Tuesday 8 April 1999 ZAGE Tower.
Zaboru was still inside his personal workshop located on the 51st floor of the towering ZAGE headquarters, surrounded by screens, early prototypes, and design sketches. Despite the intense atmosphere of innovation that usually consumed his time here, today his focus was about to shift. He glanced at the clock and realized it was time to head down to one of the designated meeting floors in the tower to have an important discussion with the senior members of Team Enigma. The meeting was centered around assigning them their next major task.
Typically, Zaboru himself would be the one flying out to the United States to meet with Team Enigma on their home turf. He preferred that approach—it allowed him to see things from their perspective and build stronger connections with the developers abroad. But these days, circumstances had changed. Ayumi, his beloved wife, was due to give birth within just a couple of weeks, and Zaboru had resolved to remain close to her at all times. The idea of frequent trans-Pacific flights back and forth between Japan and the U.S. was simply too much to manage during such a crucial and delicate time.
So, beginning last week, Zaboru personally requested that Team Enigma's leadership travel to Tokyo for this meeting instead. To make things easier for them, ZAGE had arranged everything—first-class transportation, luxurious accommodations, and even a full day off upon their arrival. They had landed in Japan on Sunday, and he had generously granted them Monday as a free day for rest, sightseeing, or whatever fun they could manage in Tokyo. Zaboru didn't mind at all—he valued their well-being and morale, and since the company was covering all the expenses, it was a small price to pay for loyalty and productivity.
Before long, Zaboru arrived at the designated meeting room on one of the upper levels of the ZAGE Tower. As he stepped inside, a warm smile spread across his face upon seeing Team Enigma already present and seated, seemingly in high spirits. The room was filled with light conversation and the rustle of papers as the team eagerly awaited his arrival.
"Hey John, Sid, Derrick—how's your three-day trip been so far?" Zaboru asked as he approached the table, his tone casual and welcoming. The three senior figures of Team Enigma—John Romero, Sid Meier, and Derrick King—stood up briefly to greet him before settling in again, clearly energized for the meeting.
John Romero was the first to respond, grinning from ear to ear. "Never better, boss! Japan is always a blast! And on the company's dime too? That's just pure insanity!" he laughed heartily, his enthusiasm infectious.
Sid Meier chuckled softly, adjusting his glasses. "Don't worry, boss. The break was refreshing, but we're fully recharged and ready to dive into whatever task you have lined up for us. Just say the word."
Derrick King leaned back in his chair with a confident smirk. "Our recent task, GTA, is nearly wrapped up. We're just in the final phases of testing and polish. I think it's safe to say we're ready for something new. Right now, the only other project we're still on is Twisted Metal 2, so taking on two more assignments is totally doable at this point."
John Romero crossed his arms and let out a playful sigh. "Ugh, boss, I still don't get why you handed off Gran Turismo to Team Tempest. Aren't they your go-to PC specialists? That one screams Enigma material. Why not us?"
Zaboru grinned and gave a firm nod. "Impressive—that's exactly what I wanted to hear. I'm really glad you all enjoyed your time here. And John, the reason I assigned Gran Turismo to Team Tempest is pretty straightforward. That game demands cutting-edge graphical fidelity, and Team Tempest has been doing some truly advanced work in that area lately. Their rendering pipeline and visual optimization tech are top-notch right now, and I wanted to push them out of their comfort zone a little more."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "It's important for ZAGE teams not to get too comfortable or rigid in their roles. That's why I like rotating challenges—it keeps everyone sharp and evolving. Now, speaking of challenges, I've got something lined up just for you three. For your next assignment, I want Team Enigma to handle two new titles—one for PC and one for our flagship ZEPS 3 console."
With that, Zaboru reached into his leather briefcase and pulled out three thick folders, handing one to each of the men seated around the table. As they opened the folders and glanced at the contents, their eyes widened with surprise and excitement. The titles on the documents were bold and unmistakable: Fallout 2 for PC, and NBA LIVE 99 for ZEPS 3.
