作者：Robert Jackson

现在的智能手表比比皆是，但多亏了苹果的强大名气，创新性以及富有创造性的市场营销手段，Apple Watch已经准备好获得比任何竞争者更大的成功了。而游戏也总是最先面向全新平台的内容类别之一。然而因为Apple Watch较小的屏幕规格及其平台限制因素，该平台上的游戏必须经过重新调整才能适应全新的游戏类别：微游戏。

Apple Watch(from cnn)

什么是微游戏？

微游戏是指具有能够持续10至30秒的小型游戏玩法，同时还能够传达快速的娱乐体验与情感奖励。这意味能够填补用户在搭乘电梯或在超市排队付钱的时间。与手机游戏一样，这些全新的微游戏将为那些并不习惯更传统的主机游戏中那些复杂的控制方案和地图的休闲玩家铺平道路。除了乐趣元素外，这些全新的游戏风格也将作为更大品牌体验和互动游戏授权的推动力量。

游戏开发

Apple Watch的开发需要我们重新思考游戏设计方式。在我们的大部分职业生涯中，我们所接受的信息是随着游戏技术的发展我们应该往更大更好的内容进行思考，所有之后的平台都将传递全新水平的难度。而现在的发展状况似乎是倒过来的，即平台局限性要求我们重塑游戏并回到真正能够创造出有趣游戏体验的基本元素。我们既需要将消费者快速带进体验中，也应该让他们能够轻松退出游戏，从而确保整体的体验是有趣且吸引人的。我们同时还需要始终牢记平台的独特性。开发者需要专注于基本概念：目标是什么并且玩家是否能在10至30秒内完成它？它是否能够平衡乐趣与挑战从而带给玩家成就感？我们需要怎样的创造性增强功能以确保呈现出色的微体验？

总是持反对意见的人

的确，除了健康应用或基本实用程序外，总是会有一些人跳出来从Apple Watch中挑刺。但是回想起iPhone诞生初期，那时候也是有很多人认为手机只可能作为一个附属游戏平台。毕竟从首要功能来说这还是一种交流设备。但是到了2015年，游戏类别的发展已经远远超过了应用商店中第二大类别。

所以同样的形式变化也可能出现在Apple Watch上—-如果苹果能够继续在该平台上创新的话。我经常会看到有人说游戏并不能抵抗智能手表中的局限性。这都是胡说。只要消费者有需求，游戏便会紧跟这些需求，而那些具有创造性与热情的游戏开发者将不断寻找创造奇迹的有效方式（游戏邦注：不管该平台给出了怎样的限制因素）。

发展

最初这些微游戏只能以伴侣应用或简单游戏的形式呈现出来。所以我们最初的关注点应该是让所有人都能够轻松面对这样的平台。与智能手机和平板电脑一样，开发者将了解该平台的怪癖和种种细微差别，并为了更好地发挥该设备的创造性体验而进一步了解玩家本身。

随着Apple Watch技术的发展，微游戏最终也将会成为一个潜在的独立游戏平台。现在的我们只是处于一个全新游戏平台的开始阶段，这些新设备的潜能比其最初所面对的挑战更让人兴奋。我已经在游戏开发领域待了20多年，并且不管是面对在线平台还是手机平台，我都始终走在最前方。要知道有一点是你不可能否认的，那便是技术的发展以及它对于游戏的影响。

（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转发，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

Apple Watch: The Birth of Micro-Gaming

by Robert Jackson

Smartwatches abound, but thanks to Apple’s unprecedented popularity, its reputation for innovation and its creative marketing muscle, the Apple Watch is poised to succeed on a much grander scale than any of its competitors. Games have always been among the first content categories to be adapted for new platforms. However, due to the small screen size and platform limitations, games on the Apple Watch will need to be reimagined to fit in a new gaming category: Micro-Gaming.

What is Micro-Gaming?

Micro-games are bite size bursts of game play that last between 10-30 seconds and deliver fast entertainment and emotional rewards. It’s meant to fill the seconds spent in an elevator or waiting in line at the supermarket. Much like its mobile counterparts, these new micro-games will pave the way for more casual gamers not used to the intricate control schemes and complex maps seen in more traditional console games. In addition to the fun factor, this new gaming style will be used as on-ramps to larger brand experiences and interactive gaming franchises.

Game Development

Development for the Apple Watch will require many of us to completely rethink the way we approach game design. For most of our careers we’ve been trained to think bigger and better as gaming technology evolved and each successive platform delivered new levels of sophistication. Now the entire paradigm is inverted, as platform restrictions require us to reimagine gaming and get back to the basics of what truly makes a gaming experience fun. We’ll need to get consumers into the experience quickly and out of the game elegantly so the overall experience is fun and exciting. We’ll also need to do this keeping the uniqueness of the platform in mind. Developers will need to focus on basic concepts: What is the objective and can it be accomplished in 10-30 seconds? Does it have the right balance of fun and challenge to elicit a feeling of accomplishment? What sort of innovative enhancements do I need to make to ensure a great micro-experience?

Naysayers

To be sure, the Apple Watch has its naysayers when it comes to anything other than a fitness app or a basic utility. But think back to the early days of the iPhone and the commonly held belief that mobile games would never amount to more than a fringe gaming platform. After all, it was first and foremost a communication device. Fast forward to 2015 and the games category is more than double that of the next biggest sector on the app store.

A similar turn of events could occur with the Apple Watch if Apple continues to innovate the platform. I frequently read that gaming simply can’t work with the built in restrictions of smart watches. Nonsense. Where there’s consumer demand, games will follow and creative, passionate and dedicated game developers will always find a clever way to create something magical (no matter what the platform limitations are).

Evolution

Initially, these micro-games will take the form of companion apps or simplistic games that consumers can play with little to no onboarding. The initial focus will be to build on inherent knowledge that everyone has so people become confortable with the platform. And like smartphones and tablets, developers will be learning the quirks and nuances of the platform and studying the player themselves in order to finesse more creative experiences from the device.

As Apple Watch technology advances, so will micro-gaming – ultimately as a potential stand-alone gaming platform. We’re at the beginning stages of a brand-new gaming (and lifestyle) platform and the potential of these new devices is far more exciting than its initial challenges. I’ve been in game development for over 20 years and I have been at the forefront of both the Online and Mobile platforms and one thing you can never bet against is the evolution of technology and its impact on gaming.(source:gamasutra)