吳越川
2012年8月26日,中央電視臺13套《新聞直播間》欄目對網(wǎng)頁游戲行業(yè)進行了關(guān)注。報道特別提出網(wǎng)頁游戲迅猛的增勢以及大力發(fā)展民族原創(chuàng)頁游的必要性。
其實,早在兩年前的2010年9月初,新聞出版總署署長、國家版權(quán)局局長柳斌杰就提出,國際業(yè)界應多關(guān)注中國元素的頁游。同年12月,新聞聯(lián)播有有關(guān)國內(nèi)大型頁游平臺GAME2的報道:國內(nèi)頁游被外國所熟知的并非只有“made in China”的“免費道具”模式,更多的是我們的文化。
頁游在短短兩年里完成了質(zhì)的蛻變。
起步和曲折
何謂網(wǎng)頁游戲?它又稱無端網(wǎng)游,也簡稱頁游,是基于電腦瀏覽器的網(wǎng)絡在線多人互動游戲。相比于傳統(tǒng)的網(wǎng)絡游戲,它簡單方便,無需下載客戶端,打開網(wǎng)頁只用瀏覽器就能玩,尤其適合上班一族,一般需要幾分鐘的設定,游戲內(nèi)的自動成長功能即讓玩家可關(guān)掉電腦心滿意足地去做工作;如果想隨時了解游戲內(nèi)的情況,還有短信提醒功能。
頁游產(chǎn)生只有6年時間。國產(chǎn)頁游的起步則是近4年里從學習和借鑒開始的。作為網(wǎng)絡游戲的無端化產(chǎn)品,頁游以其配置要求低、操作簡便、娛樂性突出等優(yōu)勢占有相當大的市場份額,加上頁游相對其他游戲種類,其開發(fā)成本低廉,收益快,效益高,使得眾多小型企業(yè)蜂擁而入。
但是,我們卻一度在“學習和借鑒”中迷失了自己。
一開始,國產(chǎn)頁游的發(fā)展都是在模仿中度過,魔幻、玄幻、科幻以及戰(zhàn)爭,每一個題材的產(chǎn)品幾乎都有或大或小的失敗之處。生搬硬套別人的文化,不僅讓廠商做得辛苦,也讓玩家玩得憋屈。
出路何在?國內(nèi)業(yè)界開始意識到,必須發(fā)掘民族的文化元素,將之運用于頁游制作中。恰逢此時,主管部門的工作也悄然展開——2010年,新聞出版總署科技與數(shù)字出版司司長張毅君在接受央視采訪時表態(tài):主管部門現(xiàn)在對民族原創(chuàng)頁游,特別是其中反映我們的核心價值、民族特點、傳承文化這樣的優(yōu)秀作品,采取扶持態(tài)度。
2011年,在上海召開的中國國際數(shù)碼互動娛樂產(chǎn)品及技術(shù)應用展覽會上,新聞出版總署副署長孫壽山特別參觀了以游族網(wǎng)絡為代表的原創(chuàng)頁游企業(yè),對頁游產(chǎn)業(yè)已取得的成績表示了認可,并指出了產(chǎn)業(yè)中存在的問題,提出了對下一步工作的期望。
國內(nèi)著名軟件公司金山是涉足頁游的先驅(qū)之一。“在金山,我們一直把自主研發(fā)當作頭等大事來抓。”金山董事長雷軍表示,從當年《封神榜》《劍俠情緣》等系列產(chǎn)品,一直到現(xiàn)在頁游的持續(xù)打造,就能看出金山發(fā)展自主頁游產(chǎn)品的軌跡。正是憑借自主研發(fā)的產(chǎn)品,金山成功上市并迅速躋身IT行業(yè)一線行列。
金山的發(fā)展只是國內(nèi)頁游企業(yè)發(fā)展的一個縮影。如今國內(nèi)的頁游市場不僅規(guī)模空前壯大,而且市場結(jié)構(gòu)發(fā)生了翻天覆地的變化。2011年的頁游市場收益總量,大大超出了人們的期望值。
多元和趣味
細看成功的頁游,多數(shù)包含著各種各樣的中國元素和文化內(nèi)涵,背景故事的策劃是其中表現(xiàn)最多的一點。比如上海著名IT公司游族網(wǎng)絡研發(fā)的《三十六計》《七十二變》《十年一劍》《大俠傳》《大將軍》等數(shù)款游戲,都是以中國的武俠文化、神話傳說為依托,并將重金投入到策劃當中。在該公司60多人的故事策劃隊伍中,一半都是網(wǎng)絡知名寫手。游族網(wǎng)絡CEO林奇表示,在整個研發(fā)費用里面,策劃和制作的費用占到了將近30%。
