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理解故事三大元素有助于提高游戏设计水平(2)

发布时间:2011-08-25 17:08:06 Tags:,,,

作者:Richard Terrell

让我们从我在本博文中经常提到的例子——NES游戏《超级马里奥兄弟》开始。通常,人们认为这款游戏中没有故事,这种想法是错误的。有人声称游戏中确实存在故事,但是故事显得很无力,根本没有给游戏玩法提供背景。认为这款游戏中的故事很无力也是不准确的。无论你是否喜欢这款游戏,最好还是在这里剖析下各个部分以及如何相互配合。(请点击此外阅读本文第1第3部分

《超级马里奥兄弟》(游戏邦注:下文简称SMB)的故事内容很直观,而且也是个相当简单的故事。游戏发生在蘑菇王国中,玩家在陆地、海洋、天空和城堡中冒险(游戏邦注:这些是游戏的场景)。其中的马里奥、敌人和公主分别扮演着人们熟悉的英雄、对手和急待拯救的人(游戏邦注:这些是游戏的角色)。游戏主题是冒险、营救和英勇之举。故事情节设置在动作平台之上,不断打通关卡并进入下一关,马里奥历经艰难险阻到达World 8-4。

超级马里奥兄弟(from news.duowan.com)

超级马里奥兄弟(from news.duowan.com)

游戏的执行更为复杂。游戏中的文字很少,大部分内容通过视觉效果和游戏玩法来传达。所有无法操作的屏幕都是次要的,主要关注点是游戏场景。正因为其简单化,SMB不存在有效性和连贯性的问题。毕竟,游戏中最为复杂的状况只是“我们的公主在另一个城堡里”。步调围绕8个难度逐渐增加的波段来设计。每个世界的波段分为4个关卡来呈现。然而在这种鲁多叙事性结构中,变化程度也很大。不仅游戏中许多关卡有不同的通关方法,而且还有可以进一步改变游戏进程的弯道。某些玩家可能通过跳过游戏中多数关卡的方式在数分钟时间内打通游戏。游戏玩家可能要花上很长的时间,因为要打通所有32个关卡。

在这款游戏发布之时,没有其他电子游戏采用类似的做法。所以,游戏无疑具有很高的创造性。回到20世纪80年代,电子游戏故事通常是在操作指南手册中阐述。你可以自行决定要将游戏操作手册中的故事视为游戏的一部分还是只当做产品的一部分。如果你认为故事不属于游戏的一部分,那些位于游戏外的文字就可以算作是跨媒体元素。阅读下面的操作手册,我会在下文中阐述其中最棒的部分。

“有一天,和平的蘑菇王国遭到库巴的侵略,这是个以黑魔法而闻名的海龟部族。爱好和平的蘑菇人民被变成了石头、砖块和农场中的植物,蘑菇王国支离破碎。唯一可以解开蘑菇人民所中的魔法咒语并使他们恢复如初的人是Toadstool公主,她是蘑菇国王的女儿。不幸的是,她现在被库巴海龟国王关押了起来。英雄马里奥听说了蘑菇人民遭受的苦难,接受了从邪恶的库巴手中救出蘑菇公主的任务,重建蘑菇人民被摧毁的王国。你就是马里奥!你需要从库巴的黑魔法中救出蘑菇人民!”

从根本上来说,SMB高度精确地阐述了相对简单的故事,因为讲述是电子游戏传达信息的最佳方式,随后是玩法(游戏邦注:即相互作用)和视觉效果。绝妙的玩法也对故事有所帮助。对于那些忽视游戏故事的人来说,我敢说他们不可能尽情享受到游戏可玩性,也不会欣赏故事。简单地说,让马里奥从1-1到8-4是个故事和可玩性兼有的过程。

所以当你想要从整体上讨论游戏故事时,因为甚至连SMB中这么简单的故事都如此复杂并且含有多个层面,你应该像我这样进行综合性的描述。如果你没有耐性像我这样,你的分析至少也应该触及所有内容和执行层面。如果你没有做足进行如此分析的准备,那么关注1到2个层面也能够得出很棒的结果。只是要注意,不可声称或暗示你的观点覆盖的是整个故事。

