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Kikizo: Yu Suzuki Interview

K

KyotoMecca

Member
http://games.kikizo.com/features/sega_yu_suzuki_iv_feb06_p1.asp

yusuzki_iv_350.jpg


We spend time with one of gaming's most legendary creators to learn the latest on Psy-Phi and a great untold story about Suzuki learning Hakkyokuken from a grand master. Oh, and some Shenmue stuff too.

The highest profile Sega veteran of them all, Yu Suzuki has earned his elite reputation at the very pinnacle of game creator. One of gaming's most iconic figures, Suzuki practically invented arcades as we know them, with hits such as OutRun and After Burner, before pioneering the modern racing and fighting game genres with Virtua Racing and Virtua Fighter, and breaking new ground in role playing games with Shenmue.

His career at Sega has spanned some 23 years, and included high points such as his induction into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences' Hall of Fame in 2003. He was formerly the president and well known face of Sega's distinguished AM2 division - proudly characterised by all of Suzuki's work until around the time he received the prestigious award and (coincidentally) changed offices at Sega - and today, operates a completely new division, AM Plus.

Of course Suzuki's role at Sega today is not without its mystery - nor a degree of debate. Debate, fuelled by his critically acclaimed and fan-worshipped Shenmue franchise, which has kept players guessing for some time. Fuelled further, perhaps, by a report on this website last summer about the future of the project, claiming that internally, Suzuki is not involved with the elusive and still officially-unconfirmed next in the core series. And as for mystery, well, can we just say it's been a while since we've seen a game bearing the 'YS' seal, and one must surely wonder what Suzuki-san will have for his fans next.

Kikizo recently spent some time at Sega to meet with Yu Suzuki, primarily for a much needed, up-to-date, English-language and frankly very rare interview, focussing on the man himself, his career to date, and his future goals - but also to see if we could find out any answers to some clearly burning questions. What we present below, is as complete a summary on the essential topics as can possibly, humanly be published. And you can take that or leave it!
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Here is some gasoline for the fire. Suzuki don't like that DS!
Kikizo: Obviously, there's only one console out there that has touch-screen capabilities... so do you think we'll be seeing anything Psy-Phi related on the Nintendo DS?

YS: Well, you can call Psy-Phi the Sega DS! [laughs] Actually, we've joked around about it, but... we haven't considered anything seriously. I don't think the DS is capable enough. We could make a DS [port of the] game, but I think it would lose a lot in the transition.
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It IS odd that he is developing a touchscreen-centric game but not even considering the DS.

...BUT WAIT!

Suzuki said:
The DS is an interesting device, and it's mostly focused on games for a younger audience. That's very good. The PSP looks more sleek and stylish, it has a high-quality display, and its audience is older. That's good too. It's just too bad there aren't any games for it!
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Kikizo: In the event Shenmue was never finished, would the possibility exist for the story to be finished trough other media, like DVD or books?

YS: No, the story will be finished through games. The MMO will be a game that will have a long lifespan through upgrades and updates. This will allow gradual continuation to the story. It follows up directly to the story of Shenmue 2 at first, but maybe we'll move on even further as time passes.
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Nooooooooooo!! I want the story to continue through single player games!
 
YS: No, the story will be finished through games. The MMO will be a game that will have a long lifespan through upgrades and updates. This will allow gradual continuation to the story. It follows up directly to the story of Shenmue 2 at first, but maybe we'll move on even further as time passes.
Click to expand...

And down the toilet one of my favorite series goes. Thanks Suzuki!
 
YS: Reality is not really a goal of mine, no. Reality in the context of games is nonsense. If it's completely realistic, then what's the point? What's so entertaining about the usual and the mundane bits of life? What is more important is believability within the game itself. After all, being completely unusual isn't good, either. You need a fine balance, somewhere in the middle. But I like fantasy, too.
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yup
 
Kikizo: What can Japanese developers do to combat the shrinking Japanese videogame market?