此外,三國水滸西游記等歷史小說題材也不遜于武俠文化和神話傳說,被許多頁游所采用,特別受中青年玩家喜愛。
除了背景故事和策劃,富有中國味的音樂也是新興頁游吸引人的亮點之一。很多好游戲的配樂很注重結(jié)合中國的古典音樂,仔細聽聽,經(jīng)常會發(fā)現(xiàn)很多二胡、簫、笛的聲音。比如《彩虹島》里的上京城的背景音樂——在這座充滿著濃郁中國古代氣息的城市里,清幽的古琴樂曲,配合著流暢的小溪蜿蜒、古色古香的樓房,讓人有種春日踏青的感動。
還有不少改編的樂曲,跟中國傳統(tǒng)的調(diào)調(diào)不太一樣。比如《大唐風云》里,用的是歡快版的《二泉映月》,不入鄉(xiāng),不隨俗,恰似中國、又不是中國的配樂。
當然,充滿中國味的服裝、配飾也是頁游的亮點,比如旗袍和漢服,是《永恒之塔》最初推出的兩款時裝,同樣都很火爆,同樣備受矚目。還有《刀劍2》中被良好地傳承了刀劍時代的中國風,無論是男武士的雙截棍還是女戰(zhàn)士的油紙扇,都讓喜歡中國功夫的玩家有了找到“家”的感覺。確實,要想構(gòu)建真正的武俠世界,不拿出百曉生兵器譜上的幾件神器亮一亮,就不會有那股江湖味兒。
此外,還有不少游戲商家大打創(chuàng)新牌,比如上海鴻利數(shù)碼的《生肖傳說》,游戲架構(gòu)以生肖文化傳說為游戲背景藍本,以十二生肖為原型塑造特色游戲主角,并配以可愛的十二生肖動物作為小寵物。人物為Q版三頭身3D形象再加2D游戲場景。在游戲中,八卦、骰子等“精髓”也隨處可見。
輸出與得到
面對如此花樣繁多的中國元素的頁游,我們欣喜地看到,消費者已經(jīng)不只局限于國內(nèi)青少年——許多老外也瞄上了這塊蛋糕。今年以來,許多原創(chuàng)頁游企業(yè)已經(jīng)開始將產(chǎn)品大規(guī)模輸出海外。伴隨著巨大的經(jīng)濟效益,中國傳統(tǒng)文化也進一步登上國際舞臺。美國某網(wǎng)游公司CEO在接受央視記者采訪時表示,全世界通過中國的游戲,可以進一步了解中國的文化,并會對這方面的內(nèi)容越來越感興趣。
據(jù)央視《新聞直播間》欄目報道,作為整個網(wǎng)絡游戲產(chǎn)業(yè)中的“生力軍”,游族網(wǎng)絡已經(jīng)與全球60多家游戲公司開展業(yè)務關(guān)系,國際知名動漫巨頭迪斯尼也主動找上門來,授權(quán)其開發(fā)相關(guān)產(chǎn)品。央視記者認為,游族網(wǎng)絡之所以能夠引起世界巨頭的矚目,主要是源于他們對于中國傳統(tǒng)文化的挖掘和游戲的自主研發(fā)。作為央視中極其嚴謹?shù)臋谀?,新聞?lián)播高度的實時性和真實性甚至可以成為相關(guān)行業(yè)的風向標。
中國在全球經(jīng)濟危機中一枝獨秀,其實力越來越強,已成為全球第二大經(jīng)濟體。但也有專家指出,中國在增強經(jīng)濟實力、推進企業(yè)走向海外的同時,還應該加強文化的輸出,以便能讓更多國外人更加了解中國悠久、燦爛的文化,頁游的出口其實也是中國文化輸出的一個重要組成部分。正是從這個意義上看,資深游戲玩家評論稱,“中國網(wǎng)頁游戲從海外撈回美金不是錢的問題,而是文化輸出的勝利”。
更為可喜的是,隨著中國游戲研發(fā)團隊的創(chuàng)意不斷涌現(xiàn)和技術(shù)能力提高,出口到國外的產(chǎn)品數(shù)量及價格還將不斷上升,預計在未來三年中,游戲出口市場將保持每年30%左右的增長率,2012年,這一產(chǎn)業(yè)的市場規(guī)模達到20億美元。
(本文照片由顏冰提供)
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)