socalfunplaces Chapter 48 This kid is even better at pretending than President Lin.
Chapter 48 This kid is even better at pretending than President Lin.
"That's the boy, Mr. Lin."
The two stood in front of the glass window of a small classroom.
Without any prompting from the staff, Lin Lixin had already recognized the person he was looking for.
He was a boy with glasses and messy blond hair.
He slumped over the desk, ignoring the teacher's lecture and falling asleep on his own.
When he was dragged away by the staff at the juvenile detention center, he looked just like a brat with his fur standing on end.
If Lin Lixin hadn't known about Carmack's future achievements, he would have found it very difficult to associate this little kid with such prestigious titles as the father of FPS games, the father of 3D engines, and the founder of id Software.
Many of the most famous IPs that followed in his footsteps, such as Quake and Doom, were created by him.
Those things couldn't be developed when graphics card technology was still in its infancy.
However, Lin Lixin approached him for a "pseudo-3D" work—"Wolfenstein 3D".
"John, hurry up and say hello to Mr. Lin."
Carmack frowned, staring at Lin Lixin, the uninvited guest.
"Excuse me, teacher, would it be convenient for me to speak with him privately?"
"Well... as long as you don't take him out, Mr. Lin, it's fine. He's escaped using this trick several times."
"Of course, oh... I'll try my best."
"?"
……
Did you write this code?
In the lounge, Lin Lixin took out a PC Geek Magazine from his bag and turned to a page.
The code described above is of astonishing quality and is exceptionally well-written.
Carmack glanced at Lin Lixin but didn't reply.
John Carmack, as always, remained eccentric in the face of this uninvited stranger.
Lin Lixin shrugged and continued:
"You're only 15, right? How come you can write such amazing programs? You're even better than my brother who majored in computer science."
Perhaps it was Lin Lixin's flattery that made him feel good, because a hint of pride appeared on Carmack's face.
"I'm self-taught. Those bookworms at school are just wasting their time. That's the difference in talent."
If someone else had said such arrogant words, Lin Lixin would have just laughed it off, thinking it was just a kid bragging.
But Carmack couldn't be criticized, which is truly amazing.
John Carmack
Overall Rating: S+ (Hidden Dragon in the Abyss)
[Programming Development]: 98 (Growth Value: S)
[Graphic Design]: 99 (Growth Value: S)
Social Skills: 5 (Growth Value: E-)
……
Keep in mind that Carmack is only 15 years old now, and his stats are already approaching triple digits.
If he were given a few more years to grow, his achievements would be limitless.
"I heard you were locked up for breaking into the school's computer lab and stealing an Apple II computer?"
"Yes, I melted the window with a mixture of hot aluminum and petroleum jelly."
Carmack showed no shame whatsoever; on the contrary, he became excited, as if he were showing off his great achievements.
Why do this?
Upon hearing Lin Lixin's question, Carmack gave him a look as if he were an idiot, as if the matter was perfectly reasonable and justified.
"Please, that's an Apple II! Instead of leaving it in the server room, let me use it to do something more meaningful."
Well, it seems that reasoning with Carmack and using common sense is definitely not going to work.
This guy's brain circuits must be different from ordinary people's.
"You want a PC?" Lin Lixin revealed a harmless smile. "Would you like to make a deal with me?"
"How so?"
"I'll give you a requirement: if you can write something that satisfies me, I'll fund a brand new Apple II for you."
Lin Lixin thought for a moment, then simply raised the price again.
"No, I can pay for a brand new IBM 5170 for you, and write a guarantee letter to the juvenile detention center to get you released early."
The IBM 5170 is a new high-end model that IBM just released this year. It's worlds apart from the low-end civilian configuration of the Apple II.
The Intel 80286 processor has a clock speed of up to 20MHz and is a 16-bit x86 architecture processor.
It's not in the same league as the cheap 8-bit MOS processor used in the Apple II.
Since the goal is to attract skilled anglers by baiting the area, the bait should be plentiful.
Carmack is a stubborn, unruly, and rebellious kid. If Lin Lixin were to directly praise him to the skies, it wouldn't have any good effect.
Sure enough, when he heard Lin Lixin say that there was a challenge, Carmack's eyes lit up and he adopted a "bring it on" attitude.
"Go ahead and tell me. If there's anything I can't write, asking someone else won't help."
3D rendering.
Lin Lixin slowly opened his mouth and uttered these two words.
The expected surprised response did not come; Carmack merely raised an eyebrow and snorted dismissively.
"That's it? I thought it would be a much bigger challenge."
"What do you mean by 'just like this'? This is really difficult, okay?"
"It's difficult for ordinary people like you to do anything."
Carmack knew absolutely nothing about social etiquette and was utterly ruthless with his words.
Lin Lixin was speechless for a long time after being choked by his words.
He spent his whole life pretending to be something he'd never seen before, and in the end, he was mocked by a little kid.
"Just wait for my good news. By the way, I need an Apple II for development purposes."
"Hey, don't rush to agree, I haven't finished explaining my request yet."
Lin Lixin reached out and stopped Carmack from revealing his true intentions, and then took out a number of things from his bag.
Carmack's gaze never left the beautiful arcade board he had seen.
"What you need to develop is a 3D rendering program that runs on this substrate, not on a PC."
Lin Lixin then took out a stack of bound printed documents and placed them on the table.
"In addition, you will need to use our company's N language in conjunction with the compiler for development."
Carmack finally showed some reaction, staring blankly at the thick document in front of him.
"That's no problem..."
It's just a new computer language; he can learn it quickly with a little time.
However, what truly piqued his curiosity was something else entirely.
"But... Lin, who exactly are you?"
He had assumed that Lin Lixin was just a fan who had come to him because of his reputation, and that he wanted Lin Lixin's help in solving some problems with his courses.
After all, Lin Lixin looked only a few years older than him, at most the age of someone who had just graduated from university.
But whether it was the arcade board he took out or the document in front of him in a programming language he had never heard of before, they both told him that Lin Lixin's identity was not so simple.
"Me? I'm just a nobody making games, GAMENOVA, a small, grassroots startup."
Lin Lixin smiled slightly, stood up, and made as if to leave.
"Then I'll wait and see. I've already given my contact information to the people at the juvenile detention center. Remember to call me."
After saying that, he left the development supplies behind, pushed open the door, and walked out.
"Hey! Mr. Lin, wait a minute!"