Youxi Putao 2021

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上线不到9个月的《原神》，没有放慢奔跑的脚步。
The game *Genshin Impact*, which has been online for less than 9 months, hasn't slowed down its pace.

前不久，米哈游推出了《原神》的PS5版本，这款产品也成了国内第一批登录PS5的游戏。根据官方公开的信息，《原神》主机团队基于Unity引擎针对PS5的机能开发了游戏的图形库、定制了文件加载系统等，使得游戏能够在稳定性、画面精度、表现力等方面再次拔高水准。
Not long ago, miHoYo released the PS5 version of *Genshin Impact*, making it one of the first games to debut on the PS5 in China. According to the official information, the console team of *Genshin Impact* developed the game's graphics library and customized the file loading system for the PS5 based on the Unity engine, raising the game's stability, visual precision, and performance to a new level.

值得注意的是，去年11月米哈游技术总监弋振中曾分享，在游戏上线一年半之前, 主机平台的开发仅有弋振中一人从零开始攻坚，但最终《原神》实现了PC、主机、移动多端同时上线的目标。而按照上线后开始筹备算起（事实上可能更早），PS4到PS5版本的跨越仅经历了8个月左右的时间。
It's worth noting that back in November of last year, miHoYo's Technical Director Yi Zhenzhong shared that the console platform was initially developed solely by him from scratch about a year and a half before the game's launch. However, in the end, *Genshin Impact* achieved its goal of simultaneously launching on PC, consoles, and mobile platforms. The transition from PS4 to PS5 version took only about 8 months, starting from the preparation phase after the game's release (perhaps even earlier).

近期的一次采访中，弋振中告诉葡萄君，能够实现这个速度，一方面得益于整个项目的技术积累、团队配合还有Unity官方技术团队的大力支持，另一方面也需要针对开放世界跨平台的命题，建立合理的制作思路和流程。
In a recent interview, Yi Zhenzhong told the interviewer that achieving this speed was due, on the one hand, to the technical accumulation of the entire project, team collaboration, and strong support from the Unity official technical team. On the other hand, it also required the establishment of a reasonable production concept and workflow for the cross-platform open-world proposition.

目前市场上，多端正在成为更多国内厂商的讨论话题，甚至有不少大体量产品已经在制定类似原神的跨平台策略。与此同时，如Unity的商业引擎也在不断跟进跨平台开发和次世代主机的技术趋势，包括针对Xbox Series X和PS5平台的开发。
Currently, multi-platform development is becoming a more discussed topic among many domestic companies. Many large-scale products are already devising cross-platform strategies similar to *Genshin Impact*. At the same time, commercial engines like Unity are continuously keeping up with the trends in cross-platform development and next-gen console technology, including development for Xbox Series X and PS5 platforms.

据了解Unity最新版本已经支持如SSD、DualSense控制器、高级视频模式等次世代主机新功能。此外，Unity也在与索尼积极合作，计划将更多PS5新功能添加到下一个Unity版本，比如光线追踪、虚拟纹理，共享二进制包等。而且得益于游戏引擎跟次世代主机平台的同步开发，如米哈游等厂商，也能更顺利地在第一时间发布次世代主机的游戏。
It is known that the latest version of Unity already supports new features of next-gen consoles, such as SSD, DualSense controllers, advanced video modes, and more. Additionally, Unity is actively collaborating with Sony to plan adding more PS5 features to the next Unity version, such as ray tracing, virtual textures, shared binary packages, and others. Thanks to the synchronized development of the game engine and next-gen console platforms, companies like miHoYo can smoothly release their games on next-gen consoles at the earliest opportunity.

当然除了满足用户和项目的追求，弋振中还透露，支持次世代主机对米哈游还有另一层意义：与最新的技术发展趋势接轨。如今，跨过这一门槛的《原神》，已经进入开发的奔跑期。
Of course, apart from meeting the demands of users and projects, Yi Zhenzhong also revealed that supporting next-gen consoles holds another significance for miHoYo: keeping up with the latest technological trends. Now that *Genshin Impact* has crossed this threshold, it has entered the development sprint phase.

## The Open World Competes with "Comprehensiveness of Technology"

**葡萄君：你是怎么进入游戏行业的？
Putao-kun: How did you enter the gaming industry?**

弋振中：我大学时比较喜欢玩游戏，大三的时候大家都在准备考研，而我看了一本叫做《Doom启示录》的书，讲的是关于John Carmack（id Software联合创始人、编程大神）的故事，这让我觉得做游戏很酷，于是开始学习游戏编程。
Yi Zhenzhong: During my university days, I enjoyed playing games. When I was in my third year, everyone else was preparing for postgraduate exams, but I came across a book called "Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture," which told the story of John Carmack (co-founder of ID Software and a programming genius). It made me feel that making games was cool, so I started learning game programming.

研究生毕业之后，我到了育碧上海，当时加入了《End War》（末日战争，Xbox 360/PS3/PC）的项目，算是正式进入游戏行业。后来辗转加州的Zindagi Games、纽约的Avalanche Studios，以及西雅图的微软Xbox，2019年才回到国内。
After graduating from graduate school, I joined Ubisoft Shanghai, and that's when I officially entered the gaming industry, working on the project *End War* (Xbox 360/PS3/PC). Later, I worked at Zindagi Games in California, Avalanche Studios in New York, and Microsoft Xbox in Seattle before returning to China in 2019.

