游戏邦在:
杂志专栏:
gamerboom.com订阅到鲜果订阅到抓虾google reader订阅到有道订阅到QQ邮箱订阅到帮看

探讨开放场景游戏与沙盒游戏的设计区别

发布时间:2013-01-13 08:33:18 Tags:,,,,

作者:Josh Bycer

自从10多年前《侠盗猎车手3》问世以来,不少游戏开发者便在开放场景探索模式设计上互相较劲。这是制作上最具苛严性的题材,其中的游戏空间与玩家采取的行动具有同等重要性。

从《Arkham City》,《Mars》,到《New York City》中的几种解释,开放场景游戏中总充满着多人互动模式与玩法系统。随着近几年来设计师们挖掘出此类题材中的可行与不可行元素,这种题材才开始迅猛发展。

open world(from gamasutra)

open world(from gamasutra)

与沙盒游戏的区别:

首先应打消大家关于开放场景题材的普遍困惑:它们不属于沙盒游戏。在推出《侠盗猎车手3》后,许多用户因其世界的自由性与广阔性,便定义它为沙盒游戏。然而,游戏空间的开放性并不能成为判断沙盒游戏的部分因素。

沙盒游戏中不存在既定游戏套路。玩家可以自由利用可行道具。他们可能有所进展,也可能没有,但却永远无法“玩完游戏”。

比如《模拟城市》、《模拟人生》、《Minecraft》与《泰拉瑞亚》便属于沙盒游戏范畴。玩家可以为了次要目标或个人目的,根据自己喜好选择体验时间的长短。

而玩家可以自由决定如何完成目标的游戏便不属于该范畴。比如《Spacechem》,《Banjo and Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts》,或城市建造游戏中的活动。

在上述作品中,玩家在每个关卡都会遇到一个主要目标,而后他可以利用这些可行工具自行解决。即使他们能像沙盒游戏般自由使用道具,但他们始终是朝着设计师设定的抽象目标前进。

既定动作:

在制作开放场景游戏时,设计师首先应认识到玩家只能采取两种动作。我们在本文中分别将其定义为“精致动作”与“常用动作”。后者的设计是方便玩家在游戏空间中四处走动,其使用率比较频繁。而前者则用于与世界或其它角色的互动,不太常发生。

比如,《Just Cause 2》中的抓升钩与降落伞便是玩家四处走动的常用动作。而《Batman Arkham City》中的战胜暴徒则属于精致动作。

此外,设计师在制作该类游戏时应面临的一大挑战是平衡这两种动作设计。因为事实上,玩家会基于自己所处的情境不断转换这两种动作,而任何繁琐或机械的设计立马会遭到识破。

just cause 2(from gamasutra)

just cause 2(from gamasutra)

(《Just Cause 2》支持玩家快速转换移动、射击、滑行、飞翔与开车这些动作。)

在一般作品中,玩家仅能使用一系列既定动作。而由于开放场景游戏的空间规模,因此它需要额外系统。

由于这类游戏的重点是探索世界,因此常用动作常列于优先考虑位置。

正因为如此,精致动作便显得多余且无多大益处。如果你曾经体验过《Prototype 1》或《Crackdown》这类开放场景游戏,也曾无法采用近战攻击消灭敌人,那你便能体会我所说的含义。

然而,仅有某些开放场景游戏具备这两种精良设计的动作机制。《刺客信条》系列赋予玩家一系列作战动作,四处走动与采取秘密行动的能力。而《Batman Arkham City》中的玩家可以采用滑行方式作战,利用道具解决谜题,打败一大群敌人。

不同机制的使用情况取决于玩家转换不同动作的快捷性。而其中一款采用这种模式的佳作当数《Spiderman》中的某些回合。

Spiderman的敏捷性是指玩家能够轻易切换常见动作与精致动作:冲进敌人堆中,开辟出一条道路,而后返回,以几秒钟时间消灭它们。其中一个出色发挥此理念的是《Spiderman Web of Shadows》。

移动属于开放场景游戏中的最极化细节,它可以成就作品,也能摧毁它。

移动的重要性:

