Snake-87
31-07-2007, 10:33 AM
مقابلة في معرض E3 (http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2007/07/an_interview_with_nintendos_super_game_designer_shigeru_miyamoto.html)
Q: Thank you for doing an interview again. Do you feel vindicated at how well the Wii has been received.
A: I think it is not necessarily vindication but I do get the distinct feeling that because of the Wii, people all over the world are finally taking notice of video games again, when they haven’t for a while.
Q: What are you spending most of your time working on?
A: We have a number of games that are approaching completion now. Typically I work on the games as they are approaching completion to help bring them together. I have been very busy recently on Super Mario Galaxy and Wii Fit.
A: We have a number of games that are approaching completion now. Typically I work on the games as they are approaching completion to help bring them together. I have been very busy recently on Super Mario Galaxy and Wii Fit.
Q: The Wii Fit game is very simple and it looks like you could do that with a very small team and relatively amount of short time. I know an awful lot of work goes into it. Can you explain why it is such hard work to create such a simple game?
A: The hardest thing is the team itself is very uneasy. They have a hard time seeing completion or how they will complete the game. It becomes my job to help assuage their uneasiness and help them to see their path to completion. That is the most difficult for me. I have to try to get them excited about the fact that they’re doing something that no one else has done before. While the games themselves appear very simple, the overall system is quite complex. You have so many elements you have to balance. We had to design and create the Wii Balance Board hardware, we have to consider the timing of our software completion, the timing of the manufacturing of the Wii Balance Board. There are a lot of factors you have to merge and balance to make everything come together in one package at the end. To me, balancing and juggling all of those elements is quite a bit more fun compared to sitting down and programming.
Q: Is there much technology in the Wii Balance Board?
A: In terms of particular technology, obviously it uses the same wireless technology the Wii uses. It does have the weight sensors. They’re very very accurate but relatively standard. The thing that is different about this device is that nobody has created a device like this that not only measures your weight but the balance of your weight and how that shifts. In that sense, it is relatively different.
Q: I thought you might have tried something like the infrared systems where you shoot light up and wherever you interrupt the light it senses where you body is. Wasn’t there something like that a long time ago?
A: We obviously in developing any kind of new interface, we do experiments with a variety of new technologies. In this case, we didn’t experiment along those lines. Whenever we introduce a new interface, what is key for us is the interface itself is something that is not only simple but reliable so that anybody can use it. They can use it intuitively and with ease. And the interface is reliable and will function expected.
Q: How did the Wii Zapper. I think I recall George Harrison was that you were going to see how well people could shoot with the Wii remote and the Nunchuk. If they needed help, you would introduce something that helped them shoot. That was the Zapper. Did you wait to see if people who needed help shooting needed it?
A: When we first created the Wii Remote, we had an idea for some kind of Wii Zapper. And last year at E3 we showed in a display case a prototype for a Wii Zapper. That had a control stick built into it. What we found is that the reason we wanted to have a Zapper is when you hold a Wii Remote, it can be difficult for some people to keep a steady hand. And holding your arm out like that can get your arm somewhat tired. With a Zapper device, you can have your arm more stable and in a relaxed position. We came to a conclusion that rather than have an analog stick on the Zapper itself, we could attach the Nunchuk to the Zapper and allow for more diverse play styles.
Q: Does it worry you that the Zapper can attract much bloodier games?
A: I think we have seen how violence has been used in games so far without a Wii Zapper to encourage that. I think that will happen either way. The concept behind the Wii is to provide the most intuitive interface we can for the consumer. The most intuitive interface for the shooting game is to have something like the Wii Zapper.
Q: It is interesting that your accessories here are all very simple and inexpensive. The contrast between your wheel and Microsoft’s wheel at $149 are very stark. Is that a deliberate strategy?
A: It is definitely deliberate. There are a few different philosophies behind it. Nintendo always wants to provide the most intuitive device and one that is easy for anyone to pick up and play whether they are a hardcore gamer, a young child or an adult. The devices need to be inviting. The other thing is that we focused all of the technology in the Wii Remote when we designed it. We wanted to create it in a way where it would have expansion possibilities but even in the expansions, all of the technology would still be contained in the Wii Remote. The Zapper and the Wii Wheel – while I wouldn’t call them cheap – we’re able to produce them in an inexpensive manner. They have a straightforward interface, they look inviting to people. Because there is no real technology in them, we can slip the Wii Remote in and they are ready to go in a way that is affordable for the mass market. Because of that, we’ll be able to provide new and unique peripherals that match new and specific play styles in different games.