**葡萄君：回国以后为什么选择了米哈游？
Putao-kun: Why did you choose miHoYo after returning to China?**

弋振中：之前的工作都是在积累技术，在微软那段工作时间的后半段，因为职业规划微软给我进行了研发负责人的培训，培训之后就是带项目，不过在微软节奏慢一些，所以还没带过团队。不过技术、经验方面的积累已经够了。
Yi Zhenzhong: My previous work focused on accumulating technical skills. During my time at Microsoft, I received training to become a development leader, and later I started leading projects. However, Microsoft's pace was a bit slower, so I hadn't led a team yet. Nevertheless, I had accumulated enough technical expertise and experience.

那时候觉得，如果有自己的团队，或许能让自己的能力放大，对项目的贡献更高。然后在跟国内朋友的交流里，我感到国内游戏行业在不断地变大，而且在国外也能时不时听到国内公司的声音。所以基于个人事业上面的考虑就决定回国发展。
At that time, I felt that having my own team might amplify my abilities and contribute more to projects. Through discussions with friends in China, I realized that the gaming industry in China was continuously growing, and even abroad, I could occasionally hear about Chinese companies. So, based on my career considerations, I decided to return to China.

不过在这之前我都没关注过米哈游，是朋友介绍才认识的。但接触之后发现，一方面技术同事很踏实，而且很有激情，另一方面创始人蔡浩宇的个人魅力很强，有眼光、有魄力，所以聊完以后，我对米哈游的印象立刻变得很好。
However, before that, I hadn't paid much attention to miHoYo. I got to know them through a friend's introduction. But after getting in touch, I found that, on one hand, the technical colleagues were solid and passionate. On the other hand, miHoYo's founder, Cai Haoyu, had a strong personal charm, with vision and determination. So, after the conversation, my impression of miHoYo immediately became very positive.

**葡萄君：聊过几次以后决定加入米哈游的？
Putao-kun: How many discussions did you have before deciding to join miHoYo?**

弋振中：两三次，基本一拍即合。我也特别感谢公司的信任，毕竟把这么大项目的主机开发交给我这种没有带团队经验的人。
Yi Zhenzhong: About two or three times, and we quickly reached an agreement. I'm also very grateful for the company's trust because, after all, they entrusted such a big project in console development to someone like me without prior experience in leading a team.

**葡萄君：你加入米哈游到《原神》上线只间隔一年半，要从头把主机版做出来，这个挑战有多大？
Putao-kun: You joined miHoYo, and within just a year and a half, *Genshin Impact* was launched, and you had to start from scratch to develop the console version. How challenging was this?**

弋振中：时间确实紧，而且我们对质量的要求也比较高。但我们也有一个清晰的认识「不可能一步登天」，所以必须在力所能及的范围之内追求更好，总体上压力确实大。
Yi Zhenzhong: Time was indeed tight, and our quality standards were quite high. But we had a clear understanding that "Rome wasn't built in a day," so we had to pursue better within our capabilities, though the overall pressure was significant.

策略上讲，一开始的时候，我们的目标集中在几个方面：第一，先把环境搭起来；第二，让游戏跑起来，除了要验证自己的游戏新加的功能，另外还要准备后面的ChinaJoy、TGS等等会展的内容；第三，组建团队，因为不可能只靠我一个人来做这件事。
Strategically, at the beginning, our focus was on several aspects: first, establishing the environment; second, making the game run, which included validating the newly added features and preparing for events like ChinaJoy and TGS; third, forming a team, as it was impossible to handle the task alone.

定好思路以后，就需要对项目各个方面了解清楚，快速制定一个规划，再往后就是按部就班根据现有的资源制定优先级，一步步去完成每个版块的目标。
After setting the direction, we needed to understand all aspects of the project, quickly create a plan, and then proceed step by step, prioritizing based on existing resources to accomplish each section's goals.

**葡萄君：当时你对主机版的预期有多高？
Putao-kun: At that time, how high were your expectations for the console version?**

弋振中：从纯技术角度，不考虑市场和其他因素来说，我们的目标是达到平均水平以上的质量。说实话，《原神》的美术和各方面的表现都挺不错，所以不希望主机版做出来以后在主机平台上的表现拖后腿，所以更多想把一些好的东西融入进来，从而拔高游戏品质。
Yi Zhenzhong: From a purely technical perspective, without considering market and other factors, our goal was to achieve above-average quality. To be honest, *Genshin Impact* had great art and overall performance, so we didn't want the console version's performance to lag behind. Instead, we aimed to integrate more good elements to elevate the game's quality.

**葡萄君：刚开始搭建底层环境的时候，只有你一个人。
Putao-kun: When you initially set up the foundational environment, there was only you.**

弋振中：是的。
Yi Zhenzhong: That's right.

**葡萄君：你更倾向于招什么画像的人才？
Putao-kun: What kind of talents do you prefer to recruit?**

弋振中：对一个技术人员，第一看重的是基本功。我们并不强求招多少年经验的人，更多看你的工作经验和你表现出来的能力是不是能够匹配，以及你表现出来的能力，是不是能够和我们的团队契合，满足我们的日常开发，当然有经验更好啦。
Yi Zhenzhong: For a technical person, the first thing I value is their fundamental skills. We don't necessarily require a specific number of years of experience; it's more about whether your work experience and demonstrated abilities match our needs and whether your abilities align well with our team, though having experience is definitely a plus.

