《anno》系列历史，由创意总监曼努埃尔·莱因赫讲述

因为城市建造是游戏的重要部分，你通常从一个空岛开始，空间管理是其中的一部分，然后你可以建造任何你想建的东西。

So because it's a huge part of a city building, you start on an empty island usually, and then so space management is is part of it, and then you build whatever you want.

本质上，它是一款沙盒游戏，有些人试图建造美丽的城市，也有人试图打破纪录，建造规模最大的城市。

So in in its core, it's a sandbox game, and we have folks that try to build beautiful cities, but we also have people who try to build, yeah, break records with their cities.

我们将城市建造与你所描述的深度经济模拟结合起来。

And we combine the city building aspect with a deep economic simulation like you described.

你需要为居民提供需求和物资，因此你需要建立生产链，同时保持平衡，让所有人都满意，从而推动游戏进展。

So you need to provide needs and goods to to your people, and that's why you need to set up production chains, for example, and you need to get the balance right so that everyone is happy to progress in the game.

我们还将这一系统与4X元素结合，包括外交和战争，尽管战争从来不是核心体验，我们还打造了一个极其沉浸的世界，因为在视觉效果上我们力求成为标杆，音乐也非常优美等等。

And we combine this with four x elements, so there is diplomacy, there's also warfare attached, although warfare is never the core of the experience, and we wrap this into a super nice immersive world because we really try to be benchmarked when it comes to visuals, but also our music is beautiful and so on.

我们有一个叙述层，这套独特的设计真正诠释了《Anno》。

We have a narrator narrative layer, and this unique set really describes Eno.

描述得非常完美。

Perfectly described.

这简直就像你为它工作了十多年，反复向无数人推介过，用得非常好，解释得非常清晰、定义得非常到位。

It's almost like you've worked on it for over a decade and pitched it in countless, you know, really used everything well, very well, very well explained and defined.

这其实就像一款平衡策略游戏，很多方面都类似。

It's just, and it's I think the it really is kinda like that balance sheet strategy game in many ways too.

对吧？

Right?

你一直在花钱，我本来没想到我会这么喜欢《Anno》的这部分。

Like, you're spending I it's I didn't think I would I would love that part of anno.

让我跟你说说我的《Anno》坦白吧。

So let me let me give you my anno confession here for a second.

我之前从来没玩过《Anno》。

I hadn't played an Anno.

我一直是玩策略游戏的玩家，知道《Anno》的存在，但一直没机会接触，也没下定决心去玩。

I was the I was the player the strategy game player who was aware of Anno, but it just never crossed its path yet or never taken the dive into it.

然后我就想，嘿。

And then I was like, hey.

《Anno》要发布了。

Anno's coming out.

我们为什么不找一个《安诺》团队的人聊聊呢？

Why don't we chat to, like, someone from Anno?

比如，你知道的，安诺的创意主管之类的。

Like, you know, like, one of the one of the creative leads on Anno, obviously.

那个人就是你。

That's you.

你知道的，育碧，哦，明白了。

You know, Ubisoft, like, oh, okay.

去跟曼努埃尔聊聊吧。

Chat to Manuel.

所以，我干脆把这次采访当作一个机会，深入体验一下《安诺》，也给自己一个理由去尝试。

And so I kinda used this interview as an opportunity to dive into Anno and an excuse to get into it.

我一开始玩的时候到处探索，第一局就感觉：哇，这游戏真有意思，特别容易上手。

And, I got into it at the start and exploring around, and I was like, my first play session, I was like, oh, this kinda this kinda intense, like, really easy to get into.

你们在让这款游戏变得易于上手方面做得非常好，毕竟这原本是一款非常硬核且深度极高的策略游戏。

You've done a very, very good job on, like, how accessible you've made this, what can be quite a hardcore and incredibly deep strategy game.

但经过第一轮游玩后，我心想：这些电子表格式的平衡机制、生产基础设施的效率循环，真的适合我吗？

But after the first play session, I was like, oh, I don't know if these spreadsheet, like, sort of balancing act, you know, production infrastructure efficiency loop here is for me.

到了第二轮，我彻底上瘾了，开始疯狂地优化一切，醒着的每一刻，我都在想：怎么才能把我的绳子产量再提升一点？

And then in the second session, I was like, I completely went off a cliff and it was just that I'm like, now I'm min maxing everything and I'm every waking moment, all I'm thinking about is like, how am I gonna get my rope production up a bit?

我已经完全被它俘获了。

And it's got me.

所以现在我完全理解了《Anno》的魅力所在。

So I fully understand now the allure of the Annoch.

是的。

Yeah.

对。

Yeah.

所以我们把你钓上钩了。

It's so we have you on the hook.

这不错。

That's nice.

是的。

Yeah.

没错。

Exactly.

你已经把我牢牢钩住了，恭喜你。

You got me well on the hook, so congratulations.

谢谢。

Thank you.

让我们回到你的职业生涯。

So let's go back to your career.

你不知不觉就进入了育碧思维。

You you wander into Ubisoft Minds.

你成功拿到了这份工作。

You've managed to get this job.

跟我聊聊你在《Anno》系列中的早期角色吧。

Talk to me about your early role, on the Anno series.

是哪一部《Anno》呢？

What Anno was it?

你当时在做什么？

What were you doing?

嗯哼。

Mhmm.

我当时负责《Anno 2205》的艺术部门，那是我们做的其中一部科幻题材的《Anno》作品。

I was leading the art department for twenty two twenty two zero five, which is a one of the sci fi annals we did.

而且，没错，这真的很有意思，因为我负责艺术部门，和历史题材的《Anno》相比，做科幻题材从创意角度看会面临很多不同的挑战，因为你得从零设计一切。

And and, yeah, this was a lot of fun to explore because I was leading the art department and compared to an historical anno, if you work on sci fi, I think from a creative point of view, you have a lot of different challenges because you need to design everything.

在2205年，根本找不到超级食品工厂的参考图。

There are no references for a super food factory in in the year twenty two zero five.

所以我觉得探索和深入研究，并不断打磨它的视觉风格，真的非常有趣。

So it's so I think that was a lot of fun to explore and dive and and, yeah, refine how this could look like.

而且我依然非常欣赏我们当时取得的成果。

And still really like what we achieved there.

是的，我猜也是。

Yeah, I bet.

而且你现在这样举例说明，我觉得这是一个非常棒的观点。

And I think it's a really great point now that you sort of illustrated it.

还有另一件事我们的读者和听众应该知道的是，Anno系列的时间线是跳跃的。

Something else that our readers our listeners should know is that the Anno series jumps around in its time stamps.

对吧？

Right?

所以我们从不追求历史准确性，我们总是以历史为灵感，但对我们来说，历史也意味着未来的潜在历史。

So we we are never historically accurate, so we are always inspired by history, but also history means for us a potential history in the future.

所以我们也有两款Anno作品设定在未来，而且，这确实很酷，能在整个系列中拥有这么多可能性。

So we had also two Anno titles in the future, and, yeah, this is was it's really cool to have all these opportunities within the franchise.

是的。

Yeah.

太精彩了。

Incredible stuff.

太精彩了。

Incredible stuff.