Q: I wonder how much third-party developers get behind some of these devices. You cannot assume the consumer will get behind them. How do you get as many third-party companies to exploit these new peripherals?
A: At this point everybody is looking positively at using these peripherals. The reason is that these peripherals are different from the typical peripheral you see in the industry. They don’t sell well because the peripherals have been expensive. When the software and the peripheral is bundled together, it makes it all more expensive and people aren’t willing to spend the money on it. We have taken a different strategy. The core technology is in the Wii Remote and that is a device that everyone has. It makes it easier to pick up the peripherals as part of software like Mario Kart at very low cost. If there is a third party that wants to take advantage of a peripheral, and it doesn’t yet have an installed base that is large, we can work with that third party to pack in a peripheral with their software at a low price as well.
Q: Is it at all surprising that it looks like accessories are the things making games more accessible to people? I would include the Wii controller in that. Guitar Hero.
A: It makes sense because the peripherals show the consumer immediately what they are supposed to do. You can play the guitar right away. And with Mario Kart, you could use the Wii Remote alone and steer with it. But the Wii Wheel to go with that, it’s more intuitive and makes you feel as if you have a better grip on the game anyway. Up until now, the video game has required you to put your two hands on one controller. Every experience has been the same. Now with the Wii Remote, you can go from that to steering, or moving your hands and aiming. Or with your hands separated with the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk. Separating your hands makes your entire experience feel fresh.
Q: Did you look at and enjoy the Electronic Arts Wii games?
A: I haven’t sent that yet.
Q: What was interesting to me is that they had about four or so original Wii games. They were original and creative. I expected more of that from Nintendo. You instead have a lot of games based on existing characters or previously known games. I was looking for more next-generation Wii games. Or a second wave of original Wii games. My question along with that is why aren’t you interesting more brand new characters?
A: I guess I don’t necessarily see my job as creating new characters as it is creating new experiences. Recently, Wii Fit is creating the concept and the idea and the feeling behind the game. That has been one of my new creations. For characters, we came up with the concept of the Miis and that allows people to come up with their own characters. Maybe next year sometime, we may have new characters in the same way we came up with Pikmin when we introduced the GameCube.
Q: It’s seems a different approach from what other game publishers say. They usually look at the start of a new generation of consoles to introduce some new intellectual property.
A: In Japan, we haven’t seen a lot of that type of strategy. To a certain extent in America, you are seeing a lot of the same franchises made more gorgeous or more complex. They continue to sell those. In Japan, we don’t see that strategy although it is a healthy strategy to take.
Q: Do you have a strategy to target particular part of the market, like people over 50, with particular kinds of games?
A: I don’t think Nintendo really thinks in terms of specific targets or markets. When we create a game, we try to create entertainment that is appealing to everybody. Here there is a lot of talk about the casual and the hardcore market. We don’t look at casual versus the hardcore. There are a lot of hardcore gamers who play a lot of casual games. And within the casual games, we can win some of them over and get them to play the games that are more hardcore. We are trying to break down the psychological barriers even between those two groups. Looking at younger audience games, there are child-like games that older adults will want to play. And it is possible that children will play games with more adult themes. We don’t try to target one market over another. We try to create games that have universal appeal.
Q: I have a question that I asked Iwata-san as well. Why doesn’t Nintendo go after the gamers on the cell phones or connected PCs. The casual gamers are already there playing on those devices and those are large markets. The non-gamers are already there on those devices. Why do it the hard way and try to get them to come to the console when you could go to where they are.
A: Our real strategy is we are an entertainment company. When you create entertainment on a device that is dedicated to entertainment, you can create much more entertaining experiences. It’s hard to create entertainment on a device that is created for some other functionality like a cell phone. Rather than create a cell phone, we can create games on a device that are dedicated to entertainment. I think that will continue to be our strategy. For example, the Wii Fit Balance Board is the type of experience you could never have on a PC.
Q: So people are going to get naked weighing themselves in front of their game consoles now?
