I wrote an article about RFC on newspaper

[youtien]

Recently, I wrote an article about RFC on United Daily News, a major newspaper in Taiwan.

This is a column about historical computer games, started from this year, by me and Chenglap, author of SLG "Age of 1911"(民國無&#38617. We talk about depth and essence in these games, encouraging more players to enter this huge pit, attempting to make outsiders(those who don't play games) be more friendly toward us.

Here is the full article (UDN version was edited). Sorry no English translation. Next week will be about the Sword of Islam.

http://udn.com/NEWS/READING/X4/8652430.shtml

展現文明興衰的「RFC」

在遊戲界，有三個人的姓名會被冠在遊戲前面當作賣點，第一位是締造了許多經典遊
戲的席德梅爾(Sid Meier)，他最成功的作品《文明帝國》原名叫「席德梅爾的文明」，
第二位是1986年給任天堂設計過一款完全是在戲弄玩家的《北野武的挑戰狀》的那位導演
，第三位是有不少作品被改編成遊戲軍事小說家湯姆克蘭西。這三人中，只有第一位是真
正的遊戲設計師，他的作品多次拓展了玩者的想像力，不但令人驚嘆「遊戲還能這樣作」
，甚至還能引發對人類歷史、文明的思考。所以他的姓名成了一塊金字招牌，《文明帝國
》英文原名就叫《席德梅爾的文明》。當然，他能這樣命名，也是因為公司是他自己開的
。

《文明》系列以2005年出版的四代最為成功，不但有了比前作更完善的系統機制和美
術表現，還開放程式架構，讓不滿足於編輯器的玩家可以自去改出一套套全然異趣的遊戲
模組，玩家也不負眾望地改出了從太空爭霸到奇幻世界等上百個模組。其中，也有一款把
作者名冠在前面的，叫作Rhye's and Fall of Civilization（文明的興衰），簡稱RFC
，作者網名Rhye，諧音rise。

RFC確實可與席德梅爾的文明一比，它基本沿用原作的素材，主題就是我們這個地球
的人類文明，而在歷史模擬上達到了超越原作的層次。

原作中，所有文明從一開始就存在，一同從石器時代起跑；RFC則開始只有埃及、巴
比倫、中華和印度四個古文明和一些獨立城邦，到公元前1600年的時候，希臘出現，再30
多回合後波斯、羅馬也陸續登場，後發文明還會將其核心區域裡的城市、單位一口氣「翻
」成自己的，以象徵其崛起。如果你選擇使用後發文明，電腦會先自己跑前面的回合，於
是你每次開局都會有些不同，也許強鄰環伺，也可能周遭是四分五裂的城邦甚至一片曠野
、廢墟；如果你選擇巴比倫這樣的先發文明，你會認識到兩河流域是怎麼樣的一個四戰之
地，你注定要與希臘、波斯、羅馬及公元後的阿拉伯、土耳其作對。進入中世紀，不論羅
馬是否撐過了蠻族鐵蹄，西班牙、法蘭西、英格蘭、日耳曼都會相繼崛起，幾百年後也會
展開航海與殖民的競賽；你也可以選擇馬雅、印加、阿茲特克等美洲文明，力求不敗於遠
比你先進強大的歐洲人，乃至反攻……最後一個登場者是1775年的美國，有著最強大的研
發與生產力加成，在玩者手中不難比史實更早地稱霸世界。

再來，RFC比原作多了一個「穩定度」設計：文明會因為政治、經濟、軍事、外交、
擴張情形影響其穩定度，穩定度過低時，你的城市可能會獨立出去，你佔領的外國地盤可
能復國；情況再惡化，一個大帝國就可能一夕崩潰，解散為諸多獨立城邦。相對的，滅亡
了千百年的文明，也可能突然復國。如果你擴張過度，可以改革成極權政體來維穩，但穩
定度仍會持續惡化。這讓遊戲不再是成為第一霸主就可穩定而無聊地走到結局，你做過的
惡事都會在穩定度見到報應；你若野心強烈，就會研究如何在惡貫滿盈之前取得最大利益
；如果不小心玩崩了，你會不會想到，真實歷史也有不少君王是這樣的？