设计师在制作开放场景游戏时应着重考虑四处移动这个细节,因为它体现出玩家的多数动作。

而移动方式的最大不同是在背景设置上。同比地面世界,设计师在设计虚构背景下的移动系统具有更大灵活性。

无论游戏的发生背景如何,移动方式总被当作顶级常用动作与开放场景游戏中的重点。然而更多该类作品在这方面设置上表现平庸。

其中的诀窍是,游戏世界中的四处移动方式应具有吸引力,那样玩家才不会自个行动,而简单的移动方式并不会阻碍实行其它动作。此外,环境设计也占据重要部分(我会用1分钟时间解释)。而且我还想出测量移动趣味性的简单方式——直线测试。

基本上,如果玩家在游戏中一直按直线方式移动,那么可见这个移动系统相当平庸。地面游戏《荒野大镖客》便是如此,在该作中,玩家只是骑着马长时飞奔。而这种情况甚至会发生在基于人类超级能力的游戏中。

prototype 2(from gamasutra)

prototype 2(from gamasutra)

(《Prototype 2》最终允许玩家爬上摩天大楼。此时他们的跳跃与滑行能力将会取代任何挑战)

《Crackdown》与《Prototype 2》均采用游戏环境中的超级跳跃能力。但两者的关键差异在于游戏世界设计上,前者的做法正确,而后者存在不妥。

在《Crackdown》中,一开始,所有建筑物均比玩家矮小,随着玩家继续前进,建筑物逐渐变大。而《Prototype 2》中的建筑物规模始终如一。

结果,在《Crackdown》中,即使玩家的跳跃高度逐步提升,然而他们仍得不断战斗,攀爬建筑物。而《Prototype》中的玩家只能朝着一个方向,不断跳跃与滑行,直至抵达目标。

虽然《刺客信条》系列属于地面设计,但其移动方式设计相当出色。因为玩家在其中可敏捷地抓住任何边缘并灵活在屋顶穿行。

目前,地面游戏已通过采用空中汽车工具,打破直线模式。

借此,玩家可以自由探索世界,而且有助于设置进一步测试玩家的单独挑战与能力。然而,重点是不要低估地面移动,只看重空中行动,因为这样终究会导致玩家忽略掉所有地面交通工具选项,仅采用飞行器。

有趣的移动系统能够丰富探索世界的举动。因此,设计师可以制作出进一步挑战及奖励玩家的移动挑战或迷你游戏。

设置收藏模式:

除去战斗、开车与探索,设计师还应在游戏世界中填满供玩家寻找的道具。随机放置小道具似乎是本文提到三点中难度最小的一项。无论如何,有趣的收藏模式通常就是平庸与出色的开放场景游戏的区别。

收藏模式存在多种形式,而以下3个一致要点能够决定收藏系统的好坏。

1.收藏品必须提供短期效应:它们必须具备某些即时效应,那样才能说服玩家停下手头行动,进行寻觅。

2.设计师应提供玩家寻找途径:在整个游戏场景中隐藏道具是个不错的方式。但如果你想赋予收藏品意义,你应为玩家提供找到它们的途径。

3.同时收藏品应具有长期效应:虽然短期效应能推动玩家寻找,但他们总得基于某个理由继续此项行为,否则玩家会感到厌倦。

有关出色收藏模式设计的最佳典范当数X360平台上的《Crackdown》。在该作中,玩家需寻找敏捷性魔法球:他们会在整个游戏进程中找到绿色浮动的道具。

每当玩家接近魔法球时,它便会发出微弱的嗡嗡声,告知具体位置。每收集一颗魔法球,玩家的最大跳跃高度便会提升,同时敏捷度经验值也会提高。当凑足提高敏捷度的经验值时,玩家不仅会跳得更高,而且会跑得更快。

如你所见,魔法球符合上述3个要点,因此值得玩家寻找。相反,《刺客信条》中的羽毛收集颇具难度,玩家需四处奔跑,而它们对玩家别墅的价值仅有些许提高。且每隔几分钟会增加玩家的金钱。

问题是,《刺客信条》中的金钱会随着你体验时间的拉长逐渐丧失价值,最终,除了100%完胜这款游戏,羽毛收集便毫无意义可言。由于加大羽毛的寻找难度,因此玩家不太可能放下自己当前任务,转而寻找它们。

just cause 2 world(from gamasutra)

just cause 2 world(from gamasutra)

(《Just Cause 2》的世界中充满各种尚待发掘的挑战与收藏。而且玩家是基于一定原因探索游戏,完成关卡。)