举例说明

下文将列举在某些方面表现的格外出众的部分游戏。

内容

俄罗斯方块(from technabob.com)

俄罗斯方块(from technabob.com)

场景。许多游戏设置在有趣的世界或地点。大家应该都记得,Gameboy版本的《俄罗斯方块》设置的场景是俄罗斯。《生化危机》、《传送门》和《侠盗猎车手》系列游戏的场景很丰富,并且整合至叙事和游戏可玩性等其他部分中。还有些在这部分做的较好的游戏,包括《超级大战争:毁灭之日》、《旺达与巨像》和多数《塞尔达》系列游戏。事实上,我们基本不会忽略游戏中的场景。如果场景确实很棒,就会引起我们的注意。如果场景不佳,我们就会关注故事的其他元素。

角色。相比其他媒介而言,视频游戏中的角色化会更为复杂。除了不同的角色风格之外(游戏邦注:比如圆滑或者有丰富的心理思维等),还需要考虑忽然出现的问题。游戏角色可能具有可玩性,也可能不具可玩性。玩家的互动行为会以全新的方式影响角色化。《质量效应》中的Commander Shepard是个好人还是叛徒?或者两者都有?确实,这取决于玩家的选择,但是这对我们的分析意味着什么呢?我们是否考虑玩家的所有选择?是否有可能做到这样呢?

可变性和玩家决定并不总是游戏主角才会面临问题。还存在某些极端的例子,比如在《RO9》中玩家需要同时控制9个角色,在《Poto & Cabenga》中玩家需要控制2个角色。在某些游戏中,玩家会依此控制多个角色。

我喜欢像GlaDos和Linebeck等有着复杂心理活动的角色,也喜欢像马里奥之类平凡的角色。优秀的故事可以整合任何风格的角色。

情节。故事是一系列某时在某地发生的事件的集合,其中蕴含着角色(游戏邦注:包括某些类似角色的东西)。事件由各种各样的动作组合而成。事件如何连接可能非常复杂,但是我们必须考虑情节如何发展并达到高潮。诸如《最终幻想6》之类的RPG很好地将许多角色和时间融入到史诗般的情节中。《塞尔达》系列游戏也是个很棒的例子,在情节推进中像林克之类的小孩子逐渐变成了勇敢的英雄。有些游戏的情节从头到尾都很清晰,比如说《旺达与巨像》。如果你需要杀死16个巨像方能救下那个小女孩,那么每个巨像的死亡都会引导你挑战下个巨像。

复杂性/简单性。这个层面需要做些许解释。在复杂的这个极端,有《质量效应》、《塞尔达》系列和《魔兽世界》等MMO游戏。这些游戏都有着大量角色、背景故事和其他细节内容。在简单这个极端,有《超级马里奥兄弟》以及《索尼克》等老游戏。这些游戏的细节内容很少,也很少有丰富的背景故事。

主题。最贴近故事核心含义的是故事的主题。我们从学校的学习中得知,故事更多的是交流而不只是简单的含有角色的事件。我知道如果没有了连接故事各个层面的主题,这样的故事并没有多大价值。或者说没有了含义的故事仅仅是一堆相互独立的细节而已。但是对我来说,这种看待问题的方法不是很恰当。

一旦你意识到所有的文化都有着抽象的想法而且人类会将自已的文化灌输到所有他们创造的事物中,你就会明白每个艺术作品都有着更深层次的含义。而且,我们每个人在分析时都带有这自己的偏见和文化概念,使得观察事物带有内在的复杂性。我们应该关心的是如何找到含义,而不是找到其来源。

我会列举某些有着明显主题的游戏实例。《塞尔达传说:幻影沙漏》有着死亡、梦想和抱负和勇气的力量等主题。《超级大战争:毁灭之日》的主题是反对彻底的荒凉以及生存和人性。《口袋妖怪:黑与白》大胆引进了个人真理、个人选择和混合现实的主题。《神秘海域2》的主题是寻找财宝。《银河战士:另一个M》的主题是自然与角色培养。《超级马里奥:银河》系列游戏的主题是以损失、诞生和改变宇宙的力量。

在第3部分中,我将以更多电子游戏为例,阐述执行和讲述层面。(本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译,如需转载请联系:游戏邦

Story Design pt.2

Richard Terrell

Let’s start with the example that I always turn to on this blog; Super Mario Brothers for the NES. Often, people dismiss this game for having no story. This stance is just ignorant. Others claim that there is a story, but it’s flimsy and barely there to give the gameplay a bit of context. It doesn’t say much to call Mario’s story flimsy. Whether you like it or not, it’s better to offer a detailed explanation of its parts and how they work together. Let’s use the CED system.

