本文分为两个部分。首先是对于《Ato》的介绍。第二部分是一份留言，来自《Ato》的开发者Brandon Song，是他藏在自己的前作《Frog Hop》代码中的一段话，其中有他作为一个独立开发者的心声。

简单来说：

《Ato》是一款由独立游戏制作人Brandon Song一人制作的，像素风剑戟题材银河城游戏。流程几乎没有杂兵战，强调boss战和boss rush，另有跳台和解谜要素。截至成文，STEAM评价仅147个，99%好评，国区售价50元。

凌厉的战斗，精彩的对决，《Ato》仅凭可以说是简陋的像素，就呈现出了武士剑戟的风韵。刀光剑影中，能看见制作人Brandon Song的燃烧，看见他所倾注的灵魂。但限于一人开发的困境，游戏是如此的捉襟见肘，地图和谜题不能说优秀，叙事也只是叙了而已，实在遗憾。

不屈服于传统和潮流，全力打磨自己的核心乐趣，做一款自己梦想中的游戏，所谓独立，不就是如此吗？而《Ato》的背后还远不止于此……

惊艳与遗憾：有关《Ato》的体验

因为系统细节，看着比较直观，所以做了视频：http://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1d44y1H7gb

当我们说起银河城时，有一种惯性的认识。曲折迂回的地图，强敌和“能力锁”，不同场景的变换，各种杂兵的排布。但《Ato》不一样，游戏几乎没有杂兵战，全是boss或是boss rush，感觉此举的聪明之处不止一点。

首先考虑到游戏的剧情，是主角一个挑邪教全部，这样的关卡就带上了天然的叙事，邪教老狐狸教主座下，不是能人就是高手，但凡遇到一个都得关门，打个波士战。Boss里有刀刃涂毒、掷沙迷眼的老硬币，也有剑气纵横、快刀制敌的大侠客。这五关六将、七豪八杰，打怪变强拿技能，不知道还以为是少年漫画，勇闯十二宫了。

流程包含30余场boss战，另有多个竞技场，也就是boss rush

其次，针对个人开发这点，此举简直四两拨千斤了。与其劳神费力地在大地图上设计复杂的杂兵排布，将战斗集中在几个点，无疑是更加可控、高效的选择。腾出的精力，更能做点自己真正想做的事情了。不过，此举带来的跑图、解谜、战斗彼此割裂等问题，也非常明显。还好，通关解锁的头目战模式，则完美解决了这个问题，见面就打，打完换下一个，真太爽了。

在系统方面，就是“蓄力斩”与“破绽”的攻防。游戏中，长按攻击键，主角会完成蓄力，身前出现一个扇形判定框，一旦锁定敌人，送开按键，就能使出瞬移到其背后的斩击。“蓄力斩”除了帅，还能对处于“破绽”状态，也就是全身发光的敌人予以打断击飞、造成大量伤害。破绽出现的时机有两种，一种是敌人出招或收招自带破绽；还有一种是对敌人造成伤害，累积到一定程度后，敌人就会进入持续闪光的状态。

如何利用ai漏洞屈死大佬

这样的设计，不仅赋予了战斗以深度，也让一场场对决，有了高手过招的感觉，见招拆招，克敌制胜，鏖战群雄，过关斩将。在优秀的操作手感加持下，失败不再苦涩，胜利更加甜蜜，一切水到渠成。

然而，战斗谈完了，这游戏就只剩下遗憾了……美术的简陋，演出虽然做很用心，但还是简陋，地图和谜题算不上优秀。要说最惋惜的，就是叙事没有更进一步，前文提及了游戏系统本身就有一定的叙事优势，如果能加以配合，肯定出彩。

能感受到，有些场景是拼命地想做出一些意境，可惜效果一般

但即便遗憾那么大，也还是阻止不了我由衷地“吹”《Ato》——事实是我一直也是这么干的。之前在《不死鸟之翼》的文章里絮叨过，玩独立游戏，又不是去那种“5星酒店”，要说，更像是寻访街头巷隅的脏摊美食。在我看，“妥协”和“专注”才是独立游戏的核心竞争力，虽说也有《空洞骑士》那样如此完整的作品，但又不是谁都是樱桃组，必须实事求是、有所取舍。