另外，对于游戏技术的热情和对游戏的热情也很重要，我们非常欢迎来自全球的开发人员，我们团队氛围非常棒，大家都热爱游戏开发，愿意互相学习，希望有更多的新鲜血液能加入我们。
Additionally, passion for game technology and a love for games are essential. We warmly welcome developers from around the world. Our team atmosphere is fantastic; everyone loves game development and is willing to learn from each other. We hope to have more fresh blood joining us.

**葡萄君：不断有人加进来以后，大家在不同阶段怎么配合？
Putao-kun: After more people join, how does everyone cooperate at different stages?**

弋振中：团队搭建是个持续化的过程，人越多，想做的越多，就会永远处于「发现有更多事情要去做」的状态，所以一个人也要跑、十个人也得有十个人的做法。具体方式每个公司都会有自己的风格，从我们内部来说，就是一个优先级和配合的问题。
Yi Zhenzhong: Building a team is an ongoing process. The more people you have and the more you want to achieve, the more you will always be in a state of "discovering more things to do." So, whether there's one person or ten people, each will have their own approach. Each company has its own style. Internally, we focus on prioritization and collaboration.

经过考察以后，我制定了路线图，会把游戏阶段性的目标、我们现有的资源和时间，以及能实现的功能和内容列出来，排好优先级，由高到低去做。这时候人员、资源、任务都会不断加进来，那么就把没有资源的任务，排到相对靠后的节点去做。
After conducting assessments, I create a roadmap, listing the game's phased goals, our existing resources and time, and what functionalities and content can be achieved, all ranked by priority from high to low. As more personnel, resources, and tasks come in, we allocate tasks without sufficient resources to relatively later stages.

**葡萄君：属于偏传统3A游戏的模式？
Putao-kun: Is this a somewhat traditional AAA game development model?**

弋振中：严格来说算是米哈游独有的风格吧。
Yi Zhenzhong: Strictly speaking, it's more like a unique miHoYo style.

**葡萄君：现在团队扩大以后，你自己的工作范畴有哪些变化？
Putao-kun: Now that the team has expanded, how has your own scope of work changed?**

弋振中：这涉及角色转换的问题，我不再是一个单纯的开发人员，尤其团队规模大了之后，一个人要扮演多个角色。
Yi Zhenzhong: This involves role transitions. I am no longer just a developer, especially after the team has grown larger; one person has to play multiple roles.

首先，还是要写代码；其次，我也会和美术团队做沟通，来提升和监控美术的品质；再次，我还会和其他的团队做沟通，因为我要负责监控整个主机平台各方面的综合品质；最后还会兼顾一些别的角色，比如像现在这种采访，这也是一个新的角色。
First and foremost, I still write code. Secondly, I also communicate with the art team to enhance and monitor the art quality. Thirdly, I communicate with other teams as I am responsible for overseeing the comprehensive quality of the entire console platform. Lastly, I also juggle other roles, like interviews such as this, which is a new role.

虽然事情会变多，但扮演不同角色会获得不同的视野，从不同的角度看待这个项目，对我个人来说也是一种提升。
Although there are more things to handle, playing different roles gives me various perspectives, and I can view the project from different angles, which is a personal improvement for me.

**葡萄君：技术团队和其他团队之间怎么保证配合流畅？
Putao-kun: How do you ensure smooth cooperation between the technical team and other teams?**

弋振中：首先，感谢一下项目的各个团队，大家都非常配合我们。本来像《原神》这种多平台的项目，游戏规模比较大，开发压力也很大，而针对主机平台的开发，相当于额外增加了很多工作量。
Yi Zhenzhong: First of all, I'd like to thank all the teams involved in the project; everyone has been very cooperative. A game like *Genshin Impact*, which targets multiple platforms, has a relatively large scale and development pressure. The development for the console platform adds a significant amount of workload.

而且我这个人要求比较多，不停去建议能不能改这个，能不能改那个，但他们都很配合。所以换句话说，「凡是能够提升游戏品质的东西，大家都很愿意配合」的意识，是团队之间高效配合的一个关键点。
I am a demanding person, continuously suggesting improvements here and there, but they all cooperate very well. So, in other words, the key to efficient collaboration between teams is the consciousness of "everyone is willing to cooperate on anything that can enhance the game's quality."

其次，我们很多沟通都是通过一个标准化、流程化的方式来进行的，这样能够大幅度减少沟通上的成本。《原神》的团队规模很大，要做的东西很多，所以不可能每一件事情都当成特例来跟大家讨论，那么这些部分的问题，就尽量做到标准化、流程化。
Secondly, much of our communication is carried out in a standardized and process-oriented manner, which significantly reduces communication costs. The team size of *Genshin Impact* is quite large, and there are many tasks to handle, so it's not feasible to discuss every single matter as a special case. Therefore, we strive to standardize and streamline these aspects.

比如不管是美术还是技术，要实现一个想法，都需要提出一个需求，然后经过审核、评估、技术验证、实现，最后验收。这套流程也会随着游戏规模越来越大、团队越来越复杂，而不断地进化。
For instance, whether it's art or technology, to implement an idea, it goes through a process of proposing a requirement, then undergoing review, assessment, technical validation, implementation, and finally, acceptance. This process will also continue to evolve as the game's scale grows and the team becomes more complex.

最后，PM团队，他们是非常厉害的一帮人，他们在这中间会起到团队管理，帮助大家改善团队交流的角色。
Lastly, the PM (Project Management) team is an extremely capable group of individuals. They play a crucial role in team management and help improve team communication within the process.

