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我放弃《炉石传说》的3个理由

发布时间:2016-11-21 15:04:13 Tags:,,,,

作者:Josh Bycer

对于我来说,《炉石传说》是过去几年里最神秘的游戏之一。我曾在四种不同场合尝试去玩这款游戏,但每一次我所面对的结果都是各种受挫。尽管《炉石传说》是暴雪让人惊讶的热门游戏之一,但我却不能有效去玩这款游戏。我也尝试了其它免费卡牌游戏,最终我清楚了自己为什么会有这样的想法,即我找出了我在《炉石传说》的游戏设计和竞争模式中所发现的问题。

Hearthstone(from gamasutra)

Hearthstone(from gamasutra)

我知道有很多喜欢这款游戏的朋友也在阅读本文。如果你喜欢这款游戏,那么不管我说什么也都不会改变你本来的想法。但对于我来说之所以不能有效玩这款游戏主要有3个原因。

1.RNG

任何玩过卡牌游戏或基于概率的游戏的玩家应该都清楚RNG(随机数生成器)是如何影响自己的。我曾经写过一篇有关概率的利弊的文章。优秀的游戏设计能够提供足够的可变性,如此RNG也会因为玩家专业的游戏而得到缓解。从一开始《炉石传说》便非常侧重RNG。

不管你的桥牌多可靠,你的计划多完美,如果你的起步不是很好(游戏邦注:或者说你的对手拥有比你好很多的桥牌),你就完了。这里不存在任何缓解方法。而随着游戏的深入,RNG的影响也会越来越严重。

游戏中拥有许多纸牌,所以你可以获得一张随机纸牌或随机影响棋盘。这是从地精大战侏儒的扩展开始并成为后续扩展中的一部分。RNG平衡的真相在于,如果所有的一切都取决于运气,那么当玩家获胜或失败时他们便不会觉得这是受到自己的决定的影响。

这同样也影响着Meta,即在死亡后能够衍生一个随机随从的随从(minion)更有价值。

同时在《炉石传说》中RNG的数量也让玩家很难在游戏中进行完善。玩家通常都不清楚自己在游戏中的完善或者自己的桥牌是否合理,或者自己是否走运。而在我玩过的其它CCG中,游戏通常都不会太侧重RNG或者会提供给玩家能够摆脱RNG的方法。就像在《决斗英雄》中,我便可以通过交换自己手上的一张纸牌去使用我的桥牌中一张随机纸牌。

而在谈论我在《炉石传说》中碰到的最大问题前让我们先说说这款基于竞争性的游戏的一个内在问题。

2.进程

竞争游戏的进程与其它游戏不同。而这款游戏缺少能够发展游戏机制的游戏内部进程。相反地,玩家的发展是关于精通机制与优化自己的游戏。竞争游戏往往是围绕玩家必须了解的真理进行创造。不管你玩过多少像《炉石传说》,《CS:GO》,《英雄联盟》等游戏,你会发现它们的规则都是不变的。

你在《炉石传说》中的第50场比赛与第500场比赛是一样的。因为游戏进程的主要形式便是关于纸牌。

这里所存在的问题便是,从桥牌优化来看这便是你唯一能在游戏中做的事。一旦你拥有你的桥牌架构(或者你使用了指南),除了游戏外你便没有什么可做的事了。

说实话,在《炉石传说》中添加tavern brawl和独自冒险确实是个好主意。但问题在于,除非玩家很好胜或者注重排名,否则他们也没什么继续游戏的而理由。

就像我说的,这是任何基于竞争性的游戏所具有的问题,所以在此我还会给《炉石传说》一个机会。但最后一个问题却是最致命的。

3.Meta

对于任何设计师来说,任何竞争游戏的meta游戏就像一场无止尽的平衡战争。像每一张全新纸牌,单位,武器等等都将导致游戏的失衡。更糟糕的是这还将在全新玩家面前竖起一道高墙。

我并不是想假装自己知道《炉石传说》的Meta,毕竟我是个老实人。但全新游戏扩展虽然往纸牌中添加了全新规则和机制,但却导致全新玩家可能需要拿起刀去参加枪战。

纸牌扮演的是英雄的角色,而像C’Thun,发现等等机制却都不在基本设置中。不过除了没办法让新玩家避开这种情况外这样的设定好像也没有多糟糕。

因为游戏的“经典”模式,我遭遇了自己之前从未听过或对抗过的全新纸牌。

许多游戏通过使用等级系统去避免新玩家遭遇专业玩家而解决了这一问题。基于这种方法,当玩家遭遇技能更强大的对手时,他们就应该获得能够提高竞争力的武器。

随着游戏的扩展,那堵墙也变得更厚更高。更糟糕的是它甚至将《炉石传说》带进付费获胜领域。即除非玩家消费金币或真钱去购买特定卡包或冒险才能使用这些纸牌。免费金子是不足以帮助玩家轻松获得卡包的。所以玩家所面对的选择便只有为了小小的胜利去辛苦刷任务或者花真钱去购买卡包了。

除此之外,新玩家所面对的学习曲线也越来越陡。游戏教程只是围绕着基本的纸牌集,但却不存在帮助新玩家了解这些规则或情境的方法。

在我玩过的在线CCG游戏中,它们有的拥有一个不会添加带有扩展纸牌的新规则的基本架构,有的则是慷慨地在一开始便让玩家从一个竞争桥牌开始。

而《炉石传说》的Meta便创造了越来越多带有全新扩展的“垃圾”纸牌。这不仅让游戏更难学习,同时也会大大降低玩家获得有效纸牌的几率。

我觉得《炉石传说》的Meta问题就像是一堵不存在任何可修复标志的高墙。

结论:

而在列车上尝试了第4次《炉石传说》后,我的结论便是,虽然这是一款优秀的游戏,但它的设计真的让我觉得并不怎样。

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

3 Reasons why I’m Giving up Hearthstone

by Josh Bycer

Hearthstone has been one of those mysteries for me over the last few years. On four separate occasions I’ve tried to play it, and each time I’ve walked away frustrated. Despite being one of the surprise hits from Blizzard, I just cannot play it. Trying other F2P CCGs, it occurred to me why I’m feeling like this, and the problems I have with Hearthstone’s game design and competitive model.

