作者：Pete Collier

节奏是一个原始事物。从人类形成时便有了节奏，那时候，我们在母亲的肚子里慢慢成形，以我们的心跳附和着母亲平稳的心跳。所以，如果一款游戏设计忽略了节奏，那么将严重破坏游戏的整体感。如果你想让玩家感受到游戏的乐趣，那么节奏可以说是玩家体验中最基础的一大因素。

我所说的游戏设计中的节奏主要是关于玩家行动的节奏。显然，音乐是节奏的源头，但是作为一种积极的传播媒介而非消极媒介，它它顶多只能充当一个强化剂（游戏邦注：除非它被设定为游戏中的一部分，如《吉他英雄》）。

实际上，玩家一进入游戏就能表现出他自己的节奏，而如果是一款好的游戏便能帮助它判断玩家是否能融入游戏体验中，适应游戏节奏。那时你便会知道为何单纯依赖音乐提供游戏节奏并不能带给游戏设计较大帮助。

所有好的游戏都有一个明显的起伏变化，就像是我们生活中处处存在着的循环周期。作为人类，我们很擅长判断一件东西的好坏。所以那些不协调或者杂乱的事物都会让我们感到不舒服。

beat(from gamasutra)

所以，我们天生会被那些和谐的东西而吸引。特别是在当代这个充满纷争的社会里，我们的情绪会因为一些节奏而感到平静，或受到激励，并能在这种和谐的节奏里感受到自己内心真正的想法。这种节奏能让我们倍感舒心，自然而然放下所有戒备。游戏应该把这种节奏贯穿始终，让玩家深刻体会到这种舒心的感觉。

如果玩家的行动能真正融合进游戏节奏中，那么他们便能更好地感受到游戏的乐趣。同时你还必须记住，玩家的行动并不是一个干扰性因素，他们应该能够与游戏系统相适应，并很好地结合在一起。实际上，可以说玩家为游戏带来了“心跳”，正是这种“生命之源”促使游戏系统更好地运转。

玩家还应该知道自己的投入对于游戏有何影响。在游戏设计中，只有当玩家感受到与游戏真正融为一体，而非被动进行游戏或者只是作为其附属体，才能形成这种“物我统一性”。

作为游戏设计者，节奏正是一种调动玩家的积极性的强大工具。你将直接决定玩家如何与游戏相“交流”，他们对于这种“交流”有何感受。你应该为玩家创造一种独特的感受，即他们运用自己的力量点亮了游戏的生命。

节奏，节拍，起伏变化都是我们生活中非常普遍且不可或缺的因素。所以作为游戏设计者，你更应该重视这些因素，并将其融入所执行的每一个游戏机制中。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

Opinion: Rhythm In Game Design

by Pete Collier

Rhythm is a very primal thing. Right from the very first moment of our existence, it is there, our own heartbeat offset against the comforting beat of our mother’s. So, to design games without considering rhythm can only be detrimental to your cause. If you want to tap into merriment of the soul, then beat should be a fundamental part of player experience.

When I talk about rhythm in game design, I’m primarily referring to the players’ actions. Music is an obvious provider of rhythm, but in an active not passive medium it should only really be an enhancer (unless of course it is part of the game-play! i.e. Guitar Hero).

In effect, player input provides a beat, and the quality of the game determines its suitability as well as the sense of connection the player feels with the experience. You can start to see why relying on music alone to give a sense of rhythm is a hallmark of weak game design.

The best games have a tangible sense of ebb and flow that imitate the natural cycles present everywhere in life. We’re very adept as humans at detecting things that aren’t quite right or broken. Things that are un-tuned or disjointed upset our natural balance.

So, we naturally gravitate toward things that are harmonious. Especially in this modern age with all its distractions, we are calmed and excited by rhythm and the recognition of patterns and beats. They are comforting and give us a sense of control. This sense of control and of tapping into the heart of the game is therefore a critical sensation that you must get the player feeling.

The ease at which player actions fit into the rhythm of a game will affect their enjoyment. It is so important that player actions are not a disruptive force. They should be in-tune and in natural harmony with the game systems. Effectively the player should be the heartbeat of the game, the source of life that makes the system work.

The player should have a very tangible grasp of how their input is affecting the game. In game design terms, this desirable sense of ‘oneness’ with the game is a direct result of the player feeling an integral part of the experience and certainly not passive or secondary to it.

Empowering the player with rhythm is a massively useful tool in your arsenal as a game designer. You are directly responsible for how the player engages with your game and therefore the connection they feel with it. Creating that sense of wonderment from players really feeling they are bringing life to your game is something special.

Rhythm, beat, ebb and flow are universal and essential to the very essence of life. As a game designer you should be considering them with every mechanic you implement.（source:gamasutra）