吴越川
2012年8月26日,中央电视台13套《新闻直播间》栏目对网页游戏行业进行了关注。报道特别提出网页游戏迅猛的增势以及大力发展民族原创页游的必要性。
其实,早在两年前的2010年9月初,新闻出版总署署长、国家版权局局长柳斌杰就提出,国际业界应多关注中国元素的页游。同年12月,新闻联播有有关国内大型页游平台GAME2的报道:国内页游被外国所熟知的并非只有“made in China”的“免费道具”模式,更多的是我们的文化。
页游在短短两年里完成了质的蜕变。
起步和曲折
何谓网页游戏?它又称无端网游,也简称页游,是基于电脑浏览器的网络在线多人互动游戏。相比于传统的网络游戏,它简单方便,无需下载客户端,打开网页只用浏览器就能玩,尤其适合上班一族,一般需要几分钟的设定,游戏内的自动成长功能即让玩家可关掉电脑心满意足地去做工作;如果想随时了解游戏内的情况,还有短信提醒功能。
页游产生只有6年时间。国产页游的起步则是近4年里从学习和借鉴开始的。作为网络游戏的无端化产品,页游以其配置要求低、操作简便、娱乐性突出等优势占有相当大的市场份额,加上页游相对其他游戏种类,其开发成本低廉,收益快,效益高,使得众多小型企业蜂拥而入。
但是,我们却一度在“学习和借鉴”中迷失了自己。
一开始,国产页游的发展都是在模仿中度过,魔幻、玄幻、科幻以及战争,每一个题材的产品几乎都有或大或小的失败之处。生搬硬套别人的文化,不仅让厂商做得辛苦,也让玩家玩得憋屈。
出路何在?国内业界开始意识到,必须发掘民族的文化元素,将之运用于页游制作中。恰逢此时,主管部门的工作也悄然展开——2010年,新闻出版总署科技与数字出版司司长张毅君在接受央视采访时表态:主管部门现在对民族原创页游,特别是其中反映我们的核心价值、民族特点、传承文化这样的优秀作品,采取扶持态度。
2011年,在上海召开的中国国际数码互动娱乐产品及技术应用展览会上,新闻出版总署副署长孙寿山特别参观了以游族网络为代表的原创页游企业,对页游产业已取得的成绩表示了认可,并指出了产业中存在的问题,提出了对下一步工作的期望。
国内著名软件公司金山是涉足页游的先驱之一。“在金山,我们一直把自主研发当作头等大事来抓。”金山董事长雷军表示,从当年《封神榜》《剑侠情缘》等系列产品,一直到现在页游的持续打造,就能看出金山发展自主页游产品的轨迹。正是凭借自主研发的产品,金山成功上市并迅速跻身IT行业一线行列。
金山的发展只是国内页游企业发展的一个缩影。如今国内的页游市场不仅规模空前壮大,而且市场结构发生了翻天覆地的变化。2011年的页游市场收益总量,大大超出了人们的期望值。
多元和趣味
细看成功的页游,多数包含着各种各样的中国元素和文化内涵,背景故事的策划是其中表现最多的一点。比如上海著名IT公司游族网络研发的《三十六计》《七十二变》《十年一剑》《大侠传》《大将军》等数款游戏,都是以中国的武侠文化、神话传说为依托,并将重金投入到策划当中。在该公司60多人的故事策划队伍中,一半都是网络知名写手。游族网络CEO林奇表示,在整个研发费用里面,策划和制作的费用占到了将近30%。
此外,三国水浒西游记等历史小说题材也不逊于武侠文化和神话传说,被许多页游所采用,特别受中青年玩家喜爱。
除了背景故事和策划,富有中国味的音乐也是新兴页游吸引人的亮点之一。很多好游戏的配乐很注重结合中国的古典音乐,仔细听听,经常会发现很多二胡、箫、笛的声音。比如《彩虹岛》里的上京城的背景音乐——在这座充满着浓郁中国古代气息的城市里,清幽的古琴乐曲,配合着流畅的小溪蜿蜒、古色古香的楼房,让人有种春日踏青的感动。
还有不少改编的乐曲,跟中国传统的调调不太一样。比如《大唐风云》里,用的是欢快版的《二泉映月》,不入乡,不随俗,恰似中国、又不是中国的配乐。
当然,充满中国味的服装、配饰也是页游的亮点,比如旗袍和汉服,是《永恒之塔》最初推出的两款时装,同样都很火爆,同样备受瞩目。还有《刀剑2》中被良好地传承了刀剑时代的中国风,无论是男武士的双截棍还是女战士的油纸扇,都让喜欢中国功夫的玩家有了找到“家”的感觉。确实,要想构建真正的武侠世界,不拿出百晓生兵器谱上的几件神器亮一亮,就不会有那股江湖味儿。
此外,还有不少游戏商家大打创新牌,比如上海鸿利数码的《生肖传说》,游戏架构以生肖文化传说为游戏背景蓝本,以十二生肖为原型塑造特色游戏主角,并配以可爱的十二生肖动物作为小宠物。人物为Q版三头身3D形象再加2D游戏场景。在游戏中,八卦、骰子等“精髓”也随处可见。
输出与得到
面对如此花样繁多的中国元素的页游,我们欣喜地看到,消费者已经不只局限于国内青少年——许多老外也瞄上了这块蛋糕。今年以来,许多原创页游企业已经开始将产品大规模输出海外。伴随着巨大的经济效益,中国传统文化也进一步登上国际舞台。美国某网游公司CEO在接受央视记者采访时表示,全世界通过中国的游戏,可以进一步了解中国的文化,并会对这方面的内容越来越感兴趣。
据央视《新闻直播间》栏目报道,作为整个网络游戏产业中的“生力军”,游族网络已经与全球60多家游戏公司开展业务关系,国际知名动漫巨头迪斯尼也主动找上门来,授权其开发相关产品。央视记者认为,游族网络之所以能够引起世界巨头的瞩目,主要是源于他们对于中国传统文化的挖掘和游戏的自主研发。作为央视中极其严谨的栏目,新闻联播高度的实时性和真实性甚至可以成为相关行业的风向标。
中国在全球经济危机中一枝独秀,其实力越来越强,已成为全球第二大经济体。但也有专家指出,中国在增强经济实力、推进企业走向海外的同时,还应该加强文化的输出,以便能让更多国外人更加了解中国悠久、灿烂的文化,页游的出口其实也是中国文化输出的一个重要组成部分。正是从这个意义上看,资深游戏玩家评论称,“中国网页游戏从海外捞回美金不是钱的问题,而是文化输出的胜利”。
更为可喜的是,随着中国游戏研发团队的创意不断涌现和技术能力提高,出口到国外的产品数量及价格还将不断上升,预计在未来三年中,游戏出口市场将保持每年30%左右的增长率,2012年,这一产业的市场规模达到20亿美元。
(本文照片由颜冰提供)
Chinese Browser Games Go International
By Wu Yuechuan
August 26, 2012, CCTV, Chinas largest television network, made a report on Chinas flourishing browser-game industry, noting the exponential growth of the industry and commenting on the national elements and creativity in browser game designs.
The browser-game industry in China made its debut about six years ago. Browser games are often free-to-play and do not require any client software to be installed apart from a web browser. Multiplayer browser games have an additional focus on social interaction, often on a massive scale. Most games can be played within a few minutes.
