分类
UI 游戏设计

游戏中过渡动画切换的常见形式

过渡动画指的是,当游戏中的某个东西(可能是UI控件,也可能是游戏世界中的物体)从一个状态变化为另一个状态时,是需要过渡的,比如一个人从静止到跑动,需要一个迈出步子的动画,才能顺利地从走的状态过渡到跑的状态;或者比如一个按钮,从一般状态到被点下,如果这是一个需要做的十分华丽的按钮,按钮也会有一个从一般状态到被点下过渡的动画。理论上来说,一个制作精良的写实风格的游戏,绝大多数状态的迁移都是需要过渡的,只有某些不需要过渡的地方才会特殊处理,状态过渡应该是一个常态,因为这符合玩家对世界的认知,能够让物体看起来很真实。

然而,这个过程的加入却使得状态迁移变的更为复杂。比如说,玩家控制他的角色从静止开始跑动,这时人物开始播放“迈出步子”的过渡动画,而在这时玩家如果命令角色停止移动,角色的动画应该如何处理?本文就是来讨论几种常见的处理状态过渡切换的方式的。

过渡动画本身是否应该当做一个状态处理,要和程序员进行商量,一同进行设计。

1,有始有终

有始有终的处理方式就是,一旦开始进入过渡动画,任何事情都无法阻止这个物体完成其状态的过渡,这个物体不接受玩家下达的任何指令,或者玩家下达的指令等到过渡动画完成后才会被执行。

游戏中场景的切换经常会用到这种方式,比如玩家从一个全屏窗口进入到了另外一个全屏窗口,新的全屏窗口在播放登场的过渡动画时候,窗体内的所有控件都不会响应玩家的操作,直到过渡动画播放完成。《炉石传说》中从主菜单进入任何一个模式采用的就是这种做法,即便玩家能眼疾手快地在模式弹出动画尚未完成前就点击到由于过渡动画而运动中的按钮,按钮也不会响应玩家的操作。玩家把鼠标悬停在法力水晶上时,水晶会亮起,移开时水晶会变暗,这两个状态过渡也是这一种类型的,不会由于玩家频繁地将鼠标移入移出而乱闪。由于法力水晶是无法进行交互的对象,因此这种处理方式也没有问题。

格斗游戏中人物的状态迁移也会给人以有始有终的感觉,即玩家一旦执行了某个动作,在这个动作执行完毕或被打断之前,角色处于失控状态,不会接受玩家下达的任何指令。不过这种做法不适合绝大多数游戏中的角色状态迁移,因为这会让角色变得相当难以操作。

2,有来有回

当物体由状态A迁移至状态B,在播放过渡动画时,又要从状态B迁移回状态A,有一种很适合的做法是直接停止当前过渡动画,并且反向播放,倒退回状态A。它保证了物体运动的连续性,在过渡动画的任何时刻玩家下达指令,物体都能流畅地倒退回原本的状态。

这种做法非常适合只有两个状态进行来回迁移的物体,比如一个浮出窗口的打开和关闭,一个按钮的亮起和暗掉等等。

3,立刻完成

立刻完成指的是,如果在过渡动画的状态下玩家下达了其他指令,那么就立刻完成过渡动画的播放,从过渡动画播放完成的状态开始执行玩家的指令。这种做法适合于某些情况下的多种状态迁移,由状态A迁移至B,然后又迁移至C。

比如,玩家将鼠标悬停至某个按钮上时,按钮在播放从一般状态到悬停状态的过渡动画,而此时玩家如果点击了按钮,就立刻完成过渡动画,从悬停状态开始播放按下按钮的过渡动画。

但是这种做法会使动作的连续性遭到破坏,因此不适用于持续时间较长的过渡动画。

4,加速完成

加速完成指的是当某个物体处于由状态A至状态B的过渡动画过程中,玩家又下令让物体迁移至状态C时,则加速完成过渡动画A至B,并且加速后的过渡动画处于“有始有终”的状态,在播放完成后立刻执行迁移至状态C的指令。考虑到人类的反应速度,如果加速后的过渡动画在0.1秒内完成,指令延迟还是在可接受的范围内的,但这0.1秒的加速过渡动画,有和没有在体验上却是天壤之别。我们用指令的轻微延迟为代价,换取了状态切换的连续性。

比如,玩家的角色一开始坐在地上(状态A),玩家命令其站起(状态B),这时开始播放站起来的过渡动画(A至B),此时玩家又命令角色移动(状态C),站起来的过渡动画(A至B)被加速到0.1秒内完成,即角色更快速地站了起来,站起来后角色开始播放由站立到移动状态的过渡动画(B至C)。

如果在站起来的0.1秒内(加速的A至B)玩家又下达了跳的指令(状态D),假如我们采用“有始有终”的做法,那么这个指令要等待0.1秒的过渡动画(加速的A至B)完成后,才开始,即播放由站起来到跳起的过渡动画(B至D)——也就是说,玩家原本的由站立到跑动(B至C)的指令被覆盖了,替换成了由站立到跳起(B至D)。更进一步,假如在这0.1秒内玩家下达了无数个导致状态迁移的指令,除了最后一个以外的指令全部都会被覆盖,最终只执行最后下达的指令,并开始播放过渡动画。

另一个做法是,加速后的动画再次接受指令时,不用“有始有终”的做法,而用“立刻完成”的做法。

接着用刚才的例子,如果玩家的角色在站起来的0.1秒内(加速的A至B),玩家又下大了跳的指令(状态D),那么由坐到站的动画(加速的A至B)会立刻结束,开始播放由跑至跳的动画(C至D)。这体验很怪,因为玩家会发现自己的角色还没有完全站起来,却突然开始播放由跑进入跳的状态了。

这种做法牺牲了一定的连续性,而最大程度上保证了玩家操作的即时性,在对即时计算要求较高的游戏如动作游戏中,这种做法更适合,而如果是RPG则第一种做法更合适。我猜测《魔兽世界》就是采用的第一种做法,虽然我并不知道他们的角色状态是如何控制的。而采用第二种做法的游戏并不常见,因为这种做法比较麻烦,注重即时操作的游戏往往都只采用“有始有终”或“立刻完成”的做法了,要么就得动画全播完,要么就是播到一半就能强制转换状态(比如《拳皇》的SUPER CANCEL机制),很少采用“加速完成”与“立刻完成”相混搭的做法。

分类
游戏设计

桌游常见机制

这篇文章的内容都是采集自著名的BoardGameGeek网站,大家可以点这里去查看英文原版,我这里不保证同步更新。我打算把这里所整理的常见机制翻译一下,希望能够通过这种方式加深一下对桌游的了解(同时秀一秀我出色的英语……别当真!)。本文内容按英文字母顺序排列(也就是和原网站顺序相同)。

Acting | 表演

(这段原网站上就有中文翻译)

Games with the Acting mechanic require players to use some form of mime or mimicry to communicate with the other players.

Charades is probably the poster child for this mechanic, where one member of a team must use non-verbal clues to allow the other members to guess the solution.

在“表演”机制下的游戏中,玩家需要通过肢体语言来与其他玩家进行交流。 Charades应该是这个机制的鼻祖了,这个单词本身也就是“哑谜”的意思。

Action / Movement Programming | 动作/移动编程

In programming, every player must secretly choose the next ‘n’ turns, and then each player plays their turns out according to the choices made. A game has the programming mechanic if it exists a choice of actions, preferably several, with a mechanism of executing those actions such that things could go spectacularly or amusingly wrong, because the status of the game changed in ways one did not anticipate, or hoped would not happen, before the action is executed.

Examples of games with a programming mechanic are RoboRally and Dungeon Lords.

指的是在编程阶段,所有玩家必须秘密地安排自己接下来一轮或数轮的行动,然后再公开地统一或轮流执行所有玩家决定的程序。一个用了这种机制的游戏经常会发生以下情况,就是当行动执行到某个步骤的时候就完全偏离了原本的计划,因为每一步执行的时候其他玩家的情况也在发生变化。 这种游戏的例子是《RoboRally》和《Dungeon Lords》。

Action Point Allowance System | 行动点数限制系统

(这段原网站上就有中文翻译)

In Action Point (AP) Allowance System games, each player is alloted a certain amount of points per round. These points can be spent on available actions, until the player does not have enough remaining to “purchase” any more actions. This method grants the player greater freedom over how to execute his or her options. Pandemic is an example of a game that uses this mechanic. In Pandemic, players are given 4 action points to be allocated between several actions: Movement, Air Travel, Special Action, and Special Ability.

