Text / Mobile game that little thing Ayumu Nishizawa
To design a character is to live again in the shoes of his identity.
With the 1.1 version of "Awakening in the Past" more than halfway through, "Singing Tide" is gradually on the right track. The pressure and the pits that you have stepped on during the opening of the service can be regarded as a part of lying on the salary and tasting the courage. To be honest, I'm glad to see that "Singing Tides" always brings me unexpected shocks.
In fact, for the performance of the content of the card pool in the first half of 1.1, I still don't dare to be "happy" too early. Even today's tide only once again confirms the core advantages of "Singing Tide" in action performance.
But today, with the arrival of Changli, I have to admit that they are indeed making progress in character building and plot polishing.
went to Chengxiao Mountain, as a "guide", he was accompanied by a long distance, and he took the initiative to be moved by the decisiveness of Jinxi and his party on the way; Climb the Panlong Cliff, witness the fateful battle between the horn and Jinxi in the field, and hear the cry of death and life when Jinxi absorbs the "energy of time", which makes the author, who thinks that his tears are not low, can't help but have a sour eye.
Near the end of the story, I was told that I was the master (master) of the "horn" of the year, and the unexpected identity unfolding brought more shock than comfort; After the situation was resolved, the whole area was revived, and the main chapter came to an end in the peace of Hongzhen, and at the same time, it also laid the groundwork related to the Remnant Star Society and the Black Sea.
The new version of the character creation and emotional output successfully translated into downright positive feedback, reversing players' previous negative impressions of the game's narrative, and many people even called version 1.1 a true open beta of "Singing Tide".
Looking back at the early days of "Singing Tide", most of the public opinion points to the lack of polishing of the plot and performance, as well as the optimization of the mobile terminal.
As it turns out, Kuro has a clear self-awareness of the game's existing pain points. In addition to the progress of the plot is obvious to all, a while ago, "Singing Tide" also carried out a hot update of about 200 megabytes, and careful players soon found that the mobile experience has become silky, and the login loading reading speed has changed from three minutes to more than ten seconds, and problems such as heating and frame drops have also been significantly improved.
(Players post optimization comparisons in the comment area)
The topic of "Mingchao epic optimization" has rushed to the first place on the bilibili hot search list in one fell swoop.
("Mingchao Epic Optimization" ranked first on the hot search list of station B)
Looking back at the optimization promise made to players after the launch of the server, the development team has really been working hard to solve the core player experience problem in the past month or so since the game was launched.
However, it only takes one version to elevate the game experience to this extent, which is enough to see that Kuro has precise targeting and execution in "making up for shortcomings", and has also reaped immediate results in the global market - the most direct proof is that the card pool of Jinxi and Long Departure has sold out.
According to SensorTower data, thanks to the launch of the Jinxi card pool, "Ming Tide" became the two-dimensional mobile game with the highest revenue growth in the world in June, with the revenue from overseas markets accounting for more than 80%, driving the publisher Kuluo Game revenue to increase by 106% month-on-month, ranking 11 places, ranking 7th in China's mobile game publisher revenue list and 24th in the global publisher revenue list.
It is worth mentioning that the overseas performance of "Ming Chao" is especially popular in Korea, not only surpassing "Solo Leveling: Arise" to the top of Korea's two-dimensional mobile game revenue list in June, but also receiving enthusiastic responses from players at the flash mob event held locally. Some players present said that the event was originally scheduled to start at 10 o'clock, but they did not expect a long queue on the streets at 2 o'clock in the morning. The price of the surrounding purchasing agent has risen to more than 200 yuan a piece, and the majority of players are reminded that consumption needs to be rational.
Looking back, the success of the Ishio Ka pool was almost a certainty. After all, looking at the main story of version 1.0, Jinxi is undoubtedly the character with the most appearances and the most eye-catching performance outside the protagonist group. It is not only an introduction to provide clues, but also the core of story development, and the sassy combat action and pure white and flawless modeling have long become the favorite of countless players.
(Looking back and smiling, I'm about to fish my buddy's mouth)
On the other hand, Changli was behind the scenes most of the time in version 1.0, but his popularity was not inferior to Jinxi. Today (July 22) the long departure card pool opened, only six hours later, the iOS best-selling list of "Ming Chao" has rushed to the 4th in the country, 3rd in Japan, and 1st in Korea, setting a new record for the highest best-selling since the launch of the service.
According to the author's view, although Changli's shots in version 1.1 are not as many as they are today, they can be regarded as the most portrayed of all the characters at present. It was also from the moment Changli lightly opened his lips that the author decided to follow up on the plot seriously, and felt a kind of competitiveness that gradually condensed and formed:
If the 1.0 version of "Singing Tide" is just a "combat" second game, then now it seems to be slowly making up for its shortcomings, and trying to more skillfully coordinate modeling, performance, plot and combat and other aspects of performance, creating a more profound "soul" for the character.