YS: I think Western makers are more likely to try new things, and are more aggressive. The Japanese companies are more conservative, and they rely too much on "safety" series, and sequels. They don't challenge themselves and the industry with new ideas.
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Huh?

Hmmm no, it's like the complete opposite.
 
The PSP looks more sleek and stylish, it has a high-quality display, and its audience is older. That's good too. It's just too bad there aren't any games for it!
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:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol
 
Nash said:
Oh let it die.

Your paragraph at the end basically comes down to 'never say never'.
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Much as I believe that rational thinking would not let another Shenmue game exist, I tend to recall Sega does not possess such a thing.

Is Sega a premenstrual woman?

Hmm...
 
The interviewer sucks up way too much: You've always liked to experiment with new gameplay. While some complained about Shenmue's QTE gameplay feature, they've been proven wrong by its popularity these days in games like God of War and Resident Evil 4.

Could he/she be any more obvious?
 
Akai said:
Suzuki must live under a rock...or in some separate plane of existence...
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QFT

He makes little sense in that entire interview. On one hand he praises Nintendo for being innovative and doing new things, then the next he says Japanese developers are being too conservative/safe. WTF? In one moment he talks about how great touch controls are, then the next he doesn't sound very interested in doing anything with the DS. WTF?

He just seemed to blow it off.
 
Remk said:
Damn Yu! Just give me my Shenmue III, who cares about a MMO game? :(
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:

Kikizo said:
Fuelled further, perhaps, by a report on this website last summer about the future of the project, claiming that internally, Suzuki is not involved with the elusive and still officially-unconfirmed next in the core series.
Click to expand...

Kikizo said:
But based on everything we know to be true at this moment in time - and aside from detail that has since changed - all of it was accurate.
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Kikizo said:
Officially Sega will not talk about a real Shenmue successor under any circumstances.
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Kikizo said:
as complete a summary on the essential topics as can possibly, humanly be published.
Click to expand...
 
Suzuki said:
The DS is an interesting device, and it's mostly focused on games for a younger audience. That's very good. The PSP looks more sleek and stylish, it has a high-quality display, and its audience is older. That's good too. It's just too bad there aren't any games for it!
Click to expand...

So a system's audience really is all about the physical design, then? Sad.
 
PhoenixDark said:
WTF? In one moment he talks about how great touch controls are, then the next he doesn't sound very interested in doing anything with the DS. WTF?
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No, he just said he didn't think a Lindbergh game would port well to the DS hardware.

Also

"It's a new means of controlling the games, and I think it's an important new development."
"It wouldn't be interesting if all of the console manufacturers were headed in the same direction."
"as any good developer will tell you, it's important to try new things."


Although I don't know where he gets the bit about western innovation versus jp devs though.
 
Hajiki said:
The interviewer sucks up way too much: You've always liked to experiment with new gameplay. While some complained about Shenmue's QTE gameplay feature, they've been proven wrong by its popularity these days in games like God of War and Resident Evil 4.

Could he/she be any more obvious?
Click to expand...
It may have been the only way for him/her to GET the interview in the first place. It's sad, but a lot of people will just blow off interviews that don't give them the opportunity to say "SO awesome" in response to each question.
20060120h.jpg


I had Agetec once actually ANSWER my in-your-face questions about why there were all the delays to Alter Code: F, why the JP vocals were removed, etc, but all the guy did was point fingers at SCEA and make up shit about "oh, we wanted to make sure it was quality." If you've seen ACF's translation, you know that guy was lying through his teeth.
 
What does he think the advantage is to spending time and energy developing an arcade game that requires a touch-screen display when there's no hope of it being accurately ported to a home console where you could get secondary profit from it? Is he just in love with custom arcade hardware that much?

I mean I guess his recent attempts at original home games have failed, but I don't get this one.