另一個精彩之處是歷史地名。原作裡，城市名就是照列表上華盛頓、紐約一個個輪下
去，你也可以自己改，但都沒什麼意思；在RFC，城市會自動對應地圖、所屬文明和時代
而變，例如現在的伊斯坦堡，希臘人建城時叫拜占庭，羅馬人佔下來會改名叫君士坦丁堡
，用拉丁文來拼；其他文明佔了，也會改成英文、法文、俄文……甚至中文的拼法，只要
列表上有。這種「自動」完全是靠設計者一格格、一種種語文地輸入，也還有許多地方沒
照顧到，然而，當耶路撒冷變成阿拉伯人所稱的Al-quds或又變成歐洲人的叫法，當西班
牙人征服了美洲原住民，當中國的城市從漢語拼音變成日語拼音……它帶給你的歷史感是
遠比旗幟的變換還強的，難怪有那麼多人在乎「正名」問題！

設計者又給每個登場文明設定了特有的歷史勝利條件，玩者除了征服世界或上太空等
傳統贏法，也可以達成三個歷史任務就結束，以免拖太久失去趣味，也解決了強弱不均的
問題，因為每個文明都有不同的挑戰。如巴比倫只要在上古時代成為人口與文化的第一，
首先發明文字、君主制與律法即可勝利，埃及則是建造奇觀及在公元350年時積累大量文
化。勝利後你也可以繼續玩下去，有人在完成埃及勝利後一回合，瘟疫與蠻族就相繼來襲
，短短幾回合就把登上輝煌頂點的埃及打得一蹶不振，從而感到了盛衰之無常。

RFC發表於2006年，迅速成為文明系列論壇的第二熱門（第一是個奇幻模組），更吸
引到許多同好沿用它的設計來自製劇本，至今仍然有人在改、在玩，可見廣大玩家的創造
力，更可見歷史的魅力。

 

[Tigranes]

Why is it so hard to provide English translation -- if you speak English?

 

[youtien]

Why is it so hard to provide English translation -- if you speak English?

No time. I am working with my thesis. No more spare time beside these writings and gaming

Actually, for you folks, there is nothing new nor special in this article. This article is for outsiders. Just letting you know that we are and we can live long and prosper.

 

[Leoreth]

Carry on the good work

I'd like to read it though, if someone who speaks Chinese finds the time to translate it that'd be great.

 

[Hojsimpson]

I used google translator , it's enough to understand what the article say.
Nothing new for us, but if I were a guy who have never played RFC I may think is an interesting game after reading your article.

 

[Imperator Knoedel]

Erm, why didn't you post it in the RFC forum then?

 

[brett0007]

Erm, why didn't you post it in the RFC forum then?

i used google translate so its about 20% accurate

Show the rise and fall of civilizations , " RFC "

In the game industry , there are three names will be in front of the crown as a selling point in the game , the first one is to create a number of classic tour
Play Sid Meier (Sid Meier), his most successful work, " Civilization ," the original name of " Sid Meier 's Civilization "
The second is 1986 for the Nintendo designed a completely teasing players , " Takeshi Kitano challenges like " who directed
, Third place is a lot of work has been adapted into military novelist Tom Clancy games . This trio , only the first one is true
Positive game designer , his works have expanded the player's imagination , not only amazing "Game can do so ."
, And even provoke thinking on human history , civilization. So his name became a gold standard , " Civilization
" English formerly called" Sid Meier's Civilization . " Of course, he could so named because the company also opened his own
.

"Civilization " series , published in 2005 four generations of the most successful , not only have a better system than its predecessor, the mechanism and beauty
Art performance, but also open source framework to satisfied players can customize the editor to change out a completely different set of interesting games
Module , the player also delivered from space to change out of the hundreds of modules hegemony to the fantasy world and so on. Wherein , to have a
In front of the crown , called Rhye's and Fall of Civilization ( rise and fall of civilizations ) , referred to as RFC
, The authors name Rhye, homophonic rise.

