作者：Gage Lawhon
引言
游戏产业并不存在着无限的机会。因为玩家不一定拥有足够的资金和时间去够买所有自己喜欢的游戏，所以只有一小部分游戏能够成功征服市场。对于那些新游戏，它们不仅需要凸显自己的创造性，还必须尊从当前主宰市场的那些前辈所奉行的惯例。《光晕》、《使命召唤》、《军团要塞》以及《战地》等都可以称得上是主导着当前市场的游戏，它们不仅拥有很好的销量，而且还持续发行了更多额外的下载内容，总之，创造出优秀的多人游戏体验能够为你带来更高的销售利润。
多人游戏要想占领市场，就必须具备三大要素。首先，游戏必须能够调动玩家的激情。游戏可以提供给玩家一些诱人的定制化选择，各种多样化或者不可预见的机遇等。其次：游戏必须成功地吸引玩家去尝试多人游戏体验。稳健的玩家角色发展，各种成就目标以及一贯的心理奖励等都能够帮助游戏创造这种吸引力。最后，应该维持多人游戏的平衡性：平衡玩家的游戏能力；监督玩家所涉及的领域；而游戏本身也应该带有一些吸引人的功能。如果游戏能在这几方面做得好，那么不仅能够提高销售额，扩大玩家基础，提高玩家对于额外下载产品的需求，还能够为游戏的后续产品带来潜在的销量。
激励–>吸引–>维持–>获益
光晕(from kamranweb)
1.激励
成功地激励玩家是创造畅销游戏的第一步。游戏必须提供足够多诱人的功能去吸引众多玩家的注意。但是因为本文主要侧重于多人游戏，所以这里说的功能也仅是指多人游戏中的功能，换句话说，就是多样性和定制化。多样性可以长时间地吸引大量的玩家，而让玩家能够定制属于自己的游戏则能让他们对游戏产生一种归属感，从而慢慢地推动着他们变成游戏的忠实粉丝。而大量的用户基础所带来的次级效益便是能够快速地传播游戏。玩家具有社交性，如果他们的朋友积极地向他们推荐一款游戏，那么他们便很有可能会受到刺激而去购买那款游戏。所以，如果你拥有更多且不同类型的用户基础，那么无形之中你便拥有更多的广告机会了。
多样性
提供一种灵活且多样性的体验是推动游戏成功的必要因素。每个玩家都是不同的，他们都拥有自己特别的喜好。而具有多样性的多人游戏将让玩家能够按照自己的喜好进行游戏，避免去忍受自己所讨厌的功能。所以，许多不同的玩家都是因为可以享受自己喜欢的体验而被游戏所吸引。的确，一款具有竞争性的多人游戏是一个非常复杂的有机体，而多样性对于这个有机体则是血液般的存在，贯穿于始终并维持着它的生命。
提供各种不同的游戏风格非常重要。游戏中至少需要出现3种不同的游戏风格供玩家体验，而且越多越好，多人游戏风格让玩家能够通过更多不同的方式与游戏进行交流。举个例子来说，射击游戏经常包含了狙击，中程范围多样化以及近距离突击等模式。通过提供不同风格给各类玩家能够更好地吸引他们的注意，并确保他们不会因此感到厌倦。他们可以改变不同的游戏风格，用不同的方式去体验同一款游戏。
玩家的目标也需要具备多样化，以此才能激励更多不同的玩家进入游戏。如果不同游戏模式拥有相同的风格，那么玩家也有可能只会随机选择一款游戏，所以如果游戏具有多样性，那么便能更加吸引他们的注意了。《光晕》以其传统的游戏类型而出名，如死亡模式和夺旗模式，但是为了迎合玩家的需求，游戏又创造了一些独特的机制，如Griff Ball，僵尸及火箭赛车。当玩家厌烦了一种游戏类型，他们还有其它选择，所以不会轻易地离开游戏。拥有越多不同的目标类型能够改变游戏节奏，策略和本质，从而推动游戏更好地发展。
位于不同领域的玩家，也可以称为玩家的游戏区域或级别，同样是推动游戏多样性的重要因素。这些领域是玩家在体验多人游戏时的栖息之地，所以在这里安置多样性能够更好地维持玩家基础。就像《使命召唤》之后发布的区域图和级别机制，都为这款游戏注入了新的生命，也为它带来了更大的利益。
从各个方面来看，玩家的世界也必须具备多样性。首先，布局和建筑都必须同时具备简单的布局和迷宫般复杂的格局，单一的级别和多重的层次，匀称与非匀称的特点。其次，颜色和环境也必须有所改变，不论是简单的灰色迷宫还是复杂的灰色迷宫，总之，单一的灰色就是不行！必须注入更多的色彩和情感，丰富游戏世界的纹理，赋予其真正的多样性。这么做不仅可以吸引到那些因为游戏的单一性而产生视觉疲劳的资深玩家，同时也能够提供给新玩家不一样的游戏体验。《英雄联盟》虽然取得了成功，但是在这方面却做得不是很好，所以它始终赶超不了《星际争霸》这类使用了多种不同区域图的游戏。
最后，游戏的不同回合之间也必须存在着明显的变化。每次的竞赛或者每个回合的游戏都必须提供给玩家不一样的体验。幸运的是，玩家在争夺胜利的过程中就在创造着这种体验。他们选择的不同游戏风格，游戏能力以及行走在不同路线都能保证他们拥有不同的游戏体验。而游戏的存在便是为了维护这种机遇。任何游戏都应该避免按照相同的方法提供游戏竞赛。玩家必须能够完全控制自己的世界，他们只认同运气和技能而不会去屈服于游戏设计者或者人工智能的控制。
定制化
让玩家能在游戏世界中表现自己的创造性，将能更好地调动他们游戏的积极性。如果玩家能够将自己的想象力融入游戏中，那么他们便能深刻感受到自己对于游戏的所有权。而在某种程度上，游戏便脱离了“那款游戏”的定义，而成为了“我的游戏”。这是一个很重要的心理方法。因为感受到自己对于游戏的所有权，玩家便更加愿意长期进行游戏，并真诚地期待游戏的后续作品了。
