Singlv – Save the Game Industry! The Industry Needs YOU! [產業需要你] 齊救 Game 界!「升呢」雲集香港遊戲愛好者


“Singlv” (Pronounced Sing-Leh) is a term that clearly shows you that it’s a local Hong Kong community. It’s a term that more or less translates to “level up”. This plan is the brainchild of Alex (牛柏葉). Here is its core concept:

“To gather local (Hong Kong) game development information, push local game development, increase public standing of the industry, give a chance for developers to communicate and offer aid, and provide a cultural foundation for the whole industry.”

While this community is still being developed, I (Simon But) was fortunate enough to interview its founder. Now, let me introduce this program.

Singlv Official Poster

They told me that had a very detailed plan and understands that it will be a long-term project for game developers, players, and people in related industries.

Here are its main three functions:

1. Establish a Hong Kong Game Database

A lot of local developers don’t actually know which teams are working on games in Hong Kong. This database will be able to introduce them to more developers working towards similar goals, and let them encourage each other, thereby help maintain motivation.

What’s more, that can also learn about the experiences and abilities of the various teams. If, for example, I am developing a racing game, then I can ask other development teams with related experiences for tips, or perhaps even cooperate with them. This would let us build upon each other’s strengths and experiences and let the industry grow.

2. Establish a Player Community

Places like Japan, Europe, and the US have player communities which focuses on local game development, tracking what the local game devs are working on. Singlv also wants to establish such a community for Hong Kong games, in order to gather the players who are willing to support the local game industry. Singlv also serve as a way for international media to learn more about Hong Kong games and the unique culture and allure which accompanies them.

At the same time, this community would also help the local game devs advertise their work. Whenever a brilliant game is released, the core local player base is, more of ten than not, responsible for the game’s advertisement. It is all thanks to them that the general public actually notices Hong Kong (indie) games (and this situation is similar in other places as well). In the long term, it’ll help gather players who support Hong Kong game development and create a beneficial cycle for all of us.

3. Establish a Developer Community

Singlv will gather and translate foreign game development tutorials to provide more information to local game developers. This will make it even easier for them to learn about the newest development tools, and also provide a platform for the game devs to communicate and team up, while providing mutual encouragement to learn new tools. Not only that, the community will also help the devs in expanding their network, which is always beneficial.

Singlv also encourages developers to submit articles. It’ll publish and share the experiences and understanding of the games from both the game developers’ and the players’ standpoint. It’ll also try to invite current developers to share their game development experiences and try to muster a more knowledge sharing culture among the industry.

Perhaps “re-establishment” would be more appropriate?

There is already a Facebook group for Hong Kong game devs, and there are YouTube channels which introduces Hong Kong games. However, the information is spread out far and wide through the internet, it makes it very difficult for people to actually come across them or even communicate. Singlv’s ultimate goal is to consolidate all these resources, and maintain the communication channels in order to build up the industry and its history.

Making a start is all that matters right now. In the coming month, the database interface will be finetuned. They’ll aim to make it more aesthetically appealing and start preparing for the actual information within. I’ll also keep in contact with the founder and report back about the group’s newest information every month.

The website has not officially launched yet. They are currently encouraging the various Hong Kong game development companies to register their games onto Singlv in order to complete the game database.

It’s very easy, all you have to do is fill in the form here: https://forms.gle/LP8MWNQrPBtD6PVC8

Conclusion

Singlv is definitely a project you should support and keep your eye on. Although I’m not directly participating in it, Firepillar2 will be donating 37% of our monthly Patreon earnings to support it.

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「升呢」這個名詞,一聽就知道是香港本地的社群了。此計劃由 牛柏葉(Alex)發起,其理念為:

集中香港本土開發遊戲的資訊,持續推動本土遊戲開發的發展,增加大眾對行業的了解同關注,為開發者提供支援及交流機會,為整個業界提供最底層的文化基礎。

此社群還在開發階段,但我有幸在計劃初期跟發起人進行訪談。今天就由我率先介紹一下這項計劃。

 「升呢」官方 poster 

我從發起人的口中知道他們有很詳盡的規劃和想法,得知這是一項相當長遠的計劃,它同時面向遊戲開發者、玩家、相關從業人士。

它主要想發揮以下三大功能:

一、建立香港遊戲資料庫

很多香港開發者其實不太清楚香港還有哪些團隊在努力,香港遊戲資料庫可以讓他們認識其他共同奮鬥的開發者,互相鼓勵勸勉,保持活力創作遊戲。

並且,他們可以藉由資料庫了解各團隊的經驗和能力取向。假如我正在開發賽車遊戲,我便可以找有過相關開發經驗的團隊請教,或者合作。如此下去把開發的經驗和實力累積下去,讓產業得以成長。

二、建立玩家社群

日本歐美等地已經有相當地道的玩家社群,會經常留意當地遊戲團隊的動態。「升呢」希望自立一個屬於香港遊戲的社群,凝聚支持香港遊戲的玩家,繼而讓國際媒體藉著「升呢」了解香港遊戲的資訊、獨特文化和魅力。

當然,這樣的社群亦有助香港開發團隊宣傳自己的作品。每每有佳作出現,願意出力支持本地作品的核心玩家往往是傳播遊戲的幕後功臣,全靠他們令一般大眾注意到香港遊戲(此情況於歐美亞洲亦然),長遠能累積支持香港遊戲的玩家,形成一個良性循環。

三、建立開發者社群

「升呢」會收集及翻譯外國的遊戲開發教學,令香港開發者持續貼近不同類型資訊,更易學習最新的開發工具,並提供平台予開發者交流及組隊,增加創作者的人脈,互相鼓勵學習更有動力。

為鼓勵開發者投稿文章,「升呢」刊列香港創作者及玩家們對遊戲的見解及分享他們的創作歷程,有機會更會邀請現職開發人分享開發經驗,藉此培養遊戲圈的分享文化。

用「再建立」比較貼切?

香港已經有開發者的 Facebook 社群,已經有介紹香港遊戲的 Youtube 頻道,只是資訊過於分散,導致傳播和交流非常困難。「升呢」的終極目標,是整合這些資訊和群體,讓社群的交流可以維持,產業的力量可以累積,遊戲的歷史可以保存。

但千里之行始於足下,未來一個月會完善資料庫介面,讓其盡量公整美觀,為之後的香港遊戲資料庫預備。往後我會繼續跟發起人聯絡,每月會向大家報告計劃的最新情況。

網站尚未正式推出。現階段鼓勵各香港遊戲公司把自己的遊戲登錄上「升呢」,完善這個遊戲資料庫。

方法簡單,只需要簡單填寫以下表格:https://forms.gle/LP8MWNQrPBtD6PVC8

結語

「升呢」絕對是一個值得關注和支持的項目。雖然我並無直接參與此項目,但以表支持,火柱工作室每月會把 Patreon 上的收入的 37% 分給「升呢」


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