Like many IT products, Chinese developers were not pioneers in the game of browser games. The domestic browser-game saw a booming start in 2008. As requirements for development are low-end and as money could be made fast in this game, many small developers rushed in.
However, developers, large and small, soon found themselves lost in games that imitated foreign products: wars, magic world, fantasies, and science fictions. Chinese developers felt it extremely frustrating to produce such imitation games and players found it frustrating to play games that offer no elements of Chinese culture.
The whole industry soon began to rethink development strategy for browser games. The General Administration of Press and Publication, the regulators of the industry, also noticed the problem and urged domestic developers to blaze a trail of their own. The regulators encouraged developers to seek inspiration in Chinese culture. Browser game developers launched good games based on Chinese history, myths, literature. These games became extremely popular.
Take a look at browser games developed UUZU.com, a leading web game company established in 2009. Thirty-six Strategies, Seventy-Two Transformations, and Wandering Kongfu Master: these games are based on Chinese history and literature. The developer has a team of 60 plus storywriters, many of them being celebrated online storywriters.
Browser games based on classic novels such as “The Romance of Three Kingdoms”, “Journey to the West” and “Marshland Heroes” are equally popular and awesome.
In addition to background stories and planning, Chinese music, Chinese costumes and adornments, Chinese faces also appeal a great deal to Chinese players and play a big part in the success of domestic browser games.
In 2012, many Chinese browser gamers have found their way into overseas markets and are reaping good economic benefits. The Chinese browser games have helped Chinese culture spread and make it accessible to foreigners. A CEO of a browser game company in USA said in an interview with a CCTV reporter that the world is getting closer to Chinese culture through Chinese web games and will become more and more interested.
UUZU.com, a major fresh force in Chinas browser game industry, has set up partnership with 60 plus game companies across the world, including some game companies of international renown. Disney has partnered with UUZU.com to develop some games. A CCTV reporter commented that UUZU.com attracted global game developers largely because they have successfully developed browser games with distinct Chinese characteristics.
Many regard the export of Chinese games to overseas markets as an export of Chinese culture. A game critic points out that the Chinese game developers get more than profit out of these games and that the export means a victory of Chinese culture.
It is estimated that in the following three years, the Chinese browser-game industry will grow by 30% per year. In 2012, the industry is worth 2 billion US dollars. In the following years, the industry will be worth more. (Translated by Sun Tian)