## "Multifaceted Platform Thinking" Will Become Increasingly Important

**葡萄君：跨平台开发会遇到哪些典型的困难？
Putao-kun: What are some typical challenges in cross-platform development?**

弋振中：对于一个跨平台项目，你在做很多东西的时候，都要有一个跨平台的思想。
Yi Zhenzhong: For a cross-platform project, you need to adopt a cross-platform mindset when working on various aspects.

首先，看待项目开发的出发点，都要以跨平台的角度去考虑。比如加一个功能，不是单纯加一个东西、加一个feature进去，因为一旦涉及多平台之后，开发的复杂度会成倍数地增加。
Firstly, you need to consider the starting point of project development from a cross-platform perspective. For example, when adding a new feature, it's not just about adding something or a feature straightforwardly, because once you involve multiple platforms, the complexity of development increases significantly.

其次，除了做决策要考虑更多以外，后期也不能单纯依靠人力来验收。自动化配套的验收机制也要跟上，这方面我们也是出于不停学习、成长的过程中。
Secondly, besides making decisions with more considerations, you also can't solely rely on manual acceptance in the later stages. Automated acceptance mechanisms must keep pace as well. In this regard, we are constantly learning and growing.

**葡萄君：大家都觉得做开放世界很难，从技术角度来说，具体难在哪儿？
Putao-kun: Many people find it challenging to create an open world. From a technical standpoint, what specific difficulties are there?**

弋振中：开放世界对技术全面性的要求更高，取巧的点更少。因为在玩法上，游戏没办法限制玩家如何去玩这个游戏，它不像一些传统游戏，可以用取巧的模式去做，比如知道玩家到不了某些区域，那么资源上就可以节省，但开放世界就没法这么限制。
Yi Zhenzhong: Open-world games have higher demands for comprehensive technology, and there are fewer shortcuts. In terms of gameplay, the game cannot restrict how players play it, unlike some traditional games that can be designed with shortcuts. For instance, in traditional games, developers can save resources by preventing players from accessing certain areas. However, open-world games cannot impose such restrictions.

**葡萄君：每个地方都要雕琢，所以才叫做技术的全面性。
Putao-kun: Every area needs to be meticulously crafted, which is why it's called comprehensive technology.**

弋振中：对，他的自由度会导致你必须考虑到更多的情况，然后因为不能取巧，所以开放世界需要的技术点，其实都摆的很明显。那么要做开放世界，首先就必须把该解决的问题全部解决；其次对我们来说，因为要走长线运营的模式，所以必须持续不断地给游戏做提升，给技术做迭代。
Yi Zhenzhong: Exactly. Its freedom requires you to consider many more scenarios, and because you can't rely on shortcuts, the required technical aspects for open world games are quite evident. Therefore, to develop an open world game, you must first address all the issues that need solving. Additionally, for us, because we aim for long-term operation, continuous improvement for the game and technological iteration are necessary.

**葡萄君：举个例子来说，当你面对一个技术点的时候怎么思考它的全面性？
Putao-kun: Can you give an example of how you consider the comprehensiveness of a technical aspect when facing it?**

弋振中：比如说我们对游戏光影的改造，就像我之前分享的时候说，我们在主机上面相当于把整套光影重新写了一遍。光影的改造一方面是技术的改造，一方面也是需要资源配合，这就涉及到多平台的东西。
Yi Zhenzhong: Let's take the example of the revamp of the game's lighting and shadows, as I mentioned before, we essentially rewrote the entire lighting and shadows system for the console version. The transformation of lighting and shadows involves both technical improvements and requires resource coordination, which means it's related to the multi-platform aspects.

手机端也是需要有改造的，不过采取的技术路线和主机不一样，但是制作资源的时候我们会尽量让多平台使用同一套资源，这些资源应该怎么样能够通过我们各种各样的配置、策略，来满足不同平台、不同技术对他的需求。这就是我们要思考的方向。
The mobile version also needs to be revamped, but the technical approach taken is different from that of the console version. However, during the production of assets, we try to use the same set of resources for multiple platforms. These resources should be designed in a way that meets the demands of different platforms and technologies through various configurations and strategies. This is the direction we need to consider.

**葡萄君：所有内容的制作都需要优先考虑多平台的问题吗？
Putao-kun: Does all content production need to prioritize multi-platform considerations?**

弋振中：应该说技术实现层面、游戏资源制作层面要更多的去考虑多平台的差异性，在玩法上我们要保持一致性。比如要做一个玩法，那么玩法不太需要考虑多平台的问题，但要制作一些其他的素材，可能就得考虑，尤其是单纯的画面表现相关的资源。而重要的是在开发初期就要统一大家的多平台思维，避免后期因为意见差异导致制作出问题。
Yi Zhenzhong: I'd say, on the technical implementation and game asset production levels, we need to consider the differences among multiple platforms more. As for gameplay, we strive to maintain consistency. For instance, when designing gameplay, we don't need to overly consider multi-platform issues, but when creating certain other assets, especially those related to visual presentation, we must take them into account. The important thing is to establish a multi-platform mindset among the team from the beginning to avoid production issues due to differences in opinions later on.

**葡萄君：这是主机版技术团队和其他所有开发成员都要具备的思维？
Putao-kun: Is this multi-platform mindset something that both the console version's technical team and all other development members need to possess?**

弋振中：对，所有的人都需要具备多平台的思维。而且今后跨的平台会越来越多，多平台思维的重要性也会越来越高。
Yi Zhenzhong: Yes, everyone needs to have a multi-platform mindset. Moreover, in the future, we will be crossing even more platforms, so the importance of having a multi-platform mindset will only increase.

