作者：Josh Bycer

我最近刚刚玩了Day 1 Studios的《FEAR 3》，从中我发现一个萦绕于脑中多时的基本理念。我玩过许多合作模式的游戏，它们都遵循同个原则：“我为人人，人人为我”。但我还没见过一款真正要求玩家共同合作的游戏。

《FEAR 3》from gameinformer.com

这就是所谓的“反合作”游戏理念。通常若游戏的2位或多位玩家同时共同操作，他们多半处于对立位置。需注意的是，这类游戏不属于竞争式游戏，因为游戏所涉及的内容是双方试着战胜另一方。这里通常存在“不稳定联盟”的关系。

在深入谈论此话题前，我们有必要先来谈谈《FEAR 3》的玩法机制，这契合文章的讨论话题。在合作模式中，各玩家都面临系列他们能够在关卡中解决的挑战，挑战基于具体内容分成若干类别，例如就特定部位实施爆头，或寻找收藏品。在关卡最后，游戏汇总各已完成挑战的数量及其所属类别。虽然两位共同破解关卡，但他们也争相通过完成挑战获得尽可能多的积分。在关卡最后，游戏会根据挑战所属类别判定获胜玩家（游戏邦注：赢家会发现，其角色头像将出现在游戏顶部）。

在我看来，《Fear 3》存在的两个问题是，游戏只着眼长期影响，且玩法未受此影响。要落实此理念，我们需要把握若干元素。

1. 非对称角色：就能力和所要完成的目标来看，两位玩家应存在差异。一个原因是他们应互相帮助（游戏邦注：虽然只是在短暂时间范围内）。各玩家都应该努力瞄准自己的目标，同时试着完成关卡的总体目标。这是《Fear 3》有做到的地方。一个玩家控制具有射击能力的Point Man，另一玩家则控制掌控敌军的Fettel。

2. 玩家影响玩法：在我看来，有两个玩法区域应由玩家控制，关卡路径及关卡选择。《Fear 3》存在的问题是，只让玩家改变结局，这并未赋予玩家任何短期控制权。游戏允许赢家影响玩法，这将提高他们完成日常操作的风险。我能够基于各关卡的赢家描述变更的故事情节，能够游走于各玩家间。

3. 两位玩家都要存活：这点非常重要。若某玩家能够杀死另一玩家，或丝毫不关心另一玩家，那么游戏就和竞争性游戏没有两样。而这里的理念却是，玩家应基于共同目标合作，同时暗中使坏。

4. 独立和合作：关卡中的任务应该分成两类，有的能够由玩家独立完成，有的则需要共同合作。Boss战斗需要玩家合作解决，同时玩家在此战斗中还有各自不同的任务。

目前我脑中有浮现相关想法，但这还需要进一步提炼。由于《生存之旅》和《英雄联盟》等游戏的风靡，如今合作模式的游戏越来越受关注。但目前鲜有作品强调共同合作理念。除《Fear 3》外，此理念的另一体现是《Kane and Lynch 2》的抢劫模式，但从其玩家评论结果来看，很少人尝试过这种模式。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转载，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

Examining The Concept of the “Anti-Co-op” Experience

by Josh Bycer

Recently playing through Day 1 Studios’ FEAR 3, I saw a basic form of a concept that I’ve been playing around in my head for some time. I’ve played plenty of co-op games which all follow the same rule: “all for one and one for all.” However, I’ve yet to see a game where players are working together… except they aren’t.

This is where this concept of an “anti co-op” game comes to play. Where two or more players are working together at the same time they are completely opposed to each other. Now it’s important to make the distinction that this is not about competitive games, as they are about two sides attempting to win over the other. “An uneasy alliance” is a saying that goes here.

Before I go further, it’s important to talk about FEAR 3′s system as it plays into this discussion. In the co-op mode, each player has a list of challenges that they can achieve during the level. The challenges are categorized into different groups based on what has to be done. Such as performing certain # of head shots or finding collectibles. At the end of the level, the game stores how many challenges were completed and which category they belong to for each player. While both players are working together to beat the level, they are also competing for the most points which are earned via the challenges. After the final level, the game tallies up who “wins” based on how they came out in each category. The winner gets to view the ending where their character comes out on top.

The two issues that Fear 3 has with my concept, is that it only deals with long term effects and the gameplay is not affected by it. For this idea to work, I have several elements in mind.

1. Asymmetrical Characters: Both players should be different from each other in terms of abilities and objectives to complete. One reason is that they should have to help each other, even if it is for a short while. Each player should be trying to focus on their goals while trying to complete the overall goal for the level. This is one area that FEAR 3 sort of worked. One player controls Point Man who has bullet time abilities, while the other controls Fettel who can possess enemies.

2. Players Are Affecting Gameplay: In my mind, there are two areas of gameplay that the players should be able to alter: paths through the level and which levels to go through. The problem with FEAR 3 is that by only letting the players alter the ending, it doesn’t give any short term control to the players. By allowing the winner to affect the gameplay, it raises the stakes for trying to complete their agenda. I could picture the plot changing based on who wins each level and could bounce back and forth between each player.

3. Both Players Have to Survive: This one is important. If the players could kill one another or not care about the other player, then the game won’t be any different than a competitive game. The concept is that the players should be working together for a common goal, at the same time that they are stabbing each other in the back.

4. Separate and Together: Tasks in the level will be split between ones that the players can go off and do on their own and ones where they will be forced to work together. Boss fights will always require the players to team up to take them down, with each player given a different task during the fight.

Now I would love to say that I have a 30 page design document finished for this idea, but I don’t. Currently I have concept in my head for this but it still needs to be refined more. Co-op games have been getting a lot of steam these days thanks to the popularity of titles like Left 4 Dead or even League of Legends. However, we haven’t seen too many games stretch the concept of working together. With the only other game besides FEAR 3, was Kane and Lynch 2′s heist mode, but lack of positive reviews meant that not a lot of people tried it out.

It’s always interesting to think up new game mechanics, and what better way to play with your friends, then with some good old fashioned back stabbing?（Source：gamasutra）