Author Topic: The Iwata/Itoi Conversation (Read 6088 times)

mef · « **on:** September 21, 2007, 10:52:10 AM »

This and more revealed in an interesting conversation between Nintendo's president and Earthbound's developer.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14447

Earlier this year, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata and famous Japanese essayist/game designer Shigesato Itoi sat down for dinner. Itoi recorded the conversation, and has recently posted it on his website in 11 installments. While the talk mainly centered on the philosophical, there were some topics discussed that might interest Nintendo fans. Here are some highlights:

-- The two discuss Shigeru Miyamoto and praise his philosophy on game design and team management. According to Iwata, there are many problems that arise when working on a project. Miyamoto's style as a designer revolves around finding a single ingenious solution that solves multiple problems at once. He looks for "one single inspiration that makes so many things work. That's what you call a 'great idea', and finding that moves things forward, moves it towards the goal. Mr. Miyamoto thinks that it's the game director's task to find those."

-- Iwata, again on Miyamoto: "The majority of people think he's the person of art, full of inspiration, with a natural talent coming up with ideas one after another, as if he was guided by God." However, in reality, "he's extremely logical, but that's not all. He creates a mixture of left-prefrontal-oriented elaborate logic, and dramatic ideas that people are blown away by. To be honest, I have to say I envy this."

-- Itoi, on developing the Earthbound series: "When the MOTHER 2 (EarthBound) project was about to fall apart, you (Iwata) came in to help, and this is what you said to us: 'It will take two years to fix this keeping what you have built up. If we start from scratch, it will take only a year. What do you say?' We decided to start from scratch."

-- Iwata says there are no immediate plans for a WiiSports 2, as making it would be doing the obvious, easy thing. He feels his mission is to surprise people in a good way. Of course the luxury of success allows Nintendo to operate this way. "Realistically, I think we can say 'we won't do the easy' because we are currently making profit," said Iwata.

The entire chat between Iwata and Itoi can be found here.

wandering · « **Reply #1 on:** September 21, 2007, 11:09:18 AM »

Quote
While the talk mainly centered on the philosophical, there were some topics discussed that might interest Nintendo fans.

Oh, so philosophical discussions don't interest Nintendo fans? We're not smart enough to understand them, is that it?

NinGurl69 *huggles · « **Reply #2 on:** September 21, 2007, 11:39:39 AM »

Correct.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #3 on:** September 21, 2007, 11:42:36 AM »

"-- Iwata says there are no immediate plans for a WiiSports 2, as making it would be doing the obvious, easy thing. He feels his mission is to surprise people in a good way."

This is very old Nintendo-like which I like. Nintendo used to be known for releasing sequels that meant something and had a reason to exist. They don't really stick to that as closely as they used to so it's good to hear something that harkens back to that. Let's hope that applies in general and isn't just for WiiSports 2.

Look at SSB. I'm sure they could have cranked out more of them but we're only on the third one and the first one came out 8 years ago. SSB Brawl is a big deal because we haven't been overloaded with SSB games. We've only gotten one per console with no spin-offs of any sort, not even a portable version. So Brawl is a big deal and with a new console and with online play it's a sequel with reason to exist. Meanwhile Mario Party 27 is about due and no one cares because we got sick of endless Mario Party games on the N64. Mario Party will probably continue to sell but if they ended the series I don't think anyone would even notice. That's what I mean when I say that no one cares. If SSB however disappeared for too long people would start questioning why there hasn't been a new game in a while like. They would MISS it like we missed Metroid when it didn't show up on the N64.

Mashiro · « **Reply #4 on:** September 21, 2007, 11:59:58 AM »

Oh . .. oh my God.

::Rubs his eyes::

No way. . . wait wait . . .

Guys, IAN just posted something POSITIVE about Nintendo? Holy God. =D

NinGurl69 *huggles · « **Reply #5 on:** September 21, 2007, 12:30:11 PM »

Allow me to translate:

"2008 IS AN EFFING DROUGHT. THE WII BUBBLE HAS BURST SOONER THAN I EXPECTED. NINTENDO SHOULDN'T BE SO SECRETIVE AND SHOW US WHAT THE EFF THEY ARE WORKING ON, IF AT ALL"

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #6 on:** September 21, 2007, 01:06:06 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Mashiro
Oh . .. oh my God.

::Rubs his eyes::

No way. . . wait wait . . .

Guys, IAN just posted something POSITIVE about Nintendo? Holy God. =D

I think Ian has been a Wii convert since buying it, before he was grumpy because he couldn't join in on the fun.

that Baby guy · « **Reply #7 on:** September 21, 2007, 01:12:57 PM »

I think Ian's always been positive about Nintendo. You all just read too much into the negative things he says.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #8 on:** September 21, 2007, 01:25:30 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: thatguy
I think Ian's always been positive about Nintendo. You all just read too much into the negative things he says.

Maybe it is because he IS NEGATIVE?