对于游戏设计者来说应该掌握两大定制化功能。首先便是游戏模式的设计。玩家的创造性总是能够超越开发者，俗话说的好，“三个臭皮匠抵得住一个诸葛亮”。我之前提到的《光晕》的“Griff Ball”和“僵尸”模式就是例子。提供一些富有创造性的工具让玩家能够充当业余的游戏设计者着实是件接近于零成本的好差事。你唯一要做的只是观察玩家社区，并从上千名玩家中挑选出最佳想法。如此玩家也可以设计级别和区域图了。所以在等待游戏设计者的官方内容诞生之前，玩家可以先游戏自己的创造物，从而延长了多人游戏的生命周期。
最后，玩家角色的定制化也是游戏体验的一大重要因素。不论是能力，外表，增强功能还是这三个之和，只要是能让玩家拥有属于自己的游戏角色，便是一个优秀的定制化功能。玩家角色是存在于游戏世界的虚拟形象，如果能让玩家深刻地感受到自己对于这个角色的掌控，那么他们便更有可能将这个角色当成自己的宝贵财富而好好对待。正是这种功能让《刀魂》系列吸引了众多玩家的注意，并让他们感受到有别于平常打斗游戏的体验。更深层次的定制化选择将让玩家能够自己设计游戏风格，削弱他们所讨厌的游戏内容而提高自己对于游戏的所有权。《使命召唤》中的负荷系统以及《魔兽世界》中的能力系统便很好地做到了这一点。这两款游戏都拥有庞大的玩家基础，而一部分原因便是它们让玩家能在游戏中享受属于自己的游戏角色。
2.吸引
一旦玩家开始接触游戏，那么成功的多人游戏便会开始通过奖励，玩家角色发展，成就标志等方面吸引他们的注意力了。每一款游戏中所采用的短期奖励将能够帮助游戏巩固玩家基础，而长期的奖励将能够激励玩家长期进行游戏。这些奖励将能够巩固玩家角色的发展以及形成角色的定制化，从而转变成一种有形的奖励。这不仅使奖励更具有意义，同时也提供给玩家一种长期的目标。最后，玩家获得的成就将让他们愿意继续设定更多个人目标，甚至是在游戏角色达到最大发展之后。这种系统将能够推动玩家继续前进。
奖励
最好能频繁提供一些较小的奖励，然后不时提供一些更大的奖励作为福利。当然了，如果玩家的表现更加突出，那么他便会获得更棒的奖励。观念上来讲，每一个行动，每一个道具，每一个目标以及每一项任务都会促成不同类型的奖励。受到奖励的玩家同时也会感受到自己的游戏风格选择得到了认可，而因此继续尝试其它游戏风格，并争取获得更多的奖励。同样地，输家和赢家都应该为他们的时间投入和努力而获得相应的奖励。获得奖励的赢家自然会想要继续进行挑战，而输家也会因为奖励而走出失败的情绪，并愿意再次进行挑战。《英雄联盟》便成功地使用了这种系统：尽管玩家被厉害的敌人打败了，他们也能获得奖励，从而让他们愿意再次回到游戏战场进行挑战。
发展
如果玩家能够利用奖励去装饰他们的角色或者改变游戏风格，那么这种奖励将会趋向有形化。这不仅能够让玩家感受到拥有权，也能让他们感受到自己的进步和所获得的成就。他们不只是在玩一款有趣的游戏，而且也能从中有所成就。各种附加模式都必须让玩家愿意继续玩游戏。这种奖励可以是新的能力，新的道具或者只是用来装饰游戏角色的装饰品。甚至，长期的奖励将有可能激励玩家长期进行游戏。显然，《使命召唤：现代战争2》便是一款拥有较好发展节奏（并附有一些成就方面）的游戏。无数玩家每天都会玩这款游戏，无数玩家愿意购买这款游戏的后续产品，无数玩家急切地等待着这款游戏下一章节的发行。
使命召唤：现代战争2(from kotaku)
成就
有时候，玩家有可能完成或者已经厌倦了不变的奖励和角色发展。这时候通过使用一些巧妙的设计便能进一步延长玩家的游戏时间。提供一张密密麻麻的任务列表以及潜在的成就单，将能够留住资深玩家的注意。关于玩家的表现，道具使用，能力使用，受到奖励的次数或者发展频率的统计将能够鼓励玩家继续挑战，而直到他们遇到新的游戏内容。如果他们在游戏中徘徊的时间越长，那么他们就越有可能购买游戏。
3.维持
最后，必须不断去维持多人游戏体验，否则再好的激励也会失效，从而让游戏丢失了更多潜在的用户。必须组建一个小团队去维护游戏的平衡，游戏世界的有序，并实时添加新的游戏内容等。如果任何一款游戏想要成为市场的佼佼者，那么它更是需要重视这一点。同时还必须牢记，如果拥有越多长期玩家，那么它的下一款游戏便会拥有越多潜在的购买者。
平衡
即使是一款拥有多人游戏风格，能力和目标的优秀游戏，如果失去了平衡，也有可能会从此一蹶不振。单一的游戏风格不可能压倒其它游戏风格，玩家也不会认为单一的能力是最有效益的，而且也不存在任何区域图，级别或者游戏类型能让一名玩家永远掌握着最佳优势而压倒其他人。我们必须清楚，游戏必须让所有玩家都感受到公平性。而如果游戏做不到这一点，将会迅速地失去很多玩家，而游戏的本质也会遭到扭曲。平衡性将会造就或破坏多人游戏体验，所以我们必须正视它。
监督
即使游戏做到了平衡性，但是一些来自玩家造成的邪恶因素将可能给游戏系统造成困扰，包括一些逃过了游戏测试者双眼的黑客行为和漏洞。每一款游戏都需要安插一个小团队去监督游戏世界中的这些邪恶行为，以防止那些诚实的玩家受到伤害而离开游戏。《使命召唤：现代战争2》便在2010年遭遇了这种挫折（游戏邦注：当时有很多玩家，特别是《Penny Arcade》的创造者，都相继离开了游戏），尽管这种问题已经得到了抑制，但是仍对这款游戏造成了巨大的伤害。在较小程度上，不适当的玩家行为将会遭到相应的惩罚，但是一般情况下，玩家自己便可以解决一些非技巧问题。如果能提供给玩家一个简单且具有激励性的“无声”监督功能，那也是一种不错的选择。
