The Producer of Snake Game Releases a New Masterpiece! Pac-Man
Takes North American Colleges by Storm!
The Greatest Work in Video Game History Is Born! The Yellow Pac-Man
Wins Praise from Stanford Professors!
The Era of Artificial Intelligence Has Officially Arrived! Pac-Man Is
Its Perfect Showcase!
Famed Hollywood Director Steven Spielberg Says: "Ethan Jones is the
most creative game producer I have ever seen! When he closes his eyes,
what he sees is the future of video games!"
Ralph Bear Says: "Ethan Jones proved to me that the circuit board era
is dead. Video games will evolve in a more refined direction. I'm deeply
grateful to have witnessed this moment with my own eyes."
After the Pac-Man press conference, within just two days, promotional
articles about the game flooded America. The New York Times, the
Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times---the three biggest
newspapers in North America---all ran feature reports on Pac-Man. The
language they used was so effusive and elegant that readers were left
speechless.
For a moment, some who bought all three papers couldn't help but wonder:
did Ethan Jones, the creator of Snake Game, secretly pay them all off?
Otherwise, why were these newspapers falling over themselves to praise
Pac-Man?
On this point, Ethan could only say that yes---he had "paid," but not
entirely.
Why "not entirely"? Because on the day of the Pac-Man press conference,
he had invited certain media outlets to witness the event firsthand.
But the reason it didn't count as fully "paid" was that Principal Fred
Terman, who had already seen the game demonstration, thought the local
California tabloids were too slow and lazy to spread the news
effectively. So he personally contacted the editors of the three major
newspapers to make sure the story got out quickly.
And when those pen-wielding journalists are not only paid to attend but
also get to witness a miracle with their own eyes---especially in a room
full of big names from the industry---they can't help but gush in their
reports.
To be honest, at first Ethan felt the coverage was a little over the
top.
But...With his level of talent, it's hard for him to stay low-profile!
After all, America doesn't value quiet compromise---America values
pragmatism!
So Ethan could only reluctantly pretend to stay humble. Nothing worth mentioning.
As the news spread, Kismet Games was soon flooded with orders.
Although the product launch was held on a Sunday, and the major
newspaper reports didn't come out until Wednesday, by Friday afternoon
the company's fax machines were already working overtime.
In just two days, they had received more than sixty orders---totaling
over one thousand units to be delivered.
The reason for using such a "high-end" ordering method like fax was
simple --- all the orders came from major North American universities!
When these universities discovered that the concept of artificial
intelligence, which had been proposed for over twenty years, had finally
been realized in a civilian video game, Almost every one of them
called to confirm the news, waiting patiently to hear from the industry
leaders who had attended the press conference.
Once they got confirmation one by one...placing an order became
inevitable.
Of course, there aren't that many universities in North America
capable of funding AI research, so theoretically they shouldn't have
been able to buy a thousand arcade machines. But when they sought
verification, they all went to find Principal Fred Terman.
And when Fred Terman heard that these universities wanted to place
orders, he immediately said:
"One arcade machine can only accommodate a few students for research and
observation at a time. You've got so many students --- making them queue
up to use it is a waste of time! So, I'm setting a *minimum order of
ten machines to reduce teaching pressure."
"Besides, one machine isn't expensive --- only two thousand dollars. Ten
machines cost just twenty thousand. In the field of scientific research,
that amount of money can't even buy you a decent experiment! But now,
with twenty thousand dollars, you can give your students access to
cutting-edge inspiration --- let them generate brilliant new ideas!
So... are you buying or not?"
"Buying?" "Okay! Place the order!"
"What? You only want the circuit board?"
"Oh, for crying out loud! Your order is from HARVARD! Are you seriously
telling me you can't come up with twenty thousand dollars? Aren't you
ashamed?"
"You still want just the circuit board? No way! As long as I, Fred
Terman, am at Stanford, Kismet Games will NEVER sell just circuit
boards!"
"Kismet Games is our star company! You can't trample on our school's
support projects like that!"
"That's it --- I've decided for you. You, Harvard, get twenty units! And
I'll only give MIT fifteen units, just to annoy them. You're welcome.
Bye!"
This kind of sales pitch was a complete eye-opener for Ethan.
This man really was the same guy who once poached Harvard talent on
Harvard's own campus!
It was outrageous --- in the most entertaining way possible. And the
price hike from $1,200 to $2,000, combined with Fred Terman's outright
refusal to sell just the circuit boards, made Ethan so grateful to the
old principal that he waved his hand and immediately decided to donate
twenty Pac-Man arcade units to Stanford for... "research."