**葡萄君：多平台思维会影响你们在立项时对引擎的选择吗？
Putao-kun: Does the multi-platform mindset influence your choice of engine during the project's inception?**

弋振中：会，Unity的跨平台做得挺好，因为它对平台的支持很全面。Unity也是一个很灵活的引擎，不管是应用层面的灵活性还是底层的架构方面的清晰简洁，都是能够极大提升我们开发效率。这些方面都是我们在评估一个引擎的时候会去重点考虑的。同时，Unity团队对我们的支持也非常积极。
Yi Zhenzhong: It does. Unity does a great job with cross-platform support because it covers a wide range of platforms. Unity is also a very flexible engine, providing both application-level flexibility and a clear, concise underlying architecture, which significantly enhances our development efficiency. These aspects are key factors we consider when evaluating an engine. Additionally, the Unity team is very proactive in supporting us.

**葡萄君：这次《原神》推出PS5版本对整个团队来说有多重要？
Putao-kun: How important is the release of the PS5 version of *Genshin Impact* for the entire team?**

弋振中：从开发的角度讲，增加一个新的平台，首先是增大了工作量，但除此之外，对开发者来说，借助这件事我们能更好地跟进游戏技术的发展趋势。因为，大量的海外游戏开发人才主要的工作平台还是主机，很多技术的迭代、发展、演化也出现在主机平台上。《原神》跟次世代主机平台接轨，对于我们今后更新技术、发展技术都有很大帮助。
Yi Zhenzhong: From a development perspective, adding a new platform increases the workload, but beyond that, it allows developers to keep up with the trends in game technology. Many game development talents worldwide primarily work on consoles, and many technological iterations, developments, and evolutions happen on console platforms. *Genshin Impact* being compatible with next-gen console platforms is beneficial for our future technology updates and developments.

**葡萄君：PS5版大概筹备了多久？
Putao-kun: How long did it take to prepare for the PS5 version?**

弋振中：在《原神》上线以后，我们第一时间是修复了暴露出来的一些比较紧急的问题，版本稳定后我们就开始进行PS5的开发了。不过内部很早就决定要上PS5，整体也是一个逐渐规划的过程。
Yi Zhenzhong: After *Genshin Impact* was launched, we first fixed some urgent issues that were exposed. Once the version was stable, we started developing the PS5 version. However, the decision to bring the game to PS5 was made internally quite early, and it was part of a gradual planning process.

**葡萄君：相比PS4版本的开发，做PS5版本思路和挑战有什么不同？
Putao-kun: What are the differences in the approach and challenges between developing the PS5 version compared to the PS4 version?**

弋振中：PS4到PS5的普遍挑战是，如何更好地理解硬件，把它的特别性发挥出来，这也是我们长期规划上的命题。
Yi Zhenzhong: The general challenge from PS4 to PS5 is how to better understand the hardware and leverage its unique capabilities. This is also a long-term planning topic for us.

对《原神》自身来讲，内容制作上没有特别大的不同，但是从开发的角度来说，由于完全由我们自己来实现跨平台，所以稳定性和完成度测试会更严谨，工作量也会更大，毕竟要确保它在面对玩家时是可玩的、不会因为各种Bug影响体验。
For *Genshin Impact* itself, there isn't a significant difference in content creation, but from a development perspective, as we are implementing the cross-platform support entirely on our own, stability and completion testing are more rigorous, and the workload is greater. After all, we need to ensure that the game is playable and won't be affected by various bugs when facing players.

**葡萄君：简单讲讲《原神》从PS4到PS5的开发过程吧。
Putao-kun: Can you briefly explain the development process of *Genshin Impact* from PS4 to PS5?**

弋振中：PS5的硬件为体验《原神》提供了一个理想的平台，这也是为什么我们想要尽快将PS5版本带给玩家。PS4版本稳定以后，一部分同时会继续跟进现有的版本做迭代、开发、优化，提升稳定性，另外几个同事跟我一起转到PS5版本的开发。
Yi Zhenzhong: The PS5 hardware provides an ideal platform for experiencing *Genshin Impact*, which is why we wanted to bring the PS5 version to players as soon as possible. After the PS4 version became stable, some team members continued to iterate, develop, and optimize the existing version to improve stability, while a few colleagues and I shifted to developing the PS5 version.

第一步是把游戏在PS5上的框架搭建起来，我们完整实现了游戏对PS5平台的支持，包括重做图形库、定制文件加载系统。
The first step was to build the framework for the game on the PS5 platform. We fully implemented the game's support for PS5, including redoing the graphics library and customizing the file loading system.

第二步，更多开发成员会加入进来，针对PS5做大量的工作，包括大家看到的4K画质、加载时间、细节表现、LOD和贴图，以及一些特效的实现和针对PSN新功能的适配等等。
The second step involved more team members joining in to work extensively on the PS5 version. This included improvements in 4K graphics quality, loading times, detail rendering, level-of-detail (LOD) and texture enhancements, as well as the implementation of various special effects and adaptation to the new features of PSN, and more.