那么最初的挑战是什么？

What were the sort of what were the what were the first challenges?

当然，你已经提到过一些，比如在2205年，关于科幻元素，以及必须构想出如今并不存在的东西。

Obviously, you've spoke about some, like, you know, in on twenty two zero five, specifically about the sci fi and having to envision these things that don't exist now, obviously.

对吧？

Right?

但具体到《纪元》系列，你们在开发这款策略游戏时遇到了哪些挑战？这款游戏在很多方面都极其深厚。

But specific to the Anno series, what are some of the challenges that you encountered then perhaps as, you know, like, hey, leading up the art department on this strategy game, which you're you know, is obviously so deep in so many ways.

作为艺术部门的负责人，你们在初期遇到了哪些独特的挑战？这些挑战是《纪元》系列特有的，其他开发者可能不会遇到，或者在他们的游戏中处理起来会更容易一些？

What are some of the challenges that, like, the art department or you face as the head of the art department that kind of maybe were, like, the first encounter of a challenge that you've, you know, been that is just something that comes with the series that other developers may not encounter or might have it a little easier with on their games?

是的。

Yeah.

我认为其中一个挑战是，我们很清楚，在这款游戏的结尾，我们希望征服月球。

I think we so one challenge that we had was we it was quite clear that we also want to, in this end of the title, conquer the moon.

因此，你也可以在月球表面建造，当时有一个挑战是如何将游戏中的岛屿概念延伸到月球上，并思考如何在月球上实现这种设计。

So you could also build on the moon surface, and there was one challenge, how can we translate the island aspect of the game to to to the moon and then to work on solution, how this could work in the creators of the moon.

这是一个非常有趣的创意挑战。

This this was a nice creative challenge.

在技术方面，这也是一个巨大的挑战，因为当你进入像我们这样做的科幻领域时，需要一套完全不同的材质。

And also when it comes to tech, it was quite a challenge because you need a completely different set of materials when you go into sci fi like we we did.

因此，你需要思考：我们需要有满是玻璃的摩天大楼，以及透过窗户能看到内部的场景，诸如此类的东西。

So you need to think about we need to have we want to have skyscrapers full of glass and interiors that you can see when you look in through inside the window, things like that.

探索这些不同的材质和着色器解决方案，创造出一个美妙的世界，也非常有趣。

So that was a lot of fun as well exploring this different materials and shader solutions to create a a wonderful world.

是的。

Yeah.

我只是想说，这听起来像是技术美术师的天堂。

I was just gonna say it sounds like a tech artist wonderland.

对吧？

Right?

很多

A lot of

为你的技术艺术团队设下了诸多精彩挑战。

wonderful wonderful challenges laid down, the gauntlet laid down in front of your tech art team.

没错。

Yep.

正是如此。

Exactly.

帮帮我，怎么说呢。

How like, help me out here.

你知道，育碧以制作大型旗舰游戏而闻名，比如《刺客信条》之类的，团队规模常常超过一千人，遍布多个国家。

What kind of the size obviously, Ubisoft are known for, you know, having some of their big flagship games, like an Assassin's Creed or something like that, running up over, like, a thousand people or something across multiple nations.

你们说的是多大的团队规模？

What kind of team size are you are you talking about?

这显然是育碧 Minds 的最新项目。

Obviously, this is a Ubisoft Minds project, the latest one.

我知道你们是在AnnoPaks工作，我应该这么说。

I know you're working out of AnnoPaks, I should say.

你们是在Mines工作。

You're working out of Mines.

但一般来说，Anno游戏的团队规模有多大？

But, like, how big is an Anno game generally?

我认为目前团队大约有100多人在开发这款游戏。

I think the team is currently we are about a little bit more than 100 people working on the game.

团队以前规模更小，但现在因为我们还要做主机平台，所以扩大了团队，因为这是一项额外的任务，需要投入时间和精力来完成。

The team was smaller, but now as we also do consoles, we ramped up the team because this is just an additional, yeah, task that you need to deliver, and it takes some time and also some energy to to put it together.

所以我们现在有100人，就坐在这里。

So we are 100, and we are sitting here.

团队的大部分成员都在美因茨的一层楼工作，这也很棒。

The majority of the team is here in Mainz on one floor, which is also really nice.

我认为真正让我们的项目脱颖而出的是，我们拥有一个非常棒的资深员工与新人混合团队。

And I think this also makes what really make it stand out is that we have a super cool mix of veterans.

团队里有些人已经为《安诺》系列工作了二十年，同时我们也有许多年轻、充满活力的新成员，我觉得这正是这里如此成功的原因。

There are people in the team who worked in twenty years on the Enno franchise, while also we have a lot of young, fresh people, and I feel that this really is why why it really, yeah, works here.

不可思议。

Incredible.

是的。

Yeah.

真是一个惊人的团队规模。

Just an amazing team size.

比如，我们在League of Geeks，我的上两款游戏《Light Odyssey》和《Solium Inferno》，团队规模巅峰时，不包括发行和运营人员，大概只有35人左右。

Like, I mean, we at League of Geeks, I think, Light Odyssey and Solium Inferno, my last two games, I think the team size not including our publishing and ops probably got to about 35 at its height.

作为一个小型独立团队，你们的能力真的非常强，就像RuPaul那样，可以说是三重独立开发。

And it was like, you're incredibly capable as a small indie team, you know, like RuPaul, so it was kinda triple I.

你知道的？

You know?

我简直无法想象，一款策略游戏会有超过一百人参与。

And I I I just can't even imagine, like, a strategy game with over a 100 people.

只是，你知道的，你每天所接触的这种能力和才华真是太惊人了。

It's just, you know, the the capability and the talent you must be surrounded by every day is amazing.

不。

No.

真的太惊人了。

It's really amazing.

而且一百人仍然是可以管理的。

And still 100 is still manageable.

你认识楼层上的每一个人。

You know you know everyone on the floor.

而且，我也非常感激我们能坐在这里一起工作，你知道吗？因为你可以直接走到某人的工位，一起讨论，或者当你看到或发现一些好的想法和机会时，这里真的有种神奇的氛围。

And and still, I also really appreciate that we are sitting here together, you know, because you can just go to a desk and we can discuss together or use if if you see or discover some nice ideas, opportunities together, it's really some something magic here.

是的。

Yeah.

你们会遇到那些神奇的、偶然的、幸运的意外。

You have those magical serendipitous happy accidents.

对吧？

Right?

没错。

Exactly.

是的。

Yeah.

对。

Yeah.

太棒了。

Awesome.

好的。

Okay.

所以，2205年，显然是这个系列中非常精彩的一集。

So, twenty two zero five, obviously very cool entry in the series.

直到今天人们还在谈论它。

People still talk about it today.

科幻。

Sci fi.

非常受喜爱。

Much, much loved.

但下一作，1800年，真的非常受珍视。

But the next one, eighteen hundred, was, like, really, really quite cherished.

但你并不是那款作品的主美。

But you you weren't the lead artist on that one.

对吧？

Right?

比如，什么

Like, what

我也是那款作品的主美。

I was I was also the lead artist there.

对。

Right.

没错。

Exactly.

