Dreaming up Stuff

I had a dream this morning. 

The dream was vivid—almost unnervingly so. I was playing a game. The visuals were striking, eerily similar to Red Dead Redemption 2, which wouldn't be released for another six years. When I say 'similar to Red Dead Redemption 2,' I mean the graphics: the crisp details, the lifelike textures, the raw realism of the environment.

But that's where the similarities ended. Everything else was medieval—stone fortresses, thick woods, sprawling valleys, and my character dressed in armor, wielding a sword. I remember fighting bandits, slashing through them with ease. The combat felt visceral—the clash of metal on metal, the resistance of the blade as it sliced through.

At some point in the dream, I opened the map, and that's when it got stranger. The map showed the Riverlands—from Westeros.

And then I woke up.

Groggily, I glanced at the clock—early morning. My mind was still buzzing with the strange imagery from my dream. I realized it must have been because I'd stayed up late writing the second book of A Song of Ice and Fire last night. Plus, I was planning to visit Arcanum later today to check on Dark Souls as well. Maybe that was why my subconscious had cooked up such a peculiar mix—an amalgamation of the book and a game.

But it got me thinking. Really thinking. What was Arcanum going to work on after Dark Souls?

I knew it was going to take a while for Dark Souls to gain an audience, especially given how difficult and different it was. I knew the hardcore community would love it, but there was also the broader market to consider—the casual gamers who wanted something less punishing but still engaging.

Arcanum needed a game that was accessible, an RPG that could make money without alienating players. Something to balance out Dark Souls, which would take time to build into a major franchise.

It wouldn't hurt to branch out a little.

Currently, Arcanum had fewer than forty developers. After Dark Souls launched, I wanted to expand the studio. Grow it with more developers, diversify the kinds of games we were making. And I needed a project to justify that expansion—something that would spark excitement and grow our capabilities.

What better project than one based on A Song of Ice and Fire, one of the most popular books of last year, with a sequel that was already highly anticipated? The potential was enormous. An RPG set in Westeros—something that could bring to life the politics, the war, the power struggles, all within a dark and beautiful world.

I spent the entire day coming up with ideas, wracking my brain for concepts, recalling games that were going to be released in the future, thinking of what could work.

It didn't take long for me to come up with something.

===

I parked my car and stepped out. 

As I made my way towards the studio doors, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I glanced down at the screen—Mitchell. I answered immediately.

"Hey, Mitch," I said, pressing the phone to my ear.

"Daniel," Mitchell replied, his tone all business. "Got some updates on Midas."

"Good news, I hope?" I asked, pushing open the glass doors to Arcanum.

"Yeah, pretty solid." I could almost hear Mitchell shuffling some papers on the other end. "First, we're all set on the trademark front. I've already submitted the name for clearance, and barring any complications, Midas Productions will officially be ours in a few days. The LLC filing is also complete, so you're legally set. Just need your sign-off on some final docs."

I exhaled, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. "That's good to hear," I said, heading through the building's lobby.

For the past month, I'd been busy setting up my production company. Between starting work with Netflix and my desire to maximize profits even while collaborating with Stardust, this company was a crucial step forward. Midas Productions was my way of taking full control over the content I created—a way to make sure I had the lion's share of the power, the profits, and the vision.

"There's something else we need to discuss," Mitchell continued, his voice shifting slightly. "Lucy asked me to handle this for her. It's not really my job, but I'll take notes for her."

I frowned slightly. "What is it?"

"We've got to start filling the key positions. And fast," Mitchell said.

"Have Lucy and her team looked into that list of names Sam gave me?" I asked, turning into a quieter hallway.

"Yeah, she has. And they think we should start focusing on the most important ones now," Mitchell said.

"Which positions are we talking about?" I asked.

"Well, there's one in particular we can't ignore—the Head of Development. That person is going to be crucial for shaping the projects we take on. You can't juggle every script and project on your own. You're going to need someone who knows how to manage multiple ideas, scout talent, and keep things moving," Mitchell explained.

I nodded. He was right—having someone who could spearhead the creative process and manage day-to-day development was essential.

Mitchell continued, "Lucy spoke to Sam about the names on that list today, and a few names kept coming up."

"Who?" I asked.

"Paul Knight," Mitchell said. "He's currently at HBO. He was one of the minds behind some of their most successful series over the last few years. From what Sam heard, he's feeling a little stifled there—wants more creative freedom."

I rubbed my chin, nodding. "Yeah, Sam mentioned him to me before."

"There's also Lily Davis," Mitchell continued. "She's been running development over at Vista Films. She's young, but she's really sharp. She's got a track record of finding diamonds in the rough, but word is she's not getting the recognition she deserves over there."

"Anyone else?" I asked, curious about the other options.

"Mark Jensen," Mitchell said. "He's worked on a few big projects at New Line Cinema. He's shown some interest in working with us, too."

