into a cartridge, the programming must be simple and efficient.

The game's overall art style is pixelated, which is very suitable for this era.

On the one hand, pixel art is relatively simple to create, and does not require a lot of manpower and time to carefully draw complex graphics.

On the other hand, the pixel art style has a unique charm that suits the characteristics of cartridge games.

Moreover, this way, there's no need to hire dedicated art staff.

Programmers can design simple pixel graphics themselves according to the needs of the game, which saves costs and ensures the progress of game development.

As for the voice acting, Chen Dong also had an idea.

There's no need to set up a dedicated team for voice-over work; you can simply outsource it to a professional voice-over studio.

Alternatively, you could simply purchase some existing audio copyrights.

Actually, this cartridge game doesn't need overly complicated voice acting.

Having three or five musical phrases that can serve as prompts and create atmosphere during key scenes and operations is sufficient.

This can reduce costs and quickly obtain high-quality voice-over resources.

Based on this calculation, it seems that developing this cartridge game does not require hiring additional staff to be specifically responsible for each aspect.

However, the only challenge has become apparent: the technical compression of programming.

Because the cartridge has limited storage capacity, it is necessary to implement the game's various functions with as little code as possible.

This requires programmers to have excellent programming skills and rich optimization experience.

The code needs to be carefully designed and optimized to remove redundant parts and improve its execution efficiency.

Chen Dong knew that this was a considerable challenge for the programmers.

But he believes that with their abilities and teamwork, they will definitely be able to overcome this challenge.

This unique cartridge game was successfully created.

Chen Dong walked steadily into his office, which was decorated simply yet elegantly.

Sunlight streamed through the bright windows, casting soft shadows on the polished wooden floor.

He gently closed the office door, walked straight to the large executive chair, and slowly sat down.

He leaned back, lost in deep thought, his mind filled with questions about the cost of cartridge games.

In the domestic game market of 1994, among devices that supported cartridge games, the Subor learning machine was undoubtedly the dominant player.

With its relatively affordable price and abundant game resources, it quickly captured the market, achieving a market share of up to 80%.

Actually, the Little Tyrant learning machine's design was copied from the Japanese Nintendo game console, so it falls into the category of FC cartridge game consoles.

This game console was very popular in families at the time, and many children were introduced to the fun of video games through it.

A couple of days ago, Chen Dong took some time to check the market for information on cassette burning prices.

After a thorough investigation and inquiry, he learned that the price for burning one thousand cassette tapes was basically between thirty and forty yuan per tape.

To ensure the accuracy of the cost calculation, he used the highest price, which meant that the cost of burning 1,000 cartridges would reach 40,000 yuan.

This is no small amount; it puts considerable pressure on the company's cash flow.

Chen Dong began to mentally calculate the development costs for the programming team.

He gave the development team an expected development time of within two months.

Over the past two months, the four programmers, including the team leader, have devoted themselves to the development of the cartridge game "I Run an Inn in Chang'an".

The employee wage cost, when carefully calculated, was RMB [amount missing]. To make calculations and estimates easier, he converted this figure to approximately RMB [amount missing].

After all, when calculating costs, it is necessary to take into account some possible additional expenses and fluctuations.

So, the cost of a single cartridge alone is 52 yuan.

But this is far from the total cost; you also have to factor in miscellaneous taxes, which amount to about 60 percent.

Taxes are unavoidable and are a necessary part of the costs that companies must bear in their operations.

After taxes are added, the cost of a single cartridge is as high as eighty-four yuan.

This made Chen Dong frown. With such high costs, making a profit in the market would not be an easy task.

Chen Dong knew perfectly well that in order for game cartridges to enter the market smoothly, it was necessary to offer certain concessions to retailers.

After consideration, he felt that the seller would most likely accept a discount of ten yuan.

Therefore, in order to ensure a 30% profit margin, the selling price of a cassette tape must be set at 120 yuan.

Is this price acceptable to consumers?

Chen Dong wasn't entirely confident either.

Chen Dong calculated the cost so carefully because the market environment at the time was far from optimistic.

At that time, piracy was rampant in the domestic market.

The market environment for game cartridges is completely different from that in Japan.

In island nations, the gaming industry enjoys relatively comprehensive legal protection and market order, allowing legitimate games to be effectively promoted and sold.