所以，这也是一个非常棒的时期来探索，因为确实，我喜欢历史，当你想到工业革命时，有太多美妙而美丽的主题可以呈现在《纪元》这样的游戏中，比如建筑上的华丽装饰，以及那些可以在游戏中重现的奇观。

So and and this was also a wonderful era to explore because, yeah, I I like history and I like and when you think about the industrial revolution, I mean, are so many wonderful, beautiful topics that you can portray in a game like Anno, from the rich ornaments on buildings to the to the wonders, the that's that that's that you can recreate in the game.

这真是一个非常适合做《纪元》游戏的时期。

It's really, really a good good spot for an nano game.

好吧，我真的想深入聊聊你是怎么参与到下一部罗马题材作品中的。

Well, I I, you know, I really wanna dive into sort of how you got into Rome for the next one.

但咱们不如就先停在这里，谈谈1800年这部？

But why don't we stop here on 1800?

因为这应该是第一部——如果我没记错的话。

Because this is the first one correct me if I'm wrong.

这是你全程参与创作的第一部作品。

This is the first one that you were there for the entire creation of the game.

对吧？

Right?

比如，你加入的时候，2205的开发已经开始了？

Like, twenty two zero five was already development had begun when you joined?

没有。

No.

没有。

No.

我在2005年2月全程参与了开发。

I also I did the full cycle between 02/2005.

关于这个也是。

On that too.

好的。

Okay.

那么我的问题是，我该怎么表达呢？

Well, then my question to you is, how what how do I phrase this?

你们是如何为《纪元》系列选择游戏主题的？

How do you go about choosing the premise for an Anno game?

我的意思是，你知道，你们本可以拍到4407，或者像800这样的数字。

I mean, you know, you've got all you could shoot to forty four zero seven or, you know, like, 800.

你是怎么选择这个的？

How do you choose this?

我不只是对创意灵感或限制感兴趣，还想知道你们是如何向高层，比如UB的高管们，提出商业提案的。

And, like, how what I'm not only just interested in kind of what the creative inspiration is or the constraints, but then also how you kind of pitching the business case up to Okay.

还有像UB高管之类的人。

UB execs and stuff like that.

通常来说，我们总有一些想法放在抽屉里，我的意思是，大多数人都在那里。

So usually, I mean, we always have some some ideas in a in a drawer here where we I mean, most of the people are there.

我们真的非常热爱这款游戏，对它感情很深。

We are I mean, we are really we are really attached to the to the game, and we love it.

所以在开发过程中，我们总是会讨论，‘我们可以做这个’，‘我们也可以做那个’。

And so while the while you develop something, you always have to oh, we could do this, so we could that discussions around.

因此，作为团队，我们有一些想法，但当然，我们也会倾听粉丝的意见。

So we as a team have ideas what we could do, and but, of course, we're also trying to listen to our fans.

所以我们做了很多调查，因此我们知道，比如工业革命或罗马，一直位列粉丝和团队最希望看到的选项之首。

So we we do a lot of surveys, and so we knew, for example, that industrial revolution or now Rome was always on the list of on the highest vision or the wishes from the from the fans and the teams.

当然，我们也会将这些需求与游戏中已有的功能集以及我们想要呈现的内容结合起来。

And and then, of course, you combine this also with the feature set that we have in the game and that we want to portray.

所以对于《纳米游戏》来说，你需要一个丰富的背景设定。

So we because for Nano game, you need to have a rich setting.

你需要一个能够支撑电子表格、所有生产链条等机制的设定。

You need to have a setting that can fuel the spreadsheet, you know, all the production chains, things like that.

因此，当我们通常讨论其他潜在设定时，我们会尝试判断这些设定是否符合我们的功能需求。

And so you when we did usually discuss in a different potential settings, we try to see can they do those settings match our feature set?

这真的非常重要。

And that's that's really important.

而这一切通常都始于一个小团队。

And it all usually starts in a small group of people.

我们会把自己关在一间房间里，持续数周讨论各种可能的选项。

So we are we lock out allow ourselves into a room, and we discuss for several weeks potential options.

然后，在某个时候，我们当然也需要开始向团队推销这个想法，第一步就是面向团队。

And then at some point, of course, then we need to start also pitching the idea, and the first first thing is to the team.

所以我们会向团队展示：这是我们的想法，你们觉得怎么样？有什么反馈？

So we, of course, we present to the team, hey, these are our thinking, that's what you like, what what's your feedback on that?

一旦我们在方向上达成一致，接下来我当然需要跟工作室管理层沟通。

And once we settled here on the direction, then we, yeah, then, of course, I need to talk to studio management.

然后在某个时候，我也需要联系总部，跟他们讨论：我们打算这么做。

And then at some point, I need to also reach out to HQ to discuss with them, hey, this is what we want to do.

通常，或者有时我们也会做一些测试。

And usually or sometimes we also do tests.

所以在早期构思阶段，当我们有两个或三个想法时。

So we have some in a in a really early ideation phase when we have two ideas or three ideas.

我们也会向人们征求意见，做调查或在小群体中进行访谈，以了解他们的感受。

We also ask people and do a survey or in a in a what some interviews in a small group to to also get their sense.

我认为了解他们的期望也非常重要，因为你会看到一个可能在罗马建造的设施的封面。

And I think also was really important to get an understanding about their expectations because and you see a cover of an anode that potential plants in Rome.

人们期望什么？

What do the people expect?

他们希望什么？

What do they wish?

他们在那里看到了什么？

What do they see in there?

或者在你最终锁定某个方向之前，先收集大量反馈。

Or just to get a lot of feedback before you then really, at some point, lock in on this.

拥有这些资源真是太有帮助了。

How incredibly how incredibly helpful to have those resources.

我们曾与Private Division合作开发一款游戏，但最终并没有发布，属于那种典型的悲剧性跳票项目，就像业界很多项目一样。

We worked with Private Division on a game that didn't actually come out another sort of tragic vaporware project, you know, like many of the industry has.

但他们确实是Take Two的一部分。

But the you know, they were a part of take two.

他们拥有的资源可以用来进行调查和焦点测试，就像你所说的，比如你喜欢这个游戏的这个海报还是那个海报？

And the the the resources that they had at their disposal to run surveys and focus tests and, like, you're saying, like, do you like this poster of the game or do you like that one?

你为什么喜欢这一个？

Why do you like this one?

你知道的。

You know?

我们作为独立开发者感到非常强大，拥有这些假设并能够去测试它们。

It's it was we felt so powerful as an independent developer, like just having these hypotheses and being able to, you know, test them out.

并不是他们在定义我们做什么，或者决定我们做什么，而是这些数据帮助我们做出了工作室内的决策，而这些数据是我们自己根本无法获得的。

And it wasn't that they were defining what we were doing, but or, like, deciding it, but they were it was kind of it was informing the decisions that we were making at the studio with the a set of data that we just could never have had on our own.

不。

No.

我认为获得这些信息真的非常有帮助。

I think that's really very helpful to get this.

作为开发者，我知道有时候你会活在自己的泡泡里。

And, I mean, sometimes as a developer, I'm sure you know it, that you're you're living in your bubble.

所以，你对某些事情有理解，但去和外界的现实进行核对，我觉得这真的很有帮助。

So, I mean, you have an understanding about certain things, but to check this with the the reality with the world out there, I think it's really helpful.

