作者：Steve Fulton

我想要创造许多种游戏，但是有时候我却不知道该如何做。许多游戏涉及了某些真实情感，即难以通过游戏形式表现出来，但是不管怎么样我都认为自己有必要去创造出这些游戏。从完成水平来看，游戏可以说是我心中唯一的一种“艺术形式”。在某种程度上看，游戏也是我传达自己想法的唯一方式（尽管是以一种较原始的方法）。就像我创造了《Home Computer Wars》这款游戏去传达我在14岁时（1984年）的想法，并表述那时的我如何将雅达利计算机当成是世界上最棒的东西。而《Daphnie’s Balloon Pop》和《Katie’s Heart Catcher》则侧重于传达我在童年时期的一些单纯的情感（如“我爱你，这是我为你制作的一款游戏”）。还有一些非游戏项目，如“Game Storm!”便体现出了我的沮丧（即当我尝试着提出可销售的游戏理念时却发现市场上已经涌现出许多类似理念）。尽管这些简单的游戏都是建立在情感的基础上，但是很多时候它们都不能真实地传达地这些情感，或者帮助玩家在游戏时进行更深刻的理解。

最近这一问题也开始困扰着我。我将游戏作为表达情感的方式（或者说是游戏选择了我？），但是游戏的性质却让它很难真实传达出各种情感内容（除了一些基本的想法和理念）。而那些使用其它表达方式的人似乎比我来得轻松。例如摇滚音乐家可以通过写歌去抒发自己的情感，即如果他们拥有足够的技巧，便能够通过作品向听者传达出自己的想法。画家也有相同的能力，他们可以通过画作向特定群体传达他们的情感。游戏当然也能够包含这些情感，并且这些情感也能为游戏设定一个鲜明的基调，但是我更关心自己是否能够创造出一款让玩家基于实际游戏玩法去感受这种情感的游戏。

在经历了生活变迁的情感体验后，我希望造出一款能够传达出我真正的情感状态的游戏。我并不在乎是否有人愿意玩这款游戏，但是如果真的有人选择了它，我便希望他们能够理解我为什么会制作这款游戏以及我是带着何种感受在制作游戏。

述说情感故事

举个例子来说吧，几年前，我与大女儿一起来到了当地的公园，而她在那遭遇了不幸的事故。事情是这样的：因为我们的城市未能聘请任何人去清扫公园，我便决定亲自去清理游戏区域内的垃圾与木屑。而我的女儿则会骑着她的滑板车绕着公园游玩。但是因为我太专注于清扫工作了，以至于完全忘记了与女儿玩传球游戏的约定。突然，我听到她发出了一声尖叫，当我匆忙看向她时，我发现我的女儿已经掉出了滑板车（试图去避开其他小孩），在看了医生后，女儿的手被打上了一层厚厚的石膏，而我也对此极端内疚。我反复地责怪自己，如果我不如此执着于公园的清扫工作而花时间与她一起玩传球游戏，她便不会遇到这种事故。正因为自己的的选择才导致我们很长一段时间都不能一起玩传球游戏了。

如果我是一名作家，我便会写下一个关于某人专注于某些错事并最终自食其果的故事。而音乐家则会把这些内容转变成一首完整的歌曲。但是游戏制作人是否能够以此创造出一款有趣的游戏，并让玩家理解游戏情景中所蕴含的情感？

以下我将列出一些游戏类型探索——即能够帮助我通过游戏而传达某些复杂的情感。

选择你自己的冒险

这应该是基于游戏故事传达情感的最简单也是最基础的方式。你可以创造出一些具有深度的故事，并让玩家做出一些简单的选择去明确故事的发展方向。虽然这种方法的交互性较低，但是却能让游戏制作人创造出自己想要传达的故事。所以比起游戏制作，这更像是写作，并要求制作人必须具有作家的才能去传达最真实的情感。而为了让玩家愿意阅读大量的文本，你就需要创造出一些吸引人或惊险刺激的场景，并让他们自行决定采取何种行动。但是并不是所有的“情感故事”都拥有这类型的选择。不过至少这是一种非常直接的方法能够帮助你创造出一款简单的独立游戏（如果你别无其它更好的方式的话）。