Super Mario Brothers’s story content is pretty straightforward adding up to a fairly simple story. Set in the Mushroom Kingdom, players travel through land, sea, air, and castles (setting). Mario, Bowser, Peach, the toads, and all the enemies take on flat, familiar roles like hero, villain, citizen, and damsel (characters). The theme is adventuring, rescue, and bravery. And the plot is focused on action platforming where beating one level flows into the next and the next until Mario makes his way to World 8-4.

The execution is more complicated. With little text in the game, the vast majority of the content is conveyed through visuals and gameplay. All non-playable scenes are seconds long keeping the focus on the gameplay. Due to the simplicity, SMB doesn’t have a problem being efficient and coherent. After all, “but our princess is in another castle” is the most complex statement in the game. The pacing is generally designed around 8 waves of increasing difficulty. One wave per world presented in 4 level groups. Yet in this ludonarrative structure, there’s significant variation. Not only are there alternate paths through many levels in the game, but there are warps that can alter the progression further. One player may get through the game in a few minutes by skipping most of the levels in the game. Another may take the long route by playing through all 32 levels.

As for the Super Mario Brothers Discourse, at the time of its release there was no other video game like it. So, it definitely scores points for creativity. Back in the 1980′s it was the norm for video games stories to start inside the instruction manuals. You can decide for yourself if you consider Mario’s instruction manual story as part of the game or simply a part of the product. If you think it’s not part of the game, then does the external text count as a transmedia element. Read the instruction manual here. I’ve pulled out the best part below.

“One day the kingdom of the peaceful mushroom people was invaded by the Koopa, a tribe of turtles famous for their black magic. The quiet, peace-loving Mushroom People were turned into mere stones, bricks and even field horse-hair plants, and the Mushroom Kingdom fell into ruin.

The only one who can undo the magic spell on the Mushroom People and return them to their normal selves is the Princess Toadstool, the daughter of the Mushroom King. Unfortunately, she is presently in the hands of the great Koopa turtle king.

Mario, the hero of the story (maybe) hears about the Mushroom People’s plight and sets out on a quest to free the Mushroom Princess from the evil Koopa and restore the fallen kingdom of the Mushroom People.

You are Mario! It’s up to you to save the Mushroom People from the black magic of the Koopa!”

Ultimately, Super Mario Brothers delivers a relatively simple story at a high level of precision because the telling focuses on conveying information the best ways video games can; gameplay (interactivity) and then visuals. It also helps that the gameplay is excellent. For those who dismiss Mario’s story, I argue that it’s impossible to enjoy the gameplay and not appreciate the story. Put simply, the actions of getting Mario from 1-1 to 8-4 is the story and gameplay simultaneously.

So when you want to talk about a story overall, because even simple stories like Mario’s are so complex and multi-faceted, there’s really no substitute for a comprehensive description like I just made. If you’re not in the mood to do all the work, your analysis should at least touch on all of the content and execution facets. If you’re not prepared to make such an analysis, then focusing on one facet or two will produce better results. Just be sure not to claim or imply that your statements cover the whole story.

More Examples

The following is a list of video games that are notable for the following qualities.

Content

Setting. Many games are set in interesting worlds or locations. Remember, the Gameboy version of Tetris is set in Russia. For the purpose of story analysis we must be careful to look for examples that are well crafted as opposed to being just unique. The creativity category is a different matter that falls under the discourse category. BioShock, Portal, and the Grand Theft Auto series are a few popular examples of games where the setting is rich and integrated into other parts of the narrative and gameplay. Other good examples include Advance Wars: Days of Ruin, Shadow of the Colossus, and most of the games in Zelda series. In fact, it’s hard to mess up a setting. When it works we tend to notice. When there’s not much there, we tend to look to other elements of the story.

