Days as a Spiritual Mentor in American Comics Chapter 5768 - 4791: Battleworld Changes (Part 1)

Shiller placed the medical records upon Strange’s desk. Strange looked up at him, a flicker of confusion in his eyes, and inquired, "You've finished it already?"

"Naturally. I had Main Universe Doctor Strange assist you in drafting it when I was situated within the Shi’ar Empire." Shiller offered a shrug before settling into a seat beside him.

Strange retrieved his spectacles from a nearby surface and donned them, perusing the medical records with a discerning gaze. He couldn't deny, however, that the documents, penned by his own hand, were exceptionally well-executed, bearing flawless penmanship and effectively erasing all outstanding debts in a single stroke, thereby resolving a significant concern.

A palpable sigh of relief escaped Strange. He then remarked, "Thanks to our efforts, the Elders Council Hospital is finally implementing an electronic medical system. From this point forward, we can bid farewell to the era of handwritten records."

"Isn't that a splendid development? Without handwriting, there's no need for stylistic disguise, and you can simply copy and paste."

"Do not celebrate too prematurely," Strange cautioned, shaking his head. "While it is not uncommon for surgeons to be tardy in finalizing medical records, our recent case attracted the undue attention of hospital administration. It is possible I will be required to pen them myself going forward."

"There is little we can do about such matters. Every intern under your tutelage is also swamped with work. Have you considered expanding your recruitment efforts?"

"Any new addition would find themselves just as overwhelmed," Strange stated. "Never mind that; let us shift the topic. How fares the Prime Universe?"

"A significant stir is underway," Shiller reported with palpable excitement. "Nick, in his attempt to curb the Prime Universe's outward expansion, inadvertently caused a rift between Iron Man and Doctor Strange upon their return. The resultant altercation between the two resulted in the catastrophic shattering of the Earth's Magic Defense Network."

"Shattered?!" Strange's voice elevated. "Completely obliterated? What of the Sanctum?"

"That precisely is where the crux of the issue lies." Shiller maneuvered a chair closer to the desk, leaning forward with his hands planted firmly upon it. "Nick's machinations instigated a conflict between the Prime Universe's United States government and The Avengers. This led to the New York Sanctum's revocation by S.H.I.E.L.D., thereby forfeiting a critical nexus point. The magic defense network, consequently weakened, collapsed under the slightest pressure."

A frown creased Strange's brow. "Then Earth is in grave peril. This could escalate into another catastrophe. How could Nick have been so thoughtless?"

"As I mentioned, it was Iron Man and Doctor Strange who were responsible for shattering the magical defense network; Nick's involvement is tangential to that specific event. The Sanctum, despite facing legitimacy challenges, is not so easily compromised. If Doctor Strange were to return, effect repairs, and then engage in a further confrontation with S.H.I.E.L.D., the situation might stabilize. Who could have predicted these two would become so engrossed in their dispute that they carried their battle into near-Earth orbit? The outcome..."

Strange exhaled a deep, weary sigh. "What is our course of action now?"

"What other recourse do we possess? Doctor Strange is occupied with rectifying the New York Sanctum and diligently restoring the magic defense network, while others stand vigilant over Earth to deter any opportunistic incursions."

"It is inevitable that someone will seize the opportunity," Strange observed. "Earth is the target of innumerable covetous entities. It would be truly astonishing if no one attempted an invasion."

"Would you care to investigate?" Shiller proposed. "Although the inhabitants of the Prime Universe may not hold us in high regard, they currently find themselves in a precarious situation. If we were to extend our assistance, they would be compelled to accept it, however grudgingly. Moreover, the two most troublesome individuals are the very ones responsible for the current predicament, and their influence is likely diminished. Those remaining are generally quite reasonable. It would be prudent for you to undertake this journey to avert any significant crises."

Strange's brow furrowed deeply; his inclination was to go, yet he harbored an aversion to the Prime Universe's populace. Had it been any other universe, the teleportation portal would have been opened already.