Mashiro · « **Reply #9 on:** September 21, 2007, 01:28:10 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Professional 666
Allow me to translate:

"2008 IS AN EFFING DROUGHT. THE WII BUBBLE HAS BURST SOONER THAN I EXPECTED. NINTENDO SHOULDN'T BE SO SECRETIVE AND SHOW US WHAT THE EFF THEY ARE WORKING ON, IF AT ALL"

Ah thank you Pro . . . I spoke too soon

NWR_pap64 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 21, 2007, 02:00:18 PM »

You know the REAL reason why there won't be a Wii Sports 2? Wii Fitness. The game is going to aim at the audience that devoured Wii Sports and one that is guaranteed to sell Wiis like crazy (can you say Wii drought part 2?). Releasing a Wii Sports 2 would be killing Wii Fitness AND over saturating the casual gamer market.

If they do make a Wii Sports 2 I expect it sometime in 2009.

Mashiro · « **Reply #11 on:** September 21, 2007, 02:13:36 PM »

Wii Sports 2 will be the launch title for Wii 2 =D

NinGurl69 *huggles · « **Reply #12 on:** September 21, 2007, 03:09:45 PM »

Wii Tae Bo

Smash_Brother · « **Reply #13 on:** September 21, 2007, 03:09:50 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: pap64 (can you say Wii drought part 2?).

Wii Drought and Wii Drought 2?

King of Twitch · « **Reply #14 on:** September 21, 2007, 03:50:06 PM »

Good. More time to work on the next mario kart, zelda and pikmin.

NWR_pap64 · « **Reply #15 on:** September 21, 2007, 03:58:38 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
Quote
Originally posted by: pap64 (can you say Wii drought part 2?).

Wii Drought and Wii Drought 2?

Huh? OK now you confused me...

What I mean is that once the audience that ate Wii Sports up sees Wii Fitness and the board Wiis are more likely to be scarce once more. It all depends on how well Nintendo sells the game, though.

NinGurl69 *huggles · « **Reply #16 on:** September 21, 2007, 05:11:24 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: MJRx9000
Good. More time to work on the next mario kart, zelda and pikmin.

The new Zelda comes with the ZAPPER, so you're a little late.

Spak-Spang · « **Reply #17 on:** September 21, 2007, 05:16:59 PM »

Wii Fit is definitely the spiritual successor to Wii Sports. It is not the same game, but it is a game that is designed to go for a casual market and create something great and inspiring to go for that game.

I think Nintendo really hurt itself with Wii Big Brain Academy. The game is a blast, but it just didn't seem to carry that much value with too few of games to play. Nintendo really needs to learn that with casual games it is all about perceived value. Wii Sports looks like a great value because it was free with the system, AND it had 5 sports in it. However, it would never sell as a $50.00 game.

Big Brain Academy did have the same perceived value because there was a low number of activities and people were paying for the game. If Nintendo had included Sudoku in the package and perhaps a Doctor Mario or something as well...then the game would have felt like a better value, and could have been used to help promote the casual gamer.

Now this holiday season is coming up and the only real casual game coming out is Endless Ocean. Which is great, but will it be enough? luckily I think the casual market also enjoyed rayman Rabbid Rabbits, and this will help propel Ubisoft's sales, and the Cranium game should also do well on the Wii. Casual market doesn't care who makes the game as long as they appeal to them, so there will still be enough casual market games for this holiday season.

Mario · « **Reply #18 on:** September 21, 2007, 05:19:58 PM »

The crap thing about this kind of thinking is they bring out a new peripheral or something with one game, and then never use it again because as soon as it comes out its old. We're never going to see an expansion of anything on Wii, it's just going to be one half-cooked gimmick then the next. Nintendo is the only company who could actually make a good standalone tennis game on Wii, but they wont. Thus we all suffer. I predict this will be the thing to lead to Nintendos next downfall, if it happens.

Oh yeah, fantastic interview by the way. You actually learn things from listening to Iwata rather than other companys lame presidents.

Kairon · « **Reply #19 on:** September 21, 2007, 05:59:09 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
This is very old Nintendo-like which I like.

I though we hated old Nintendo?

King of Twitch · « **Reply #20 on:** September 21, 2007, 07:48:12 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Professional 666
Quote
Originally posted by: MJRx9000
Good. More time to work on the next mario kart, zelda and pikmin.

The new Zelda comes with the ZAPPER, so you're a little late.

Nongames don't count as games, Prof. Just like nongamers don't count as people.

Kairon · « **Reply #21 on:** September 21, 2007, 07:50:14 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: MJRx9000
Good. More time to work on the next mario kart, zelda and pikmin.

Screw that. More time to work on Wii Music!

KDR_11k · « **Reply #22 on:** September 21, 2007, 08:11:18 PM »

Wii Drought: Take a sip from your Wiimote!

BlkPaladin · « **Reply #23 on:** September 21, 2007, 09:40:11 PM »

There are some things you can hate about Nintendo of old. But there are a lot of things they did brillently. If they didn't they wouldn't of been on top for as long as they were.

Kairon · « **Reply #24 on:** September 21, 2007, 09:45:33 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: BlkPaladin
There are some things you can hate about Nintendo of old. But there are a lot of things they did brillently. If they didn't they wouldn't of been on top for as long as they were.

I don't see much difference between Nintendo of old and Nintendo of now. The Wii has a bunch of similarities to the NES, for instance. Of course, not a real parallel, but enough to suggest that though the superficialities of "Nintendo" may have changed, the company's essential identity lies in broader emergent themes rather than specific acts.

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Author Topic: The Iwata/Itoi Conversation (Read 6088 times)