I know that the guy has created some great franchises in the past, but it doesn't seem like he has a passion for it anymore and even admits in the interview that he doesn't play games much. He's more in love with gimmicks and high-techery and has moved to being more of a producer figurehead.
 
SuperPac said:
What does he think the advantage is to spending time and energy developing an arcade game that requires a touch-screen display when there's no hope of it being accurately ported to a home console where you could get secondary profit from it? Is he just in love with custom arcade hardware that much?

I mean I guess his recent attempts at original home games have failed, but I don't get this one.

I know that the guy has created some great franchises in the past, but it doesn't seem like he has a passion for it anymore and even admits in the interview that he doesn't play games much. He's more in love with gimmicks and high-techery and has moved to being more of a producer figurehead.
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because sega arcade games make money.

And while the ds is huge and software sales are crazy, is it really worth the r&d to release a port that would most likely be nothing like the arcade game?
 
SuperPac said:
What does he think the advantage is to spending time and energy developing an arcade game that requires a touch-screen display when there's no hope of it being accurately ported to a home console where you could get secondary profit from it? Is he just in love with custom arcade hardware that much?

I mean I guess his recent attempts at original home games have failed, but I don't get this one.

I know that the guy has created some great franchises in the past, but it doesn't seem like he has a passion for it anymore and even admits in the interview that he doesn't play games much. He's more in love with gimmicks and high-techery and has moved to being more of a producer figurehead.
Click to expand...

IMO it was always his love of novelty and technology that drove his innovations in the past. Model 1-3, Ferrari, arcade cabs, etc.

I don't think anyone is writing off a home version of Psy-Phi (Rev is PURE speculation but it does come to mind thinking about this concept of natural instinctive control), but he was just saying it would look shit on DS, which is fair enough I guess. It would be kind of shit if a high-end arcade lost its impact in this manner. Having said that, graphically Psy-Phi looks more like a DC game than a Lindbergh game.
 
I´m the only one that thinks that eventually Shenmue 3 will come out?

I think that after reading the interview and the Kikizo final explanation.
 
Jan said:
I´m the only one that thinks that eventually Shenmue 3 will come out?
I think that after reading the interview and the Kikizo final explanation.
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You're not the only one who thinks this although sometimes it does seem a lonely place of theory
 
Adam,

In all seriousness I want to thank you and Fishie for conducting this interview.


This was arguably your best interview yet! Suzuki is my idol. If it wasn't for Suzuki, there would be no OutRun 2, no Virtua Racing, no Daytona USA, nadda!

I don't think people realize just how much this man is rsponsible for. Adam, you and Fishie are the luckiest people I know. What I wouldn't give to have the opportunity to sit down and interview the man responsible FOR THE MUTHAFUCKEN OUTRUN FRANCHISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That being said, I am somewhat sad that there was no questions asked about the possibility of future releases in the Daytona or Scud Race franchise. Adam....please....can you disclose, to the best of your knowledge, what the chances are of ANY the following things happening:

1)Daytona USA 3

2)Scud Race II

3)Console port of Daytona 2 for either PS2 or Xbox Live

4)Console port of Scud Race for either PS2 or Xbox Live

.......?????
 
Yu Suzuki said:
I think my gaming life these days consists entirely of air hockey, Whac-a-mole, and Puyo Puyo. Those are my three big titles! [laughs].
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Whac-a-mole??

For shame.
 
the year 20XX said:
Shenmue Online is still coming out? Wow. I had no idea.
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Sega just dumped JC Online, that's all.

I am rather curious if they'll let Suzuki have a hand in Shenmue III or not. He didn't have a big role in the production of Shenmue II, same for Shenmue 2X. Maybe someone like Nagoshi will take the helm. He did Ryu Ga Gotoku after all, and proved he can manage a title similar in size to Shenmue (although Shenmue was much longer in the making and has a more expansive universe/storyline).