A: Laughs.
الملخص لاحقا :أفكر:
Q: Thank you for doing an interview again. Do you feel vindicated at how well the Wii has been received.
A: I think it is not necessarily vindication but I do get the distinct feeling that because of the Wii, people all over the world are finally taking notice of video games again, when they haven’t for a while.
Q: What are you spending most of your time working on?
A: We have a number of games that are approaching completion now. Typically I work on the games as they are approaching completion to help bring them together. I have been very busy recently on Super Mario Galaxy and Wii Fit.
A: We have a number of games that are approaching completion now. Typically I work on the games as they are approaching completion to help bring them together. I have been very busy recently on Super Mario Galaxy and Wii Fit.
Q: The Wii Fit game is very simple and it looks like you could do that with a very small team and relatively amount of short time. I know an awful lot of work goes into it. Can you explain why it is such hard work to create such a simple game?
A: The hardest thing is the team itself is very uneasy. They have a hard time seeing completion or how they will complete the game. It becomes my job to help assuage their uneasiness and help them to see their path to completion. That is the most difficult for me. I have to try to get them excited about the fact that they’re doing something that no one else has done before. While the games themselves appear very simple, the overall system is quite complex. You have so many elements you have to balance. We had to design and create the Wii Balance Board hardware, we have to consider the timing of our software completion, the timing of the manufacturing of the Wii Balance Board. There are a lot of factors you have to merge and balance to make everything come together in one package at the end. To me, balancing and juggling all of those elements is quite a bit more fun compared to sitting down and programming.
Q: Is there much technology in the Wii Balance Board?
A: In terms of particular technology, obviously it uses the same wireless technology the Wii uses. It does have the weight sensors. They’re very very accurate but relatively standard. The thing that is different about this device is that nobody has created a device like this that not only measures your weight but the balance of your weight and how that shifts. In that sense, it is relatively different.
Q: I thought you might have tried something like the infrared systems where you shoot light up and wherever you interrupt the light it senses where you body is. Wasn’t there something like that a long time ago?
A: We obviously in developing any kind of new interface, we do experiments with a variety of new technologies. In this case, we didn’t experiment along those lines. Whenever we introduce a new interface, what is key for us is the interface itself is something that is not only simple but reliable so that anybody can use it. They can use it intuitively and with ease. And the interface is reliable and will function expected.
Q: How did the Wii Zapper. I think I recall George Harrison was that you were going to see how well people could shoot with the Wii remote and the Nunchuk. If they needed help, you would introduce something that helped them shoot. That was the Zapper. Did you wait to see if people who needed help shooting needed it?
A: When we first created the Wii Remote, we had an idea for some kind of Wii Zapper. And last year at E3 we showed in a display case a prototype for a Wii Zapper. That had a control stick built into it. What we found is that the reason we wanted to have a Zapper is when you hold a Wii Remote, it can be difficult for some people to keep a steady hand. And holding your arm out like that can get your arm somewhat tired. With a Zapper device, you can have your arm more stable and in a relaxed position. We came to a conclusion that rather than have an analog stick on the Zapper itself, we could attach the Nunchuk to the Zapper and allow for more diverse play styles.
Q: Does it worry you that the Zapper can attract much bloodier games?
A: I think we have seen how violence has been used in games so far without a Wii Zapper to encourage that. I think that will happen either way. The concept behind the Wii is to provide the most intuitive interface we can for the consumer. The most intuitive interface for the shooting game is to have something like the Wii Zapper.
Q: It is interesting that your accessories here are all very simple and inexpensive. The contrast between your wheel and Microsoft’s wheel at $149 are very stark. Is that a deliberate strategy?
A: It is definitely deliberate. There are a few different philosophies behind it. Nintendo always wants to provide the most intuitive device and one that is easy for anyone to pick up and play whether they are a hardcore gamer, a young child or an adult. The devices need to be inviting. The other thing is that we focused all of the technology in the Wii Remote when we designed it. We wanted to create it in a way where it would have expansion possibilities but even in the expansions, all of the technology would still be contained in the Wii Remote. The Zapper and the Wii Wheel – while I wouldn’t call them cheap – we’re able to produce them in an inexpensive manner. They have a straightforward interface, they look inviting to people. Because there is no real technology in them, we can slip the Wii Remote in and they are ready to go in a way that is affordable for the mass market. Because of that, we’ll be able to provide new and unique peripherals that match new and specific play styles in different games.