互动小说：Z-Engine游戏

我认为传达情感的第二种简单地方法便是创造一部互动小说（冠以文本冒险游戏的一个花俏名称）。如今已经有许多成熟的工具能够帮助你创造出如Indocom旗下的文本冒险游戏一样的游戏，即让作者能够在此传达所有类型的情境和情感（游戏邦注：这是其它游戏类型所不允许的）。Inform是游戏制作人在创造互动小说时最喜欢的一种免费软件。你可以先写下一则游戏故事，然后将其编制成Z-Engine兼容文件，即能够呈现在多种不同平台上的文件。你可以使用JavaScript将其运行于一个名为Parchment的网页浏览器中，这时候便能够创建Flash解释器了，但是这些解释器要不就是私有的（就像JayIsGames,com所使用的Violet引擎），要不就是半成品，如大有发展前景的Flaxo引擎。即并不存在一种可行且有效的Flash解释器能够作用于Z-Engine游戏，所以用户将不得不被局限于硬核互动小说中。除此之外，这些硬核互动小说玩家将会发现制作人想要传达的情感都太过原始，并不符合他们所具有的复杂口味。

互动故事叙述：Storytron游戏

Storytron（from storytron）

继Z-Engine游戏之后再迈出一两步便是Storytron游戏了，这是Chris Crawford所领导的游戏项目，即通过创造一个系统让开发者能够基于人类互动而创造游戏。《Balance Of Power 21st Century》便是一个有趣的例子。即游戏制作人必须创造一组情境，并围绕着这些情境做出选择然后承担着所有结果。但是这款游戏更像是在模拟一个群组人的感受以及彼此间的反应，而不像是用于传达不幸事件的情感的系统。老实说它还有点像最初的《Balance Of Power》，即要求玩家必须带着足够的耐心去游戏，而如果是休闲玩家便有可能在此做出一些备受争议的选择。

定制的游戏引擎

在阐述了一些最常见的互动小说/故事引擎后，我希望能够创造属于自己的引擎，即让我能够基于复杂的情感去创造游戏并让玩家去体验这种情感。但是我同样也难以避免遭遇与某些游戏一样的引擎失效的情况。不过不管怎样，我都希望尽自己能够面向玩家传达一些复杂的情感并让他们体会到这种情感，所以我便决定开始制作一些能够像游戏那样发挥功效的内容。

名字：《Catch In The Park》

类型：实时策略/资源管理

灵感来源：《疯狂小旅鼠》，《美女餐厅》

背景：在一座拥有较大场地的郊区公园，公园里设有秋千，各种娱乐设施，并且在外围还有一个能够用于骑车和玩滑板的圆形跑道等。

游戏设置：游戏开始于一个沐浴着夏日阳光的质朴且空荡的公园。突然两个小孩与他们的家长这样一行三人出现在场景中。这三个人停留在公园的入口处等待玩家的“任务分配”。

游戏玩法：玩家在游戏中的任务便是确保公园的访客能够开心，并保持公园的整洁。但是这却不如想象中那般简单。因为每个家长将带领两个小孩，所以玩家就必须平等地规划每个家长的注意力（通过使用颜色去标记小孩）。每个小孩都有自己想做的事，而家长必须尽可能与每个小孩待在一起。不管怎样玩家都必须想办法保持家长的“情感”高涨（让他们感到满足）。当小孩到达公园并希望开始“游玩”时，每个家长都是自私的个体，即希望最大限度地满足自己的小孩，并带着满足感离开公园。而玩家只有在让家长满意地带着小孩离开公园时才算完成关卡，并能够获得积分。