I paused for a moment, thinking it over. "Sounds like we've got some good options. I'll need to meet them myself, though. I want to get a feel for them before making any decisions."

"Of course. I'll pass this along to Lucy," Mitchell said.

"Thanks, Mitch. Appreciate it," I said, ending the call.

.

.

.

I walked into the conference room at Arcanum, surprised to see not only John but also Joanna there.

"Hey," I said as I entered the room.

John turned around quickly, waving me over. As I got closer, I noticed Joanna was playing something—what looked like the early build of the game John was planning to show me today. She was completely engrossed in it.

I made my way over and sat next to John on the couch. I looked at the screen, raising an eyebrow. "Is that Anor…"

"Yes, that's Anor Londo," John said, nodding.

I whistled, admiring the view. "Looks good," I said, taking in the haunting beauty of the city, the ethereal golden glow that made everything look both majestic and unsettling.

I greeted Joanna, "Hey, Jo."

She barely acknowledged me, her eyes glued to the screen, her focus unwavering. She was right in front of the fog gate leading to what I knew was one of the toughest battles in Dark Souls: Ornstein and Smough.

'Oh boy,' I thought, leaning back slightly.

"So, the game looks good," I said to John, trying not to distract Joanna.

John sighed, a proud but weary smile on his face. "Honestly, it's a miracle we got it working this well, especially with the engine we have right now."

I nodded, knowing how tricky engines could be. "How's the work on the new game engine going?" I asked. Game engines were crucial—you couldn't just decide to make games without having the right tools. They were the foundation on which everything else was built. For Dark Souls, John and his team had been using a heavily modified version of an existing engine. It worked, but if we wanted to push boundaries for future projects, an in-house engine would be key.

John shook his head slightly. "It's coming along, but it's a small team working on it. Progress is slow. We're prioritizing Dark Souls, so it's a bit on the backburner."

I nodded. "We should hire more people to speed it up."

John looked at me with a smile that was both grateful and a little sheepish. "I've already taken enough of your money, Daniel."

I waved him off. "John, it's all an investment. Besides, I've got something new in mind—a new game idea."

Before John could ask what I meant, Joanna let out a frustrated growl. On the screen, her character had just been flattened by Smough's massive hammer. She looked like she'd been crushed emotionally just as much as her in-game character.

"NO! Come on!" Joanna shouted, throwing her hands up, exasperation etched across her face.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Seems like she's doing great," I said with a smirk.

John laughed along with me before turning back to me, intrigued. "Alright, enough suspense. What's this new game idea you're talking about?"

I leaned in, locking eyes with John. "Look, Dark Souls is great. I think it'll be a classic. But it's going to take some time to gain an audience, especially considering how challenging it is. After Dark Souls, we need to make a more commercial game—something that could attract casual players too. I'm thinking of a game... umm... like Skyrim."

John made a face, his nose scrunching slightly. "The Elder Scrolls series used to be a lot less... dumbed down," he said, unable to hide his disdain.

"Well," I replied, my tone dry, "you can't argue with what's happened to the sales numbers, John. The more accessible it became, the bigger the audience got."

John sighed, a reluctant grin forming. "I won't argue with you on that one. It did sell like crazy."

I nodded, moving on. "We should build our new game engine with an open-world RPG in mind. Something massive. The setting itself will draw people in because..." I paused, glancing at John with a grin.

John raised an eyebrow, already catching on. "Wait... is it from one of your books?"

I nodded. "Yes. A Song of Ice and Fire."

John's eyes widened. "That could work. People are already fucking obsessed with those books of yours."

Just then, Joanna let out an exasperated scream. "YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" she shouted. On screen, her character was getting killed—again. She had clearly been struggling with the infamous duo for a while now.

I smirked, then turned back to John. "Yes, it would definitely work," I said, getting back to our conversation. "An open-world RPG in Westeros is going to turn some heads, especially when I'm nearing completion in a few years."

John nodded slowly, considering. "So, more people, then? We need to scale up?"

"Absolutely," I said, nodding. "We need people with experience—RPG veterans—and those new tech wizards who can help us build this new engine."

John chuckled. "Well, the management team you hired has been really helpful with everything so far."

"Of course they have," I said with a grin. "And we're going to need to expand that team as well. This will be a big step forward."

John was about to say something else when Joanna screamed again. "AGAIN?! NO, SERIOUSLY!"

Both of us turned to the screen just in time to see Ornstein impaling her character with his spear, her health bar dropping to zero in an instant.

"FUCK THIS!" Joanna shouted, throwing the controller onto the table. She stood up, her face flushed with frustration. "I'm done. I'm done!" She stomped away.

John and I both stared as she stormed out of the room, the sound of the door closing a little louder than normal.

A silence hung between us for a moment before John broke it, looking back at me with wide eyes. "Kinda makes you wonder if people are gonna react like that all the time. I mean... what if they sue us for broken controllers?"

I couldn't help it—I burst out laughing, and John quickly joined in.