是的

Yeah.

好吧

Alright.

所以你正在开发《纪元1800》。

So you're working on Anno 1800.

你和你的新团队全程参与了《2205》的开发。

You've you've been there for the full cycle of twenty two zero five with your new team.

对吧？

Right?

但显然，推出这款游戏需要好几年时间。

But, obviously, you've you know, it's gonna take a few years to ship that game.

现在你正在做《1800》。

Now you're on 1800.

作为Ubisoft Minds的领导者，无论是从创意角度还是团队管理角度，你对这款游戏有什么期望和愿景？

What were you what were your hopes and dreams for that game for yourself as, say, a leader within Ubisoft Minds, whether it be creatively or whether it be for your people?

在2205项目中，你们学到了哪些经验？或者有哪些方面是你们特别想在1800中改进并做对的？

Any lessons that you learned on twenty two zero five or things that you were really keen to to tackle in 1800 and sort of get right around this time?

是的。

Yeah.

我的意思是，对于一些核心粉丝来说，2205并不被视为符合核心玩法的作品，因为我们改变了一些机制之类的。

I mean, in I mean, twenty two zero five is cons for some of the hardcore fans, it's not considered a true to the core formula, you know, so because we changed some things in the mechanics and so on.

因此，在1800中，我们真的想回归更传统的做法。

And so with '18 100, we really want to do go back to a more traditional approach.

对我们来说，一直有个很大的疑问：玩家社区会如何反应？

And and so for us, there there was always a big question, how will the community react to it?

他们会接受这种改变吗？

How will they get along with it?

因此，我们的期望是，这款游戏能被核心玩家群体良好地接受，让他们也感受到自己是开发过程的一部分。

And so it was really the hope for us that the that it's it's a well perceived and or by the core community where they feel also as part of the development.

所以我们投入了大量时间，努力与玩家社区建立更紧密的联系。

So we invested a lot of time also to get close to the community.

我们成立了年度联盟，这是一个与粉丝沟通的平台。

We founded the the annual union, which is a platform that we have to communicate to our fans.

因此，我们确实努力与粉丝建立良好的关系，最终这取得了很好的效果，这让我们感到非常高兴。

And so we really try to, yeah, form a good relationship with our fans, and this really worked out in the end, and that it's it's something that is makes us very happy.

另一个方面，随着1800的成功，我们也决定探索游戏发售后的巨大机会，制定一套对粉丝公平、能让他们持续留在游戏中的机制。

And another respect that I it was also not I mean, with the success of 1,800, we also decided that, hey, we want to explore the the the huge opportunity of post launch and and to shape here a formula that works for our fans, which is fair and keeps them attached to the game.

这同样是一个不错的挑战，我们在这一时期学到了很多。

This was also a nice challenge, and we learned a lot in this in this time period.

是的。

Yeah.

哇。

Wow.

太不可思议了。

How incredible.

好的。

Okay.

酷。

Cool.

除了这些之外，还有哪些特别的挑战吗？

Is there any particular challenges outside of those things?

显然，你们在开始时会有一些想法，比如：

Obviously, there are things that you're going into thinking, okay.

我们想解决这个问题。

We wanna tackle this.

我们希望在这款游戏中把某些事情做对，而这些事情可能在2025年时我们已经偏离得太远了，换句话说，就是重新聚焦精力到正确的方向上，你知道的，或者说是重新聚焦。

We wanna this is something we wanna get right on this game that we may have, like, strayed a little bit too far from on twenty two zero five or and sort of this refocusing of your energy in the right areas, so to speak, you know, or in, you know, refocusing.

有什么特别的事情冒出来了吗？

Was there anything that came up?

你还记得在1800项目中出现过哪些重大挑战吗？那些现在热爱1800的粉丝们可能根本不知道，你们曾经为了某个功能几乎拼尽全力，差点被砍掉，或者实际上确实被删了，但当时要把它做出来真是困难重重。

Do you remember any big challenges that came up in 1,800 that the fans today that love 1,800 may not even know that, like, you all kinda went to hell and back over a particular feature or something that almost got cut or, you know, is something that actually did get cut and was on the on the cutting room floor, but, you know, you it was presented a huge challenge trying to get it in.

在亚洲，100版本中有两个你可以游玩的生物群系。

I mean, in Asia, a 100, you have two biomes that you can play with play in.

所以你有旧世界和新世界。

So you have the old world and the new world.

非常酷。

And Very cool.

新世界的第一个版本模仿了南美洲，我们在进行首次玩家测试时，得到了一些反馈。

And the first version of the new world where we it was mimicking South America during that in the game, and this when we did the first playtests, we got some yeah.

来自能测试该区域的社区的强烈愿望是希望进一步探索这片区域，并为其增加更多内容。

There was a strong wish from the community that that was able to test it to explore this region even further and to make it to to add more to this region.

因此，在开发过程中，我们也不得不改变计划，以实现这一完整幻想。

And so also during development, we had to change plans just to to deliver here on the full fantasy.

当然，当这类事情在最初规划之外出现时，总是会带来压力，但我们也看到了机会，全力以赴让新世界变得更加美丽和精致。

And this was a of course, I mean, if you things like that pop up where and you really didn't had it in our initial planning and so on, this is always stretched and to get there, but we also saw the opportunity to deliver something and went all in to really make the new world, yeah, even more beautiful and refined.

但这确实是一个巨大的挑战，也是过程中的一次重大调整。

And and but this was a big challenge and also a change along the way.

是的。

Yeah.

这太不可思议了。

It's incredible.

我的意思是，这款游戏在OpenCritic上的评分大约是95分左右。

I mean, what it's the game is sitting at something like 95 on open critic or whatever.

对吧？

Right?

受到了极其热烈的欢迎。

So just so incredibly well received.

你之前顺口提到过，《Anno 1800》是系列首款登陆主机平台的作品。

And you mentioned in passing before that 1,800 is the first Anno game to be on console as well.

是的。

Yeah.

这真是一个巨大的工程。

So huge undertaking.

你们是在Mines内部完成的吗？还是说是在其他地方？

Did you do that internally at Mines, or was that within Yeah.

没错。

Exactly.

对。

Right.

所以，我当时在《Anno 1800》中负责艺术部门，但在发售后的第一年，我转任了新职位，从创意层面主导了该项目和整个系列的后续发展。

So, I mean, I I I was leading the art department at 1,800, but in the first year of post launch, I then took over my new position and was leading the the project and the franchise on from a creative level.

因此，在我们仍在开发和推进《Anno 1800》发售后内容的同时，我们也看到了一个机会——嘿。

And so while we were still developing and working on the on the post launch of eighteen hundred, we also, yeah, sized the opportunity that, hey.

现在我们有了一个完美的试验场来尝试主机平台，我们想弄清楚一些问题，比如：我们能否将游戏移植到主机上？

Now we have also the perfect test bed to try out consoles, and and we wanted to find out things like, are we able to bring it to consoles?

我们该如何将它适配到手柄上？

How how can we translate it to the controller?

完成了。

Done.

是的。

Yeah.

这能实现吗？

Can it be done?

