Chapter 2: Registering Game Copyright

The next day, Monday, William woke up, washed up, dressed, and packed his bag. He grabbed a sandwich and headed out the door; he still had classes to attend. As a sophomore computer science student at the University of London, he couldn't afford to skip classes, or his mother, Lena, would kill him.

He recalled how his mother had worked two jobs to put him through school, so her irritable temper was understandable. Even though he had memories from his previous life, his feelings for Lena were unchanged. The fusion of memories only deepened his respect and gratitude towards her.

For now, he had to stay in school, organize the knowledge from the System, and wait until his magic skills were strong enough to protect himself against firearms before considering other options. 

He wouldn't foolishly expose his superpowers, but once he had the means to break free from the mundane, the idea of making money constantly echoed in his mind.

It was the year 2000. Although he knew which companies and technologies would become profitable in the future, he lacked capital, and learning new technologies would take time. Suddenly unveiling advanced technology years ahead of its time would undoubtedly attract unwanted attention and threats. The world might have moved past overt robberies, but it was still rife with covert suppression, threats, and takeovers.

Magic, he decided, would be his trump card, a means to be used only if he could eliminate all witnesses. After all, firearms were still powerful, and he couldn't afford to become an enemy of society. For now, he needed to focus on low-profile development.

Learning magic wasn't about world domination—he couldn't achieve that anyway. Instead, he aimed to improve his and his mother Lena's lives. Achieving small, incremental goals was the most prudent approach.

January marked the start of the second semester at the University of London. With his backpack slung over his shoulder, William hurried to the computer science department's main lecture hall.

In 2000, there was no cloud computing, no big data, and AI was still in its infancy. What Professor Roy taught seemed basic to William, who now possessed knowledge from the Marvel Universe System.

The lecture felt easy to follow, and William even felt a bit unsatisfied when it ended. Perhaps adopting the persona of a top student could deflect suspicion?

After a day of classes, William sat on a bench near the campus lawn, staring blankly at the grass. With his mind set on excelling academically, he pondered what project could earn him some starting capital.

It needed to be related to his field to avoid raising suspicion.

While thinking, he heard the sound of two pairs of high heels behind him. One girl mentioned how scary the vampire movie she watched last night was, saying she didn't dare sleep alone in her dorm afterwards.

The pleasant sound of her voice made William turn his head. He saw two attractive girls, their eyes shining, but he shivered at their choice of skirts in January. However, their figures were indeed captivating.

As the girls walked away, William turned back to the dry grass. Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind but eluded him.

Vampires? Zombies?

Yes, "Plants vs. Zombies"! I can make that game.

The game had already appeared on PCs and sold well, but it wouldn't become a global sensation until 2008, with the advent of smartphones. Creating the game in 2000 shouldn't be a problem, even if he had to lower the pixel quality. If Counter-Strike could support LAN play, a small game like "Plants vs. Zombies" would certainly run.

In the late '90s, single-player games were at their peak, especially in Western markets where they were more popular than online games. "Plants vs. Zombies" had proven its success, so developing a single-player version should be feasible. 

Although it would be challenging with his current skill level, William had the System. Any problems could be solved by learning from it, asking professors, or researching in the library.

With this idea, he became so excited that he waved his arms, startling several passersby. Ignoring their looks, he grabbed his bag and rushed back to his dorm.

Once there, he opened his computer and started drafting a plan.

The next day, after reviewing his plan for errors, he began coding. Frequently, he compared his work with the System's knowledge or looked for alternative solutions within it. For ten days straight, he spent a lot of time in the library and consulted professors more often than he had in his entire first year.

His knowledge expanded rapidly, and he began to understand the intricacies of game development. Finally, after another week, the game started to take shape.

After taking a shower to refresh himself, William proudly examined the program on his computer and began testing it.

The main challenge now was how to promote "Plants vs. Zombies." With no money and no channels, he pondered for a long time before deciding that his first step should be registering the copyright.

He needed to register the game's story, characters, and gameplay with the copyright office to ensure peace of mind during promotion. Having lived in England for so long, he understood that capitalists wouldn't play fair.

Finding a phone booth with a Yellow Pages directory at school, he prepared to call the copyright office. Then, remembering that British government receptionists weren't as helpful as those in China, he decided to try something.

He infused magic into his throat and, feeling no pain, spoke a few words softly. His voice became noticeably more pleasant. Smiling, he dialed the number.

"Hello, is this the copyright office?"

The person on the other end, perhaps charmed by William's voice, responded warmly, "Yes, sir. May I have your name? How can I assist you?"

William smiled and replied in a gentle tone, "My name is William Devonshire. I have a game I need to register for copyright. May I know your name, ma'am?"

"Haha, you can call me Katie," the woman said, clearly in a better mood. "Is your game original, or is it based on another story or game?"

"Definitely original."

"That makes it much simpler. You can first register the story copyright with us and then the game copyright. Here's a tip: organize your story manuscript and game design draft before coming in. This will help expedite the review process. If you'd like, I can schedule an appointment for you now. How about the day after tomorrow?"

William was thrilled. "Thank you, Ms. Katie. That would be wonderful. I appreciate your help. Have a pleasant afternoon."

"Thank you, sir. Have a pleasant afternoon as well. Goodbye."

"Goodbye," William said, hanging up the phone. Back in his dorm, he checked the copyright office's website for submission procedures and requirements.

On the third day, after organizing all his documents, he took the bus to 11 Catherine Street.

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