【17173 special article, please indicate the source when reprinting】
Whenever we look back at those old domestic stand-alone games, the two complex feelings of lamenting the subtlety of game production and lamenting that they were not born at the right time are always accompanied.
There are still only a few domestic games that can achieve this level of action
At that time, we also had a number of classics that were on the same level as the international games of the time. But due to the proliferation of piracy, many gamers with dreams have not paid off their efforts.
Some games even require popping up small tips to beg players to buy a genuine version. This shows how helpless and humble the game developers were at that time.
"Friends, if you think the game is doing well, be sure to buy a set of genuine swords to support us."
The "Sword Seal" in the picture above that was purchased by players in Tips has been officially released on the Steam platform. 17173 also had the honor to take this opportunity to interview Mr. Liu Kun, the general manager of Pixel Software, and talked with him about the development of "Sword Sealing Magic Record" in those years.
Although so many years have passed, Liu Kun's memories of the "Sword sealing magic record" between the lines, the excitement and pride also revealed a lot of helplessness and bitterness.
In terms of game content, Liu Kun said that in addition to the inability to connect to the Internet, Liu Kun said that in addition to the inability to connect to the Internet, there are actually no regrets. How to survive with the team was the main pressure they had at that time.
When asked whether he would launch a sequel or remake of "Sword Sealing Magic", Liu Kun admitted that he had thought about it, but due to manpower and some objective circumstances, it was still necessary for everyone to keep good memories of the game for the time being.
The following is a transcript of the interview:
17173: What made you leave the Qin Yan project in the first place, set up Pixel and then make the Sword Seal Demon Record?
Liu Kun: My product style is more simple and unusual, and it doesn't look pleasing. I had to make my own stall to continue to mix in the industry.
Liu Kun, who was young at that time (front row, second from left)
17173: What is your impression of the background of the era of The Sword and the Magic? The strength level of their own team, the situation in the Chinese game market at that time, who are the competitors, etc.?
Liu Kun: The background of the era of the Sword Seal Demon Record is relatively vague, and the emphasis is on the atmosphere. At that time, there were not many domestic game development teams, and there were very few products, and there was no sense of any competitors.
17173: What kind of game was Sword and Magic in the original idea? What features do you want to make? How did the name come about?
Liu Kun: The idea of setting up the project is very clear, and I want to make a cool game with strong PC action elements. The name is made up, I named the game Sword, emphasizing weapon fighting, and the three words of the Seal Magic Record are suggested to be added by the operator.
17173: Is there some idea that has not been made for various reasons? (e.g. financial, technical, or other issues)
Liu Kun: No, everything that should be done has been done. A small regret is that it is not possible to connect to the Internet.
17173: How did you come up with the idea of incorporating fighting elements? Which games are referenced?
Liu Kun: Because I like Samurai Shodown and some home console games, I also like action movies.
17173: How did you overcome the problem of using the mouse to achieve action operations? Can you tell us about the technology behind this part? (Character engagement and locking on enemies, 3D representation in 2D, combo moves, limb amputations, and big moves)
Liu Kun: At that time, the action games of various platforms were very mature, and we wanted to develop a game with heavy experience, so we tried our best to collect ideas and study solutions to achieve a complete effect.
17173: What's the story in the three character combo design?
Liu Kun: The three characters are three fighting styles. Women who pursue speed and use both legs and feet use long combos; swordsmen with balanced power and speed, medium combos; large knives with strong strength and slow speed, with a small number of combos.
17173: How did the sharpness value system come up with? What about the combo editing system?
Liu Kun: The sharp value is to solve the problem of enemy cutting blocks, without which it is impossible to reasonably let the enemy drop pieces; the combo move is because of the limitations of the keyboard and mouse, such as reducing the complexity of the operation and improving the strategy of the action.
17173: Not only is the protagonist's movements very meticulous, but the monster design is also very detailed, can you tell us more about how the monster part was treated in the first place? (For example, the change of battle form after the monster is severed, the monster formation, etc.)
