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探索游戏世界与现实生活之间的联系

发布时间:2011-09-05 16:52:00 Tags:,,,

作者:Jonas Johansson

对于我来说,游戏最吸引人的地方就在于我们能够在其中扮演着各种不同的角色。玩家能够根据不同的游戏故事选择不同的角色,可以是不起眼的小人物也可以是了不起的大人物,而且这种角色也可以随着情节的发展而变化。实际上不管玩家做出何种选择,这些都将影响他们的游戏体验。

我之所以认为扮演角色是游戏中一个举足轻重的部分,是因为它让我们融入游戏背景中,经历现实生活中不曾尝试过的体验。一款好游戏能让玩家主动思考自己的行动,并预测可能出现的结果。

游戏的一大乐趣就在于它所体现的生活元素,并且将这种元素贯穿于整款游戏中。游戏中所体现的生活元素主要表现于:策略,体验和社交;它们都尝试着用生活方式去表现游戏中的经典场景。首先我要谈谈策略因素,因为它可以称得上是游戏中最全面且最基本的一部分。

策略

几乎在所有游戏中,游戏策略和战略都是推动或阻碍玩家前进的重要因素。如果玩家能够预见这一因素,并擅于应对它,那么便能够快速且精确地做出游戏决策了。我将以《星际争霸》为例子,分析游戏中的术语是如何体现游戏策略。《星际争霸》是一款快节奏的即时战略游戏,玩家可以在游戏中选择三种不同的竞赛。而每一种竞赛都带有自己特征,并且随着游戏的进行,玩家可以建造更多先进的建筑和单位。在主建筑的关卡中玩家必须按照游戏的设置建造特定的建筑物,而这些关卡在游戏中称之为1-3级。如果玩家在游戏中一直持续到最后,那么这1-3级就可以解释为游戏中的早期,中期和后期阶段。

Starcraft(from download24.com)

Starcraft(from download24.com)

早期

在游戏的第一阶段只有一座主建筑,玩家开始收集能源。在这一阶段,玩家的任何行动都很重要。为了更具有策略性,玩家应该了解周边的情况,并使用其中一个部队进行探险。这除了能帮助他们找到敌人,也能够为他们在后面几部分游戏中争取到更有利的战略位置。

依靠自己在游戏早期所探索到的信息,玩家必须决定自己的开局策略,并迅速对敌人发起偷袭,或者做出一定的防御,且关注于对建筑和部队的宏观管理(如基础建设)。当然了,玩家可以既进攻又防御,但是因为在游戏早期玩家所拥有的收入来源还很低,所以最好的情况还是只关注于其中一部份。

在这一阶段,玩家能够低价获得单位和建筑,虽然这些单位和建筑的功能都较低,但是却能帮助玩家在数量和速度上取得一定的优势。但是,随着游戏的进一步发展,玩家必须变得更加强大,要不将不能够应对最后强大的敌人。

中期

搜索行动很重要,如果玩家能够在初期取得不错的成绩,那么对于他在接下来的游戏阶段都会有很大的帮助。在游戏中期,玩家不只需要考虑资源和周边环境,还需要考虑并做出主要决策。在《星际争霸》中,每一个竞赛都有自己主要的部队和特点,玩家需要对此进行分析和思考。策略性玩家会预测游戏中的情景,并且拥有一定的应对策略。因此,在游戏中最好不要执拗于一种解决方法,游戏中可能会出现一些不可预见的势力,你必须更加灵活并且结合不同策略对其做出反应。

在这一阶段,单位的能量变得越来越强大,游戏的发展趋势也越来越快,所以玩家应该小心谨慎地前行和反击。如果敌人彻底袭击了玩家的单位,那也不能意味着游戏的彻底失败。因为玩家可以通过智慧和速度弥补战略的失败。微观管理单位即意味着放弃那些负伤的单位,不去关注那些无力的单位。通过侧面袭击或反复攻击,玩家可以沉重打击敌人的部队。

