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Soren Johnson分享进入设计领域的5种渠道

发布时间:2013-02-17 10:19:53 Tags:,,,,

作者:Soren Johnson

人们选择进入游戏行业的理由多种多样。对于那些才华横溢的美工、程序员与音乐家而言,游戏职业是发挥他们创造性的重要途径。也有些人仅是因为爱好与热情而做出这一选择。然而对于多数人来说,加入游戏行业的原因只有一个——成为一名正式的游戏设计师。

当然,成为设计师的最简单方式便是着手制作游戏。目前行业中存在大量功能强大的工具与发行渠道,方便独立开发者创造出优秀的游戏。Andreas Illiger便创造出了《Tiny Wings》;Brendon Chung创造了《Atom Zombie Smasher》;Vic Davis创造了《Armageddon Empires》;而Jonathan Mak创造了《Everyday Shooter》。成为游戏设计师并不需要任何许可。

尽管如此,也不是人人都有条件,或勇气单独闯入此领域。可惜,许多知名公司的游戏设计的位置都较为神秘;通常该职位要求更多经验,并且竞争极为激烈。大多数游戏公司中已充斥着大量欲成为设计师的开发者,因此在招募新成员上他们会注重其特殊技能,比如编写代码或绘画。

有人拼命地争取游戏设计师的位置,也有人通过工作轻松地赢得了这一席位。如果开发者足够幸运,被安排去执行设计工作,他们便等于把握住了最大的机遇。当《文明3》团队的设计和程序人员遭遇了Big Huge Games工作室的挖角时, 我获得了自己的第一次设计机会。

该团队缺少专门的玩法程序员,而我们公司总裁Jeff Briggs则亲自担任了首席设计师,从而填补了这一空缺。虽然我从未被正式冠以设计师的称号,但我承担了所有设计任务。在项目即将完成时,我所做出的贡献也一目了然,所以Jeff大方地与我分享了设计收益。

game designer(from setoyaki)

game designer(from setoyaki)

由此可见,游戏开发者所面临的一大问题是如何充分利用机遇,让自己能以设计师的身份登场。以下是一些可行的建议。

1.学习编程

游戏是相对广泛的类别,其中常包含多种美术形式(游戏邦注:比如言语、音乐、画面)。有些游戏以故事元素为主。有些则是关于单纯的抽象概念。可是,它们都以运算法则为基础。代码是游戏的语言,了解如何编写代码意味着你能扮演更多不同的角色。

可能需要有人去编写敌人行为?团队中可能需要场景编辑器,但又没人得空进行创建?也许游戏需要更多随机地图脚本?某个高级设计师提出了一个新型游戏创意,但需要程序员创建原型?可能会因为这些任务而逐渐发展出更加成熟的游戏设计角色,但只有程序员能够承担以上所有。

2.致力于UI或AI设计

游戏开发中有两个领域并未被严格定义为“游戏设计”,它们分别是用户界面(UI)与人工智能(AI)。由于AI控制着游戏世界中“非人类代理角色”的行为,且与玩法密不可分,因此如果未与设计师进行日常交流是难以完成AI设计。如果AI程序员一直表现优异,且能不断涉及其它职责,那它们便能够自然地过渡到游戏设计领域。

这一方向在界面设计中更为清晰,因为它是用户体验的核心。如果游戏机制无法为玩家理解,那它便是无用的,UI是解决该问题的最重要工具。因此,界面设计实属游戏设计。关于游戏设计的“界面跟踪”显示甚少有游戏设计师想要设计界面。高级美工与程序员常常认为此工作较适合初级开发者。这种偏见显然有利于其他人自愿请缨;而游戏公司也一直在寻找才华横溢,且对界面设计激情满满的开发者。

3.自愿承担DLC发行

另一通往游戏设计的途径便是创造可下载内容。对小型游戏来说,此途径面临的风险较小,而且正式游戏设计师总会在推出最终版本后精疲力竭,以致于未能真正思考DLC发行。因此,DLC是颇具抱负的设计师进一步发展,并展示自己志向与潜力的绝佳元素。游戏公司希望其员工能以设计新手而发展的想法其实非常冒险;而DLC则提供了较低风险的基于能够帮助他们训练这些员工。

同时,从事扩展包设计对颇具抱负的设计师而言是个强大优势。也就是说,他们无需白手起家地进行创造,从而避免了新手们所需面对的巨大压力。其实,他们只需要不断迭代核心设计,吸取目前出色作品的经验教训便可。多数游戏在发行后都会突显出许多容易实现的目标;如过设计师们能够注重完善这些目标,玩家便会给予积极的响应。

4.注重反馈

游戏设计是才能与技能的共同产物。Noah Falstein曾经假设一组不成比例的设计师,即迈尔斯·布里格斯性格分类中的INTJ型(游戏邦注:即内向+直觉+思维+判断),由此可见,某些性格更加适合游戏设计。然而,仅靠才能是远远不够的;他们还应积极施展设计技能,而要实现这一点只有一种方式——执行设计,然后听取用户反馈。我是在《文明3》真正推出,且诸多关于游戏玩法的假设遭到否定后,开始学习游戏设计。