**葡萄君：重做图形库的工作量具体有多大？
Putao-kun: How much workload was involved in redoing the graphics library?**

弋振中：开发的工作量确实不小。PS5的图形库和大家比较熟知的DX12、Vulkan相比更加底层，技术上除了要支持引擎、支持游戏的各种图形特性之外，还要做很多类似PC驱动层的事情。
Yi Zhenzhong: The development workload was indeed substantial. The PS5's graphics library is more low-level compared to well-known technologies like DX12 and Vulkan. Besides supporting the engine and various graphics features of the game, we also had to handle many tasks similar to those at the PC driver level.

比如PC的驱动层会进行数据保护，状态跟踪等工作，通过更保守的方式提高GPU的运行稳定性。而在PS5上和硬件的对话更加直接，这些东西全部要自己来做。要处理某项功能，就要收集各种各样的状态、数据，然后自己把这些数据组织好以后，再通过对PS5提供的底层API调用直接扔给PS5的硬件。
For instance, the PC driver layer handles data protection and status tracking to increase GPU stability through more conservative approaches. On the PS5, the interaction with the hardware is more direct, and we had to do all of these things ourselves. To implement a specific feature, we needed to gather various states and data, organize them, and then directly pass them to the PS5 hardware through low-level API calls.

这样的方式当然更加高效，但是也几乎没有保护。一旦数据不对，PS5就当场崩给你看。传给硬件的这些数据的内存管理，资源回收，CPU/GPU同步也都需要自己完成。而且PS5才刚推出，配套的开发环境也并不成熟，需要自己琢磨的地方很多。
This approach is undoubtedly more efficient, but it leaves almost no room for protection. If the data is incorrect, the PS5 will crash immediately. We had to manage memory, resource recycling, CPU/GPU synchronization for the data sent to the hardware ourselves. Moreover, since the PS5 had just been released, the development environment was not mature, and there were many aspects we had to figure out on our own.

**葡萄君：这么夸张。
Putao-kun: That sounds quite challenging.**

弋振中：对，所以PS5图形库的开发，需要对硬件的了解达到一定程度。当时我花了差不多两个月的时间写了第一版，再让同事跟我一起debug和进一步完善。如果没有图形库，游戏画面出不来，其他模块做好之后也没办法验证，所以它的优先级是最高的。由于图形库开发量确实比其他模块更大一些，那段时间我们压力也比较大，容易掉头发。
Yi Zhenzhong: Yes, that's why developing the PS5 graphics library required a deep understanding of the hardware. It took me about two months to write the first version, and then my colleagues joined in to debug and further improve it. Without the graphics library, we couldn't display the game's visuals, and we couldn't verify other modules' functionality. So, its priority was the highest. Since the graphics library required more development effort than other modules, we felt quite pressured during that time and might lose some hair due to stress.

**葡萄君：定制文件加载系统的考量又是？
Putao-kun: What about the considerations for the custom file loading system?**

弋振中：《原神》的开放世界，相比其他特定品类，加载上会吃亏一些，因为它不是线性的加载逻辑。所以缩短加载时间能有效提高玩家体验，免去等待的过程。SSD本身的硬件特性就很强了，读取非常快，我们再定制一个加载系统，就能够更进一步放大它的特性。
Yi Zhenzhong: *Genshin Impact* as an open-world game may experience some disadvantages in loading compared to other specific genres because it does not follow linear loading logic. So, shortening the loading time can effectively enhance the player experience by eliminating waiting periods. The SSD itself has strong hardware characteristics, with fast read times. By customizing a loading system, we can further amplify its capabilities.

难点在于我们游戏运行时需要读取的文件往往分散而且比较小，所以就涉及「如何把读取的命令有效地组织起来」的问题，让硬件能够更有效去发挥SSD的功能，加载得更快。与此同时，文件快速加载进来时，CPU如何小心地处理这些文件转换成游戏运行需要的数据，也是影响性能的一个因素。我们需要结合PS5提供的一套API来设计和实现我们的文件加载系统。
The challenge lies in the fact that the files we need to read during the game's runtime are often scattered and relatively small. This involves how to effectively organize the read commands so that the hardware can make the best use of the SSD's functions for faster loading. At the same time, how the CPU handles these files and converts them into data required for the game's operation also affects performance. We need to design and implement our file loading system in combination with the set of APIs provided by the PS5.

因为开发量比较大，时间也紧，所以我们把文件加载系统也放在了比较高的优先级。而由于这个功能完全靠我们自己写，在比较细节的地方，实现起来的自由度也更大，代码把控性也更高。
Due to the significant workload and time constraints, we placed the file loading system at a high priority. Since we developed this feature entirely on our own, we had greater freedom in the implementation details, and the code was more controlled.

**葡萄君：记得有玩家对比过，PS5版的平均加载时间是不到3秒，比PS4版快很多。
Putao-kun: I remember some players compared the average loading time of the PS5 version to be less than 3 seconds, much faster than the PS4 version.**

弋振中：可以做个对比，在PS5上用兼容模式跑PS4版的《原神》，这个模式就会比PS4版自己跑快很多，而这更多是利用SSD硬件特性实现的。
Yi Zhenzhong: You can make a comparison. When running the PS4 version of *Genshin Impact* on the PS5 using compatibility mode, it would be much faster than running the PS4 version natively. This improvement is mainly due to leveraging the SSD's hardware characteristics.

如果再用兼容模式和PS5原生版做对比，你会发现PS5版还能再快几秒钟，这几秒换算成百分比，性能提升就非常惊人了。这也是我们觉得值得花精力定制文件加载系统的关键。
If you compare the compatibility mode with the PS5 native version, you will notice that the PS5 version is even faster by a few more seconds. When converted to percentages, the performance improvement is quite remarkable. That's why we thought it was worth investing effort in customizing the file loading system.

