Game Numerical Planning Introductory tutorial

From: http://cq.gamfe.com/news/60345.html

1. Summary of the numerical calculation of the first language

Take heaven as an example of the invasion of South Korean online games, the screen requirements of the online game to improve to a state, the screen performance slowly become no longer the threshold of good online games, the World of Warcraft as an example of the march of the United States and Europe, the game system and internal requirements to improve to another realm, the system and play point is no longer a good At present, the biggest threshold for domestic online games is numerical computing-a core part of the system that was stranded before the barriers to the art and systems were solved.

Numerical computation can be said to be the most important part of the game's internal data organization. The output data for the numerical calculation is served for the game's database.

Of course, the results of numerical calculations are not one step, and the data cannot be guaranteed to be perfectly balanced in the game without a bit of error in the slightest adjustment. The data obtained through complex numerical calculations are first filled into the database of the game, and then through the test, testing, testing and defect exposure, by the numerical computing staff and the general designer of the formula to correct the game formula or modify the adjustment part of the data, so that constantly repeated the process of verification and modification, The value of the game will slowly tend to the perfect balance.

2. Numerical calculation in the project production of the link

As shown in the following:

　　
As shown, the numerical calculation is in the system case refinement phase and the database filling stage between the latter and the client integration phase parallel, the client integration is then referred to QA testing. From the completion of the system case refinement to client integration, the time is long, including the program execution of the system refinement case, the design of operation and interaction interface and the production and execution of fine arts resources.

Therefore, it can be said that the numerical calculation stage can be said to be a relatively independent and long-lasting production stage.

3. Requirements for numerical computing personnel

Numerical calculation can be said to be a very high technical content of a production process, due to its high requirements, the production of the quality of its personnel have certain requirements:

Mathematical basis. Numerical calculation needs to deal with numbers and formulas often, and the basis of mathematics is an indispensable ability of the personnel engaged in numerical calculation. High school mathematics, the definition and characteristics of various functions, the linear geometric series and its summation and so on naturally can not be forgotten, and higher mathematics also need to be used frequently, including normal distribution, probability statistics, discrete mathematics and many other related technologies. To a certain extent, the numerical calculation requires the personnel of the mathematics profession, at least the science origin.

Tight-minded. The numerical calculation needs the production personnel to have the close thinking, the formula designer naturally needs so, each formula is not only for a numerical value, all the data in the numerical calculation process is like a dense and complex network structure, the ring link, pulls a whole body, the slightest careless will affect the entire combat system, or upgrade the system, or occupational systems, or economic systems ... The person who fill in the form can not be confused thinking, the formula is dead, the data need to adapt to the game and fine-tuning, to fine-tuning data and formula generated data, fill in the need to have a sharp sense of touch;

Sensitive to numbers, and even to sensitivity. The concept of large and small numbers must be flexible and sensitive. Sensitivity to numbers is not only sensitive to the difference in individual numbers, but also sensitive to the entire numerical segment. For example, a list of different levels of attack data needs to be quickly observed and constructed in the mind with its numerical curves.

Hardy, responsible and able to withstand pressure. As mentioned above, the numerical process of a game is not a matter of days or weeks, but a process that takes at least two March to complete, and the formula is revised and even re-designed after the calculation is complete. Numeric personnel need to fill a number of tables every day, and often need mental arithmetic and written calculation, if there is no hardy, responsible and can withstand the pressure, or like the work of the personnel, will soon feel tedious, and more serious is caused by the numerical calculation of the error, which is more than the result of the decline in productivity is more severe.

Experience. Of course, experience is a valuable resource for numerical computation. Experience is divided into two kinds, experience of game and numerical calculation. The former refers to the accumulation of feelings from a large number of game process and formula accumulated, this does not only rely on several online games of immersion can be created, no matter whether the single-machine or online games, need to dabble in a wide range of today's many classical numerical models, mostly from single-machine, the latter refers to the experience of numerical computing work, the same is A of the 2-square curve and a 3-square curve may be a lot of people can easily feel, A5 and A2 (A3+3A), which the subtle differences will rely on experience to insight out, for a lot of bad formula or unreasonable numerical setting, many times on the formula adjustment one or two parameters can be corrected to a very good effect, In addition, if C is co-launched by A and B, when the C problem is adjusted a good or adjustment b good, this is also a place where experience is very much needed.

4. Numerical calculation process case

The following is a simple game from a system to briefly describe the process of numerical calculation, the first edition of the Conquest is the author began to study and analyze the initial numerical model, its simple structure but the basic system is perfect, the game as a numerical calculation process analysis case.

　　
4.1. Main system Refinement

As shown, the refinement of the system case is done before numerical calculations, while the five systems of occupation, skill, equipment, goods, and combat are the five most important guiding centers in numerical computation.

Professional system. Determining the number of occupations in the game and the characteristics of the occupation, both of which determine the entire skill system, determines the gameplay in the combat system, and also determines the growth ratio of the main attributes of each occupation.