RFC did with Sid Meier 's Civilization one ratio, which basically follows the original material , the theme is our planet
Of human civilization , and in the historical simulation beyond the reach of the original level.

Original , all civilized existence from the outset , with starting from the Stone Age ; RFC begun only in Egypt , Pakistan
Babylon , China and India, four ancient civilization and some independent city-states , to 1600 BC , when the Greek appears, and then 30
Multiple rounds Hou Bosi , Rome also center stage , civilization will be issued after the core area in the city , the unit breath " turn
" Into their own , to symbolize their rise . If you choose to use hair civilization , the computer will run in front of the first round of their own , in
Every time you start will be a little different , maybe camouflage powerful neighbor , it may be falling apart around the city-state and even a wilderness
Ruins ; If you choose this starting Babylonian civilization , you will realize how Mesopotamia was kind of a battle of four
Land , you are doomed to go against the Greek, Persian , Roman and Arab AD , Turkey. Into the Middle Ages, regardless of Romania
Ma is get through the cruel barbarians , Spain, France , England , the Germans would have been the rise of a few hundred years will
Expand the maritime and colonial competition ; You can also choose the Maya , Inca, Aztec and other American civilization and strive undefeated in far
Advanced powerful than you Europeans , and even counterattack ...... last appearance was in 1775 by the United States, has the most powerful research
Hair and productivity bonus, in the hands of the player is not hard to dominate the world earlier than facts.

Again , RFC more of a " stability " than the original design : civilization because of political , economic, military , diplomatic,
Expansion scenarios affect its stability, while stability is too low , your city might secede , your site can be occupied by a foreign
Can Zionist ; situation from getting worse , a great empire could collapse overnight , dissolution of many independent city-states . In contrast, the demise
Thousands of years of civilization , it may suddenly Zionist . If you are overextended , can reform into a totalitarian regime to safeguard stability , but stability
Given degree will continue to deteriorate. This allows the game to become the first overlord can no longer be stable and boring walked outcome, you have done
Evil will be seen in the stability of retribution ; intense ambition , if you will study how to get maximum benefit before the wicked
; Collapse if not careful play , you will not think there are many kings real history is this ?

Another highlight of the historical names. Original , the city name is on the list according under Washington, New York one round
Go, you can change yourself , but have no meaning ; in the RFC, the city will automatically correspond to the map , an era of civilization and
And change, for example, now Istanbul, was built when the city called the Byzantine Greeks , the Romans renamed Constantinople would account for down
, Latin to fight ; accounted for other civilizations also into English , French, Russian or Chinese spelling ...... as long as
There are on the list . This " automatic " entirely by the designer of a princess , a various language input , there are not many places
Take care , however, when Jerusalem became the Arabs called Al-quds or turned into Europeans called, when the Spanish
Teeth conquered Native American , when China became the city from the Japanese phonetic Pinyin ...... it gives you a sense of history is
The transformation is stronger than the flag , no wonder there are so many people care about the " rectification of names " issue !

Each stage of civilization designers gave a unique historical setting victory conditions , players conquer the world , or in addition to the space , etc.
Traditional method to win , you can also reach the end of three historical task , in order to avoid delay too long to lose interest, but also solve the uneven strength
Problem , because each civilization has a different challenge. As long as the ancient Babylonian era became the first population and culture ,
First invented writing, to the victory of the monarchy and the law , and the wonders of Egypt is to build a large number of packets accumulated during 350 AD
Technology . After the victory you can continue playing , it was the victory after completing a round of Egypt , the plague would have been struck with the barbarians
, Just a few rounds put aboard a brilliant play vertices devastated Egypt , which was the rise and fall of impermanence .

RFC published in 2006 , quickly became the second most popular series of forums civilization ( the first was a fantasy module ) , more suction
Many enthusiasts to follow the lead of its design from the system screenplay , is still someone to change, playing , showing the majority of players to create
Force , more visible historic charm.