Subculture game talk

Subculture Game Lecture @ Illustar 2025 - Kim Cheol Hui, "Eversoul" PD

0. What is a Subculture Game?
- The definition of "subculture game" varies among players.
- Cheol Hui defines subculture games as those with a Japanese anime aesthetic that appeal to "otaku" players.

1. The Inspiration Behind Developing Eversoul
- Cheol Hui wanted to create an "otaku" game but also wanted to incorporate elements from other genres (such as base building and AFK mechanics).
- Eversoul was created by combining those elements.
(Note: The previous speaker emphasized that game creation should challenge and overturn existing formats to find new approaches.)

2. Qualities of a Game Developer
- Initially, Cheol Hui was accused of being a "fake otaku," which he found frustrating because he identifies as an "old-school otaku."
- Frequent live broadcasts helped dispel this perception, but they also led to more verbal slip-ups and criticism.
- He understands why people dislike non-otaku developers exploiting the subculture gaming market, acknowledging that he would feel the same way.
- Because of this, he believes that attractive individuals should not become game directors.
- The era when game directors only focused on development is over. Now, they are like celebrities or idols to players.
- Increased interest in game developers means they receive a lot of criticism. Cheol Hui himself has experienced this firsthand, so mental resilience is crucial.
- If you want to be a game director, clean up your personal social media or learn to use it wisely.

3. Cheol Hui’s Thoughts on Subculture Games and Game Development Challenges
- Game development is costly. For example, if a studio secures 10 billion won (~$6.9 million in 2025) in funding, this amount will only last two years with a team of 50 people, considering each developer effectively costs about 100 million won (~$69 thousand in 2025) per year.
- Even with a 50-person team and a two-year timeline, development is tight. A single misstep could cost an additional 5 billion won (~$3.5 million in 2025).
- Thus, Cheol Hui does not see budget cuts and financial management as inherently negative.
- Cost comparisons between different graphic styles: 3D LD (high-detail) > 3D SD (super-deformed/chibi) > Animated 2D > Static 2D
- However, even static 2D games with detailed animations (e.g., weapon recoil) are expensive.
- 2D SD games are not necessarily cheaper because:
  1) Every frame must be drawn manually for battles.
  2) New animations require additional artwork.
- Once a game’s foundational assets are established, they are difficult to change, so choosing the right style is crucial.
- Doing all three styles (3D LD, 3D SD, and 2D) is the most expensive approach — Eversoul is an example of this, and Cheol Hui regrets this.
- The subculture game market is highly competitive and lacks cost efficiency.
- Unlike other mobile games, subculture games require significant initial investment due to the demand for strong character and world-building.
- Reliable revenue streams, akin to "comfort food," are necessary to sustain a subculture game. Relying solely on character popularity can lead to revenue fluctuations.
- Mistakes in game development and management are inevitable.
- Systems to manage these mistakes are necessary, but they also cost money.
- "Finger-checking" is crucial—having a designated person to scrutinize minor details can prevent costly controversies (Cheol Hui cited the infamous Mephistopheles "finger issue" as an example).
- A subculture game director must stay updated on modern trends.
- Older narrative structures where protagonists struggle and grow may feel slow-paced for today’s audiences.
- Conversely, stories featuring lucky or overpowered protagonists may resonate more with contemporary players.
- If you enjoyed the Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai remake, you’re probably old.

4. Cheol Hui’s Mistakes and Lessons Learned
- "Chloe's Strange Dream" Event Disaster
  - The first in-game event featured hanbok-themed skins, but it was poorly received.
  - The event store was designed to prevent players from buying all items, which was intentional.
  - Cheol Hui didn’t initially understand why players were upset since other subculture games had different resource systems.
  - He later realized that subculture game players typically engage with multiple titles and naturally compare them.
  - As a result, subculture game developers must acknowledge that their games will be compared to others in the genre.

- One-Year Roadmap Data Leak
  - Eversoul had a full year of planned updates at launch.
  - Ko didn’t anticipate datamining issues because it hadn’t happened in his previous projects.
  - He later realized that subculture gamers have a deep attachment to characters and seek more information about them.
  - These players are also highly critical of character designs, lore, and even minor details (e.g., forehead proportions).
  - Developers should be mindful of potential data leaks.

- Early Storyline Disaster
  - Initial story development focused on world-building and origin stories for characters.
  - Main quests emphasized the protagonist’s arrival in Eden, while romantic elements were placed in character-specific routes.
  - Players disliked this approach.
  - Narrative quality has become increasingly important even for genres that previously didn’t emphasize it, such as fighting games.

- Unity 2022 Engine Update Disaster
  - Early engine updates were smooth, but later updates caused major issues (crashes, freezes).
  - Significant effort went into optimizing memory usage, but the gains were minimal.
  - Eventually, they had to abandon 45 FPS support and re-optimize every character model.
  - A later Unity patch resolved the issue, but the experience reinforced the importance of cautious engine updates.
  - Cheol Hui suggests that developers should be more transparent with players about their efforts to improve the game.

5. Conclusion
- Despite the challenges and inefficiencies of the subculture game market, Cheol Hui finds being Eversoul’s director the most fulfilling period of his career.
- He believes subculture games ultimately allow developers to create what they truly love.

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(Note: This summary was reconstructed from memory and may not perfectly reflect the lecture’s details. The session felt more like a talk for aspiring game developers rather than a traditional Q&A.)