The earliest example of a game listed on Boardgamegeek that uses AP’s is Special Train (1948).

行动点驱动:在此机制下的游戏中,玩家每回合里持有有限数量的行动点。玩家使用这些行动点来换取,或者说“购买”自己想要执行的行动。这样的机制能在行动的选择上给予玩家更大的自由度。Pandemic就是很典型的例子,玩家每回合获得4个行动点以支付自己当回合想要执行的行动。 若要追究这个机制的鼻祖,可能是这个游戏Special Train (1948)。(译注:我脑中第一个想起来的游戏是《风色幻想》!)

Area Control / Area Influence | 地区控制/地区影响

The Area Control mechanic typically awards control of an area to the player that has the majority of units or influence in that area. As such, it can be viewed as a sub-category of Auction/Bidding in that players can up their “bids” for specific areas through the placement of units or meeples.

In El Grande, for instance, players earn their score in a region by having the most caballeros in that region.

For an overview and discussion of popular games with this mechanic, see: Area Control Games: Your favourites and why

地区控制机制的典型例子就是,哪个玩家在一个地区的兵力或者影响力更大,地区的控制权就归谁。因此,这种机制也可以看做是一种特殊的“拍卖/竞标”机制,因为玩家可以通过放置单位或指示物(meeple)来“竞标”。 举个例子,在《El Grande》中,在某个区域中拥有最多骑士的玩家就可以赚到这块区域的分数。 最后那个链接提供更多关于这个机制的讨论和介绍。

Area Enclosure | 圈地

In Area Enclosure games, players place or move pieces in order to surround as much area as possible with their pieces. The oldest and most famous Area Enclosure game is of course Go, but many newer examples also exist.

Area Enclosure is different than Area Control / Area Influence because players actually create the areas on a gridded board during the course of play, whereas in Area Control / Area Influence the actual areas are pre-existing and players are merely battling to see who can control the most of them.

在圈地游戏中,玩家要通过放置或移动棋子来包围尽可能多的地区。最古老也是最有名的例子就是《围棋》,还有很多游戏也采用了这一机制。 圈地与“地区控制/地区影响”不同,因为玩家要在游戏的过程中真正地通过完成包围来创造一块地区,而地区控制或地区影响机制中,地区是实现就存在的,玩家只是在争夺其控制权。

Area Movement | 地区移动

这段翻译参考自这个网站,感谢博主的翻译!

Area movement means that the game board is divided into areas *of varying size* which can be moved out of or into in any direction as long as the areas are adjacent or connected. A classic example being Axis & Allies, in which land and water are divided into variable areas and boundaries that define connectivity between various areas.

Area movement is one way to handle movement on a game board. Two other commonly used ways are Grid Movement and Point to Point Movement. However, Area Movement is arguably just a form of Point to Point Movement, in which areas act as “points” with implicit “lines” connecting each area to all adjacent areas, as in Risk, which directly uses point-to-point movement for overwater movement.

地区移动的意思是,游戏图板被划分成了不同尺寸的几个地区,玩家的单位可以移动进入某个地区并进入相邻的地区,只要这两个地区相邻——尽管有时候视觉上看起来这两个地区相距很远。一个经典的例子是《Axis & Allies》,在这个游戏中陆地与水面被划分成了多种区域和边界,并且以此来确定区域是否相连。 地区移动是一种解决桌游移动的手段,除此之外还有两种手段:“网格移动”或“点对点移动”。然而,也有人认为地区移动只是点对点移动的一种形式,实际上每个地区都可以抽象成点,而边界则可以抽象成不同点的连接线,比如在《Risk》中,在水面上的移动就简化成了点对点的直接移动。

Area-Impulse / 地区脉冲

这段翻译参考自这个网站,感谢博主的翻译!

Players subdivide turns into impulses alternating between players which repeat until both players pass (or in some cases a sunset die roll ends the impulses catching one or both players off guard). In those impulses a group of units is once activated or gets to act collectively. However instead of the activated units being grouped by a certain radius from a leader the units activated are in an area (and thus the need for the impulse system to have areas, not hexes). The areas exist to define scope of activation on an impulse (as well as restrict what can be done on that impulse with respect to attack and movement range). Finally before the next turn of impulses units are reset regaining the ability to act.

Historically this began with the “Storm Over” area impulse series

玩家的回合被细分成若干次行动,这些行动也称作脉冲,两个玩家交替进行他们的行动,直到两人都放弃进一步行动(在某些情况下,一个骰子的结果会突然宣布行动结束,这种设定叫做”日落骰”)。每次行动中,一组单位会被同时激活。其他游戏机制中单位激活往往是以某个领袖单位为中心,固定半径的一个圈。但区域脉冲模式中,单位激活的范围是一个特定的区域。与之相应,这种系统的游戏需要有预定的区域设置。预设的区域确定了每次行动中激活单位的范围,也确定了每次行动中攻击和移动的范围。最后,在下个回合之前,所有单位被重置,获得下次行动的能力。

Auction/Bidding | 拍卖/竞标

This mechanic requires you to place a bid, usually monetary, on items in an auction of goods in order to enhance your position in the game. These goods allow players future actions or improve a position. The auction consists of taking turns placing bids on a given item until one winner is established, allowing the winner to take control of the item being bid on. Usually there is a game rule that helps drop the price of the items being bid on if no players are interested in the item at its current price. In most games, once a winner for one item is done, if there are more items to be bid upon, another auction is held for those items. The process repeats until a game condition is met or items are exhausted in the auction phase of the game.

In Power Grid, for example, you start with no power plants and must win bids to be able to produce power. Winning a bid on a given power plant allows that player to add it to their current inventory of power plants and also allows for more power to be made in a given turn. In Vegas Showdown, players bid on rooms. such as a slot machine or a restaurant, in order to build a larger hotel with more prestige and value. Winning players pay for the room based on their bid and place it in their hotel. In both examples, bidding is done in a turn format and players have the option of passing on bids.

这个机制指的是你需要用一些资源(一般是钱,也可能是道具)来竞标一些货物,从而保持游戏中的优势地位。拍卖会轮流进行,直到某个出价最高的玩家获得货物。一般来说这种游戏中都会有规则来降低所有玩家都不感兴趣的货物的价格。大部分游戏中,一次竞标完成后,如果还有剩余的货物就会继续开始一轮新的竞标,直到达成某个条件或者货物都被卖光了。 在《Power Grid》中,玩家一开始没有发电厂,必须通过竞标来产生电力。赢得一个发电厂的竞标后,这个发电厂就会为你服务,在接下来的回合中产生更多电力。在《Vegas Showdown》中,玩家要竞标房间,比如老虎机或者客房,从而建造一个更气派、更有价值的大酒店。赢得竞标的玩家就把赢来的房间加入到自己的酒店中。在这两个例子中,竞标都是按照回合进行的,并且玩家在竞标中都有PASS的权力。 (译注:关于竞标的更多方式,建议查看Ernest Adams的《游戏设计基础》,里面列出了几乎所有的拍卖方式,而不只是这种轮流拍卖的模式,不过这种事最传统的方式)

Betting / Wagering | 打赌/下注

Betting/Wagering games are games that encourage or require players to bet money (real or in-game) on certain outcomes within the game. The betting itself becomes part of the game. This mechanic is most commonly associated with Poker.

The Commodity Speculation mechanic is also a type of betting, in which in-game money is bet on different commodities in hope that that particular commodity will become the most valuable as the game progresses.

打赌或者下注的游戏鼓励或者要求玩家对游戏的某个结果下注(真钱或者游戏中的钱)。下注必须是游戏玩法的一部分(译注:也就是说仅仅通过游戏的胜负来赌博,比如足球的赌球,不算使用了这种机制,而正面例子是德州扑克),这种机制在扑克游戏中相当常见。 “商品投机”机制也是下注的一种方式,在这种游戏中玩家要对不同的商品进行下注,并且希望最后某个商品能够随着游戏的过程变得更值钱。(译注:听起来就像赌马)

Campaign / Battle Card Driven | 战役/战斗卡牌驱动

The Campaign/Battle Card Driven mechanic is a relatively recent development in wargames that focuses the players’ actions on cards they have in their hand. The very basic idea is that performing a single action uses a single card. Games where cards are used to determine the outcome of battles do not use this mechanic.

