Wednesday, June 27, 2007

內生的暴力

  Although there's scarcely any possibility of putting blade skills to practical use in this modern society, I am still very much convinced that the concept of blade wielding is both noble and romantic.
  Only through the knowledge of how much destruction we are able to deliver, can we come to harness the vicious beast that dwells within us.
  There is no need to shy away from such violence.
  For it is the nature that we were born with.
  Rather, embrace it and acknowledge it, and treat it as you would treat any other part of yourself.
  Hunger does not go away, it simply just finds a place to hide in, and multiplies.
  And when time and chance comes by, the never-fed monsterity that has thought to been gone, will simply come out to devour and conquer our body and soul.
  That is why seemingly good men have been known to become even more horrid than the vilest of all villians during extreme situations. For it was they themselves, that drove their monsters into insanity by starvation.
  Feed it when you can, feed it what you can.
  And maybe by such action, can we at least cling on to our integrety as mankind, when crisis and chaos come upon us.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

From Canceling to the Basic Concept of Control Design

  熟悉動作遊戲的玩家都應該知道,「取消」是一種具有重大意義的
操作設計。不論是對結束動作硬直的解除或者是連段中途的換招,這些
都有可能在戰鬥的過程中,變成決定生死的微妙關鍵。
  不過,取消受付做得好的遊戲,多半都還是出自多少有些格鬥遊戲
製作經驗的老牌公司。
  尤其是2D格鬥遊戲的製作背景尤其重要。
  也許就是因為2D世界中,所有的動作全部都是用一張一張的連續
圖案硬畫出來的。因此在設計2D遊戲的操作時,對於Frame的掌
握也會相對變得十分精準。
  而其實3D與2D相比起來,也只是在製作過程中使用的是3D建
模的方式來完成。但在最後的畫面呈現時,依然是要出現在平面呈像的
電視螢幕上。因此在進行動態輸入的判定時,也不應背離「畫面格數」
也就是Frame的這個概念。
  然而大多數在3D時代才跨足到遊戲工業的公司,卻很明顯地對於
「格數」的概念缺乏精準的認知。這也是為何這些公司所出產的動作遊
戲,時常伴隨有操作輸入模糊、角色動作缺乏有力頓點的主要原因。
  這些問題的確未必會變成遊戲的致命傷,也有許多動作充滿輕飄飄
滑膩感的動作遊戲因為解謎或探索部分的趣味而堪稱一流的遊戲。但它
們在動作的深度跟可以反覆鑽研的空間上,就顯得淺薄且容易讓玩家陷
入操作疲勞的困境。
  不過吾人依然相信,動作遊戲的本源依然是在於動作的本身。若然
動作本身不好的動作遊戲,能為人所深刻記憶的部分自然有限。即便是
最終的售出數字有著令人滿意的結果,但身為設計者的我們自不應滿足
於這一時的收成。

Friday, June 22, 2007

How much should we read?

相較於其他時常浸淫於文字裡的人,我應該算是很少在閱讀的懶鬼。
但某方面我卻認為,在現代文字氾濫的年代中,讀得糟不如讀得少。
也許,這只是在為個人的慵懶在找開脫的藉口。
然而每每走進販賣出版品的場所時,那堆疊得像山一樣高的垃圾文學,卻總是能讓我避易三里。
人的廣度能有多少,其實在很早的年歲中就已經決定了。
在那之後,我們所增添的,不過就是修築門面的磚瓦罷了。
凡超出基石者,最後總會淪於崩落的命運。
這倒不是消極地向命運臣服,而是積極地掌握自身的本質。
小而美的精緻,未必亞於雄偉者的壯闊。
唯有徹底地認清自我,才能在這暗潮洶湧的世海中掌舵。
即便是閱讀,也應當這樣。