作者：Specter Oranges

相信不少读者都玩过《暗黑之魂》这款游戏并深深为之所迷。但我认为《暗黑之魂》作为一款动作RPG，其核心具有很严重的瑕疵。本文将分不同片段进行分析：

1）动作游戏还是RPG？

2）确定玩法、AI和关卡设计

3）题材匹配度

4）为何这款游戏很困难

5）为何我不喜欢《暗黑之魂》

6）为何我喜欢《暗黑之魂》

7）总结

Dark Souls(from leggetron.com)

1）动作游戏还是RPG？

《暗黑之魂》的核心是动作RPG。冒险游戏通常拥有更多具有分支的对话内容。其战斗部分内容较少，与人们对话的内容更多，并且会产生要求玩家做出的道德选择。同理，我们就不能将这种游戏视为模拟或战略游戏。现在先记住“战略游戏”一词，因为我们过后还会提到这个概念。

在此，我们要先确定——《暗黑之魂》究竟是更偏向于动作游戏还是RPG？的确，它拥有一个升级系统，你可以“扮演一个被选中的不死之身的角色”，但从传统的RPG VS 传统动作游戏的角度来看，我认为《暗黑之魂》在其玩法中安排了大量时间，并没有突出讲故事的特点。也许游戏已经用非常微妙的方式来安插故事，但比起《最终幻想7》这类体现传统RPG最高水平的游戏，《暗黑之魂》中并没有多少故事。《暗黑之魂》给予玩家更多自由支配权，以及更多暗示的解释。其中多数故事需要玩家搜找出来。但是，其动作仍然处于最前线。这意味着它是一款为了让玩家能够玩游戏，而让RPG元素被削弱的动作游戏。的确，一款“困难游戏”意味着玩法困难，而他们之前就打算制作一款“困难游戏”。

我认为与其说它是一款动作RPG，不如说是一款带有一点RPG元素的动作游戏。因此，我们有必要定义动作游戏的三个重要层面。

2）定义玩法、AI以及关卡设计

在动作游戏中，这三个元素极为重要。我将对游戏的这三个层面作出如下定义：

玩法可以定义为玩家在游戏中可以控制的一切。在《暗黑之魂》中，这可以应用于每件武器、盔甲以及玩家可使用的全套技能。

AI（人工智能）可以定义为由电脑对游戏的一切控制。在《暗黑之魂》中，这可以是每个敌人的选择，以及它们的主要行为倾向。

关卡设计即游戏关卡中的一切。在《暗黑之魂》中，这可以是敌人、陷阱、线索的部署和方向。

3）题材匹配度

动作游戏的玩法、AI和关卡设计时间分配可能各有不同。这些并非电子游戏的所有元素，这些只是我认为《暗黑之魂》存在问题的三个方面。但需要注意的是：动作游戏在这三个方面的平衡性可能并不相同。而错误的平衡会产生糟糕的游戏，或者平庸的游戏。同理，战略游戏、平台游戏（游戏邦注：它实际上是动作游戏的子题材）等其他游戏类型需要的平衡性则与此不同。

4）为何这款游戏很困难

我认为《暗黑之魂》的难度仅仅来源于关卡设计。我并不认为它的AI制作很完善。也不认为其玩法尤其困难，而这正是游戏的主要症结所在。如果你能够平静地阅读本文，我将详细解释我这种看法。

《暗黑之魂》的玩法（定义为玩家执行操作的能力）所用的开发时间相较于AI来说真是太多了。坦白说，其中可用的武器数量太庞大了，每件武器都有自己的特点和战略。玩家已经足以一次性击败任何一个敌人，甚至都不需要大量刷任务。只要玩家恰当地做好应对单个敌人的准备，就可以在无需高级技能的情况下放倒敌人。我并不认为游戏AI的开发配得上玩家的自然能力，即便玩家在游戏中的单人表现很糟糕。

游戏设计师通过安置成群结队的敌人，并设置大量陷阱迫使玩家放慢游戏进度，以便应付大批的敌人和陷阱。这导致许多玩家抱怨游戏速度过快，并环顾四周引开敌人或将他们引向陷阱，这一现象或许就是许多长期玩家为游戏难度设计而辩护的原因。但这种设计是与动作游戏背道相驰的。

动作游戏无关放慢速度和困难关卡设计，也不是为了打败敌人而将其引向陷阱。这些是战略游戏的特点。《暗黑之魂》的核心是一款动作游戏，带有类似于战略游戏的设计元素。有些玩家喜欢这种设计，并为之辩护。但是，关键要看游戏最前列的玩法元素。玩家总是有对付任何单个敌人的工具，并且只要以足够谨慎的能力就能对付成群结队的敌人和陷阱。但在如此快节奏，消耗注意力式的玩法中，我们为何要关注其关卡设计中的难度设置呢？这正是游戏很困难的原因。

