ch5.mht

游戏设计大师Chris Crawford的大作《The Art of Game Design》唯一不足的是英文版的

  between the two lies in the nature of the bugs exposed. Your own =
playtesting=20
  should reveal and eliminate all program bugs (arising from flaws in =
the=20
  program structure) and many of the game bugs (arising from flaws in =
the game=20
  structure). The game you give to the playtesters should be free of =
program=20
  bugs; they should discover only bugs in the game structure. There is =
no point=20
  in showing an incomplete game to playtesters, and indeed there is a =
danger in=20
  contaminating their objectivity by showing them a version of the game =
too=20
  early. But the time will come when you feel that the game is very =
close to=20
  completion, and your own stock of ideas for improvements is dwindling. =
This is=20
  the time to show the game to a few select playtesters.</P>
  <P>Playtesters must be selected and used with great care. You cannot =
simply=20
  grab a few friends and ask them what they think of the game. You need=20
  playtesters who possess a deep familiarity with games, playtesters who =
can=20
  analyze and criticize your game with some basis of experience. Ideally =
the=20
  playtesters would themselves be game designers, for they would then =
share your=20
  appreciation for the trade-offs essential to good game design. You =
should also=20
  know the player well, both his personality and his game taste. You =
should=20
  never use more than five or six playtesters. A surplus of playtesters =
only=20
  insures that you will not be able to assess carefully the reaction of =
each=20
  playtester.</P>
  <P>A variety of other systems have been used for playtesting. Most =
rely on=20
  gathering large groups of "real people" and assessing their reactions =
to the=20
  game. I have little respect for such systems. Although they are =
scientific,=20
  objective, and democratic, they seldom yield useful design =
information, for=20
  consumers make lousy critics. The suggestions they make are inane and=20
  impractical; they don=92t know enough about computers or games to make =
practical=20
  suggestions. Such methods may well work with detergent and shaving =
cream, but=20
  I very much doubt that any great movie, book, or song was created =
through=20
  market research of this kind. I will concede that such methods can =
prove to be=20
  a useful way to guide the mass production of cheap games by designers =
of=20
  limited talents; this book is not directed to persons of such a =
mentality. The=20
  playtesters will need a preliminary manual for the game. It need not =
be a=20
  finished product any more than the game itself---just enough =
orientation=20
  information to get the playtester going with the game. Make sure that =
there is=20
  enough in the manual that the playtester doesn=92t waste time =
critiquing problems=20
  of the game that will be solved by the manual. Do not sit down with =
the=20
  playtester in advance and coach him through the game; you will only=20
  contaminate his objectivity. The playtester=92s first reaction to the =
game is=20
  your best feedback on the success of the manual . Let the playtester=20
  experiment with the game for perhaps a week before you meet with him. =
Do not=20
  ask the playtester to keep lengthy written records of play =
performance; he=20
  won=92t do it. Instead, include in the manual a few suggestions about =
potential=20
  problems that worry you. The most for which you should ask in writing =
is a=20
  simple record of game options selected and subsequent scores.</P>
  <P>Schedule along interview with the playtester after he has had =
enough time=20
  to digest the game. Come to the interview prepared with a set of =
standard=20
  questions that you ask all playtesters. Do not lead the playtester=92s =
answers=20
  and don=92t solicit praise. Your job is to find flaws; accolades come =
later.=20
  While it is more scientific to use a third person to conduct the =
interview=20
  (thereby assuring more honest answers), this imposes a middleman =
between you=20
  and your playtesters. I prefer to get the information directly from =
the=20
  playtester. I also prefer to take a very negative tack during the =
interview,=20
  encouraging the playtester to criticize the game along with me and to =
suggest=20
  means of improving it.</P>
  <P>Playtesters?criticisms are difficult to evaluate. Most criticisms =
must be=20
  rejected for a variety of reasons. Some are incompatible with your =
goals; some=20
  are not achievable in the-memory space remaining. Some are reasonable, =
but=20
  would require major software surgery incommensurate with the gains =
offered. Do=20
  not hesitate to reject 90% of the suggestions made. The remaining 10% =
are=20
  right; waste no time implementing them. How do you tell the good 10%? =
This is=20
  the stuff of wisdom; I certainly don=92t know.</P>
  <P>The final stage of the design cycle is devoted to polishing the =
game. The=20
  polishing stage is actually concurrent with the later stages of =
playtesting=20
  and may involve several iterations with the playtesters. This stage is =

  critical; the designer has been working on the game for a long time by =
now and=20
  the luster of the new design has worn off. It is now only a big job =
that=20
  should have been finished months ago. The playtesters love it, the =
publisher=20
  loves it and wants it right now, and the designer is sick of it. The =
urge to=20
  dump the damn thing is overpowering. Resist this urge; press on =
relentlessly=20
  and polish, polish, polish. Keep testing the game, fine-tuning it, and =
adding=20
  tiny embellishments to it. Once it=92s out the door, it=92s gone =
forever. Every=20
  single game I have done has followed the same pattern: I polished the =
game=20
  until I was sick of it and never wanted to see it again. When at last =
I sent=20
  the game out, I rejoiced; I was free of that dog at last. Within a =
month I was=20
  regretting my impatience and wishing I could have a chance to clean up =
that=20
  one embarrassing bug that I had never noticed. Within three months my =
regret=20
  had turned into shame as I discovered or was told of many more bugs. I =
have=20
  programs out there whose patrimony I hope never becomes widely =
known.</P>
  <P>One of the last tasks you must perform before releasing the game is =
the=20
  preparation of a game manual. Manuals are frequently given short =
shrift by=20
  just about everybody associated with computer games. This is a serious =