Well, Ethan actually suspected that once the machines arrived, more
people would be addicted to playing them than to studying them.
But Ethan didn't have time to worry about that. With orders flooding in,
what mattered most now was production and distribution.
According to Ethan's original plan, Pac-Man's sales were supposed to
follow a careful, step-by-step rollout: first hold the press conference,
then hire people for local promotion, and gradually recruit factory
workers for production --- keeping inventory at a minimum.
But he hadn't expected the game to blow up this fast. The moment
Stanford offered him the Memorial Chapel for the launch, and Principal
Fred Terman personally confirmed he would attend, Ethan sensed that
something big was coming --- so he immediately ordered Dean Damio to
purchase a factory and begin production ahead of schedule.
Ten days ago, they bought an abandoned two-acre electronics factory in
Sunnyvale for $100,000.
Five days ago, they recruited thirty circuit board engineers with
pattern-making experience.
Just like Nolan Bushnell, Ethan also provided jobs to idle workers in
society --- mostly hippies who were in need of social assistance. This
gave the operation a touch of "humanitarian care."
Each worker earned $100 per week and was required to assemble ten
arcade machines in five days, working eight-hour shifts. If they
exceeded the quota, Ethan gave a $15 bonus for each additional machine.
To be honest --- cheap labor, but highly efficient.
As for materials? Even simpler. Chuck Peddle Company supplied all of
Ethan's chips, and the consumables for circuit board production came
from the San Francisco Electronic Supply Company.
And at that moment, Ethan remembered someone --- the long-neglected
Mr. F.B.I.
And when Mr. F.B.I. finally drove to Stanford, he was furious. Because
Ethan hadn't even invited him to the Pac-Man press conference!
But when Ethan picked up a marker, drew a Pac-Man on his white T-shirt,
signed his name right next to it, and explained that the press
conference had been a technical exchange --- meaning it wasn't
convenient to invite him --- Mr. F.B.I.'s anger cooled a little. Ethan
even promised to send him a Pac-Man arcade machine so he could play it
at his leisure.
The ever-vigilant Mr. F.B.I. just snorted a few times and finally let it
go.
Of course, he still made sure to leave a warning: "Ethan! If you don't
call me next time, we're no longer friends!"
Those angry words only made Ethan grin and nod repeatedly.
"Okay, okay--- I promise I'll call you next time."
Production was no longer a problem, but transportation was another
headache entirely. The arcade machines were expensive and couldn't just
be shipped carelessly.
Just when Ethan was worrying about it, Thomas took the initiative to
help.
"Ethan, we have seventy-six regular workers in the orchard. Twenty-seven
of them have been with me for more than ten years. They all have
families and children --- you can trust their character.
And all twenty-seven know how to drive trucks, since they help me
deliver navel oranges to the docks every year.
If you're short on manpower, they can help deliver the machines. Of
course, you'll need to pay them fairly --- I usually give them ten
dollars a day plus travel subsidies based on distance. If you're okay
with that, I'll talk to them."
Then Thomas added with a smile:
"If that's still not enough manpower, I can borrow people for you.
Remember those uncles and old friends who came over to drink after
Snake Game became a hit? Some of their men have been truck drivers for
decades. If I ask them, we could put together a fleet of a hundred
drivers in just three days."
"Oh, Thomas, I love you!" Ethan laughed, hugging him. "No need to borrow
anyone for now --- your twenty-plus guys will be enough.
"As for salaries --- no problem. I'll match whatever rates you give
them. But... if they're all helping me, who's going to take care of the
orchard?"
Thomas waved dismissively. "Don't worry about the orchard. I can
temporarily hire more hands to help out."
Ethan quickly raised his hand. "Then we'll pay for it!"
But Thomas only shook his head, still smiling. "Oh, Ethan, I can afford
those wages. Your company hasn't even started making real profits yet
--- don't add extra expenses.
"You just focus on doing a great job so that when I'm out drinking with
my friends, I can brag a little. I want to be able to say this: I,
Thomas Johnson, raised one of the richest men in the world!"
"Hahaha---"
Thomas laughed so hard he slapped the table. And Ethan, smiling
helplessly, just shook his head.
"Don't worry, Thomas --- that day will come."
"When the time comes, you can tell everyone that *you were the one who
raised the richest man in the world."
"Hahahaha---!" Thomas threw his head back and laughed even louder.