也仔细想了，我能够接受画面的拉胯、技术上的不成熟、设计的经验不足，但我不能接受关卡掺水、玩法单调、诚意不足。而《Ato》带给我的，是实验和突破带来的生机，不屈从于传统或是潮流，是全力打磨之后的核心玩法。这就是我想要的。

“小小勇士”：有关制作人Brandon Song

2020年5月，靠着众筹来的500多美元，《Ato》艰难登陆STEAM。仅在两个月后，在Discord群组“Tiny Warrior Games”（也就是制作人Brandon Song 一人工作室）中，Brandon的好友发了讣告：Brandon因抑郁，不幸离世。（当时我是通过老迷的微博得知这件事的。）

接着讣告分享的，是Brandon藏在前作《Frog Hop》代码中的一段信息（原文及翻译见后），细细品读，你会了解Brandon到底是怎样的一个人。

他有些自卑、有些偏执，他苦苦挣扎、拼命求索，他经常思考自己正在为之努力的事业是否真的有价值，他有时哀叹力自己有不逮、空怀壮志却难酬，他更是一个坚强、勇敢的人，正如他给自己的工作室取得名字一样，“小小勇士（Tiny Warrior）”，力量虽小，也无惧艰险；步伐虽小，也脚踏实地。

想想，如果文章取个标题叫做“游戏上架后两个月，他去世了”或者什么“破产版《只狼》背后是一个悲伤的故事”云云，应该会更加吸引人吧。但我不想这么做。

在《Ato》上线两周前，Brandon在自己的官网上如此写道：“我对于《Ato》感到相当满意，这种情况很少见，通常我在制作游戏是会有很多遗憾。”我也如此相信，绝对相信，《Ato》的游戏内容是足够吸引人的，是足够有趣的，是足够被赞颂，被更多人知道，并被喜爱上的。

那么，最后就是Brandon藏在《Forg Hop》代码中的留言了，介于我的英语很塑料，翻译大概率漏洞百出，所以原文也一起附上，请酌情浏览：

Hello and thank you for playing this game?

你好，感谢你游玩这个游戏？

I don't know how you got here, but if you did, I can only hope you played through Frog Hop

我并不知道你是怎么看到这段文字的，我只希望你是打通了《Frog Hop》才看到的。

Frog Hop is a game that is close to me, and it has been very hard feeling proud of it...

虽然《Frog Hop》于我关系密切，但我还是很难为它感到骄傲。

Weird I know, but seeing how no one really notices this game, I can only hope that people will appreciate this game.

我知道这很奇怪，事实就是没有人关注它，而我唯一能做的就是希望有人能喜欢这个游戏。

Developing this game has been difficult, and often times I have felt alone and haven't really known of anyone in real life who really shared the same experiences that I have.

游戏开发困难重重，并且在大部分时间我感到孤单，不知道在现实生活中谁能真正与我分担。

Perhaps you didn't enjoy this game or maybe you did?

也许你不喜欢这个游戏，也许你喜欢？

I have so many dreams when I look into the future, I can only hope that maybe I'll fulfill at least one.

当我看向未来，我有如此多的梦想，我只能期许至少有一个能实现。

Too many games to create, too many universes to build, too many projects that will be abandoned and forgotten.

太多的游戏被制作完成，太多的宇宙被搭建起来，但又有那么多的项目被抛弃、遗忘。

It is hard looking towards the future, I more anxious and worried that things will not work out or that I wasted my life making this game.

想到这些，展望未来又变成了一件困难的事情，我是如此焦虑，担心自己无法完成作品，也许做这些游戏只是在虚度人生。

Seeing other developers and comparing myself has been a destructive practice,

看看其他开发者的经历，再对比自己的遭遇，我只能看到灾难性的现实，

Hard work does not equal success.

