Let you make a game, what the hell is Pokemon?.

Chapter 318 Animation Production, Pokémon Originals!

Can you only make games and not animations?
This kind of restriction has never appeared before; it's really unusual.

Having received this request, Ling Feng didn't immediately turn his attention to the system in his mind. Instead, he picked up his phone from the table, connected to the intermittent public Wi-Fi, and began quickly browsing the entertainment industry in this world.

In that case, let's first understand the situation of this world.

Since the system requires him to promote Pokémon by creating animations, he first needs to figure out how far other entertainment products in this world have developed.
The screen's light reflected on his calm face as his fingers swiped rapidly. As the search page kept scrolling, Ling Feng's brow furrowed slightly before slowly relaxing.

To be honest, the entertainment industry in this world is a bit too developed.

If you randomly open a few video websites, the animated movies and TV series recommended on the homepage are incredibly high in terms of both special effects and picture quality.

The lighting and shadow rendering, particle effects, and even the finest hair textures are all incredibly realistic. It seems that this world, in terms of technology, has completely reached, or even surpassed, the top level of his previous life's era.

What surprised Ling Feng even more was the extraordinary advancement of artificial intelligence technology in this world. Various AI painting software, AI modeling tools, and fully automated AI synthesis software emerged in abundance, and their levels of sophistication were extremely high. In this world, with a good concept and sufficient computing power, one person could use AI tools to accomplish tasks that previously required a team.

However, after watching for a while, Ling Feng felt that something was not right.

Ling Feng clicked on one of the most popular animations at the moment, called "The Return of the Gods".

The visuals are indeed stunning, the fight scenes are visceral, and the special effects are explosive, but the plot is a complete mess.

It's nothing more than the protagonist being jilted at the beginning, then getting a cheat code, showing off and slapping faces all the way, and finally forcibly elevating the theme.

This kind of approach is practically like forcing the audience to eat shit.

He tried several more, and the situation was largely the same.

It's either a visually stunning but mindless light novel, or a suspense film that claims to be mind-bending but is actually full of logical flaws.

Upon clicking in, it was discovered that apart from the character names being changed, the plot, scene design, and even the classic lines were exactly the same.

Plagiarism is rampant.

Ling Feng made a judgment.

This is the current state of the entertainment industry worldwide.

After watching for a while longer, Ling Feng closed the browser, already having a clear understanding of the situation.

This is like a warrior with maxed-out equipment who only knows how to use basic attacks to hack and slash.

This world may have top-notch technology and even decent AI tools, but it lacks the most essential soul—a story that can truly touch people's hearts.

Pokémon is the best choice to fill this gap.

That kind of bond that transcends species, that passion for constantly striving towards a dream, and those adorable yet powerful creatures—for the people of this world, well, it must be a bit of a dimensional reduction attack.

Having figured out the external environment, Ling Feng then turned his attention back to the system.

Now that the task has changed, I don't know if I can still use those modules from before.

He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into his mind.

Sure enough, the familiar game creation interface was now completely grayed out, and all the commonly used modules were locked.

[Due to a conflict in the world's rules, the host is unable to create games in the current world.]

This line of text was particularly jarring.

Ling Feng wasn't flustered. After all, it was a special world, so some restrictions were normal.

He continued scrolling down, trying to find the currently available features.

Soon, he found a new icon in the corner of the interface, which looked like a film roll.

[Currently available feature: Animation production assistance (basic).]

[Note: Given that the host's identity is an animation producer, the system will provide basic data support and access to the resource library, but can also provide top-tier script polishing, storyboard logic correction, and original animation design references.]

Upon seeing this explanation, Ling Feng was taken aback.

It's not that convenient, but it's enough.

With such advanced AI technology in this world, as long as he provides a sufficiently accurate concept, script, and core setting, he can completely create the finished product using existing tools.

In that case, there's nothing to worry about.

Ling Feng already knew what kind of animation to make.

That's definitely the most classic original series!

Episode 1.

That is, Ash and Pikachu's first meeting.

This is the starting point of everything in Pokémon, and the story that best embodies the word "bond".