Skill system. Skills are a correction to the combat system, and the goal of numerical computation is to achieve a numerical balance, and with the addition of skills, the balance of skills becomes the first, while at the same time paying attention to the balance of skill and occupation, and the professional balance of skills in PvP.

Equipment systems. The equipment system is based on the professional system, because of the different occupations and their professional characteristics, so there are suitable for different professional weapons and different professional wear armor and jewelry. The system of equipment derived from the occupational system plays an important role in the calculation of the economic system in the numerical calculation, including PVM, equipment endurance wear, equipment price, monster drop and so on.

Item System. The system of goods derived from the equipment system, or to some extent, the item system can also be self-generated. The article system in the numerical calculation mainly refers to the medicine, because the equipment and the player this attribute brings the offense and defense, causes the different occupation the drug consumption degree to be different, the return to the town speed is different, then affects the numerical calculation the medicine price, the upgrade consumption, the monster drops and so on data.

Combat system. The most important reference system of numerical computation in game, the battle system designs the calculation of combat damage for physical attack and skill attack, and the calculation process and calculation formula are the core and main basis of numerical calculation. Secondly, the design of the combat system also determines the conversion relationship between the main attribute and the auxiliary attribute.

4.2. Initial feeling setting

Another preparation that needs to be done before the numerical calculation starts is to set the initial feeling of the game. The first five basic senses that need to be set are: The growth curve of the character, the experience curve of the character, the duration of the game, the ratio of the occupational attributes and the attribute correction parameters.

Character growth curve. The growth curve is the designer gives the player a kind of game feeling, at the same time also greatly contrasts the game world view, the role is the bloomer type or the gradual growth type, or is like the Zhongyong type first fast after slow type, These different character growth curves determine the growth rate and the degree of the values in the real numerical calculation with the level and time.

Character experience curve. The experience curve is also the designer gives the player a kind of game feeling, its influence mainly is the player's upgrade speed and the upgrade feeling, takes conquest as an example, it is a five level a ladder experience curve, as shown in:

Through the determination of the empirical curve, the numerical calculation is based on this, determine the game of each level of the upgrade time, kill time, return to the frequency of time-related data, and these time-related data, are based on the initial set of role experience curve as a reference.

The game takes a long time. Game spend time is another used to determine the time-related data of the initial sensory data, through the game spent time to determine, with the game's role experience curve, you can define the role of each level of the time required to upgrade, so through this upgrade time can be pushed to export the game's other time data.

The proportion of occupational attributes. The refinement of the occupational system can get the characteristics of each occupation, which are mainly two kinds: occupation attribute proportion and professional skill. The former is the main basis for the derivation of character attribute data in the early stage of numerical calculation, and the latter has the main reference function when the numerical calculation is designed to the skill. Take the warrior as an example, when determined the warrior's force: min: Body: Magic =5:2:3:0, can be calculated by numerical calculation of the Warrior each level of the basic values and equipment after the relevant values, and then through the data derived from the monster of the relevant properties of data, thereby deriving the future data.

Property correction parameters. Through the above initial feeling setting can be calculated by numerical calculation of the game's main attribute data, but there are more auxiliary property data in the game, such as hit Dodge Blood value magic value, the derivation of these data need some initial set of properties correction parameters (such as a little physical conversion how many points of blood value), derived the auxiliary data, Can be further deduced from other data.

4.3. Numerical calculation process

When the main system refinement completed, the initial main feeling is also set up, you can start the work of numerical calculation, the view of the highest level of the numerical calculation of different angles, the flow of the difference, but in fact they say the same thing, the following two different angles to describe the flow of numerical calculation, Then with an example to explain the previous numerical deduction.

For the numerical calculation of one of the points of view of the derivation process, as mentioned above, the system refinement and initial feeling is the input of numerical calculation, in the real numerical calculation process, can be divided into three steps to deduce: Time class data, attribute class data and correction class data.

　　Time Class data

Time data refers to time-related data, which players are not visible, it is difficult to calculate the exact value, because these data is from the initial set of sensory data through a processing of sensory data;

Time data includes the duration of each level of upgrade, the time required for each level of player to kill monsters, the time required for each level of mobs to kill the player, the frequency of the player's return to the town, and the player's strange time.

The time class data provides the most important time attributes for the next two steps of the data, which are used to calculate the values of the characters, the values of the monsters, and the economic system.

　　Attribute class data

Attribute class data refers to the attributes of a character, the attributes of a monster, and the properties of an item's equipment;

The attribute class data includes the main attributes of different occupations, the main attributes of monsters, and the property and price of the item equipment.

The data of these attribute classes are actually derived from the time data, for example, by the character's blood value, the monster's attack power and the time that the monster kills the player, can calculate the player's defensive value, similarly, can also use the player's attack and the player kills the monster time needed to calculate the monster's blood value;

　　Correcting class data

These data are often used to correct some of the previous attribute class data calculation results, for the sake of numerical balance and calculated for the adjustment of the data;

The correction class data includes skill data, hit Dodge data, Monster drop data, and so on;

At the same time of deducing the correction class data, some attribute class data are further deduced by using the correction class data, and then the related correction class data is deduced, and the two is a process of mutual deduction and mutual verification.