  mistake, for the manual is a vital element in the overall game =
package. A=20
  computer has many limitations; some can be overcome with a good =
manual. Much=20
  of the static information associated with a game can be presented in a =
manual.=20
  The manual is also an excellent place to add fantasy support elements =
such as=20
  pictures and background stories. Finally, a well-written manual will =
clear up=20
  many of the misunderstandings that often arise during a game.</P>
  <P>You must write your own manual for the game, no matter how poor a =
writer=20
  you are, and even if a professional writer will prepare the final =
manual. The=20
  attempt to write your own manual will increase your respect for the =
skills of=20
  the professional writer, making it more likely that you will have a =
productive=20
  relationship with the writer. Writing your own manual will also =
provide=20
  feedback on the cleanliness of the game design. Clumsy designs are =
hard to=20
  describe, while clean designs are easier to describe. Finally, your =
own manual=20
  will be a useful source document for the professional writer. You =
should be=20
  prepared for the writer to throw out your manual and start all =
over---a good=20
  writer would rather create a new manual than polish an amateur's crude =

  efforts. You must cater to the writer=92s needs, answering all his =
questions as=20
  completely as possible. Only a close and supportive relationship =
between=20
  designer and writer can produce an excellent manual. <FONT =
size=3D-1><A=20
  =
href=3D"http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/peabody/game-book/Chapter5.html#=
top">Top</A></FONT></P>
  <P><A name=3DPOST-MORTEM></A><B>POST-MORTEM</B></P>
  <P>Once the program is out, brace yourself for the critics. They will =
get=20
  their filthy hands on your lovely game and do the most terrible things =
to it.=20
  They will play it without reading the rules. If it=92s a strategic =
game, they=20
  will castigate it for being insufficiently exciting; if it=92s an =
S&amp;A game,=20
  they will find it intellectually deficient. They will divine imaginary =

  technical flaws and speculate incorrectly on your deep psychological =
hang-ups=20
  that led you to produce such a game. One critic of mine concluded that =

  TANKTICS was obviously slapped together on a rush schedule; actually, =
the time=20
  between first efforts and final publication was five years and two =
months.=20
  Another roasted ENERGY CZAR (an energy economics educational =
simulation)=20
  because it wasn=92t as exciting as his favorite arcade game. Don=92t =
let these=20
  critics affect you. Most critics are far less qualified to criticize =
programs=20
  than you are to write them. A very few critics with the larger =
publications=20
  are quite thoughtful; you should pay attention to their comments. With =
most=20
  critics, though, you should pay heed only to views shared by three or =
more=20
  independent critics. Remember also that even a good critic will roast =
you if=20
  your goal is not to his taste.</P>
  <P>The public is another matter. If they don=92t buy your game, you =
lose two=20
  ways: first, you or your employer make little money on the game; and =
second,=20
  you don=92t reach as many people with your message. It doesn=92t =
matter how=20
  beautiful your message is-if nobody listens to it, you have failed as =
an=20
  artist. One failure is nothing to worry about; every artist bombs=20
  occasionally. Two failures in a row are bad; three should initiate a =
serious=20
  reconsideration of artistic values. Are you willing to be a noble and =
starving=20
  artist, or a somewhat wealthier artisan? Look within your heart, long =
and=20
  hard. If deep down inside you know that you met your goals, then =
ignore the=20
  critics and the public.</P></UL>
<UL>
  <CENTER>
  <P><FONT size=3D-1><A=20
  =
href=3D"http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/peabody/game-book/Chapter5.html#=
top">Top</A>=20
  &nbsp;|&nbsp; <A=20
  =
href=3D"http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/peabody/game-book/Coverpage.html=
">Return=20
  to Table of Contents</A>&nbsp; | Chapters: </FONT><A=20
  =
href=3D"http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/peabody/game-book/Chapter1.html"=
>1</A>=20
  - <A=20
  =
href=3D"http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/peabody/game-book/Chapter2.html"=
>2</A>=20
  - <A=20
  =
href=3D"http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/peabody/game-book/Chapter3.html"=
>3</A>=20
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href=3D"http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/peabody/game-book/Chapter4.html"=
>4</A>=20
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href=3D"http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/peabody/game-book/Chapter5.html"=
>5</A>=20
  - <A=20
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href=3D"http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/peabody/game-book/Chapter6.html"=
>6</A>=20
  - <A=20
  =
href=3D"http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/peabody/game-book/Chapter7.html"=
>7</A>=20
  - <A=20
  =
href=3D"http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/peabody/game-book/Chapter8.html"=
>8</A>=20
  </P></CENTER>
  <P>
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