Just as he was about to turn on his computer and start organizing his thoughts, his phone, which was on the table, suddenly rang.

Ling Feng picked up his phone and glanced at the caller ID.

The note reads: "Rich guy - Li Kai".

As soon as the call connected, a loud and boisterous voice came from the other end.

"Hey, I heard you had another fight with that fatso today? You should have just put up with it. Even though Wang Dawei is a jerk, at least he pays you a salary."

Ling Feng moved his phone a little further away, recalled the original owner's personality, and smiled:

"He asked me to plagiarize, but I refused."

"So what if it's plagiarism? Which company in this industry doesn't plagiarize? If you don't plagiarize, someone else will, and you'll be the one who starves in the end!" Li Kai sounded even more anxious than he was on the other end of the phone.

"Brother, I'm serious, don't put up with that lousy company anymore. Why don't you switch careers? Come work for my dad's company, I'll give you a low-paying job..."

"No need," Ling Feng interrupted him. "I have an idea."

"What's your idea?" Li Kai was taken aback. "You're going to do something original again? I'm not trying to criticize you, but you need to consider the current situation. That's just how things are right now; everyone's copying, and you really can't do without copying."

"Don't worry, this time it really will work, trust me."

Ling Feng spoke.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a long sigh.

"Alright, you've always been stubborn. You figure it out yourself. But it's settled then, if you really can't hold on anymore, or if you're short of money, just call me anytime."

“I do need your help right now,” Ling Feng said without beating around the bush.

"fifty thousand."

"Fifty thousand? That's all?" Li Kai seemed a little surprised. "Send me your bank account number, and I'll transfer it to you right away."

Less than a minute later, my phone vibrated. It was a bank SMS notification that 50,000 yuan had been deposited into my account.

Ling Feng looked at the text message and nodded. This money was enough to cover the costs of the first episode.

Now that the money is in place, it's time to get started.

A few minutes later, Ling Feng opened his computer and created a new folder.

For the next few hours, Ling Feng hardly left his chair.

Using the system's resource library, he extracted all the details of the scenes involving Ash, Pikachu, Professor Oak, and Pallet Town from his mind, and then slightly modified them according to his memory.

Looking at the exquisite concept art on the screen, which resembled movie posters, Ling Feng nodded in satisfaction.

The original manuscript is now complete.

Next, we need to find people.

Although the world has advanced AI technology, turning static images into smooth, high-quality animation still requires professional expertise.

He spent a long time filtering through freelancers on a platform where they could find freelance work, and finally selected a target.

This person's ID is "Night Owl," and their profile picture is a cat with very dark circles under its eyes.

[Senior AI animator, proficient in all aspects of "Vision" AI work, skilled in stylized rendering and motion capture, accepts rush jobs, high-performing and efficient]

Ling Feng glanced at his portfolio. Although the style was rather diverse, his basic skills were very solid, which was enough.

More importantly, his offer was reasonable, and he seemed to be short of money.

Ling Feng sent a private message directly, briefly explaining his needs, and also sent over the script and concept settings.

The other party replied very quickly.

[“Night Owl”: Dude, did you run this concept art using an M-model? It looks pretty good.]

[However, I must remind you, this retro 2D style is no longer popular. Audiences these days prefer high-precision 3D rendering. Your script... is also a clichéd adventure theme? That's not trending these days.]

Ling Feng replied directly by typing:

[No need to change the style, just stick to this. You only need to use AI tools to convert the script and storyboards into animation, ensuring smooth animation and detailed presentation. The budget is 10,000, half of which is a deposit, and the film needs to be completed within three days.]

[Night Owl: Ten thousand? Dude, are you kidding me? Do you think making this kind of thing is easy, especially emotional scenes? AI has a hard time grasping expressions. You'd need at least twenty thousand to pull it off, right? And honestly, this script looks pretty childish. Nobody watches this kind of stuff these days. I'd get a headache just making it.]

Ling Feng seemed to have anticipated this and was not in a hurry.

[Twenty thousand, that's the most I can offer. This is just the first episode. If it goes well, we can have a long-term collaboration. Also, please read the section in the script about bonds carefully; it's the core of this work.]