努力创作从不等同于成功。

So please, if you seriously with all your heart commit to something and work yourself to tears, please try to approach things realistically and not believe all the hype.

所以，如果你认真想将自己的全部心力投入到一项事业中，为完成它不惜代价，那么请试着现实地对待这件事情，不要相信所有浮躁、浮夸的东西。

Not everyone becomes successful, so you have to try and make goals that are actually possible, don't strive for x number of views or followers.

不是所有人都会成功，所以你得尝试，制定切实可行的目标，但不要追求阅读量或关注数据这类数字。

Try to reach for something that is doable. even today, keep it simple, make it realistic, can you do what you want to do today?

只要努力去完成力所能及的事情。今天也是如此，简单有效，实事求是，今天你是在做自己想做的事情吗？

To be honest, I hardly work on this game as a fulltime job, often I feel guilty because I'm not putting enough hard work or enough hours.

说心里话，我很难将开发游戏作为全职工作看待，我经常感到内疚，我不够努力，不够全情投入。

But You can' say that to yourself anymore, it's just not worth it, you have to go at your own pace, or else you will burn yourself out and hate what you have created.

但你不能让自己抱有这样的想法，这种毫无价值的想法，你必须找到自己的步调，或是转而将自己燃烧殆尽，开始憎恨自己的创作。

Be passionate about what you create, but please be warned that everyone is super excited about making whatever idea they just came up with.

对于你的创作要保有热情，也要警惕，“拍脑袋”是所有人都喜欢做的事情，那些刚刚冒出来的想法总是让人过分的激动。

have a good plan, and have a good contingency plan, because likelihood is that things will not go according to plan.

制定一个好的计划，再有一个好的备选方案，因为事实不会根据计划发展。

when I worked on Frog hop...I used to believe that I could make a game that could get a perfect score. but Now I've learned so much through the years.

在制作《Frog Hop》之初，我一度认为我将完成一部满分作品。但，现在回望这些年，我真的学习了很多。

When you're outside seeing all these games, it's very easy to point out problems and at times it can be very easy to come up with solutions, but often times the solution that are implemented aren't always going to work.

当你作为一个局外人审视那些游戏时，挑毛病是如此简单，甚至有时提出解决方案也同样简单，不过这些解决方案大部分时候并不会奏效。

I used to think that my ideas were great and that I was going to be appreciated and loved by others for what I made.

曾经，我自认想出的点子是如此的好，我的作品注定会被人们赞赏，被喜爱。

But after all that has happened, it's clear that I could be wasting my life doing this.

但在经历了这一切后，很明显，我做这些可能只是在虚度人生。

It's extremely hard to finish a game, that's usually where a lot of developers quit, because it's just so difficult, and you just hate what you're making, you're tired of being here working on something that could have been a waste of time.

完成一款游戏的开发是如此的困难，经常有大量的开发者退出，因为做游戏就是这么难，而你开始讨厌自己的作品，你已经厌倦了那些可能只是浪费时间的劳作。

Was frog hop a waste of time? It's not perfect, because I've learned that everyone has their own experience.

所以，《Frog Hop》是浪费时间吗？它并不完美，我意识到每个人的游戏体验是不同的。

Some will say that one boss was harder than another one. Some will complain about something that's fun, some will complain about how it's doesn't look the way they want it to.

有人会说这个波士比另一个要难打。有人会说有些地方很有趣，但也会有人说这并不是他们想要的。

was it worth it?

这真的有价值吗？

the only goal I really initally said for myself was to make a small game that I could finish, and enjoy playing.

最初，我给自己订了唯一的目标，就是做一款我能够完成的小规模游戏，并且玩起来有趣。

I will admit, I had a lot of fun when I had a very cohesive alpha of this game, and I still find it's mechanics to be very enjoyable, despite how stupidly simple the game is.