The following is the flow of numerical calculations from another perspective:

From another point of view, the process of numerical computation is to first define the attributes of a major occupation through the refinement of the system and the initial feeling, and then the attributes of the other professions through the attributes of the major occupation. After calculating the attribute data of each occupation, the attribute data of monsters is calculated by using these data and time data. Finally, the property data of the equipment and the attribute data of the item are calculated by the attribute data of each occupation and the data of Monster attribute, and the two are verified by each other.

The numerical calculation in this angle is essentially the same as the previous one, except that the way of dividing is different from the angle of the problem.

The following is an example of the numerical calculation of conquest, how to define and how to carry out the initial numerical calculation.

4.4. Numerical calculation of previous cases

Here's an example of how the previous numerical calculations of the first edition of conquest were defined and how they were carried out, with the first edition being the case because there were not many other complicated systems in the first edition (such as hierarchical contempt systems, skill systems, XP systems, etc.).

Conquest defines four occupations, and the experience curve, as shown in the previous illustration, is a ladder-shaped growth curve of level 5, and the growth curve is a gradual growth curve.

The most critical step in numerical calculation is to set the time required for each level upgrade, in order to conquer, in the pre-determined from the 1 level to the top of the game will probably need to consume 720 hours, and then use this time to calculate a natural growth of the experience curve-conquer is the simplest way to use the geometric series summation formula to find the male ratio, Then use Bowby and first to find out the natural growth at all levels of the upgrade time-consuming. The upgrade time of each level is then converted to a 5-step, ladder-like upgrade, which completes the initial upgrade times calculation.

The approximate process is as follows:

At the same time can begin to work out a professional master attribute data and partial sub-attribute data, in the conquest is the first to calculate the warrior occupation data, according to the occupation set the force: min: Body: Magic =5:2:3:0, as well as the initial definition of the beginning of each occupation of the original attribute points and each level upgrade to get points, The data of the four main attributes of the Warriors can be obtained, and then the values of the Warrior's blood, hit and agility can be obtained through the attribute correction parameters set by the initial feeling.

As mentioned above, the occupation attribute data can begin to calculate the monster's attribute data after calculation, through the Warrior data calculation, you can calculate the attack and defense of monsters, and then use the Warriors and monsters to kill each other's time can be calculated separately each other data, such as Warrior's defense, Monster's blood value.

When the basic properties of monsters are basically calculated, use this data to re-correct the data of the warrior occupation, correct after correction can be used to deduce the data of other professions of the Warriors.

The approximate process is as follows:

Next, through the attribute data of each occupation and the attribute data of the monster, the property data of the equipment is calculated together through the setting of the combat system. Let's say that a monster kills a character by calculating the defense that a character needs to have, and calculating the defensive value of the armor by this defensive value and the defensive value of the character itself.

On the other hand, through the initial set of the player's return time, the size of the backpack and each level of the upgrade process monsters to the player's cumulative damage calculated when the blood volume, and then through the initial unit blood price calculated for each level of blood bottle prices, through the first set of blood price and equipment price ratio to find the total value of each level , and then the price of each level of different equipment is calculated by the initial price ratio between different equipment.

in endurance-related calculations, the time required to kill a monster by character, the time it takes for a role to be upgraded, and a hit-and-miss data to calculate the number of attacks and hits required for the upgrade, and to calculate the sum of each weapon's armor before each change, the two sets of data to deduce the durability of the weapon's armor, The repair cost is then calculated by the corresponding weapon-resistant price.

The total value of the drops required for a level monster can be calculated by calculating the cost of the blood bottle required for each level, the cost of the replacement equipment and the cost of repairing the equipment, thus calculating the drop probability, drop type and amount of drop value.

Because the process is so relevant, it basically involves the entire numerical computing network, so the overview of this process is not shown here.

Finally, start correcting the calculation of class data, calculating skill-related data to adjust the balance of the battle system, correcting monster drops and endurance-related data to adjust the economic system. After most of the data has been calculated, it is also starting to go through the process again or re-validate the previous data with the calculated data to achieve two corrections.

When all this is done, you can fill in the data into the database and perform an external test to verify and adjust the data again.

5. End of reel

The numerical calculation process of conquest above is just a simple example, the logical relationship between the system structure and the numerical value is very straightforward, and the formula of the combat system and the derivation of other auxiliary data are very simple, So the above process can only be considered as an introductory tutorial.

The technique and experience of numerical computation is not a short time to be able to fully grasp and proficiency of things, it is recommended that those who specialize in numerical computing start from a simple game of numerical computing models (such as conquering the first edition), We then began to study and study some of the classic and well-valued game numerical models (for example, the Diablo values and the RO values that I studied in the previous period).

Getting started with game numerical planning