5）我为什么不喜欢《暗黑之魂》

我玩过带有制作精良，令你无法追赶并不断射杀AI的游戏。《暗黑之魂》的基本策略一直在于计谋，即使是你力所不及的敌人，你也可以与之周旋并痛打他们，直到在背后捅他们一刀为止。几乎每个人类敌人都无力招架，许多非人类敌人也不例外。他们也不懂得保护自己的软肋。即使是其中的boss也不是非常强大。这些boss都相当之弱，因为他们的AI很容易被利用。如果电脑AI的能力若与玩家能力设计相当，那么这款游戏就不会有这么多瑕疵了。很显然，只是因为敌人成群结队地出现，令玩家无法在近距离中对付群敌，所以这款游戏才会被认为是困难之作。在真正困难的动作游戏，例如格斗游戏中，其AI开发可是投入了大量时间。在《暗黑之魂》里，开发者却没有投入足够的时间制作AI。

作为一款动作游戏，我认为平衡性是不容忽视的元素。我相信许多玩家是为玩法和困难的敌人设置而来，但我却没有发现其中的AI有任何趣味，也不认为动作游戏中的困难关卡设计会非常好玩。

除此之外，《暗黑之魂》的基本设计原理在我看来也存在问题。如果应对困难关卡，要求玩家体验过足够多次的游戏，吃透每个敌人的招术，这样才能打败他们或者将他们引向别处，然后玩家才能遇到一个真正能让他打得痛快的boss，结果却发现自己又得再次应对同样的关卡，以便进入下一轮挑战，这并非我认同的趣味理念。在我看来，这完全扼杀了boss这一概念。简单的boss rush原本挺好的，但与boss战斗的美妙之感显然不敌玩家被迫通过只是因为节奏 过快，才显得困难的关卡，无数次证明自己已经强大到足以击败该boss的这种恶劣之感。

最后的问题就是节奏——节奏是游戏的关键。放慢节奏对于需要玩家不断思考和以智慧战胜AI或者人类对手的战略游戏来说再好不过了。但在必须保持快节奏或风险的动作游戏中，放慢节奏却会显得无趣。被迫将敌人引开，以及试图甩开敌人但却因此而亡的过程会明显拖延游戏节奏。我个人更喜欢后者的做法，但对于前面一种情况，玩家理论上可以连续做200个小时。这很有趣吗？不，在第10次穿过游戏时真的会变得很无聊。

但这款游戏还有更多值得一提的地方。

6）为什么我喜欢《暗黑之魂》

我并不讨厌《暗黑之魂》。我不能说自己喜欢这款游戏，但我也不讨厌它。对我来说，它就是一个打发时间的东西。我发现自己多数时候会从三个方面找到乐子：创造武器，在其他玩家有困难时施以援手，以及寻找故事。

我喜欢《暗黑之魂》的不同关卡，因为它们拥有令人惊艳的细节。我还发现游戏中的平衡元素非常普遍。它居然能令这个短时间的游戏世界中与许多现实世界的神话保持平行，其执行方式真是太有智慧了。我认为《暗黑之魂》的趣味之处并非不平衡的动作游戏层面，而是其甚为平衡的RPG游戏层面。虽然我并不认为其升级系统很好，它只是在极为标准的模子上再加上一些变化来保持新鲜感。我对其PvP模式也表示无感，因为我的网络连接并不是太好，但比起其他不知名的现代任天堂主机，PS3设备的网络连接已经算好的了。但需要指出的是，我并不太喜欢PVP模式，只是为了防着其他玩家。

这些都是我对游戏趣味所在的看法。在线游戏可以使用更多组织，但我并不太喜欢这种模式，因为我更喜欢独自游戏，多数时候也并不喜欢一直为他们提供帮助。

7）总结

我希望读者们客观而认真地对待这款游戏，以及大家玩过的其他游戏。我确实是认真地看待自己所喜欢的游戏所存在的缺点。虽然我们要以历史情境来看待游戏，但如果根据设计原则来判断游戏，那么许多我所喜欢的游戏看起来都会非常糟糕。《暗黑之魂》是一款相当现代的游戏，但我认为不应该根据其所处时间来判断游戏的优劣。如果你认为比起AI，你更欣赏其中的关卡设计，我也无话可说。但如果你认为它的AI很好，并给我个解释的机会，我就会告诉你为何它的AI设计真的不够格。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转载请联系：游戏邦）

Dark Souls – A Look At Game Design And Time Management

By Specter Oranges

Dark Souls – A Look At Game Design And Time Management

Dark Souls – A fair number of readers here have played this game and have indeed loved this game. But I don’t quite share their opinion outright. I think dark souls has serious flaws at its very core as an action-rpg. This article will be divided into different parts, as such-

(1) – Action Game or RPG?