必须承认，alpha测试展现出游戏系统有很好的统一性，这让我很开心，直到现在我也认为，在技术上，这是一件很享受的事情，尽管游戏系统简单到有些愚蠢的地步。

I used to spend a few hours on the first world, just using all the tricks in the game and just letting my imagination run wild and I would think of worlds that would eventually be made, new encounters, fun gimmicks, new toys.

有时，我会花上好几个小时只玩游戏的“第一个世界”，用上所有游戏中的技巧，随心所意、穷极想象地花式过关，同时构思我要完成的关卡，新的遭遇战，有趣的诡计，新的玩具。

Thinking maybe this would be a game I would feel very proud of.

同时，想象这个游戏会是一个我引以为傲的作品。

But the standards have changed, and a lot of what I have been doing just isn't relevant. Often it is also just hard to even anticipate the chaotic nature of success, how should I know that whatever I add will become revolutionary?

但，标准改变了，我所做大量的工作是没有意义的。大部分时候，成功的规律如此混乱，让人难以捉摸，我该如何确信每一个新添加的内容都会是一个有效的创新？

Is it worth become revolutionary?

是否有必要做一个创新者？

when all of it will disappear into nothingness?

当所有一切的努力都注定付诸东流时，这是否有必要？

To be honest, I almost don't believe in this game anymore, I just wanted to finish this. maybe rethink my life and pursue something else.

说心里话，我几乎不再期待这个游戏了，我只想把它做完。也许我该重新思考自己的人生，去追寻些其他东西。

Or somehow meet other people, or start a new project

或者以某种方式遇到另一群人，或者开始一个新的项目。

but even starting a new game has me worried, and I know that the same cycle will repeat.

只是，光开始一个新游戏的制作就使我焦虑，我知道同样的循环又将重复。

It is very easy to start a game, it is very easy to write down ideas on a piece of paper, it is very easy to have fun with making a prototype.

开始做游戏很容易，在一张纸上写下点子很容易，开开心心地做个游戏原型也很容易。

Finishing a game, truly a task that has me in awe when I see people in my situation create something far greater than me and at such incredible efficiency.

但完成一个游戏，实在是一项让我敬畏的工作，特别是在我看到了有与我相同境遇的人，以难以置信的效率做出品质远胜于我的作品后。

Am I just inadequate? despite all these talents? Am I just not able to work long hours? I can hardly stay focused for more than a few hours.

我丧失信心了吗？所以他们都是天才吗？只是因为我没办法长时间地工作？确实，我只能集中精神几个小时。

Was I just born with the wrong skills? What if I was just born with skills that are more useful in life and easier to obtain a job in?

是我被赋予了错误的天赋？如果我拥有对于人生更加有用的天赋，或者是更容易胜任工作的天赋，会如何？

Frog Hop, is my first sellable game, and I have learned so much throughout the years as I've made this game. 《Frog Hop》，

是我第一个可以售卖的游戏，而我自始至终在这个游戏的制作过程中受益匪浅。

I've learned so much about myself, about art, game development, design, people, media, markets and success.

我学到了很多，有关我自己，有关美术，游戏开发，设计，人群，媒体，市场，以及成功。

And to think I am supposedly in control of my own destiny.

从这方面想，可能我真正掌握了自己的命运。

Maybe all of this will just be a forgotten memory within a millenium?

也许所有的这些也只是时间长河中注定被遗忘的记忆。

Perhaps these thoughts are best ended here.

可能，这些胡思乱想最好在此终结了。

Frog Hop, a game where I put years of my life into. Who knows how well it will do. Even I'm unsure what I even want anymore.

《Frog Hop》，是一款我耗费数年开发的游戏。谁知道我做到了哪种程度。甚至连我自己都不知道我想要做到哪种程度。

Frog Hop, a journey of a frog named hoppy who searched for his friend jumpy.

《Frog Hop》，一只名为蹦蹦的青蛙，寻找他的朋友跳跳的冒险。

maybe I at least helped hoppy find happiness.

至少，我帮助蹦蹦找到了幸福。