This GeekList argues that it is simply a subcategory of Hand Management.

战役/战斗卡牌驱动机制是一种最近的战争游戏(wargame)中出现的设计,这种设计的理念是玩家的动作必须通过手中的卡牌来执行,每张牌代表一次行动。使用卡牌来决定战斗的结果的游戏不算这种机制。 也有人表示这种机制只不过是“手牌管理”的一种亚类。

Card Drafting | 卡牌选秀(也有翻译成轮抽的)

Card drafting games are games where players pick cards from a limited subset, such as a common pool, to gain some immediate advantage or to assemble hands of cards that are used to meet objectives within the game. Ticket to Ride is a well-known card drafting game.

Games where cards are simply drawn from a pile are not card drafting games – drafting implies that players have some sort of choice. In Ticket to Ride, players can choose to draw random cards. If they could only draw random cards however, it wouldn’t be drafting.

卡牌选秀游戏中玩家要从一个有限的集合中挑选卡牌(比如从一个公用的牌库中),来立刻获得某些好处或者集齐某些卡牌来完成游戏中的目标。《Ticket to Ride》是一个很有名的卡牌选秀游戏。 只是单纯的从牌库中抓牌的游戏不是卡牌选秀游戏——选秀的意思是,玩家必须拥有某种选择的策略。在《Ticket to Ride》中,玩家是可以选择是否抽取随机卡牌的,如果他们没得选必须抽的话,就不是“选秀”了。

Chit-Pull System | 版块抽取系统

这段翻译来着这个网站

Used in war games to address the problem of simulating simultaneous action on the battlefield and issues of command and control. In such a system the current player randomly draws a chit or counter identifying a group of units which may now be moved. Schemes include moving any units commanded by a particular leader, moving units of a particular quality or activating units not for movement but for fighting. This mechanism is often associated with designer Joseph Miranda who has used it in many of his games.

板块通常指小的长方形或正方形厚纸板,上面有某些游戏相关的信息。板块抽取系统指的是把一定数量的板块先放到一个容器里,通常是一个布袋或者一个杯子。在游戏过程中,游戏者从容器中随机抽出板块,抽出的板块会触发某些游戏效果。这种机制实际上只是一种引入随机因素的方式。 与另一种随机因素引入方式“掷骰”相比,板块抽取系统有很多不同之处: 第一个区别,骰子并不“记得”曾经发生过的结果;每次掷骰,结果的概率是不变的。与此相对,一个板块只要抽出来,它就从容器中被移除了,因此这个板块对应的事件就不会再次发生。板块还可以用来设置乱序。把一系列事件做成对应板块,通过板块抽取,就能打乱这些事件的发生顺序。等全部板块抽完,可以把它们再放回容器进行下一轮抽取。 第二个区别,骰子面积小,每个面上存在的信息有限。板块面积大,往往有更多信息。而且由于板块往往放在玩家身边。或者直接放在游戏版图上,这些信息可以一直保留。而骰子要反复使用,结果信息无法保留(当然也有例外)。由于板块是纸板做成,它有两个面,可以用来携带不同的信息。虽然卡牌也有类似的特点,但板块还能直接放在游戏版图上当作标志物,这是板块和卡牌的区别。 第三个区别,板块手感好,许多玩家喜欢这一点 注意,如果一个游戏几乎完全是依赖于板块而存在,这类游戏往往称作板块放置类游戏。典型例子是卡卡颂Carcassonne。在板块放置类游戏中,板块构成游戏版图,而不是用来产生随机结果。

Co-operative Play | 合作

Co-operative play encourages or requires players to work together to beat the game. There is little or no competition between players. Either the players win the game by reaching a pre-determined objective, or all players lose the game, often by not reaching the objective before a certain event happens.

For more info see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative_board_game

though note that that wiki’s definition still defines as co-operative play one that may have one or more “traitors” who along with the game system itself may win or lose.

合作鼓励或者要求玩家一同协作赢得游戏。玩家之间可能很少或者干脆没有竞争。游戏的结果要么是达成一个事先预定好的目标从而赢得游戏,要么是所有玩家都输,一般的输法是在某些事件发生时尚未达成某些目标。 更多的信息可以看那个网站。按照维基百科上的定义,一些含有“叛徒”玩家的游戏也算合作型游戏。叛徒们往往有其他的获胜条件。

Commodity Speculation | 商品投机

Commodity Speculation is a subcateogry of Betting/Wagering, in which in-game money is bet on different commodities in hope that that particular commodity will become the most valuable as the game progresses. Often the values of the commodities are continually changing throughout the game, and the players buy and sell the commodities to make money off of their investment.

Commodity Speculation includes both Investment games in which players have some indirect control over asset values, but have a hard time hurting others without hurting themselves; and Collusion games, in which players have huge direct control in manipulating asset values, forcing players to help others and manage shifting alliances.

商品投机是“打赌/下注”的一种亚类,在这种游戏中玩家为某些商品下注,以期望这些商品随着游戏的进行会越来越有价值。一般来说这种游戏中商品的价值会一直在改变,而玩家可以买卖这些商品来赚钱并进行投资。

Crayon Rail System | 轨道系统

The Crayon Rail System is a subcategory of Route/Network Building. Types of these games use crayon or other non-permanent methods of making connecting lines on a board, often eraseable. The most popular Crayon Rail games are part of the Empire Builder system.

轨道系统是“构筑路线/网络”玩法的一个子类。这种游戏用轨道或者其他的组件来连接图板上的线路,一般都是可以拆除并重复利用的。采用这一系统的最流行的游戏是《Empire Builder》。

Deck / Pool Building | 构筑牌库

Deck / Pool Building is a mechanism in which players start the game with a pre-determined set of cards / player pieces and add and change those pieces over the course of the game. Many deck-building games provide the players with a currency that they use to “buy” new items that are integrated into the deck or pool. These new resources generally expand the capabilities of the player and allow the player to build an “engine” to drive their future plays in the course of the game.

This mechanism describes something that happens in play during the game as a function of the game, not customization of the game from a body of cards prior to play.

Useful lists on the subject:

Deck-building Games: Your favourites and why
Pedigree of Deck Builders
The sons of Dominion

构筑牌库游戏指的是玩家在游戏开始的时候有指定的一桃卡牌或配件,然后可以随着游戏的过程要替换或者获取更多的卡牌或配件的游戏。很多构筑牌库的游戏中玩家有货币用来购买新的组件来构筑卡牌。这些新的资源一般会提高玩家的能力,使得玩家在今后的游戏中更为强大。 注意,构筑牌库这种机制指的是游戏的过程中的玩法,玩家的目标是构筑一套牌,而不是事先准备好一组牌再进行游戏。(译注:打了CCG的脸!这种游戏其实叫DBG,Deck Building Game)

Dice Rolling | 掷骰子

Dice rolling is a game by itself see Yahtzee or Craps but as a game mechanic dice rolling in a game can be used for many things, randomness being the most obvious. Dice can also be used as counters; start at 6 (for a normal die: singular for dice) and turn it to 5 at the end of a round, single player’s turn etc. The dice themselves can be unique and different sizes, shapes and colors to represent different things.

掷骰子最常见的用法是进行随机检定,不过也可以用来作计数器,比如用不同颜色、尺寸、形状的骰子来标记某些东西。

Grid Movement | 网格移动

The Grid Movement occurs when pawns move on the grid in many directions. Usually the grid is square (like in Chess) or hexagonal (Abalone).

In a game there can be many pawns (like in Chess or Checkers) or only one (like the bishop in Fresco).

网格移动指的是棋子要在网格上按着方向移动的机制,最常见的是方形网格(如《中国象棋》)或者六边形网格。这种游戏中可能有很多棋子(比如《国际象棋》或《Checkers》),也可能只有一个(比如《Fresco》中的主教)。

Hand Management | 手牌管理

Hand management games are games with cards in them that reward players for playing the cards in certain sequences or groups. The optimal sequence/grouping may vary, depending on board position, cards held and cards played by opponents. Managing your hand means gaining the most value out of available cards under given circumstances. Cards often have multiple uses in the game, further obfuscating an “optimal” sequence.