而且，我们团队之前从未做过主机版本或移植。

And also, we in the team, we have never done a console version or port.

所以，这也是对我们团队能否完成这项任务的一次考验。

So it was also can be as a team deliver on it.

因此，我们觉得这是一个好机会，因为游戏已经发布了。

So and and so we thought, hey, it's a good opportunity because the game is out there.

所以我们有一个稳定的环境。

So we have a stable environment.

因此，我们决定，是的，试试看吧。

And and so that's why we then decided, yes, let's try it out.

让我们把1800带到主机平台上。

Let's let's bring 1,800 to consoles.

哇。

Wow.

不可思议。

Incredible.

是的。

Yeah.

这真是一个杰出的成就。

Just a just a stellar achievement.

嗯。

Mhmm.

好的。

Okay.

你刚才有点没说到重点，但你发售后显然得到了晋升，而且你已经从部门调出来，和我们聊了聊这段经历。

And so you you kind of you you buried the lead a little bit there, but you post launch, you've obviously had a promotion, and you've gone from leaving the department to talk to us a little bit through that.

首先，恭喜你。

Like, first of all, congratulations.

我知道这发生在五年前。

I know it happened five years ago.

是的。

Yeah.

是的。

Yeah.

这非常令人兴奋。

It's very, very exciting.

跟我谈谈获得这次晋升的过程吧，它是怎么发生的，以及职责转变对你意味着什么。

Talk to me about the process of, you know, getting this this promotion, how it came about, and what the sort of shift in responsibilities meant for you.

是的。

Yeah.

我的意思是，前任创意总监迪尔克，他为《Anno》工作了很长时间。

I mean, the former creative director, Dirk, he was working on Anno for such a long time.

所以在完成1800项目后，他决定踏上一段新的旅程。

So after shipping 1,800, he decided that he wants to go on a a different journey.

他仍然在公司里。

He's still in the in the company.

但这个职位当时空出来了。

But so this position was open at some point.

我记得有一天，工作室经理来找我，建议我担任这个项目的创意负责人。

And and I remember at some day the the studio manager, he he approached me and pitched me the idea that I should be the creative lead on the on this.

大家都清楚，我作为艺术总监已经成功推出了两款《Anno》游戏。

Everyone knew that I I shipped two Anno games as an art lead.

所以我跟他们说，又来一个《Anno》项目，还是同样的位置。

So I saw so I told them as well, oh, another Anno in the same position.

我很想接受一个新的挑战。

I would love to have another challenge.

于是他们开始考虑让我来担任这个职位。

And so they were thinking about me.

但说实话，一开始我真的无法想象自己能胜任这个位置，因为当时我觉得……而且我觉得这一点也很重要。

And and to be honest, at the beginning, it I was really I really couldn't see myself in this position because I was and I think it's also important for for yeah.

对于你们的听众来说，因为我一直觉得创意总监是个‘摇滚明星’般的存在。

For your listeners out there so that because you I had this always this rock star image of a creative director.

是的

Yeah.

因为你会看到那些人真的在台上非常出色。

So because you see people who are really they they are super good on stage.

他们喜欢在众人面前讲话。

They they love to talk in front of people.

他们是非常出色的游戏设计师等等。

They they have a they are superb game designers and so on.

这也曾是我对创意总监的印象。

And this was my also my image of a creative director.

是的

Yeah.

但这不是我，因为站在台上讲话并不是我的强项。

This was not me now because I speaking on stage, it's not my superpower.

是的

Yeah.

所以我也不是游戏设计背景出身。

So I also I don't have a game design background.

我是艺术背景。

I have an art background.

当然，我在行业内工作了很久。

Of course, I worked a lot in the industry.

所以，你知道的，我见过很多东西，也学到了很多，但我并不认为自己是个完美的创意总监。

So, you know, I've seen a lot of things and then learned a lot of things, but I wouldn't consider well, I hadn't considered myself as a perfect creative director.

但经过一些讨论后，我也说，好吧，试试看吧。

But then after some discussions, I then also say, yeah, let's give it a try.

是的。

Yeah.

而这就是五年前发生的事

And that's that's that's what happened five

年前。

years ago.

你说服我了？

Convinced you?

他们说服了我。

They convinced me.

是的。

Yes.

我很高兴他们说服了我。

And I'm happy that they convinced me.

对。

Yeah.

他做得很好。

Good on him.

所以，谈谈你显然看到的Dirk，你知道的，还有你作为创意总监与他共事的经历。

And so talk to me about what you've obviously seen Dirk, you know, and worked along side him, you know, as creative director.

毫无疑问，你在现在的角色中也接触过育碧的其他创意总监。

No doubt you have some kind of exposure to other creative directors within Ubisoft, especially within your role now.

创意总监这个角色即使在育碧之外也很有名。

The creative director role is quite infamous even outside of Ubisoft.

对吧？

Right?

人们都知道育碧的创意总监，他们是项目负责人，如果有人想在育碧做这类工作，通常都想成为这种大型项目的负责人。

Like, folks know about Ubisoft's creative directors and, you know, they're they're that's the project lead and sort of where people wanna go if that's what they wanna do at Ubis, lead one of these big projects.

告诉我，一个有艺术背景的创意总监意味着什么？你懂的，是艺术方面的？

Tell me what it means to be a creative director that is like, has an art background, that is art you know?

你现在可能不再是艺术主导了。

And you may not be art led now.

对吧？

Right?

但我不想对你做这样的假设。

But, like, I don't wanna make that assumption there for you.

但跟我说说这到底意味着什么。

But talk to me about what it means.

就像你所说的，你并不是那种符合你心中对创意总监刻板印象的人。

You like you said, you weren't you weren't this image of the you didn't fit the blueprint that you had in your head of a creative director.

那么，在你担任创意总监的过去五年里，现在的情况是什么样的呢？

So what does it look like now with you being a creative director for the last five years?

这个新的蓝图是什么？或者曼努埃尔心中的创意总监应该是怎样的？

What is that new blueprint, or what is Manuel's blueprint for a creative director?

我认为我学到的第一件事就是，根本不存在所谓的创意总监标准模板。

I think one of the first things I learned is that there is not such a thing as the blueprint of a creative director.

特别是当我接触到育碧的其他创意总监时，我发现原来有一位是技术背景的。

And in particular, when I was exposed to the other creative directors in in Ubisoft, I also learned that, oh, there's a guy with a tech background.

还有一位是音乐背景的。

There's a tie there's a guy with a music background.

所以，我认为并不存在一个能真正定义这一切的单一模板。

So there's there's not this one blueprint that that really defines it, I think.

对我来说，关键在于你需要围绕自己组建一支由专家组成的团队。

I think what is what's key for me is that you need to form a team around you of of experts.

所以我身边有一位非常强大的游戏导演、一位强大的艺术总监，还有技术总监与我合作。

That's why I have a a very strong game director, have a strong art director close to me, I have tech directors working with me.

因此，当遇到我不是专家的领域时，你需要有人，当然，你也需要信任他们，并与他们建立牢固的关系。

And so, yeah, when there are areas where I'm not the expert, you need people and you, of course, you need to trust them and build up a really strong relationship with them.

这对我来说非常有效。

And this works really fine for me.

