Game Director from Hell - Chapter 55: Recruitment (2)

Let’s move past the part where I am remembering strange past memories.

I conveyed my scouting intentions to Yang Gilsang and showed him the contract.

It wasn’t needed to be an immediate decision, so I gave him a few days, and next we had a meeting in the new office.

Young Yang Gilsang was flipping through the contract in front of me.

Then he said,

“Even after looking at it several times, you’ve put together some really favourable conditions.”

“I value Mr. Gilsang highly.”

“Me? How do you know?”

“You’ve been in the newspapers before, haven’t you? I vaguely remembered your face, and after we moved our headquarters to Pangyo, I prepared this contract when I found you.”

The timeline was a bit off, but what I said was accurate.

At some point, Yang Gilsang had shown me old articles stored on his smartphone, mentioning that he had been in the newspapers.

I mentioned it to reassure his suspicions.

Yang Gilsang doubts indeed started to dispel.

However, apart from that, he was someone who had dabbled in money games.

He didn’t make a hasty decision.

“Studio Rewind is essentially a start-up.”

He poked a hole.

Yang Gilsang’s eyes had become that of a businessman.

“I think the company has a very high potential value. As someone who has played your games, I have high hopes for the potential of your next project. It will probably grow steadily. It’s an excellent choice to start recruiting management positions at this stage. The foundation of a company should be well-established even when it’s small.”

Flipping through the contract again, Yang Gilsang spoke.

“It’s still a good offer upon reconsideration. In fact, I’ve had an interest in this industry, so I’m quite drawn to it.”

His expression didn’t match his words.

It was different from when we had dinner together, and that made me think.

“Hmm…”

Yang Gilsang seemed to be deep in thought, and I couldn’t help but feel tense.

“I can’t offer better conditions at the moment.”

Hiring Yang Gilsang was the best I could do at this point.

So, I emphasized various advantages and conveniences throughout the contract, starting with the salary. It was a contract that had also been reviewed by a lawyer.

“I’ve left safety measures.”

He wouldn’t be unaware of that.

In addition to the clause for safety measures in case the company was taken over, I removed everything that seemed like a grievance clause.

I emphasized this point once again.

“Studio Rewind may not have a very high reputation as a company yet, but we have unique advantages.”

“Yes, your career.”

Yang Gilsang smiled.

“A career that can be used anywhere from a start-up to a large corporation. It’s an S-class career that you can use anywhere in the future. It’s also a company with the potential to make it a reality.”

Why is he hesitating like this?

On the surface, I praised him, but I couldn’t see any positive signs.

It was a mental battle in the negotiation room.

In that context, I was indeed at a disadvantage.

He and I were coming from different perspectives.

“There’s nothing I can do.”

I had no choice but to go straight ahead.

“Mr. Gilsang.”

“Yes.”

“I’m not good at beating around the bush. Let me ask you directly. Are there any terms in the contract that you’re not happy with?”

“Wow, that’s very straightforward.”

“I’m the one who makes games, not negotiations.”

“Well, that’s refreshing. Okay, there are some clauses that bother me.”

He pointed to one corner.

“It’s about the shares.”

It was one of the safety measures.

A clause regarding ownership after the company goes public.

The tension rose.

“The company is often taken over by those suit ones, and directors lose their autonomy.”

Is Yang Gilsang eyeing the shares?

The decision was made the moment that thought crossed my mind.

“Should I give up?”

I don’t need someone who threatens the autonomy of development in my company, no matter how skilled they are.

Unfortunately, Yang Gilsang…

“Director, this is risky. You need to hold it tighter.”

“?”

“You may not know because you are young, but us suit folks easily bypass such clauses. I can think of at least ten ways to circumvent this clause myself.”

What’s going on?

“Here, you need to tighten the reins even more. If you want to avoid being taken for a fool, you have to fill in the clause right up to the brink of poison.”

Yang Gilsang rotated his pen and made revisions to the contract.

He looked excited.