游戏关卡：在最初的关卡中，家长将带着两个年龄相仿的小孩。这就意味着他们将会选择做类似的事。如果小孩们想要“游泳”，家长便可以待在他们身边，并同时满足他们的需求。不管是玩滑滑梯，骑车还是玩滑板都一样。这时候的家长总是能够很容易得到满足，并与小孩们开心地离开公园。但是随着游戏的发展，两个小孩的年龄差距将越拉越大，家长将只能够满足其中某个小孩的特定需求。但是这么做将会显得另外一个小孩很可怜，或者会导致他大发脾气。最“高级的”活动要数与年长的小孩在草地上玩传球游戏，但是因为传球游戏需要高度的集中力，所以这也意味着家长将不得不忽视另外一个小孩。而如果小孩在此摔断了胳膊或腿，或者公园处于清扫状态，那么玩家便不得不等待其他家长的到来才能继续去“满足”他们。只有当家长能够“满意”地离开公园玩家才算完成一个关卡。

其它活动：

与小孩玩传球：玩家可以通过关注着小孩何时会跌倒（从秋千上，滑滑梯上或自行车上）并尝试着去扶住他而挽救游戏。也就是派遣最靠近的“家长”去拯救小孩，而这些家长不一定就是小孩的家长。如果发生这种情况，那么小孩的真正家长便会因为尴尬而选择离开公园，不过至少他们是“满意”地离开。

清扫公园：随着时间的发展，公园将会变脏。而如果公园过于脏乱，就不会有玩家愿意来此游玩了。而因为城市难以支付公园的清扫费用，所以玩家便可以派家长们去清扫垃圾。但是这也意味着他们将被迫离开自己的小孩，从而可能导致小孩遇上任何事故。而有效地清扫公园也意味着将会有更多家长和小孩到此游玩。

游戏结果：游戏中并不存在任何方法能够让玩家赢得游戏。因为在更复杂的关卡中玩家将不可能满足家长（或者他们的小孩）的全部需求。如果一天过去了但是却没有足量的家长带着“满足感”离开公园，玩家便算输掉了游戏。这是不可避免的结果，但是玩家却可以通过有效管理家长的情感而延长游戏过程。这是一款具有宿命论倾向的游戏，根本不存在能够让玩家获得成功的方法。

所以《Catch In The Park》算得上是一款游戏吗？从表面上来看它能够吸引那些喜欢管理类模拟游戏的休闲玩家的注意，并带有一些潜在的“乐趣”和“满足”情感。但是如果我们的目标是探索“内疚”和“绝望”，那么这款游戏便不可能做到这一点。当然了，不理解游戏情境的玩家也可以直接操纵游戏，但是对于那些有过相同遭遇的家长来说，他们将能从中感受到不同的情感。相反地，它也有可能促成一种糟糕的结果。即有可能游戏根本不能体现出玩家所希望看到的任何情感。如果这类型游戏不能做到这一点，那么玩家便只能够从中感受到沮丧，生气与懊悔（浪费时间）了。

（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）

Using Games To Express An Emotional State Of Mind

by Steve Fulton

There are games I’d like to create, but for the life of me, I cannot figure out how to approach them. Many of these games have to do with true emotions that are difficult to describe in game form, however, I still feel the need to make them. Games are the only “art form” that I personally have ever seen to any serious level of completion. In a way, games happen to be the one of the only ways I can express myself, albeit, in a very primitive way. A game like Home Computer Wars was created so I could express the feeling of being 14 years old in 1984 and thinking my Atari Computer was the best thing in the world. Games like Daphnie’s Balloon Pop and Katie’s Heart Catcher were created to express some rather simple emotions about my children (i.e. “I love You, here is a game I made for you”). Even some non-game projects like Game Storm! were created because of my frustration with trying to come-up marketable game ideas while others flood the market. However, while these simple games were created because of an emotion, they really don’t express it or help the player to understand anything more about it while playing.

Lately, this has started to bother me. I have chosen games as a form of expression (or did games choose me?), yet their very nature makes it difficult to express anything beyond the very basic thoughts and ideas. People who find other forms of expression their forte, (seemingly) have a much easier time with this. Rock musicians can write songs about emotions, and if they are skilled enough, they can convey those emotions their their work. Painters have a similar ability, mostly because they are some very common images that can universally create certain emotions for people. Games can include both of these elements, and they do help set a tone, but I’m more interested in creating a game that let’s someone experience an emotion with actual game-play.