所以我真的鼓励每个人，如果你想要朝这个方向发展，就去试试吧。

So I can really encourage everyone to, if you want to go in this direction, just give it a try.

你觉得你的艺术技能在塑造你的愿景时用得很多吗？比如，这会不会是你独有的秘密武器，或者是其他人都没有的不公平优势？

Do you find your art skills, that you're utilizing them a lot in sort of creating your vision and say, you know, that it might be a kinda secret weapon that you have that other folks don't or an unfair advantage?

你是否经常通过视觉方式来沟通？

Do you find yourself communicating visually a lot?

我的意思是，这确实有帮助。

I I mean, it definitely helps.

此外，作为创意总监，你当然也需要监督艺术方面的工作，同时在营销等领域，你还需要对预告片、素材等提供大量反馈。

Also because, I mean, as an as a creative director, you, of course, also you need to oversee also art, but also you when it when it comes to marketing and so on, you need to give a lot of feedback to trailers, assets, and so on.

特别是对于《纪元》这样的游戏，视觉风格和艺术质量至关重要。

And in particular for a game like Anno where the visual style and the quality of the art is very important.

这真的对我很有帮助。

This this really helps me.

但同时，比如向团队传达想法时，画个草图、和某人交谈。

But also, like, communicating to the team, doing a scribble, talking to someone.

是的。

Yeah.

这真的很有帮助。

That's that's that's really helpful.

对。

Yeah.

看。

Look.

我相信。

I I believe it.

我的商业伙伴泰·凯里，当我加入塔乌鲁斯游戏公司时，我们俩都在同一家工作室工作。

My business partner, Ty Kerry, he when I started at Taurus Games, we were both working at the same studio.

当时他是艺术总监，多年来，他当了数十年的艺术总监之类的。

He was an art director at the time, and he's a you know, over the years, he was an art director for decades or something there maybe.

当我们自己创业，成立联盟几何公司时，他开始参与设计等工作，显然，他拥有一个积累了十年、二十年经验的卓越设计头脑，但之前在那家工作室里，没人真正充分利用他。

And then, you know, when when we struck out on our own at League of Geeks, like, was chipping in on design and everything, and obviously, he's a great, huge, huge design brain just sitting in there that like this for ten, twenty years at this studio that no one was kinda really utilizing.

他只是时不时地贡献一些小点子，最终成为了联盟几何公司有史以来最棒的游戏导演，这可不容易，因为我自己也曾是游戏导演。

He's just throwing in on little bits and pieces, and he ended up being the best game director we've ever had at League of Geeks, which is saying something because I was a game director.

是的。

Yeah.

好的。

Okay.

头衔。

Titles.

你知道的？

You know?

我看到了他的一项超能力，就是能够以一种我做不到的方式进行视觉化沟通。

And I saw this superpower that he had of being able to just, like, communicate visually in a way that I can't.

你知道的？

You know?

而我呢，我在表达某些东西时，你知道的，我是个作家。

Whereas I'm articulating something, you know, I'm a writer.

所以我要么写下来，要么通过语言来表达和传达。

So I'm either writing something up or I'm trying to articulate it through my speech and communicating it that way.

他呢，就像你说的，画出他那些著名的涂鸦，然后别人就立刻说：哦，明白了。

He's, you know, like you say, does one of his his famous scribbles, and someone's just like, oh, got it.

好的。

Okay.

是的。

Yeah.

正因为他的艺术背景，他作为一名游戏导演显得格外高效。

And he was just so incredibly effective because of that art background explicitly as a game director.

所以创意总监和游戏总监之间有一些有趣的地方，因为业界经常把这两个头衔混用。

So which there's a couple of there's something interesting about creative director and game director because a lot of the industry will use that interchangeably.

显然，这里并没有一个固定的标准。

Obviously, there's no, like, set thing there.

对吧？

Right?

但我知道，育碧长期以来已经对这两个角色有了一定的界定。

But I know that Ubisoft has kinda had that defined to some degree for a long time now.

所以你提到你有一位向你汇报的游戏总监，对吧？

So what's the you mentioned you have a game director, right, who reports into you.

能帮我们的听众理清一下吗？

Like, what is tell help our listeners out.

创意总监（无论是育碧思想还是育碧整体）和游戏总监之间的区别是什么？各自的职责又有哪些？

What's the difference between a creative director role, either at Ubisoft Minds or, Ubisoft broader, and the difference between that and a game director role and the responsibilities there.

是的。

Yeah.

你说得对。

You're absolutely right.

每个公司的情况都大不相同。

This is really different from company to company.

在我们的结构中，创意总监需要提出一个引人入胜的愿景。

So here in our structure, the the creative director, I'm I need to came up with a compelling vision.

我需要说服别人接受这个愿景。

I need to sell this vision.

我还必须引导团队朝着目标前进，并努力保持正确的方向。

I also need to steer the team towards the goal and try to stay on track.

因此，我的工作主要是谈论游戏、进行展示、凝聚团队支持这个理念，同时我也对游戏的最终品质负有责任。

And so my job is a lot about talking about the game, about presenting, rallying the people behind the idea, these kind of things, but also I'm responsible for the quality and to to some degree of the final game.

而游戏总监则负责将这一愿景转化为游戏设计和游戏规则，并在我们公司内领导游戏设计部门。

And the game director tries to translate this vision then into game design and game rules, and then the game director is also leading the game design department then with within our company.

而我不只负责设计部分，还负责游戏中的其他内容和创意领域。

While I'm responsible not only for the design part, but also for other content and creative areas in the game.

而且这一点也非常关键，我认为要理解。

And also really important, I think, understand.

现在我谈了很多关于我的角色是什么。

Now I talk a lot about what my what is my role.

我所有这些工作都是和团队一起完成的，当然不是我一个人提出愿景。

I do all of this together in a team and when we it's not me coming up with a vision alone, of course.

所以我们也是，一起在团队中完成这些工作。

So we do this also, yeah, together in a group.

是的。

Yeah.

当然。

Of course.

绝对如此。

Absolutely.

对吧？

Right?

就像这些大型游戏，即使上面有被称为创意总监的人，背后依然有庞大的团队在共同贡献。

Like, even even these these big games that have, you know, people at the top of them called creative director, there's still big teams where everyone's throwing in.

对吧？

Right?

实际上，游戏中不存在全自动的开发，或者说，根本不存在单人开发这种事。

Like, it's the kinda there are no autos in games or, you know, there is a solo dev does not exist kind of thing.

不对。

No.

不对。

No.

是的。

Yeah.

对。

Yeah.

好的。

Alright.

现在，我们开始吧。

Now let's, let's do it.

让我们深入看看《纪元：1177 罗马帝国》。

Let's dive into, Anno one seventeen Pax Romana.

恭喜你发布新作。

Congratulations on your release.

评价已经开始陆续出来了。

The reviews are coming through as well.

看起来太棒了。

Looking phenomenal.

我一直在玩它。

I've been playing it.

正如我提到的，我玩得非常开心，这还是我第一次玩《纪元》系列，这也说明了一点，因为我特别特别喜欢这一作的，就是这一点。

As I mentioned, I'm having a ball, you know, with my first Anno, which also says something too because something that I really, really loved about this one was, well, this one.