其实最近1.5版本之后，我们又更新了一个1.51的补丁，会大幅度提升游戏在PS4和PS5上的帧数、缩短加载时间、减少延迟响应，这些细节后续都会不断优化。
In fact, after Version 1.5, we released a 1.51 patch that significantly improved the game's frame rate, reduced loading times, and decreased latency response on both PS4 and PS5, and we will continue to optimize these details in the future.

## Always Striving for Quality

**葡萄君：在之前的技术分享里，你提到主机版的开发涉及大量技术上的取舍，做PS5版的时候呢？
Putao-kun: In your previous technical sharing, you mentioned that developing the console version involved a lot of technical trade-offs. How about when making the PS5 version?**

弋振中：取舍的核心，就是我们在有限的资源下面，如何更好地去提升游戏的品质，毕竟当时时间人力限制都大，不过即便时间和人力充足了，你始终会追求更高的品质，想做更好的东西。所以实际开发还是需要取舍。
Yi Zhenzhong: The core of the trade-offs is how to improve the game's quality with limited resources. Even if we had more time and manpower, we would always pursue higher quality and strive to create better things. So, actual development still requires making trade-offs.

一个比较新的例子是，PS5的光线追踪和SSD特性是大家比较关注的地方。做PS5版时，我们希望玩家尽快玩到原生PS5版《原神》，这个前提下，我们认为光线追踪如果要做，确实能对光影产生改变，但对于《原神》这个风格的游戏，一定要让技术融合到美术风格里。
A recent example is ray tracing and SSD features on the PS5, which many people are concerned about. When making the PS5 version, we wanted players to experience the native PS5 version of *Genshin Impact* as soon as possible. In this context, we believe that while ray tracing can indeed change lighting and shadows, for *Genshin Impact* with its particular art style, we have to integrate the technology seamlessly into the art style.

如果仅仅把光追做出来，当成炫技放到游戏里，鉴于《原神》的美术风格以及我们需要投入的资源来看，很难在短期内对游戏品质做到比较大的提升。所以我们会很慎重地对待光影的改造，会反复跟美术磨合来决定如何做。尤其是对场景复杂的部分，这个迭代的时间会更长。因此我们决定不急于实现光线跟踪，而是把有限的资源投入在性价比更高的地方。
If we were to implement ray tracing just for the sake of showing off technical capabilities in the game, considering the art style of *Genshin Impact* and the resources required, it would be difficult to achieve significant improvements in the game's quality in the short term. So, we are very cautious about the implementation of ray tracing and will work closely with the art team to decide how to approach it. Especially for complex scenes, this iterative process will take more time. Therefore, we decided not to rush into implementing ray tracing and instead focus our limited resources on areas with higher cost-effectiveness.

相比之下，在资源有限的情况下，用定制化文件加载系统能更好地发挥SSD性能，能够提供更好的游戏体验，那就值得优先做。
In comparison, in a resource-limited situation, a customized file loading system can better leverage the SSD performance, providing a better game experience, which makes it a priority to develop.

**葡萄君：还看到PS5版对LOD、材质精度都拔高了要求。
Putao-kun: I also noticed that the PS5 version has higher requirements for LOD and material precision.**

弋振中：毕竟开放世界需要更多的细节来填充，对我们来说，也希望《原神》的大世界在PS5上有更多的细节呈现。
Yi Zhenzhong: Indeed, an open-world game requires more details to fill the world, and for *Genshin Impact*, we wanted the large world to have more detailed presentation on the PS5.

于是我们增大了LOD，这确实会增加DrawCall，增加三角形的数量，会在CGU和GPU端都给我们带来压力。除了LOD以外，在PS5原生版上面，我们也是提升了场景、角色还有特效的贴图精度，让画面显得更加细腻、更加有质感。这些也会增加GPU的开销，
So, we increased the LOD, which does increase DrawCall and the number of triangles, adding pressure to both CGU and GPU. Apart from LOD, on the PS5 native version, we also improved the texture precision of scenes, characters, and special effects, making the visuals more delicate and realistic. These changes also add GPU overhead.

但同时我们也在不断优化、调整LOD策略，所以目前来看能保持一个平衡的状态，后续也会持续优化，给玩家提供最好的游戏体验。
However, we are continuously optimizing and adjusting the LOD strategy, so we are currently maintaining a balanced state. We will keep optimizing in the future to provide players with the best gaming experience.

**葡萄君：你们在PS4版本就对渲染管线做了很多改造，PS5版本有新的改造吗？
Putao-kun: You made a lot of changes to the rendering pipeline in the PS4 version. Are there any new changes for the PS5 version?**

弋振中：目前我们基本沿用了PS4版本的渲染管线，因为这些放到PS5上也能够满足游戏大部分情况下的画面表现。不过因为PS5有更强的硬件性能，所以我们在后续也会不断对整个渲染管线做提升，尝试做出更好的画面表现。
Yi Zhenzhong: Currently, we have mostly used the same rendering pipeline as the PS4 version because it can already achieve satisfactory visual performance for most situations in the game on the PS5. However, since the PS5 has stronger hardware capabilities, we will continuously improve the entire rendering pipeline in the future, aiming to achieve even better visual quality.