Today, the author will try to demonstrate this matter in the new character of Chang Li.
01
Heaven is not born, I am beautiful and long, and the sound of the tide is like a long night
"Why is Changli great?" I believe that many players already have their own answers.
In the author's opinion, people are the most typical visual animals, and they are always irresistible to beautiful things. A player's first impression of a game character is often based on its appearance. From this point of view, the design of Changli is obviously in line with the public's aesthetics.
People rely on clothes and horses rely on saddles, and thoughtful clothing design first adds a lot of points to Changli. The white dress is half-covered with a pair of black sleeves, forming a skirt at the lower edge, and the upper arms and waist are presented with cascading and interlacing folds, giving the overall appearance of three-dimensional and elegant.
The flared cuffs spread outwards into a face, and the vermilion lining is embellished with staggered grid stripes, which not only echo the red ribbon that hangs down on the chest, but also produce a large swing during movement, visually enhancing the movement of the character's upper body.
The red gold gradient pendant and headdress are supplemented with decorations, which form a distinct color contrast with the plain cape, dress and black silk legs, adding a bit of luxury and elegance to the long separation; One side of the unbuttoned belt naturally gathers inwards to create a slender waistline, while the other side stretches outwards unrestrainedly, accentuating the character's graceful lines.
Good clothes with beautiful women, Changli can be said to be like a person's clothes, beautiful as a fairy, born with a peugeot melon seed face, the cheek curve is soft and full. The long curly hair with a pink and white gradient falls on the chest, which matches the color of the clothes; The end of the high ponytail turned into a crimson phoenix, as if dancing with raging flames; The fair complexion is even more ruddy under the influence of "leaving the fire".
And to say that the most seductive, is the long and distant pair of circles: the tail of the eyes is slightly raised, the eyes are bright and coquettish, and after a few seconds of looking at each other, I feel that I am going to hook the soul - not only the gentleness and softness of oriental women, but also the pure and agile like a girl, and it is very consistent with its subtle and intelligent and comfortable strategist temperament.
It is no wonder that in the relevant comment area of Changli, the rhetoric about the face is the most abundant: the smile is like a flower, the eyebrows are affectionate, and the eyes are like silk...... In the author's impression, these words are not often used to modify two-dimensional characters - and those who can tell stories with the eyes of the characters may be the only one in China.
In addition, the role of "eye drawing" mentioned in "Ming Tide", the author can even think of the previous Tsubaki, and it can only be said that Kuluo's work on the face model is really solid.
After talking about clothing and appearance, it is worth mentioning that he is tall and straight. A pair of slender and straight legs poked out from under the short skirt, and the skin was as crystal clear as clotted fat; The forearms are slender and soft, and the lines of the shoulders and collarbones are neat and distinct, showing her perfect adult figure; The slightly raised chin has a bit of city and mystery, and the gestures are all amorous, and the cheeks and clusters are fascinating and unforgettable.
With its impeccable appearance, Changli has already gained high attention and love before it has been officially released. On the mainstream video platforms at home and abroad, players spontaneously dig up content, do second creation, and never get tired of it, not only producing a large number of MMD videos, but also many video authors will enlarge the modeling of Changli and rotate the lens 360 degrees, just to appreciate her charm without dead ends.
Real gold is not afraid of fire, and at this time, the underlying advantages of Kuluo's realistic two-dimensional style are also highlighted: in terms of facial features, body proportions, clothing texture, etc., the pursuit of equal restoration of details, the role is in line with the player's intuitive perception of human aesthetics, and the image of the character will be more intimate, which will cause high-frequency aesthetic resonance.
Obviously, in the first battle to make an unforgettable first impression on the player, Changli has already taken the next city.
02
Go to the sky to experience hardships and dangers, and the beautiful words and beautiful scenery are beautiful
Looking at it extended, "Ming Tide" has always had a unique insight and presentation of the more realistic two-dimensional style - not only Changli, but also other character designs are quite streamlined, which can withstand a long look, a closer look, and even the details of the roadside NPCs are not far behind.
(Players: NPCs are all good-looking)
But Changli can have such a high popularity today, in addition to his appearance online, it is also due to Kuro's growth in the plot of version 1.1, by creating a period of time for the two to be alone from acquaintance to acquaintance, setting up a fresh character for Changli. Among them, the most profound progress for the author is the improvement of the quality of the text.
In the new plot, Chang Li's main role is the "guide", which is the "guide" who leads the player to explore Chengxiao Mountain. In the main plot of the previous version 1.0, there is actually a character who plays the same role, and that is the seedling. Although both of them are gentle and considerate and always care about the player, the quality of the line assignment will have the most direct impact on the shaping of the character image and even the clarification of the plot line.