在游戏中期,不论是宏观管理还是微观管理都能够帮助玩家在各种情况下赢取胜利,即使玩家极具战略性,但是这种管理技巧更能够推动他们游戏的发展。

后期

在游戏的最后一部分,每一名玩家都被或者将被各自的竞赛累跨。来到这一阶段玩家便不能再回头了,而且也不会轻易因为一些策略失误而遭遇惨痛的失败。这时候搜索行动也变得更加重要了,因为玩家很容易会因为敌人的突袭而瞬间结束游戏。

擅于防守并不能帮助玩家取得胜利,更重要的是他们必须清楚什么时候该发动袭击,什么时候该适时停止袭击等。一如既往的,游戏的后期主要是考验玩家的抗压能力以及强烈的思想斗争。如果玩家的“大本营”遭到了破坏,那么游戏也就结束了,而对手便坐享胜利果实。

体验

通过不断的自我挑战,我们才能获得成长。在游戏中我们也能够因此成长壮大。通过提高游戏角色的级别,能够让他们获得更多道具,进入更复杂的关卡或者学习适当的策略等。

合作与交流

虽然有时候独自玩游戏也很有趣,但加入团队游戏将对你更有帮助。当然了,独自玩游戏有可能让你幸免于游戏新手(游戏邦注:指那些还没有能力的玩家)或者忍者(指那些喜欢偷道具的玩家)的侵扰,但是如果你能够加入游戏团体,你将有可能获得更多有益的奖励。在游戏初期,有些挑战对于你来说也许太困难了,但是如果有1至两名伙伴一起游戏,他们将能够与你合作,帮助你发动各种袭击。比起只是单独挑战一些低难度的任务,这种团队协作能帮助玩家获得更多奖励。

游戏伙伴间可以分享观点,讨论策略并培养相互间的信任感。

竞赛

在游戏中总是存在着一定的竞赛,以决定谁最厉害。并不是每个人都想充当最强者,更多玩家更想通过发挥自己的技能进行竞赛而测试自己的水平。很多人喜欢邀请他人作为友好竞赛的对手,而发起直接挑战更是绝大多数游戏中普遍采用的方法。

创造性

在游戏中,创造性经常容易被遗忘。而那些懂得合理利用创造性的人经常能够成为社区中的佼佼者。那些富有创造性的玩家敢于挑战新事物,他们会将一些意想不到的事结合在一起获得全新的事物。

这是我的经验之谈,创造性能够帮助玩家们变得更专业,而不需要依靠任何引导或者有效的策略自行判别是非好坏。当出现两个拥有同等技巧和级别的玩家时,创造性便成为了区分他们的最好方法。唯一能够体现玩家创造性的方法便是不断尝试新事物,乐于各种实践。

决定

熟能生巧是定理,但是在游戏中,只有我们知道什么时候才能进入下一关卡时这一定理才有效。这么做玩家便能够轻易理解自己需要做什么以及多久才能到达下一步等。同时让玩家知道自己能够在游戏中获得什么,将成为吸引他们的一大法宝。不论明确的情况对玩家是否有影响,这都是一种很重要的游戏体验,同时它也能够让玩家感受到一种更强大的成就感。不论是让玩家清楚每一阶段需要花费的时间,还是让他们了解这些因素对于游戏角色的影响都是非常重要的。

社交

除了游戏中的一些行动充斥着社交因素,游戏中的很多重要决策也能够体现社交性。你是如何对待别人,就意味着别人是否愿意加入你的团队或者帮助你抵抗敌人。

与他人合作或者加入团体活动时,我们必须了解对方,并确定他们是否值得信任或值得共事。当我们在玩一款社交性很强的游戏时,比起游戏本身,也许我们能获得更多无价的东西。通过在游戏中并肩作战,或者只是保持长时间的交谈,很多人因此找到了自己的终身伴侣,或者成为了现实中的真正朋友。

言行举止

当玩家在与对手进行言辞交流时,礼貌的言行很重要。不论输赢,玩家都应该在游戏中展露出自己的好风度。不要因为对方的一点小错误就闹翻脸,而是应该鼓励他人如何做出改善。每个人在一开始都是个菜鸟,而且都希望能够得到尊重,所以和颜悦色地对待每一名玩家真的很重要。尽管游戏中做出行动的是游戏角色,但是别忘了,在幕后控制这些角色的都是真正的血肉之躯。