The room filled with a charged silence, broken only by the sound of pages being flipped and the occasional low whistle of appreciation. Zaboru smiled, clearly pleased with their reactions.
Sid Meier furrowed his brow and leaned forward slightly, his expression filled with curiosity and concern. "Boss… isn't this game Fallout kind of controversial here in Japan? I remember hearing something about you running into some trouble during the development of the first game. So, why go ahead and make a second one?"
And Sid wasn't wrong—when ZAGE released the original Fallout game, it had sparked significant controversy in Japan. The Japanese government had taken offense to the game's depiction of nuclear war and post-apocalyptic settings. Given the country's painful and sensitive history with nuclear tragedies, it was understandable that such themes could stir strong emotions. The backlash had been considerable, and there were concerns that the game might face bans or public outcry.
However, the situation had eventually been resolved diplomatically. The Japanese government approached ZAGE with a formal request, encouraging the company to produce a culturally respectful game with a theme rooted in Japanese heritage. In response, and as an act of goodwill, Zaboru directed the development team to create a game based on the beloved historical manga *Rurouni Kenshin *from his previous life that start as a game in this world, which was later released for the ZEPS 2 console. That project not only eased tensions but also garnered critical acclaim, reinforcing ZAGE's commitment to cultural sensitivity and innovation.
Despite the earlier controversy, Zaboru believed in the importance of creative freedom and wasn't afraid to revisit bold ideas—especially if they could be refined, evolved, and respectfully handled the second time around.
Derrick clicked his tongue and shook his head with an amused smirk. "Sid, you're too naive. You really think a little controversy is gonna stop our boss? Come on—this is Zaboru Renkonan we're talking about!" His voice carried a mix of admiration and disbelief, as if the very idea of holding Zaboru back from any creative vision was laughable.
John Romero burst out laughing, clapping his hands once. "Yeah, exactly! That's our guy! I freakin' love this game series too! Fallout's such a gritty, unique world. I can't believe we actually got the green light to handle this sequel. It's like a dream assignment."
Zaboru chuckled at their reactions, lifting his hand to calm the room. "Alright, alright—enough hyping me up," he said with a light-hearted grin. "Let's get into the details. Fallout 2 will retain much of the original's gameplay systems—turn-based combat, exploration mechanics, and the branching dialogue trees. However, this time around, the story will follow a new protagonist: the grandson of the first game's Vault Dweller. So we're pushing the timeline forward, adding generational context that deepens the lore and worldbuilding."
He walked over to the projector and clicked the next slide on the screen. "What's exciting is we're also implementing a more robust companion system. Players will now be able to recruit multiple followers during their journey, each with their own personalities, skills, and preferences. Not only that, but players will be able to equip their companions with different armor and weapons. You'll have full control over how your party is set up and how you approach combat and quests. It opens the door for a lot of tactical and emotional variety."
Zaboru continued with growing excitement in his voice, "And it's not just that—we're going to significantly expand the variety of weapon types players can use. We'll include everything from makeshift scavenged weapons to newly designed futuristic prototypes that didn't appear in the first game. In addition to that, we'll be adding a much larger roster of enemy types, each with distinct behaviors and strengths, which will force players to think more strategically in how they approach encounters." He paused, scanning the room. "More perks will be added as well—deeply customizable ones that offer more personal playstyles, allowing players to tailor their characters with far more freedom and nuance. Overall, we're treating this as a full-scale enhancement of everything the first Fallout did well. And, of course, the storyline will go in a completely different direction, with unique twists and narrative layers—but we'll dive into those specifics later." Everyone in the room nodded in agreement, visibly intrigued by the ambitious direction.
He moved to the next point. "Now, because we can reuse a significant amount of assets from Fallout 1—especially with regard to environments, animations, and systems—we won't be starting entirely from scratch. That gives us a solid head start. With that in mind, I'm aiming for a release date of January 2000. That gives us about ten months. Doable?"