(2) – Defining Gameplay, AI, and Level Design

(3) – Genre Matching

(4) – Why This Game Is Hard

(5) – Why I Don’t Like Dark Souls

(6) – Why I Do Like Dark Souls

(7) – Truth of the Matter

(1) – Action Game or RPG?

Dark Souls at its core is an Action-rpg. An adventure game is usually more dialogue-heavy with branching paths. It has less work done on its combat portions and more on speaking with people and developing moral choices one needs to make. Likewise, one could not consider it a simulation or strategy game. Keep “strategy game” in mind, however, as it will come up later.

In this section, it’s important to decide – does Dark Souls lean more toward being an action game or rpg? Indeed, it has a level-up system and you ‘play a role’ as the ‘chosen undead’, but in terms of a traditional rpg versus a traditional action game, I think that one must conclude Dark Souls has a lot of time placed in its gameplay and not as much in storytelling features. Even the second point is arguable, but even that I think is negated by the truth of the matter – there may be many well thought out bits of story in the game that are very subtlely placed, but compared to a game like Final Fantasy 7, the pinnacle of what a traditional rpg should be like, there is simply not much story to be had. Dark Souls gives the player more free reign and much more interpretation of what clues mean. Most of the story needs to be sought out. However, the action is right at the forefront. This is meant to be played as an action game with rpg aspects played down in favor of the player being able to play the game. Indeed, a “difficult game” is meant to have difficult gameplay, and they were supposedly trying to make a “difficult game”.

Rather than an action-rpg, I feel it is more apt to declare this an action game with some rpg aspects to it. Therefore, it’s important to define the three major aspects of what an action game is.

(2) – Defining Gameplay, AI, and Level Design

In an action game, these three things are very important. I will use the following definitions for these aspects of a game:

Gameplay is defined as everything within the range of the player to control in a game. In dark souls, this applies to every weapon, piece of armor, and the full range of abilities a player can use.

AI (Artificial Intelligence) is defined as everything within the range of the computer to control in a game. In dark souls, this applies to every enemy’s range of options as well as their overarching behavioral tendencies.

Level Design is defined as everything within the levels of a game. In dark souls, this applies to enemy placement, trap placement, hint placement, and direction.

(3) – Genre Matching

An action game can have any balance of gameplay, AI, and level design time allocation. These are not by any means the only aspects of a video game. Far from it. However, these are the three things that I take issue with in Dark Souls, and I’ll explain why in a moment. However, it’s important to note one small thing with this that has been said; an action game can have any balance of these three aspects. However, as a result, the wrong balance can create a bad game, or an average game out of a game that could otherwise be nearly perfect. Likewise, other game types need a different type of balance. A strategy game needs a different kind of balance, as does a platforming game which is effectively a sub-genre of an action game.

(4) – Why This Game Is Hard

I believe dark souls is only difficult because of its level design. I do not believe the AI was particularly well-made in the slightest. I do not believe the gameplay is particularly hard either, which is the major issue with this game. If you calm down a moment and read, I’ll explain why I believe these things and why they matter.

The gameplay of dark souls as defined as a player’s ability to do things had far too much time developed in relation to the AI. Quite frankly the number of weapons possible to be used is a rather huge number, each with their own individual movepools and strategies. The player is abundantly capable of defeating any one enemy at once, even without grinding in excess. As long as the player is modestly prepared for any individual enemy that enemy can be defeated even without speedrun-level skill. Excusing outliers like over-grinding and under-grinding I don’t believe the AI is developed enough to deal with the player’s natural abilities, even if they’re bad at the game, when fought individually.

The game designers got around that by placing enemies in groups and placing an abundance of traps made to force you to slow the pacing of the game itself in order to deal with said groups and traps. This leads to many long-time players justifying the difficult design by saying other players that complain about the game should simply slow down and look around, leading enemies away individually or leading them into said traps. However, this is contradictory with what an action game is.

