C61: Break up Kitchen

Unlike New Year's Eve or summer vacation movie depictions, the game industry works differently.

Movies require an audience to physically visit a theater. However, with games, whether a PC game or a VR game, as long as you have the right device, you can play anytime. The only real barrier for VR games is the cost, as they are quite expensive.

At present, the VR gaming experience is impressive, especially with the game houses, but users are still relatively few. Most people experience VR through dedicated stores, almost like internet cafes.

So, game releases don't follow the same scheduling patterns as movies. However, competition is still fierce. Many game developers and designers, including myself, paid close attention during this period.

It's a prime time because, aside from students and teachers, for most people, this time offers the biggest holiday after National Day holidays. On top of that, wallets are often a little fuller during New Year's, making it an attractive window for game sales.

That's why game companies ramp up competition during this period, with discounts raining over major platforms, multiplayer online events with substantial rewards, and even the launch of new titles, including some VR masterpieces.

For me, it's far too late to develop a large-scale game within the next few months. But doing nothing isn't an option either.

Even though we've finished developing "Escape," plenty of work still exists across all departments. The platform team is busy with follow-ups, collecting external data, and gathering feedback from players and users. Even though the player base is small, the data is still valuable.

Just because "Escape" is complete doesn't mean we're done working. Based on our development experience with the game, we're adjusting various action parameters and conducting tests on the official game engine. There's always room for improvement, optimization, and whatnot, and we're making sure to polish every detail.

Although, compared to the official game engine tools in my previous work, productivity has been greatly improved, this isn't a panacea.

It's like working with clay; some creations turn out beautifully, while others don't work out. A few of them were too crooked for our eyes.

That's why I'm developing a transitional project. On the one hand, it's to help my team digest and summarize our gains, i.e., what we've learned so far; also, time is a bit tight.

From the current online feedback, it seems there's some misunderstanding about me and my work.

Additionally, this year's New Year's Eve is much later than usual, and there's the added occasion of Valentine's Day falling during the Spring Festival.

With the current entertainment industry pushing a lot of romance films, serials, and writings, I noticed nothing similar in the gaming industry.

That's where I think I can jump in—to fill that gap.

I'll surprise couples, romantic people, and whatnot during this spring festival with something special!

"A couples' game—ke ke ke! Plus, I can use a promotional strategy that benefits my Neon game platform. It's a win-win!" I giggle,

After chatting with Yang Xin and Ruan Ningxue, I leaned back in my comfy chair. Then I looked over some keywords I had noted earlier. An idea formed in my mind.

It just so happens that I remember a game concept designed to foster harmonious relationships between couples. It can serve as a transitional project, and it might even capture the attention of a new niche group.

I turned on my computer, created a new folder, and grabbed a piece of drawing paper and a pencil to sketch a rough concept.

Soon, I had a simple character design on the paper.

Cartoon-style characters: The Onion King, The Crocodile Chef, The Dog Chef, The Cat Chef, and The Bearded Chef, alongside a dog named Kevin with a bell.

After briefly sketching out the main characters, I jotted down the game design concept.

"Overcooked," also known as the "Break Up Kitchen," is a casual simulation game. I'm planning to develop next.

For my team at Neon Games, creating a "Break Up Kitchen" won't be too difficult.

It requires far fewer resources than "Escape."

However, all the essential assets should be created from scratch.

The art style for "Break Up Kitchen" is unlike the other games I've made.

This will be a colorful, cartoonish experience.

I've always been a huge fan of cooperative games, and this one is no exception. It's one of the typical representatives of this type, with a cute and charming art style that makes it very popular with all age groups. Whether people like the style or not, most don't seem to hate it.

Interestingly, the birth of this game has all the characteristics of an indie project. Only two people developed it, and just before its release, they could only afford a £13 lunch.

But after it launched, the game sold nearly 2 million copies in the short run and even got nominated for the TGA Best Multiplayer Game of the Year. That's what made it unique.

Looking at other cooperative games in the parallel world, few stand out with similar features. After confirming the game type, I decided which one to focus on. The opening chapter of the series, "Ready, Set, ONION," was a massive success, setting the tone for both the art and gameplay style. But it still had enough flaws—no online connectivity, limited maps, and some operational issues.

"Overcooked 2" was a much more successful follow-up, fixing many issues while retaining its unique gameplay. As for "Overcooked: All You Can Eat," it didn't introduce much innovation apart from improved visuals and more helpful guidance for beginners. It felt more like a collection of content from both 1 and 2.

After some thought, I made my decision. I would base my approach primarily on "Overcooked 2," keeping its core settings and gameplay, along with the same art style. However, I'd make some adjustments to the UI and visuals, and I'd add more outstanding maps.

As for the plot? That wasn't a huge concern. The plot in the "Overcooked" series is more of a backdrop, similar to classic Nintendo games like Mario or Zelda; it's about saving a princess or fighting a big boss. In non-story-driven games, the level design is the main focus.

So now, I'll focus on building the framework for the entire game. Compared to the original "Overcooked," I'm also planning to make some fresh changes to the content. It'll be a bit like testing the platform's functionality.

Games like "Undertale," "Escape," and "To the Moon" have already launched on the Neon game platform. There is still one feature that hasn't been utilized yet: the MOD creation. The nature of these games means they don't need it, but "Overcooked" is a perfect experimental example since it's level-driven. If I can incorporate the MOD creation well, the game could surpass its original version in terms of content.

That's where the planning begins.

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National-day holiday: The legal holiday for Chinese National Day is 3 days in mainland China.

I have moved New Year's Eve to 20 March to fit the date schedule.

The next game is overcooked; if you find it named "Break Up Kitchen," do mention it in a comment. Applicable from Next chapter.

A creative workshop is a MOD creation. Do mention it if there is a comment. If there is some translation error. I will try to fix them as soon as time persists.

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