我进入这个系列的首次体验，而显然，这一作是在之前大约十部《纪元》作品的基础上构建起来的。

I my foray into the series, and obviously, this one having built upon the, you know, what, the 10 Anno games or something before it.

它非常容易上手。

It's, so incredibly accessible.

这太棒了。

It's it's amazing.

所以在深入之前，我要先问一个问题：你已经告诉过他们什么是《安诺》系列，但能不能具体说说《安诺117：罗马和平》是什么？

So why don't before I dive into that, I'm gonna ask that as one of my first questions, but why don't you give people just you've told them what an Anno is, but, like, why don't you tell them about what Anno one seventeen is, Pax Romant?

这是该系列的第八部作品。

It's the eighth installment of the series.

第八部，第八部。

Eight eight.

是的。

Yes.

没错，这是一款以罗马帝国为灵感的《安诺》游戏，对我们来说是一个巨大的突破，因为我们从未涉足过古代题材，而现在我们终于实现了。

Exact so it's an Anno inspired by the Roman Empire, so which is a huge step for us because we have never been there in antiquity, and now we deliver on it.

你扮演一位罗马总督，受皇帝派遣前往罗马的行省。

And you play in a role as a Roman governor, and you are send you're sent by the emperor to the provinces of Rome.

在游戏中，你可以探索两个令人兴奋的省份。

And in the game, you can explore two exciting provinces.

我们有一个受意大利启发的省份，叫做拉提乌姆，还有一个受凯尔特世界启发的省份，叫做阿尔比恩。

We have we have a one province which is inspired by Italy, we call Latium, and we also have a province inspired by the Celtic world, which we call Albion.

你将面临许多选择和决策。

And and you have a lot of choices and a lot of decisions to make.

特别是，我们还想讲述一个不同的罗马故事。

And in particular, we want to also tell a different story of Rome.

这就是为什么我们选择了你在行省中扮演角色的概念。

That's why we also choose the the concept of you play in the provinces.

你并不是扮演皇帝。

You're not playing as the the emperor.

在这些行省中，尤其是阿尔比恩，你还需要做出一个决定：你希望将罗马化推行到多深的程度？

And in those provinces, in particular, the Albion, you also had to make a decision if you want to Well, how far do you Romanize the people of the of the Roman empire?

是的。

Do yeah.

这也是当时人们真正会做出的合法选择，对吧？

In which is a legitimate decision people were making back then, right, as well.

太不可思议了。

Incredible.

那我们来聊聊罗马吧。

So let's dive into the Rome thing.

显然，育碧以历史资源的丰富性、准确性和对细节的重视而闻名，这里也是如此。

Obviously, Ubisoft, you know, just generally is famous for the historical resources and accuracy and attention to detail and everything here.

所以跟我谈谈罗马，你们是怎么决定进入罗马题材的？又用了哪些资源？

So talk to me about Roam and how it came about wanting to get into Rome and the resources that you had.

我们就来聊聊罗马，曼努埃尔。

Just let's let's talk about Rome for a bit, Manuel.

好的。

Okay.

完美。

Perfect.

我的意思是，我跟你说过我们是如何定义场景的。

I mean, I I I told you that how we define settings.

所以在项目初期，我们也考察了其他不同的背景设定，而罗马从一开始就列在考虑名单上，因为团队很想做这个题材。

So we had also at the beginning of the project, we looked at different settings, and Rome was on the tables right from the start because the team wants to do it.

而且粉丝们也期待看到罗马。

Also, the fans want to see Rome.

这一点我们是确信无疑的。

That's something we knew for sure.

对。

Right.

但说实话，我本人并不是特别热衷于罗马题材，因为我的一贯想法是，已经有很多游戏、电影、漫画都讲过罗马帝国了。

But to be honest, I wasn't the biggest fan of Rome because my quest was always, there are so many games out there, so many movies, comics about the Roman Empire.

那我们的新视角在哪里？

So what is the new take?

我们能讲出什么全新的故事？

How what what what news story can we tell?

当我们发现罗马和平时期对我们来说是罗马的巅峰时期时。

And once we then discovered the time of the Pax Romana for us, it's it's peak Rome.

那是2017年1月。

It's the year 01/2017.

我们看到了所有不同的行省。

And we saw all the different provinces.

当我们进行更深入的研究时，你和你，是的。

And then when we did the deeper research on it, and you and you yeah.

当你意识到有多少人——我的意思是，这些来自三大洲的人们，在一个相对稳定的环境中共同生活了近两百年。

And and you realize how many I mean, these are the people from three continents living together for almost two hundred years in a stable somehow environment.

这简直令人难以置信。

And It's incredible.

这是历史上最长的和平时期。

It's it's the longest peace time in history.

是的。

Yeah.

这太疯狂了。

It's crazy.

当然，从来都不是完全和平无害的，但这是在征服之后的时期。

And yes, of course, there was never everything was peace and harmful, but it's the time after the conquests.

当你想到罗马征服的所有不同文化，以及罗马在某种程度上为当地传统留出空间或吸收了各种理念时。

And and when you then think about all the different cultures that Rome conquered and to some degree also Rome let room for for local traditions or incorporated ideas.

这确实是一个让我们发现的令人振奋的主题。

And this was really an inspiring and topic that we discovered for us.

这也让我确信，好吧，这就是我们想在游戏中讲述的故事。

And this also then convinced me, okay, this is the the story that we want to tell in the game.

这对我们团队来说是一个非常重要的发现，这是一个我们想讲述的故事。

And this is, you know, was was a very important discovery for us as a team that this is a story we want to tell.

我给你举个例子。

And I'll give you an example.

我的意思是，我们在这里的明斯克开发游戏，我们的办公室位于一个购物中心的顶层。

I mean, we are developing the game here in Mines, and we are sitting in our office is on the top level of a mall.

在建造这座大楼时，他们在这里发现了一座罗马神庙。

And during the construction of this building, they found a Roman temple here.

这座神庙供奉的是伊西斯女神，她是埃及的神祇，这是一个很好的例子，说明埃及的神祇如何穿越罗马帝国传到了明斯城，这类故事在游戏中也能找到。

And and the temple, they worship the goddess of Isis, which which is an Egyptian deity or and it's a good example where you see that an Egyptian god traveled through the Roman Empire to the city of Mines, and these kind of stories are also stories you will find in the game.

因此，你可以发现凯尔特神祇，并在阳光明媚的拉齐奥等地供奉他们。

So you can discover Celtic deities, and then you can also worship them in the sunny Latium, for example.

是的。

Yeah.

哇。

Wow.

好的。

Alright.

好吧，我们来聊聊吧，我知道其中一个最大的问题是1800年左右的事，但你们在这上面也投入了很多。

Well, let's talk because I know one of the biggest, you know, was there with, 1800, but, like, you've really lent into it on this one as well.

对吧？

Right?

谈谈这两个地区吧，你知道的，你们在1800年基础上想拓展的内容，还有新世界和旧世界的设定，现在又加入了拉提乌姆和阿尔比恩。

Talk to me about the the two regions and and, you know, the things that you wanted to build upon from 1,800 and having the New World and the Old World and now having Latium and Albion here.