结论

绝大多数情况下(并非所有),一名成功的玩家必须同时也是一名生活中的赢家。而对于游戏来说,内容越简化游戏便越有趣。如果玩家想知道游戏将如何进行,那就需要了解自己该怎么走,并且需要花费多少时间才能达到特定的目标。学习游戏中的简单性,即在开始和结束期间有一个明确的计划和特定的时间安排,并将其用于现实生活中能够帮助玩家更好地解决一些实际问题,如压力或担忧等。

将电子游戏应用于现实生活中确实是个很有趣的尝试,并且在一些机制中也得到了成功的实践,如学校创建了与游戏中类似的分级系统。尝试着将游戏带到现实生活中去,你将会有不一样的体验和感受,带着这种特殊体验,你将能够朝着未知的前方奋力前行。(本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译,如需转载请联系:游戏邦

Playing Life

by Jonas Johansson

For me, the most alluring part of gaming is the opportunity to play and act out different roles. Depending on the game, the player can be faced with options that each have its individual take on the story, and each choice, be it minor or major, changes how it proceeds. As a person, we act in a certain way which dictates our in-game character. The fact that each choice has consequences and that we are the person making that choice is what makes us feel immersed and connected to a game,

The reason why I believe role-playing is the strongest part of games, is because we can apply ourselves to any surrounding or context, and be drawn in to an experience where we try and think things we would never do in “real” life. A good game makes the player think about his or her actions, and consider the possible consequences.

What is interesting in this grand play, is the imitation of life, and the learnings that lie within. I have broken up the various learnings in four key sections: Strategy, Experience and Social where each section is focused on bringing up typical scenarios seen in games, and then applying them to a way of life. I will start out with Strategy since it is the most holistic and fundamental part.

Strategy

In almost any game, strategy and tactics can make or break the player. At its core it is nothing more than being able to think ahead, and the better you are, the faster and more wise are your decisions. As an example I will talk about Starcraft and how strategy is applied to its terminology. Starcraft is a fast-paced real time strategy game where the player can choose between three different races. Each race has its own characteristics and as the game proceeds the player can construct more and more advanced buildings and units. The level of the main building decides which units and buildings are available for construction, and these levels are usually explained as Tier 1-3. If the game is played during a longer time one can also talk about the levels of the game progression, Tier 1-3 are then itself part of the early, mid and late game.

Early

While starting out with just a main building at its first level, the player begins gathering resources. During this part of the game a few key moves are of great importance. To be strategic, the player needs to know its surroundings, and must therefore use one of its units to explre. Besides finding the opponent, it is also a good way to get a grip of promising strategic positions for the later parts of the game.

Depending on what is found during the early scout, the player must decide his opening strategy and can either push and stress the enemy by launching a quick and unexpected attack, or defend and focus on the macro management (i.e. the infrastructure). It is of course possible to do both but it usually is more effective to focus on one part, at least in the early parts when the resource income is low.

Units and buildings that are available during this phase are usually cheap weak, but can be proven effective in numbers and speed. However, since the game progresses the player must evolve and advance if not to be overrun by eventual opponents.

Mid

Scouting is always important, and the more advanced the player gets, the more of an active explorer he must become. During mid-game, the player needs to not only think about his resources and his surroundings, but make decisions that will shape the main strategy. In Starcraft, each race has its own key units and strong points, which must be analyzed and thought of. A strategic player knows what might come ahead, and has a counter for it, it is therefore important to not focus only on one path, but be flexible and combine different, and sometimes unexpected, forces.

It is in this phase where the player must also carefully consider his moves, and counter moves, since the power of the units gets stronger, the tide of the game can turn quickly. If it would happen that the opponent has countered the players units perfectly, it is still not a sure defeat. If the strategy has failed, one can make up for it with wit and speed. Micro managing ones units means falling back with wounded units and focusing down weak ones. By flanking or doing multiple attacks, the player can create havoc and scatter the enemy’s units.

