【GameLook专稿，未经授权不得转载！】
GameLook报道/2015年，一款名为《遗忘之城》的《上古卷轴5》Mod出现在了网络上，一经推出就凭借其独特的时间循环玩法和丝丝入扣剧情让老滚爱好者大呼过瘾。这款mod获得了300万次的下载，是《上古卷轴5》中人气最高的mod之一。
在虚幻引擎的加持下，《遗忘之城》mod的开发者Nick Pearce领衔三人团队Modern Storyteller将这款mod重制为了一款完整的作品，经四年的开发后在2021年向全平台推出。高超的游戏素质让《遗忘之城》打进了主流玩家群体，以完全体形态冲破了“老滚”粉丝圈。IGN和GameSpot两大评分网站双双给出9分的高评价，PC Gamer杂志更是将其选为“史上100大PC游戏”第96名，和《辐射：新维加斯》（93名）、《上古卷轴5》（75名）等经典美式RPG作品一道共同登榜。目前该作Steam好评率96%“好评如潮”，总评测数近6000，预估销量达18.7万份。
尽管开发团队仅有3人，但《遗忘之城》的3D画面表现力在独立游戏中绝对能算第一梯队：角色的面部动画较为自然，物品材质细腻，整体画面风格的调配有极高的一致性。之所以能够以小搏大，其开发团队的秘诀就是大量使用市面上已有的素材和资产。最终的结果证明了，只要运用得当，买来的现成素材也能发挥大作用。
近日，外媒深入挖掘了《遗忘之城》开发所使用的“秘密武器”，梳理出了该作在UE开发中所使用的90余款插件和资产。尽管并非每一款插件都是同类型的最佳选择，但这一列表应该能为预算吃紧的独立开发者提供有益的参考。
以下是GameLook编译的全部内容：
《遗忘之城》大约使用了90款市场上的插件和资产，我将在本文中对其中一些进行拆解。
在讨论资产之前，我先来看看引擎插件。尽管最终的游戏产品获得了成功，但这一团队对UE4的经验明显不足，这一点很容易从插件选择中看出来。我的批评或许会很主观，但我想很多开发者会同意我的观点。
插件汇总
对话系统
0美元 Screenwriter
https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/screenwriter/reviews
该插件是由开发商Modern Storyteller自研的，随后在虚幻商城上发布，但销售量很差，只卖出了大约10份，因此最终被弃用了。这个插件允许你将引擎内部的对话可视化为树状图。我对此感到很奇怪：从2017年开始，市面上
就已经有不少优秀的对话插件可选了，选择花上两三个月从头做一个对话系统这种行为实在是吃力不讨好。
然而，他们的程序员设法用Slate编写了一个自定义图形插件，这说明程序员有两把刷子，因为当时市面上这类插件的文档还尚未公布出来，想要制作一款这样的插件是很不容易的。既然已经有现成的解决方案，为什么他们的程序员还要在对话系统上浪费几个月的开发时间，这让人费解。
任务插件
29.99美元 Quest Extension
https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/quest-extension
一个将任务以树状图进行可视化呈现的插件。又是一个被放弃的项目，但是由另一个独立工作室开发的。
任务系统与对话不同，不需要依赖于树状图进行处理，因为任务不会有那么多分支。在数百行的对话中，每一行对话都可能生出好几处分叉，但在任务中，只有”接受任务，拿起物品，通过任务”几种状态。在一个简单的独立游戏中，支线任务并不会太复杂，不需要考虑其分支的可视化问题。
尽管如此，考虑到对话的可视化系统费了很大劲才开发完成，开发者竟然没有想到直接在上面绑定一个任务系统，这也是很奇怪的。依靠别人的插件总是很危险的，因为在出现问题的情况下，要理解别人的代码极其困难。如果能节省几个月的开发时间，那或许还值得冒冒险。但在这里完全没理由冒这种风险。
动画插件
价格未知 jSync
jSync允许你通过文本内容自动生成嘴唇动画。《赛博朋克2077》中也使用了这一技术。
0美元：Custom Speed & Orientation Warping
https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/animgraphnode
一个调整角色行走时腿部动画的插件。这是一个入门级插件，通过Unreal本身的功能将两个单帧动画进行混合达到结果。没有UE开发经验的人才会使用这一插件。
$24.99 – Two Foot-IK Tools
https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/ik-foot-2-ground-plugin
又是一个蹩脚的IK解决方案，UE本身就有相应的功能，而该插件是一个付费插件。他们浪费了不必要的钱。
存档系统
$69.99 – Rama Save System
https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/rama-save-system
Rama曾撰写了大量的UE教程，所以他对这个引擎十分了解。尽管产品的截图很难看（他是色盲），但我认为他开发的存档系统很好用。
编辑系统
94.99美元 – EOSCore
https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/eoscore
用于在蓝图中加入C++功能的插件。
我宁愿使用旧的蓝图，也不愿意让蓝图被别人的东西破坏。
11.99美元–Electronic Nodes
https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/electronic-nodes
一个让蓝图看起来更美观的插件。
插件总结
我会把他们买的所有插件都给扔进垃圾堆（除了jSync），然后买一个市面上久经考验的对白插件。其他的开发我都会手动完成，这样才能对结果有充分的控制。
顺便说一下，这款游戏的“独立“性不仅可以从插件的选择上看出来，游戏中的动画蓝图也差不多够呛，因为所有的人物在与主角交谈时都是斜眼。
资产
资产方面没什么可评论的。我只会列出汇总清单。从这份清单中可以看出，几乎所有的独立项目都像这样广泛使用来自市场的素材。但看完《遗忘之城》的最终产出后，谁又能说用现成资产是一件坏事呢？
生物资产
$? – 游戏的角色都生成自Character Creator 3，但角色原素材来自哪就不得而知了，可能是从DAZ 3D上买来的。（顺带一提，DAZ 3D上的原生纹理很糟糕）
$4.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/animal-pack-ultra
$34.99 – 主角的手 https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/aaa-first-person-arms-pack
$14.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/goat
$24.99 https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/skeleton-zombies
3D资产:
$39.00 – Дерево Speedtree https://store.speedtree.com/store/italian-cypress-ue4/
$24.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/antique-columns
$99.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/antiquity-3d 我最喜欢的捆绑包之一
$39.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/apothecary-and-alchemy
$9.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/backpack-kit
$49.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/tavern-basement
$29.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/blacksmith-forge
$9.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/carpets
$9.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/ancient-ceramic-pack
来自CGTrader的船——具体是那一艘不清楚。
$99.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/cliff-tower-ruins – похожа на Heide’s Tower of Flame
$24.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/concrete-rubble
$24.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/debris-pack
$99.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/deep-elder-caves
$24.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/door-pack
$99.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/fantasy-dungeon
$0 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/ed6646c7e7344f2ca9fdaa621b10dd39
$19.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/greenhouse-gardening-tools
$24.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/animated-medieval-bows
$19.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/animated-open-world-survival-tools
