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New Mizuguchi interview by Game Informer

B

Blimblim

The Inside Track
Nice and long interview :
http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200508/N05.0809.1753.18994.htm

A few highlights
But in our case, this is collaboration. It’s like a movie project. I am the producer, and Sang Youn Lee from Phantagram is the director. We (Q?) made the storyline, scenario, first concept, and character design, and then we brought that to Seoul. The character design was finalized by a Korean artist by the name of Mr. Park. While it looks the same from your viewpoint, this is a mixture of Japanese and Korean work. The Korean and Japanese cultures are different. One of my big roles is to adjust those kinds of things in the game. You know, character design, backgrounds, colors, game design. I can’t promise that we’re going to make the official launch date, but our goal is to at least make the Japanese launch window
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GI: I was really amazed with your demonstration at the Xbox Summit, but we weren’t allowed to show the actual trailer to our readers per Microsoft’s requests. Could you explain what was going on in that scene? Is that the type of gameplay we’ll be seeing.

TM: In that trailer, that is from the beta kit. That’s only gameplay, and not a pre-rendered cutsceen. There are many [ed: hundreds] of soldiers on the field, and some character is using a very special magic power from the nature, which causes a big explosion and many soldiers go flying. (laughs) This is a very special attack in the game.
Click to expand...
GI: Your games have traditionally been strong musically, anything you can say about the soundtrack?

TM: I’m preparing the music right now. It’s too early to tell. It’ll be orchestrated.
Click to expand...
GI: A lot of people, including myself viewed Sony going after Microsoft at E3 the same way they aggressively went after Sega with the Dreamcast when Sony announced the PlayStation 2. Do you think it’s different this time around?

TM: Yes. I think the hardware war will end. The PC and Game Console is going to merge because of the networking this generation. So many people predict the war, because that’s that’s always the case before the next generation. But with the medium, for example, the cell phone or the iPod – consumer production. The next generation after this new generation will be chaos. I really don’t care about the hardware. The engine will be important. They’re all more or less using the same hardware. It’s going to be all about the software, not the hardware. The contents, feel, image is what’s going to be important. I think 5-10 years down the road, I think you’ll get to play game on any hardware. Now it’s just beginning. The point I want to make, every medium, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, I don’t know about Revolution yet, will be able to exist together. That means that that’s not war – they’re going to co-exist together.
Click to expand...
GI: Okay, I have to be honest with you. I wanted to have this meeting to ask you one single question. Will there ever be a sequel to Lumines.

TM: No comment. (big smile)
Click to expand...
 
this is definitely one of the better Mizuguchi interviews that i've read in my day. :)

the interviews he did right before Rez was unveiled are crazy though.
 
It's official: a sequel to Lumines is coming. :D

(I can't be the only person who read that comment as "confirmation" that a sequel is being/going to be developed)
 
Blimblim said:
TM: I can’t promise that we’re going to make the official launch date, but our goal is to at least make the Japanese launch window
Click to expand...

Hm, I wonder how far along in development they are then. Japanese launch date isn't supposed to be that far from UK/US dates right?
 
What I like best about Miz is how he talks about games. You can feel the passion and energy he has for games through his words. I don't care if his games don't sell, he consistently endeavors to blur the line between games and art. He hasn't ever done a hard, story driven game before, so I am curious as to how he handles the open-field fighting action genre. If he can infuse a mainstream game's story with the kind of passion and eloquence that you see in his designs and hear in his words, then I am pretty sure we will have another excellent title to dissect.

It is a shame that Miz's games are more about "getting it" than anything else. I've rarely played a game that pays such careful attention to the process of discovery than something like Lumines, Rez, or Meteos.

Sure it is a bit of auteurism, and I fully understand that what makes Miz great is the group of people he surrounds himself with, but everytime the man opens his mouth, my respect for him grows.
 
sangreal said:
December
Click to expand...

Yes, I know. But if he's hoping it's at least going to hit the Japanese release date, the gap of time is only like three weeks or so. Is development that far along where that small amount of time is the difference between release and non-release?
 
And with 360, it’s going to be some guy playing 360 in his apartment, and with first touch of the controller, he’s going to be like, “Wow!”, and with a big screen, in very high-def, and the drama, and not only in Japan but worldwide…so…N3, 360, the image came to me. The technology and the hardware style is very inspiring to me.
Click to expand...

Mizuguchi knows the score. I was afraid he might be making music puzzle games for 360, but he knows deep down all Xbots want are great looking epic games with fantastic presentation. I looking foward to his future Xbox360 games :D
 
Prine said:
Mizuguchi knows the score. I was afraid he might be making music puzzle games for 360, but he knows deep down all Xbots want are great looking epic games with fantastic presentation. I looking foward to his future Xbox360 games :D
Click to expand...
Only one game as been announced so far. Okamoto has 2, Sakaguchi 2, Mizuguchi only one.
I was afraid Mizuguchi would have only a small consulting role in the development of N3, but it looks like he's really involved. Nice.
 
Blimblim said:
Only one game as been announced so far. Okamoto has 2, Sakaguchi 2, Mizuguchi only one.
I was afraid Mizuguchi would have only a small consulting role in the development of N3, but it looks like he's really involved. Nice.
Click to expand...

If you read his blog in Japanese, he is in Seoul more often than not. Half of Q? moved to Seoul as well (although the guy I email back and forth with stayed in Tokyo).
 
The point I want to make, every medium, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, I don’t know about Revolution yet, will be able to exist together. That means that that’s not war – they’re going to co-exist together.
Click to expand...

wtf is Mizuguchi talking about? Gaddamn hippie! :D
 
tetsuoxb said:
If you read his blog in Japanese, he is in Seoul more often than not. Half of Q? moved to Seoul as well (although the guy I email back and forth with stayed in Tokyo).
Click to expand...
Unfortunately my japanese is limited to 2-3 words, so reading his blog is not an option ;)
I'd love to see a translation !
 
he has no gamecube but a VIRTUAL BOY?!

IMG_3831.jpg
 
Q? is just the logo. The company really isn't called Q? Entertainment, though. Do a net search and try to find a Q? Entertainment...and then get back to me.
 
fiddlestick said:
IMG_3838.jpg


porn? :lol
Click to expand...

No it's manga. Often manga books will have pics are girls on the front sides of them totally unrelated to the manga within. Other times they have pinups and such. ALthough you can buy the porn type of manga as well...in this case it isn't porn tho
 
ddkawaii said:
No it's manga. Often manga books will have pics are girls on the front sides of them totally unrelated to the manga within. Other times they have pinups and such. ALthough you can buy the porn type of manga as well...in this case it isn't porn tho
Click to expand...

you learn something new every day.
 
Blimblim said:
Yep. I think there is also the first prototype of the 360 controller on the left of the Xbox one.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think you're right. I don't see any B&W buttons and it has the new shape
 
Nice interview! I <3 Mizuguchi.

Blimblim said:
There are many [ed: hundreds] of soldiers on the field, and some character is using a very special magic power from the nature, which causes a big explosion and many soldiers go flying. (laughs) This is a very special attack in the game.
Click to expand...

I guess when they said at E3 that the engine was capable of 2000 soliders on screen at once, they meant that as an end goal rather than something they had working at that time?
 
gofreak said:
I guess when they said at E3 that the engine was capable of 2000 soliders on screen at once, they meant that as an end goal rather than something they had working at that time?
Click to expand...

IIRC, he said they had 1000 on screen at once at the time and the goal was 2000. The hundreds they are talking about is just the Japan Summit demo.
 
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