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[KyotoMecca]

Some decent stuff in this new interview.

http://games.kikizo.com/features/itagaki_interview_aug05_p1.asp

Kikizo's latest hot interview with the Team Ninja Boss on Dead or Alive 4, Ninja Gaiden Black, DOAX2, breaking Xbox 360 dev kits, his wife, and much more!

Well you know, what you say about the characters not looking much different -- along the same lines, shouldn't they be ageing?! The DOA girls are completed, at least in the world of DOA. That is how they should look, and they shouldn't look any different. I am not going to add additional wrinkles or a freckle or anything like that just to show off the new power of the technology.

A few other new DOA4 related tidbits and some amusing bits too - enjoy.

http://games.kikizo.com/features/itagaki_interview_aug05_p1.asp

 

[Zeo]

Well you know, what you say about the characters not looking much different -- along the same lines, shouldn't they be ageing?! The DOA girls are completed, at least in the world of DOA. That is how they should look, and they shouldn't look any different. I am not going to add additional wrinkles or a freckle or anything like that just to show off the new power of the technology.

Nice excuse, trying to divert the point with that horrible aging analogy.

The "art style" should be growing and changing overtime. What a horrible way to look at things.

 

[PhatSaqs]

Good stuff

 

[cvxfreak]

Itagaki's kinda like a Japanese Michael Jackson in that picture. :lol

 

[COCKLES]

Classic Itagaki.

 

[KyotoMecca]

From page 3...

...do you believe in DOA's gameplay as much as its visual prowess?

Itagaki: If you're talking about the playability, of course I think DOA is one of the fairest games you can play. It's so fair that I don't mind putting in my own money to play. But to go back to the point that I made earlier, as a videogame designer, having the graphics through the TV set and sound, you can't separate that from so-called game concept, or playability or whatever, because the graphics beauty is the reason why you turn on your game and play.

Kikizo: Are you satisfied with the power of the Xbox 360?

Itagaki: I think even Microsoft itself, as soon as this hardware is completed, they will not be satisfied with it, and will start working on the next machine.

 

[Prine]

Readin now, I love Kikizo.

 

[RoadStar]

hahahaha when i look at dude's picture i thought i was stuck in the matrix lol

 

[Ryudo]

Nice excuse, trying to divert the point with that horrible aging analogy.

The "art style" should be growing and changing overtime. What a horrible way to look at things.

When you make a game you can age your characters. ...

 

[APF]

Nice excuse, trying to divert the point with that horrible aging analogy.

The "art style" should be growing and changing overtime. What a horrible way to look at things.

I agree, this is definitely a "Ninja Dog" attitude WRT character design.

 

[Pseudo judo]

I agree, this is definitely a "Ninja Dog" attitude WRT character design.

It's his game he can do as he likes and the art style is beautiful imo, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Besides lots of devs go with what they know when it comes to sequels and art style. Too many devs to mention really. The art style in the FF series for example, though beautiful, is pretty much the same from game, to game, to game but there don't seem to be too many complainers.

 

[∀ Narayan]

Kikizo: Are you satisfied with the power of the Xbox 360?

Itagaki: I think even Microsoft itself, as soon as this hardware is completed, they will not be satisfied with it, and will start working on the next machine.

Well, that pretty much confirms that he'll be moving to the PS3 in the future.

 

[raYne]

Well, that pretty much confirms that he'll be moving to the PS3 in the future.

 

[The Faceless Master]

Nice excuse, trying to divert the point with that horrible aging analogy.

The "art style" should be growing and changing overtime. What a horrible way to look at things.

well, you can make 'saggy tits fighter' and fill it with awesome wrinkly gameplay... you can prolly hire mae young to do motion capture...

 

[APF]

It's his game he can do as he likes and the art style is beautiful imo, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

He can be a Ninja Dog if he wants to. Many people find dogs cute and playful, but not necessarily sexy and cutting-edge (unless you have something to share with us).

 

[KyotoMecca]

Well, that pretty much confirms that he'll be moving to the PS3 in the future.

No, it doesn't.

The whole quote is:

I think even Microsoft itself, as soon as this hardware is completed, they will not be satisfied with it, and will start working on the next machine. I have never been satisfied with any machine in my life. It's like a never ending quest for more; human beings reached the moon, now they want to go to Mars - they want to keep challenging themselves more and more.

Of course, it doesn't mean it won't happen either...

 

[sangreal]

Well, that pretty much confirms that he'll be moving to the PS3 in the future.

Or you can read the interview instead of the excerpt KyotoMecca quoted out of context for whatever reason (presumably to bait someone like you ).

Kikizo: Are you satisfied with the power of the Xbox 360?

Itagaki: I think even Microsoft itself, as soon as this hardware is completed, they will not be satisfied with it, and will start working on the next machine. I have never been satisfied with any machine in my life. It's like a never ending quest for more; human beings reached the moon, now they want to go to Mars - they want to keep challenging themselves more and more.

edit: beaten!

 

[raYne]

Nice excuse, trying to divert the point with that horrible aging analogy.

