Traditional design elements in chinese MMORPG ...

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and "Dragon Oath" by NASDAQ CYOu. The online game industry .... legends: for example," West Boast Tours online" is adapted from the classic myth novel ...
Traditional design elements in chinese MMORPG

LiuPu

Guan Jiaqing

Wuhan University

Wuhan University

Wuhan, Hubei Province430072, China

Wuhan, Hubei Province430072, China

[email protected]

[email protected]

Abstract-Network game art is a kind of digital interactive art,

By researching

also a unique cultural form. This paper described the style and characteristics of Chinese MMORPG game mainly from the aspect of visual design, analyzed the extraction and applications of the ancient Chinese traditional elements, summarized the existing deficiencies, provided suggestions and references for designers, and tried to explore creative digital art design with rich cultural connotation.

Chinese

in

Chinese

MMORPGs

and

successful experience from the perspective of digital art design, it would summarize the application experiences of traditional elements of game art and design, and also provide reference for other art and design fields. As the saying: Gaining new ideas and inspiration from inheriting traditional and national culture is an important part that cannot be ignored

Keywords- traditional Chinese element, game art design,

in

the

process

of

globalization

and

internationalization.

MMORPG

II. 1.

the extraction method of traditional

elements

EXTRACTING DESIGN ELEMENTS FROM CHINESE

INTRODUCTION

TRADITIONAL CULTURE

MMORPG, that is a massively multiplayer online role­

The gratifYing achievement of MMORPG of cultural

playing game, is a highly popular interactive multimedia art,

industry relies on potential market demand and government

as a kind of network game.

preferential policies on the original animation production.

According to "the 2009 Chinese Game Industry Report",

But more importantly, it is because the domestic game

jointly issued by the Chinese game Committee Association

companies emphasize refining and mining of traditional

(GPC) and the International Data Corporation (IDC), the

elements of their own. Since 2007, they have realized the

actual sales revenue of 2009 Chinese online game was 183.8

advantages of cultural resources, and adjusted from imitating

million RMB, 76.6% growth than in 2007. The number of

foreign well-known games to exploring and developing

Chinese online game users reached 49.36 million, an

games independently, then exporting. "To some extent, the

increase of 22.9%. They predicted that by 2013, the actual

Sinomania brought about by the 2008 Olympic Games,

sales income of Chinese online game would be 39.76 billion

indirectly

RMB, and the compound growth rate be16.7%. MMORPG

development based on the Chinese culture. As a result, the

was the main export product of Chinese self online game. By

Chinese online game have turned over battle since 2007."

the end of 2009, about 51 large-scale online game products

(Zhu Qi ,president of PWRD)

promoted

the

independent

research

and

exported to the USA, Britain, France, Germany, Korea,

Chinese traditional culture is inherited and develops from

Japan, etc, nearly 50 countries and regions. The export

generation to generation, with distinctive features, a long

earnings of 2009 Chinese online game was $1.06, a 47.2%

history, and rich cultural connotation of the Chinese nation.

improvement over 2008.1t owned 80% of Vietnam's online

It divides into two parts: Intangible Cultural, which includes

game share ,and formed China tradition culture hot, with the

thoughts, ideas, rituals, customs, religion, philosophy, music,

games

festival,

such

as

"JX

Online"

by

KingSoft

company

and "Dragon Oath" by NASDAQ CYOu.

etc

,and

material

culture,

including

building,

clothing, cooking, crafts, etc. The Extraction of traditional

The online game industry develops rapidly against the

design elements focused on the material one, such as the

current background of the generally tight entity economic

exploitation and utilization the visual elements of Chinese

situation, and emerges to be the leader of whole Chinese

garden, pavilion, castle, lacquer work, stone carving, clay

Internet industry. As a flexible form of cultural and creative

sculpture, paper cutting, shadow play, embroidery, batik,

industries, MMORPG, not only becomes an effective means

auspicious patterns, Qin brick, Tang suit and Han Clothing.

against economic crisis, with great social and economic value, but also provides a wide range of efficient channels for cultural interchanges and communication, carries forward the Chinese cultural transmission, and blows strong wind to the game industry with its combination of modem game art design and Chinese traditional elements.