If you think about it, you can understand that when players first enter the game, they are faced with a lot of unfamiliar settings and content, and they are certainly impatient. Time is tight and tasks are heavy, and it is actually quite difficult to explain these contents in a short and quick way. If the length is increased in order to explain the logic clearly, it will bring people a sense of bloated and didactic cumbersomeness of forcibly instilling knowledge points - judging from the overall evaluation of players, the 1.0 version of "Ming Tide" has drilled into this bull's horn to a certain extent.
However, in version 1.1, "Singing Tide" proved that they can indeed do better in plot design with the help of Changli's mouth. In the face of the same unfamiliar Chengxiao Mountain and a new setting, Changli's lines don't sound like the "explain for the sake of explaining" sense of dragging. When the player was curious about what happened to Chengxiao Mountain, Changli cleverly used a classic legend of Rotten Keshan to explain the ins and outs of the time anomaly.
When introducing the mechanism on the way later, Changli's description of the functionality is also concise and crisp, and the point is not obtrusive, which complements her calm and introverted personality. What's even more interesting is that she will also express her opinions and doubts about the origins, design concepts, and even the historical origins behind these mechanisms.
It is precisely these "digressions" that seem to have nothing to do with the operation guidance that cleverly put an extra layer of narrative attributes on the mechanisms of the gameplay attributes, making them mysterious symbols left over from the long history of Chengxiao Mountain; The puzzle design of the mechanism is closely related to the "time" theme of Chengxiao Mountain, which comprehensively reflects a major progress in the integration of narrative and gameplay in version 1.1.
(Changli cares about the behind-the-scenes of the Chengxiao Mountain Agency)
Although the protagonist was sent to the rendezvous with Jinxi, leaving the broken Changli without participating in the next trip, it seems that it was only the first half of the foreshadowing for the development of the plot of version 1.1, but on closer inspection, the deeds of Changli are not limited to this. In fact, she also plays an important role in the transition and transition: as a strategist, she connects all the dark lines and mysteries scattered in version 1.0.
Previously, the plot of version 1.0 caused a lot of controversy among players because the writing was not sophisticated enough or even made mistakes. But the author believes that despite several major changes, the 1.0 plot as the opening chapter is actually quite qualified in terms of information and outline arrangement:
Most of the card pool characters in the game have been portrayed to varying degrees in the early stage, and they have more or less intersected with the protagonist, establishing a differentiated personal image, which is undoubtedly beneficial to enhancing the memory points and interaction between players and characters. It's just that version 1.0 has left many unsolved mysteries, which can't help but make people worry about whether they can come back in the future.
However, as I experienced the content of version 1.1, I gradually realized that behind every story in version 1.0, which went exceptionally well, there seemed to be a mysterious director orchestrating it. And as the plot deepens layer by layer, all kinds of clues are pointing towards one person, that is, Changli.
After the release of Changli's character PV, it showed players the identity of this "chess player" who strategized behind the scenes and had no regrets. She played against Jinxi, ostensibly to learn chess skills, but in fact she was teaching strategy. Each move is secretly coincident with a plot fragment in version 1.0 - I really don't know who is the caged bird.
Speaking of playing chess, the author found that Kuro really likes to hide things in some details that are difficult for players to detect: every time Changli appears in PV, chess games often appear in the background of the picture, and after analysis by netizens, it is not a random display, and without exception, you can find the corresponding classic chess games. The changes in the situation, the offense and defense of the black and white sides, and the choice of the fallen son all seem to hint at the psychological changes of the characters towards something. In this regard, there is a Go hobby UP master on station B, Twilight Kuharu, who has done a special analysis, so I won't expand it here.
("Eternal Tribulation" in the background of version 1.1 PV)
In addition to the comfort that the plot rhythm has finally been sorted out smoothly in version 1.1, I believe that many players will have the same feeling when they go through the plot, that is, the lens language of "Singing Tide" seems to have finally opened up. Frankly speaking, the actual effect of the previously officially announced stake-based dialogue improvement is quite limited, and even after the camera is switched, in most cases it is just a simple change of perspective.
But along the way with Changli, what the author saw was the carefully considered composition ratio of the characters and scenes, as well as the wonderful storyboards that could add to the lines. Taking several shots of the dock scene as an example, in just a few lines of dialogue, the picture flexibly switches multiple perspectives. The camera zooms out from time to time, enveloping Changli and the player in an open landscape, highlighting the beauty of the artistic conception of harmony between man and nature.
Sometimes zoomed in, close-up of the dialogue and interaction between the two people, and generously showed the character's fine facial features and the details of their demeanor.
When a character speaks, the camera cuts to the other listener, which is very similar to the real-life shift of perspective when communicating with people: the third person's gaze usually switches naturally between the speaker and the listener, so as to observe the reactions of both parties, and thus judge their emotions and attitudes towards the topic at hand. Put it in the game, it can enhance a lot of substitution.