Liu Kun: Control the overall scale of the game, reduce the type of monsters, improve the quality of individual monsters, do not make up the number, so that each monster has a characteristic.
17173: There is a design that feels particularly traversal. It is that the big move needs to be triggered by drawing a line through the mouse, and this feeling is a product of the touch screen era, how did it come up at that time?
Liu Kun: Originally developed is a keyboard and mouse game, and it is normal to use the mouse operation characteristics to do something. The mouse swing is actually a tribute to the crank swing, such as controlling the Wave Fist of the Rising Dragon Fist.
17173: Sword Seal Demon Record only has gems, no equipment system, what is the reason for this design?
Liu Kun: Because the research and development cycle is short, there is no time to do it, and the action game is still not too complicated.
17173: As a fighting-inspired game, why doesn't Sword have online teaming and PK and the like?
Liu Kun: Because of poverty, there are too few programmers.
17173: How was the background worldview and art style determined at that time? What films, televisions, novels, etc. have you been influenced by?
Liu Kun: Because I like action movies. It is also related to his own painting style, starting from hobbies.
17173: In terms of plot design, did it take a lot of effort to design at that time?
Liu Kun: The plot is very simple, the Great Demon King resurrects the chaotic world.
17173: Why join the day-night, weather-changing system?
Liu Kun: The overall environmental atmosphere is the focus of the game.
17173: The music is very good, but the sound effect is relatively single, is the cost reason?
Liu Kun: Music is made by film school students, and it costs a little money; the sound effect is made up by yourself, and there is no one to take charge of it.
17173: Judging from the data, the "Sword seal" was completed in only 8 months, and now it seems particularly incredible, how did you do it?
Liu Kun: In that era, it was not short, and the cycle was long enough to starve to death. The main thing is to strictly control the amount of content and make rational use of resources. Only three maps, not many monsters.
17173: In the process of developing the Sword sealed magic record, are there any memory points that have impressed you to this day?
Liu Kun: What impressed me more is that every day I sleep listening to the rooster in the courtyard to report the time, and every day I work until the rooster announces the news.
17173: During the development of Sword and Magic, it received investment from Centent Interactive and technical support from the game team Boya Studio. How did this support come about?
Liu Kun: We made a demo, received some praise, found the operator, and the operator matched it.
17173: What was the initial sales forecast for Sword and Magic? The Internet said that it was sold at a loss at that time, is that right?
Liu Kun: As a developer, I don't know about the sales of the game, and there is no follow-up news after the game is launched.
17173: How was the overseas sales of Sword sealed magic at that time? Are there any small stories related to overseas players?
Liu Kun: I don't know about the sales of the game. There are not many small stories, there is a passionate European and American player, who ran to Beijing to visit.
17173: How was the expansion pack The Ancients projected and produced? Why is the plot design much better than the 1st generation?
Liu Kun: Originally I didn't plan to make an expansion pack, but in order to survive, I did it, and I had no choice but to starve to death on the side of the road without making an expansion pack. I don't have a particularly obvious feeling about the plot improvement, probably because the content of the expansion pack is richer.
17173: How was Sword OL established? What extensions did you want to make to the gameplay setting of Sword 1 at that time?
Liu Kun: Also in order to survive, stand-alone games as developers can not receive game revenue, can only do online games to solve business model problems.
17173: Over the years, at what point in time did you want to make a stand-alone sequel to the Sword OF?
Liu Kun: There are only ideas, but there are no human beings. Now users are also more picky, worried that if they do not do well, they will be scolded by players to see no face. Then there is the possibility that it is also very likely that there is no version number in the hand, so it is sorry for the brothers who have not developed day and night. So keep the memory alive.
17173: If Steam is well received this time, will you have a chance to see a remake?
Liu Kun: This time on steam is operated by agents, I also heard about this matter, look at the pricing should not make any money.