Hand management has no relationship to action/dexterity.

手牌管理游戏中,玩家要按照一定的顺序或组合来打出卡牌以获取优势。最优的策略视情况而定,可能依位置、手中的卡牌或者对手的卡牌来决定。管理手牌意味着在某个特殊的条件下获得最有价值的卡牌。一般这种游戏中卡牌有多种用途,而不仅仅是按照最佳顺序打出。 卡牌管理不需要玩家眼疾手快。(译注:《三国杀》是典型的手牌管理游戏)

Hex-and-Counter | 六向计数法

这段翻译来自这个网站

Classic wargame mechanic, played with ‘Counters’ on a map with an Hexagonal grid allowing to move the counters in more directions (6) as opposed to a square grid with only four directions.

Counters are commonly thick cardboard chit, with printed attributes and identification.

将计数条改为六边形小方块组成的大区域,将计数指示物在该区域中移动的指示方法。 六向计数法通常用在战棋中,其最大的优势就是将对计数的影响量由单一改成了多个,由于计数指示物不再是双方向移动,而是6方向移动,可以指明更多的作战状况。 最早的六向计数法出现在《作战演习(Manöver)》(1941)这个款游戏中。

Line Drawing | 划线

Games using the line drawing mechanic involve the drawing of lines in one way or another.

就是……划线,比如把一些点连起来成线。

Memory | 记忆

Games that use the Memory mechanic require players to recall previous game events or information in order to reach an objective.

要求玩家记住游戏中发生过的事件,或者某些信息的顺序来达成胜利条件的游戏。(译注:暗牌的对对碰是个最好的例子)

Modular Board | 模块化桌板

Play occurs upon a modular board that is composed of multiple pieces, often tiles or cards.

In many games, board placement is randomized, leading to different possibilities for strategy and exploration.

Some games in this category have multiple boards which are not used simultaneously, preserving table space. Unused boards remain out of play until they are required.

指的是游戏的桌板是由很多小卡牌或图版拼接起来的游戏。很多游戏中为了实现每次玩桌板都不一样,就在游戏开始或者随着游戏进行的时候用随机的卡牌或图版拼出来一个桌板。有的游戏中甚至有多张桌板。(译注:《卡卡颂》和《卡坦岛》都是好例子)

Paper-and-Pencil | 纸与铅笔

The game is developed using paper and pen to mark and save responses or attributes that to the end of the game are used to score points and determine the winner.

A game that merely keeps track of score on a sheet of paper does not use a paper-and-pencil mechanism.

需要用纸币来记录、存储结果,属性或者分数,以在游戏结束时计算胜负的游戏。只是单纯记下每一局的得分不算这种。

Partnerships | 合伙

Games with partnerships offer players a set of rules for alliances and teams. Partners are often able to win as a team, or penalities are enforced for not respecting alliances.

Fury of Dracula has initial teams that cannot be changed midgame.

Dune has a strict set of rules regarding alliances and the breaking of them.

指的是有规则把玩家划分成小组或同盟的游戏,伙伴之间可以作为一个小队一起获胜,或者由于不尊重盟友而遭到惩罚。《Fury of Dracula》在游戏一开始就有一个小队,并且玩的时候不可以更改。《Dune》有着明确的关于结盟和解盟的规则集。

Pattern Building | 构筑样式

Pattern Building is a system where players place game components in specific patterns in order to gain specific or variable game results. For example: placing chips on 2, 4, 6, 8 on a board gets the player an action card they can use later in the game.

指的是玩家要通过操作游戏组件来构成某个样式来达成某个特定结果的游戏。比如说,在一个桌板的2,4,6,8格上放上棋子就能抓一张卡牌啥的。(译注:麻将)

Pattern Recognition | 识别样式

这段翻译直接来自这个网站

Markers, usually with a color or pattern, are placed or added on different random or pre-determined locations relative to a board or the markers themselves. As the markers move during play the player has to recognize a known pattern created by the markers to gain a good, points or win the game.

不同颜色或形状的棋子(也可以是卡片等)被随机放到场上,玩家通过快速判定某一种几何图形或固定组合是否达成来获得特殊效果,这样的机制叫做模式辨析。 模式辨析与模式构建最大的差别在于,棋子(或卡片等)的放置是出于某种随机条件,还是玩家主观思维。模式辨析主旨在于培养玩家的洞察力,希望玩家能够对于某种组合保持一定的敏感度。 虽然BGG上记录的最早模式辨析游戏是西式骨牌,但是我个人并不认同,我认为最早的应该是《宾果(Bingo)》(1530)。在这个常见于各大赌场、彩票的经典游戏中,玩家随机获得一张数字的排列表,然后通过叫号的方式将5个数字排成一列。听起来是一个模式构建,但实际上是模式辨析。因为玩家要做的并不是尽快构建自己需要的组合,而是去发现当前已有的数字中,哪一些数字可以组成5个一列,并且其他玩家无法同时达成目标。

Pick-up and Deliver | 装载与运输

This mechanic usually requires players to pick up an item or good at one location on the playing board and bring it to another location on the playing board. Initial placement of the item can be either predetermined or random. The delivery of the good usually gives the player money to do more actions with. In most cases, there is a game rule or another mechanic that determines where the item needs to go.

Empire Builder is a classic pickup-and-deliver game from 1980 that remains popular today. In this game, players build railroads between cities, and move trains around on the track. Players hold contracts specifying that specific cities demand specific types of goods. To fulfill a contract, a player must travel to a city where that good is available, pick it up, and deliver it to the destination city. When the player completes the contract, the player receives money as specified on the contract.

For an overview and discussion of popular games with this mechanic, see: Pickup-and-Deliver Games: Your favourites and why

转载与运输机制一般要求玩家从桌板上的某个地方拿上一些道具或物品,然后把这些东西运送到其他地方。货物的初始位置可能是安排好的,也可能是随机的。运输货物一般能带给玩家一些好处,比如赚一些钱。在大部分这种游戏中,货物要运输到哪里都是有明确的规则规定的。 《Empire Builder》是一个经典的装载与运输游戏,自1980年发行以来一直很受欢迎。在这个游戏中,玩家要在城市之间建造铁路,然后沿着铁路去运营一些货火车。玩家手中有一些合同,上面是某个城市要求某个类型的货物。玩家完成合同后就能赚到合同上写明的钱。

Player Elimination | 歼灭玩家

Player elimination occurs in multiple player games (>3) when a player can be eliminated from the game and the play continues without the eliminated player. The typical examples of games that provides elimination are Diplomacy or Risk (where a player may be defeated) or Monopoly (where a player may go bankrupt and thus be eliminated).

Player elimination does not include two player only games where the goal is to defeat the opponent, e.g. Chess

歼灭玩家发生在多人游戏中(玩家多于3人),一个玩家被歼灭后其他玩家能够继续进行游戏。典型的例子是《Diplomacy》或者《Risk》或者《大富翁》。(译注:还有《三国杀》) 只有两个玩家互相撕逼的游戏不能算作歼灭玩家型游戏,比如《国际象棋》。

Point to Point Movement | 点对点移动

On a board of a game with point-to-point movement, there are certain spots that can be occupied by markers or figurines, e. g. cities on a map. These points are connected by lines, and movement can only happen along these lines. It is not enough that two points are next to or close to each other; if there is no connecting line between them, a player cannot move his or her piece from one to the other.

With point-to-point movement, you do not have a division of the board into areas which can be moved out of or into freely (like with Axis & Allies). Neither do you have a board completely covered in squares (like with Chess) or hexagons (like with Tide of Iron) that allow unrestricted or nearly unrestricted movement in any direction and to any square or hex.

Unlike these counterexamples, point-to-point movement arbitrarily restricts areas on the board that markers or figurines can occupy, and it also arbitrarily restricts the ways that these points may be reached. Oftentimes, this allows for interesting strategies.

Examples for point-to-point movement: Nine Men’s Morris, Kensington, Friedrich.

