《英雄联盟》：动画改编的路径，造就剧情与游戏体验之间密不可分

在阅读文章之前，麻烦您点个“关注”，这样可以与您进行讨论和分享，小编也会持续更新精彩内容，感谢您的支持！编辑|蕴藏冬夏在《英雄联盟》多个改编动画中，《啦啦啦德玛西亚》系列最具有典型性和影响力。虚拟印象工作室耗时一年多进行人物建模，剧情研发创作，花费了大量的心血和时间，成片一经上映在游戏玩家中就引起极大的轰动，该动画的模式对现有动画模式进行了新的突破，第一季以近亿次的播放量走红。因此，本章将以《啦啦啦德玛西亚》系列为主攻的研究对象，结合其他游戏改编案例对该游戏动画改编的做法进行剖析。

《啦啦啦德玛西亚》是基于大型MOBA网络游戏《英雄联盟》的游戏背景故事，根据游戏玩家在游戏体验中各种触发的搞笑文化和笑点为剧情，通过对游戏模型还原来重现玩家对战乐趣的动画。《啦啦啦德玛西亚》的剧本来源网络，剧情内容与游戏玩家的游戏体验密不可分，剧情也多是玩家在游戏中的欢乐片段，所以在剧情的代入感上很强，观众和玩家在剧情中很容易找到共鸣。在技术上，3D动作捕捉也是首次运用到动画的制作当中，这一技术的优势就使得游戏人物模型的还原度极高，动作表现力更加流畅自然，保证了制作的水准，同时，渲染技术的提高也为真实还原人物提供了极大地帮助。

“We wanted to create a film full of joy, with the story based on the real experiences of 'League of Legends', allowing players to find similar gaming fun in the animation.” The director of the animation, Salarey, explained the creative idea in an interview. “The team has been looking for a piece like this, originating from the game but not limited to it in content, capable of reproducing the gaming joy for the players. Now, we are fortunate to have found it!” Stone Bear, the popular game video creator on the internet and the main creator of the "Lala Demacia" project, is confident. Over the years, adapting a popular game in a reasonable way has generally been well-received by players. The rich background story of "League of Legends," the varied gaming fun, and the fiery game IP attributes ensure that the film will undoubtedly be warmly welcomed upon release.

Adhering to the Core Values of the Game

The values conveyed by "League of Legends," such as "teamwork and win-win cooperation" and "a true master always has the heart of an apprentice," are preserved in the animation. It makes each player in the game shoulder a mission. In the animation, each character corresponds to the game's features, with their own role positioning. For example, Demacia's Might, bearing the heavy responsibility of the front-line charge, protects the team by absorbing enemy damage to ensure the safe output of their own team. In the animation, Demacia's Might, like a tank in the game, charges forward with the motto "people in the tower," protecting teammates and blocking enemy attacks. Similarly, as the Master Yi, the Wuju Bladesman, strives for continuous self-improvement, honing his skills in the face of failure and mockery, eventually laying the foundation for the victory of his team in battle.

In the game, the 5v5 setup requires a multi-role positioning, with close coordination between team members to win the game. The animation reflects this by assigning specific roles to each character, just like in the game. The value of being needed in the team, giving each player the thrill of becoming a hero, is embodied in both the animation and the daily gaming experience. Whether in the game or the animation, it is emphasized that every hero should adhere to their duties, showcasing the importance of teamwork. The essence of a game and its soul lie in its values, and whether an adapted work can inherit the essence and soul of the game depends on whether it upholds the core values of the game.

Recreating Iconic Game Elements

Renowned media personality Yu Hangying, in an interview on "Analyzing TV with a Cold Eye," mentioned that when attempting to adapt "King of Glory" into a variety show, Tencent conducted a large-scale data survey with the theme "What elements do users care about the most." The results of the survey showed that players were most concerned about significant elements such as crystals, defense towers, monsters, red and blue buffs, which were most indicative of the game. Although this survey data is not directly from "League of Legends," it serves as a valuable reference for determining adapted elements.

Firstly, character personality restoration is crucial. "League of Legends," as a MOBA game, has 148 characters with distinctive personalities, each having unique skills and in-game voice lines. These traits are well incorporated into the plot of the animation. For instance, in the opening scene of the first episode, the three most popular heroes in the game, Garen, Xin Zhao, and Jarvan IV, nicknamed the "Bush Trio," are humorously introduced. They lie in wait in the bushes, ambushing passing enemies, a common tactic in the game. These three heroes, known as the entry-level heroes in "League of Legends," are familiar to almost every player. Their introduction, coupled with humorous elements, triggers scenes commonly seen in the game. Furthermore, instances of teammates teasing and trolling each other, a common occurrence in the game, are also integrated into the plot. For example, in the second scene of the animation, Jarvan IV from Demacia often makes unreasonable moves with his ultimate ability in the game, causing harm to his teammates. In the subsequent scene, Jarvan IV's imprudent ultimate ability results in a disastrous defeat for his team, and Xin Zhao, the Demacian Grand General, taunts him with, "They say there are ten Xin Zhaos, nine of them are feeders, but Jarvan is the real team killer!" This seemingly funny dialogue not only incorporates common game scenarios but also rapidly enriches the characters' personalities, staying true to the essence of the game.

Secondly, costume and prop restoration is essential. Costumes and props are the most obvious symbols of heroes, with each hero having unique attire and equipment. Occasionally, new skins are released in the game, giving players a feeling of encountering a "new hero." The highest recognition among players is often for the original skin, so the animation's heroes are recreated with reference to the original skin. This includes the attire of the soldiers; allied minions wear blue armor, while enemy minions wear red armor, in accordance with the routes set in the game. The entire animation meticulously reproduces the details of the characters. The costumes, unique weapons carried, and even the walking postures are consistent with the game. For example, the sword of Demacia's Might, the spear of Demacia's Grand General, and the flying knives of Katarina are all faithfully reproduced. The attention to detail in character attire and props aims to give the audience an authentic gaming experience.

Thirdly, sound effects restoration is vital. The animation features voice actors from "League of Legends" to ensure a highly faithful reproduction of sound. Whether it's the background music from the game or the characters' monologues, the original game soundtrack is used. Alongside familiar sound effects, the audience experiences a feeling of being immersed in the Summoner's Rift. The characters' dialogues often include classic lines from the game, such as Demacia's Might always saying "people in the tower" when selected to stand and Jarvan IV exclaiming "To those who defy Demacia, they will perish" when selected. The familiar shouts, reminiscent of joining forces with every player, bring gaming emotions into the animation. The game's sound effects not only make the audience enthusiastic but also easily draw them into the plot of the animation.

Lastly, hero skill restoration is crucial. In the game, each hero possesses unique skills, with each skill having its own special effects. In the animation, every hero releases their skills in battles, with complete consistency in terms of skill names, effects, and sounds. Everything is faithful to the game, from the names of the skills to the special effects and sound effects. In fact, whether it is the restoration of scenes, skills, costumes and props, or sound, the goal is to provide the audience with an authentic gaming world. The world created in this animation is one that the audience is familiar with, leveraging the emotional connection between the game and the players, seamlessly transforming players into viewers of the animation.