游戏并不是一种惰性运算;而是关于设计师与玩家之间互相分享体验。除非游戏始终面向于中立用户,否则其设计仅仅停留在理论方面。游戏应在预发行期间尽可能采取公测;那样设计师的技能便会随着游戏的每次曝光日渐增强。有抱负的设计师必须找到体验反馈循环的方式。推出一款简单的移动游戏或模块,而后成为热销品,紧接着了解大众反馈,这都比从事某些不可能获得用户垂青的大型项目制作更具价值。即使是制作一款简单的桌面游戏都能提高设计师的技能,只要他能找到测试组,并获得相关反馈。

5.谦逊态度

在今天的游戏行业中,谦逊态度是通往成功的关键。设计师必须接受大多数创意无法实现的现实。事实上,设计师的职责并不是跟从某人的想法或意识,而是选择一个方向,按此发展。设计师必须是谦卑的聆听者,而不是侃侃而谈的演说家。如果她发现自己对某个秉持怀疑态度的用户争辩可玩游戏机制的趣味所在,那么他的游戏可能会遭遇大麻烦。同时,设计师还应果断与自信,但也要谦逊地表明自己的观点,而不是跟随别人意愿办事,否则没有人会重视他们。

当然,对颇具抱负的设计师而言,该原则具有双重价值。傲慢或过度自信的设计师无疑是还没有准备好涉入此职业。提出某个出色创意,却未遭人重视只会令他们无比沮丧,关键是保持正确态度。如果某人的创意被采纳,不要认定是创意取胜,而是它经过多道测试。只有在创意具备可玩性,才会开始真正的开发进程,而后向所有人曝光。游戏团队拥有许多未能实现的理念,因此开发者应保证自己所追求的是最佳理念,而不管其来源何处。事实上,理念的源头总会被人们遗忘;我们记住的往往是谁投入数小时去实现这一理念。

设计师的标准

最后,所有富有抱负的设计师都应回答以下这些简单问题:你曾制作过一款电子游戏吗?或是一个场景?模块?桌面游戏?或卡牌游戏?

如果你的答案通通为否定,那么你应扪心自问自己是否真的打算成为游戏设计师。画家从小便开始画画。音乐家在小学时期便学习乐器弹奏。作家写作。演员表演。导演指导影片拍摄。年轻的设计师制作游戏。如果这都是出自激情,那它应以成功为前提,即游戏设计是你不得不做的事,而不是想法。真正的游戏设计师是不能停止游戏制作的。

设计游戏与玩游戏并不一样。喜欢制作游戏的人总比喜欢玩游戏的人少得多。而且设计游戏意味着数年来不断完善某个简单理念,并从成堆有关设计的批评言论中吸取教训。最终,成为真正游戏设计师的标志是能在周末随机拨出空闲时间,而后在玩乐中完成一款新作。(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

How to make the move from game developer to game designer

by Soren Johnson

Designer Soren Johnson outlines 5 ways to make budding game designers stand out in this column that originally appeared in the November, 2012 issue of Game Developer magazine.

People enter the games industry for many different reasons. For some talented artists, programmers, and musicians, a games job is a great way to employ their talents in a vibrant and creative field. Others simply enjoy being involved with one of their own hobbies and personal passions. However, for many, there can be only one reason to join the industry – to become an official Game Designer.

The simplest way to become a designer, of course, is simply to start making games. More powerful tools and distribution channel exist now than ever before to help individual developers create great games. Andreas Illiger made Tiny Wings. Brendon Chung made Atom Zombie Smasher. Vic Davis made Armageddon Empires. Jonathan Mak made Everyday Shooter. No one needs permission to become a game designer.

Nonetheless, not everyone has the resources, or simply the guts, to go it alone. Unfortunately, for established companies, starting game design jobs are nearly mythical; the job simply requires too much experience, and the competition is too fierce. Most game companies are already full of developers who want to be designers, so most new recruits are hired because they possess a specific skill, such as code or art.

One needs to earn the position of game designer, and one earns that position on the job. If a developer is positioned correctly to do design work, opportunities will present themselves. I earned my first design position by being ready when the Civilization 3 team lost its design and programming staff to the founding of Big Huge Games.

The team lacked a pure gameplay programmer, and our company president, Jeff Briggs, was filling in as lead designer. I was never officially titled as a designer, but I accepted every design task that was available. By the end of the project, my contributions were clear, and Jeff shared his design credit with me.

Thus, the big question for a working game developer is how to position oneself to take advantage of the opportunities that emerge to work as a designer. Here are a few suggestions that might help.

1. Learn to Program

Games are a very broad category, often encompassing multiple art forms at once (words, music, visuals). Some games have strong story elements. Some are almost pure abstractions. However, the one aspect they all share is that they are all based on algorithms. Code is the language of games, and knowing how to code will qualify one for a great variety of roles.