I couldn’t understand it.

“Mr. Gilsang?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t this unfavourable for you?”

Why would he willingly do something that’s not in his favour?

The answer came back when I asked.

There was a hint of amusement in his words.

“I think building trust between people is not about favours, but about constraints. It’s when we hold each other’s leash that we can truly show our loyalty. Do you know what co-conspirators are? It’s like people with the same vulnerabilities can’t easily betray each other.”

“…”

“I don’t trust visible favours. So, let’s each have a knife at each other’s throat.”

Yang Gilsang’s change in attitude was bewildering.

But there was something evident in his intention.

“Its kind of strange for me to ask this but?”

“Please tell me.”

“Why did you decide to come to join my company?”

“It’s certainly strange for someone who was scouting. Well, I understand. I’m a bit unusual.”

Yang Gilsang extended three fingers.

He folded one of them.

“First, as I said, there’s a low risk of you turning a knife on me.”

He folded another one.

“Second, I really like the Hellic series. I had a blast playing it.”

And with a wide grin, he folded the last one.

“Lastly, because you seem like someone who would enjoy eating my mom’s bibimbap. It’s not something just anyone can appreciate. So, there you go, honestly, there’s no need to mention anything about the work-related aspects because the conditions are too good.”

With that said, Yang Gilsang extended his hand for a handshake.

“Let’s do our best. I’ll review the parts I’ve marked once more, and… Let’s finish the contract and start next week. Oh, by the way, what work will I start with?”

I looked at his hand for a moment.

Finally, I shook it and said, “We need to hire some people. Quite a few.”

“Sounds good. Shall we keep it informal between us?”

“Just make it formal for me. I’m the CEO.”

“?”

I couldn’t bow down to someone in a suit.

I had to establish clear hierarchies when recruiting someone in a position where they had no choice but to wrestle.

…Well, in any case, it seems like the recruitment was successful.

However, Gilsang had the ability to ease this atmosphere.

“Wow, you all look so polished. I thought it was an entertainment agency, not a game development company.”

Gilsang said nervously, bowing politely.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Yang Gilsang.”

The profiles had already been provided by Yeonho.

Gilsang went on, introducing to himself each member of the team.

“Han Seorim.”

Founding member and Art director. It seemed like she would have more authority as the company grew.

Given the nature of the field, there would probably be frequent clashes with the Art team due to budget issues. To get along without any emotional strain, it would be necessary to make a good impression in advance.

“Next, the programmers…”

“Goh Myungkyu.”

Programmers can be expensive, especially someone with high academic qualifications and practical experience like him. As one of the early developers, he would likely gain even more authority as the company expanded. It would be essential to coordinate with him well. Social skills would be important here, but they were of the same age, so getting closer shouldn’t be too difficult.

“Next…”

“Jo Ayoon.”

She was a young woman in a green tracksuit with a slightly mischievous look, probably in her early twenties.

“You’re Ayoon, right? Nice to meet you.”

Gilsang extended his hand for a handshake.

The reason he was unusually friendly was that Gilsang was a fan of Ayoon personally. While playing Hellic 2, he had particularly liked the ending BGM, which was a music box melody. He had even obtained the separate music file and listened to it before going to sleep. Ayoon seemed a bit surprised at first but then shook his hand twice before letting go. She seemed very shy and cautious.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Ayoon said with a twinkle in her eye. “Wow, your forehead is so wide…”

Gilsang was taken aback. He wasn’t sure how to interpret this or what to make of the strange feeling that welled up inside him. What was this emotion, and how should he express it? Suddenly, Gilsang realized that he needed some time to understand this unfamiliar emotion.

Thankfully, it didn’t last long. Yeonho intervened, saying, “Alright, we’re done with the introductions. Let’s focus on the task at hand. Yang Gilsang, please follow me. We have something to discuss right away.”

Yeonho led Gilsang away from the group, and Gilsang’s gaze remained fixed on Ayoon.