Figure I. Example of auspicious patterns

978-1-4244-7974-0/10/$26.00 ©2010 IEEE

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Graphic design is the directly embodied aspects of the game effects. Current domestic MMORPGs attract more and more people's attention for their screen effects. Players fight, trade, adventure, enjoy entertainment and make friends in spectacular

battle

scenes,

also

enjoy

traditional

art

atmosphere. IV.

ApPLICATION METHODS AND APPLICATION STATUS OF

TRADITIONAL ELEMENTS IN CHINA'S DOMESTIC MMORPG

"Dragon CHUSEN",

Oath",

"ztIIol",

"XunXian

"ASKTAO","LEGEND

Online","

West

Boast

of

Tours",

and"Sword and Fairy XJOL", which rank among the top most popular online games, are infiltrated by traditional . Chmese thoughts and culture everywhere for their scenes ' characters ,dialogues props or costumes .

First of all, In aspect of time background settings, most of the games extracts from Chinese traditional Myths and legends: for example," West Boast Tours online" is adapted from the classic myth novel "Pilgrimage to the West", game world

of

"XunXian

Online"

is

derived

from

Chinese

mythology, The background of "Xuanyuan sword Online" is

Figure2. Example of Chinese Clothing and embroidery

the mix of mythological "Liaozhaizhiyi" and Chinese ancient

�egen�s. So they all happen in the era of mythology. "ztIIol"

III.

IS set m a troubled time of feudal Chinese dynasty, when the

FEATURES OF MMORPG

Lords

MMORPG is a kind of Massively Multiplayer Game. A great many of people interact and communicate with the role of other game players through the Internet client-server side in the connective and interactive virtual space environment MMORPG's history can be

b�sed

:

crisscrossing,

more,

The

unique

of

alone RPG, but has its own story background. In the virtual

elements

theory,

and

other

Chinese

traditional

beliefs.

cooking, tea ceremony, antique, Chinese medicine, Chinese

specifi� role attributes and players' feedback attracts players, . mamtams loyalty of the online gamers, and contributes to

astrology

,classical

four

Chinese

arts

of

music



chess

h

calligraphy and painting, and get knowledge ab ut suc

players with different cultural background accepting this

tradition.

particular cultural settings.

Thirdly, scene design is set according to the historical

Millions upon millions of Internet users plays the roles of

characteristics

different characteristics. As a result, it forms the virtual

of

era,

region,

geography,

and

scenery

involved in the historical background of game story. So it

public environment and social relations similar to the real

creates a real environment. More realistic based on Chinese

community with interpersonal systems, occupation systems,

history, more credible and cordial. Many MMORPGs have

PK system, and interaction. The social experiences and which

implication.

Additionally, the player will be in the entertainment of

the story progresses. The growth experience based on the

features

cultural

the fu�ion of Confucianism, Legalism, Taoism, Mohist, . BuddhIsm, ym-yang school, Huang Lao's ideology, Five­

world with mainline tasks , new story missions appears as

unique

deep

world outlook of "Xuanyuan Sword Online" is enriched with

Network RPG does not have a complete story line as stand­

are

have

Its overall atmosphere is sunny, healthy, and lively. The

culture and cultural transmission among the general public.

characteristics

which

values, with national spirit and various folk custom etiquette.

MMORPG is also conducive to the application of traditional

public

or

heroism. "XunXian Online" is based on traditional eastern

cultural

characteristics

legends,

virtual concept of national honor, loyalty, true love, and

has the established market mechanism, which is conducive to industry. Further

Myths,

and

background

The second aspect is the game's world outlook, ideology . and belIef systems. "JX Online" attracts fans of wuxia by

are completely market-oriented cultural enterprises, which of

Chinese

such

Consequently, it also brings a very good market return.

Since the date of its birth, Chinese MMORPG companies

competItIon

well-known

Machiavellian

Under

and martial arts hero existing in, justice and affection

Oline, which exactly mature MMORPG.

international

on

,with

overrunning.

but romantic and implicative dreams with supernatural genie

traced back to the 1970s

MUD ,to the text-based Adventure, Dungeon, Zork ,then to

or

separately

hIStOry ,these games are no longer simply fighting games,

the graphics-based Meridian59, and then to 1997 Ultima

export

hang

manipulativeness

the affectionate regard of ancient regional characteristics and

differ



tradit onal Chinese architecture, and blend Chinese painting

MMORPG from other games, which not only attract players,

style mto the �ame scene design. "Sword and Fairy XJOL", wher� There IS full of Landscapes of ink and wash painting

occupy the most-watched position in the intense competition game market, but also make a large number of users practice