Hearthstone

I know there are a lot of people who love Hearthstone reading this. If you enjoy the game, then nothing I’ll say will most likely change your mind. For me, these are the reasons why I’ve had my fill of the game.

1: RNG-ness

Anyone who has played a CCG or probability-based title knows how RNG can impact you. I even had a post about this a few weeks ago talking about the pros and cons of probability. Good game design offers enough variability, so that RNG can be mitigated by expert play. From the very beginning, Hearthstone has heavily favored RNG.

It doesn’t matter how sound your deck is, how perfect your plan was, get a bad starting hand (or your opponent gets a really good one), and you’re done. There are no ways to mitigate or get around it. With the later expansions, RNG’s impact has grown considerably in the game.

There are many cards now that allow you to get a random card or affect the board randomly. This began with the Goblins vs. Gnomes expansion and has since been a part of subsequent expansions. The balancing act behind RNG is the fact that if everything is left up to chance, the player won’t feel like they’re the ones determining if they win or not.

This also has an impact on the Meta (which we’ll talk about in more detail soon), as minions who can spawn a random minion on death (like the shredders) are more valuable.

The amount of RNG present in Hearthstone also makes it very hard to improve at the game. It’s hard to know if you’re improving or your deck is good, or are you getting lucky (or you have unlucky opponents). Other CCGs I’ve played either downplay RNG or give you means of getting around it. In Duelyst for instance, I can swap one card out of my hand to get a random card from my deck.

Before we talk about my biggest problem with Hearthstone, let’s talk about one inherent in competitive-based titles.

2: Progression

Progression in competitive games is not the same for other titles. There is very little in terms of in-game progression that grows the mechanics. Instead, the real growth is on the player to master the mechanics and optimize their play. Competitive titles are built on absolutes that you must understand. No matter how many Hearthstone, CS:GO, League of Legends and etc matches you play, the rules remain the same.

Your 50th match in Hearthstone is the same as your 500th. The main form of in-game progression is obviously your cards.

The problem is that there is only so much you can do in terms of deck optimization. Once you have your deck built (or you used a guide), there’s nothing left other than to play.

To be fair to Hearthstone, the additions of the tavern brawl and solo adventures were great ideas. The problem is that there’s just nothing keeping you playing unless you’re a competitive player or focusing on the ladder.

Like I said, this is an issue in any competitive-based title, so I can give Hearthstone some slack here. The final point however is all on Hearthstone and is the deal-breaker.

3: Meta-craziness

The Meta-Game of any competitive-based title is a never-ending battle of balance for the designers. Every new card, unit, weapon, etc, creates a possible game-breaking imbalance that can be exploited. To make matters worse, it creates an ever growing wall for new players to deal with.

I’m not even going to pretend that I know the Meta of Hearthstone, but I can tell you that I’m way behind the eight-ball. The expansions have added in new rules and mechanics to their cards; leaving newer players akin to taking a knife to a gun fight.

Cards that play off of the hero power, C’Thun, “discover” and so on are all mechanics not in the basic set. This wouldn’t be too bad, expect for the fact that there is no way for a new player to avoid this.

Setting the game to “classic” mode, I was hit by cards that I’ve never heard of before or had any defense against.

Many titles get around this by using ranking systems to keep newer players from interacting with the experts. That way, by the time you’re facing more skilled opponents, you should have gotten what you need to be competitive.

With every expansion to the game, that wall becomes higher and higher to deal with. What’s worse is that it pushes Hearthstone further into the pay to win column. You cannot get access to these cards unless you spend either gold or real money to buy the specific packs or adventures. The rate of free gold will not allow you to get your hands easily on those packs. Leaving players with the only options to either grind for tiny wins, or spend real money on packs or arena.

Not only that, but it further raises the learning curve and makes it harder to grow as new player. The tutorial was designed around the basic set of cards, but there’s nothing to introduce a new player to these rules or situations.

Other online CCGs that I’ve played have gone in one of two ways. They have either a set foundation that doesn’t add in new rules with expansion cards, or they are very generous in the beginning to allow you to start off with at least a competitive deck.

Hearthstone’s Meta also creates a growing pool of “garbage” cards with each new expansion. Not only does this make it confusing to learn, but it reduces the chance of getting good cards.

Hearthstone’s issue with Meta I feel is going to be an ever growing wall that shows no signs of being fixed. Each new expansion with new mechanics creates an arms race and a bigger disparity between the haves and the have-nots.

I Fold:

With attempt #4 down the drain, I think I’m done. Hearthstone may be a great game, but its design is not welcoming at all. Right now, I’m trying other F2P CCGs on Steam, and I’ll be sure to report back when I’ve had a chance to dig into them.

For those of you who have also given up on Hearthstone, what were your reasons why? And if you still enjoy the game, what do you think of these points? And lastly, are there any CCGs out there that avoid these issues that I should take a look at?(source:gamasutra)

 


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