Non-intuitive example for point-to-point movement: Risk. While Risk appears to be an Area Movement game like Axis & Allies, it is actually a point-to-point movement game, due to impassible water areas requiring overwater line connections (e.g. Japan, Brazil, Australia).

Pictured above: Point-to-point movement in Friedrich.

一些桌游中有点对点移动的机制,这种游戏中,图板上的某些点(比如城市)可以被指示物或者棋子占领,然后点与点之间由线连接,单位的移动只能沿着这些线进行。两个点只要是连在一起的,相距的距离就被视为一样的,不管视觉上看起来两个点相距多远,而如果两个点没相连,玩家就没法把棋子从一个点移动到另一个点伤。(译注:《军棋》是个很好的点对点移动的例子。还有《瘟疫公司》的空港/海港) 在点对点移动的游戏中,桌板不会被划分成可以进入或离开的区域(就是《Axis & Allies》中的那种),也没有那种全都是可以按照某种方向从一个四边形或六边形格子移动到另一个格子的桌板(比如《国际象棋》或是《Tide of Iron》)。

Press Your Luck | 撑死胆大/得寸进尺(译注:或者干脆叫“贪的一逼”?)

Games where you repeat an action (or part of an action) until you decide to stop due to increased (or not) risk of losing points or your turn. Press Your Luck games include both Risk Management and Risk Valuation games, in which risk is driven by the game mechanisms and valuing how much other players value what you also want, respectively.
This mechanic is also called push your luck.

Here’s a description of the category by Bruno Faidutti:

Double or Quits, Keep going or stop, cash your gains or bet them. The idea is not new. Many gambling games, such as Black Jack, make an intensive use of it, as well as some traditional dice game – and Pass the Pigs is only a modern version of those. This system is also used in many TV games, where the winner can either leave with his gains, either answer one more question at the risk of losing everything he won so far. Like in Luigi Comencini’s Scopone Scientifico, if you never stop, you always end losing. This system is also very efficient in board and cardgames, since it generates a high tension, and some anguish when rolling some more dice or drawing one more card. The best known “double or quits” game is probably Sid Sackson’s Can’t Stop, a clever dice game figuring, in the last edition, mountaineers so impatient to reach the summit that they usually end up falling down. It’s even trickier when all players are aboard the same ship, not knowing if, or when, it will sink. Time to leave or not ? That’s what happen in Aaron Weissblum’s Cloud Nine, as well as in Diamant, a game I designed together with Alan R. Moon.

Here’s the introduction of the Jeopardy dice games from Reiner Knizia’s Dice Games Properly Explained:

You focus on progessing and maximising your results. But the stakes are rising. If things go wrong, you lose it all. Great risks bring great rewards – or utter defeat!
Disaster strikes in many different ways. More than ever, you need to weigh up the potential gains and losses. Rolling specific numbers or reaching certain totals may catch you out. You see disaster looming – but can you escape? Other games allow you to continue throwing as long as you keep your options open. Know when to stop and secure your results. If you get greedy and your luck fails, you are out. You need to make the right decisions and be lucky, too.

撑死胆大的这种机制,指的是玩家要重复一个动作(或者一个动作的某个部分),并且在重复的过程中,风险会变得越来越高,直到你由于觉得太危险而决定停止的这么一种机制。这种机制同时包括“风险管理”和“风险评估”两种子类型。 (译注:AppStore上的《Dead Man’s Draw》是一个典型的这种游戏。每张卡牌上面都标有分数,卡牌有10个类型,玩家在自己的回合可以从牌库中掀开任意张卡牌,每次掀牌后都可以决定是拿走所有已经掀开的卡牌并且获得这些牌代表的分数,还是继续掀开牌——而一旦玩家掀开的牌中出现相同类型的,就被算作BUST,玩家会损失所有这些已经掀开的卡牌,一分也得不到。)

Rock-Paper-Scissors | 石头剪子布(有时也会被缩写为RPS系统)

Rock-Paper-Scissors can fall into a subcategory of Simultaneous Action Selection or Trick-Playing. However, simultaneity is not the most defining quality. Turn-about games also frequently employ this mechanic.

Its defining feature is that there is a circular hierarchy for which pieces win against or capture others. That is, while A might beat B, and B beat C, C beats A.

The name derives from the well-known children’s game where
Scissors cuts Paper
Paper covers Rock
Rock crushes Scissors

But can refer to any game with non-transitive mechanics, e.g.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Rock_Paper_Scissors_Lizard_Spock_en.svg/400px-Rock_Paper_Scissors_Lizard_Spock_en.svg.png

or

(译注:就是剪刀石头布,循环克制的一种机制,好像不用翻译了,上面那些图也很生动。不过好像没有五行的呢!文中有一个很专业的术语:non-transitive mechanics,中文有人翻译成非传递性机制,它的反面传递性机制指的是A选择永远比B好,B选择永远比C好,就像某些简单的扑克游戏。而非传递性指的就是剪刀石头布这种A比B好,B比C好,但C又比A好的机制。《军棋》中棋子之间同时存在传递性和非传递性)

Role Playing | 角色扮演

Some board games incorporate elements of role playing. It can be that players control a character that improves over time. It can also be a game that encourages or inspires Storytelling. This mechanic can be viewed as an extension of Variable Player Powers.

某些桌游有角色扮演玩法,这些游戏中玩家会一直控制一个角色。这种游戏也可能鼓励玩家进行叙事。这种机制也可以看做“可变玩家能力”的一个扩展。

Roll / Spin and Move | 用骰子/轮盘移动

Roll / Spin and move games are games where players roll dice or spin spinners and move playing pieces in accordance with the roll.

This term is often used derogatorily to imply that there is no thought involved. Roll and move games like Backgammon, however, contain tactical elements.

指的是玩家要靠扔骰子,或者转轮盘来移动自己的旗子的游戏。(译注:《大富翁》是个很好的例子)要特别说明的是,这种机制指的是那种玩家无法控制结果的游戏。有些扔骰子并移动的游戏是有策略性的。(译注:比如《大富翁》玩家买了车之后,就可以选择是用1个骰子还是2个骰子。《飞行棋》中虽然无法操纵骰子的结果,但可以选择移动哪个棋子,也有一定策略性)

Route/Network Building | 构筑线路/网络

Route/Network Building games feature network(s) (interconnected lines with nodes) using owned, partially owned or neutral pieces, with an emphasis on building the longest chain and/or connecting to new areas. Although arguably a separate group, Connection games, in which players connect fixed points on the board, are also included among Route/Network Building games.

这种游戏指的是用玩家拥有的棋子把节点连接起来,目标是构筑最长的线路或者达到某个区域的游戏。(译注:我突然想起来了《流亡黯道》的天赋树……)

Secret Unit Deployment | 秘密安排单位

Secret unit deployment games are games that contain hidden information. Only the player controlling certain playing pieces has perfect information about the nature (or even the whereabouts) of those pieces. This mechanic is often used in wargames to simulate “fog of war”.

这种游戏有一部分隐藏的信息,只有拥有某个棋子的玩家知道其全部信息,其他玩家无法获得某个棋子的全部信息。战争游戏中常常用这种机制来模拟”战争迷雾“。

Set Collection | 收集成套道具

The primary goal of a set collection mechanic is to encourage a player to collect a set of items. For example, players collect and harvest different types of beans in Bohnanza, and they collect Monuments in Ra.

以收集某一整套道具为胜利条件的游戏。比如,在《Bohnanza》中,玩家要收获不同种类的兜子,而在《Ra》中要收集纪念碑。(译注:麻将的某些胡牌方式似乎也可以看做这种机制,比如清一色)

Simulation | 模拟

Simulation games are games that attempt to model actual events or situations.

试图模拟真实的事件或情况的游戏。

Simultaneous Action Selection | 同时动作选择

The simultaneous action selection mechanic lets players secretly choose their actions. After they are revealed, the actions resolve following the ruleset of the game.

同时动作选择机制指的是先让玩家各自秘密地选择自己的动作,然后公开这些动作,再共同按照游戏的规则集执行这些动作的机制。(译注:想想《三国杀》身份场主公以外的玩家是怎么选将的。或者《杀人游戏》中是如何投票的)

Singing | 唱歌

Games that use a Singing mechanic require players to hum or sing familiar songs in order to fulfill certain game requirements.