添加
最后，上述努力的目标便是：能够创造并销售之前游戏的额外内容。比起长时间地开发整体游戏，这些新的内容能够享受到更高的利润率，这么看来创造出优秀的多人游戏体验所付出的努力也是有所回报的。但是，这并不是意味着我们能够匆匆拼凑这些内容而随意地投入市场进行销售，相反地，可下载的内容也必须满足玩家对于整款游戏的期待标准。理想来看，新的游戏内容其实都拥有更高的质量。如果玩家认可了新内容的质量，那么他们也会对下一款内容的质量有所期待。因此，一款游戏将能牢牢地把握住整个市场，直到下一款完整游戏的出现，从而再次开始相同过程的循环。
结论
激励玩家，吸引玩家，并维持游戏平衡——这都是创造一款富有竞争性多人游戏体验必须经历的关键步骤。虽然如今市场中的游戏拥有各种不同的设计和主题，但是所有多人游戏都具有相同的准则。任何新的游戏都很好地仿效了之前的经典案例而创造出属于自己的游戏体验，除非你创造出一款成功的多人游戏体验，要不你便难以追随当前市场的发展脚步。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）
The Keys to a Top-Selling Multiplayer Games
by Gage Lawhon
Introduction
The game industry does not have infinite room. Only a handful of titles can successfully conquer the market, as players do not have the funds, nor the time, to purchase all the games they might desire. For a new intellectual property to successfully compete, they must offer innovation, but they must also pay homage to the features current champions of the market possess. Halo, Call of Duty, Team Fortress, and Battlefield are prime examples of market dominating titles; however, they not only sell a large number of copies- they continue sales long after release with piecemeal content downloads. These later, high-profit margin sales are a direct result of a fantastic multiplayer experience.
In order for a competitive multiplayer experience to dominate the market, the game must succeed in three areas. First, the game must excite the player. This can be done by offering desirable customization options, healthy variety, and an element of chance and/or unpredictability. Second: The game must successfully addict the player to the multiplayer experience. Well-paced player character development, endless goals of achievement, and consistent psychological reward will succeed in creating this addiction. Finally, the multiplayer service must be maintained: A careful balance of player abilities must be preserved; the realm of the players must be policed; and the game itself must grow through attractive new features. Success in this process leads directly to increased sales, a larger player base, more demand for additional downloadable product, and high sales potential for an eventual sequel.
