nintendo
23-08-2001, 10:52 PM
Miyamoto Explains Zelda Redesign Decision
Wondering what the heck happened to the old Zelda you saw at Space World? Click here.
By now you know that Nintendo's <I>Legend of Zelda</I> for GameCube has drastically changed since it was first shown at Space World 2000 last year. The game's old dark, realistic look has been replaced by a much more stylized, cartoon-like appearance complete with a simplistically designed Link and all-new comedy elements. Designer Shigeru Miyamoto recently explained the company's decision to change the graphic look of Legend of Zelda.
<p>
"The video footage of Legend of Zelda we showed at the E3 show was almost identical to the one we first showed at Space World 2000. Actually, we were not lying to you about what we were doing. Well, as a matter of fact, at the time of E3 we were hiding the secret. But one year ago at Space World 2000, we were seriously working on the version of Legend of Zelda you saw at the event. We were repeating so many of Link's experiences, and we were trying to decide on what new direction the new Zelda should take, and after that I began to wonder what the idealistic age of Link is. In a new Zelda, is a grown up Link something I really wanted to pursue?
<p>
"As you know, if one product receives rave reviews and becomes a hit, then the next year there are a number of similar games following the trend. A look at the movie industry, or animation made in Japan, they are following a similar trend and in the end only the very enthusiastic movie lovers can tell the difference. But the general public can never tell them apart. And that is what we are most afraid of. So more in detail, what we are now doing is putting emphasis on making our games better than the others and we are not ignoring the importance of making something different.
<p>
In the game industry the people that are most sought after are the people with better technology than skill, rather than the people who love to challenge themselves to make something very fun and deliver breakthrough ideas. That kind of situation I really hate. So that's why I told my staff members that they should have more freedom to create anything they like, and at the same time I've been telling other people my idea for Zelda. So we have completed many experiments and this is the result. And I think the video that I showed you today represents the course that we will take with the next Zelda for GameCube. I can tell you that development on the game is making very good progress right now.
<p>
One thing I'm afraid of is that people who already saw Link in the very beautiful graphics may be looking forward to the much more sophisticated looking version of him [Space World 2000 footage] in the next Zelda. I do not want to betray them or shatter their expectations, so what we are doing now is making Zelda as unique as possible because uniqueness is something gamers are always looking for. So I can say that we are ready to make that Zelda."
Date Posted: 12:24pm Subject: Miyamoto Talks on Mario Sunshine, Marionette, 100 Marios
Nintendo's master designer touches briefly on the two high profile GameCube projects.
At E3 2001, Nintendo accidentally announced three secret titles -- <I>Mario Sunshine</I>, <I>Marionette</I> and <I>100 Marios</I> on its online release list. The list was pulled shortly after it was published, but the damage was done, the curiosity of gamers piqued. At Space World 2001, Mario Sunshine was announced and previewed briefly as the next big Mario title for GameCube. But what of the other two titles? Designer Shigeru Miyamoto spoke out on all three in a recent roundtable. His comments below:
<p>
<b>Mario Sunshine</b><br>
"I'd rather not explain about the new Mario, as I've said. I deliberately chose images that will not reveal a lot about the game so that you will not know its secrets. But because we have limited these things, I think you are wondering what is so interesting about the game. One thing for sure is that it's called Mario Sunshine -- and it having that name, we really have to sell it during the summer time [laughs[.
<p>
"Mario is shouldering on his back some mysterious gadget -- some machine. Of course, it contains a secret. We are going to make the right progress for the game and please look forward to it."
<p>
<b>100 Marios</b><Br>
"So many projects and so many experiments are being carried out at Nintendo. For example, the 100 Marios or 128 Marios -- some of the technology there has already been integrated into Pikmin. And having said that, some other experiments are still going on because we are always looking two or three years in advance, so maybe sometime later we will show some part of 100 Marios."
<p>
<b>Marionette</b><Br>
"And as for Marionette, it is still under development. It is not a Mario game, but an actual Marionette game utilizing a puppet. I am hoping to make something both complicated and simple at the same time [with this game], which is kind of a contradiction. But already we are experimenting. And once again, sometime in the future we may be able to show you something on it."
<p>
We'll have more on the above projects as the information becomes available -- which isn't likely to happen anytime soon.