要求玩家来通过唱或者哼的方式来满足某些游戏要求的游戏。(译注:丢手绢?)

Stock Holding | 控股

Stock holding is a subcategory of Commodity Speculation, in which instead of purchasing or selling an entire commodity, players purchase and sell (or hold) a share in a given company, commodity or nation.

Notable examples include Acquire, where players can purchase shares of companies, and benefit if those companies grow before being bought out, and Imperial, where players are purchasing bonds in European nations which grant not only a dividend and points at the end of the game but also the right to control that nation’s actions for as long as you are the majority bondholder.

控股游戏是”商品投机“类的一个子类,在这里万家不是买卖完整的商品,而是对同一个商品(或者公司或者国家)持有不同分量的股份。 一个很好的例子是《Acquire》,玩家在这个游戏中可以购买公司的股份,然后通过公司的成长获利,或者《Imperial》中玩家能够购买欧洲国家的国债,国债不但能够在游戏结束的时候兑换成分数,游戏过程中某个国家持股最多的人还能够控制这个国家。

Storytelling | 讲故事

You are supplied with basic concepts, letters, or pictures with which to tell a story. The pieces you are given have to be part of the story.

玩家会得到一些基础的概念,信件或者图片,然后要以此为题讲故事。不同玩家必须要讲同一个故事,有点像故事接龙。

Take That | 接招

In these games each player has some sort of holdings on the table. Holdings are often played in front of them from a hand of cards and/or assigned to them at the game start. These holdings serve as targets for other players to attempt to destroy. The goal is generally to avoid having all your holdings destroyed while at the same time playing to destroy all the holdings of the others players. In most cases the direction of destruction is usually left to player discretion. This frequently results in an encouraged free-for-all and/or an engineered last man standing scenario.

这种游戏中每个玩家都在桌子上拥有一些持有物,这些持有物可能是从手中的卡牌出到桌面上的,也可能是一开始的时候就安排好的。其他玩家的目标是摧毁你的持有物。游戏目标就是防止自己的持有物被全部毁灭,同时要去毁灭其他玩家的持有物。一般玩家都能够选择要毁灭谁的持有物。这种机制往往会导致玩家各自为战,或者努力成为最后的幸存者。(译注:《三国杀》又可以做例子了!)

Time Track | 时间轨迹

原文太晦涩,我没照着翻译,而是采取了这里的说明。

A time track mechanism is a variable player-turn order mechanism by which the player who is last on the time track goes next. The function of this mechanism can allow a player to have multiple sequential turns due to being last after each one. The basic premise is that you can choose to do a longer, slower task in the game, but in the meantime, a player taking shorter, quicker actions might change the “landscape” of the playfield. It is arguably a derivative of “action point” systems, except in the case of time tracks, the player doesn’t have a fixed number of points she can or must use on her turn.

In some time track games, the active player must stop as soon as an action moves her out of the last position. In the ones with a loop for a time track, players tend to be restricted from lapping the track on one go.

早期的桌游,主要分为即时制(Real-time)和回合制(take turns),即时制基本是欢乐游戏,玩家同时行动,互动性极强,用于活跃气氛,但策略不足,操作也混乱; 回合制则是玩家轮流进行回合,互动性相比有所下降,但是可以欢乐可以策略,操作系统连贯。 但是某些玩家反映,游戏中除了能反映出天气变化,经济规律等因数外,能反映出玩家对时间观念的理解能力就更好了。一般来说,即时制是优先选择的表达手法,在双方未知对手策略前微调自己的时间分配以达到更高的分数(或者胜利)。 问题是,即时制过于混乱,比较难表达。于是即时制和回合制结合的新机制——时间回合制(time track)就诞生了。玩家通常都在游戏中各自有固定的虚拟时间以供使用,用到你叫pass为止。然后,所剩时间最多的玩家成为下一个玩家。(就是说,时间多的玩家甚至可以进行多个回合)。 这个机制是目前解决桌游即时性不强的唯一方法。代表作有《家族兴旺》,《底比斯的远方》,《暗夜对决》等。当然,如果你能想出更好的解决办法,新机制就诞生了! (博主注:AppStore上的《Space Wolf》就采用了这个机制,《弹弹堂》等游戏也采用了这种机制。)

Tile Placement | 瓦片放置

Tile Placement games feature placing a piece to score VPs, with the amount often based on adjacent pieces or pieces in the same group/cluster, and keying off non-spatial properties like color, “feature completion”, cluster size etc.

A classic example is Carcassonne, where a player randomly draws a tile and place it next to other tiles and has a chance to place a meeple on the tile just played.

瓦片放置游戏通过放置瓦片来得分,玩家的瓦片要按照某种规则来放置,比如要同样的相邻,还可能有一些非空间性的特性,比如瓦片的颜色啥的。 经典例子是《卡卡颂》,每个玩家随机抽取一个瓦片,然后拼接到已经存在的瓦片上,还可以在自己刚刚放好的瓦片上放棋子来占地。

Trading | 交易

In games with a trading mechanic, the players can exchange game items between each other. For instance, players trade for different types of beans in Bohnanza, while they trade resources in The Settlers of Catan.

玩家之间可以交换游戏道具的机制。例子有《Bohnanza》和《卡坦岛》。

Trick-taking | 钓鱼

Trick Taking is a game mechanism used in card games.

Each player plays in turn order one card (or, in some games, a series, such as a pair or straight) from their hand face up onto the table; the group of cards played is named a “trick”. According with the rules of the game, one player wins the trick and captures all of the cards in the trick. The object of most trick taking games is to capture tricks or point scoring cards in tricks or occasionally avoid winning tricks.

The most common way to win a trick is by having the card with highest value of the suit that was led, but many classical card games use the “trump” system (where the certain cards, usually those of a designated suit, will win the trick if they are played.) Occasionally there is a round of bidding to determine this trump suit.

In many trick taking games (though not all), players are required to “follow suit”, i.e. play a card of the same suit as was led if they have one. If they do not have a matching card, they must play another card from their hand.

是卡牌游戏中使用的一种机制。 每个玩轮流把手中的卡牌按照某种方式(比如单张,或者出对子、顺子等)出到桌面上,并且一直堆积在桌面上,这些不断堆积的卡牌就叫做一条”鱼”。根据游戏的规则,某个玩家会通过某种方式赢得一条鱼,然后获得构成这个鱼的所有卡牌。大部分这种游戏中的目标就是通过钓鱼来获得最多(或最少)的分数。 玩家赢得一条鱼的最常见方式是打出一系列卡牌中的分值最高的,不过也有很多经典游戏使用一种“王牌系统”,一般某个指定的类型或者某张卡牌一旦打出后就会赢得所有的鱼。有的时候会有一轮出价来决定哪个类型的牌成为王牌。 很多这种游戏中,玩家都必须要跟牌,比如如果有某个类型的牌就必须出,若没有这个类型的,就得出一张其他类型的。 (译注:拱猪)

Variable Phase Order | 可变的阶段顺序

Variable Phase Order implies that turns may not be played the same way as before and / or after.

Using Puerto Rico as an example, every turn is different. Depending on who starts selecting the roles and what roles they take, you may have to play the ‘build’ action sooner than you’d wish. In other games, you may be denied from taking certain action.

Most games with limited action and any game without a static game turn order fall under this ‘mechanism’. Use of variable player turn order are not Variable Phase Order games.

指的是玩家在自己的回合中,执行不同动作的顺序可能发生改变的机制。比如《Puerto Rico》,每一回合的动作顺序都不同,依据玩家选择角色的顺序和每个玩家的角色,你有可能可以更早地执行“建造”动作。 大部分限制好了玩家的动作,但没有固定死这些动作顺序的游戏都属于这个机制。注意,按照不固定顺序轮询玩家回合的游戏不属于这一种。这种说的是玩家回合中的不同动作的顺序可以改变。

Variable Player Powers | 可变的玩家力量(译注:或者叫不对称游戏就好)

Variable Player Powers is a mechanic that grants different abilities and/or paths to victory to the players. To illustrate, here are some notable examples.

In Ogre, one player controls a single powerful piece, and the other plays many weaker units. The net effect is a balanced game.