The other party remained silent for a long time.

Just as Ling Feng was about to switch to another person, the dialog box finally moved again.

[Night Owl: ...Deal. But let me make this clear beforehand: I'll try my best to train the AI, but there are some emotional details it can't quite capture, so it might feel a bit stiff. Also, a deposit is required first.]

Without saying a word, Ling Feng transferred 10,000 yuan directly.

After receiving the money, the other party's attitude became noticeably more positive.

[Night Owl: Thanks, boss. You're very generous. I'll start working on it right away. But I still think this script is a bit too idealistic. Nowadays, audiences like fast-paced action, not slow-burn plots.]

Ling Feng didn't explain, he just replied with a single sentence.

You'll know once you make it.

Ling Feng had a very fulfilling two days.

During the day, he used the system to continue refining the script and settings.

In the evenings, he would communicate online with that "night owl" to resolve any problems encountered during the production process.

At first, the "night owl" thought Ling Feng was just a rich idler who was just here to indulge his creative passion, or even a rich second-generation who wanted to experience what it was like to be a director. His attitude was somewhat perfunctory.

But as the production progressed, his attitude underwent a complete change.

This change wasn't because Ling Feng paid more, but because of the revision suggestions and plot analysis he sent over.

When Night Owl generated a picture of Pikachu standing next to Ash with a blank expression, following conventional logic, Lingfeng sent feedback.

[This is incorrect. Pikachu's current state is one of rejection. It doesn't want to go into the Poké Ball, nor does it want Ash to touch it. Its eyes should be wary, somewhat dissatisfied, and even a little disdainful. Its body should be tense, ready to run away at any moment.]

In front of the screen, the "night owl" curled his lip indifferently.

—It's just a pet, why make such a fuss?

But he still modified the parameters and regenerated it.

He was stunned when the image appeared.

The AI-generated Pikachu, with its arms crossed and eyes glancing sideways, truly captures that arrogant and disdainful expression.

Although it was just a static expression, it was as if you could hear his dissatisfying snort.

Next came the part about the Fiery Sparrow attack.

Originally, Night Owl thought that all he had to do was have the AI ​​generate a large flock of birds rushing over, and the protagonist strike a cool pose—that was the standard procedure.

But Ling Feng sent a long message:

[This isn't about showing off. Ash has no battle ability at this moment; he's only trying to protect Pikachu. His movements should be clumsy, a struggle after being knocked down. His body should be bent like a bow, his hands protecting the still-electrifying Pikachu. His eyes shouldn't show fear, only determination. The background rain should be heavy and cold, contrasting with the small ball of lightning around Pikachu.]

The night owl stared at the text for a moment, stunned.

He subconsciously adjusted the prompts, lighting, and composition according to Ling Feng's description.

A few minutes later, the rendered video clip appeared on the screen.

In the dim, rainy night, a fierce wind howled. A boy lay prone in the mud, his body covered in wounds, yet he still held tightly to the creature in his arms. A streak of yellow lightning appeared exceptionally weak in the darkness, yet it was also exceptionally tenacious.

On the other side, the night owl looked at the screen and suddenly felt his eyes getting hot.

Having worked in animation for so many years, he has seen countless cool special effects and countless earth-shattering battles, but never before has a work, through just one scene, evoked such an unprecedented emotion in him.

Is this... what you call a bond?
After this experience, he became increasingly excited and even started working overtime on his own initiative.

Making money seems to have become less important; people have even started to actively think about how to express those emotions and how to make the visuals more impactful.

He even began to think that Ling Feng was definitely not just an ordinary rich kid.

To be able to write a script like this and have such a profound understanding of cinematic language, this must be a very talented director and screenwriter, right?
But he really couldn't understand why this kind of person would come looking for him.
Late the next night.

The night owl sent the final cut.

Boss, it's done. Take a look for yourself. To be honest, this was the most tiring but also the most satisfying order I've ever done.

[Speaking of which, I think if this thing you made doesn't go viral, I'll eat my computer!]

(End of this chapter)