Izizathu Zokubambelela Kude Kakhulu KweSilksong, Umdlalo Owasethulwa Ngo-2019

Ukuziphatha Okuvamile Kokulinda Iminyaka Emide

Kuhlezi kubonakala kuyinto evamile, ngokudabukisayo, ukulinda iminyaka emide ukuze uthole umdlalo olandelayo wemidlalo oyintandokazi. Nakuba ubuchwepheshe besimanje bokuthuthukisa imidlalo buvumela izinkampani ukuthi zisebenze kanzima ukufeza amazinga aphezulu, lokhu akukwazi ukuvimba amaphrojekthi afana ne-Grand Theft Auto 6 yaseRockstar, Half-Life 3 yeValve, kanye neSilksong ye-Team Cherry ekubeni izinto ezidla isikhathi eside kakhulu embonweni wezimboni. Lokhu kuqhubeka kufike isikhathi lapho kubonakala sengathi silinde umdlalo osathuthukiswe kakhulu, futhi kube yinto engalindelekile ukuthi iSilksong ingaba seduze nokuphuma.

Izinyanga zashintsha zaba iminyaka, futhi kuze kube muva nje, kwakuzwakala sengathi asikasoni seduze neSilksong kunalokho okwakwenzeka ngo-2019, ngesikhathi sidlala umboniso wesandla somdlalo omangalisa. Eminyakeni edlule, iSilksong seyaba yinto ehlekwa ngayo, lapho abalandeli begqoka ubuso obumhlophe nemigexo yokuhlekisa, behleka uma umboniso omusha weNintendo Direct noma weXbox Developer Showcase ungabakhuphuli eduze nomdlalo obekiwe. Kuthiwani ukuthi kwazeni ukuthi singathini ukuthi silindelwe kangakanani umdlalo?

I-Silksong Yawokuqala Bekumele Ube I-DLC

I-Studio yase-Australia, i-Team Cherry, yaqale ukushicilela uHollow Knight ku-Kickstarter ngo-2014, ngenhloso yokuthola uxhaso olwanele lokuguqula umdlalo wayo we-2D Soulslike + Metroidvania owayekade unomqondo wokuqala wama-prototype ube ngumdlalo ophelele. Ngemva kokufeza izinhloso zokuqala zokuxhasa, i-Team Cherry yakhombisa nezifiso ezengeziwe ezenzakalweni ezihlanganisa imisebenzi emisha, izikhumbuzo, nokunye, okuhlanganisa umlingisi wesibili okwazi ukudlalwa okuthiwa uHornet. Lezi zinhloso zokuxhasa zagcwaliseka, futhi ukuqala kokuthuthukiswa kokwandisa iHollow Knight kwaqala.

Njengoba kwakushiwo, ukuqalwa kwe-Hollow Knight ngo-2017 kwakulandela uchungechunge lwe-DLC olufana ne-Hidden Dreams, The Grimm Troupe, kanye ne-Gods and Glory, olungeze izimpi ezintsha zamabutho, imigqa yemisebenzi, kanye nemisebenzi yokusheshisa ukuhamba. Kodwa kwaba kuphi umlingisi wesibili? U-Hornet wayekuphi?

Ngomhla ziyi-14 ku-Februwari 2019, i-Team Cherry yamemezela ngokusemthethweni iSilksong. Endabeni ye-blog kanye ne-diary yomthuthukisi, kwachazwa ukuthi izinhlelo zikaHornet kwaqala ngokushesha ziguquka. Ekuqaleni, abathuthukisi babengeza ukuthi kungaba kuhle ukumfaka njengomlingisi wesibili okwazi ukushintsha phakathi komphakathi noma ukumqamba ngesahluko esizimele. Ekugcineni, imibono kaHornet yakhula kangangokuthi i-Team Cherry yanquma ukwahlukanisa i-DLC yaba umdlalo ophelele.

Uhlelo kwakungukuthi sizoshumayela indaba entsha egxile kuHornet, endaweni entsha ngokuphelele

Wayezobhekana nezinselelo ezihlukile — wayezoba nesitayela sokudlala esihlukile kakhulu, esibucayi futhi esine-acyrobatics, uma kuqhathaniswa noKnight, ongumdlali okhubazekile futhi onobunzima. U-Hornet wayezodinga ukukwazi ukusebenzisa isivinini sakhe kanye nokucophelela kwakhe uma ebhekene nezigebengu ezingaphezu kuka-150, kuhlanganise nama-boss nempi ezinkulu zeSilksong.

Abalandeli beHollow Knight bajabula, futhi i-Team Cherry yaphendula ngokushesha ngokukhuthaza ukuthakasela kweSilksong…

Ngaphambi kokuba Sihlole Umphumela Womdlalo

Nakuba i-Team Cherry ingazange yamemezele usuku lokukhulula, akekho owayelindela ukuthi ukumemezela kweSilksong kuzoholela ekulindeni okungaphezu kweminyaka emithupha. Ngo-2019, inkampani yabonisa i-demo yomdlalo ngesikhathi se-E3, futhi kwaba nokukhushulwa komphakathi nokwabelwana ngayo. UTom Marks we-IGN wabhala e-preview yakhe ukuthi “iHollow Knight ingenye yezinto engizithandayo, kodwa iSilksong ingaba ngcono kakhulu.”