Excite –> Addict –> Maintain –> Profit
I. Excite
Successfully exciting a gamer is the essential first step in creating a top-selling game. A game must offer enough desirable features to attract a large number of players. But this essay deals exclusively with competitive multiplayer, so will deal only with desirable features within a multiplayer mode- namely, variety and customization; A large amount of variety can go a long way in luring a large player base, while features that allow players to customize their game can provide a sense of ownership in the product- thus increasing their likelihood of becoming loyal fans. A secondary benefit of a large player base is a quick flow of word-of-mouth praise. Gamers are social, and if their friends begin raving about a certain game, they will be motivated to purchase their own copy. So the larger and more diverse the initial player base of a game, the more grassroots advertising taking place.
Variety
Providing a flexible and varied experience is essential for a game’s success. Players are individuals, and they each have their own unique likes and dislikes. A multiplayer experience with variety will allow a player to focus on their preferences while avoiding features they do not enjoy. Thus, a large, diverse population of players become attracted to the product because they can all find a purely enjoyable experience. Indeed, a competitive multiplayer game is a complicated organism, and variety must be the omnipresent blood that keeps it alive.
A variety of possible playstyles is foremost in importance. There must be at least three different playstyles for players to utilize, but the more the better; Multiple playstyles increase the number of ways players can interact with the game. For example, shooting games often allow for sniping, medium range versatility, and close range rushing. This attracts more players by offering something for everyone, and it ensures that players never become bored. Instead, they can change to a different playstyle to enjoy the same game in a different way.
