Valorant(无畏契约)是由Riot公司开发的一款FPS游戏,2020年6月全球公测(目前仍未开启国服)。这款游戏已经推出被广大玩家戏称为“CSGO和守望先锋的融合怪”,玩笑归玩笑,这款游戏刚刚公测后的一段时间还是引起了一定的热潮。
Valorant is a FPS game developed by Riot, launched on June 2020 globally. Players jokingly called this game “Integration of CSGO and Overwatch”, however, this game still caused a certain craze just after the public test for a period of time.
1.基础玩法设计
游戏的基础玩法是类似CSGO的经典5v5炸弹攻防对抗,每一回合1分40秒,共24回合,哪一队先到13胜则胜利。游戏中的枪支种类也与CSGO相似,但可选数量减少,且没有警匪商店的区别。
The basic gameplay is similar to CSGO’s classic 5v5 bomb attack and defense confrontation, with each round lasting 1 minute and 40 seconds, for a total of 24 rounds, and whichever team reaches 13 wins first wins. The variety of guns in the game is also similar to CSGO, but the number of options is reduced, and there is no difference between terrorist and counter-terrorist stores.
而游戏区别于CSGO的设计主要是角色。这一点则和《守望先锋》有些许类似之处。玩家进入比赛前需要选择一个英雄,每个英雄有三个小技能,一个终极技能,其中一个小技能是每回合可以免费使用且可以进行cd回复的;其他两个技能需要使用金钱购买,可以留存到下一回合。终极技能需要依靠击杀敌人、被击杀进行充能或在地图上拾取充能点,需要充能6次。
The main design that distinguishes the game from CSGO is the agent. This is somewhat similar to Overwatch. Each agent has three minor skills and one ultimate skill, one of which is free to use every turn and can be restored on CD; the other two skills need to be purchased with money and can be saved for the next turn. The ultimate skill needs to be recharged by killing enemies, being killed or picking up recharge points on the map, and needs to be recharged about 6 times.
虽然同样有技能一类的设定,但多数情况并不会像《守望先锋》中那样对战局起到决定性作用。部分角色的技能的效果是CSGO中的投掷道具,同时还有很多区域透视、高额伤害等技能,但不会在对局中起到决定性的作用,而是增加每一回合的战术多样性。比如突破手、刺客、治疗者等多种角色定位,使得游戏团队配合显得更加重要。
Although there are also skill-based settings, most of them do not play a decisive role in the game as in Overwatch. Some of the agents’ skills have the effect of throwing props in CSGO, and there are also many skills such as area perspective and high damage, however, they will not play a decisive role in the game, but rather increase the tactical diversity of each round. For example, the game has breakers, assassins, healers and other multiple role position, making the game teamwork seems more important.
然而,Valorant的游戏定位还是不同于《守望先锋》,而是更偏硬核的射击游戏。玩家枪法、身法、对地图的熟悉度、个人意识的差距会导致玩家实力的差距过大,这一定位和CSGO比较接近。
However, Valorant’s game positioning is still different from Overwatch, but more of a hardcore FPS game. The difference in player marksmanship, familiarity with the map, and personal awareness can lead to a disparity in player strength that is too large, which is closer to CSGO in positioning.
2.经济系统
Valorant作为一款偏硬核的FPS游戏,经济系统至关重要。Valorant对CSGO的经济系统做了部分改动,玩家开局在限定时间内可以在能够去到的任何地方购买武器和技能,且可以随意切换想要购买的枪械种类,并不会产生额外的购买费用。此外,玩家还可以直接帮助同伴购买枪械,或向玩家发起“发枪”申请。
Valorant, as a hardcore FPS game, has made some changes to CSGO’s economy system, allowing players to buy weapons and skills anywhere they can go for a limited time at the start of the game, and to switch between the types of guns they want to buy at will, without incurring additional purchase costs. In addition, players can also directly help teammates to purchase weapons or initiate weapon requests to teammates.
玩家在积分统计界面里可以看到双方的基本情况,除了常规的击杀/阵亡/助攻、携带武器等信息,也能看到敌方的大招充能进度以及经济状况。对于预判局势有一定帮助,系统还会自动给出一些武器购买建议。
Players can see the basic situation of both sides in the points statistics screen, in addition to the usual information such as kills/death/assists and weapons carried, you can also see the enemy’s skills charging condition and economic status. The system will also automatically give some suggestions for weapon purchases.
3.游戏交流方面
Valorant在玩家局内交流方面做得比较出色,吸收了APEX的有点。
玩家可以打开大地图向队友发信号进行进攻防守,或提醒队友注意敌人等;玩家在购买界面可以发起存钱、有多余的钱、出全装的游戏内语音,以达到战略交流的效果;玩家可以在游戏中直接按键标记地点,地上的枪械、炸弹等物品以提醒队友。
Valorant does a better job in player in-game communication, absorbing the advantages of APEX.
Players can open the big map to send signals to teammates for offense and defense, or remind teammates to pay attention to enemies.; players can initiate in-game voice of saving money, having extra money, and coming out with a full suit in the purchase screen for strategic communication; players can mark locations, guns on the ground, bombs and other items directly in the game by pressing keys to alert teammates.
这些设计有效降低了玩家信息沟通的难度,即使不通过语音沟通,玩家也可以便捷地发送信号或沟通战略战术。从另一角度看来,这也降低了新手玩家上手的难度,对意识的要求不高。
These designs effectively reduce the difficulty of player information communication, even if not through voice communication, players can easily send signals or communicate strategy and tactics. From another point of view, this also reduces the difficulty for new players to get started and does not require high awareness.
4.不足
Valorant在发行半年多后,热度确实有所下降,尤其是国服迟迟未开,玩家纷纷转向其他游戏。国服未开是一部分问题,但我认为Valorant的主要问题还是产品定位略微尴尬。首先,它对标的产品是CSGO这种硬核FPS游戏,这使得《守望先锋》玩家的上手难度很高,毕竟OW并不是一个刚枪为主的游戏。
Six months after the public test, the popularity of Valorant has declined, players have turned to other games. The fact that the China server is not open is part of the problem, but I think the main problem with Valorant is that the product positioning is slightly awkward. First of all, the product it is benchmarked against is a hardcore FPS game like CSGO, which makes it difficult for Overwatch players to get started, after all, OW is not a gun-based game.
而对于CSGO、COD等游戏的玩家,Valorant的玩法可能过于“花里胡哨”。由于没有固定的道具,玩家对各个英雄的熟悉度、对英雄技能的熟练度在中高端局非常重要。这部分学习成本一定程度上劝退了硬核FPS玩家,反而比较对OW玩家的口味。这一矛盾就造成了Valorant对两部分目标玩家的吸引力都明显不足,最终导致玩家流失严重,游戏热度难以长期维持。
For players of CSGO and COD, Valorant’s gameplay may be too “fancy”. As there are no fixed props, the player’s familiarity with each hero, the proficiency of hero skills in the high-end game is very important. This part of the learning cost to a certain extent discouraged hardcore FPS players, but more to the taste of OW players. This contradiction has caused Valorant to two parts of the target player’s appeal is clearly insufficient, ultimately leading to serious player attrition, the game is difficult to maintain long-term enthusiasm.