-----
Wondering what the heck happened to the old Zelda you saw at Space World? Click here.
By now you know that Nintendo's <I>Legend of Zelda</I> for GameCube has drastically changed since it was first shown at Space World 2000 last year. The game's old dark, realistic look has been replaced by a much more stylized, cartoon-like appearance complete with a simplistically designed Link and all-new comedy elements. Designer Shigeru Miyamoto recently explained the company's decision to change the graphic look of Legend of Zelda.
<p>
"The video footage of Legend of Zelda we showed at the E3 show was almost identical to the one we first showed at Space World 2000. Actually, we were not lying to you about what we were doing. Well, as a matter of fact, at the time of E3 we were hiding the secret. But one year ago at Space World 2000, we were seriously working on the version of Legend of Zelda you saw at the event. We were repeating so many of Link's experiences, and we were trying to decide on what new direction the new Zelda should take, and after that I began to wonder what the idealistic age of Link is. In a new Zelda, is a grown up Link something I really wanted to pursue?
<p>
"As you know, if one product receives rave reviews and becomes a hit, then the next year there are a number of similar games following the trend. A look at the movie industry, or animation made in Japan, they are following a similar trend and in the end only the very enthusiastic movie lovers can tell the difference. But the general public can never tell them apart. And that is what we are most afraid of. So more in detail, what we are now doing is putting emphasis on making our games better than the others and we are not ignoring the importance of making something different.
<p>
In the game industry the people that are most sought after are the people with better technology than skill, rather than the people who love to challenge themselves to make something very fun and deliver breakthrough ideas. That kind of situation I really hate. So that's why I told my staff members that they should have more freedom to create anything they like, and at the same time I've been telling other people my idea for Zelda. So we have completed many experiments and this is the result. And I think the video that I showed you today represents the course that we will take with the next Zelda for GameCube. I can tell you that development on the game is making very good progress right now.
<p>
One thing I'm afraid of is that people who already saw Link in the very beautiful graphics may be looking forward to the much more sophisticated looking version of him [Space World 2000 footage] in the next Zelda. I do not want to betray them or shatter their expectations, so what we are doing now is making Zelda as unique as possible because uniqueness is something gamers are always looking for. So I can say that we are ready to make that Zelda."
Date Posted: 12:24pm Subject: Miyamoto Talks on Mario Sunshine, Marionette, 100 Marios
Nintendo's master designer touches briefly on the two high profile GameCube projects.
At E3 2001, Nintendo accidentally announced three secret titles -- <I>Mario Sunshine</I>, <I>Marionette</I> and <I>100 Marios</I> on its online release list. The list was pulled shortly after it was published, but the damage was done, the curiosity of gamers piqued. At Space World 2001, Mario Sunshine was announced and previewed briefly as the next big Mario title for GameCube. But what of the other two titles? Designer Shigeru Miyamoto spoke out on all three in a recent roundtable. His comments below:
<p>
<b>Mario Sunshine</b><br>
"I'd rather not explain about the new Mario, as I've said. I deliberately chose images that will not reveal a lot about the game so that you will not know its secrets. But because we have limited these things, I think you are wondering what is so interesting about the game. One thing for sure is that it's called Mario Sunshine -- and it having that name, we really have to sell it during the summer time [laughs[.
<p>
"Mario is shouldering on his back some mysterious gadget -- some machine. Of course, it contains a secret. We are going to make the right progress for the game and please look forward to it."
<p>
<b>100 Marios</b><Br>
"So many projects and so many experiments are being carried out at Nintendo. For example, the 100 Marios or 128 Marios -- some of the technology there has already been integrated into Pikmin. And having said that, some other experiments are still going on because we are always looking two or three years in advance, so maybe sometime later we will show some part of 100 Marios."
<p>
<b>Marionette</b><Br>
"And as for Marionette, it is still under development. It is not a Mario game, but an actual Marionette game utilizing a puppet. I am hoping to make something both complicated and simple at the same time [with this game], which is kind of a contradiction. But already we are experimenting. And once again, sometime in the future we may be able to show you something on it."
<p>
We'll have more on the above projects as the information becomes available -- which isn't likely to happen anytime soon.
-----