Player objectives must also be diverse so as to excite a diverse population of players. Different game modes are similar to playstyles in that certain players favor one type over the other, so a variety increases the game’s draw. The Halo franchise is well known for its traditional game-types, like deathmatch and capture the flag, but fans and staff have also created unique options like Griff Ball, Zombies, and Rocket Race. When players might tire of even their favorite game type, a plethora of other choices ensures the player stays with the game. The more a different objective type changes the pace, strategies, and essence of the game, the better.
The various realms of the player, often called maps or levels, are also important to game variety. They are the worlds the players inhabit during their multiplayer experience, so variety here is important to maintain a large player base. With the Call of Duty Franchise, post-released maps and levels can breathe new life into an aging game; Also: profit.
The player’s world must be diverse in a number of respects. First, layout and architecture must change to offer both simplistic maps and complex labyrinths, single level and multiple, symmetrical and asymmetrical. Second, the colors and environment must change- a simple gray maze and a complex gray maze are still just gray mazes- the color, the emotion, the textures of the game worlds must vary greatly to give a true sense of variety. This will capture veteran players by countering game fatigue, while providing new players a cornucopia of experiences. League of Legends, while successful, fails in this respect, and thus will never enjoy anywhere near the success of games like StarCraft which employ many different maps.
Finally, the game must vary on a round-by-round basis. Every match, every round, must offer unfathomable possibility. Luckily this is naturally created by the players themselves as they compete for victory. Their different playstyles, powers, and the way they interact with the map and each other ensures every game is brand new experience. The game’s role is to foster this element of chance and to protect it. Any game mechanic which ensures a match will go a certain way every time must be avoided. The players must be in full control of their worlds, and players only accept luck and skill as their masters- not the game designers- not the A.I.
Customization
Allowing the player to express their own creativity in the game world is a powerful way to increase player excitement with a game. If a player is allowed to import his imagination into the game, then a sense of player ownership is achieved. To some degree, the game stops being “that game” and becomes “my game.” It is a significant psychological step. Players with a sense of ownership are more likely to play the game for a longer period of time, thus becoming hungry consumers of post-release content.
Two of the customizable features are actually a boon for the game designers. The first being game mode design. The creativity of the players will always surpass that of the developer through the simple merit of numbers: the odds are a pool of several million people will invent something successful before a single person. Previously mentioned examples of this are Halo’s “Griff Ball” and the “Zombies” competitive multiplayer type. Providing the tools of creation to players grants the game a huge base of amateur game designers at nearly zero cost. The only investment required is a small staff capable of observing the player community and picking out the great ideas from the thousands of others. Levels and maps can also be designed by players for a similar benefit. So, while waiting for the designer’s official content, the player base is entertained by their own creations, thus lengthening the lifespan of the multiplayer experience.
Finally, the customization of the player character is an important element of the gaming experience. Whether it is in abilities, appearance, enhancements, or all three; allowing the player to own their own character is the single most powerful factor of customization. A player character is the gamer’s avatar in the game world, and the more they feel in control of it, the more it feels like a precious possession. This feature alone has made the Soul Calibur series able to attract gamers who do not usually play fighting games. Deep customizations options also allow the player to customize their own playstyle at will, deceasing potential game fatigue while increasing ownership. This has proven successful in Call of Duty’s load-out system and World of Warcraft’s talent system. Both games maintain huge player populations, due in no small part to the power players enjoy over their own characters.
II. Addict
Once the game is played for the first time, the successful multiplayer game will attempt to addict the player to the game experience. This is accomplished through rewards, player character development, and marks of achievement. Short term reward, those given out for basic performance in each game, positively reinforces the player at all times. Meanwhile, long term rewards provide incentive for a lengthy career of play. These rewards result in the player character’s development and customization- transforming arbitrary points into tangible prize. This gives meaning to the rewards and provides players with long-term goals. Finally, player achievement allows the player to continue setting personal goals long after the player character is fully developed. This system provides an endless form of advancement for the player (Their gaming ego is rewarded).