Still, maybe Shenmue Online is a test for Suzuki. Succeed in making this a succesfull title and get a producer's role for Shenmue III or something.
 
adam r u staying over at yu suzuki's crib? how many ferrare's does he have? does he have moving outrun2 cab on hydraulics?
 
KyotoMecca said:
Although I don't know where he gets the bit about western innovation versus jp devs though.
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The grass always looks greener on the other side, as this board constantly proves.





SuperPac said:
What does he think the advantage is to spending time and energy developing an arcade game that requires a touch-screen display when there's no hope of it being accurately ported to a home console where you could get secondary profit from it? Is he just in love with custom arcade hardware that much?
Click to expand...

The man said Sega makes a killing in the arcade market (how he defines a killing of course might differ to our takes, but either way Sega's doing fine). Besides, Sega IS an arcade company...always has been, probably always will be. And nobody embodies that arcade heritage more then Suzuzki. Sega's made a number of games that remained arcade only, and making a few more games like that isn't gonna kill 'em.





Jan said:
I´m the only one that thinks that eventually Shenmue 3 will come out?

I think that after reading the interview and the Kikizo final explanation.
Click to expand...

I've thought this for two years. It's partly fanboy hope, but I also don't think Shenmue 3 will cost as much as the first game because most of the R&D had been done during it's development. Plus a lot of that money technically went into the bigger Shenmue 2, which was going to be part of the original Shenmue game until it got split up due to time. Plus Sega spent a decent dime on Yakuza. Then again Sega's always spent a lot of money on their game production...Panzer Dragoon was the most expensive game they ever made at the time of it's production, and I imagine Panzer Zwei and Panzer Saga weren't chump change either.

Anyway, always fun to read an interview with my favourite gaming figure. Some of the things he touched is stuff he's talked about for years...the bit about controlling games with brain waves is something he mentioned in a Next Generation magazine interview way back in 95/96. I disagree with his point about completely realistic games, but it hardly matters because it's pretty much impossible to make a completely realistic game anyway. Making a game that's believable has always been good enough for me, and that's something I feel Yu and Sega in general have always done well.

One thing I'd be interested in knowing from guys like Suzuki is virtual reality...if they see any future in it, or see an alternative to it that could produce the same thing. But other then that, it was a cool read.
 
Sega makes a killing on the all.net infrastructure and owns over 60% of all arcade busuiness in Japan.
In Japan you can find arcades all over the place.
Whenever someone plays Tekken5 Dark Resurection, Sega gets its cut.
 
isamu said:
adam r u staying over at yu suzuki's crib? how many ferrare's does he have? does he have moving outrun2 cab on hydraulics?
Click to expand...

From anyone else, this would be a blatant everyday pisstake. Coming from you I am just plain puzzled...

Is it because I never posted those videos of OR2SP you wanted?

For the record the reason why, was because hiring a arcade scan converter and doing the vids takes loads of time and money and only two people in the whole world would care: one of them is you. And when they get the vids, I bet they don't even click an ad in appreciation. So why bother... ;-)
 
KyotoMecca said:
From anyone else, this would be a blatant everyday pisstake. Coming from you I am just plain puzzled...
Click to expand...


LOL relax mate I was just phuggin with ya ;P You're still top dawg when it comes to getting the inside scoop on the industry.

Here's to hoping Sega "Mans Up" and releases Daytona USA 1, 2 or Scud Race for ANY console!
 
Hey isamu, they're going to announce something next week that's going to make you roll on your back and pee yourself creating a giant golden fountain of joy
 
Sho Nuff said:
Hey isamu, they're going to announce something next week that's going to make you roll on your back and pee yourself creating a giant golden fountain of joy
Click to expand...

Are you serious? Can I have a hint of some sort please? :)
 
Sho Nuff said:
Hey isamu, they're going to announce something next week that's going to make you roll on your back and pee yourself creating a giant golden fountain of joy
Click to expand...
alborghetti21zj.gif
 
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