$4.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/item-box-pack
$19.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/ivy-pack-01
$149.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/landscape-auto-material
$74.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/luos-s-modular-rocks-caves
$59.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/medieval-docks
$29.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/modular-ancient-ruins
$69.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/modular-cliffs
$89.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/quarry-cliffs
$89.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/museum-vr
$49.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/old-alchemist
$24.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/old-animated-books
$59.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/old-catacombs
$29.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/old-tavern-01
$99.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/old-village
$12.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/open-world-camping-pack
$14.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/open-world-survival-food-pack
$14.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/photoscanned-fruit-veg-vol-1
$0 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/procedural-nature-pack-vol
$84.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/rome-fantasy-pack-i
$99.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/rome-fantasy-pack-ii
$4.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/roman-and-celtic-pack
$10.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/rope-bridge-kit
$29.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/showroom-rotunda-lobby
$49.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/ruins
$44.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/ruins-pack
$4.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/sacks
$12.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/scavenger-s-loot-pack
$19.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/scifi-observation-station-kit
$19.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/smart-ancient-trees
$24.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/statues-pack-vol
$11.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/survival-asset-pack
$? – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/tataouine-rocks
$149.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/ultimate-river-tool
$24.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/urns-and-amphoras-of-elixir
$99.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/victorian-house-only-decor
$14.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/ancient-egyptian-props
动画资产
$54.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/archer-animset-pro
后期处理
$14.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/amplify-lut-pack
$44.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/chameleon
$34.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/sci-fi-and-glitch-post-process
粒子
$14.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/realistic-waterfall-particle-fx
$29.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/vfx-weather-pack
$19.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/fxville-s-blood-vfx-pack
$19.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/materialize-vfx
$12.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/portals-01
$45.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/smoke-builder
$39.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/insect-birds-and-fish-fx
$24.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/vfx-series-pack
声音
$49.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/ancient-game
$39.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/universal-sound-fx
其他
$19.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/instant-swimmable-water
$9.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/basic-light-function-pack
$24.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/space-skybox-collection-01
$29.99 – https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/ultra-dynamic-sky
总结
本作开发所用资产总计价值3209美元。我对JSync的报价也很好奇，于是我给他们写了封邮件询价，但他们坚持要求我先签署保密协议，然后才会给我报价。
角色配音需要额外的数千美元，Character Creator 3和DAZ 3D素材包需要额外的数千美元。因此我们可以估计本作开发成本为3人×4年的工资加上额外的1-1.5万美元。
假设Steamspy的估计准确的话，本作卖出了5-10万份，假如平均售价取12美元，再乘以二算上其他平台的销量，扣除Epic和Steam的分成，最终的收入为120万美元。平均4年下来，相当于3名员工每人每年5万美元的收入。这一数字并不高，但对于初创工作室来说已经是不错的成绩了。而且本作后续还会有更多的销售。
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