He could sense a pure malice emanating from her, and a sense of foreboding washed over him.

His first encounter with Jo Ayoon was turning out to be the worst.

***

After Yang Gilsang’s recruitment, the first order of business was to organize the management and administration of the company and begin the recruitment process in earnest.

Recruiting a large number of employees all at once presented many challenges, but Gilsang efficiently tackled them.

“Until now, you’ve managed things well. We just need to fill a few gaps. I’ll send you the necessary paperwork, so please review it carefully.”

He started by cutting unnecessary expenses that were draining the studio’s finances.

Then, he assisted in expanding the team.

“We need to gather programmers first, right? Oh, I remember there’s a console release coming up. Okay, let’s start by recruiting for the programming team. Fortunately, we’re in Pangyo, so finding people should be relatively easy. You’ll be conducting the interviews yourself, right? I’ll prepare the documents for you.”

He began recruiting programmers urgently.

The programmers he recruited were mostly young, fresh talent. It seemed that Gilsang had personally scouted them, especially people like Myungkyu, who had high qualifications and practical experience.

“Let’s all get along. Just call me ‘Team Leader’ casually. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. We need to start porting to the console in two weeks, so let’s focus on getting familiar with the work until then.”

“Yes!”

Yeonho found that Myungkyu had a knack for handling people well. It was a noticeable change from the timid and uncertain person he had been before. He wondered why he hadn’t seen this side of himself before.

He realized the reason the next day.

“Myungkyu, Myungkyu oppa!”

“Ta-da! I brought a cake!”

“Myungkyu oppa, let’s try this!”

“Oh, um…”

“Hahaha! You’re like a hamster!”

“Myungkyu oppa, you’re so cute!”

Whenever the lively duo appeared, Myungkyu transformed into a completely different person. He blushed and trembled, acting like a girl.

Yeonho felt a mixture of sympathy and an unfamiliar emotion that quickly disappeared.

Next was the art team, and it was taking longer because Han Seorim was meticulous in reviewing portfolios.

“Just looking at drawings isn’t enough. I need to know what they usually draw, what they can contribute, and how they can fit in. In those aspects, this person doesn’t make the cut. They draw well, but they don’t match my style. Oh, right. Motion-related work, I’ll handle separately…”

She was so proficient that there was no need for Yeonho to worry.

They didn’t hire additional sound personnel for now. There was no immediate need, and more importantly, it would be challenging for Jo Ayoon to manage the team members who were older and more experienced.

“Ayoon, focus on your studies. How’s university?”

“It’s fun!”

Jo Ayoon had managed to get into a prestigious music college, and she seemed to be thriving.

For a while, they would leave things as they were.

Yeonho finished his tasks and sat down at his desk. Although the management and administration staff hired by Yang Gilsang occasionally came to the development team’s office, there weren’t many face-to-face encounters. They worked on different floors.

It was time for him to get back to his own work.

Handling the tedious tasks had put his mind at ease.

But apart from that, he observed the growing office, the changing scenery, and the increasing number of people, making him realize that things were changing from the indie days.

There was a rush of emotions, but he couldn’t afford to be swept away by them.

He had only just begun; this was just the start.

The immediate task at hand was the console port of Hellic 2. He didn’t have much involvement in this part, as it was primarily the responsibility of the programming team.

But did that mean he could relax until it was done?

No.

The studio was on an upward trajectory, which meant there was more room for additional tasks.

It was time to start.

“Hellic 3.”

Finally, the time had come to plan for an AAA title.

From the moment he founded the studio, or even before that, this had been a dream he held close to his heart.

He opened a blank document, and this empty space would soon be filled with the framework of a game.

It was an exhilarating feeling, like leaving the first footprint on a pristine field of snow.

Yeonho placed his hands on the keyboard and typed in the title of the first AAA title he had been thinking about for a long time

[Hellic 3: Demon Sword]

At that moment, he revisited the past.

When I was still wandering in hell.

Hell of War.

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