John Romero nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, ten months sounds reasonable. Even with the engine already built, we'll need to stay focused—there's clearly going to be a lot of narrative branching in this sequel. It'll take time to weave all those threads together meaningfully."
Zaboru nodded in return, his tone reassuring. "Exactly. But I'm not worried. I believe in Team Tempest's capabilities—and in all of you. With the experience you already have, I know you can pull this off and exceed expectations."
Zaboru chuckled, his eyes gleaming with energy as he moved on to the next subject. "Alright, now for your second assignment—this one should be relatively easy compared to Fallout 2," he said, leaning forward with a grin. "NBA Live 99 for the ZEPS 3. Since Team Enigma was responsible for NBA Live 98, I believe you're already more than familiar with the systems and workflow involved. This will be another entry in our annual franchise lineup, but we're going to elevate it beyond just a simple roster update."
He paced slightly as he explained, gesturing with excitement. "We'll be including a broader soundtrack with more licensed tracks, adding a variety of new player faces—especially focusing on rookies and emerging stars from the latest draft—and improving existing face models with more detailed and expressive animations. Animations, by the way, will get a full overhaul—expect smoother movement, enhanced dribble and new dunk animation , better crowd reactions, and even signature celebrations for key players."
Zaboru then clicked his tongue and continued, "But here's the twist: we're introducing a completely new story-driven 'My Player' mode. It's not just about climbing through games and stats anymore—we're adding a narrative arc that follows your player's life on and off the court. Think contracts, rivalries, lifestyle choices, and even branching dialogue options. That way, even though it'll feel familiar for players of NBA Live 98, NBA Live 99 will feel like a completely fresh experience. This one won't take long—Team Enigma should be able to handle it efficiently. I'm giving you four months for this, with a targeted release in August. That should keep us perfectly aligned with the new NBA season."
Sid Meier adjusted his glasses with a confident nod. "Yes, that's perfectly fine, boss. With the engine and assets from 98 already in place, this will be a matter of enhancement, polish, and integration. Four months is more than doable—we'll make it happen."
Derrick raised an eyebrow and leaned forward. "Hold on—is four months really doable though? That feels tight, even with the engine already in place."
John gave a confident nod, resting his elbows on the table. "Yeah, Derrick, don't worry about it. The hardest parts of developing a basketball game—like the animation alignment, ensuring that player movements look natural and fluid, or the back-end calculations for shot accuracy percentages—were already tackled during the development of NBA Live 98. That's the stuff that takes the longest, and we've already built that framework."
He continued, gesturing casually. "Now it's more about content updates, polish, and layering in new features. With our current momentum and experience from the last game, four months is totally doable. We've done more in less time before."
Zaboru smiled, clearly reassured by their confidence. He gave a firm nod of approval, satisfied with the team's commitment and technical insight.
Then, a lively and in-depth Q&A session unfolded between Zaboru and the members of Team Enigma. They asked for clarification on certain gameplay systems, proposed a few innovative ideas of their own, and shared thoughts on how best to integrate new features without disrupting the core experience. Sid, in particular, had several thoughts on refining the My Player narrative flow, while Derrick suggested incorporating a new training mini-game for off-season development. John, as usual, threw in some ambitious technical tricks they could explore.
Zaboru listened intently, offering guidance, answering questions, and refining the vision with each reply. The room buzzed with creative energy, each exchange sharpening the collective understanding of what NBA Live 99 needed to become. After nearly an hour of productive back-and-forth discussion for Fallout 2 and NBA live 99, Zaboru finally glanced at his watch and brought the meeting to a close with a satisfied nod.
"Alright, gentlemen, I think we're all on the same page. Let's get to work," he said firmly.
With that, the meeting officially ended. But Zaboru wasn't done just yet. As the members of Team Enigma began to gather their materials and stand up, Zaboru shifted his focus and turned toward the next item on his tightly packed agenda. Now, it was time to begin the next phase—an important project assignment for Team NOVA, based in Japan.
To be continue
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