Reward
It is best that rewards come small and often, then punctuated by larger rewards with greater fan-fare. Naturally, the more exceptional the performance the greater the treat. Ideally every action, every item, every objective, every task results in some form of reward. A player whom is rewarded for playing the game feels validated by their choice of playstyle, and is simultaneously drawn to experimenting with other playstyles for their rewards. Similarly, both the losing player and the winning player must be rewarded for their time and effort. The winner will naturally be eager for another conquest, while the loser should feel that they accomplished something even in defeat so they will not be discouraged from playing again. Such a system is employed with success in League of Legends: Even players utterly crushed by elite foes gain reward, giving them the heart to return to the battlefield.
Development
The rewards become tangible when they can be utilized by the player to modify their avatar or even their playstyle. Not only does this increase the sense of player ownership, but it gives the player a feeling of progress and accomplishment. They are not just playing a fun game- they are getting somewhere. Various unlockables should be provided to the player as she/he continues to play. These prizes could be new abilities, new items, or even simple cosmetic changes for their avatar or profile. An even spacing of these rewards can string the prizes out for a long time, thus encouraging long term play by the gamer. An obvious example of well-paced development (and of the following achievement section) is Call of Duty’s Modern Warfare 2. Thousands of players play that game every day, thousands of players buy every post-release content offering, and hundreds of thousands are waiting eagerly for the next entry in the series.
Achievement
Still at some point, every player will either finish or tire of their steady rewards and character development. This moment can be delayed for some time by skillful design, but it -will- happen. Providing the player with a nigh-endless list of tasks and potential accomplishments is a great way to maintain veteran player interest. In-depth statistics for performance, item use, ability use, and even how often the reward/development cycle has been completed can encourage a player to continue playing until the next content patch arrives and beyond. The longer they linger, the more purchases they are likely to make.
III. Maintain
Finally, the multiplayer experience must be maintained for the players, otherwise the gains from the excitement of release might be lost- thus losing potential consumers of later downloadable material. A small team must be employed to ensure the game remains balanced, the game world policed, and that new game content is created and added. It is an unavoidable expense for any game seeking to become a top player in the market, and remember, the more people who enjoy the game for a long period of time, the more potential purchasers there are for the next game.
Balance
A well-designed game with multiple playstyles, abilities, and objectives can still fail if not properly balanced. One playstyle can never be overpowering to any other, the players should never find a single ability to be the most effective, and no element of the map, level, or game type should give one player dominating advantage over another. It is essential that the game feel fair at all times to all participants. Failing in this respect will result in the rapid loss of players, and the game’s essence will be perverted beyond recognition of the designers. Balance makes or breaks the multiplayer experience, it MUST be accomplished.
Police
Even if a game is meticulously balanced, the more vile elements of the player base will seek ways to cheat the system, either through hacking or exploiting bugs missed by play-testers. A team must be on hand to combat these seditious efforts in the game world because honest players will be driven away from the game. Modern Warfare 2 experienced such an event in 2010, and many players, notably Penny Arcade’s creators, stopped playing the game. Though such exploits were eventually fixed, they still caused lasting harm to the game’s health. To a lesser extent, inappropriate player behavior could be met with discipline as well, but players are generally good at dealing with non-technical issues amongst themselves. Though providing the players with an easy-to-activate mute function is always a good idea.
Add
Finally, the goal of the above efforts: the ability to create and market additional content for the original release. This new content enjoys a much higher profit margin in comparison to the lengthy development of the entire game, so the painstaking effort of creating an excellent multiplayer experience will pay off handsomely. However, this does not mean content can be thrown together and tossed onto the market- downloadable content must meet the same standards of excellence players have come to expect from the full game. Ideally, the new content will be of even higher quality. If the players deem the content as high quality and desirable, the next content release will be met with equal excitement. Thus a stable market is maintained until the release of the next full title- restarting the process.
Conclusion
Exciting the player, addicting them, and then maintaining the game- these are the proven steps to creating a top competitive multiplayer experience. The current market leading games are of varied designs and themes, but all share a similar formula to their multiplayer components. Any new intellectual property would do well to follow their example in the creation of their own games, as nothing maintains market presence like a successful multiplayer experience.（source:gamasutra）