?r Fme Brushwork painting, accompanied by classical mstrument performance of flute, dizi, erhu, pipa, reveals

the ideological and cultural concepts advocated in the game world.

profound traditional cultural charm in every spectacular city,

1036

magnificent palace, mighty wall, martial camp, elegant

inherits and promotes Chinese art style by character and

pavilion, meticulously created garden, carefully arranged

monster 's setting.

water, deep courtyard, zigzagged corridor, artificial rockeries, beautiful sculpture, wooden carving ,and fresh verdure.

Figure4. Example of character design

V.

SHORTCOMINGS OF TRADITIONAL DESIGN ELEMENTS APPLICATION

Currently,

the

phenomenon

of

following

the

trend

appears frequently in Chinese MMORPGs ,with repeated themes and imitated configuration. Always the same thing. No new active ideas in a large number of similar games, and as to form "Aesthetic Fatigue". It becomes a tumbling block, on the road of development of online games. It is expected that more innovative art design works produced among MMORPGs. Chinese traditional clothing system has formed certain stability in the long process of historical evolution. The tie-in

Finally, the character and monster's design couldn't

method of shapes , colors, accessories and other primary

conceal the rooted effect of Chinese traditional culture.

element, have adopted a relatively fixed mode. It is for this

Personas' faces are typical eastern Asian. In addition, the

reason that unique Chinese clothing style developes. But this

hair styles, body shapes, and other features are based on

mode has also caused restrictions and rigescence when

personality and characteristics of ancient occupation. There

applied to MMORPG. It is embodied in the"Wholesale

are common career of swordsman, daoke, assassin, hercule, Warrior, mage

pharmacists,

,warlocks

corresponding

monk,

,necromancer,

ancient

Chinese

alchemist etc.

So

Sinicization" mindset or rigid thought pattern.

spell there

costumes,

On

exist

domestic

system as auxiliary part of character design, making players also

reflecting

clothing

the

system

.

abundant Virtual

and

huge

monsters

art-style,

displaying

films

thing

a

phenomenon

group

happened

.Generally

in in

some certain

,European

and

and

blend

mechanically

and

mix

automatically

without though, in the process of learn and integration, there

two­

will be of inconformity and discordance as to line, color,

dimensional figures of 1970s Chinese cartoons in a three­

proportion, leading the game characters' face, dress, and

dimensional way, adding pixel style, with high image quality but low hardware requirements,

the

as

painting style. If Chinese MMORPG design is affected by others,

For example, "XunXian Online", whose screen is extremely classical

animation

to

confusion

game figures usually Chinese wuxia style and Chinese

recombination and collocation of parts of natural animals,

Chinese

similar

and design

and exaggerated , with big eyes and heads. while Chinese

often

according to the description in legend and mythical stories. strong

character

cold and wild. The Japan and South Korea ones are simple

ancient

are

contrary, chaos the

American game roles are brave, strong , vigorous, buxom,

have many choice, increasing richness and novelty into Chinese

on

MMORPGs,

ornaments and props, which also called RPG paper dolls

games,

the

appears

equipment,

decorations into a messy situation.

sets its characters in

accordance with traditional-style cartoon and puppet films of "Monkey King", "Calabash Brothers", "Lotus Lantern". It

1037

VI.

globalization, making creative design more diversified, and

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

expanding its culture connotation. Inheriting national culture

The ultimate purpose of traditional research is to find the

and taking in the spirit, learning and adding continuously,

rules and nature, and to create, distinguishing the feature of

then forming self-style revealed traditional charm, is a

own unique cultural resources without exclusion of every

desirable approach of perfect combination.

culture, not by rote, but carrying on the personalized refining of distinct characteristics, then performing creative new personalized style with the expression in this MMORPG

REFERENCES

artistic language means. Research and development of domestic MMORPG is still

[lJ Qian Long, Game Design Introduction, Beijing: Science

in its beginning stage, requiring more attention, being

Press, 2006.

expected to be improved. The combination of Chinese traditional elements and modem MMORPG game art design

[2J Xue XueSong and Zhang Jing, Game art and design,

language, contributes to promoting the traditional culture

Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2005.

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