After I have a life-altering (or even semi-life altering as described below) emotional experience, I’d love to have the ability to make game that helps me express my true emotional state of mind in game. I don’t even necessarily care if anyone plays it (OK, I do), but if they did, I’d also like them to get some understanding of both why it was made, and what I was feeling when I made it.

An Emotional Story To Tell

For example, a couple years ago I was at the local park with my oldest daughter, and she had an unfortunate accident. Because the city cannot afford to have anyone clean the park, I had taken it upon myself to clean-up the trash and sweep the wood chips off the play area and back into the pit under the swings. Along with her scooter, my daughter had asked me to take our baseball gloves with us. She does not play baseball, but she loves to play catch . Playing catch with her is one of the greatest simple joys of my entire life. However, I was so involved in my “sweeping” to clean-up the deteriorating park, the gloves and ball lay unused on the grass, and my daughter rode her scooter around the park. All of sudden, I heard her scream, and I looked over to see that she had dived off her scooter (trying to dodge some other little kids), and had landed on her right hand. After a trip to the after-hours doctor, she had a cast on her broken arm, and I had guilt in my heart. If I had not been so adamant about cleaning the park, I would have been playing catch with her, and she would not have had her accident. Becasue of my decision, playing catch (or anything else) is going to be impossible for some time.

So, if I was a writer I could, for example, just craft a story about someone who concentrates on the wrong things and eventually regrets his choices. A musician could take those words and make a song about it. How, as a game maker can do the same thing, but make the game interesting to play, and allow the player to understand a bit about the emotional underpinnings of the situation portrayed?

What follows are some explorations of game types that I might use to create a game that tries to express complex emotions.

Choose Your Own Adventure

This seems to be the easiest and most base form of trying to express some kind of emotion based on story in a game. You create an in-depth narrative, and allow players to makes simple choices to see where it goes. The interactivity level is very low, but it does allow the game-maker to craft the exact story they want to make. This is obviously more like writing than game-making, and it requires a really talented author to pull-off something that is truly “emotional”. However, to keep players interested in reading reams of text, you need to create fantastic and/or controversial situations and cliff-hangers, and then let them decides on the actions. However, not all “emotional stories” have these types of choices. Still, it’s at least a very straight-forward way to go and creating an indie game would be quite simple, if not entirely successful way to go.

Interactive Fiction : Z-Engine

I suppose the second easiest way to express these emotions would be to create a piece of Interactive Fiction (a fancy word name for a text adventure). There are a plethora of mature tools available to make Infocom-like text adventures that allow the author to express all sorts of situations and emotions that are difficult in other game types. Inform is one of the most well-known free pieces of software available for the creation of Interactive Fiction. You write a story-game that then compiles down to a Z-Engine compatible file that can be played by multitude of interpreters on different platforms. You can even find a JavaScript engine to play in a web browser named Parchment , and there are Flash interpreters being built right now…but they are are either proprietary (like the Violet engine used by JayIsGames,com), or unfinished like the promising Flaxo engine. Without a freely available and working Flash interpreter for Z-Engine games, the audience would be limited to the hardcore I.F. crowd. Furthermore, that hard-core Interactive Fiction crowd who would probably find the emotions I want to express rather primitive for their sophisticated tastes.

Interactive Storytelling : Storytron

A step or two beyond Z-Engine games is Storytron, the Chris Crawford led project to create a system to build games based on human interactions. The example game Balance Of Power 21st Century is very interesting. It certainly allows a game-maker to create a set of circumstances in which they must make choices and then live with the consequences. However, the game looks more like a way to simulate how a group of people feels and reacts to one another, and less like a system to help express a emotions stemming from an unfortunate event. Also, to be honest, somewhat like the original Balance Of Power, the game requires someone with an immense amount of patience to play, otherwise the casual player (me) will simply make the most controversial choices to see what they affect.