Characters. Characterization can be more complex in video games than in any other medium. In addition to various character types (flat, round, psychologically rich, etc), there are new perspective and emergent issues to consider. Game characters can either be non-playable or playable. Whether by a little or a lot, player interactivity opens up characterization in new ways. Is Commander Shepard in Mass Effect a paragon or a renegade? Is he both? Yes, it depends on player choices, but what does that mean for our analysis? Do we consider the entire range? Is that possible? Do we pick an interpretation and focus on it?

The variable and player determined character isn’t always a problem for the main character of the game. There are extreme examples like RO9 where players control 9 characters at once and Poto & Cabenga for 2 at once. Then there are more common examples like taking control of multiple characters one at a time like in Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, Zelda Spirit Tracks, the Advance Wars series, and the Professor Layton series.

As much as I love round characters with complex psychologies like GlaDos (Portal 1 & 2) and Linebeck (Phantom Hourglass), I also love the flat characters like Mario, Link, Donkey Kong, and the Prince (Katamari). Great stories can feature any combination of character types.

Plot. Stories are a series of events in place and time and they feature characters (or something like characters). Events are made of actions as simple as surviving to supernatural combat. Along with considerations of how events connect together, which can be quite complex due to non-linearity, we have to consider how the plot grows, climaxes, and resolves for both the gameplay and the story content simultaneously. RPGs like Final Fantasy 6 do a great job weaving together many characters and events into an epic plot. The Zelda series is another great example that typically features a plot where little by little the child like Link fulfills the role of the courageous hero. Some plots are clear from start to finish like Shadow of the Colossus. If you need to kill 16 colossi to save the girl, then the death of each colossus leads right into the hunt for the next one.

Complexity/Simplicity. This facet needs little explanation. On the complex end there are games like Metal Gear Solid 4, Mass Effect, Animal Crossing, the Professor Layton Series, many games in the Zelda Series (Majora’s Mask, Phantom Hourglass, etc.), many MMOs like WOW, and the Resident Evil series. All these games feature lots of characters, backstories, or other details. On the simplicity end of the spectrum are games like the Super Mario Brothers series, the Katamari series, Tetris Attack, BOXLIFE, Super Meat Boy, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Shadow of the Colossus, and many old school games including Sonic. The list goes on. There can be a lot of craft in a few details and little said in many.

Theme. No other facet of story content sits more closely to the core “meaning” and “about-ness” of a story than theme. Since the days of our gradeschool educations we’ve been taught to think about stories as communicating more than just simple events with characters. Uncovering the theme, (abstract, “big picture” ideas) is like finding that “ah-ha” Eureka moment. I know that without the theme that connects multiple facets of a story, some feel that such a story isn’t worth much. Or without that “extra layer” of meaning, a story is merely a bunch of independent details. To me, this is a strange and limiting way of looking at the issue.

Once you realize that all culture is steeped in abstract ideas and how humans cannot help but imbue whatever they create with their culture, you’ll see that any piece of art can be read for increasingly deeper meaning or commentary. Still, each of us carry our own biases and cultural lenses that make observing anything inherently complex. We naturally find patterns and we naturally see ourselves reflected in the world. We should worry about finding meaning, not where it comes from.

I’ll list a few examples of games with obvious themes. Zelda Phantom Hourglass has themes of death, dreams/ambition, arrested development, and the transformative power of courage. Advance Wars: Days of Ruin features a struggle against utter desolation and themes of survival and humanity. Pokemon Black/White boldly introduces the themes of personal truths, personal choices, and a blended reality. Uncharted 2 plays with the theme of greed in the pursuit of treasure. Metroid Other M runs with themes of nature vs nurther and parenting roles. The Mario Galaxy series plays with the themes of loss, birth, and the forces that transend the universe.

In part 3 I’ll give more examples of video games that illustrate the facets of execution and discourse. (Source: Gamasutra)


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