就像你说的，这种两个民族甚至三个民族的融合。

And like you're saying, this this kind of this merging of, like, two peoples or three really.

对吧？

Right?

聊聊这个功能以及其中涉及的所有内容吧。

Like, talk to me about this feature and and everything involved in it.

是的。

Yeah.

很明显，我们需要实现玩家对古罗马帝国背景游戏所期待的那种幻想。

It was I mean, it's it's clear that we need to deliver the fantasy that that you have when you think about the game set in the Roman Empire.

所以我们确定必须打造一个以意大利为灵感的拉提乌姆。

So we knew for for sure we need to deliver Latium inspired by Italy.

阳光明媚。

It's sunny.

这是你在游戏中必须具备的典型罗马主题。

It's you you it's the typical Roman theme that you need to have in the game.

所以这一点已经确定了。

So that was already set.

当我们发现罗马化和不同行省这个主题时，我们确实如此。

And then as we discovered the topic of the Romanization and the different provinces, we were yeah.

我们曾就希望展现的额外行省展开大量讨论，以探索罗马帝国的这一文化层面。

We had a lot of debates about what is the the additional province we want to portray to play around with this cultural aspect of the Roman Empire.

因此，我们最终选择了阿尔比恩——这个受凯尔特文化启发的行省，仅仅因为它形成了极其鲜明的对比。

And therefore, we settled in on on Albion, the Celtic inspired province, simply because it's just it's a super harsh contrast.

而且在当时，罗马人眼中的不列颠或布列塔尼确实是个异域之地，是任何文明罗马人都不愿去的地方。

And also back then in Rome, Brittany or Britannia was was really an alien place, a place no civilized Roman wants to be.

所以当你思考视觉设计时，想到游戏中展现的沼泽、雨水、迷雾，这一切都与阳光明媚的拉提乌姆形成强烈反差，这就是我们选择它的原因。

And so when you think about the visuals, when you think about the marshland that we also portray in the game, about the rain, about the the mist, the foggy, that all of this is it's a it's really a striking contrast to to the sunny Latium, and that's why we settled on them.

另一个与行省紧密相关的是，我们希望让这款游戏相比前作更加非线性。

And another thing that is very connected to to the to the provinces is also that we wanted to make the game less linear compared to the previous annals.

我们知道，复杂性是《Anno》系列的关键，但对一些玩家来说，这种复杂性有时过于繁重。

We know that the complexity, which is is a key of ano, is at some point too much for some of our players.

因此，我们现在决定让游戏更具灵活性，这也是我们首次允许玩家选择自己的起始省份。与《Anno 1800》不同，那时你必须一步步通关才能解锁新世界，然后才能扩张或推进游戏进程。

And so we decided also now we want to get make the game more flexible, and so that's why we also decided for the very first time, you are now able to select and choose your your starting province, so that compared to 1,800 where you had to play through the game until you unlock the new world, and then you can expand or you need to expand to progress.

现在，选择权在你手中。

Now it's up to you.

你可以选择直接进入拉丁姆或阿尔比恩，也可以在游戏过程中决定是否将另一个省份纳入你的玩法体验，或者保持简洁，只专注于一个省份。

It's you can decide to jump into the game in Latium or Albion, and then you can also decide throughout your game if you want to incorporate the other province to a gameplay experience, or if you want to keep it smaller and just stay in one province.

哇。

Wow.

这从制作角度来看也是一个相当重大的决定，因为你需要开发游戏一半的内容，或者整个模块的资产、功能和内容等等。

That's that's quite a big that's quite a big decision to make even from just a production standpoint, right, where you're developing a half of the game or a a whole section of the game in regards to assets, features, content, all this sort of stuff

是的。

Yeah.

但我们知道，我们的核心玩家通常希望在游戏体验中融入所有内容。

But but we know that our core fans usually, they want to incorporate everything in their gameplay experience.

是的。

Yeah.

所以，没错。

So and that's Right.

是的。

Yeah.

这正是我认为的，但这主要是为系列的新玩家或休闲玩家提供的选择，如果你只想这样玩，我们提供了这个选项。

That's that's that's why I think that's but it it's more for for newcomers to the series or for casual players or if you just want to do it, you can it's just an option that we offer.

你知道的。

You know?

但我相信我们的核心玩家会把所有内容都纳入游戏体验中。

But I'm sure the the the our core fans, they will include everything.

是的。

Yeah.

当然。

Of course.

谈谈这个特定时期——罗马和平时期，你显然在侧重于销售我们现在所知的意大利地区，还有阿尔比恩。

Talk to me about, you know, when we're when we're talking about this specific time, the Pax Romana, you're leaning into, obviously, like you say, selling what we now know as Italy, and then you've got l, Albion as well.

谈谈你的研究过程。

Talk to me about your process of research.

正如我提到的，育碧拥有大量关于这方面的优秀资源，比如历史学家等等。

Like I mentioned, Ubisoft's got all these great resources specifically around this stuff, like historians and everything like that.

你们是利用总部的资源，还是从其他工作室或组织内部的其他渠道获取信息，还是内部聘请了专家？

Like, did you were you pulling on sort of, you know, HQ resources or from other studios or other insights in within the broader organization, or was did you bring folks in internally?

你们的研究过程是怎样的？

What was your process for, you know, research?

当然，这不仅仅是一款叙事游戏，让你只是跑来跑去、打打杀杀、冒险战斗。

And, obviously, it's not just a a narrative game where you're running through, you know, fighting people, action, adventure.

你实际上还要处理生产线，得弄清楚当时人们是如何生活的。

You're actually doing production lines, and you gotta figure out how people live and everything at the time.

所以给我们详细讲讲，你们是如何弄清楚这些细节的。

So give us the deep dive on how you figure that stuff out.

是的。

Yeah.

我认为这是项目中非常有趣的一个阶段，因为一开始，就像我说的，我们团队会进行全面深入的研究，而且我们也很幸运，团队里有一些专门研究罗马帝国的专家，这真的很棒。

I think that's really a very interesting phase of the project because at the beginning, you do a like I say, that we do a deep research on everything in the team, we're also super lucky because we have some experts also in the Roman Empire in the team who studied these kind of things, which is really cool.

但你也说得对，育碧内部也有相关资源。

And but you're also right, we have within Ubisoft also resources.

我们有一个专门的部门，他们会帮助我们进行研究。

So we have one department and they really help you to do research.

你可以向他们提问，或者和他们一起举办研讨会。

So you can ask them questions or we can do workshops together with them.

他们还与公司外部的许多专家有联系，如果你想深入了解某些特定主题的话。

They also have a lot of contacts to experts outside the company if you want to go really deep on certain topics.

是的，我们确实尽力利用了所有可用的资源，来理解罗马帝国以及我们游戏所需的各个方面，并将这些内容转化为适合我们的设计形式。

And yeah, we we really tried to use all the resources that we have to understand the Roman Empire or the the aspects that we needed for our game to translate this then into to a formula that works for us.

正如我所说，每年推出的版本从来不是完全历史准确的，但我们仍然努力创造出一种符合大众心中罗马幻想的体验。

Like I said, the annual is never historically accurate, but we still try to came up with something that works as the Roman fantasy for the people out there.