如果收藏模式与主要玩法绑定,那么我们可以借此作为通关秘籍。在《Just Cause 2》中,每找到一件收藏品,玩家等级便会提高:同时还会解锁新任务以及供玩家购买的道具。

而《Batman Arkham City》中的大量收藏品则被设计为散布在环境周围供玩家解决的小谜团。而且它们涉及Riddler的挑战故事。

开放场景游戏是鲜少一种直接受益于技术革新的题材。拥有更加出色的引擎意味着更大更宽广的探索世界。随着下一代主机设备的发售与《侠盗猎车手 5》的推出,我们对这类游戏接下来几年的发展保持乐观态度。(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

Exploring Open World Design Beyond Sandbox Games

by Josh Bycer

The following blog was, unless otherwise noted, independently written by a member of Gamasutra’s game development community. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Gamasutra or its parent company.

Open world games have become some of the biggest money makers in the industry. But the high cost of development can make them a risky venture thanks to several important design consideration that can make or break them.

Since Grand Theft Auto 3 came on to the scene over a decade ago, game makers have been trying to outdo each other with coming up with open worlds to explore. The open world genre is one of the most demanding genres to create, where the game space is just as important as what the player is doing in it.

From Arkham City, to Mars and several interpretations of New York City, the open world genre is full of multiple interactions and gameplay systems. The genre has really exploded over the last few years as different designers have been figuring out the elements that work and don’t work within the genre.

A Sandbox Breakdown:

Let’s begin by dispelling a common myth about the open world genre: they are not sandbox games. After the release of Grand Theft Auto 3, many people referred to it and games of the genre as sandbox games, due to the freedom and scope of the world. However, these titles no matter how open the game space, are not a part of the sandbox genre.

Sandbox games are those where there isn’t a set way to play the game. The player is given the freedom to do whatever they want using the tools and items available to them. These games may or may not have progression, but there is never a point where the player can say that they “beat the game.”

Some examples would be SimCity, The Sims, Mine craft and Terraria. The player can play these games for as long or as short as they want, while playing towards either minor goals the game presents, or personal goals.

Another example of what is not a sandbox game: are titles where the player has the freedom to decide how to complete goals. Games like Spacechem, Banjo and Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts or campaigns in city builders.

In these games, the player is given an overarching goal for a level, and then the player is free to figure out the solution from the available tools. Even though the player has the freedom to work with the tools available like in a Sandbox game, they are still working towards arbitrary goals set by the designer.

Defining Actions:

When it comes to open world titles, the first thing any designer has to understand, is that there are two types of actions available to the player. We’ll define these as “fine” and “gross” for this post. Gross actions are those designed with the purpose of the player moving around the game space and are used more often. While fine actions are those for interacting with the world or other characters and occur less often.

An example of a gross action would be the player making use of the grappling hook and parachute from Just Cause 2 to get around. While a fine action example would be fighting thugs in Batman Arkham City.

One of the biggest challenges when creating an open world game is balancing out the design of both fine and gross actions. This is due to the fact that the player will be constantly switching between the two based on the situation at hand, and any cumbersome design or mechanic is going to be noticed right away.

In a normal game, the player will only have one available set of actions to use and understand while playing. But open world titles demand that extra system due to the size of the game space.

Because the main point of an open world game is exploring said world, gross actions are usually given top priority.

But by doing that, it makes the fine actions appear cumbersome and less rewarding. If you ever played an open world game like the first Prototype or Crackdown, and had a hard time targeting enemies with melee attacks, you know what I’m talking about.

Only a few of the open world games released have well defined mechanics in both groups. The Assassin’s Creed series gives the player a move set for combat, getting around and performing stealth actions. Another example would be from Batman Arkham City where the player can glide and grapple around the game space, use gadgets to solve puzzles and fight crowds of enemies.

How well the different mechanics are utilized depends on how quickly and easily the player can transition between the different groups. And one of the best IPs that made use of this was some of the Spiderman open world titles.

The agility of Spiderman was translated into the game by allowing the player to switch between fine and gross actions easily : Swing into a crowd of enemies, web zip up out of the way and then come back down to finish them off in the span of a few seconds before swinging away. One example that worked well using this concept was Spiderman Web of Shadows

Speaking of movement, it is one of the most polarizing details of an open world game and can make or break it for some.