I-demo yayingaba nemizuzu engama-20, futhi yayibonisa indawo entsha enomlilo, nezigebengu ezintsha, kanye nama-boss amabili. Ngithinte uMarks ukuze ngibone ukuthi, ngesikhathi, i-demo ibonakala injengomdlalo osebenziseka kalula noma useneminyaka embalwa yokuphuma.

“Kwazulu ukuthi bekungekho kude neminyaka eyisithupha,” kusho uMarks. “Kwakubonakala kuyindlela eqediwe, kodwa ngokusekelwe ku-vertical slice engiyidlalile, yayibonakala isesimweni esihle kakhulu.”

Le demo kamuva yathathwa iye e-PAX Australia ngo-2019, futhi yabelwa abahambeli lapho. Njengoba umdlalo uvela ngezikhathi eziningi emicimbini eminingi, kuthiwa izinto seziseduze, futhi asikaze sicabange ukuthi kuzofika isikhathi lapho sizobona khona uSilksong ngokugcwele.

Ukukhula kwemfuno nokukhuluma okungapheli

Njengoba imikhankaso yokumaketha kwaqhubeka ngo-2020, uMatthew “Leth” Griffin, umholi wokumaketha nephothifoliyo, waqala ukwaba izinhlamvu ezintsha ku-Discord ye-Hollow Knight, njengomvuzo wokuthi abalandeli baxazulule izimfihlo ezithile. NgoDisemba 2019, kwaba nesihloko esiphelele ku-Edge Magazine, esihlanganisa imininingwane emisha, izithombe-skrini, kanye nengxoxo ejulile neziphathi zeTeam Cherry ezikhuluma ngezinga elibanzi lezindawo ezinzima, kanye nokukhombisa izindaba ezimfihlekile zikaHornet.

Ukuphuma KweSilksong Endaweni Yokufihlwa

Ukuduma kwezindaba zeSilksong ngemva kokumemezela kwawo kwaqala ukuncipha, kwaba sekubeni yinkathi yokuzola. I-Team Cherry yathula ngokuphelele ngo-2021, futhi abalandeli bazilindela noma yiziphi izibonakaliso zokukhululwa komdlalo. Kwakuzobukeka sengathi kuzoba isikhathi eside, njengoba kwaphawulwa ngezikhathi ezithile, njengezindawo ezithile ezazishaya umkhondo wokukhululwa.

Ngomhla ziyi-12 kuJuni 2020, ikhasi leSilksong ku-Steam lalibuyekeza ngokungahleliwe ngosuku lokukhululwa oluzobe ngoJuni 12, 2020, kodwa kwavela ukuthi kwakungumkhawulo we-placeholder. Emuva kwalokho, ngo-Agasti 20, iSilksong yabonakala ku-tweet esemthethweni ye-Nintendo UK, ibonisa ukuthi kuzothunyelelwa emidlalweni ezotholakala ku-Nintendo Switch “kule minyaka ezayo,” okwaholela ekutheni abanye bathi kuzotholakala nje kamuva, hhayi maduze.

“Zonke Eziphakathi Kwezinsuku Zokudlalwa Kuzobakhona Ku-12 Inyanga Ezayo”

Kuze kube sekupheleni kweminyaka emibili, uSilksong wabonwa futhi. Ngo-12 kuJuni 2022, i-Xbox yethule i-Games Showcase yehlobo, lapho kwethulwa khona ividiyo entsha yesikhathi esisodwa, echaza umdlalo, izindawo, nama-boss amasha. Nakuba kwavezwa imibono emisha, indawo, nama-boss, kwakungekho usuku lokukhululwa. Kodwa kwasungulwa isimemezelo sokuthi iSilksong izotholakala ku-Xbox Game Pass kusukela ngosuku lokudlala.

Lokhu kwakungaba yikho okwanele kwabalandeli, uma kungaba khona ukukhomba ukuthi umdlalo uzotholakala phakathi kwezinyanga ezingu-12. Kodwa i-Xbox yaphinda yathi, “Konke okubonisiwe namuhla kuzotholakala okungenani ezinsukwini ezingu-12,” okwaholela ekutheni abantu bacabange ukuthi kuzotholakala ngaleso sikhathi.

“Ngakho uthi iSilksong izotholakala phakathi kwezinyanga ezingu-12?” kubuza omunye umsebenzisi ku-Twitter.
“Yilokho esikushilo,” kuphendulwa yi-Xbox.

Ukuphazamiseka Okusemthethweni Nokuphuma Kokukhululwa Okungakaze Kubekho

Kuzwakale sengathi i-Team Cherry ihlele ukukhipha iSilksong ngaphakathi kwezinyanga ezingu-12, njengoba kuqinisekiswe uMatthew Griffin ngoMeyi 2023, esho ukuthi umdlalo uhlela ukukhishwa “kwehla kwenkathi yokuqala ka-2023.”