In Cosmic Encounter, each player is assigned a random special ability at the beginning of the game. Although each player has the same victory goal (control five non-home colonies), their abilities enable differing means to the end.

In Here I Stand, each player controls a political power with unique ways to score victory points. Some focus on military conquest, some on religious influence, etc.

Also, player powers may change throughout the game as in Small World or Sunrise City.

指的是不同玩家拥有不同能力,或者有不同获胜手段的游戏。比如在《Ogre》中,一个玩家控制一个很强大的棋子,其他玩家控制很多很弱的棋子,但最终游戏还是平衡德。在《Cosmic Encounter》中,每个玩家在游戏开始时会随机获得一种特殊能力,虽然每个玩家的获胜条件都相同,但由于特殊能力的不同,获胜的手段也不同。在《Here | Stand》中,每个玩家控制一个政权,获得分数的方式各不相同。有些专注于武力征服,有些则是宗教影响等等。另外,在《Small World》或者《Sunrise City》中,玩家的能力会随着游戏进程而改变。

Voting | 投票

Voting is game mechanic where votes are cast to determine the results of certain situations.

就是玩家通过投票来决定某种事件的结果的机制。(译注:实际上,如果票是有成本的,这就变成了竞标/拍卖机制。票可以理解为无成本,无法用于投票以外,且每人都相同的一种资源)

Worker Placement | 放置工人

原文太TM晦涩了,所以请直接查看这个网站的内容。

More precisely referred to as “action drafting”, this mechanism requires players to draft individual actions from a set that is available to all players. In a given round, drafting is done one-at-a-time and in turn order until all players have had a chance to draft individual actions. There is usually(*) a limit on the number of times a single action may be drafted each round. Once that limit is reached, an action can no longer be taken until a subsequent round or until the action space is no longer occupied by a worker. As such, not all actions can be taken by all players in a given round, and action ‘blocking’ occurs.

Actions are commonly drafted by the placement of game pieces or tokens on the selected actions. Each player usually has a limited number of pieces with which to participate in the process. From a thematic standpoint, the game pieces which players use to select actions often represent workers of any given trade (this category of mechanism, however, is not necessarily limited to or by this thematic representation). In other words, players often thematically “place workers” to show which actions have been drafted by individual players. For example, in Agricola you start with two family members who can be placed on action spaces to collect resources or take certain actions like building fences. When someone places a piece on a given space, that action is no longer available until the next round.

Keydom, which was published in 1998, is widely recognised as the first of the worker placement genre of games. Keydom is referred to as such in leading German Games magazines Spielbox, issues: 3/2010 p49, 6/2011 p1 (editorial) and 1/2014 p33 and in Spielerei 2011 #92. Tom Rosen’s 18-Oct-08 article ‘Grandfather of Worker Placement’ http://games.fooville.net/nycgamer-article-Grandfather.html refers to Keydom’s status in the development of worker placement games, as does Agricola’s designer Uwe Rosenberg in the 14-Dec-07 geeklist ‘The Agricola Advent Calendar’ http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/27177/item/552025#item552025 In p96 of Stewart Woods’s book ‘Eurogames’, McFarland 2012 – reference is made to Keydom being the first of the worker placement genre. In the UK Games Expo 2013 programme article p11-13 ‘My Life in Games’ Keydom’s designer Richard Breese explains how the worker placement idea oriinated: ‘1995 was [also] the year of Klaus Teuber’s seminal game Settlers of Catan. I enjoyed Settlers, but was not over fond of the luck factor inherent in the dice rolling. I wanted to achieve the same effect but without the dice, just by direct placement of the workers on the board. This became the central mechanic to the Keydom …’

Early design experiments with the mechanism include Way Out West (2000) and Bus (1999). Well known examples of worker placement include Agricola (2007), Caylus (2005) and Stone Age (2008), the latter being designed by Bernd Brunnhofer who is head of Hans im Glück and who was instrumental in re-issuing Keydom in the reworked and rethemed version Aladdin’s Dragons (2000).

(*)The use of the word “usually” in this context is a somewhat controversial point of discussion. There are many who feel that ‘action blocking’ is a defining element of worker placement. In that case, there must always be a limit on the number of times a single action may be drafted each round.

分类
游戏设计

标签云与技能组合

大家好,欢迎来到AiurTemplar的博客。看到标题可能很多人会觉得莫名其妙,那么就让我从《魔兽争霸3》的一个MOD游戏开始说起。

以前在《魔兽争霸3》上有一张我很喜欢的MOD地图,叫做“守卫大虾”,与其他类似防守MOD最大的区别是玩家可以自由的选择自己想要使用的技能,你可以挑选游戏中所有和治疗相关的主动、被动技能成为一个超级大奶妈,或者把所有提高防御的技能都加在身上成为一个超级坦克,更受欢迎的玩法是挑选比如致命一击、分裂攻击等等被动攻击技能,杀怪如砍瓜切菜。不过这个游戏的平衡不是很好,技能都是《魔兽争霸3》原本所拥有的技能,组合后会产生一些问题。

之后的一些游戏比如《DOTA》也拥有随机技能的模式,但与“守卫大虾”一样,拥有很多IMBA的技能组合,某些技能的组合甚至会让角色永远不会死掉,这样一来游戏就完全失去了乐趣。

再后来我一直对这种玩家能够自由搭配技能的游戏感到格外有趣,因为组合的可能性几乎是无穷的。后来我玩了《大航海时代Online》和《EVE》,《大航海时代Online》中玩家能够同时拥有的技能个数有限,因此只能挑选专精于某一个方向的技能,但这游戏有着日式MMO的通病——需要无尽的挂机刷怪练级获取经验。《EVE》与《大航海时代Online》类似,但玩家没有同时拥有技能个数的限制,但它的完全靠时间获取技能等级的玩法使得新手永远追不上老手。《激战》是一个非常出色的游戏,玩家也是可以从好几百种技能库当中挑选技能,但我并没有玩过,虽然很多人认为这是一款神作,但我却认为一款PVP游戏如果完全无法知道对手拥有什么技能,PVP的体验是很差的。

再后来到了《暗黑破坏神3》,也没能兑现当初承诺的几万种BUILD,实际上可行的BUILD每个职业几乎就只有那么几种。最顶级的职业套装只会强化某个方面的能力,相当于把玩家的后期玩法固定死了,《夺魂之镰》上线后,专门强化某个技能的史诗装备大量出现,更是加重了这一情况。

后来我玩到了《流亡黯道》,这个游戏将技能组合又上升到了一个新的高度。它最大的特点是,技能的组合并不是机械的组合。上文提到的种种游戏,技能与技能之间都是完全互相独立的,联动关系相当之小,仅限于比如你选了一个火球术,又选了一个暴击被动,然后火球术的暴击就提高了这种水平——也就是说,技能之间要么干脆没有影响,要么仅仅是停留在数值水平的影响。而《流亡黯道》中,技能之间的影响却是机制性的,比如一个火球术一次能够发射一个火球,但选择了分裂攻击后火球术一次就能够发射三枚火球;而如果我选择了范围扩大,火球在命中后爆炸的溅射范围就会变大,如果我选择了穿透,火球会穿透数个敌人后才爆炸……并且,前面提到的这些效果是可以同时存在的!这样一来,单单一个火球术就有了千变万化的效果,更不用说其他的技能了!

左图是《流亡黯道》中“焚烧”技能原本的效果,右面是在组合了相当多的被动技能之后的效果。以焚烧为核心技能是当前版本中相当热门的一个BUILD。

这就是文章标题中所提到的“技能组合”部分。那么“标签云”又是什么东西呢?接下来就开始说这部分。

《流亡黯道》由于技能组合机制过于丰富,因此它为每个技能打上了很多标签。

这是《流亡黯道》中一个机制比较复杂的技能,“熔岩打击”。它的效果是对一个目标进行一次近战攻击,并且发射3个落点随机的熔岩球,掉落在地面时对目标点造成范围伤害。我们可以看到,这个技能的关键词是“火,投射物,攻击,AOE,近战”,那么所有对这些标签有加成的被动技能都会对其产生效果。比如多重投射物,技能本身是3个投射物(熔岩球),那么如果玩家使用了“低阶多重投射”,就会变成5个。又由于技能的近战伤害和投射物伤害都是火属性的,因此如果玩家用了“元素武器伤害”也会提高技能的伤害。同时由于熔岩球落地后造成的是AOE伤害,玩家如果有提高AOE半径的被动技能,也会对这个技能产生影响。

在《流亡黯道》的技能组合机制与标签的基础上,我就想到了现在很常见的“标签云”的做法。玩家往往会组合很多强化某一方面的能力的被动技能,因此如果够类似于“标签云”一样,将最突出的标签用更明显的方式显示出来,会不会变得更有趣呢?