The Matters of Movement:

Moving around in an open world is one of the most important details to consider when designing, as it represents the majority of the actions by the player.

The big distinction when it comes to movement in open world games, is the setting itself. Exploring a fictional setting gives the designer more leeway in designing movement systems compared to a grounded world.

Regardless of the setting, movement is considered the top of the gross actions and a major point of any open world title. There are far more examples of open world titles with poor or boring movement, then there are great.

The trick is that moving around the world has to be engaging enough so that the player doesn’t go on auto pilot while playing, but simple enough that it doesn’t get in the way of the other actions. The environment design also plays an important part which I’ll get to why in a minute. I’ve come up with a simple way to gauge how interesting movement is: “the straight line test.”

Basically, the longer the player moves in a straight line, the more lackluster the movement system is. We can see this in grounded titles like Red Dead Redemption where the player is just riding their horse for long stretches of time. But this can happen even in games based around super human abilities.

Both Crackdown and Prototype 2 make use of super jumping around the environment. The key difference where Crackdown got it right and Prototype 2 did not, was with the world design.

In Crackdown, all the buildings already dwarfed the player from the beginning, and got higher and higher as the player progressed. But in Prototype 2, the building sizes stay largely the same until the very end.

What ends up happening is that in Crackdown, even though the player is progressively jumping higher, they still have to maneuver around and climb buildings. But in Prototype 2, the player can just hold forward, jump and glide in one direction until they reach their goal.

The Assassin’s Creed series also has great movement even though it is a grounded design. Thanks to how agile the player is with the ability to grab almost any edge and maneuver across roof tops.

Now, grounded games do have a way to break the straight line test, and that is with the use of aerial vehicles.

The use of aircraft can give the player freedom in exploring the world and can be set up with separate challenges and abilities to further test the player. It’s important however not to downplay ground movement in favor of aerial, as what ends up happening is that players will disregard all ground options of transportation in favor of going airborne.

If the movement system is engaging enough, it helps to enrich the act of exploring the world. The bonus is that the designer can create movement challenges or mini games to further challenge and award the player.

The Collectible Hunt:

Lastly, besides fighting, driving and exploring, the designer can also fill the world with items for the player to find. Placing random doodads seems like the easiest of the three points of this post to get right. However, making collectibles interesting is usually what separates a good open world title from an amazing one.

Collectibles can take many forms but there are three consistent points that determine a good system from a bad one.

1.A collectible must offer a short term benefit: There must always be some immediate benefit to convince the player to stop what they’re doing to find them.

2.The designer must give the player a way to find them: Hiding items all across the world is fine. But if you are making collectibles somewhat meaningful, then you have to give the player a way to actually find them.

3.Collectibles must also have a long term benefit: While short term benefits will help pull the player in to hunting them. There must also be a reason why to continue finding them, or the player will get bored with the hunt.

One of the best examples of good collectible design would have to be Crackdown for the 360. In the game, the player is on the hunt for agility orbs: green floating items that can be found throughout the world.

The orbs emit a faint humming noise whenever the player is close to one, giving them an idea of where to look. Each orb the player picks up will slightly increase their max jumping height while giving them experience to their agility category. When the player has enough experience to level up agility, they’ll not only jump higher, but run faster too.

As you can see, the orbs hit every point and are worth it for the player to find. As a contrast, in Assassin’s Creed 2, the player can pick up feathers. The feathers are hard to spot when the player is running around and give the player a small increase to their villa value. This raises the amount of money the player gets every few minutes.

The problem with Assassin’s Creed 2 is that money loses its meaning the longer you play and eventually there will be no reason to find feathers other than for going for 100% completion. And by making them harder to spot, means the player is less likely to drop what they’re doing and go after them.

The use of building collectibles towards completion can work if it is tied to the main gameplay. In Just Cause 2, every collectible the player finds adds to their chaos rating: this unlocks new missions and items for the player to buy.

While in Batman Arkham City, a lot of the collectibles are designed as mini puzzles in the environment for the player to solve. And they are tied to the Riddler challenge story arc.

The open world genre is one of the few genres that directly benefits from improvements in technology. Better engines mean bigger and more expansive worlds to explore. With the next generation of consoles coming up soon and the announcement of Grand Theft Auto 5, it will be interesting to see how things develop over the next few years.(source:gamasutra)


上一篇:

下一篇: