Gamelu Deveropelu

[toblix]

I love how Japanese developers seem to be more earnest and revealing when talking about their games. It's like they don't have marketing departments forcing them to hit the big selling points and focus on promising to deliver the best gaming experience to their consumers, and just say whatever they feel like.

The latest example of this is this, where Miyamoto says

"Mr. Koizumi is the type of person who, whenever we're working on a new Mario game, he always wants to bring more story elements into it, as he did with Super Mario Galaxy" Miyamoto says. "But in talking with him this time, he agrees and feels that with Galaxy 2, there won't be a need for as deep of a story"

Also, there was the Nintendo guy who, when asked about their feelings about Natal and the PS3 motion stuff said that they had tried various stuff, and thought theirs was the best solution. However, time would show if they had chosen the right technology.

Of course, this may just be the one Japanese guy (I always fail at telling them apart [racist smily]), but it's awesome still.

Anyway, can't wait for the next Phoenix Wright!!!!AWESOME

[OssK]

On that, it should be known that the developpers of Natal tried to sell it to nintendo first, then to sony and both of them declined.

[Roderick]

Ugh, in my experience, Japanese developers rarely have something interesting to say. Whenever they're in the spotlight they will tell the most tedious, boring shit, like how difficult it was to do this and that, and in a monotone voice at that. I'm sure there are developers that are more open than that, and the Nintendo 'Iwata Asks' series was fantastic, but they're in no way more open or real than any other developer.

[elmuerte]

as opposed to the other devs you will constantly brag on how blown away you'll be?

[Roderick]

My point is that they all tend to suck, Japanese included

[elmuerte]

You heard it right folks, there is no discrimination here on idle thumbs. All game designers suck.

[vimes]

I truly appreciate that Miyamoto and others are highlighting the struggles that every game maker is necessarily confronted to. I do because they are the only one putting game making in perspective - maybe not for the consumer but for other developers.

What's interesting in the discourse of the senior japanese staff (Miyamoto, Awata and, in a very different way, Mizuguchi) is that they seem to consider game making a craft, in which you can only improve by assessing the risk of every innovation against your own experience in the field.

It contrasts with the power trip most occidental developers are into. At each technical or game advances, everybody claim they could do the same in half the time : there is no acknowledgment of the real difficulties that exists in coming up with a game design, its implementation as well as the technical features to carry it through. And thus, most fail on core mechanisms of the genre they tackle.

I'm generalizing a lot , but I'm always amazed that the most vocal developers seem to perfectly fit this description.

[elmuerte]

Agreed, that's why I really enjoy reading the post-mortem's in gdmag and on gamasutra. The road traveled and it's obstacles is usually more interesting than the destination.

[SiN]

On that, it should be known that the developpers of Natal tried to sell it to nintendo first, then to sony and both of them declined.

FYI, Natal was apparently developed in-house. And no, I don't see why they'd lie about it. I'm guessing the real reason they bought out 3DV was for more mundane reasons: patent rights.

Re: Japanese developers. Like Rodi, I'm always a bit disappointed with the interviews. Like, whenever there's an awesome Japanese developer interview I get all excited but always end up underwhelmed by the content. But I really think it comes down to the language barrier, cultural issues, or something! I don't know what it is, but I'm just not convinced that such interesting developers don't have anything interesting to say.

Mo

[toblix]

So this is how you get me interested in fucking MySims: Agent.

[Chris]

On the original thread's topic: Yeah, I definitely don't think Japanese developers are more forthcoming and revealing in general. I'm constantly frustrated by how much they don't tend to be that in interviews, and now working on a staff with two Japanese speakers to do the interviews with Japanese designers, I am fairly sure it isn't a language barrier issue.

[toblix]

On the Jeff Green video: Oh my, I thought he was an awesome guy having fun promoting his game. But then I read some comments implying he could just be acting out because he was pissed about "being stuck" with the project. I don't know anything about this guy, but I sure hope my first impression is right.

[Chris]

On the Jeff Green video: Oh my, I thought he was an awesome guy having fun promoting his game. But then I read some comments implying he could just be acting out because he was pissed about "being stuck" with the project. I don't know anything about this guy, but I sure hope my first impression is right.

Yes your first impression is much closer to the actual situation.