Being both strong in macro and micro management during mid game will in most cases ensure a win, and even though a player has a very strategic mind, this is where the actual skill comes to play.

Late

In the last part of the game, each player is maxed out at its respective path, or should be. There’s almost no looking back and a change of strategy can prove fatal. Scouting is now even more important than before, since a sneaky enemy attack can end the game within seconds.

No one wins by defending, but knowing when to attack and when to stand down is crucial. As always, the later parts of a game is a game between who can keep the stress down the most, and a battle of the minds is fought. When a players base is destroyed, the game is over and the victor can sit back and enjoy.

Experience

By challenging ourselves, we grow. And in a game we can even keep the count on our growth. Improving in a game is often portrayed by raising the level of the character, or with some other reward. Gaining a higher level gives a character the opportunity to carry more demanding items, gain entrance to places of higher difficulty or learn spells that before was beyond reach.

Collaboration & Communication

Playing by oneself can be fun at times, but it is always stronger to work in a group. Of course, being alone saves one from the occasional newb (a player with almost no competence), or ninja (someone that steals all the good items on first sight) but a strong team can reap great rewards. Some challenges are a bit to hard to face early on, but with an ally or two they can be cleverly taken down by complementing attacks and combinations. By doing this the player will be gain rewards that are worth more than he would get by taking on challenges of a lower difficulty.

It is also between allies that we can share ideas, discuss strategies and forge bonds of trust.

Competitions

In gaming there are often competitions to decide who the best is. While not everyone may be interested in being number one, most should be interested in trying their skill against others in order to get an understanding of ones position. Asking someone to be a sparring partner is often well received and direct challenges are the most common way to play most games.

Creativity

Something that is often forgotten, and not promoted in games, is creativity. But those who take advantage of their right side of the brain are usually highly embraced by the community. Being creative in a game is about experimenting, and combining unexpected things to achieve something new.

For experience, creativity is what allows a player to become professional, learning what is good and what is bad, without relying on a guide or a well-known strategy. Creativity is the difference between two players of the same skill and level and the only way to reach it is to practice and try new things.

Determination

As with everything, practice makes perfect, but it is only in games that we can directly see when we will achieve the next level. Games are created in such a way that the player can easily understand what needs to be done, and how long it will take to reach the next step. This is also a way to hook the player in to an addiction, because the realization of what is accomplishable becomes addictive. Regardless of how it affects the player, being determined is important for experience, and it makes accomplishments so much stronger. Knowing all the time that has been spent in to a certain fields, and then seeing how it affects ones character is something special.

Social

Besides what happens during the action filled parts of a game, a lot of important decisions are made on a social level. If someone decides to join you in your cause, or help you out with a difficult enemy is hugely based on how that person has been treated.

By knowing someone, and what they stand for we place trust and comfort, which is highly required when collaborating and putting ones life in those of an ally. By playing a strong social game we gain resources that are invaluable and larger than the game itself. A lot of people find their future husband or wife, or friends for life within a game because they have faced great adventures together, or just chatted for a longer time.

Manner

Being well mannered is shown most often in what is verbally communicated towards an opponent. When gaming it is important to take losses in a good way, as well as wins. Not putting anyone down because a mistake, but suggesting how they can improve. Everyone is a beginner at first, and if the player wants to gain respect, having a strong manner is of the outmost importance. Even though actions within a game speak for itself, it is still people behind the characters.

Summary

Most things, if not all, that are required to become a successful player exists for us in our private lives as well. And the great thing with games is how simplified they make everything. For instance if thinking about learning as how a game would do it, it easy to understand what steps needs to be taken, and what time needs to be spent to reach the particular goal. By taking the simplification from games, and applying it to real life we can easily avoid issues such as stress or worry, because there is a clear plan with a beginning and an end, and in between is just a set time.

Applying video games to ones on life is not only a very interesting experiment that has been successful for several institutions such as schools recreating their grading system to match those in games. Try it for yourself and you will begin seeing new garments as carriers of attributes, and new learnings as gaining experience towards the next level.(source:gamasutra


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