"Do not concern yourself with Krakoa," Shiller reassured him. "The mutants have been successfully integrated. The Shi’ar Empire has finally fractured, and both factions are engaged in fierce conflict, likely too preoccupied to concern themselves with Earth. Once the remaining elements within the Solar System are neutralized, the threat will be entirely eliminated."

"Are Matt and the others still present there?" Strange inquired.

"Indeed, he remains, alongside Steve," Shiller clarified. "It is not ideal to consistently leave the children in the care of the mutants. They are currently enjoying a family vacation on the island. It is unfortunate that Peter is too occupied to partake; otherwise, he too could have joined for a relaxing holiday."

"Very well, I shall venture forth to observe the situation," Strange finally resolved. "Furthermore, they will find themselves unable to effectively counter my arguments. Should they dare to criticize, I shall provide them with a suitable lesson."

"Excellent. I shall now turn my attention to Battleworld. The primary event for this season remains unresolved," Shiller said with a matching sigh.

With the passage of time since the inception of Battleworld, excluding the trial period, eight full seasons have unfurled. While substantial revenue has been generated from the sale of Battle Orders and the core objective of facilitating resource and information exchange across the Multiverses has been largely met, a pressing issue has emerged: a lack of engaging content. Shiller has even entertained the notion of absconding with the profits.

The conundrum stems from the fact that once individuals became acquainted, the instances themed around significant events from their respective universes practically ceased to exist. The Multiverse superheroes are now interconnected; a simple call on the communication channel suffices when an incident occurs. Although an instance offers a chance at an extra life, there's a numerical cap, and waiting is required, rendering it impractical during emergencies. Most individuals opt to broadcast a single message on the communication channel and directly utilize Battleworld's teleportation portal to reach their destination.

Consequently, the only remaining instances are the original ones. Despite the involvement of numerous designers, the quantity of instances released remains disappointingly low. Conversely, to recoup the currency held by players, the Battle Orders have become progressively more expensive. Although they encompass a wide array of items, this has ignited player dissatisfaction, with many exhibiting reluctance to purchase them.

Particularly after public testing commenced, each season necessitates a distinct theme, coupled with unique gameplay mechanics. For instance, the inaugural season's theme was "First Encounter," featuring a dedicated hall for introductions and dueling arenas tailored for player interaction, all designed to foster better acquaintance among superheroes.

The second season embraced the theme of "Construction." Beyond unlocking terrain modification capabilities, the shop expanded its offerings to include more building materials and furniture sets, alongside the introduction of the "Lego Brick City" instance gameplay. This allowed players the freedom to construct their preferred urban landscapes within Lego Gotham or Lego New York, and even utilize these creations as blueprints for actual city redevelopment, thereby promoting player cohesion and contributing to the stabilization of real-world scenarios.

The initial two seasons served as introductory periods; the intensity escalated dramatically starting from the third season. Its theme was "Earth," which saw the reactivation of the previous Battleworld - New Earth and the integration of realistic warfare simulations. This provided many superheroes lacking modern combat experience the opportunity to savor the thrill of military engagement while simultaneously learning the dynamics of large-scale battles.

The fourth and fifth seasons shifted focus towards enhancing player interaction and puzzle-solving. The majority of these instances imposed restrictions on identity and abilities, compelling participants to set aside their superhero personas and delve deeper into understanding each other's personalities and behavioral patterns. It was during these seasons, in essence, that the Batmen formed their alliance.

The sixth and seventh seasons were dedicated to duels. Their primary characteristic involved facilitating large-scale confrontations among superheroes, with various arenas and player-versus-player instances being established. The Multiverse wars also transpired during these two seasons.

And now, we arrive at the eighth season, which Shiller has aptly dubbed the "Dark Season." In straightforward terms, it involves the continuous augmentation of instance difficulty, pushing superheroes to their absolute physical and mental limits. While this design also aims to offer a training ground for superheroes, the primary impetus is the fact that without escalating the instance difficulty, players would undoubtedly "speedrun" through them.