The "art style" should be growing and changing overtime. What a horrible way to look at things.

-Art style is just that, the style of the game. Change that and it isn't the same game because the feel/ would change as well.
-Why the hell would they change over time if the characters don't age?
-The man prefers this style in his game over any other style... get over it.

 

[Zaptruder]

You're a hack Itagaki. Sure we play games for their graphics and what not.

Otherwise we'd still be satisfied with the PS2 after seeing the PS3...

but there's a balance, between what can be achieved in a generation and the amount of effort put into the gameplay.

I notice there was a dig at Soul Calibur 3 in there (at least a dig against games like SC3), but my man, they have the balance. Between righteous gameplay, attractive graphics (that don't necessarily have to whore out their characters like your girls... but still have good fan service) and what will be good variety to the gameplay.

Ya can't just pump every last dollar into graphics and sound and hope your game flies.

People wouldn't play NG if that was the case Mr Itagaki!

He knows in his heart of hearts that DOA doesn't have a leg to stand upon in gameplay terms. That's why he makes all those references to chess and backgammon.

 

[APF]

-Art style is just that, the style of the game. Change that and it isn't the same game because the feel/ would change as well.
-Why the hell would they change over time if the characters don't age?
-The man prefers this style in his game over any other style... get over it.

Here's a response I posted in another thread about a similar argument. The point (or my point) isn't about characters aging, but about on-screen visuals evolving to match the technology, which is a no-brainer for almost every other developer out there:

* * *

I disagree with posts which suggest that a) the TN style doesn't abide by detailed skin textures, etc, and b) there isn't a lot of room for that style to grow with better technology:

 

[Attack You]

For all the debate over what DoA4 should look like, there's one crucial component missing for the sake of comparison: Another next-gen fighting game. I can't legitimately knock Team Ninja until we see better looking games that abide by roughly the same rules in visual construction.

 

[WordAssassin]

He knows in his heart of hearts that DOA doesn't have a leg to stand upon....

Is that a Dark Tower refrence? And if it is, isn't it "secret heart"?

Also, we've seen another next-gen fighting game: Rumble Roses Double XX.










:lol

 

[MidgarBlowedUp]

For all the debate over what DoA4 should look like, there's one crucial component missing for the sake of comparison: Another next-gen fighting game. I can't legitimately knock Team Ninja until we see better looking games that abide by roughly the same rules in visual construction.

We compare DOA4 to Tekken Tag Tournament 2.
Then, DOA3U to Tekken 6, then DOA4++ to Tekken Tag Tournament 2X, and then Soul Calibur 4 to DOA5 to Tekken 7. And so on and so on and so on...

Much like this gen was DOA2H vs DOA3 (OMG DOA3 is teh $hit, stupid PS2 jag grahpics)
Then Tekken 4 to DOA3 to VF4Evo (OMG PS2 like 3 year old still crap graphics)
Then DOA2U to Tekken 4 to SC2 (OMG DOA2U is like teh so better than all consoles/720p)
Then Tekken 5 to DOAU (OMG, T5 looks good but it would look sooo much better on teh X)

And finally, SC3 vs DOAU (OMG SC3 looks as good or better than DOAU?)
moment of fanboy silence followed by....

(It would look so much better on Xbox, ps2 jags crap!. Fur sur no online SUX!!!)


WHY!!!!
MAKE IT STOP...
(bursts into tears, slumps, knees on the floor, reaching a hand out to God)
"Save Me!"

 

[MidgarBlowedUp]

I don't care how many polygons either is made of.

I'd do them both.

 

[eso76]

Yup, i somehow expected the next doa to have graphics closer to the fmv representation of the characters.

Seems to me most Japanese developers are not using advanced shaders, but rather going the traditional way; i've never seen extensive use of bump, normal not to mention parallax mapping in japanese titles, and without resorting to those i doubt you can achieve a subsantially different 'look'.

For example, I doubt RRVI will look close to RRT4 FMV, although i have no doubt it could match it; look at Soul Calibur 2 and 3; they retain the same overall look as the DC one, while other western beat em ups (besides looking like shit mostly because of the art and modelling) are using more advanced graphical features and actually look from a different generation.

Having said that, a lot of the characters in Doa4 could at least use more poly's...

 

[KyotoMecca]

I disagree with posts which suggest that a) the TN style doesn't abide by detailed skin textures, etc, and b) there isn't a lot of room for that style to grow with better technology:

But... he wasn't saying that this was the Team Ninja style, but the DOA style, which would be more consisnent thinking since it would seem *only* the NG renders/models have this kind of advanced details as you compared. The only time I think he spoke about Team Ninja style broadly speaking in that interview was in reference to storytellins style. So he may still have a valid point.

Also I agree with the person who said that we need other next-gen stuff to compare. Anyone who saw the VF5 demo will know that really there is nothing between them - and arguably DOA4 had the edge on (what was admittedly just!) the demo.

The T6 meanwhile was obviously full pre-rendered a la the FMV intros of previous Tekkens.