Under the background rendering of multiple shots, the distance between the player and Changli is imperceptibly shortened. Through the close-up camera, the player can capture Changli's restrained admiration when he meets him, experience her intimacy of humming a song to relieve her discomfort while boating, and feel her forbearance when she is in pain due to the influence of time, which in turn stimulates her deep desire to get closer to her and understand her.
Along the way, Kuro did more than just do one thing right in this version. This face-to-face emotional game with players can be regarded as being won by Changli steadily.
03
Burning himself is willing to be a phoenix fire, and Zhu Ling burns all his hopes for the king's return
In other words, the second game of most other manufacturers is analyzed, and it is estimated that the last chapter will be almost finished. After all, as long as most of the second game has made achievements in the plot, character design, art, etc., it can almost be called a playable work.
But for "Singing Tide", the combat and action system has never been the icing on the cake, but the core advantage that Kuro has adhered to all the way, and it is the grandest romance that can be given when creating the charm of the character.
Through the interpretation of combat actions, abstract concepts such as character traits, emotional changes, and ability growth can be transformed into concrete expressions that players can intuitively feel and experience in Kulo. And when the player controls the character to somersault and jump on the battlefield and fight with the enemy, isn't it a process of emotional resonance and connection with the character?
The fire-like romance arranged by "Singing Tide" for the Changli skill group is first reflected in its large and full action scale and gorgeous and dazzling fire special effects, which interprets the girl's determination to burn her heart.
Changli's fighting style is fiery, high-speed, and light. Not only can it soar into the air after a combo, but it can also switch between five unique cosmetic forms as the number of "Flame Leave" charge stacks changes.
The long separation of the zero layer when it is charged is the original appearance; When charged on one layer, a tail of flame appears at the hair bangs; When the two layers are charged, the robe begins to burst into flames, like a phoenix about to spread its wings; When charged in three layers, the flames intensified, burning the sleeves to ashes, revealing white shoulders; When the full layer is charged, the karmic fire covers the sky and the sun, and the only way to leave is to cover the eyes with a black cover, the heart is bright and the eyes are bright, and the self is faced.
(Depending on the number of layers of separation from the fire, there are five permanent forms of Changli)
This form design, which changes with the rhythm of the battle, not only adds a dazzling visual impact to the moves, but also shows the combination of rigidity and softness of the long detachment, indicating the improvement of each stage of the realm and the clarity of the state of mind. The raging flames covered by the exterior of the costume can be seen as a reflection of the girl's inner persistence.
The microscopic portrayal of the long departure skill is also refined, with changes in every move and expression, and detailed special effects such as hair band burning and hair tip glowing are also added, which greatly enhances the player's viewing when playing; When the ultimate move is released, the camera gives a close-up, the phoenix is crying in the sky, and its wings are spread; When moving at high speed, the flame remnant follows, and the sense of speed is also extraordinary.
It is worth mentioning that Changli is not only the same as other characters, but each basic attack has a unique knife closing action, and at the end of the fourth stage of the basic attack, an extra section of umbrella is added. It is precisely this action that goes against the instinct of the battle that gives the most finishing touch to the word "elegance" of Changli.
After Changli went online, many players also felt the smoothness and richness of Changli's operation more comprehensively: thanks to the output characteristics of frequently releasing hands-off skills, Changli can play with many other characters with a silky "axis", which is not only elegant and beautiful, but also raises the "hand ride" and the fun of free teaming in "Ming Tide" to a new height.
Needless to say, the author's wallet is automatically recharged.
04
Write at the end
Once upon a time, whenever I talked about Kulo with my friends, the first label that flashed in my mind was inevitably their combat and action design. But now, the focus of the discussion seems to have shifted quietly – the amount of refinement and commendable improvements that have been made in the discussion around the characterization of a person alone is staggering.
Of course, the 1.1 version of Rising Tide didn't happen overnight. We don't know exactly where the upper limit of Kulo's production capacity is, and how many backhands they have left. But the author sincerely sighs that with only one version, Kuro has overcome the old pain points, and has successively created characters that are loved by players around the world.
On second thought, it may be time for the industry to remove the stereotype of Kulo's "bias". Kuro was known for his excellent combat and action design, but his aggressiveness in other aspects should not be underestimated, as evidenced by the market success and word-of-mouth improvement achieved by version 1.1 of "Singing Tide".
No matter what the future holds, Kuro's housekeeping skills are now more than just a single golden signboard. Although this is only a small step towards the comprehensive development of Kuluo's core competitiveness of the second game, it is a big step for the industry and new player groups to re-understand Kulo. And the secret to achieving a breakthrough is nothing more than taking one step and one more step.