Q: I wonder how much third-party developers get behind some of these devices. You cannot assume the consumer will get behind them. How do you get as many third-party companies to exploit these new peripherals?
A: At this point everybody is looking positively at using these peripherals. The reason is that these peripherals are different from the typical peripheral you see in the industry. They don’t sell well because the peripherals have been expensive. When the software and the peripheral is bundled together, it makes it all more expensive and people aren’t willing to spend the money on it. We have taken a different strategy. The core technology is in the Wii Remote and that is a device that everyone has. It makes it easier to pick up the peripherals as part of software like Mario Kart at very low cost. If there is a third party that wants to take advantage of a peripheral, and it doesn’t yet have an installed base that is large, we can work with that third party to pack in a peripheral with their software at a low price as well.
Q: Is it at all surprising that it looks like accessories are the things making games more accessible to people? I would include the Wii controller in that. Guitar Hero.
A: It makes sense because the peripherals show the consumer immediately what they are supposed to do. You can play the guitar right away. And with Mario Kart, you could use the Wii Remote alone and steer with it. But the Wii Wheel to go with that, it’s more intuitive and makes you feel as if you have a better grip on the game anyway. Up until now, the video game has required you to put your two hands on one controller. Every experience has been the same. Now with the Wii Remote, you can go from that to steering, or moving your hands and aiming. Or with your hands separated with the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk. Separating your hands makes your entire experience feel fresh.
Q: Did you look at and enjoy the Electronic Arts Wii games?
A: I haven’t sent that yet.
Q: What was interesting to me is that they had about four or so original Wii games. They were original and creative. I expected more of that from Nintendo. You instead have a lot of games based on existing characters or previously known games. I was looking for more next-generation Wii games. Or a second wave of original Wii games. My question along with that is why aren’t you interesting more brand new characters?
A: I guess I don’t necessarily see my job as creating new characters as it is creating new experiences. Recently, Wii Fit is creating the concept and the idea and the feeling behind the game. That has been one of my new creations. For characters, we came up with the concept of the Miis and that allows people to come up with their own characters. Maybe next year sometime, we may have new characters in the same way we came up with Pikmin when we introduced the GameCube.
Q: It’s seems a different approach from what other game publishers say. They usually look at the start of a new generation of consoles to introduce some new intellectual property.
A: In Japan, we haven’t seen a lot of that type of strategy. To a certain extent in America, you are seeing a lot of the same franchises made more gorgeous or more complex. They continue to sell those. In Japan, we don’t see that strategy although it is a healthy strategy to take.
Q: Do you have a strategy to target particular part of the market, like people over 50, with particular kinds of games?
A: I don’t think Nintendo really thinks in terms of specific targets or markets. When we create a game, we try to create entertainment that is appealing to everybody. Here there is a lot of talk about the casual and the hardcore market. We don’t look at casual versus the hardcore. There are a lot of hardcore gamers who play a lot of casual games. And within the casual games, we can win some of them over and get them to play the games that are more hardcore. We are trying to break down the psychological barriers even between those two groups. Looking at younger audience games, there are child-like games that older adults will want to play. And it is possible that children will play games with more adult themes. We don’t try to target one market over another. We try to create games that have universal appeal.
Q: I have a question that I asked Iwata-san as well. Why doesn’t Nintendo go after the gamers on the cell phones or connected PCs. The casual gamers are already there playing on those devices and those are large markets. The non-gamers are already there on those devices. Why do it the hard way and try to get them to come to the console when you could go to where they are.
A: Our real strategy is we are an entertainment company. When you create entertainment on a device that is dedicated to entertainment, you can create much more entertaining experiences. It’s hard to create entertainment on a device that is created for some other functionality like a cell phone. Rather than create a cell phone, we can create games on a device that are dedicated to entertainment. I think that will continue to be our strategy. For example, the Wii Fit Balance Board is the type of experience you could never have on a PC.
Q: So people are going to get naked weighing themselves in front of their game consoles now?
A: Laughs.
الملخص لاحقا :أفكر: