Free Web NovelChapter 239: Chapter 206: Childhood Memories in the Making
Zog was genuinely surprised to find the battle stats system for Digital Monster, something he desperately needed, at an animation studio.
Ignoring the added violent elements and focusing solely on the numbers, it was actually quite reasonable.
It even thoroughly considered balance and the potential for future expansions.
It defined a Digital Monster’s stats as a composite of its base values, evolution bonuses, and player-trained values.
The attribute breakdown was detailed. Crucially, it also included a dedicated leveling formula to calculate the appropriate stat values for Digital Monsters of varying strengths, making it easy for others to implement directly.
The creator clearly had the fundamental skills of a systems designer.
The most difficult part of systems design is laying the initial framework. As long as the foundation is solid, future maintenance and updates become much easier.
In other words, it would be easier to pad the KPIs later—for instance, by nerfing health by 50 in one patch and then changing it back in the next...
The document even took the Digital Monster types Zog had only briefly mentioned in his design bible and fleshed them out into two complete systems of type advantages: one for species and one for attributes.
It was a more complete system than the simplistic Data, Vaccine, and Virus types from the source material, and one that the people here would find easier to understand.
After all, "vaccine" and "virus" were not existing concepts in this world.
Besides, this was the Digital World; having a "vaccine" counter a "virus" was a little strange anyway.
"Contact Sapphire Art. The *Digital Monster Adventure* animated series is theirs to produce."
Zog said to Elsa, "Also, contact Joseph Animation. I want you to specifically find the person who wrote this stat sheet and have them come here."
After a moment’s thought, he added, "Don’t tell them we gave the animation project to Sapphire Art."
「The next day.」
Since Joseph Animation was located in Twin Tower City, its director, Joseph himself, soon arrived at the Zog Group headquarters.
’He wasn’t quite what Zog imagined a design fanatic would be like.’
He wasn’t a nerd with his head stuck in fantasies, nor was he the kind of science whiz who makes you feel like you’ve already passed just by sitting next to them in an exam. Instead, he was just... too normal.
He was as normal as any ordinary guy you might pass on the street and think was just a little handsome.
To use a girl’s phrasing, the guy was very "clean."
Though Zog wasn’t entirely sure what "clean" meant in this context, he had certainly heard many women use it as a compliment.
He was a stark contrast to the typical image of the Zog Group’s development team, with their unkempt hair and yesterday’s clothes.
He wasn’t old either, looking to be in his early twenties. He hadn’t yet passed the local "expiration date."
The people of Feilin—aside from a few with reddish-brown or dark skin—mostly shared a peculiar trait: in their youth, they aged gracefully.
But then, starting in a certain year in their twenties, it was as if their skin would suddenly realize, ’Huh? Isn’t it time to hit middle age?’ and then begin to age rapidly.
Whether they were thirty, forty, or fifty, they all looked like they were in their fifties.
"Hello! I’m William Joseph, the director of Joseph Animation. I’m a huge fan of the *Tom and Jerry* you produced! It’s on another level compared to all the other animation out there—no, several levels higher!"
Joseph introduced himself excitedly, even revealing the *Tom and Jerry* merchandise T-shirt he was wearing under his jacket.
’All right, he’s probably not so "clean" in the eyes of women anymore.’
"So, does this mean you’re entrusting us with the *Digital Monster Adventure* animation? Please, rest assured, we’ll turn it into a timeless classic worthy of the history books!"
"We’ll discuss the animation in a bit," Zog said, gesturing for him to take a seat.
"Oh, I’m just so excited! I’ve been waiting for a chance to prove myself, to prove there’s nothing wrong with our artistic philosophy for animation. But so far, we’ve only ever produced a single short animated commercial," Joseph rambled, his words tumbling out.
Zog had a good feeling about the young man. ’These idealistic types are the easiest to string along.’
"If you hadn’t given me this opportunity, I was about to be dragged back home to inherit the family business."
"What?"
Joseph scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "My family is actually the ’Joseph’ from ’Joseph Construction.’ I’m the eldest son. My father said that if I couldn’t achieve anything in animation this year, he was going to drag me back to take over the group. You’ve saved my artistic dream."
Zog did a tactical lean-back in his chair, suddenly filled with profound respect.
If he recalled correctly, Joseph Construction was a family enterprise whose lifespan could rival his own.
They had always been a top-tier construction firm in the Sutton Kingdom—of course, the Sutton Kingdom hadn’t even existed when their family first made its name.
They had been involved in the construction of many famous cities on the continent, including Twin Tower City.
’So he’s a rich kid. No, to be more precise, he’s from a family that’s been rich for dozens of generations.’
’It figures. Only people whose lives are basically on easy mode enjoy switching the difficulty to hard for themselves.’
’Damn. The way he talks about inheriting the family business, you’d think it was some terrible injustice.’
Zog wanted to feel that kind of "injustice" too. He’d had to start from scratch—after all, back then, even the Dragon God had been wiped out.
Every Gold Coin he’d used to start his business had been painstakingly snatched up by him, one at a time.
Elsa watched from the side, completely baffled. ’Where is this sudden wave of sorrow coming from the boss?’
"The design bible in your pilot, and the stats appendix inside—did you design all of that yourself?" Zog asked.
The moment Joseph mentioned inheriting his family’s business, Zog knew his plan to poach him with a monetary offensive was no longer viable.
He would have to appeal to the man’s emotions and dreams—a more roundabout way to achieve his goal.