Nokho, kwathiwa, “ukuthuthukiswa kusahamba,” futhi umphakathi wathola ukuthi umdlalo usebukhona, kodwa awukaze ushicilelwe ngokusemthethweni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-Griffin yabhala ku-Twitter ukuthi, “Silksong iyaqhubeka nokuthuthuka, futhi sizokwenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukwenza umdlalo ube ngcono kakhulu,” okwenza ukuthi abantu balinde ngokubekezela.

Silksong Iphendukela Kube Meme

Ngeminyaka eyedlule, iSilksong yaba yinto ehlekwa ngayo kakhulu ngaphakathi komphakathi wemidlalo. Ukuphazamiseka kwe-COVID-19 kwavimba imicimbi eminingi, kanye ne-E3, okwaholela ekutheni kube nezinhlobo eziningi zemicimbi eziku-inthanethi ezifana ne-Nintendo Direct, Xbox, PlayStation, kanye ne-IGN, ezazikhombisa amathuba amaningi okukhombisa iSilksong. Ngezikhathi lapho umdlalo ungaboniswa khona, uma kwenzeka ungaboniswa, abalandeli bahleka ukuhlale bematasa ukulingisa ukuthi umdlalo awuzange uvele, futhi kuvela imifanekiso ehlekisayo ye-“clown” efana nomphakathi.

Ubuciko obubonisa uKnight noma uHornet egqoke amalebula e-clown manje buwumfanekiso ojwayelekile, okugqamisa ubugebengu bokulinda iSilksong. I-wig enemibala ye-rainbow kanye nempumputhe ye-clown sekuyimvunulo engahleliwe yabalandeli, iminyaka eminingi yokulindela. “Kuzoba khona iSilksong ku-Nintendo Direct entsha?” abalandeli bazibuza.
“Ngokuqinisekile cha, wena clown,” kuphendula umhlaba.

<p Futhi, ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukuthi umphakathi uyayazi ukuthi umhlaba nawo uyahlekisa, okokuqala iSilksong yatholakala ngokusemthethweni ku-Xbox Store ngo-April Fools’ Day, 2024.

Ukukhanya Phakathi Komthunzi Wemfihlo

Ngonyaka we-2024, i-Team Cherry yaqinisekisa ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuthi iSilksong ngeke ivele emikhakheni emikhulu ye-2024. Ayikho eminye imicimbi yokubonisa efana ne-E3, futhi uGeoff Keighley waqinisekisa ukuthi iSilksong ngeke ivele ku-Opening Night Live ye-Gamescom 2024. Futhi, i-Team Cherry yaphinda igwema i-Nintendo Direct yeminyaka emibili, kuhlanganise ne-Indie Direct ngo-Agasti 2024 kanye ne-Third-Party Partner Direct.

Kodwa, ngo-2025, izinto zashintsha. Umsebenzisi owayezitholele uhlelo olufushane lwe-Hollow Knight subreddit wathola ithuba lokuhlangana no-Ari Gibson, oyi-co-director weSilksong, ophendule ukuthi “kuzoba khona okunye okwazisayo ‘masinya,’” kusho ukuthi kuzobakhona okuthile okuzokwethulwa ngokushesha.

Lokhu akuzange kube yinkulumo nje. Ngo-19 Mashi 2025, i-Xbox yashicilela i-ID@Xbox blog ebonisa ukuzibophezela kwayo ekukhululeni imidlalo emikhulu ye-indie, kuhlanganise neSilksong. Futhi, ezinsukwini ezimbalwa kamuva, ku-Nintendo Direct ngo-Okthoba 2, 2025, iSilksong yavela futhi ku-reel yezindaba, ibonisa ukuthi umdlalo uzotholakala ngo-2025.

Ngaphandle kwalokho, umdlalo ubonakale futhi emhlanganweni we-ROG Ally X handheld, lapho ubonwa khona esebenza ku-divayisi ye-Xbox. U-Matthew Griffin we-Team Cherry waphendula emsakazweni we-Discord ye-Hollow Knight ukuthi ukukhululwa kweSilksong akuhambisani nokufakwa ku-console ethile, futhi umdlalo usenhlokodolobha yokukhululwa “ngaphambi kweholide lika-2025.” Manje, kuyaziwa ukuthi iSilksong izodlalwa ku-ibhodi ye-Xbox e-Gamescom, okuyi-demo yokuqala yomdlalo kusukela ngo-2019.

Nakuba iSilksong ingeyona ebonwa ku-Nintendo Direct yakamuva — bamba ama-meme we-clown — kodwa kubonakala sengathi sekuzoqalwa ukusibona isiqalekiso, phakathi kweminyaka emithathu, emithathu yokulinda okukhulu ngokungazelelwe, ngemva kokumemezela ukuba uHornet, umdlali wesibili, uzothola umdlalo wakhe siqu.