An action game is not about having slow pacing and difficult level design. It isn’t about leading enemies into traps in order to defeat them. Those are aspects of a strategy game; dark souls at its core is an action game with design practices similar to a strategy game. Some players like this and justify it further. However, look at what is the forefront of the game; the gameplay. You are always given the tools to deal with any individual enemy and with enough caution the ability to deal with clusters of enemies and traps. However in a game with such fast-paced, concentration-demanding gameplay, why would the level design be so focused in terms of the difficulty placement? This is why this game is hard. This is…

(5) – Why I Don’t Like Dark Souls

I have played games with AI that has been well-developed to a point that you can’t catch them in loops and fire at them endlessly until they die with them unable to do anything about it. The basic strategy in dark souls is always the game, even for non-applicable enemies; circle-strafe them until you backstab them. Practically every humanoid enemy is weak to this, and many non-humanoid enemies are as well. They don’t protect their weak spots well. Even the bosses aren’t very strong. Rather, the bosses are fairly weak all around because their AI is so easily taken advantage of. Yet this game would not be so flawed if the player’s abilities weren’t so well-developed when stacked against the computer’s abilities. Quite frankly it is only because of the tendency of enemies to be clustered together and the player’s inability to deal with clusters effectively in close-range that this game could ever be considered difficult. In a truly difficult action game, like a fighting game, the AI has a ton of time invested on it. In dark souls, the AI did not have a terribly large amount of time allocated to make it work properly. If you want a full explanation of this, I’ll write a whole article about how to completely abuse almost every single boss in the game and every normal enemy in the game.

As an action game I think the balance is unforgivable. I believe many players play this game for the gameplay and the difficult enemy placement. But I don’t find any enjoyment to be had in the AI and I don’t find difficult level design in an action game to be terribly fun.

Furthermore, the fundamental design philosophy of Dark Souls is completely shot, in my opinion. Dealing with a difficult level that requires either experiencing the game enough to know every enemy’s actions inside and out to run past them or lure them away to deal with them just so I can get to a boss that I proceed to have a mild amount of enjoyment fighting only to realize I’d have to deal with the level again to get to it the next time it comes around isn’t my idea of fun. It completely kills the boss in my opinion. A simple boss rush would’ve been nice, but as it stands, the good of fighting bosses doesn’t outweigh the bad of having to prove for the umpteenth time I’m good enough to fight said boss by being forced through a level that’s only difficult because of the pacing.

Finally the last thing at question, the pacing — pacing in a game is key. Slow pacing is perfectly fine in a strategy game where the player must constantly think and outwit either the AI or his human enemies. This, however, is an action game that must maintain its fast pace or risk essentially being boring. Having to lure enemies away slows down that pace, as does trying to run past them and dying in the process. Personally I prefer the latter, but one could theoretically do the first for 200 hours straight. Is it fun? No, not as such, after the tenth time through the game.

However, there is something more to be said, and that’s…

(6) – Why I Do Like Dark Souls

I don’t hate dark souls. I can’t say I like the game but I also don’t think I hate it either. To me it served its purpose as a time-sink as I waited for something better to come along. I found most of my entertainment to come from three places: Creating weapons, helping other players at hard points in the game, and looking for story.

I love the different levels in Dark Souls for their overwhelming beauty and amazing attention to detail. I also find the balance of the game to be very pervasive. I believe that the small amount of time dedicated to such a clearly well-researched land of lords with the many real-world mythology parallels was absolutely genius in its execution. To put it bluntly, what I found fun about Dark Souls was not its imbalanced action game aspects, but its very well-balanced rpg game aspects. While I don’t think the level up system is as good as it can be, it is very standard with just enough differences in builds to remain fresh. I neither like nor dislike the pvp as my internet isn’t the best it can be, but compared to other unnamed modern Nintendo consoles, the PS3 definitely handles internet better. However it should be noted I don’t like to pvp much, just in protection of other players, I protect.

These are all things that I find fun. These fit my sense of what a good story, good timesink, and good co-op should look like. Yes, the online could use some more organization, but I don’t really hold it against it as a fundamentally bad part of the game because quite frankly I usually like to play solo and don’t like having help most of the time.

(7) – Truth of the Matter

To this end, I would like readers of this article to be honest about this game and every other game they play. I’m brutally honest about some flaws of games I really like in the modern video game era. While it’s important to look at games in a historical context, judging a game based on design practices now would make many of my favorite games look really, really bad. Dark Souls, however, is a fairly modern game. It doesn’t deserve justifications based on its time. If it is your personal opinion that you enjoy level design more than a well-made AI that’s fine, and I fully respect that. However if you believe the AI is good, just argue your point so I can completely and totally crush it. There’s a difference between an opinion that’s accurate or based in its own reality and an opinion that relies on faulty facts to argue its point. “I think the AI is good” can only be considered true as a self-contained statement without any basis of what “Good” is. I can tell you why this AI isn’t good if you give me a chance (probably a future article).

As an aside I do believe the reason why this game’s not as good as it could be is solely because of time limitations. If they had more time they would’ve developed the AI more deeply. That I do believe completely.（source：fextralife）