A Custom Game Engine

So, after going through the most common forms of interactive fiction/story engines, I’m left with the desire to make my own engine that would allow me to create a game based on a sophisticated emotion and let the player experience some of it. However, I cannot escape the feeling that it will not work as any kind of game. Still, my desire to try to express some kind of complex emotion that can be experienced by a player outweighs my misgivings, so I’m going to make an attempt to design something that might work as a game.

Name: Catch In The Park

Genre: Real-Time Strategy/Resource Management

Based On: Lemmings, Diner Dash

Setting: A Suburban Park with a large field, swings, play equipment, and a circular path that can be used to ride bikes, scooters etc, around the outside.

Game Set-Up: The game starts with a pristine, empty park on a bright summer day. Soon, children begin arriving with their parents in groups of 3. One parent and two kids. The groups wait at the park entrance so they can be “assigned” what to do by the player.

Game Play: The player’s job is to keep the park patrons happy, and to keep the park clean. However, this is not as easy as it first looks. Since there is only one parent for every two kids, the player must divide the attention of each parent (color-coded to their children) as equally as possible. Children will want to do different things, and the parents much stay in as close proximity to each child. However, the “emotional” state of the parents much be kept up at all times. While the kids have arrived just to “play” at the park, the parents are the selfish ones, each requiring a specific activity with one or more of their children to be fulfilled before they will be satisfied and leave the park. The player completes levels and scores points as satisfied parents leave with their kids.

Game Leveling: On the initial levels, a parent will arrive with kids that are close in age. That means that they will want to do mostly the same things. If the kids want to “swing”. the parent can remain close to both, and thus fulfilling their (possible) internal desire to push both kids on the swings at the same time. The same thing goes for the slides, or riding bikes/scooters around the path. Parents are easily satisfied, and leave happily from the park. However, as the game advances, the ages of the kids gets further and further apart, and the parent arrives with a desire to satisfy some kid of specific activity with each one. However, by performing an activity with one child, leaves the other open for disaster or a “tantrum” from the other. The most “advanced” activity is to play “catch” on the grass with the older kids, but this also takes the most concentration and leaves the other child open for a disaster. If a child falls and breaks and arm. leg, etc. the park clears-out, and the player has to wait for more parents to arrive to make them “satisfied”. A level is “won” after a set number of “satisfied” parents leave the park.

Other Activities:

?Catching Falling Children: The player can save the day by noticing when a child is going to fall (off the swings, slides, on their bike) and try to catch them. This will send the closest “parent” over to save a child, usually not their own. If they succeed, the actual parent of the child get so embarrassed that they leave the park, but at least the leave “satisfied”.

?Cleaning The Park: As the day goes on, the park gets very dirty. If it gets too dirty, people will stop coming. Since the city cannot afford to send anyone to clean-up, parents can be assigned to pick-up trash. However, this means they will be away from their kids and accidents can occur. Successfully cleaning the park will open it to more parents and their children.

Winning The Game: Ultimately, there is no way to win the game.The parents will never be able to suitably satisfy all their own needs (or their children’s) needs on harder levels. A game is “lost”if the entire day goes by and not enough “satisfied” parents have left park. This is inevitable, but  the player can extend their play by getting better and better and managing the emotions of the parents with the needs of the children. Still, the game has a fatalistic streak, as there it truly no way to be successful.

So would “Catch In The Park” work as a game?  On the surface, it might  appeal to players of “casual” management sims, with the underlying emotions of “joy” and “satisfaction” bubbling to the surface.  However, if my goal was an exploration of “guilt”, and ultimately “hopelessness” then the mark would be missed.  It is quite possible that the game could be played as straight sim by people who did not really understand the circumstances, but for parents who might find the situations portrayed familiar, it could allow a totally different level of play and connection. On the other hand, it could just be a terrible mess.   There is also a pretty good chance that none of the emtions that *I* want to elicit from the players would ever surface at all.   If a game like this is not done perfectly, the only emotions that the player will feel are frustration,  anger and remorse for wasting their time.(source:GAMASUTRA)