这样我们在设计技能的时候,实际上可以从基础的机制的层面上将技能的各个方面抽象出来,成为一系列标签,然后再通过对标签的调整来改变技能的运作效果与数值。上文中提到过的火球,就是这样的:

  • 向前方发射一个火球,遇到敌人后爆炸并造成范围伤害。
  • 标签:火伤害,一般投射物,范围伤害

每个标签其实都拥有着一系列的属性,比如“火伤害”这个标签可能拥有伤害数值、暴击率、抗性穿透率等等属性,而“投射物”标签会有飞行速度、加速度、生命时长、穿透几率“等等属性。对这些属性进行调整的被动技能都意味着对这个标签有着效果,如果是正面效果会让这个标签显示得更大,如果是负面效果会让这个标签显示的更小。

这是个比较简单的例子,但是我们可以向其中加入更多的机制,比如:

  • 向前方发射一个不断前行的冰球,不断向四周发射冰锥,伤害路径上的敌人。
  • 标签:冰伤害,一般投射物,持续性,范围伤害,穿透

没错,这个就是《暗黑破坏神》中的冰封球技能。冰封球本身是个投射物,拥有着投射物本身的诸多特性,除此之外它还会重复地进行发射冰锥的行为,我们姑且把这种重复进行某个事件的机制叫做“循环”,“循环”有着诸多属性,如触发间隔、持续时间等等,我们可以设计一些针对这些属性进行修改的技能,比如发射的频率加快一倍,但持续的时间会缩短一半等等。冰封球本身拥有一定宽度,会对路径上的敌人造成伤害,因此也算作范围伤害。冰封球本身和小冰锥都会穿透敌人,因此拥有“穿透”的标签。同时由于发射出的小冰锥也是投射物,因此如果有着对投射物进行修改的被动技能,会同时影响冰封球和冰锥!

我们再看一个技能:

  • 发射一个沿着抛物线运动的炸弹,落地后爆炸并造成范围伤害,在飞行的过程中还会不断施放小型炸弹轰炸地面,造成较小的范围伤害。
  • 标签:物理伤害,抛物线投射物,范围伤害,持续性

这个是《暗黑破坏神3》中恶魔猎人集束箭配上集束炸弹的效果。很多游戏中都会拥有按照抛物线移动的飞弹,一般以弓箭、迫击炮的形式存在于游戏中,在RTS中较为多见,在ARPG中比较少见,因为难以控制。

再看一个技能:

  • 从天空中坠落一颗陨石,轰击地面,对击中的敌人造成伤害。被陨石击中的地方会陷入火海,在一段时间内对范围内的敌人持续造成火焰伤害。
  • 标签:火焰伤害,范围伤害,持续性,持续性伤害

这个是《暗黑破坏神3》中法师的陨石术,效果分为两部分:召唤一个陨石轰击范围内的敌人造成伤害,然后轰击点产生一个范围效果,持续造成伤害。两部分都是火焰伤害,都是范围伤害,但第二部分还是持续性伤害。

这时候我发现了,按照这个思路,实际上大部分依然只是在对数值进行调整,但并没有使得游戏的机制发生变化。如果要使游戏的机制发生变化,需要在更基础的层面模块化各种机制,然后使得能够事情发生质变。比如陨石砸地后的持续性伤害,和冰封球的持续性发射冰锥,有什么区别吗?我们是应该将其视作“持续性”标签的两种情况,还是干脆看成两种标签:持续性发射,和持续性伤害?

我们可以将所有事件分成三部分来看:发生的时点,产生的效果,被效果影响的目标。

  • 时点:攻击前,攻击,攻击后,命中前,命中,命中后,死亡前,死亡,死亡后,暴击前,暴击,暴击后,周期性开始,周期性循环,周期性结束……
  • 效果:发射飞弹,造成伤害,进行治疗,减速,加速,阻止移动,恢复移动,杀死……
  • 目标:源单位,目标单位,源范围,目标范围

我们再回过头来看冰封球这个技能。冰封球本身是个一般投射物,这只决定了它的移动方式,以及一些和移动相关的基本属性。它有三个效果:

  1. 从自己向外周期性发射飞弹。(周期性循环-源单位-发射飞弹)
  2. 周期性地伤害自己周围的敌人。(周期性循环-源范围-造成伤害)
  3. 飞行一段时间后摧毁自己。(周期性结束-源单位-杀死)

它发射出来的飞弹也是一般投射物,也拥有三个效果:

  1. 命中敌人时对敌人造成伤害。(命中-目标单位-造成伤害)
  2. 命中敌人后摧毁自己。(命中后-源单位-杀死)
  3. 飞行一段时间后摧毁自己。(周期性结束-源单位-杀死)

不难发现,所有的一般飞弹都拥有飞行一段时间后摧毁自己的效果。然后再看恶魔猎人扔炸弹的技能,这个炸弹本身是一个抛物线飞弹,与一般飞弹一样,这也只决定了它的移动方式和移动相关的基本参数。它拥有以下几个效果:

  1. 从自己向外周期性发射飞弹。(周期性循环-源单位-发射飞弹)
  2. 命中时造成范围伤害。(命中-目标范围-造成伤害)
  3. 命中后摧毁自己。(命中后-源单位-杀死)

类似的,所有的抛物线类飞弹也都有着落地后杀死自己的效果。陨石术的效果特殊一些:

  1. 命中时造成范围伤害。(命中-目标范围-造成伤害)
  2. 命中时创造一个不会移动的马甲飞弹。(命中-源单位-发射飞弹)
  3. 命中后摧毁自己。(命中后-源单位-杀死)

创造出来的这个不会移动的马甲飞弹有着以下的效果:

  1. 周期性地伤害自己周围的敌人。(周期性循环-源范围-造成伤害)
  2. 持续一段时间后消失。(周期性结束-源单位-杀死)

这样我们就用“马甲单位”的方法实现了陨石术的效果。熟悉《魔兽争霸3》编辑器的同学应该对这个伎俩十分了解!

按照这个架构,我们就可以设计一系列的技能,达到修改技能效果的目的。比如我们想让冰封球在死亡时爆炸发射出更多更多的冰锥,就可以追加以下效果:

  • 死亡前-源单位-发射飞弹。

这个效果可以追加在所有的飞弹上,这样在这些飞弹死亡时都会再生成一系列的飞弹。再举个例子,假如我们想让一个一般飞弹命中敌人后继续飞行,就可以移除下面这个效果:

  • 命中后-源单位-杀死。

如果我们想添加一个吸血效果,就可以追加以下效果:

  • 命中后-源单位-治疗。

我们甚至可以为这些事件的发生再加入一个概率,比如:

  • 命中后-源单位-40%几率-治疗。

那些必然发生的事件几率为100%,我们可以设置这个几率的最低值如5%。再比如一定几率秒杀敌人:

  • 命中后/周期性循环-目标/目标范围-5%几率-杀死/造成大量伤害。

如果是范围效果的话,需要决定是一次检定所有目标的成功还是每个目标分别检定。

大部分比较复杂的效果,我们都可以通过创建“马甲飞弹”的方式来实现。《魔兽争霸3》上的《DOTA》中有相当多的技能都是通过这种方式来实现的。不过小心,由于每个飞弹都是可以继续创造马甲飞弹的,小心死循环。

有了一套实现技能的基础机制后,就可以提取出其中的共同点来当做标签使用了!我们能够知道冰封球的范围伤害与陨石术马甲单位的范围伤害并没有区别,持续发射飞弹与持续造成伤害也并没有区别,就可以用同样的标签,共享同样的标签修改效果了。

接下来能够阻挡你的,只有想象力了!(以及计算机的机能限制!)