Arkham Batman is not among the initial cohort of players. By the time of his recruitment, a considerable number of instances had already been accumulated. Nevertheless, he managed to conquer six to seven instances overnight and still had the capacity to return during the day to fulfill his presidential duties. Those combat instances posed no significant challenge to him, and the narrative-puzzle instances could only momentarily impede his progress. He even left a formidable reputation in the player-versus-player instances subsequently.

With a player like him in the mix, failing to introduce a few instances that rigorously test his physical and mental fortitude would likely result in him losing interest and ceasing to play. Although his continued participation isn't strictly necessary, if he were to voice his dissatisfaction among the ranks of the Batmen, it's probable that other Batmen would subsequently deem instancing a futile endeavor. If everyone abandons the game, its demise would be all but assured.

Shiller found himself confronting a universal predicament faced by game developers worldwide. If a game proves excessively easy, seasoned players perceive a lack of challenge and conquer it with minimal effort, thereby failing to captivate them or extend their playtime, leading to the game being regarded as devoid of substantive content. Conversely, if a game is unduly difficult, the majority of average players will express discontent, experience overwhelming frustration, and subsequently depart in droves, effectively eliminating any audience to engage with.

Moreover, a perpetually running game is more susceptible to crashes because of balancing concerns. It's merely fortunate that Battleworld had previously amassed a substantial number of ordinary instances, providing newcomers with content to engage with. However, if this trend persists, they will exhaust the existing content, commence challenging the new season, and discover that the majority of instances necessitate the abilities of Batman or Superman, or sometimes even demand Batman's intellect combined with Superman's physical prowess, making them seem as though they weren't designed for actual individuals. Negative feedback is bound to escalate.

And, the ninth season, also designated as the Dark Season, is slated to commence in just one week. The entire design team is currently at a loss, still lacking a concept for a distinctive gameplay mechanic. Should they fail to devise anything, even extensive overtime will yield no results.

Shiller returned to the Battleworld office, occupied his chair at his desk, and began to heave sighs. Owen, from his adjacent workstation, cautiously inquired, "...Have you managed to figure it out?"

Shiller responded with a shake of his head, stating, "I must revisit the memory bank. I recall individuals proposing numerous ideas previously; perhaps they might hold some utility."

Subsequently, he closed his eyes, intending to rest at his desk, and in actuality, delved back into his recollections. Given that nearly everyone was aware of his role as a designer and administrator, a multitude of suggestions were directed his way, particularly from Batman. He believed the Battleworld model possessed considerable merit and was disinclined to see the game cease operations. As Battleworld did not permit monetary investments, Batman was compelled to rely solely on his ingenuity to offer recommendations. A significant number of these proposals were remarkably practical, and following their integration and adjustment, the game indeed saw improvements. For instance, the earlier enhancement of the terrain editing functionality and the refinement of various communication features owe their existence to these suggestions.

Shiller made a point of reviewing memories specifically linked to Batman. Yet, precisely because Batman's insights were so valuable, almost all of them were implemented. He was, by all accounts, a highly pragmatic individual who did not often put forth extensive strategic plans or purely creative concepts.

Shiller also recollected a prior escape room instance he had participated in. He had a faint memory of someone presenting a suggestion during that time. Thus, he reviewed it once more, discovering that the suggestion was to introduce a feature enabling players to design their own instances.

Although this was mentioned, it was essentially mere lip service. The release date remained undefined—it was akin to merely creating a new, empty folder. Regarding the feasibility of this feature or the extent of its realization, no progress had even been initiated.

Nevertheless, this was undeniably an excellent concept. Rather than developing a game, why not establish a game platform, empowering others to design and launch their own games, thereby generating a modest profit from intermediary services? After all, the collective creativity of a handful of administrators and designers could hardly rival that of countless players across the Multiverse.

"I've got it," Shiller exclaimed upon regaining consciousness, prompting all the administrators to gather around.