Perhaps someone needs to script enemy behavior? Does the team need a scenario editor but no one has time to build it? Maybe the game needs more random map scripts? Does a senior designer have an idea for a new game but needs a programmer to prototype it? All of these tasks could grow into more established game design roles, but only a programmer can undertake them.

2. Work on the UI or AI

There are two areas of game development that are not strictly thought of as “game design” but actually are – user interface and artificial intelligence. Because artificial intelligence,  which controls the behavior of non-human agents in the game world, is so inseparable from gameplay, working on AI is impossible without daily interaction with the designers. If an AI coder does a consistently good job and keeps asking for extra responsibility, game design is the obvious next step.

This path is even more clear for interface work, which is on the very forefront of the user’s experience. Game mechanics are useless if they cannot be communicated to the player, and UI is the most important tool for solving that problem. Thus, interface design is game design. The best part of the “interface track” to game design is that very few game developers want to work on the interface. Senior artists and programmers often view interface work as only suitable for junior developers. Use this prejudice to one’s advantage and volunteer for the job; game companies are always looking for capable developers excited to work on interface design.

3. Volunteer for DLC

Another nice path to game design is downloadable content. The stakes are inevitably lower for these smaller releases, and a game’s official designers are usually too burned out from the final push to even want to think about the DLC. Thus, DLC is a great opportunities for aspiring designers to step forward and demonstrate their ambition and potential. Companies want to see their employees grow into the role as hiring new designers is a huge gamble; DLC provides a great, low-risk opportunity to train them internally.

Working on the design for an expansion also has a huge benefit for the aspiring designer. Namely, one avoids the challenge of creating fun from a blank slate, which can trigger crippling pressure for a new designer. Instead, one can simply continue iterating on the core design, applying lessons learned from the game now being in the hands of thousands of players. Most games have plenty of low-hanging fruit that only becomes obvious after release; focus on these improvements, and the players will respond positively.

4. Focus on Feedback

Game design is part talent and part skill. Noah Falstein once postulated that a disproportionate number of designers are INTJ on the Myers-Briggs scale (meaning Introverted, iNtuitive, Thinking, and Judging), which suggests that some personalities are better suited to game design than others. However, talent will never be enough; one should actively develop one’s design skills, and there is only one true way to do that – implementing a design and then listening to user feedback. My own design education didn’t really begin until the day Civilization 3 was released when many of my assumptions about how the game played were proven completely false.

A game is not an inert set of algorithms; it is a shared experience existing somewhere between the designers and the players. Unless a game is constantly exposed to a neutral audience, its design is only theory. Games should have as much pre-release public testing as possible; the designer’s skills will only grow stronger with each successive exposure. Aspiring designers must find some way to experience this feedback loop. Releasing a simple mobile game or a mod to a popular game and then learning from the public feedback is much more valuable than working on some mammoth project which is unlikely to ever gain an audience before release. Even creating a simple board game can improve one’s skills as long as the designer can find a testing group for feedback.

5. Be Humble

Personal humility is a key attribute for success in today’s game industry. A designer must accept that a majority of his ideas are not going to work. Indeed, the game designer’s job is not to follow one’s muse or ego, but to choose a vision and let the team lead the way. Designers need to be humble listeners, not persuasive orators. If a designer ever finds herself arguing why a playable game mechanic is fun to a skeptical audience, then the game might be in big trouble. Designers still need to be assertive and confident – or else no one will ever take them seriously – but humility gives the clarity to see things as they are, not how one wishes them to be.

For aspiring designers, of course, this rule counts double. Coming across as arrogant or too certain of one’s ideas is a sure way to appear unready for the job. Having a great idea that no one takes seriously can be immensely frustrating, but the key is to maintain the right attitude. If one’s idea get implemented, don’t think of that idea as having won but as being tested. The real work begins once the idea is playable, and then it belongs to everyone. All game teams have more ideas than they will ever be able to implement, so developers should all ensure that the best ideas are pursued, regardless of their origin. Indeed, the origin of an idea is usually forgotten; what is remembered is who put in the hours to get it right.

Who Should Be a Designer?

Finally, all aspiring game designers should answer these simple questions: Have you ever made a video game? A scenario or a mod? A board or card game?

If you answered no to all of these, then you should ask yourself if you really are meant to be a game designer. Painters start drawing when they are young. Musicians learn to play instruments in grade school. Writers start to write. Actors act. Directors direct. Young game designers make games. If it’s a passion – and it has to be a passion to succeed – then designing games is something that you absolutely have to do, not just want to do. A true game designer cannot be stopped from creating games.

Designing games is not the same thing as playing them. The set of people who enjoy making games is much, much smaller than the group of people who enjoy playing them. Designing a game can mean years and years perfecting a single concept and demands the strength to learn from all the criticism which will be heaped upon the design. Ultimately, the mark of a true game designer is that, given free time on some random weekend, that person will sneak in a few hours of what he or she enjoys most – making a new game. (source:gamasutra)


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