作者：Joseph Kim

在过去几年中，那些并不熟悉“微观”vs“宏观”玩法概念的电子游戏行业人士的数量令人震惊。如果你也并不熟悉这些概念，现在就来了解一下吧。

这是电子游戏中的重要概念，也在移动平台上衍生出了一些有趣的问题。

想想看，你认为哪种玩法在移动设备上具有可行性？微观？宏观？两者皆是？为什么？

那么在继续看下文之前，先想想这个问题……

本文内容包括：

1.基本概念

2.平台的玩法类型

3.手机游戏的启示

basic concept(from quarterview)

1.基本概念

让我们先为非RTS玩家解释一下这个概念：

微观（“微观管理”的简写）涉及到用户对游戏单位的特定控制程度。在《魔兽争霸3》中，用户控制英雄以及其他游戏单位来攻击敌人单位，以及躲开敌人单位攻击的技能和能力就可以定义为用户的微观管理。

宏观（或称“宏观管理”）涉及那些并不基于对游戏元素反射控制的更高层次的战略性游戏考虑。在些我们再次以《魔兽争霸3》为例，在这种情况下，优秀的宏观技能会包括：

*战略：玩家的游戏获胜战略包括计划攻击序列，游戏风格，建设发展进程等问题。

*资源管理：更快更有效地建设建筑的游戏资源管理。

*地图知晓度：通过查看地图行动（或不行动）来预测和妥当地适应敌人可能采取的步骤。

下图是微观能力较差的玩家例子：

LOL-wtf(from quarterview)

现在让我们考虑一下平台的微观vs宏观玩法。虽然你会发现PC平台有许多游戏都有微观、宏观或双重玩法（例如PC平台上的RTS游戏），但不同平台对这些玩法类型的支持力度也存在区别。

以下是平台对游戏类型支持的假设：

gameplay type support by platforms(from quarterview)

你认同这种评估吗？

3.手机游戏的启示

假设我基于平台的微观vs宏观玩法的论点是正确的，那又如何？

如果这个观点是正确的，那么我就可以得出以下结论：

1.要做：针对特定平台设计游戏，要考虑适用于该平台的控制和玩法类型。游戏中应该整合多少微观vs宏观vs两者兼具的玩法类型？

2.禁做：要考虑到有些游戏类型或题材并不适用于移动设备（游戏邦注：例如不要针对移动设备开发MOBA/DOTA或FPS游戏）。

3.提升：针对平台仔细考虑游戏设计的本土化问题。你该如何调整或增加一个平台上的游戏设计，通过变更微观vs宏观和混合玩法的设计，令其在另一个平台上更具吸引力？

行业案例：移动平台上的《英雄联盟》=Zynga的《Soltice Arena》

这一概念最近的行业案例就是Zynga试图向移动设备引进MOBA/DOTA类型的游戏，我认为这是一个糟糕的主意。

根据微观vs宏观概念，我可以得出以下结论：

*移动设备（但并不是说平板电脑）并不是理想的MOBA游戏平台，也不太可能虏获大量用户。

*平板电脑也许是个可行的平台，但也要求简化微观玩法。

micro gameplay (from quarterview)

目前为止，《Solstice Arena》表现并不理想，这似乎可以证实我对于移动平台并不适合这种游戏类型的假设。

Solstice Arena(from quarterview)

但随着平板电脑用户数量增长，Zynga能否针对平板设备调整玩法实现这款游戏的逆袭呢？

我相似《Soltice Arena》团队已经很好地将MOBA游戏转换到移动设备，因此最终至少能够在平板设备上实现更大的成功。

各位的看法如何？你认为微观vs宏观玩法的考虑究竟有多重要呢？

原文发表于2013年10月10日，所涉事件及数据以当时为准。（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）

Micro vs. Macro Gameplay

by Joseph Kim

Context:

I’ve been surprised by the number of conversations with people over the past few years in the video games industry who were not familiar with the concept of “micro” vs. “macro” gameplay. If you’re not familiar, now’s your chance to learn.

It’s an important concept in video games and a concept that raises some interesting questions in the context of a mobile device.

Stop and think: Which kind of gameplay do you think works on mobile devices? Micro? Macro? Both? Why?

Really. Think about it before reading on…

The content of this post covers:

The basic concept

Gameplay type by platform

Implications for mobile games

1. The Basic Concept:

Let’s first start by explaining the concept for the non-RTS gamers out there:

Micro vs. Macro Diagram

Micro (short for “micromanagement”) refers to the level of granular and specific control a user has over game units. In the Warcraft 3 example above, the user’s skill and ability to control their hero and other game units to attack enemy units and avoid/dodge enemy unit attacks define’s a user’s micro.

Macro (or “macro-management”) refers to higher level strategic game considerations that are not based on granular twitch/reflex based control of game elements. Again, using the Warcraft 3 example above as a reference, in this case good macro skill would involve:

Strategy: The player’s game strategy to win including issues such as planned attack sequence, game style, and building development progression

Resource Management: The management of game resource materials to build buildings faster and more effectively

Map Awareness: Ability to predict and properly adjust to what an enemy may be doing by watching map movements (or lack of movement)

A funny example of a player with poor micro ability:

Source: 9Gag.com

2. Gameplay Type By Platform:

Now let’s consider micro vs. macro gameplay by platform. I submit to you that although you find many games on the PC platform with a micro, macro, or dual focus (such as in PC RTS), different platforms support these types of gameplay to varying degrees.

Consider the following hypothesis of gameplay type support by platform:

Micro vs. Macro Gameplay by Platform

Do you agree with this assessment? Let me know…

3. Implications for Mobile Games:

Assuming my thesis regarding micro vs. macro based gameplay type by platform is correct, then so what?

Well, if this view is correct then I posit the following conclusions:

Do: In designing games for specific platforms, think about the type of control and type of gameplay that makes sense for the platform. How much micro vs. macro vs. both types of gameplay should be integrated into the game?

Don’t Do: Consider that certain types of games or game genres will not work on mobile devices (e.g., Don’t build a MOBA/DOTA type of game or FPS for mobile devices!)

Improve: Think about the localization of a game design more carefully by platform. How can you modify the game or +1 the game design of a game on one platform to make it more compelling for another platform by changing the micro vs. macro design and gameplay mix?

Industry Example: League of Legends to Mobile = Zynga’s Solstice Arena

A recent industry example of this concept can be seen in Zynga’s attempt to bring a MOBA/DOTA (e.g., League of Legends) type of game to mobile devices… which I just suggested above was a bad idea.

Based on the concept of micro vs. macro, I would conclude:

Mobile devices (not to say tablets however) will not be a good fit for MOBAs and will likely not gain a large audience

Tablets may be a viable platform but would require simplification of the micro gameplay

MOBA to mobile?

To date, Solstice Arena has not performed well which seems to corroborate the hypothesis of poor mobile platform fit for this kind of game:

Solstice Arena Download Ranks

However, as the user base for tablets grows and Zynga is able to better adapt the gameplay for tablet devices can this game make a comeback?

I believe the Solstice Arena team did a pretty good job of translating a MOBA type of game to mobile so would expect more success of the game at least eventually on tablet devices.

Conclusion:

What do you think?

How important is the consideration of micro vs. macro based gameplay to you?（source：quarterview）