**葡萄君：相当于PS5版本也是搭建好第一步的框架。
Putao-kun: So, the PS5 version is like laying the foundation for future improvements.**

弋振中：对，现在就是刚开始的阶段。PS5版本只是一个开始而已，《原神》是长线运营的游戏，所以后续还会推出更多新的特性。
Yi Zhenzhong: Yes, it's just the beginning. The PS5 version is only the starting point for *Genshin Impact*, and since the game is designed for long-term operation, we will introduce more new features in the future.

**葡萄君：这次PS5版本里，你个人最喜欢的部分是什么？
Putao-kun: Among the features in the PS5 version, what is your personal favorite?**

弋振中：除了快速加载，庆云顶的体积云特效，我也比较喜欢，如果仔细些，还能看到其他一些地城里也用到了类似的技术。庆云顶的特效经过画质的提升和性能的优化，所以在画面表现足够好的同时，在PS5上开销也比较少。既能提高画面表现，又不用对性能做太大妥协，这就很棒。
Yi Zhenzhong: Apart from the fast loading, I also quite like the volume cloud special effects in Qingyun Peak. If you look closely, you'll find similar techniques used in some other underground areas as well. The special effects in Qingyun Peak have been enhanced in terms of visual quality and performance optimization, which means it delivers great visual performance with less performance overhead on the PS5. It not only improves the visual presentation but also avoids significant compromises in performance, which is fantastic.

**葡萄君：庆云顶特效做起来有挑战吗？
Putao-kun: Were there any challenges in creating the special effects in Qingyun Peak?**

弋振中：相对还好，当然它也用到一些比较巧妙的思路，尤其是优化方面，细节上今后再找机会具体分享。
Yi Zhenzhong: It was relatively manageable, and of course, it involved some clever techniques. Especially in terms of optimization, I can share more details about it in the future.

**葡萄君：什么情况下你们会挑战技术的上限和新的技术点？
Putao-kun: Under what circumstances do you challenge the technical limits and explore new technical aspects?**

弋振中：《原神》毕竟是一个上线的项目，最高优先级一是提高游戏稳定性和性能表现，另一个是给玩家更多的内容、提高游戏可玩性。所以在考虑问题的时候，这两点都会作为前提，摆在很重要的位置，这个基础上要加什么东西，就看各个团队的需求，如果有就走流程去实现。
Yi Zhenzhong: *Genshin Impact* is, after all, a live project, and the highest priorities are to improve game stability and performance and provide players with more content and gameplay options. When considering new features or improvements, these two aspects are essential prerequisites and are given significant importance. After establishing this foundation, we evaluate the needs of various teams and proceed with the implementation if feasible.

**葡萄君：那么你目前比较关心哪些技术发展趋势和新的动态？
Putao-kun: What are the technology development trends and new dynamics that you are currently interested in?**

弋振中：PS5版相对而言，因为时间紧张，主要是我们自己在做，长期来看，Unity的新技术我们肯定都愿意学习，包括2020和2021的很多新特性，比如新的地形系统、后处理方面的改进、资产管理的系统性改进等等。
Yi Zhenzhong: For the PS5 version, since time was limited, most of the development work was done by our team. However, in the long run, we are definitely interested in learning about Unity's new technologies, including many new features introduced in 2020 and 2021. For example, the new terrain system, improvements in post-processing, and systemic enhancements in asset management, among others.

我之前跟Unity美国团队交流的时候，也对这些部分比较感兴趣，他们对未来游戏技术发展趋势的见解也很受用。
I have had exchanges with Unity's team in the United States and found their insights on future trends in game technology very valuable.

**葡萄君：现在各家厂商的技术竞争都在加剧，你对这个趋势的感受是？
Putao-kun: Technology competition among various companies is intensifying. How do you feel about this trend?**

弋振中：竞争带来的技术进步肯定是一件好事情。我们整个团队都非常热衷于去了解新的技术，提升自己，这是一个持续的过程，我们也希望其他的公司团队能够跟我们多做交流。
Yi Zhenzhong: Competition undoubtedly leads to technological advancements, which is undoubtedly a good thing. Our entire team is very enthusiastic about understanding new technologies and improving ourselves. It's an ongoing process, and we also hope that other companies and teams can engage in more exchanges with us.

**葡萄君：如今开放世界产品越来越多，你们会有被追赶的压力吗？
Putao-kun: Nowadays, there are more and more open-world products in the market. Do you feel pressured to keep up with the competition?**

弋振中：我们的重心还是在服务团队想法的方向上，更多的压力还是来自于「如何满足大家的需求」。
Yi Zhenzhong: Our focus is still on serving the team's ideas, and the pressure mainly comes from "how to meet everyone's needs."

**葡萄君：很多厂商会觉得米哈游的技术壁垒很高，你怎么看技术壁垒？
Putao-kun: Many companies believe that miHoYo has high technological barriers. What is your view on technological barriers?**

弋振中：就我们团队而言，大家并没有太关注技术壁垒这件事情，思考更多的是「作为一个技术开发团队如何更好地服务游戏项目」。我们提升技术、了解新技术发展的意义还是在于，让公司这帮很喜欢游戏、喜欢制作游戏的同事，能够更少的受到技术的束缚，更自由地去发挥，做更好玩的游戏。
Yi Zhenzhong: As a team, we don't pay much attention to technological barriers. Instead, we think more about "how to better serve game projects as a technology development team." The purpose of improving technology and understanding new technological developments is to enable our colleagues in the company, who are passionate about games and game development, to be less restricted by technology and to have the freedom to create more enjoyable games.