作者：Joe Osborne

iPhone 5拥有更长，更薄以及更轻的机身，并拥有更加强大的处理器能够更完善地呈现出游戏。但是iPhone 5最有趣的功能并不包含于其中，也并非源自这一新型硬件。而是澳大利亚开发商FireMonkeys（由Firemind和Iron Monkeys所合并）在最新游戏《真实赛车3》中所创造的时间转移多人游戏机制。

Real Racing 3(from games.com)

本质上来看，异步或回合制多人游戏的进步很早就出现于一些热门游戏上了（游戏邦注：如《Words With Friends》和《Hero Academy》），这与当前新手机中的全新内部结构便毫无关系。这便是手机游戏的发展方向，在此我们将从《真实赛车3》的执行制作人Rob Murray口中了解到更多内容。

从规格来看，面对iPhone 5制作游戏有何不同？

我们很喜欢iPhone 5这一更大且更宽的屏幕规格。除此之外，其屏幕显示也变得更加真实。基于这一规格和颜色设置，当玩家在iPhone 5上玩《真实赛车 3》之类的游戏时便会更具有真实感。

iPhone 5与前一代iPhone相比有何微妙优势？

我认为更宽的屏幕以及更丰富的色彩显示便是其新优势。此外，更轻的重量也是一大优势，因为如此玩家在长时间或一手玩游戏时便会更加轻松。

Real Racing 3(from games.com)

你能否更加详细地解释下《真实赛车3》中的“时间转移”或异步多人游戏机制？以及它们是如何运行的？

时间转移多人游戏机制是一种全新的社交游戏体验。这是围绕着iPhone 5并首次出现于《真实赛车3》中的专利技术。它既包含了实时多人游戏中所具有的兴奋感和沉浸式体验，同时也具有回合制游戏所拥有的便利和实用性。

基于时间转移多人游戏机制，我可以在某一天与对手展开比赛，而对方则可以在另外一天回应我的挑战。也就是不管我的对手何时登录游戏都好像会看到我也在游戏中一样，从而能够与我进行抗衡。但是他们却不是在与“幽灵”进行比赛，他们只是在与发生了时间转移的我的分身对抗。当对手与我的分身发生了碰撞或强迫我离开跑道，这同时也会影响到我的比赛时间。

我的分身将代表我与好友进行对抗，而在比赛中他也会呈现出我所具有的技能。我在比赛中取得越好的成绩，我的分身在模仿我的时候便能够呈现出更棒的技能。考虑到比赛中的所有相同条件，我的分身所获得的比赛时间与我所设置的完全一致。而因为每一次的比赛日都不同，所以比赛不单只会影响我的时间。在这里不存在欺骗也不存在幽灵，有的只是与好友间的真实赛车对抗。

Real Racing 3(from games.com)

一般看来这应该是休闲游戏和Facebook游戏所具有的游戏风格，为何你们会将其带到“硬核”游戏上？

我们认为这种游戏风格（特别是基于我们所执行的方法）非常适合异步多人游戏。我们只是在创造更加便利，且更具互动性的异步多人游戏。我们并不认为这只是针对于某一特定用户的游戏风格，我们所重视的只是这种游戏风格能够确保便利与互动性的平衡，从某种意义上来说这便是最棒的社交体验。

你是否认为这种游戏风格将成为手机多人游戏中的固定模式？

未来我们将在多款游戏中使用不同的时间转移多人游戏机制。我们认为这是创造多人游戏的有效方式，所以它有可能成为那些想要经历多人游戏体验并重视便利性的玩家的标准游戏模式。

（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）

Why Real Racing 3′s ‘time shifted multiplayer’ is kind of a big deal

by Joe Osborne

The iPhone 5 is taller, thinner, lighter and has a powerful new processor that makes games look gorgeous. You already know this. But perhaps the most interesting feature of the iPhone 5 isn’t exclusive to it at all, or even its new hardware. It’s something that Australian developer FireMonkeys (formerly Firemint and Iron Monkeys) has developed all on its own in its newest game, Real Racing 3: time shifted multiplayer.

Essentially an advancement of the asynchronous or turn-based multiplayer found in hits like Words With Friends and Hero Academy, this is something that would have happened regardless of the fancy new innards of the newest phones. Arguably, it’s where mobile gaming is headed, and we caught up with Real Racing 3 executive producer Rob Murray to learn more.

What was it like working with the new iPhone 5 in terms of its new screen size?

The larger, wider screen on the new iPhone 5 is a joy to work with. It’s not just larger and wider, but it is a much richer looking screen. With a game like Real Racing 3 you get to see more of the action due to the wider screen and the richer colors improve the realism.

What are some of the more nuanced advantages of working with the iPhone 5 than the previous generation?

I think the wide screen is quite subtle as are the richer colors. The lighter device is a subtle advantage, particularly when holding it for long periods or playing with one hand.

Can you explain the new “time-shifted” or asynchronous multiplayer in Real Racing 3 in more detail? How exactly does it work?

Time Shifted Multiplayer is a new form of social gaming experience. It is built on proprietary technology first revealed in Real Racing 3 during the iPhone 5 keynote. It combines the excitement and immersion of real time multiplayer with the convenience and practicality of turn by turn games.

With Time Shifted Multiplayer, I can challenge my opponent on one day to a race, and then they can race me the next. My opponent will see me in the race and compete against me as though I was there. They are not competing against a ghost-they are competing against my time shifted double. By colliding with my double or even just forcing me off the racing line, they can actually impact my race time.

So my double will play for me against my friends, and it will seek to match my skill level in the races it plays for me. The better my time in the race, the more skillful my double will play when it seeks to emulate me. Given all the same conditions in the race, my double will achieve the same race time that I set. However every race day is different, so the race is not won on my time alone. No cheating, no ghosts, just real racing against your friends.

This is a play style normally reserved for the casual group and Facebook games, so why bring it to an arguably “hardcore” game?

We think that the play style, specifically the way we have implemented, is actually closer to synchronous multiplayer. We think that we are making synchronous multiplayer more convenient. At the same time we are making asynchronous multiplayer more interactive. We don’t think it is a play style that is reserved for a particular audience, we just see it as a play style that provides a great balance of convenience and interactivity…it is super social in that sense.

Do you foresee this kind of play style becoming the de facto mode of multiplayer for mobile games?

We aim to use variations of Time Shifted Multiplayer across a number of titles in the future. We think it is an awesome way to play multiplayer, so it could become the de facto standard for a generation of gamers that want the multiplayer experience, but want it at their convenience.(source:games.com)