Interview:Iwata Asks: Twilight Princess (Part 3): Difference between revisions

{{Interview/A|Iwata:</b> I'm sure they would! (laughs) But I've heard that when this happens, the core staff have realised what's going on and let the newcomers know what to expect. <br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> Now, I'm not saying this to flatter my staff, but even though they were getting these harsh e-mails, we certainly didn't have anyone on the verge of giving up completely. Everybody worked hard right until the end.<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> They certainly did, and that's what really helped us through.<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> That's true. When Miyamoto-san said something harsh, we'd all try our best to respond with something that he wouldn't be able to complain about. We did this right to the end of the project.<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> I know it's not pleasant for people to face criticism. We become light-headed, weak-kneed and often get angry. It's a normal response to rejection. Whether we're able to fend off this attack depends entirely on our training. But I think that young people nowadays have never really had to face this before. They are all very high-achievers here. They're the best of the best, graduating from universities and being able to enter Nintendo, they've never really faced this kind of harsh criticism before. But making products to sell to people is harsh. If we rush out something that's very rough around the edges, the complaints will soon come rolling in. So you could say that the criticism I give helps to prepare people for this, like a kind of warm-up before the main event. Even us older members can feel somewhat confused when we're suddenly told something we don't want to hear, as if our senses have been dulled.<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Iwata:</b> And when that happens, what do you do?<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> It's all about how you fend off the attack. It's like getting rid of stress using Tanden breathing techniques... (laughs) Take three deep breaths, meditate on what you must do... Wow, I'm beginning to sound more and more like an old man! (laughs)<br><br>

{{Interview/A|All:</b> (laughter)<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> I think it's also a kind of training. If you can't enjoy what you're doing, you may as well give up. Anyway, what was it we were talking about again? Let me see, I was.....?<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Iwata:</b> About getting involved in the Zelda project...<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> Getting involved... Yes, it was fun! (laughs)<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Iwata:</b> (laughs)<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Iwata:</b> Ah yes, we were discussing what I did after joining the project. Well, to put it in a nutshell, I felt that for the first time in a long while I was close to the position of the player. From this perspective I focused on putting all the disjointed components back in order. I jotted down the sections which didn't fit the overall story, or elements I thought were completely out of place. One of the aspects I concentrated on was checking things that shattered the sense of reality within the game.<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> That's completely true. I could clearly see that he was working with us, while also deliberately assuming the role of the player. (laughs) Even while I admired him, I was thinking how nasty he was being! (laughs)<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Iwata:</b> Is there any particularly memorable guidance Miyamoto-san gave you?<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> Let me think. In one of his e-mails, Miyamoto-san wrote: "We're supposed to be creating something for people's entertainment. This part won't do at all." That has really stuck in my mind. He went on to say: "We want people to enjoy the game, but how on earth are they going to enjoy what you've done here?" The fact that we're making something to entertain people is completely obvious when you stop to think about it, but what he said made me realise it afresh. But the more the project deadlines started to close in, the easier it was for the development team to lose sight of that fact.<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Iwata:</b> And so, things that weren't going according to plan began to pile up?<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> Exactly. If we just rushed something out without making it absolutely perfect, it would be convenient for us, but this idea of convenience doesn't really concern the customer. Their only concern is how it will entertain them, which I can appreciate. This time in particular, due to the lengthy development time of this project, we haven't always had the time to give this our undivided attention. At these times, Miyamoto-san has taken charge and looked at things purely from the perspective of how to produce high-quality entertainment. In my case, I've often felt that while I know what he's saying, it just wasn't always possible! (laughs) I felt like that a lot of the time, but whatever the situation when something important has to be done, even with strict time constraints, you just have to hold on tight and get the job done. <br><br>

{{Interview/A|Iwata:</b> There are always any number of things in the development area that you know could be improved, but that aren't easy to change right away. The staff have brought this up in previous interviews but when Miyamoto-san suggests a change to something they felt was already too late to change, they would realise that something had to be fixed and would find themselves able to get it done. There's that kind of gratitude towards Miyamoto-san.<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> Ah, yes. (laughs) It happened a lot in the past with things that I thought I couldn't be changed, but when I said that Miyamoto-san wants it done, they seemed to get done. (laughs) But it wasn't like that this time, because Miyamoto-san gave us his suggestions in person.<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> I was often asked: "Are you really going to go ahead with this?" and I'd immediately reply with "yes, I really am!" (laughs)<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> And for those that didn't quite get it, old hands like us would explain in a rather cryptic way that: "These changes will definitely improve the game, just like they always have in the past!"<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> I think I do explain things clearly though. And I always try to be honest right from the word go.<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Iwata:</b> No, what I mean is that it's one thing to get someone to understand the reasons for something, but it's a totally different thing to get them to understand those reasons well enough to be able to explain them to somebody else.<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> As we were reaching the end of the development cycle, I'd often suggest something and get an answer like "we already tried that and it didn't work". I'd then reply with: "Well, that was then and this is now. So let's try again!" This happened on many occasions.<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> Yes, that kind of exchange was quite common.<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> But hey, it's been a long project, initial builds differed quite considerably from the more up-to-date versions.<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Iwata:</b> The thing about Miyamoto-san is that when someone comes to him with a reason why something can't be done, he'll get that person to spit out what would need to be done to get the changes made! (laughs) <br><br>

{{Interview/A|All:</b> (laughter)<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> He won't quit till he gets an answer!<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Iwata:</b> People say that you make it so a person can't escape, and then hit them where it really counts!<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> They say that?<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Iwata:</b> They do! (laughs) <br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> Ouch...!<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Iwata:</b> But it's not just on this particular project. I've heard many employees make the same kind of comments before! (laughs)<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> You like delivering that killer blow, don't you?<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> I suppose I do, yes!<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Iwata:</b> You see, he does! (laughs)<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> Well, while we're on the subject, that swordsman who appears towards the beginning of the game and teaches Link how to wield his weapon properly, actually teaches him how to pull off that deadly strike later on. You suggested that he should teach the attack straight away! (laugh)<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> I asked him why is it that my favorite technique isn't there right from the start! (laughs)<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> Once he'd made his decision that this attack should be available right at the beginning, I had to relent! (laughs)<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> Well, the game needed it, don't you think? The first thing the swordsman taught you was how to knock someone down with your shield, I mean, who's going to use a boring move like that? (laughs)<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> He was saying: "We don't need it! Just finish them off with one mighty thrust!"<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> That's it! One mighty thrust! The scenario had to be altered a lot to accommodate this! (laughs)<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> It threw the developers in charge into a real panic. They was saying things like: "Putting this move in the game right from the start means we've got a lot of work to do!"<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> At times like that, I help out with all the things that have to be reworked to minimize the damage, don't I? I work really hard, you know! I suggest that if we change certain things, it will cause less damage.<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> That's true. When this man wants to incorporate a change in something, he really does his homework and steels himself for battle! (laughs) <br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> I only propose something once I have planned how it would actually be done.<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Aonuma:</b> And once you've come up with your proposal, there's nothing we can say, right? (laughs) We no longer have a choice!<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Iwata:</b> He's got you right where he wants you, ready for the killer blow! (laughs)<br><br>

{{Interview/A|Miyamoto:</b> It's a great job, isn't it<br><br>